The Fraternity of Man - Selftitled (Psychedelic Rock US 1969)

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The short-lived Fraternity of Man is undoubtedly best known for the pro-pot anthem "Don't Bogart Me," which showed up during an unforgettable scene in the genre-defining biker film Easy Rider (1969). The original quintet included an overhaul of the Lowell George-led Factory, featuring Martin Kibbee (bass), Warren Klein (guitar/sitar/tamboura) and Ritchie Heyward (drums/vocals). George split and became a very temporary Mothers of Invention member, while the other three joined up with Freak Out (1966) era Mother Elliot Ingber (guitar). 

The personnel was completed with the addition of Lawrence "Stash" Wagner (vocals/guitar) and the band recorded its 1968 self-titled release Fraternity of Man. Another Frank Zappa connection could be found in the guise of Tom Wilson, who produced the Mother's earliest studio efforts. 

As one might anticipate, there are several prominent musical dynamics carried over into the Fraternity of Man from its former incarnation. The stoner wake-n-bake anthem "In the Morning," as well as "Blue Guitar" and "Plastic Rat" retain the psychedelic garage rock that pervaded much of the Factory's sound. The band's variation of Zappa's "Oh No" -- titled "Oh No I Don't Believe It" -- is a gassed-up rocker replete with Ingber's nimble lead fuzz fret work. 

Those decidedly more belligerent outings are contrasted by the intricate and Baroque qualities of "Wispy Paisley Skies" and the aforementioned steel guitar-driven "Don't Bogart Me." However, the comfortable misfit rockers "Candy Striped Lion's Tail," "Field Day," or the slightly perverse R&B-flavored "Bikini Baby" are among the best sides on the album. The latter was revived on the utterly dismissible dash for cash EP titled X (1995). The Fraternity of Man issued one follow-up, Get It On (1969) for Dot Records, prior to its dissolution in the waning months of the decade.

This US band was formed in Los Angeles, California, USA in 1967 when Elliot Ingber (guitar, ex-Mothers Of Invention) joined forces with three members of struggling aspirants the Factory: Warren Klein (guitar/sitar), Martin Kibbee (bass) and Richie Hayward (b. Richard Hayward, 6 February 1946, Clear Lake, Iowa, USA; drums). Lawrence ‘Stash’ Wagner (lead vocals/guitar) completed the line-up featured on The Fraternity Of Man, a musically disparate selection ranging from melodic flower-power (‘Wispy Paisley Skies’) to rhetorical politics (‘Just Doin’ Our Job’). The album also featured a version of Frank Zappa’s ‘Oh No I Don’t Believe It’, but is best recalled for the ‘dopers’ anthem ‘Don’t Bogart Me’, later immortalized in the movie Easy Rider. 

The blues-influenced Get It On! lacked the charm of its predecessor, but featured contributions from pianist Bill Payne and former Factory guitarist Lowell George, both of whom resurfaced, with Hayward, in Little Feat. Ingber was also involved with the last-named act during its embryonic stages, but left to join Captain Beefheart, where he was rechristened Winged Eel Fingerling. In later years he emerged as a member of the Mothers’ offshoot, Grandmothers. Many years later, Ingber and Wagner briefly reunited under the Fraternity Of Man banner to record the dreadful 1995 EP X.

The Fraternity of Man was an American blues rock and psychedelic rock group from the 1960s. They are most famous for their 1968 song "Don't Bogart Me," which was featured in the 1969 road movie Easy Rider. Its original members included three musicians from Lowell George's band The Factory – Richie Hayward later of Little Feat, Warren Klein, and Martin Kibbee – who joined Elliot Ingber from the Mothers of Invention and Larry Stash Wagner. Blues leads were handled by Ingber, and psychedelic leads were played by Klein, including "Oh No I Don't Believe It" (widely attributed to Ingber due to his association with the Mothers). The band broke up after recording two albums.

Personnel:
✪ Lawrence "Stash" Wagner - lead vocals, guitar
✪ Elliot Ingber - guitar
✪ Warren Klein - guitar, sitar, tambura
✪ Martin Kibbee - bass
✪ Richard Hayward - drums, backing vocals

01. "In the Morning" - 4:22
02. "Plastic Rat" - 3:41
03. "Don't Bogart Me" - 3:00
04. "Stop Me Citate Me" - 2:50
05. "Bikini Baby" - 2:03
06. "Oh No I Don't Believe It" - (Frank Zappa) - 6:15
07. "Wispy Paisley Skies" - 2:22
08. "Field Day" - 3:59
09. "Just Doin' Our Job" - 2:21
10. "Blue Guitar" - 4:23
11. "Last Call for Alcohol" - 3:25
12. "Candy Striped Lion's Tails" - 5:17

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