Paul Barrere - vocals, guitar; Rod Morganstein - drums; Michael Wheeler - guitar, vocals; Andy West - bass, vocals; T Lavitz - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
In between the demise of the popular 1970s version of Little Feat and its posthumous Lowell George reformation in 1989, singer/guitarist Paul Barrere took a stab at a solo career. He released two albums on an Atlantic Records imprint, the first of which was given the tongue-in-cheek title On My Own Two Feet.
Barrere launched a solo tour in 1983 to coincide with the release of that LP, and played this show at the Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY, which aired on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. Barrere, who had come from one of the most proficient musical acts of that period, had a tall order to fill when it came to assembling other musicians to play with. For this show, he used session studio player Michael Wheeler on guitar, and the former Dixie Dregs rhythm section of Rod Morgenstein on drums, Andy West on bass, and T Lavitz on keyboards. Together with Barrere on guitar and vocals they make a potent combination, which Barrere calls "terminally funky."
The show includes mostly material from the aforementioned Barrere solo disc, as well as a few Little Feat classics such as "Skin It Back," "Old Folks' Boogie," and "Down On The Farm." The solo material is also strong, and very similar to the classic Feat material Barrere penned after leader Lowell George started taking a secondary role in the late '70s.
Among the highlights of the show are "Love, Sweet Love," which Barrere had originally written for the late Nicolette Larsen, and a medley of "Fortune Cookies / Dawg Days," which clocks in at 20 minutes and acts as a showcase for the band. He closes the show with the Feat gem, "All That You Dream," which Barrere dedicates to George.
In 1989, Little Feat reformed with former Pure Prarie League veteran Craig Fuller taking over for George. Barrere has done a handful of solo albums since the Feat reformation, and also toured in an acoustic duo with his Little Feat bandmate, Fred Tackett.