Mona – The Carnivorous Circus
Encyclopedia
Mona—The Carnivorous Circus is a 1970 album by the UK underground
artist Mick Farren
.
The album was recorded to fulfill contractual obligations. Farren had recently returned from a tour of the west coast of North America with his band The Deviants, who had relieved the singer of his duties.
Farren recalls that "I was crazy when I did Mona—really mentally ill. If I listen to it I can still feel it. Maybe I should have chilled out for a few months before making the album, but I was a bit depressed, and I thought I'd just do it entirely my own way for the first time." The subject matter is dark and the music very often discordant and dissonant.
"Carnivorous Circus" is a montage of song and spoken word, featuring an interview with a Hells Angel
, Steve Took
recounting time he spent in Ashford Remand Centre, and recordings of political speeches. The cello on "Mona" was provided by Paul Buckmaster
, who had demonstrated to Farren the similarities between Bo Diddley
and Béla Bartók
.
Technical
UK underground
The Underground was a countercultural movement in the United Kingdom linked to the underground culture in the United States and associated with the hippie phenomenon. Its primary focus was around Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill in London...
artist Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
.
The album was recorded to fulfill contractual obligations. Farren had recently returned from a tour of the west coast of North America with his band The Deviants, who had relieved the singer of his duties.
Farren recalls that "I was crazy when I did Mona—really mentally ill. If I listen to it I can still feel it. Maybe I should have chilled out for a few months before making the album, but I was a bit depressed, and I thought I'd just do it entirely my own way for the first time." The subject matter is dark and the music very often discordant and dissonant.
"Carnivorous Circus" is a montage of song and spoken word, featuring an interview with a Hells Angel
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
, Steve Took
Steve Peregrin Took
Steve Peregrin Took was an English musician. He is best known for his membership of the duo Tyrannosaurus Rex with Marc Bolan...
recounting time he spent in Ashford Remand Centre, and recordings of political speeches. The cello on "Mona" was provided by Paul Buckmaster
Paul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
, who had demonstrated to Farren the similarities between Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
and Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
.
Track listing
- "Mona (A Fragment)" (Ellas McDanielBo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
) – 3:15 - "Carnivorous Circus, Part 1" (Farren) – 15:19
- "The Whole Thing Starts"
- "But Charlie, It's Still Moving"
- "Observe The Ravens"
- "Society of the Horsemen"
- "Summertime BluesSummertime Blues"Summertime Blues" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran. It was written in the late 1950s by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. Originally a single B-side, it was released in August 1958 and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on...
" (Eddie CochranEddie CochranEddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
, Jerry CapehartJerry CapehartJerry Capehart was a songwriter and music manager. Capehart co-wrote the famous rock 'n' roll songs "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody" with Eddie Cochran, whom he also managed. He died in Nashville, Tennessee....
) – 2:41 - "Carnivorous Circus, Part 2" (Farren) – 13:01
- "Don't Talk to Me Mary"
- "You Can't Move Me"
- "In My Window Box"
- "An Epitaph Can Point the Way"
- "Mona (The Whole Trip)" (Ellas McDaniel) – 7:25
Personnel
- Mick FarrenMick FarrenMichael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
– Vocals and effects - Steve Hammond – GuitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and vocals - Pete Robinson – Organ and piano
- Johnny GustavsonJohn Gustafson (musician)John "Gus" Gustafson also known as Johnny Gustafson is an influential bass player who has had a thirty eight year recording and live performance career...
– BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Paul BuckmasterPaul BuckmasterPaul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
– CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - TwinkTwink (musician)John Charles Alder , better known as Twink, is an English drummer, singer and songwriter who was a central figure in the English psychedelic movement, and an actor.-Early life and career:...
– Drums, vocals and percussion - Shagrat the Vagrant (Steve Peregrin TookSteve Peregrin TookSteve Peregrin Took was an English musician. He is best known for his membership of the duo Tyrannosaurus Rex with Marc Bolan...
) – Vocals and percussion - Raul – CongaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
Technical
- Produced by Mick Farren
- Arranged by Mick Farren and Steve Hammond
- Recorded at Sound Techniques, London, December 1969
- Victor Gamm – Engineering
Release history
- March 1970, UK, Transatlantic RecordsTransatlantic RecordsTransatlantic Records was a British independent record label. It was established in 1961. It started began primarily as an importer of American folk, blues and jazz records - by many of the artists who influenced the burgeoning British folk and blues boom. Within a couple of years, the company had...
, TRA212 - 1984, UK, Psycho RecordsPsycho RecordsPsycho records is a UK record label that released the records of some artists such as Majors, The Foundations, comedian Jimmy Jones and Killermeters in the 1970s...
- 1999, UK, Castle Communications, ESMCD746, with The Deviants 3The Deviants 3The Deviants 3 is the third and final album by the UK underground group The Deviants, recorded and released in 1969.Lead vocalist Mick Farren regards the album as the beginning of a divergence between himself and his fellow musicians, stating "I had one idea and the rest of them wanted to be a kind...
External links
- Collectable Records - Original cover