Zappa Estate Releases “The Mothers 1971” Box Set with Jim Pons on Bass

A new box set is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Frank Zappa and Mothers of Invention’s 1971 lineup. The Mothers 1971 is an eight-CD set that compiles the complete tapes from their Fillmore East concerts (including the John Lennon and Yoko Ono encore) as well as a full concert from the Rainbow Theatre in London and a hybrid concert assembled from dates in Harrisburg and Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Mothers’ lineup that year included bassist Jim Pons, who contributes to the liner notes alongside Eddie Kramer and Joe Travers. Pons came to The Mothers after playing for The Turtles and had only been playing a few years.

“I had known Frank previous to my joining his band, so there was no formal audition,” he told Steve Moore in an interview. “I was almost kind of like a friend of the family by then. I had known Gail Zappa before they were married. He called me from London when his bass player, Jeff Simmons, quit during the filming of ‘200 Motels.’ He never discussed with me his ideas about his new group or what he was trying to do. He just offered me a job. I had plenty of reservations. I enjoyed and had always appreciated his music before, but it was extremely difficult and complicated stuff compared to what I was used to…. a lot to ask of someone who had taught himself to play just a few years before.”

Pons was on hand for the infamous fire at Montreaux (which inspired the Deep Purple song “Smoke on the Water”) as well as when Zappa was pushed off stage by a deranged fan, ending the Mothers for a period of time.

Hear the bassist in the mix on “Tears Began to Fall”:

The Mothers 1971 is available now in a box set.

The Mothers 1971 Track List:

CD 1: Live at Fillmore East, June 5, 1971 – Show 1:
* Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

1. Peaches En Regalia
2. Tears Began To Fall
3. Shove It Right In
4. Status Back Baby
5. Concentration Moon – Part I
6. The Sanzini Brothers (Sodomy Trick)*
7. Concentration Moon – Part II*
8. Mom & Dad*
9. Intro To Music For Low Budget Orchestra*
10. Billy The Mountain*
11. King Kong*

CD 2: Live at Fillmore East, June 5, 1971 – Show 2:
Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

1. Peaches En Regalia
2. Tears Began To Fall
3. Shove It Right In
4. Intro To Music For Low Budget Orchestra
5. Billy The Mountain
6. Little House I Used To Live In
7. The Mud Shark
8. What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?
9. Bwana Dik
10. Latex Solar Beef
11. Willie The Pimp

CD 3: Live at Fillmore East, June 5, 1971 – Show 2 (Cont’d):
Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

1. Do You Like My New Car?
2. Happy Together
3. “Any Chord Of Your Choice”
4. King Kong – Part I
5. Lonesome Electric Turkey
6. King Kong – Part II

* Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

7. Fillmore Improvisation
8. Peaches En Regalia
9. Tears Began To Fall
10. Shove It Right In
11. Status Back Baby*
12. Concentration Moon – Part I*
13. The Sanzini Brothers (Sodomy Trick)*
14. Concentration Moon – Part II*
15. Mom & Dad*

CD 4: Live at Fillmore East, June 6, 1971 – Show 1 (Cont’d):
Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

1. The Story Of Billy The Mountain
2. Intro To Music For Low Budget Orchestra
3. Billy The Mountain
4. Chunga’s Revenge

Live at Fillmore East, June 6, 1971 – Show 2:
Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

5. “Herd Of Cattle”
6. Peaches En Regalia
7. Tears Began To Fall
8. Shove It Right In

CD 5: Live at Fillmore East, June 6, 1971 – Show 2 (Cont’d):
Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

1. The Story Of Billy The Mountain
2. Intro To Music For Low Budget Orchestra
3. Billy The Mountain
4. “Conglomerate Assembly”
5. Little House I Used To Live In
6. The Mud Shark
7. What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?
8. Bwana Dik
9. Latex Solar Beef
10. Willie The Pimp
11. Do You Like My New Car?
12. Happy Together

CD 6: Live at Fillmore East, June 6, 1971 – Show 2 (Cont’d):
Newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams

1. Well – featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono
2. Say Please – featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono
3. King Kong – featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono
4. Aaawk – featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono
5. Scumbag – featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono
6. A Small Eternity With Yoko Ono – featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Bonus Tracks:

7. Homemade Radio Spot
8. Tears Began To Fall (Single Version)
9. Junier Mintz Boogie (Single B-Side)
10. Homemade Radio Spot Outtakes

Live at State Farm Show Arena, Harrisburg, PA, June 3, 1971:
Newly mixed by John Polito

11. Peaches En Regalia
12. Tears Began To Fall
13. Shove It Right In
14. Status Back Baby
15. Concentration Moon – Part I
16. The Sanzini Brothers (Burning Hoop Trick)
17. Concentration Moon – Part II
18. Mom & Dad
19. My Boyfriend’s Back
20. Tiny Sick Tears

CD 7: Live at State Farm Show Arena, Harrisburg, PA, June 3, 1971 (Cont’d):
Newly mixed by John Polito

1. Call Any Vegetable
2. The Story Of Billy The Mountain
3. Intro To Music For Low Budget Orchestra

Live at State Farm Show Arena, Harrisburg, PA, June 3, 1971 and Live at Watres Armory, Scranton, PA, June 1, 1971:
Newly mixed by John Polito

4. Billy The Mountain

Live at Watres Armory, Scranton, PA, June 1, 1971:
Newly mixed by John Polito

5. Willie The Pimp
6. King Kong (Outro)

Live at Rainbow Theatre, London, England, December 10, 1971:
Newly mixed by Eddie Kramer

7. Zanti Serenade
8. Peaches En Regalia
9. Tears Began To Fall

CD 8: Live at Rainbow Theatre, London, England, December 10, 1971 (Cont’d):
Newly mixed by Eddie Kramer

1. Shove It Right In
2. “Pain In The Ass”
3. Divan: Once Upon A Time
4. Divan: Sofa #1
5. Pound For A Brown – Part I
6. Super Grease
7. Pound For A Brown – Part II
8. Sleeping In A Jar
9. Wonderful Wino
10. Sharleena
11. Cruising For Burgers
12. “That’s Your Tough Luck”
13. King Kong
14. I Want To Hold Your Hand