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The Muffin Men, acclaimed as the greatest ever Frank Zappa tribute band, are
at South Parade Pier on Wednesday 16th March.2005
The band, who are now celebrating their 15th year, features one of The
Mothers Of Invention's founder members, Jimmy Carl Black, the self proclaimed
"Indian Of The Group".
The Muffin Men were formed in Liverpool twelve years ago by guitarist,
bassist and vocalist Roddie Gilliard.
Also in the band are Carl Bowry (lead guitar), Andy Friz (flute, saxes and
vocal) and Martin Smith (trumpet and horn), who were once members of The
Wizards Of Twiddly, and Friz & Carl also toured with Kevin Ayers. Friz has also
played with the late Viv Stanshall (of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band) and with
Super Furry Animals and Gorkys Zygotic Mynci. The band's completed by German born
drummer Tilo Pirnbaum, who now lives in London.
The direct link to Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention is Jimmy Carl
Black, an American Native Indian, born in 1938 and raised in Texas.
In 1964 he met Roy Estrada and Ray Collins and formed The Soul Giants. They
later hired Frank Zappa, who soon took over as leader of the band, which he
rechristened The Mothers Of Invention. The band made a lot of albums in the
sixties and disbanded in late 1969, by which time Jimmy Carl Black had appeared
with Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention on countless albums and singles.
In 1971 went to England and made the movie "200 Motels" with Zappa, Ringo
Starr and Keith Moon.
In 1975 Jimmy joined Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, and first played with
The Muffin Men in 1993. He now appears regularly with the band and has appeared
on no less than seven of their CD's .
Support at the gig will be Alan Clayson, accompanied by Dick Taylor of The
Pretty Things.
The South Parade Pier show promises to be an excursion through the many
facets of Frank Zappa's considerable body of work. Frank may be dead but his spirit
certainly lives on in The Muffin Men. He would have approved - in the words
of Edgar Varese, often quoted by Frank - "the present day composer refuses to
die!"
THE MUFFIN MEN with JIMMY CARL BLACK, supported by ALAB CLAYSON with DICK
TAYLOR are appearing at appear at South Parade Pier on Wednesday March 16th.
Doors open at 8.p.m.