Every Monday I go to Joe's Pizza here in Northampton with my friends Paul and Wylie. Paul is a Wall Street analyst. Wylie is a mailman who also happens to have run one of the best record stores in the history of Western Massachusetts for 30 years; For The Record in Amherst. I'll spare you tonight's (and the usual) subject matter... Wylie complaining about how inefficient or psychotic his employers are; Paul giving last rites to economic life as we know it, and me whining about the latest injustice I've experienced with a woman who fails to grasp what a catch I am. On the way out, I said in a careless aside, "is it even worth seeing Little Feat these days?" (Yes, even IHEG employees are skeptics about their own shows.)Wylie went home and sent me this, verbatim: "I first saw Little Feat at the Student Union Ballroom at UMass playing a free show with Bo Diddley in '74 and they smoked. It was easily one of the best ten shows I've ever seen. Little Feat came back to Northampton twice to play at the Academy of Music, and while the shows were vastly enjoyable, it seemed to me the inspiration was in inverse proportion to Lowell George's weight. After Lowell's death, the rest of the members reformed with Craig Fuller (from Pure Prairie League) and Fred Tackett (writer of 'Fool Yourself' (That wasn't Lowell!!??-Jim) and other early Feat tunes). While the band was still good, Fuller seemed to be a Lowell George clone. When Fuller left, Little Feat wisely dumped the Lowell George imitations and added a female vocalist, Shaun Murphy. I find the "new" band almost as inspirational as the early days of the sextet. The rhythm section of Sam Clayton, Richie Hayward, and Kenny Gradney is still about the slinkiest funky threesome around while Paul Barrere and Bill Payne lead a band that clearly enjoys performing. Not a show that I will miss."
Trivia! Shaun Murphy sang with MEAT LOAF (see incriminating photo) With Murphy, the tone of Little Feat's live shows is more relaxed, and lends itself to more free-flowing jams. This Little Feat can still do just about anything they could in the past in their transformation from trippy southern rock-country-blues band to awesome roadhouse unit. They're still one of the sweetest bands to ever play a funky tune - with Lowell and without - a stellar group of musicians. Little Feat hit their 20th anniversary with just one line up change since 1988 and a show this Thursday at the Calvin Theatre. Buy tickets here.P.S. Inara George, Lowell's daughter is in one of our favorite new bands, The Bird and the Bee.
1 comment:
Feat's always been a favorite of mine, from their beginnings right through today.
I've seen all lineups, a few times each, in concert.
The years with Craig Fuller were incredible, the concerts were as amazing as ever ! For someone to refer to Fuller as a George clone is just plain foolish.
In fact, the shows they put on in NY and St Louis that I saw were as good, if not better than the ones I saw in '73 through '77;and fans went crazy over them. The Austin City Limits show w/ Feat and Fuller has been called the best concert in that show's incredible history !Feat had more TV bookings these years, including Saturday Night Live, than ever. The LP's done during these years were also top notch and did very well for the band, including a gold record. A whole new generation of Feat fans were born. Feat's new music with Fuller was as well received as their old,and in many ways the band had far more visibilty. After Fuller's departure, the band did not fare nearly as well in terms of fan support, record sales,etc.Fuller was an incredible performer and his contribution to Feat should never be under estimated or mimimized, he's a great one.
I still enjoy and will continue to see Feat, but those years with Fuller were as special as anything in Feat's history.
Thanks,
Mike , A die hard Feat Fan from the start !
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