Little Feat
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1969-72) - Roy Estrada -- bass, backing vocals - Lowell George (RIP 1979) -- vocals, guitar, harmonica - Richie Hayward (RIP 2010) -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Bill Payne -- vocals, keyboards
line up 2 (1972-79) NEW - Paul Barrere (RIP 2019) -- lead guitar, vocals NEW - Sam Clayton -- percussion, vocals - Lowell George (RIP 1979) -- vocals, guitar, harmonica NEW - Kenny Gradney -- bass (replaced Roy Estrada) - Richie Hayward (RIP 2010) -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Bill Payne -- vocals, keyboards
supporting musicians (1979) - Rosemary Butler -- backing vocals - Gordon DeWitty -- keyboards - Robben Ford -- guitar - Jerry Jumonville -- saxophone - Sneaky Pete Kleinow -- pedal steel guitar - David Lindley -- guitar - Earl Palmer – drums, percussion - Fran Payne -- backing vocals - Bonnie Raitt -- backing vocals - Dan Smith -- backing vocals - Fred Tackett -- guitar - Lee Thornburg -- trumpet, trombone - Julia Waters -- backing vocals - Luther Waters -- backing vocals - Oren Waters -- backing vocals - Maxine Willard Waters -- backing vocals
line up 3 (1987-93) - Paul Barrere (RIP 2019) -- lead guitar, vocals - Sam Clayton -- percussion NEW - Craig Fuller -- vocals, guitar (replaced Lowell George) - Kenny Gradney -- bass (replaced Roy Estrada) - Richie Hayward (RIP 2010) -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Bill Payne -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Fred Tackett -- guitar, mandolin
line up 4 (1993-) - Paul Barrere (RIP 2019) -- lead guitar, vocals - Sam Clayton -- percussion - Kenny Gradney -- bass (replaced Roy Estrada) - Richie Hayward (RIP 2010) -- drums, percussion, backing vocals - Shaun Murphy -- vocals, percussion (replaced Craig Fuller) - Bill Payne -- vocals, keyboards NEW - Fred Tackett -- guitar, mandolin
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- American Flyer (Craig Fuller) - Paul Barrere (solo efforts) - B.E.P (Roy Estrada) - Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band (Roy Estrada) - The Bluesbusters (Paul Barrere) - Endangered Specees (Ritchie Haywood) - Roy Estrada and the Rocketeers (Roy Estrada) - The Factory (Lowell George and Ritchie Haywood) - Gabe Ford (solo efforts) - Four On the Floor (Ritchie Haywood) - The Fraternity of Man (Ritchie Haywood) - Craig Fuller (solo efforts) - Craig Fuller an Eric Katz (Craig Fuller) - Lowell George (solo effort) - The Grandmothers of Invention (Roy Estrada) - Jazz Is Dead (Kenny Gradney) - Leftover Salmon (Bill Payne) - The Mothers of Invention (Roy Estrada and Lowell George) - The Shaun Murphy Band - Ollabelle (Tony Leone) - Bill Payne (solo efforts) - Pure Prairie League (Craig Fuller) - Chris Robinson Brotherhood (Tony Leone) - Scott Sharrard & The Brickyard Band - Stoney and Meatloaf (Shaun Murphy) - Fred Tackett (solo efforts) - Tret Ture (Sam Clayton and Kenny Gradney)
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Genre: rock Rating: 4 stars **** Title: Down On the Farm Company: Warner Brothers Catalog: HS
3345 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): VG+/ VG+ Comments: original lyric inner sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1952 Price: $15.00
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Let me be clear that I am a big Michael McDonald fan. A quick look at the BadCatRecords website will underscore I'm a fan. Against that backdrop for a period of time in the late-'70s and early-'80s McDonald seemed to be everywhere. There was hardly an album that he didn't guest on, or at least seem to influence. In fact, there's a 1981 Saturday Night Live skit where Rick Moranis took on McDonald's seeming omnipresence - Savers Ed :15 | State Farm® Commercial It left me wondering if there was something sort of medical condition like Michael McDonald fever that was contagious to other artists? So what's the link between McDonald and Little Feat? I raise the question because parts of 1979's Lowell George produced "Down On the Farm" sounded like Little Feat had been infected by McDonald fever.
