Ray Collins of the Mothers of Invention Dies, Vacation Curse charter member

[MutteringJohn]

Ray Collins, a singer whose dispute with one guitarist led him to hire another, Frank Zappa, with whom he would go on to form the avant-garde rock group the Mothers of Invention, died on Monday in Pomona, Calif. He was in his mid seventies
His death followed his admission to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center about a week earlier for cardiac arrest, according to local news accounts.
Mr. Collins entered the national spotlight with the Mothers of Invention, an outlet for Mr. Zappa’s unique sense of humor and challenging, unorthodox compositions. But his musical beginnings were more mainstream.
In the mid-1960s Mr. Collins was singing falsetto in a rhythm-and-blues cover band called the Soul Giants when things soured between him and the band’s guitarist, Ray Hunt. Mr. Collins fired Mr. Hunt and replaced him with Mr. Zappa. Precisely how he delivered the news of the firing is unclear.
Mr. Collins “punched his lights out,” Mr. Zappa told the television host Mike Douglas in the 1970s. “He was out of the band and they needed somebody to come in and take over for a while, so I went down there and sat in with them and I thought they were real good.”
In Mr. Collins’s version of the events he threw no punches, but Mr. Zappa did indeed take over the band. Mr. Zappa urged his band mates to perform original material — his own — and the Soul Giants changed their name, first to the Mothers and later to the Mothers of Invention. The shift in direction eventually led to recognition, a recording contract, some truly original music and a devoted following, if not rock stardom.
Mr. Collins, who shared a love for doo-wop with Mr. Zappa, was the lead singer for the band’s debut album, “Freak Out!” (1966), which mixed satirical lyrics with music that ranged from straightforward rock to atonal experimentation, and its follow-up, “Absolutely Free” (1967). He quit the band after that recording, though he returned for “Cruising With Ruben & the Jets,” a doo-wop concept album, and sang on some of Mr. Zappa’s later recordings.

[openmike11]

Another little piece of classic rock history gone.

[Mcfly]

With as much as they're on vacation, it'd be weirder if someone died when they were actually working.

[MutteringJohn]

[bucketbuddy]

RIP funnyman

[ohmicah]

Ray Collins was credited by FZ as providing "swell vocals".

[ohmicah]

[Spazzmatazz]

Actually the very first album I owned was Absolutely Free. My flower child oldest sister gave it to me when back for a visit from Haight Ashbury. She also introduced me to this green leafy substance during the same visit.
I haven't quit either.

Lousiest video ever. But Zappa mopping the floor with these assclowns is priceless!

[ohmicah]

Actually the very first album I owned was Absolutely Free. My flower child oldest sister gave it to me when back for a visit from Haight Ashbury. She also introduced me to this green leafy substance during the same visit.
I haven't quit either.

Lousiest video ever. But Zappa mopping the floor with these assclowns is priceless!

"Kill Ugly Radio"

That video is great. It's the only time I've seen FZ get that fired up.

[Spazzmatazz]

"Kill Ugly Radio"

That video is great. It's the only time I've seen FZ get that fired up.

I've watched it a bajillion times, and it's just great watching him verbally eviscerate them every single time!

[chkmhnsthrh]

Actually the very first album I owned was Absolutely Free. My flower child oldest sister gave it to me when back for a visit from Haight Ashbury. She also introduced me to this green leafy substance during the same visit.
I haven't quit either.

Lousiest video ever. But Zappa mopping the floor with these assclowns is priceless!

I haven't seen that one before until now...These are some nice ones as well

[Douchebag 007]

go cry on somebody elses shoulder

[ohmicah]

I haven't seen that one before until now...These are some nice ones as well

The PRMC was too chickenshit to go after FZ because he could defend himself. Frank even holds up 2 of his albums that are some of the most "pornographic" music you'll ever hear but this woman didn't have the respect to even research her debate opponent's material. That Thingfish album had it all. She could've had a good argument if she had listened to Thingfish.

The other album had a track featuring Congressional Testimony that is some of the most vile imagery out there. Just think, I might have lived my whole life without ever hearing the phrase, "bend up and smell my anal vapor" had it not been for that testimony.

Getting back to Ray Collins, those first 3 albums of The Mothers are still incredible.