Mallard (Band)
Mallard was an American rock band that emerged from the core of Captain Beefheart 's Magic Band and from 1974 to 1977 was.
History
Foundation
1974, after the disappointing because very commercially oriented Beefheart album Unconditionally Guaranteed (Virgin Records), the creative core of Bill Harkleroad left ( Zoot Horn Rollo ), Mark Boston ( Rockette Morton ) and Art Tripp ( Ed Marimba ) immediately the Magic Band, to found Mallard. Beefheart she swore bitterly as "a bunch of charlatans " and she countered, her former boss was a " thieving asshole ." From the former Magic Band guitarist Elliott Ingber ( Winged Eel Fingerling ) was them the singer Sam Galpin recommended ( Formerly The Champs and The Coasters ). The supposedly knew nothing about the musical past of his new band members, he hoofed it previously as a piano player by the casinos of Las Vegas.
The albums
The debut album Mallard, whose cover of the same steam locomotive graced that holds the world speed record for steam locomotives since 1938 was recorded in Devon in 1975. In addition to the later Who keyboardist John "Rabbit " Bundrick worked with Barry Morgan ( percussion). John French ( the former drummer for the Magic Band ), actually a founding member, but returned to Beefheart after a few weeks, participated as a composer and lyricist. Hardly surprising that the typical hallmark of Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band featuring the album: the close interplay between guitar and marimba and the seemingly out of balance guessed, heavily syncopated rhythm. The dominant part is Bill Harkleroad, who wrote most of the material or co-authored with Mark Boston and John French. Sam Galpin, who supposedly had never before heard recordings of capatain Beefheart, sounds amazing on many pieces for this - except on Guy Clark's ballad Desperadoes Waiting for a Train. The basic feel of the album is a " Progressive Country Feeling" with many tempo changes and the " twang attack" (typical wiry razor-sharp sound ) of Harkleroads slide guitar, how to listen to She's Long & She 's Lean. The Beefheart past is evident in the pieces Road to Morocco and Winged Tuskadero spoken word over a country-rock background. Just because it is quite evident that there is no further Beefheart album was recorded, and the musicians had definitely found their own style, it is surprising that they from Beefheart Lick My Decals Off - album, Baby adapt Peon. Perhaps a sign of how much ultimately the sound of Captain Beefheart & The Magic dominated the band musicians. Mallard said she would have the piece gecovert, so her former boss could earn his much needed royalties. The acoustic piece Yellow has obviously influenced his Ballance of melodic inventiveness and innovation so different atonal composers like Pat Metheny, Richard Thompson, Tom Verlaine and Steve Vai. One has the impression that impeccable musicians have taken a distinctive album to inspire the masses. How Beefheart they have the goal not achieved. The album was financed by Jethro Tull leader Ian Anderson and Beefheart fan.
The album In a Different Climate was recorded in Wales in 1976 and 1977 also appeared on Virgin Records. With Mallard they had set the bar very high. Apparently it was all the same: Harkleroad presented accurate composites, Sam Galpin, who still claimed to have never heard of Beefheart, still sounded exactly Beefheart. Art Tripp, who had returned to Beefheart, was replaced by George Dragotta. John Thomas, the Beefheart had just fired from the Magic Band, came as a keyboardist added ( in his early years he had played with John French at Rattlesnake and Eggs ). The problem with this album was not the material, but the execution. Overall, it had more to do it here with a country-pop album, especially since John McFee appeared as a guest on the pedal steel guitar. Ultimately, you could reach neither the community nor the Beefheart mainstream audience and Mallard so broke after this album apart. On Mallards grave stone could be: "Not bad, but not good enough. " ( Not bad, but not good enough).
1994 Virgin Records publish both albums on one CD Mallard / In A Different Climate.