For Little Feat fans the album holds a sad place in their recording catalog. Amidst recording sessions for "Down On the Farm" George had been working on his debut solo album - "Thanks I'll Eat It Here". He was actually touring in support of the solo album when following a June, 1979 performance at Washington D.C.'s Lisner Theatre he suffered a fatal heat attack related to a heroin overdose. With Little Feat having previously announced they would be calling it quits, George's death came before the seventh Little Feat studio album had been completed, leaving the survivors to struggle to finish the set.
Certainly
not as
"fusion" oriented as "Time Loves
a Hero" the collection featured a surprisingly
tight and commercial set of songs. Exemplified
by tracks like the single 'Front
"Down On
the Farm" track listing: 1.) Down on the Farm (Paul Barrère) - 4:16 rating: **** stars Just my opinion, but thanks in large measure to Barrere's swampy voice, 'Down On the Farm' was the most "Little Feat-ish" effort on the album. Possibly the funkiest thing they ever recorded, that classic Feat sound was underscored by the funny opening segment and an awesome Lowell George slide guitar solo. The title track was also the album's most commercial offering. Shame Warner Brothers didn't tap it as a single. 2.) Six Feet of Snow (Lowell George - Keith Godchaux) - 2:30 rating: ** stars Powered by some nice pedal steel guitar from the late Sneaky Pete Kleinow, 'Six Feet of Snow' had a distinctive Tex-Max melody. George's vocal was delightful, but I've got to admit it was too country for my tastes. 3.) Perfect Imperfection (Paul Barrère - Tom Snow) - 3:46 rating: **** stars The bluesy ballad 'Perfect Imperfection' sported one of Barrere's best hooks ... It was the perfect tune for George's heartbreak delivery. It also showcased another beautiful slide solo. My goodness his playing was tasteful and economical. Not a needless note. 4.) Kokomo (Lowell George) - 2:58 rating: **** stars Powered by George's distinct slide guitar and voice, 'Kokomo' was almost as funky as the title track. Fred Tackett provided the other guitar solo. 5.) Be One Now (Lowell George - Fred Tackett) - 4:05 rating: **** stars With a great melody, heartbreaking lyrics and a wonderful vocal 'Be One Now' was one of George's most commercial ballads. It had everything you'd expect from an FM hit putting it in competition with McDonald and the rest of the yacht rock crowd. That's not meant as a criticism since this is one of three tracks I would have tapped as a single. (Not that Warner Brothers cares what I think.)
(side
2) Every now and then I'll hear a song that makes it hard for me to sit still ... 'Straight from the Heart' was one of them. There's just something so bouncy and appealing about this one. Fantastic melody; bubbly George vocals and more awesome slide guitar. How is it this wasn't a single? 2.) Front Page News (Lowell George - Bill Payne) - 5:57 rating: *** stars Powered by Payne's jazzy, syncopated keyboards, 'Front Page News' was the album's most Doobie Brothers-styled tune. The smooth backing vocals underscored the comparison. Great news if you liked the Michael McDonald-era Doobies. Otherwise, not so much. The track also appeared as the "B" side to their 'Wake Up Dreaming' 45. 3.) Wake Up Dreaming (Bill Payne - Fran Payne) - 4:09 (lead singer: Bill Payne) rating: **** stars I never thought of Little Feat as a pop band, but with a bouncy melody and catchy set of lyrics the Bill Payne penned 'Wake Up Dreaming' would have made a dandy top-40 single. He also proved a surprisingly strong singer. I guess it made sense the album's most radio ready song would be tapped as a single:
- 1979's 'Front Page News' b/w 'Front Page News' (Warner Brothers catalog number WBS 49169)
4.) Feel the Groove (Sam Clayton - Gordon DeWitty) - 4:49 rating: *** stars Percussionist Sam Clayton has always been one of the band's overlooked members, so it was a shock to hear him handling lead vocals on 'Feel the Groove'. Opening up with what sounded like some bouncy mini-Moog, Clayton didn't have the strongest voice, but his dry delivery had kind of a New Orleans feel to it. A fun throwaway tune to closeout the album. (In 2024 the band released "Sam's Place" featuring Clayton on a series of nine blues tracks.)
© Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Live At the Santa Monica Civic Company: Toasted Catalog: 2S
928 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: double LP; Australian pressing Available: 1 Catalog ID: 6265 Price: $60.00
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Ah Little Feat - the band that encapsulates my 1970s college experience ... All these years and I still forget how talented they were when in their prime.
