The Class of 1970: The Mothers of Invention — Frank Zappa — ‘Chunga’s Revenge’
1970 was a red-letter year for Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. After five albums on the Verve label from 1966-68, Zappa took his business to Warner Brothers, creating his own Bizarre label and another called Straight. In 1969, The Mothers of Invention released the amazing double-album Uncle Meat and his landmark solo effort Hot Rats.
As was Zappa’s habit, he kept a voluminous library of recorded music and studio tracks, which he intermixed in stunning permutations and combinations. That accounted for the three albums issued in 1970:
02/09/70 MOI: Burnt Weeny Sandwich — recorded 1967-69
08/10/70 MOI: Weasels Ripped My Flesh — recorded 1967-6910/23/70 FZ: Chunga’s Revenge — recorded 1969-70
We’ll tackle these one at a time. But first…
Many at my fraternity house worshipped at the altar of Zappa. He had a soda machine with one slot filled randomly with Tahitian Treat, YooHoo, and beer, and that slot was labelled Chunga’s Revenge with a copy of the album title.
On to Chunga’s Revenge, an album that signaled a marked change in direction after Hot Rats and Burnt Weeny Sandwich, both drenched in jazz and jazz fusion. It was also our introduction to THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE, as they were billed on the album. We would discover via 200 Motels movie and then The Mothers’ Fillmore East, June 1971 (The White Album) that these two pseudonyms belonged to Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, the brilliant vocalists behind The Turtles. Were we ever in for a surprise!
Several other new names appeared for the first time on Zappa recordings: Aynsley Dunbar, Jeff Simmons, and George Duke. Dunbar was a rock drummer who had played in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and worked briefly with Jeff Beck before forming his own band, Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. Simmons’ second solo album, Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up (1969) was produced by Zappa. Duke was an established jazz player with solo albums and a collaboration with Jean-Luc Ponty.
PERSONNEL:
Transylvania Boogie — Frank Zappa (guitar), Ian Underwood (organ), Max Bennett (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums)
Road Ladies — Frank Zappa (guitar & vocals), Ian Underwood (rhythm guitar), Jeff Simmons (bass & vocals), George Duke (organ), Aynsley Dunbar (drums) with THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE (vocals)
Twenty Small Cigars — Frank Zappa (guitar & harpsichord), Ian Underwood (piano), Max Bennett (bass), John Guerin (drums)
The Nancy & Mary Music — Frank Zappa (guitar), Ian Underwood (electric piano), George Duke (electric piano & vocal drum imitations), Jeff Simmons (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums) with THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE (vocals)
Tell Me You Love Me — Frank Zappa (guitar & vocal), Ian Underwood (rhythm guitar & pipe organ), George Duke (electric piano), Jeff Simmons (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums) with THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE (vocals)
Would You Go All The Way? — Frank Zappa (guitar & vocal), Ian Underwood (electric piano), George Duke (trombone), Jeff Simmons (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums) with THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE (vocals)
Chunga’s Revenge — Frank Zappa (guitar), Ian Underwood (electric alto sax with wah-wah pedal), Sugar Cane Harris (organ), Max Bennett (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums)
The Clap — Frank Zappa (drum set, wood blocks, temple blocks, boo-bams, tom-toms, etc.)
Rudy Wants To Buy Yez A Drink — Frank Zappa (guitar & vocal), Ian Underwood (electric piano), George Duke (trombone), Jeff Simmons (bass & vocal), Aynsley Dunbar (drums & tambourine) with THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE (vocals)
Sharleena — Frank Zappa (guitar & vocal), Ian Underwood (grand piano & tenor sax), George Duke (organ), Jeff Simmons (bass & vocal), Aynsley Dunbar (drums) with THE PHLORESCENT LEECH & EDDIE (vocals)
All the vocals in this album are a preview of the story from 200 MOTELS. Coming soon.
Recorded at: THE RECORD PLANT (Hollywood), TRIDENT STUDIOS (London), T.T.G. Inc. (Hollywood), WHITNEY STUDIOS (Glendale)
The Nancy & Mary Music was recorded live at the TYRONE GUTHRIE THEATER in Minneapolis, Minnesota (engineer: Bruce Margolis)
Engineers: Dick Kunc, Stan Agol, Roy Baker
Special Production Assistant: Dick Barber
PRODUCED BY FRANK ZAPPA
Bizarre Business: Herb Cohen
All selections written and published by Frank Zappa Music (a subsidiary of third Story Music BMI)
Cover design and Illustration: Cal Schenkel
Front cover photo: Phil Franks
Back cover photo: John Williams
About the cover…
Cartoonist Patrick McDonnell draws the wonderful Mutts comic strip centered around Earl the dog and Mooch the cat. McDonnell has a real affinity for music, art, books, comic books, and children’s toys and incorporates them often into his work. Looking for a toy stores Dayton call Dayton Brick Shop.
He has included Zappa more than any other musician, including references to Studio Tan and Absolutely Free. His latest book of strips is Hot Dogs, Hot Cats.
