The Mothers of Invention (also known as the Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed on May 9, 1965, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band called the Soul Giants, the band's first lineup comprised Ray Collins, David Coronado, Ray Hunt, Roy Estrada, and Jimmy Carl Black. Frank Zappa was asked to take over as the guitarist when a fight between Collins and Hunt led to the latter's being fired. Zappa insisted they perform his original material—a decision that resulted in Coronado's leaving because he did not agree to the change—and on Mother's Day in 1965 the band changed its name to the Mothers. Record executives demanded the name be changed again, and so, "out of necessity", Zappa later said, "We became the Mothers of Invention", referring to the proverb "Necessity is the mother of invention". After early struggles, the Mothers enjoyed substantial popular commercial success. The band first became popular playing in California's underground music scene in the late 1960s. With Zappa at the helm, it was signed to jazz label Verve Records as part of the label's diversification plans...
Extract from Wikipedia: “The Mothers of Invention” (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vinyl
Members
28 people from MusicBrainz
- 1964–1969Jimmy Carl Black — drums (drum set), original
- 1964–1970Ray Collins — lead vocals, original, percussion
- 1964–1975Roy Estrada — bass, original, other vocals
- 1964–1975★Frank Zappa — guitar, lead vocals, original, spoken vocals
- 1966–1970Billy Mundi — drums (drum set)
- 1966–1969Bunk Gardner — woodwind
- 1966–1974Don Preston — keyboard
- 1966–1966Elliot Ingber — guitar
- 1966–1970Jim “Motorhead” Sherwood — saxophone, tambourine
- 1967–1973Ian Underwood — guitar, keyboard, woodwind
- 1968–1969Art Tripp — drums (drum set)
- 1968–1969Lowell George — background vocals, guitar
- 1970–1971Howard Kaylan — lead vocals
- 1970–1971Howard Kaylan — background vocals
- 1970–1971Mark Volman — background vocals
- 1970–1971Mark Volman — lead vocals
- 1970–1975George Duke — keyboard, synthesizer
- 1970–1970Don “Sugarcane” Harris — violin
- 1970–1974Jeff Simmons — background vocals, bass, guitar, harmonica
- 1972–1972Alan Estes — percussion
- 1972–1975Earle Dumler
- 1973–1973Jean‐Luc Ponty — violin
- 1973–1975Ruth Underwood — percussion
- 1973–1975Ruth Underwood — marimba
- 1973–1975Ruth Underwood — vibraphone
- 1973–1974Ralph Humphrey — drums (drum set)
- 1973–1975Bruce Fowler — trombone
- 1973–1975Tom Fowler — bass
Discography
81 releases from MusicBrainz · ★ 1 in my collection
Albums (12)
- 1966Freak Out!
- 1967Absolutely Free
- 1968Cruising With Ruben & the Jets
- 1968We’re Only in It for the Money
- 1969Uncle Meat
- 1970Burnt Weeny Sandwich
- 1970Weasels Ripped My Flesh
- 1972The Grand Wazoo
- 1973★Over‐Nite Sensation
- 1975One Size Fits All
- 2004Bubble Cream Cheese
- 2016Live at the “Piknik” Show in Uddel, NL June 18th, 1970
EPs (1)
- 2015Live At BBC
Singles (11)
- 1966How Could I Be Such a Fool
- 1967Big Leg Emma
- 1967Lonely Little Girl
- 1969My Guitar / Dog Breath
- 1970W P L J / My Guitar
- 1971Tears Began to Fall
- 1972Cletus Awreetus – Awrightus
- 1973I’m the Slime / Montana
- 2021Road Ladies (demo alternate take)
- 2025Can’t Afford No Shoes (rough mix)
- 2025Something/Anything / Can’t Afford No Shoes (rough mixes)
More: singles, compilations, live & other releases
Lives (38)
- 1970The New Maternity (VPRO Radio Piknik 1970)
- 1971Fillmore East, June 1971
- 1972Just Another Band From L.A.
- 1974Roxy & Elsewhere
- 1975Bongo Fury
- 1988’Tis the Season to Be Jelly
- 19881969‐07‐08: The Ark, Boston, MA, USA
- 1989Live USA
- 1991Piquantique – Stockholm 1973
- 1991The Ark
- 1992Disconnected Synapses
- 1992Little House I Used to Live In
- 1992Playground Psychotics
- 1993Ahead of Their Time
- 20101969‐02‐23: Rockpile, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (early show)
- 2010The Artisan RS 6406 Test Pressing
- 2011Carnegie Hall
- 2014Roxy by Proxy
- 2014Wollman Rink, Central Park, NY, August 3rd 1968
- 2015Roxy the Movie
- 2018Live: Fillmore West, San Francisco 6 Nov 1970
- 2018Where the Shark Bubbles Blow
- 2019Have a Little Tush, Volume One
- 2019Live New Years Eve 1973
- 2022The Mothers 1971
- 2023Live… Buffalo, N.Y. 1974
- 2024Whisky a Go Go, 1968
- 2025Ancient Armaments (live at the Palladium, NYC – 10/31/78)
- 2025Penguin in Bondage / RDNZL (live June 21, 1974)
- 2025Python Boot (Buffalo '74 WNEW broadcast)
- 2026Debra Kadabra
- —1968-10-26: Olympia, Paris, France
- —1969‐07‐08: Live USA: The Ark, Boston, MA, USA
- —1970‐11‐06: Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, USA
- —1971-11-27: Poot Face Booogie: The Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- —1971-11-27: The Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- —Live Jam
- —Swiss Cheese at the Festhalle Basel in 1974
Compilations (17)
- 1969Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention
- 1969Mothermania: The Best of The Mothers
- 1969The $&%£§*+ of The Mothers
- 1970The Mothers of Invention
- 1971Pop History
- 1971Pop History, Vol. 7
- 1971The Worst of The Mothers
- 1972Pregnant
- 1972Superstarshine, Vol. 13
- 1973Mother’s Day
- 19752 Originals of The Mothers of Invention
- 1975Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
- 1980Necessity Is…
- 1989American Pageant
- 1992Swiss Cheese / Fire!
- 2016Meat Light: The Uncle Meat Project / Object Audio Documentary
- —Absolutely Free / Over‐Nite Sensation
Demos (1)
- 1969The Weasel Music
Others (1)
- 2018Transmission Impossible