Released by the Australian Toasted imprint, I'm guessing this double album live set was a bootleg, probably recorded directly off of a sound board. The sound quality wasn't great, sounding kind of flat and one dimensional. The other curiosity is that it sounded like they were playing before a very small and intimate audience (sure didn't sound like a large auditorium crowd), which may indicate these tracks were recorded during the pre-show warm-ups, or with the band in an opening slot before the bulk of the audience had shown up for the headliner acts. Regardless, "Live At the Santa Monica Civic" went a long way to supporting the contention Little Feat was the best unknown band of the 1970s. Apparently recorded at a March 20, 1973 performance at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, the album captured what was essentially Little Feat Mark II - guitarist Paul Barrere, percussionist Sam Clayton, singer/lead guitarist Lowell George, bassist Kenny Gradney, drummer Richie Hayward, and keyboard player Bill Payne. Out on the road promoting their forthcoming fourth studio release, 1974's "Feats Don't Fail Me Now", the live set was heavily focused on then new-product, including about half of the new studio set. Exemplified by tracks like 'Two Trains', 'Fat Man In the Bathtub', 'Oh Atlanta' and a cover of Allen Toussaint 'On Your Way Down', the collection underscored the band's continuing interest in New Orleans-styled funk. Unlike many of their contemporaries, these guys had the chops to pull it off. George and Payne in particularly seemed to be at the top of their game, turning in one impressive performance after another.
Yeah, it lacks the sonic sparkle of 1978's "Waiting for Columbus" and the third side definitely would have benefited from some judicious editing, but stripping away some of the gloss showed what a monster band these guys were. Well worth looking for.
"Live
At the Santa Monica Civic" track listing: 1.) Rock and Roll Doctor (Lowell George) - rating: **** stars 'Rock and Roll Doctor' opened the album with a classic slice of Little Feat funk. Every time I hear the song I remember what a talented guy he late Lowell George was ... 2.) Two Trains (Lowell George) - rating: **** stars Showcasing Clayton's percussion, George's slinky voice and slide guitar, and Hayward's keyboards, 'Two Trains' was one of the album's tour-de-force performances with the live version (even with the limited sound quality), simply killing the studio take. 3.) When the Shit Hits the Fan rating: ** stars An indication of the direction they'd begin to pursue in the near future, 'When the Shit Hits the Fan' found the band trying to meld funk with what was jazz-rock. It had its moments, including George's extended guitar solo, but wasn't one of the standout performances. As far as I can tell the track had not appeared on any of their studio albums. 4.) On Your Way Down (Allen Toussaint) - rating: **** stars The band's cover of Allen Toussaint's ''On Your Way Down' ' was a wonderful showcase for Lowell George. The track had everything a song needed for massive success - great melody; nifty lyric, fantastic vocal, and some dazzling slide guitar. Maybe a bit on the long side, but remember extended jams were all the rage in the mid-1970s. 1.) Oh Atlanta (Bill Payne) - rating: *** stars 'Oh Atlanta' has always been a personnel favorite and this version was every bit as good as the "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" studio version. They even nailed the abrupt ending ...
(side
2) Anyone who doubted Little Feat could truly get funky needed only check out Kenny Gradney's bass work on the medley 'Spanish Moon / Skin It Back'. 'Skin It Back' showcased the strength of Barerre/Lowell guitar attack. Yeah, the thought of a 50 year old man bouncing around the room probably isn't something most folks would want to contemplate, but this one can still get my old bones moving. Little Feat at their collective prime ... 2.) Fat Man In the Bathtub (Lowell George) - rating: *** stars Another personal favorite, 'Fat Man In the Bathtub' would have made Allen Toussaint and The Meters proud. Sheer New Orleans-flavored rock and roll paradise. It also sported one of the band's most memorable melodies with Clayton's percussion and Payne's keyboards more prominent than on the studio original. 3.) Willin' (Lowell George) - rating: ***** stars Perhaps the band's best known song (and the track that reportedly got Lowell George kicked out of The Mothers of Invention for its references to drugs and alcohol), this version of 'Willin'' wasn't a major departure from the original - perhaps a tad more country and the kissing sound effect was goofy, but it didn't make much difference. What a great song.
