Zappa.com

Under-rated.

When I first heard the original "king kong" on "uncle meat", I was totally fond of that swinging groove, particularly that great drumming. then, i started hearing live versions of "King Kong" from 1968-1969 and they were unexpectedly enough quite different. The beat was a more pedestrian 12/8 shuffle. Recently I realized that the drummer on "Uncle Meat" "King Kong" must have not been Art Tripp. And I was right.

http://www.united-mutations.com/m/billy_mundi.htm

From: Moore's Code
Which songs does Billy Mundi drum on?

From: John Henley
Most of Absolutely Free
also: "Who Needs the Peace Corps", "Flower Punk" (yeh!), "Mother People", and most splendiferously and magnificently, the original studio "King Kong" to which Mundi gives a jazz drive and swing that are found in none, I repeat NONE, of the other versions - except the live one on "'Tis the Season to be Jelly" which is also drummed by Billy.

I figure he also must've drummed on the Uncle Meat variant of "Pound For A Brown", as the groove is again slightly different. I like Art Tripp, but he was more of a classical oriented percussionist as opposed to a true groove-oriented drummer as was Billy Mundi. He sure had drive and swing. I really think he was the best drummer the first Mothers had. He could read music as well, which made him stand out amongst other rock drummers back then (which has to be why FZ hired the guy in 1966). I also liked the way FZ used Mundi as a 2nd drummer for the May 1970 shows (most notable of them being the "200 Motels" concerto). He pretty much proved himself to be on equal level with Aynsley Dunbar.

Now playing "Tis The Season To Be Jelly". Man could he swing!

P.S. Mundi defected the Mothers to join Rhinoceros in late 1967 (apparently this was an opportunity for him to escape starving, a problem that plagued many Mothers). Anyone ever heard his work with that band? If so, is it any good?

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There are groups that tend to dazzle a drug-stupefied audience into submission

I have some Rhinoceros stuff. It's okay. Just fairly standard late 60s soul/blues/rock. Nothing to write home about.

Thanks for the info on the little-mentioned Billy Mundi. I always wondered exactly what he did with the band - I agree the UM version of King Kong really grooves like no other version.

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Let's hear it again for the London Philharmonic Orchestra!

Yea he was great!

What I want to know is who is playing drums on Call any Vegetable?

damn good stuff!

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If Billy Mundi did King Kong, then DAMN RIGHT is he underrated! That's some good work,there.

It's a shame the lower part of one of his legs was amputated a few years ago. I got to hear him perform with the Mothers Of Invention and Rhinoceros back in the 60s and most recently with The Grandmothers in 2001 at which time he signed my copy of the first Rhinoceros lp as he asked, "Where did you get this?!?". To thank me for a favor, he once sent to me a very cool image of him with the Mother Of Invention live onstage. It must be rare because I've never seen it on the web. Nice guy.

The Grandmothers
1 November 2001
Zig's
Alexandria, Virginia
Don Preston, Bunk "Sweet Pants" Gardner, Roy Estrada, Billy Mundi with Ken Rosser on guitar
soundboard master DAT

Call Any Vegetable
Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin
I Can't Breathe
You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here
Mom & Dad
What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? (excerpt)
Flower Punk
Wowie Zowie
New Age Mumbo Jumbo
The Little House I Used To Live In
Twenty Small Cigars
Uncle Meat
More Trouble Every Day
Immaculate Deception
The Duke Of Prunes
Amnesia Vivace
The Duke Regains His Chops
The Black Page #2
Horta Babies
King Kong
Holiday In Berlin
Who Are The Brain Police?
Lamont's Lament
Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish
Lamont's Lament (reprise)
Who Are The Brain Police? (finale)
Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder
The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue
Oh No
The Orange County Lumber Truck
Mother People
Motherly Love (encore)

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"If Frank Zappa cut a fart and mixed it to stereo, I'd buy it!" - jimmie d

He will be missed.

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Bobby

I can't find an obituary. Someone has changed his wikipedia entry to reflect a death on March 29, 2014. The wording is clumsy because of the use of the word "is" rather than "was". Can anyone find proof in the form of an obituary?.

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Never argue with stupid people; they will drag you
down to their level and then beat you with experience.

I'm pretty heavy into genealogy and can't find his obit anywhere, under his birth name or Billy Mundi.

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Never argue with stupid people; they will drag you
down to their level and then beat you with experience.

Strange photo that one, everybody looks totally pissed off. Maybe they'd all said "cheese!" for the photo a few too many times

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"drums are too noisy, 'n you've got no corners to hide in"

While surfing the net for info on Keyholes new Butterfield Blues Band cd ( A & R Studios Dec.1970 ), I came across a You Tube video of a 1972 Butterfield show featuring Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Mark Naftalin, John Kahn and Mr.Mundi. The video has its problems, but the music is great, and it's great to see "The Oozer" in action. Enter Mike Bloomfield Paul Butterfield Reunion Boston and it should take you there.

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Maybe Frank has just told them they aren't getting paid, and worst of all, there is no beer!

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hey punk where you going with that golf club in your hand, again.....

Note the 12-string.

Oh I'm noting it, maybe a Hagstrom F12....

same photo shoot?

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hey punk where you going with that golf club in your hand, again.....

Very cool to learn more about him. Underrated drummer.

Wow, I didn't know the Zappa ever played Hagstrom. I just bought a Hagstrom guitar last saturday

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You have just destroyed one model XQJ-37 Nuclear Powered Pan-Sexual Roto-Plooker
And you're gonna have to pay for it!

Billy played drums on two Todd Rundgren songs from 1972.

Piss Aaron - https://youtu.be/sJVmbDm2DCM

Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me - https://youtu.be/zm9yB3gAS7o

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Back line: Jimmy, Billy, Roy, Bunk, Don
Front line: Frank, Ray

Thanks for sharing.

This photo appears in David Walley's No Commercial Potential, where it's identified as being from the Lindy Opera House, Los Angeles, 1966 (correct date probably February 1967--wrong lineup for the September 1966 gig).

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New album THE HIPCRIME VOCAB available now!
https://michaelpdawson.bandcamp.com

The reason I wrote "Wilshire Hotel" is because that is the location given to me by Billy. Of course, he could have been mistaken.