Dedicating this with love to my late brother Malcolm Perkins, Lowell George's #1 fan
On a particularly funky note, April 13 marks the birthday of the late Lowell George, the songwriter, singer and guitarist for Little Feat. Amongst many classic songs, George wrote at least one full-fledged standard, "Willin'".
Lowell was basically a rich kid coming up, but he got the blues down deep in his own way. He had the real feeling, the quirky artsy bent (a fortuitous apprenticeship with Frank Zappa probably brought this out even more) to make something uniquely personal out of it, and the pure hook-writing songcraft to make it work.
In addition, he played exceptional, as he once described it, "sleazy" slide guitar. He also had a really good, supple band behind him that even contributed some outstanding songs themselves. George really used the multiple drummers and horn section. They got some outstanding New Orleans sounds in the mix, particularly on the Waiting for Columbus version of "Dixie Chicken".
One testament to their skill as live performers: the live versions of many of their songs (particularly on the uber-classic Waiting for Columbus album) clearly eclipsed the very good studio recordings. Indeed this would be the first album of theirs to get. I can't think of any other rock or pop group where I'd recommend starting with the live album.
In short, Little Feat was something like what the Grateful Dead might have been had they inverted the proportions of iconography to actual musical and songwriting skill.
Here would give you a strong line up for a Little Feat Mastermix CD:
Willin' (Sailin' Shoes)
Rock and Roll Doctor (Feats Don't Fail Me Now)
Spanish Moon (Waiting for Columbus)
Feats Don't Fail Me Now (Feats Don't Fail Me Now)
Don't Bogart That Joint (Waiting for Columbus)
Easy to Slip (Sailin' Shoes)
Time Loves a Hero (Waiting for Columbus)
Cold, Cold, Cold (Sailin' Shoes)
Strawberry Flats (Little Feat)
On Your Way Down (Dixie Chicken)
A Apolitical Blues (Sailin' Shoes)
Fat Man in the Bathtub (Waiting for Columbus)
Easy Money (George's solo Thanks, I'll Eat It Here)
Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie (Little Feat)
Sailin' Shoes (Sailin' Shoes)
China White (Hoy-Hoy)
Two Trains (Dixie Chicken)
Rocket in My Pocket (Waiting for Columbus)
Roll 'Um Easy (Dixie Chicken)
Trouble (Sailin' Shoes)
Dixie Chicken (Waiting for Columbus)
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
I love Little Feat unreasonably and agree with your assessment pretty much altogether - Waiting for Columbus is one of the handful of great live recordings. I saw the original band several times including one of Lowell's last shows. I still miss him.
Re live recordings in general, I might have someone listen to Get Yer Ya Ya's Out to introduce them to the Stones, and maybe even Live At Leeds for the Who, but there aren't a lot of great ones.
2 - Mark Saleski
i would definitely put Waiting For Columbus on my top ten favorite live albums list.
it's kinda funny how some people like live stuff, other don't. i've always been a big fan. not that they're always better. they're not. but sometimes the combination of inspired performance and fan energy can really take things over the top.
Get Yer Ya Ya's Out makes that list as well...also, The Who Live at Leeds and....(uh oh...i feel a post coming on)
3 - Bill Sherman
Here's one where I'll have to part company with the rest: love all the Lowell George Little Feat studio albums (keep hoping that Rhino will come up with a full series of deluxe reissues to go with their Grateful Dead discs) but always found Waiting for Columbus too stretched-out for my tastes.
Still, any mix tape that has the smarts to include "Apolitical Blues" gets a thumbs-up from me.
4 - darlastclair
having seen lowell w/ a toilet seat around his head in Indiana (shortly before he died) I must say I didn't expect him to last long, but I sure hated to see him go
5 - darlastclair
having seen lowell w/ a toilet seat around his head in Indiana (shortly before he died) I must say I didn't expect him to last long, but I sure hated to see him go
6 - bent andersen
Yes, Columbus was and is one of the greatest live albums...and yes! it's stretched and that's part of the magic. It's PLAYED instead of just a reproduction of the studio versions - played complete with tempo ups and downs + strange and unexpected things happening. I take it out for a good long drunken night every once a year or so. Old memories come sliding back through the mists of time: Did she really fall in love with that wanker, and are they gonna stay together forever? Bless Lowell high in the sky -and the rest of us still here.
Bent
7 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Bent. I need to get it on CD - I still just have the vinyl. I am about due for one of those "drunken evenings" with the record myself. Every version is better here than the stuido version, a true classic. Little Feat is still underappreciated, they absolutely belong in the Rock Hall.
8 - SFC Ski
Waiting for Columbus is the best album to introduce people to Little Feat, a great but underappreciated band. Great article, I have to go dig out the CD now.
