Lester Bangs’ Cat Mother
As I mentioned yesterday, here is the first in a series of otherwise unpublished reviews by Lester Bangs. This one is from the August 9, 1969 issue of Rolling Stone, the one with Brian Jones (who just died) on the cover. The band is Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys (who?), and Bangs gives them a positive review.
My favorite part is this paragraph:
“Can You Dance To It?” affirms once again, atop a great chugging funk beat, the perennial Rock and Roll tradition: “If you feel alright/ You know you’re gonna dance, dance, dance all night!” Right! Some of those zombies seen slumping around at rock concerts trying to maintain their cynical, bored cool should be forced to listen to this song again and again until they get the message, the original and essential message of our music, which is: “Shake yo’ asses, people!”
It took me a while to scan this, fix the scanning mistakes, and minimally html-ify it, so while there are more to come, it might take some time. So enjoy!
Mark Hughes
3421 days ago
Hello,
I grew up with the Cat Mother band! They were the best!
Mark Hughes
GEORGINE (SCOOPY)
3102 days ago
I ALSO LISTENED TO CAT MOTHER. IF THIS IS THE SAME ONE, THEY WERE FROM ALBION, MENDOCINO, FORT BRAGG, CALIFORNIA. ALSO, I USED TO GO TO SEE THE ALBION DO WAH BAND.
Mark Hughes
3100 days ago
Hello!
I try to find CAT MOTHER fans everyday!
I grew up across the street from them in Elk,Ca.
You can buy their first album on CD. At AMAZON.com.
EVERY CAT MOTHER ALBUM should be avilable on CD!
The last two albums are even better than the first two!!!
Micheal Equine was my mentor and the best friend a young aspiring musician could have!
Go out and buy some good old rock and roll today!
Buy some CAT MOTHER!
Thanks,
Mark Hughes
Ron Randolf
2862 days ago
I was just a kid in Virginia when for some strange reason I bought the 1st Cat Mother LP. I’ve treasured it since then and somehow managed to aquire the other 3 as well. I’ve been making music myself for years, mostly in Europe and would love to find out some of the history of the band and what happened to the members. Can anyone help?
PG
2829 days ago
I booked Cat Mother (along with Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck Group and others) at the 1968 Daytop Village Music Festival held on the grounds of this drug treatment facility in Tottenville, Staten Island. All the musicians donated their talents to raise funds for this innovative therapeutic community. I had to ask Jimi to leave the grounds if he wanted to smoke his reefer.
Tom Moher
1641 days ago
I have one Cat Mother record in my collection. Simply titled Cat Mother. The production date is 1972 on Polydor Records. I was searching online for info. on the Albion Du Wah album and was amazed at how many of you enjoyed these guys as much as I did. We need to get the four albums reissued so more people can enjoy this material. Where do we start?
Buddy Cormier
1620 days ago
YA man, I love this band and have all three albums and would like to know what Bob Smith and the rest of the guys have been doing or did after CAT MOTHER.I think they could go up against any jam band today easy.
Jim Valkenburg
1613 days ago
The other night, I went to a classic car festival in Frankenmuth, MI. As I walked by one of the groups, “Mike and the Carburators,” I heard organ riffs that reminded me of “Last Chance Dance,” Cat Mother’s final album, which still, to me, has some of the best blues/jazz/rock fusion that I have ever heard.
I’d pay anything to get my hand on cd’s of Cat’s music.
Linda Moody
1082 days ago
Hi,
I know and love catmother!!
I play the albums to this day. My kids grew up on them and know them by heart. They are in there 20′s and 30s. I wish they were still makeing music that would be great!!!
George Noorie
963 days ago
Heads up
Type “rare mp3 uk” into google. It has all four LPs, vinyl rips.
The first three cuts on Albion match anything on the 1st LP.
Your welcome
phil kelly
760 days ago
I was fortunate enough to sing with Cat Mother in the mid 70′s. They were a few years older than me and I suspect Bob Smith needed a young back to help tote that Hammond B-3. He was a good friend and an excellent organ player/singer/songwriter. Un-fortunately Bob died a few years back,but I treasure those couple of years being a small part of the group.