Cass Elliot Community Forum

I loved the Mamas & Papas for years but, oddly enough, I've never heard this album. Does anyone have thoughts on this LP ?

If you like the Mamas and Papas, then it's worth getting the album/CD. Don't try to compare it to their sound from the their sixites heyday. The People Like Us album sounds like the era it was recorded - the early seventies.

All the songs are written by John, except for one written by Michelle. Her vocals are more present than Cass's. It's a layed back, mellow album. The harmonies are not as strong as before, but it's still great to hear their voices together, one last time.

Hey Midnight Voyager, thanks for you thoughts I joined this forum a month ago & you're the first to respond to me.
There's a cool record store around the corner from my house. Tomorrow I will get People Like Us for sure.

Hi Frankie,
Welcome. Here is a great discussion of the PLU album and should keep you busy for awhile!:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=460

Unless your record store is one of those huge, Indie joints, you may have to order the album--as it's out of print or available only on the 4-disc "Anthology" collection.

enjoy,
jcg

Hi Frankie,
Definitley Get this album. It is a great indication of where thr group was at the time. My favorite songs are the title track, "Step Out", and I wanna Be a Star, written by Michelle Phillips.
Take care,
Nicole

Thanks jcg for the reading material, & thank you Nicole for your thoughts Haven't picked up the LP yet, but I will on my next day off. Today in the mail some Mamas & Papas arrived : the double CD "Creeque Alley~The History of the Mamas & the Papas." Actually this is a replacement copy as my old one had some scratches in it

Hi Frankie,
You're welcome.
Take care,
Nicole

You're very welcome Frankie. I hope you enjoyed.
jcg

'PEOPLE LIKE US' is a minefield.

If you read the Feb 71 Rolling Stone interview, the reunion was supposedly inspired by Michelle (who had been doing backing on the previous year's Leonard Cohen tour) suggesting to Cass that they go out on the road together. IN the interview the band were talking about the backing possibly being piano and strings as opposed to the usual folk-rock type of thing - and certainly there was no indication that 'PlU' would become the kind of proto-disco it did.

The accepted version of history that the band were forced into PlU by ABC-Dunhill didn't actually appear until after the album was released - by which time Cass had clearly scooted off to RCA. So there is some considerable murkiness about 'PlU'.

I have no doubt that they were pressured into 'PlU' by ABC Dunhill. I also have no doubt that Cass' health was a major problem - heroin addiction. But maybe there was initially more enthusiasm about a reunion than they have subsequently made out?

Consider: Denny's solo career was 18 months dead in the water. 'WOLFKING' might have been VERY admired but it hadn't sold - so John needed a pick-me-up. Cass' brave attempt to escape 'BUBBLEGUM, LEMONADE & SOMETHING FOR MAMA' had stiffed totally with 'MASON & CASS'. As for Michelle, she was still nothing other than a celebrity shag.

'PlU' could have changed life for all of them. As it is, it's a mildy-entertaining abberration of what the Ms & Ps might have become if they had followed - rather than created - trends.

I'd rather have 'PlU' than be without it; but 'MANY Ms& PS' - the compilation of tracks recorded by the 80s version of the band - is much better. The new material is road-tested and given considerable thought in the arrangements. Clearly you don't have Cass but John and McKenzie are on fire and Denny makes his presence felt on several tracks. PLus the arrangements are most definitely among the more memorable of what came out in thatd period.

Hi, well, I don' have the CD of PLU...yet...but would like to. I do like " Step Out " from it being on the Creeque Alley compilation CDs....and I have heard the sample clips from whatever site has the free clips to listen to.

And I still like that idea of that a Xmas album would of been nice.

Anything is good , no matter pre- M & Ps days/post M & Ps days....coming from them.
I'm in 2012, hoping to get lucky and get " Don't Call Me Mamma CD and Denny's "What You Gonna Do " , as I like that country-ish essence he had going on then. I also like Cass' country-ish essence on " Sour Grapes " I wish that Denny and Cass could of done a duet album, but ' Waiting For Song " is the closest thing to that , and I'm glad