(side 3) 1.) Eldorado Slim (instrumental) rating: *** stars The instrumental 'Eldorado Slim' was one of the collection's more interesting numbers. As far as I can tell, the song was new in that it had not appeared on any of the band's first four studio sets. Anyhow, I've always liked George's introduction to 'Eldorado Slim'... hippy chicks, tomatoes. puppies, and cocaine. Sounds like the ingredients for a true mid-1970s rock and roll song and true enough this was one of the band's tougher rock oriented compositions, though it degenerated into an extended and rather loose jam session. 2.) Got No Shadow (instrumental) (Bill Payne) - rating: ** stars Written by Payne, 'Got No Shadow' was a forgettable, extended jam. 3.) When the Shit Hits the Fan rating: ** stars Not sure why 'When the Shit Hits the Fan' was listed again ... Didn't change my comments on the song.
(side 4) 1.) Cold Cold Cold (Lowell George) - 'Cold Cold Cold' 2.) Dixie Chicke (Lowell George - Fred Martin) - rating: ** stars One of the few songs that didn't benefit from the live setting, this version of 'Dixie Chicken' sounded sluggish and slightly uninspired. The flat female backing singer didn't help the performance. 3.) Triple Face Boogie (Bill Payne - Richie Hayward) - rating: ** stars Take the comments I made for 'Dixie Chicken' and apply them to 'Triple Face Boogie.' The crowd apparently disagreed with me. 4.) Apolitical Blues (Lowell George) - rating: ** stars 'Apolitical Blues' started with George recalling a hysterical New York encounter with 'Howlin' Wolf'. The song itself was a pedestrian and rather forgettable slice of conventional blues-rock. I guess every mid-1970s band had to prove their manhood with at least one slice of the blues. 5.) Chevy '39 (Lowell George) - rating: *** stars 'Chevy '39' ended the album on a high note with the band tearing through a taunt little rocker. Payne stole the show with his barrelhouse piano. Another one that I don't think appeared on one of the first four studio sets.
© Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Ain't Had Enough Fun Company: Zoo Entertainment Catalog: 72445
11097 1 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: double LP; gatefold sleeve Available: SOLD Catalog ID: SOLD 6266 Price: SOLD $20.00
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To be honest, Lowell George's 1979 death essentially spelled the end of my relationship with Little Feat. Yeah, I bought a couple of the post-George releases and saw them once more in concert, but my heart simply wasn't in it at that point.
Against
that backdrop I first heard 1995's "Ain't
Had Enough Fun"
at a party that brought a bunch of college friends together. The funky
groove sounded vaguely familiar, but the lead singer threw me for a loop. Little Feat
with a female vocalist ... Shaun Murphy had been one of the
band's backing singers and was promoted to the spotlight replacing Craig Fuller who'd reportedly gotten tired of the
band's constant touring schedule. I'm not m
"Ain't
Had Enough Fun" track listing: 1.) Driving Blind (Bill Payne - Bill Wray) - 5:12 rating: **** stars Introducing a distinctive Cajun flavor to the band's sound, 'Driving Blind' was a first-rate rocker that would have made The Radiators proud. For her part Murphy sounded perfectly at home on this one, effortlessly unleashing her considerable vocal prowess. Nice way to make her presence felt. 2.) Blue Jean Blues (Bill Payne - Fred Tackett - Paul Barerre - Bill Wray) - 6:08 rating: **** stars Opening up with what almost sounded like a martial beat, 'Blue Jean Blues' then morphed into a patented Little Feat mid-tempo rocker showcasing a tale of wandering lust and social clashes. Fantastic breezy melody with nice Paul Barrere slide guitar and those sweet harmony vocals. If nothing else, it was one of the great 'blue jean' rock songs. 3.) Cadillac Hotel (Bill Payne - Bill Wray) - 5:35 rating: **** stars 'Cadillac Hotel' found the band returning to a slinky, syncopated groove and served as another one where Murphy's gruff, and surprisingly powerful voice won me over. Kicked along by some tasty horn charts, this was another track that had '80s radio potential - the problem being it was released in 1995.
