Just Another Band From L.A. Norman OK

Just Another Band From L.A.

Frank Zappa / Mothers Of Invention

Rykodisc, 1972

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/07/2005

One could honestly question whether it was Frank Zappa'sintention to release Just Another Band From L.A., the final "real-time"documentation of the Flo & Eddie-era Mothers Of Invention, whenit came out in March 1972. Zappa had been attacked on-stage inLondon, when he was thrown from the stage into the orchestra pit,putting him in a wheelchair for the better part of a year. But,without any actual explanation of the circumstances behind thisdisc's release - I could find none on the official Frank Zappawebsite - we're left to guess whether or not it was Zappa's masterplan to release this when he did.

This release does mark the best of the Flo & Eddie-eraMothers - though I don't know if this is saying a whole lot. Inactuality, Just Another Band From L.A. is a somewhat decent release,marred by a rambling 24-minute piece that does little more thantake up valuable real estate. Had this release focused on puresongwriting, it would have been unstoppable.

Let's focus on the four songs, and not the mammoth epic, for afew minutes. The re-working of "Call Any Vegetable" does two thingsright - it plays to the strengths of the expanded lineup, and itdares to improve on the original with an even stronger delivery.Granted, there was something charming about the off-key warble of"Ru-ta-be-ga" on the original (found on Absolutely Free), but that's a very minor quibble. What thislineup of the Mothers does is take the original, slap on a fewhundred coats of wax, and put premium gas in the tank to create atrack that is nearly unstoppable.

Likewise, hearing a new take on "Dog Breath" (despite being onlythree years old) is intriguing. As much as I love the version on Uncle Meat, this live rendition absolutely blows the doorsoff things. The harmonizing of Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman iswhat really seals the deal for me in this case. The two "lesser"tracks, "Eddie, Are You Kidding?" (apparently a parody of awell-known L.A. clothier at the time - almost reminds me of "WeirdAl" Yankovic's "King Of Suede") and "Magdalena" - are not badtracks, but a little of the edge has been lost due to the passageof time.