Little Feat

Little Feat - Hotcakes & Outtakes 30 Years Of Little Feat CD 4 Studio Artifacts - 2000 - Rhino/Warner Bros.

Rhino's four-disc box set Hotcakes & Outtakes treats all of Little Feat's incarnations with equal respect. This even-handed approach has advantages, even if Lowell George dominates the proceedings. How could he not? He was a musician of immense talents, shaping the band's core sound while building an impressive body of songs. This set reveals that the rest of the band, while not writers of George's ilk, still wrote their share of great songs and, best of all, their fusion of funk, blues, country, rock and jazz still sounded lively, even when they reunited a decade after his death. Yes, it was missing his unique brilliance and vision, yet the reunited Feat still carried the torch well, which this set proves. Still, the best thing about the box is the fourth disc, devoted to "Studio Artifacts," all dating from George's heyday with the band. Actually, it goes a little further than that, beginning with cuts from George and Roy Estrada's mid-'60s band the Factory and pre-Warner Bros recordings, plus a generous selection of outtakes and demos, including selections from George's solo album, Thanks I'll Eat It Here. It's a treasure trove for any Little Feat fan, filled with amazing cuts like the barn-storming "Rat Faced Dog" -- tracks so good, it's hard to believe they haven't been released before. The fourth disc is reason for any devoted fan to pick up this set, but is this worthwhile for the curious? Well, yes, since this offers a great summary of their fascinating career, even if it duplicates some songs at the expense of album tracks like "A Apolitical Blues" which really should be here. Even with that flaw, Hotcakes & Outtakes performs its job well, proving that Little Feat is an American rock & roll band like no other. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/hotcakes-outtakes-30-years-of-little-feat

"Hotcakes and Outtakes" provides a common ground for old and new fans to observe the rich, musical talents of a band that bravely never quite fit into any programmable radio format. The first three cd's offer a rich menu of the band's talents, humor, and innovative sound. Replete with an 80 page history of the band, the Little Feat story makes both sense and nonsense out of the band constantly in conflict, but totally dependent on the emotional traction each player brought to the table. However, it is the fourth cd that the die hard Little Feat fan will find the most gratifying. Here, demos and outtakes rule the day. It is a poignant reminder of a time when an entire band shunned sleek studio wizardry and produced simple nuts and bolts rock and roll. Lowell George, Billy Payne, Paul Barrer, Richie Heyward, Sam Clayton, Kenny Gradney, Shaun Murphy, Fred Tacket, and Craig Fuller all make up the tribe called Little Feat: a band intent on befuddling the record industry, and a band smart enough to go straight to their audience. Believe me, bands today could learn a few things from Little Feat (© Gene Bruner).

Search this blog for more LF releases, and listen to the band's magnificent "The Last Record Album" and read about this unique band @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Feat

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

Lightning Rod Man - Martin Kibbee (2:13)
Crack in Your Door - Lowell George (2:31)
Teenage Nervous Breakdown - Lowell George, Martin Kibbee (3:19)
Juliette - Lowell George (2:56)
Jazz Thing in Ten - Richie Hayward, Shaun Murphy, Bill Payne (3:31)
Rat Faced Dog - Bill Payne, George Payne (4:53)
Doglines - Bill Payne (2:47)
Wait Till the Shit Hits the Fan - Lowell George, Bill Payne (2:48)
East to Fall (Easy to Slip) [Demo for Doobie Bros.] - Martin Kibbee (2:41)
Texas Rose Cafe [Demo for Doobie Bros.] - Lowell (3:23)
Dorisville [From Sessions for Sailin' Shoes] - Lowell (2:43)
Boogie (Tripe Face Boogie) - Richie Hayward, Bill Payne (3:45)
Two Trains [Lowell Demo] - Lowell George (3:18)
Roto/Tone [From Sessions for Sailin' Shoes] - Elliot Ingber/Inagber (4:06)
Ace in the Hole (Hi Roller) [From Sessions for Dixie Chicken] - Paul Barrére (3:28)
Eldorado Slim [From Sessions for Dixie Chicken] - Bill Payne (4:41)
Feats Don't Fail Me Now [From Sessions for Feats Don't Fail Me Now] - Paul Barrére, Lowell George, Martin Kibbee (2:30)
Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues) [Sessions for Feats Don't Fail] - Allen Toussaint (3:01)
All That You Dream [From Sessions for Feats Don't Fail Me Now] - Paul Barrére, Bill Payne (3:33)
Down Below the Borderline [Lowell Demo] - Paul Barrére, Bill Payne (1:54)
Rockin' Shoes I and II [Lowell Demo] - Lowell (2:34)
Front Page News [From Sessions for the Last Record Album] - Bill Payne (4:44)
High Roller [From Sessions for the Last Record Alblum] - Paul Barrére (3:37)
Roll 'Em Easy [From Sessions for Thanks I'll Eat It Here] - Lowell (2:40)
Boogie Wigwam [Short Jazz Piece][Demo Version] - Bill Payne (1:10)

MUSICIANS

Lowell George (Guitar), (Dulcimer), (Percussion), (Vocals), (Woodwind)
Fred Tackett (Guitar Acoustic), (Dobro), (Guitar), (Mandolin), (Trumpet), (Vocals), (Mandocello)
Robin Ford, Dean Parks, Robben Ford (Guitar Acoustic)
Paul Barrére (Guitar), (Dulcimer), (Dobro), (Harmonica), (Vocals)
Elliot Ingber, Warren Klein, John Hall (Guitar)
Sneaky Pete Kleinow (Guitar Steel)
Kenny Gradney, Roy Estrada (Bass), (Vocals)
Martin Kibbee (Bass)
Bill Payne (Keyboards), (Accordion), (Marimba), (Vocals)
Frank Zappa (Piano), (Vocals)
Denny Yeager (Synthesizer)
Warren Klein (Dulcimer)
Steve Porcaro, Freddy White (Drums)
Richie Hayward (Drums), (Percussion), (Vocals)
Pierlugi "Piero" Mariani, Paulinho Da Costa, Lenny Castro (Percussion)
Russ Titelman, Milt Holland (Percussion), (Vocals)
Sam Clayton (Percussion), (Conga), (Vocals)
David Sanborn, Michael Brecker (Saxophone), (Vocals)
David Woodford (Sax Baritone),(Sax Tenor)
Stephen "Doc" Kupka (Sax Baritone)
Emilio Castillo, Joe Sublett (Sax Tenor)
Andrew Love (Saxophone)
Lenny Pickett (Sax Alto)
Mic Gillette (Trombone), (Trumpet)
Darrell Leonard, Wayne Jackson (Trumpet)
Greg Adams (Trumpet), (Horn)
The Texacali Horns, Tower of Power Horn Section (Horn)
Joel Tepp (Clarinet)
Robert Appere (Accordion)
Shaun Murphy, Bonnie Bramlett, Emmylou Harris, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, Stephanie Spurville, Sharon Celani, Renee Armand , Valerie Carter, Marilyn Martin, Patrick Simmons, Danny Hutton, Bobby LaKind, Lee Lawler, Deborah Lindsey, Fran Payne. Bonnie Sheridan, Fran Tate (Vocals)