(side
2) Feat have always had a sense of humor and the bluesy-rocker 'Romance without Finance' was a perfect example of that trait. To be honest, musically the song wasn't particularly interesting, but Murphy turned in a vocal that was simultaneously sexy and stunning. 2.) Big Bang Theory (Bill Payne - Fred Tackett - Paul Barerre - Bill Wray - Shaun Murphy) - 5:32 rating: **** stars With Murphy and Payne sharing lead vocals, 'Big Bang Theory' was a rollicking, fun soaked rocker that must have simply slayed in a live setting. The two managed to generate more heat than a whole stack of Delaney and Bonnie albums with Barerre turning in a simply stinging solo. 3.) Cajun Rage (Paul Barerre - M. Kibber - Bill Wray) - 5:30 rating: ** stars Funny that normally Cajun music doesn't do much for me, but in the hands of Feat I find a track like 'Cajun Rage' much more palatable. Instantly identifiable as a Feat track, though it wasn't one of their classic performances.
(side 3) 1.) Heaven's Where You Find It (Bill Payne - Fred Tackett - Paul Barerre - Shaun Murphy) - 5:03 rating: **** stars Sporting one of the album's more memorable melodies, the combination of Barerre's slide guitar and Murphy's slinky and growling voice made 'Heaven's Where You Find It' a personal favorite. 2.) Borderline Blues (Bill Payne - Bill Wray - Paul Barerre - Shaun Murphy) - 7:43 rating: **** stars With the exception of 'Willin'' I've never really thought of Little Feat as being a ballad-oriented type of band. 'Borderline Blues' was one of those rare exceptions with Murphy and Payne turning in another album highlight. One of the prettiest things Payne's ever written. 3.) All That You Can Stand (Bill Payne - Paul Barerre - Bill Wray) - 6:35 rating: ** stars An atmospheric, mid-tempo rocker with a nice refrain and showcasing Murphy, 'All That You Can Stand' just never really kicked into gear.
(side 4) 1.) Rock & Roll Everynight (Bill Payne - Fred Tackett - Paul Barerre - Bill Wray - Shaun Murphy) - 5:46 rating: *** stars Opening up with some instantly recognizable Payne keyboards and Barerre's slide guitar, 'Rock & Roll Everynight' was exactly what the title offered up - a straight ahead shot of New Orleans flavored rock and roll. It wasn't particularly original, but you probably weren't buying a Little Feat album to hear a major changes in musical direction. 2.) Shakeytown (Paul Barerre - M. Kibbe) - 5:12 rating: **** stars At least to my ears 'Shakeytown' was the track that came the closest to capturing the Little Feat of old - same sense of energy and fun which is why it was one of my favorite performances. Hard to sit still through this one. 3.) Ain't Had Enough Fun (Bill Payne - Fred Tackett - Paul Barerre - Shaun Murphy - C. Strand) - 3:27 rating: ** stars An acoustic slice of Americana, 'Ain't Had Enough Fun' just didn't do anything for me.
© Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024
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News', the
ballad 'Be One
Now' and the atypically
poppy 'Wake
Up Dreaming' the set
occasionally threatened to drift into "yacht rock"
territory. At the same time, hard to fully describe, but much of the
band's earlier quirkiness was missing. This time out the set suffered
from a "White Album" feel where rather than a collective band
endeavor you got the feeling you were listening to solo efforts that just
happened to have backing from Little Feat. That wasn't to say the
album didn't have some great tunes. Again, just my opinion but the
highlights came
in terms of the three "swamp rockers" 'Down On the Farm', 'Kokomo'
and 'Straight from
the Heart' and what was one of the band's most commercial compositions -
Bill Payne's 'Wake Up Dreaming'. In
spite of lukewarm reviews the album hit the Billboard
US album charts, peaking at # 29. Sadly
it marked the band's final
studio album for almost a decade. 
entioning
any of this in a sexist way -
Murphy had a great voice and more than held her own in the Little Feat line-up.
It was just odd hearing someone other than Lowell George, or Fuller fronting the
band. Yes, I'll admit Craig Fuller always sounded strange to me in that role as
well. Co-produced by Bill Payne and Bill Wray, this double album set was far better than I ever expected. Yeah,
it took a couple of spins to get acclimated to hearing Murphy, but she
really did have a great voice and the band seemed to finally have come to
terms with their post-George legacy. Having spent the last decade
trying to mimic their earlier sound, this time around they stayed true to
their roots, but finally gave up the illusion of being that old Little
Feat. Sounds kind of dumb, but it made all the difference in the world
and made for one of their best late-inning studio releases.
Summary - A
pleasant surprise and well worth hearing, but the album would have been even
better with a bit of judicious editing.