Bob Rafelson Productions) -- and gave us "Easy Rider", "Five Easy Pieces", "The Last Picture Show" and "Hearts and Minds", and lamenting the absence of such risk-taking companies today." "Five Easy Pieces" was written by Rafelson and Carole Eastman (under the alias Adrien Joyce) and starred Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, and Susan Anspach. Nicholson plays Bobby Dupea, a gifted classical piano player who works on an oil rig in California and spends most of his time drinking beer and bowling with his put-upon girlfriend Rayette (Black). Bobby is constantly dissatisfied and a non-conformist, stating: "I move around a lot. Not because I'm
Easy Pieces previous year, "Easy Pieces" became the band's fastest-selling album, selling more in its first two weeks than "Rattlesnakes" had managed in a whole year. It was also their highest charting album in the UK, peaking at number 5, aided by three top 40 singles. However, despite "Easy Pieces"<nowiki>'</nowiki> commercial success, the reception from critics was lukewarm and the band themselves were unhappy with the end result. Cole would later say, "It strikes me that there's something really fresh on the first album which has been dragged onto the second album, and the freshness is not there and something to replace