The Mothers of Invention

The Mothers of Invention were a rock and roll band active from the 1960s to the 1990s. They are most famous for their work with composer Frank Zappa.

Related Topics:
Rock and roll - Frank Zappa

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Initially, the group was named "The Soul Giants", and consisted of drummer Jimmy Carl Black, bass player Roy Estrada, saxophonist Davy Coronado, guitarist Ray Hunt, and vocalist Ray Collins. After Collins got into a fight with Hunt in 1964, Hunt quit the group and Frank Zappa took his place as guitarist.

Related Topics:
Drummer - Jimmy Carl Black - Bass - Roy Estrada - Saxophonist - Guitar - Ray Hunt - Vocalist - Ray Collins - Frank Zappa

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On Mothers' Day, 1964, the band changed its name to "The Mothers". In late 1965, record producer Tom Wilson made a brief visit to a bar where The Mothers were playing and offered them a contract and an advance of $2500.

Related Topics:
Mothers' Day - Record producer - Tom Wilson - $

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The Mothers and Wilson then spent several months and thousands of dollars recording and editing the band's first album, a double LP named Freak Out!. At the insistence of their record company, MGM, The Mothers again changed their name, this time to "The Mothers of Invention". Their debut was released in 1966, and The Mothers of Invention subsequently went on tour.

Related Topics:
Double LP - Freak Out! - MGM

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MGM recorded sales of Freak Out! amounting to a relatively poor 30,000 copies. The record label responded by cutting the band's budget for their next LP to $11,000. The Mothers of Invention continued regardless, releasing Absolutely Free in 1967 and We're Only in It for the Money in 1968 under the leadership of Zappa.

Related Topics:
$ - Absolutely Free - We're Only in It for the Money

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In 1969, The Mothers of Invention disbanded. In 1970, Zappa recreated the band with a new lineup consisting of himself, Aynsley Dunbar, George Duke, Howard Kaylan, and Mark Volman. They played on a new album, Chunga's Revenge, though it is credited solely to Zappa. Afterwards, they released two live albums (Fillmore East - June 1971 and Just Another Band From L.A.) before having to disband when Zappa was severely injured after being pushed offstage into an orchestra pit at a concert in London. Zappa was hospitalised for a year.

Related Topics:
Aynsley Dunbar - George Duke - Howard Kaylan - Mark Volman - Chunga's Revenge - Fillmore East - June 1971 - Just Another Band From L.A.

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