Mallard was the name of an American band featuring ex-members of
Captain Beefheart's
Magic Band
The 6-meter band is the lowest portion of the very high frequency (VHF) radio spectrum internationally allocated to amateur radio use. The term refers to the average signal wavelength of 6 meters.
Although located in the lower portion of t ...
.
In early 1974, after the recording of the uncharacteristically mainstream ''
Unconditionally Guaranteed
''Unconditionally Guaranteed'' is the eighth LP by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, originally released in 1974. It was recorded at Hollywood Sound, Los Angeles.
Upon release it was criticised for being too commercial; even so, it failed to ...
'' album, the tensions between
Captain Beefheart and bandmembers
Bill Harkleroad (Zoot Horn Rollo),
Mark Boston (Rockette Morton) and
Art Tripp III (Ed Marimba) had finally reached a breaking point, and the three members left Beefheart's
Magic Band
The 6-meter band is the lowest portion of the very high frequency (VHF) radio spectrum internationally allocated to amateur radio use. The term refers to the average signal wavelength of 6 meters.
Although located in the lower portion of t ...
.
Together, they formed Mallard, with Sam Galpin as
vocalist and
Rabbit Bundrick
John Douglas "Rabbit" Bundrick (born November 21, 1948 in Houston, Texas) is an American–English rock keyboardist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roge ...
on
keyboards,
releasing their
eponymous
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
debut album in 1975, with logistical support from
Ian Anderson (of
Jethro Tull fame), who financed the recording using his mobile recording unit on his English estate. The debut included a version of the Captain Beefheart instrumental "Peon", as Harkleroad felt the group could improve on the original. Anderson's involvement with Mallard included recording with the group, but Harkleroad later destroyed these recordings.
John French (Drumbo) was originally involved with the band, and co-wrote some songs.
In 1976, they released their second and last album, ''In a Different Climate'',
and performed some concerts in the United Kingdom. George Dragotta now had been recruited as their
drummer, and after Beefheart fired John Thomas, he too joined on keyboards. Thomas was briefly involved in the Magic Band and in the early 1970s had been in a band called Rattlesnakes and Eggs with John French.
Despite the principal members' years together and unique musical abilities, as well as support from the British musical press, Mallard never achieved commercial success.
In 1994, both
LPs by Mallard were re-released on CD by
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), Tom Newman. It ...
in the UK and in the US.
Personnel
* Bill Harkleroad (aka
Zoot Horn Rollo) - guitar
* Mark Boston (aka
Rockette Morton
Rockette Morton (born Mark Boston; July 14, 1949 in Salem, Illinois) is an American musician, best known as a bassist and guitarist for Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band in the 1960s and 1970s.
Career
In 1963, after moving to Lancaster, C ...
) - bass, occasional lead vocals and guitar
*
Art Tripp III (aka Ed Marimba, Ted Cactus) - drums, percussion, marimba
* Sam Gilpin - lead vocals, occasional piano
*
John 'Rabbit' Bundrick -
Fender Rhodes piano
*
Barry Morgan - percussion
* George Dragotta - drums (2nd LP)
*
John McFee
John McFee (born September 9, 1950, Santa Cruz, California) is an American singing, singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long-time member of The Doobie Brothers.
Biography
Some of McFee's early and no ...
- pedal steel guitar (2nd LP)
* John Thomas - keyboards, backing vocals
Discography
* ''Mallard'' (Virgin, 1975)
References
External links
MALLARD Web Page (Since 1995) Web Foot...Webcor Webcor...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mallard
American musical groups