In 1973, Sherwood played on "For Real!", the first album of Los Angeles doo-wop group Ruben and the Jets, who Zappa had granted permission to use the name of his fictional group, also producing the record and contributing arrangements and the song "If I Could Only Be Your Love Again". Allmusic's Bruce Eder notes the record's "beautifully crafted breaks on sax" by Sherwood and Robert "Buffalo" Roberts. Ruben and the Jets toured in support of Zappa on the West Coast in 1972 and produced one other album, but split after lead singer Rubén Guevara was offered a solo recording contract in the mid-1970s. There were also financial difficulties, Sherwood noting that the group played "too many benefits and not enough paying gigs." Between 1975 and 1979 not much is known of Sherwood. Zappa said he'd “got into scientology for a while, but then he recovered." He returned to the music industry in 1980 reuniting with former members of the Mothers of Invention to form the Grandmothers. He also worked as a plumber during this time. The nickname "Motorhead" was coined by fellow Mothers member Ray Collins, who observed that Sherwood always seemed to be working on repairing cars, trucks or motorcycles, and joked that "it sounds like you've got a little motor in your head". Sherwood was also occasionally credited as his alter ego "Larry Fanoga". In later years, Sherwood contributed to various projects alongside his fellow Mothers alumni, including records by The Grandmothers, Mothers keyboardist Don Preston, Ant-Bee and Sandro Oliva. Sherwood died 25 December 2011. He is reported to have been suffering from an inoperable brain tumor and to have died in his sleep with no pain.