The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet is a Frank Zappa composition, performed by the Mothers of Invention, released on the Mothers' debut album, Freak Out!. It is the longest song on the album, at 12:17, consisting of 2 parts: "Ritual Dance Of The Child-Killer," and "Nullis Pretii (No Commercial Potential)." The composition includes a musical quote from "Louie Louie" (Richard Berry). The Monster Magnet, which almost certainly inspired the song's title, was a toy magnet in the shape of a monster, then being heavily advertised on television.
According to Zappa himself, the Freak Out! version of this song is merely a rhythm track and was never finished as intended. Apparently for budgetary reasons, Verve executives curtailed further recording of the track even after shelling out $12,000 for rented percussion. Indeed, the subtitle of the track is "an Unfinished Ballet in two Tableaux." Strangely, though, unlike many of his extended works, Zappa never augmented or completed this piece when he had the time, money and his own recording studio.
Dr John (Mac Rebennack) appears on piano. Van Dyke Parks was also present at the recording session, but it is unclear what, if anything, played by him was used for the released version.
According to Beatles author and Zappa biographer Barry Miles, the unreleased Beatles experimental track "Carnival of Light" which was recorded in January 1967 resembles "The Return of The Son of Monster Magnet," although it is believed that "Carnival of Light" is more fragmented and abstract than Zappa's effort the previous year.
Read more about The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet: Suzy Creamcheese
Famous quotes containing the words return, son, monster and/or magnet:
“To save the theatre, the theatre must be destroyed, the actors and actresses must all die of the plague. They poison the air, they make art impossible. It is not drama that they play, but pieces for the theatre. We should return to the Greeks, play in the open air; the drama dies of stalls and boxes and evening dress, and people who come to digest their dinner.”
—Eleonora Duse (1859–1924)
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—Apocrypha. Ecclesiasticus, 44:14.
The line “their name liveth for evermore” was chosen by Rudyard Kipling on behalf of the Imperial War Graves Commission as an epitaph to be used in Commonwealth War Cemeteries. Kipling had himself lost a son in the fighting.
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—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)