FARREN, MICK - Mona/The Carnivorous Circus

Debut solo album of former Deviants leader released on Transatlantic in 1970; primarily hard-rocking heavy metal-ish versions of R&B songs. Farren had returned to the UK from a tour of the west coast of North America with The Deviants, who had risen up against him and sacked him. Farren had, however, previously discussed the idea of a solo album for the second LP of three on the Transatlantic contract. I was crazy when I did Mona-¢‚Ǩ‚Äùreally mentally ill," Farren has said. "If I listen to it I can still feel it. Maybe I should have chilled out for a few months before making the album, but I was a bit depressed, and I thought Id just do it entirely my own way for the first time." Carnivorous Circus is a montage of song and spoken word, featuring interviews with a Hells Angel and Steve Took, the latter recounting time he spent in Ashford Remand Centre, as well as recordings of political speeches. Took also provides lead vocal for the short Observe The Ravens section of the title track. Also, during the Society of the Horsemen jam he quotes a lyric ("it dont feel good, cos it was made out of wood") from one of his own songs, Steel Abortion (later recorded by his band Shagrat). The cello on "Mona" was provided by Paul Buckmaster, who had demonstrated to Farren the similarities between Bo Diddley and Bela Bartok." - Captain Trip. Original copies of the 1999 CD release.