9 - 5string
http://www.archive.org has a few live Feat shows (some post Lowell) to download free and legal.I'm listening to 10/31/75 at the Orpheum, Boston, MA right now! Deadheads must check this site out!
10 - Andy Hill
Thanks for all of the info y'all. I used to listen to Willin' when I worked at a pizza joint back in Durham when my boss would play it and now I play it every time I am in Huddle house or any other place with it on the juke. I'm going straight to the store to get Waiting for Columbus tomorrow after I cash my paycheck. Turned on for good.
11 - Al Barger
Good call, Andy. You can hardly go wrong buying George era Little Feat. Sailin' Shoes or Feets Don't Fail Me Now would also be particularly outstanding choices.
12 - Eric Olsen
great Andy, I would definitely begin with Waiting For Columbus, then if you like it a lot, the box set is a great deal
13 - SFC Ski
I have to second Eric's recommendation. Waiting for Columbus was my introduction to Little Feat by way of WNBC back when radio played music worth listening to. I really think it is the best example of Little Feat, a stronger live act than ever they were in the studio.
14 - Larry M. Day
Yes, to all the great musicians that played and jammed with this band. Lowell George, Bill Payne and the rest band put together some of the best Blues/Boogie anyone has ever heard. Anyone who grew up during that era, knows the enjoyment we all had head pounding to 'Feats Don't Fail Me Know’,’ Dixie Chicken', Oh Atlanta', etc. Lowell's slide guitar crying and talk'n, Bill Payne's power housing boogie woogie funk on his key boards with Richie Hayward's solid off beats and Rhythm made this band one of the most exciting bands to here because of their individuality among the band, yet keeping the beats all together synchronizing, etc. Kind of like a Felix Pappalardi and Leslie West kind of thing, but different style music. Still miss Lowell's playing and I'm sure the band misses him too ~ hope his spirit is alive and well " LD
15 - Al Barger
Ah Larry, but that enjoyment need not be limited to those who grew up in that era. Those records sound as good as ever. Waiting for Columbus would make a very thoughtful gift for any budding teenaged music fan.
16 - SFC SKI
Kenny Gradney is one of the best Bassists ever, too.
Sometimes a resurrected post is worth reading.
17 - Al Barger
Thanks Ski. I figure Little Feat is always in season.
18 - Tom
It sounds like everyone is talking "past tense". Yes, Lowell died, but the band lives on. And they are better than ever!! In fact, I am headed to Jamiaca this weekend to spend the 4th annual Feat Fan Fest!! They have released 14 albums since Lowell passed on, and about 5 of those are LIVE. They are still amazing!! Check them out at littlefeat.net
A HUGE FAN of the FEAT
19 - Gunboat Willie
I've always loved Little Feat and have been lucky enough to have seen them twice, Sadly without Lowell, however those were some of the best shows I have ever seen. I'm getting ready to introduce my 15yr old neice to Feat this week-end and for sure she will find Waiting for Columbus on her MP3 player.
20 - Al Barger
Ah Willie, isn't that one of life's great pleasures: turning younguns on to the classics, and getting to share their experience of hearing Little Feat or Chuck Berry or the Beatles for the first time.
21 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Nice appreciation, Al--glad to see this article revived. (I have plans on doing an upcoming piece on "Thanks, I'll Eat it Here".) One of my most memorable concerts was seeing the George-led Little Feat in one of their last concerts at the Arlington Theater in Santa Barbara (with Jackson Browne opening. Thanks for the Mastemix CD list.
22 - doc
once I saw Lowell in kc missouri. the feat never did a 3rd encore ever but kc would not leave. finally after about 20 minutes of cheers and screaming they finally reemerged (probably after a hograil)and cut into one of the best blues songs i ever heard called "assferdaze". best r&r band the us ever produced-DOC
23 - JC Mosquito
... and if not the best, at the top of their game they were right up there in contention.
24 - Aidan
I came across this site looking for info on other artists albums that Lowell played / produced. I really enjoyed reading all your recollections and it brougt me back too. My first introduction to Little Feat was the double pack album set Little Feat / Dixie Chicken, what great music. Two totally different albums in style, worlds apart from each other but astoundingly brilliant. I must admit though that Dixie Chicken won out over time, a certifiable classic in my view and the best Little Feat album ever. Love his solo album also. I am not too crazy about Waiting For Columbus but if you are looking for a definitive live album I would highly recommend: Van Morrison Its Too Late to Stop Now or Velvet Underground 1969 (used to be a dble lp but 2 seperate cd's now!!)
I am trying to find out what tracks Lowell played / sang on other peoples records, does anyone have a definitive list??
25 - Another white boy with the Woo-Woo's
There was Lowell, and then there was everyone else. He's where the bar got set. Sure do miss him.