Frank Zappa and Lowell George together

For a brief period in late 1968, early 1969, Lowell George was a member of The Mothers. He can be heard on the album 'Weasels Ripped My Flesh' and the first disc of 'You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5', which included a version of "Here Lies Love" with Lowell as lead vocalist. 

Whether he jumped or was pushed, there's not a lot known about why he didn't last very long working alongside Frank Zappa. I imagine he was ambitious enough to think he might be able to get some of his tunes included in the set. 

Although Lowell acted as vocalist and played slide guitar for the Mothers’ shows in his brief tenure with the band, he was kind of peripheral and it’s not hard to see why he didn’t last long with Zappa. Frank saw that Lowell was ambitious as a writer.

But of course, this was Frank's band and Frank's music. George said he was fired from the Mothers because he "wrote a song about dope". Anyway, for whatever reason, Frank suggested Lowell should go and form his own band. So thanks to Frank, we got Little Feat.

There isn't much photographic evidence of Lowell with Frank, but a few have drifted out in recent years, including the one at the top of this page, released by a member of Lowell's family.

Lowell appears here, top left, in another photo backstage with fellow Mothers.

And here's another that's recently surfaced, from early 1969. From left to right: Jimmy Carl Black, Bunk Gardner, FZ and Lowell

Here's a Reprise Records promotional photo, probably the only to feature Lowell.

Also on this blog:

When Lowell George Was The Future of Rock 'n Roll 

Little Feat at the Warner Bros. Music Show, 1975

There's a lot to like in the ZAPPA movie

It's Frank Zappa Day in Baltimore