Search - Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960's on DVD

Very good history of Zappa's best period

P. Baum | Tampa, FL | 02/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In 1967 and 1968 (when I was "losing status at the high school") I first heard the Mothers on their brilliant albums "Absolutely Free" and "We're
Only In It for the Money." The words and music of Frank Zappa influenced the way I think more than the Beatles, Bob Dylan or over 18 years of
education (?) So when I read about the release of this DVD, I had to get it immediately! The only thing disappointing about it (though it is not surprising) is that there are only snippets of the MOI onstage. (What I would give for a complete '67 Mothers performance at NY's Garrick Theatre!) But the good news is that those who tell the story of the original Mothers do a very good job, with the contributions of former
Mothers Bunk Gardner, Jimmy Carl Black, Artie Tripp and Don Preston being particularly valuable (too bad they couldn't have gotten Roy Estrada, Ian Underwood, Billy Mundi or Ray Collins.) An in-depth analysis of the Mothers' mid to late-Sixties albums from "Freak Out" to "Uncle Meat" is
very well done, with lots of newly revealed information and anecdotes.
One of the music critics states that this was the best group of musicians that Zappa ever assembled. Well J.C. Black was no Terry Bozzio and Don Preston was no George Duke or Tommy Mars, but, in spirit, maybe they were after all. To this day, I feel that Zappa's most memorable and
iconoclastic music was done with the original Mothers - one critic even suggests that Zappa's music since the late-Sixties was basically a recycling of the ideas he expressed on those great records. That may be going a bit too far, but those first five or six Mothers albums will always be the ones I go back to first. And the members of Frank's band were important components in making the albums and performaces so groundbreaking. These guys were real characters and added so much to the Mothers' output. Especially touching are the words of Jimmy Carl Black (particularly since he passed away recently.) Jimmy Carl clearly loved Frank Zappa and his creativity. But he also makes clear that Zappa was often very demanding and difficult to work with. And after some 35 years,
he is still very hurt that Frank broke up the band at a time when the members interviewed say that the band was peaking. But he also says that he is still buzzed about playing with the "best rock and roll band there ever was." And about that, he just might be correct. I would recommend this to all Zappa fans, especially the ones whose first exposure to Frank Zappa was "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" or "Dinah-Moe Humm." This DVD offers an excellent history lesson into the first years of a musical genius."

Excellent documentary

T. Carney | s. jersey | 02/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"really 4 stars but, i wanted to try to cancel that one star rating. i just watched it for the second time & really enjoyed it. 60's mothers is probably my favorite band. even though i am totally familiar with their story, i did not find this boring (like round things). short clips of howlin wolf, edgard varese, ray collins (w/ hair), beefheart, gto's, wild man fischer, commentary by mothers biographer billy james, zappa biographer ben watson, & mothers jimmy carl black, don preston, bunk gardner & art tripp. bonus materials: extended interviews. if you dig the original mothers or are curious about them, check it out. well done & enjoyable."

Eh, its ok

Smurfdaddydog | Lafayette, La USA | 01/25/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Honestly, there is a lot of good information here and some great footage. That being said it drags along. Not nearly as bad as music in review but its along those lines. Were it not for the footage it would be horrid."

Enough with the Blowhards Already

soulcargo | Bowie, MD United States | 06/16/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I knew we were off to a bad start when the first words uttered in this documentary (by some guy in a green-star spangled sweater that I'd never heard of) were "Music wouldn't be what it is today without Frank Zappa." First off, most modern music is crap and it's not nice to blame Frank, secondly this is the most overused cliche in music critique. Especially when dealing with rock. So, the film plods on with some quasi-academic, English "experts" seemingly forever until Jimmy Carl Black finally appears. I must admit that the interviews with J.C.B. , Bunk Gardner, Don Preston and Kim Fowley are interesting enough. However, the bulk of this DVD is endless chatter from self-important know-it alls and very little footage of The Mothers. It would be much nicer to see actual footage than listen to these talking heads for 2 + hours. The Mothers deserve better than this. Save your money!!"