by Steve Huey
As an enduring work, Fillmore East: June 1971 is a mixed bag, but it does represent the peak of the Flo & Eddie edition of the Mothers. Most of the songs are essentially comedy routines set to music, often dealing with the life of a touring rock musician and, of course, the various opportunities for sexual adventure therein; in one scenario, Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan reprise their Turtles hit &Happy Together& in exchange for sexual favors. The humor is often glib and juvenile, marking the beginnings of Frank Zappa's tactic of making complex music more accessible with half-sardonic arena-frontman antics and crowd-pleasing dirty jokes. Whether one considers the results funny and parodic or crass and pandering, the band is undeniably good, especially as showcased on &Little House I Used to Live In,& &Willie the Pimp, Pt. 1,& and &Peaches en Regalia.&