Sunday 9 November 2008

In the Spirit of the Grandmother

Another one for Jimmy.
As the previous post generated a fair amount of interest, I thought I'd post the second Grandmothers' album Looking Up Granny's Dress.

This also appears to be unavailable anywhere else.

Like the first album, Looking Up Granny's Dress was released by Rhino Records, and despite being released in 1982, a year later than the first album, the first side of the album features music from a live Grandmothers' set recorded in Denmark in 1980.

The Grandmothers heard here are: Don Preston: keyboards, vocals; Jimmy Carl Black: drums, vocals; Tom Fowler: bass, violin; Walt Fowler: keyboards, trumpet, vocals; Bunk Gardner: sax; Tony Duran: guitar.

There is some new material played, but of most interest is the band playing some great loungey versions of old Mothers' tunes.

'Mother People' is particularly excellent, with a great closing jam; Tom Fowler unleashing some soaring violin notes.

The second side is more reminiscent of the first album, being made up of mainly solo material from various ex-Mothers.

Ray Collins makes a welcome appearance; singing on an early version of 'Deseri' (featuring FZ on drums); and then going completely over the top during the wonderfully hyberbolic 'Mayonnaise Mountain'.

It just oozes; fat-like into your head. Beautifully asphyxiating.

Eliot Ingber's gorgeous instrumental blues, 'Gingerwail', proves that FZ wasn't the only mean plank-spanker in the band.

The final track, is a Grandmothers' recording of a Motorhead Sherwood song: 'Going to Idaho', where he takes the lead vocal and plays a satisfying slide guitar.

All the studio tracks are accompanied by little intros and preambles, all of which crack me up.
Who said North Americans couldn't do irony?
At least, I think it's irony...

Grandmothers - Looking Up Granny's Dress (1982)

Uncle Meat
Mother People
Medula Oblongata
Peaches en Regalia
Silicone Hump
Oh No
Eric Dolphy's Memorial Barbecue
Acid Rain Pelting the Underground
Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder
Deseri
Gingerwail
My Love Has Gone
Mayonnaise Mountain
Dona
Going to Idaho

Quality Cassette rip @256kbs
Get it here
If burning, remove pauses for best effect.

Respect to United Mutations, the best damn resource for all info Zappa related.

7 comments:

R.D. said...

I have the first album on vinyl but i hadn't come across this one until now. May thanks.

"Where's my waitress?"

roy rocket said...

'Opel, you hot little bitch.'
Pleasure.
Shanti, roy

Anonymous said...

I saw them live at Wetlands on aug 2000. Chatted with Jimmy, Bunk and Sandro. Saw a terrific show and basically had the time of my life.
How good they are! What a great band! When I heard that JCB had passed away I was really sad. I'm glad that someone took the time to upload and share some of his stuff. Thank you for all the info too.

yotte said...

I ignored the Grandmothers albums for years. Thanks for the chance to give 'em a chance.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Grandmothers.Really fine posts. But one thing,please. Many of your posts are still available. Anyway, thanks for the great music.
v-c

Miles said...

such an incredible share here. few people, it seems, ever took the grandmothers very seriously as an entity. i saw them once. it was an entertining night and i enjoyed don preston's stuff in particular.

thanks for this one and the other too!

roy rocket said...

Link fixed!