I bought this album when it came out based on the cover alone. No idea who they were. I became an instant fan and have been since. This record is an American music classic. Great write up. Hopefully it will move those who don't know the magic of LF to discover their albums, and definitely starting with this.
I have that cover, signed by Park, framed in my home library. And I've had a "HOY-HOY" license plate on my '72 Triumph since '75. That's how much I love this album. Has it been forgotten? Probably so. Much like Neon Park, who has not had a proper gallery retrospective similar to those for Rick Griffin or R Crumb. He is slipping into the past like a lot of the great music from the mid-70s. You'd be hard pressed to hear Little Feat or early Tom Waits on your local classic rock station.
I've had this album since it first came out and there's no telling how many times I've played it! A Little Feat concert in Austin circa 1979 was probably the most rhythmic show I've ever seen, and that includes Santana and Weather Report. It was just amazing and Lowell George, resplendent in his painter-whites overalls, was in fine form! The Feat has never failed me!
Saw the Feat open for The Altman Brothers. If it had been a battle of the bands it wouldn’t have been close. And the Allmans were good that night! That must have been a tense backstage…
A little respect for The Last Record Album. Some great songs written by Billy Payne and Paul Barrere. Lowell George wrote Long Distance Love, which must be listened to with a good subwoofer.
I love George as a vocalist, but I prefer the others' jazzy writing style. George thought Billy Payne was going his own way as a writer, and that likely contributed to the band's demise.
I would also say "Willin'" is their best known song. I worked at a small club they debuted at in the late 60s. They could not have been nicer, especially Lowell.
i would say there best known song is “Willin” but not sung by them but by Linda Ronstadt. Weed, whites and wine were our stable diet in those early 70’s. I saw them in Grants Pass Oregon about 15 years ago and they had just come from the famous pot growing region of Northern California. One of the said: “You know, last night we did Willin’ over on the coast and it RAINED REEFERS!”
My older brother was a HUGE Little Feat fan and was in college during their prime. I was also a big fan, but Lowell George had already passed. I was going to see the Grateful Dead in Maine (Oxford Speedway?) and as we were in line to go into the show we discovered there was an opening band (the Dead never had openers). It was Little Feat, they had just reformed with Craig Fuller (formerly of Pure Prairie League) and they proceeded to play Waiting for Columbus start to finish!! Sadly there weren’t any horns, but the band was amazing. They released “Let It Roll” not long after that.
I would argue Dixie Chicken is easily their best known song. I would also call them Southern Rock, as albeit New Orleans style Southern Rock instead of Jacksonville or Atlanta style Southern Rock. It's a good album but if we are taking Waiting for Columbus out of the competition my favorite album of theirs is Time Loves a Hero.
My introduction to LF. I bought an import version in Virgin Records Birmingham in 1974 and my lifelong love of the band began. I interviewed BP in 1975 for Nuggets, a local fanzine, saw them numerous times and still maintain Waiting for Columbus is head and shoulders above any other live album bar none!!
I bought this album when it came out based on the cover alone. No idea who they were. I became an instant fan and have been since. This record is an American music classic. Great write up. Hopefully it will move those who don't know the magic of LF to discover their albums, and definitely starting with this.
I agree, a classic. Thanks for the note.
I have that cover, signed by Park, framed in my home library. And I've had a "HOY-HOY" license plate on my '72 Triumph since '75. That's how much I love this album. Has it been forgotten? Probably so. Much like Neon Park, who has not had a proper gallery retrospective similar to those for Rick Griffin or R Crumb. He is slipping into the past like a lot of the great music from the mid-70s. You'd be hard pressed to hear Little Feat or early Tom Waits on your local classic rock station.
So true. So true. A whole generation is missing out on the work of LF and Waits. Thanks for reading.
I've had this album since it first came out and there's no telling how many times I've played it! A Little Feat concert in Austin circa 1979 was probably the most rhythmic show I've ever seen, and that includes Santana and Weather Report. It was just amazing and Lowell George, resplendent in his painter-whites overalls, was in fine form! The Feat has never failed me!
Saw the Feat open for The Altman Brothers. If it had been a battle of the bands it wouldn’t have been close. And the Allmans were good that night! That must have been a tense backstage…
A little respect for The Last Record Album. Some great songs written by Billy Payne and Paul Barrere. Lowell George wrote Long Distance Love, which must be listened to with a good subwoofer.
I love George as a vocalist, but I prefer the others' jazzy writing style. George thought Billy Payne was going his own way as a writer, and that likely contributed to the band's demise.
They're not "demised" yet. Touring hard this season with Payne, Clayton, Gradney, and Tackett, plus some recent additions.
I would also say "Willin'" is their best known song. I worked at a small club they debuted at in the late 60s. They could not have been nicer, especially Lowell.
I like hearing that about Lowell. Thank you.
i would say there best known song is “Willin” but not sung by them but by Linda Ronstadt. Weed, whites and wine were our stable diet in those early 70’s. I saw them in Grants Pass Oregon about 15 years ago and they had just come from the famous pot growing region of Northern California. One of the said: “You know, last night we did Willin’ over on the coast and it RAINED REEFERS!”
This is the first recording of Willin I ever heard. Produced by George Martin in 1969:
https://youtu.be/x2FMvB5bHEI?si=uNGaAMD3zFPdYzHo
My older brother was a HUGE Little Feat fan and was in college during their prime. I was also a big fan, but Lowell George had already passed. I was going to see the Grateful Dead in Maine (Oxford Speedway?) and as we were in line to go into the show we discovered there was an opening band (the Dead never had openers). It was Little Feat, they had just reformed with Craig Fuller (formerly of Pure Prairie League) and they proceeded to play Waiting for Columbus start to finish!! Sadly there weren’t any horns, but the band was amazing. They released “Let It Roll” not long after that.
That must've been an amazing show! I was working in a record store when Let It Roll came out, and I have fond memories of that album too. Thanks!
I would argue Dixie Chicken is easily their best known song. I would also call them Southern Rock, as albeit New Orleans style Southern Rock instead of Jacksonville or Atlanta style Southern Rock. It's a good album but if we are taking Waiting for Columbus out of the competition my favorite album of theirs is Time Loves a Hero.
All fair points to be sure.
My introduction to LF. I bought an import version in Virgin Records Birmingham in 1974 and my lifelong love of the band began. I interviewed BP in 1975 for Nuggets, a local fanzine, saw them numerous times and still maintain Waiting for Columbus is head and shoulders above any other live album bar none!!
I agree. Waiting for Columbus is an outstanding live album. Thanks for reading!
That Spanish Moon live version is fantastic, as is the album cover. Enjoyed your overview of the band and what makes their songs different.
Perhaps your parents were groovier than you knew.
Thanks! Maybe they were. The more I dig into their collection, the more I learn about them.