Mothermania

Mothermania

Mothermania (1969), subtitled The Best of the Mothers, is a compilation album by The Mothers of Invention. While the songs were previously released on Freak Out!, Absolutely Free and We're Only in It for the Money, the compilation contains unique mixes or edits done specifically for this compilation.After The Mothers of Invention's contract with MGM and Verve Records expired, Frank Zappa and Herb Cohen negotiated to form a semi-independent record label Bizarre Records, with Verve releasing three Bizarre releases with distribution by MGM: a new Mothers of Invention album, Cruising with Ruben & the Jets, the compilation Mothermania, and an album by Sandy Hurvitz, Sandy's Album is Here at Last.[1][2] Mothermania was prepared in order to recoup money which Verve felt it lost funding the Mothers of Invention albums Freak Out!, Absolutely Free and We're Only in It for the Money.[3] Frank Zappa prepared the masters for the release, remixing and sequencing the track listing, as well as overseeing its packaging.[2][3] The compilation was notable for featuring unique versions of the songs compiled for its release, including an uncensored version of "Mother People", which previously appeared on We're Only in It for the Money in a censored version, and a radically different mix of "The Idiot Bastard Son".Mothermania was released shortly before the release of the Mothers of Invention's fifth studio album, Uncle Meat, a releasing tactic that Frank Zappa felt was intentional on the behalf of Verve.[3][4] Zappa subsequently disowned the compilation following its release.[3] Allmusic reviewer William Ruhlmann described the compilation as being "redundant", giving it three out of five stars.[5] Verve would go on to produce further compilations, without Zappa's involvement. Mothermania has never been officially released on compact disc. In 2009, the compilation was officially reissued as a digital download.