Mallard

by Greg PratoMallard was a short-lived '70s experimental rock band featuring several former members of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band: guitarist Bill Harkleroad (aka Zoot Horn Rollo), bassist Mark Boston (aka Rockette Morton), and percussionist/drummer Art Tripp (aka Ed Marimba), the latter of which also played in Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention for several albums, as well. Both Harkleroad and Boston had been members of the Magic Band from 1968 through 1974, when a falling out between them and Beefheart (over their unhappiness with the album Unconditionally Guaranteed), led to their exit. The trio of Beefheart graduates was joined by a host of others for their 1975 self-titled debut (including future Who keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, singer Sam Galpin, and percussionist Barry Morgan), an album that was financed by Beefheart fan Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, but was only available in the U.S. as an import. Mallard's sophomore release, In a Different Climate, was issued two years later (their first to be domestically issued), and saw Tripp replaced by George Draggota. But like its predecessor, the album failed to attract fans outside of the Captain Beefheart cult network, ultimately leading to Mallard's breakup. In 1995, Virgin Records issued both albums together on a single disc, under the appropriate title of Mallard/In a Different Climate.