The Tubes - Now (1977/2021) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Now is the third album released by The Tubes. It was produced by John Anthony. Fed up with constant meddling from Bud Scoppa and Don Wood under the direction of Bill Spooner including surreptitiously remixing a track when Anthony was not at the studio, Anthony was advised to leave the project by Jerry Moss. The head of A&M A&R Kip Cohen said that they took advantage of Anthony and believed that they overran the budget to increase their union fees. Bill Spooner took over and completed the project with the help of the engineer Wood and Scoppa.

Now includes a cover version of Captain Beefheart's "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains" and Captain Beefheart also played saxophone on "Cathy's Clone". The project was intended to be a double album but delays led to cutting several songs, including a version of Gene Pitney's "Town Without Pity" complete with horn arrangement by the Bay-area comedian/musician, Dick Bright. The cover of Now was drawn by The Tubes' drummer, Prairie Prince, entitled "Tubes Descending a Staircase", and was inspired by a similar drawing in Time magazine of the Ramones. In an A&M leaflet, they described the album as "This outrageous and zany band have developed musically and visually since their inception in San Francisco and their previous albums". Anthony believes in retrospect that he should not have tried to be "one of the boys" with this band but remains proud of his idea to have the band playing again live in the studio liked they used to do in the Bay Area bars.

"San Franciscan rock satirists The Tubes actually pulled in some heavyweight support as they camped out in ’70s America. Drawing a fan club that included Captain Beefheart, Larry Graham, Stanley “Acid Lab Rat” Owsley III, and Frank Zappa, this theatrical circus version of Steely Dan didn’t equal the successes of their “White Punks On Dope” again. But the core musicianship of Roger Steen, Bill Spooner and eventual Dead pianist Vince Welnick ensured that “Hit Parade” and “I’m Just A Mess” maintained a glossy, slick momentum, despite the best excesses of Fee Waybill and sexy Re Styles. With songs pitched in by Ron Nagle, Scott Matthews and Lee Hazlewood, Now(originally released in 1977) still sounds surprisingly classy." (UNCUT)

TRACKLIST

1. The Tubes - Smoke (La Vie En Fumer)
2. The Tubes - Hit Parade
3. The Tubes - Strung Out On Strings
4. The Tubes - Golden Boy
5. The Tubes - My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains
6. The Tubes - God Bird Change
7. The Tubes - I'm Just A Mess
8. The Tubes - Cathy's Clone
9. The Tubes - This Town
10. The Tubes - Pound Of Flesh
11. The Tubes - You’re No Fun



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