If you’ve seen his Sunday strips, there is always a title panel and then the main strip. Some years back he honored Chunga’s Revenge with an incredible homage. This photograph is of the framed print I purchased from Mutts.
Chunga’s Revenge
SIDE ONE
The instant “Transylvania Boogie” begins, you can tell the difference. It is Aynsley Dunbar’s drumming. To this point, Zappa’s drummers had blues, R&B, and jazz roots. Dunbar is a kickass rock drummer, and it shows. Zappa stretches out with a fine boogie solo, Max Bennett’s jazz-tinged bass in support, and it’s all colored by Underwood on organ.
George Duke’s churchy organ introduces Zappa testifying as a preacher on “Road Ladies,” with Flo and Eddie (as they came to be known in abbreviated form) testifying right back as the congregation. It’s a tale of life on the road, and Zappa reminds us that he can wail the blues. Flo and Eddie and Simmons sing the choruses, and Kaylan digs in deep after the guitar solo. And there’s:
“When the PA system eats it,
And the band plays some of the terriblest shit you ever known.”
“Twenty Small Cigars” is an edited version of six tracks titled “Transition” on Disc 3 of The Hot Rats Sessions box set. The original tracks featured Underwood, Bennett, and Guerin with some beautiful music. Zappa’s guitar was overdubbed for this version.
Part 1 of “The Nancy & Mary Music” is a free-for-all from Minneapolis, with Underwood exploding first on alto sax, although it is not credited. Dunbar rocks out next before Zappa jumps in with a fine solo, lots of wah-wah. Part 2 features another drum interlude with Duke on electric piano and Flo and Eddie screaming rhythmically, getting the audience to scream with them. Suddenly, Dunbar kicks it into overdrive, the entire band on fire and Zappa shredding. They fall into a tight groove with Duke vamping, and Simmons crushes on bass. As Part 3 begins, Duke on piano leads the parade, with hand-clapping before the band falls in behind him. Then he starts scatting / vocal drum imitations.
In case you were wondering, Zappa was one of the first metal guitarists. Not sure? Check out “Tell Me You Love Me” and later songs such as “Zomby Woof.” On this one, Flo and Eddie are out front, their harmonies stunning. Simmons and Dunbar are monsters, and of course Underwood is playing pipe organ. When they hit that tender Turtles-esque chorus at the end, well, just wow.
By contrast, “Would You Go All The Way?” is a bouncing circus-like tune, recorded to sound like that, too. Flo and Eddie are off the chain. Duke’s trombone pushes this over the top, that and Zappa’s guitar played through a Leslie cabinet or something similar.
“Chunga’s Revenge” is an instrumental jazzy blues track with Bennett back in the fold on bass, and he is superb. Underwood steps out first on electric alto sax with wah-wah pedal, with Zappa and Sugarcane Harris on organ comping. This is not Dunbar’s usual bill of fare, but he keeps up. Zappa’s solo reminds us that he was at the forefront of fusion jazz as well as metal.
“The Clap” is just Zappa and an army of percussion instruments.
“Rudy Wants To Buy Yez A Drink” is a match for “Would You Go All The Way?” in terms of style. This one is about the musicians’ union and the toadies who kept their thumbs on the scales. The trombone and tinny-sounding guitar help set the stage. Then, an abrupt change into an old school rock and roll tune with brilliant vocals from the dynamic duo. The organ at the end is uncredited: probably Duke. The lyrics at the end tell the story:
Welcome to Chicago
Welcome to L.A.
Welcome to our local here
You’ll always hear me say
The work is here; It’s a couple a bucks
I’m sure you’re glad to pay
Whip it out, here is your receipt
Now I’ll go away
“Sharleena” is a masterpiece, one magnificent love song. There are other versions, but this one is… well, special. Absolutely everything works here, especially the vocals. One of the reasons the Carnegie Hall set was released was to remind us that the band did more than just the comedy routines from Fillmore 1971 and Just Another Band from L.A. First, the lyrics — and the way Flo and Eddie sing them:
I’m cryin’
I’m cryin’
Cryin’ for Sharleena,
Can’t you see
I called up all my baby’s friends
‘N ask’n um
Where she done went
But nobody ’round here seems to know
Where my Sharleena’s been
Where my Sharleena’s beenTen long years I have been lovin’ her
Ten long years
And I thought deep down in my heart
She was mine
Ten long years I been lovin’ her
Ten long years
I would call her my baby, and now,
I’m always cryin’I would be so delighted
I would be so delighted
If they would just
Send her on home to me
This features Simmons’ best bass playing. Zappa’s guitar is so soft and so sweet. At the same time, Duke’s organ is deep-down badass. Dunbar keeps the proceedings at the proper pace. Then the guitar rocks out through a Leslie again. During that chorus, Underwood shines on both grand piano and tenor sax. And Simmons on that final stanza. Man…
Burnt Weeny Sandwich. Weasels Ripped My Flesh. Chunga’s Revenge. Not a bad twelve months for Zappa and his assorted cohorts.