# Favourite Zappa Song, Album by Album one per day



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Favourite Zappa Song, Album by Album one per daySimple Hey! this could take a while 

To start of with lets do fav pre Freak Out song, then tomorrow its Freak Out Starting at 12.25pm 14 March 2018- TC time







, give or take a bit.

MY pick is *Lost in a Whirlpool *(as released in Lost Episodes- which we might get to again, if this thread lasts that long)


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Correction 05:42 TC time, time zones are so confusing


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## elgar's ghost

I'll join you from tomorrow for the Mothers stuff and _Hot Rats_, then my knowledge and collection is very spotty.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

Ever since my baby flushed me, been going 'round and 'round...  Love it!


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## Room2201974

Dog Breath in the Year of the Plague.

"Fizzy dice
Bongos in the back
My ship of love
Is ready to attack."

Not sure it gets any better than that.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Very nice Uncle Meat is my Fav album but we are 6 days away from that one, I'm just after pre Freak out songs today
here is another one, will accept demo and alternate takes on Freak Out Albums songs also to be considered.


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## Simon Moon

I'll have to go with my old standby, "Inca Roads" from One Size Fits all.

[video=dailymotion;x131r1f]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x131r1f[/video]


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Simon Moon said:


> I'll have to go with my old standby, "Inca Roads" from One Size Fits all.
> 
> [video=dailymotion;x131r1f]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x131r1f[/video]


Hey you will have to wait for day 20 for that one - we are still at day 0


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## Dr Johnson

From the Lost Episodes (assuming we are still on that):

Sharleena.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ not quite, we on pre Freak Out songs being day 0. Sharleena will be day 10 from _*Chunga's Revenge*_


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## Dr Johnson

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> ^ not quite, we on pre Freak Out songs being day 0. Sharleena will be day 10 from _*Chunga's Revenge*_


Sorry.

I think that the version of Sharleena on TLE is different fro the one on CR.

I find this confusing. Eddie, could you start each new day (from whatever time zone you want) by posting the albums from which we may pick our tracks.

Cheers.

:tiphat:


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## norman bates

Freak out or before freak out: Toads of the short forest






(too bad I can't find a complete version of this and without the voice over)


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## elgar's ghost

Are we on _Freak Out!_ yet?

If so, then I nominate _Trouble Every Day_ (although I love the non-album b-side _Why Don't You Do Me Right?_).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Yep today is Freak Out as Listed by Elgar Ghost- Trouble Every Day- the song they say got Zappa his first Recording Contract

Yesterdays winner is Norman Bates with that very cool original version of Toads of the short Forest from the Pre Freak Out Era - never heard that one before

My choice is You didn't Try to call me with Ray Collins out front





I also like Motherly Love gotta love to Kazoos but here is Dweezils version for something different


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## starthrower

Dr Johnson said:


> I think that the version of Sharleena on TLE is different fro the one on CR.


Technically, the version on Lost Episodes is from the Hot Rat sessions.


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## starthrower

I also like You Didn't Try To Call Me, but I prefer the live Munich 1980 version included on YCDTOSA Vol 1


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

starthrower said:


> Technically, the version on Lost Episodes is from the Hot Rat sessions.


Ah correct and predates *Chunga's Revenge*, so we will save that one for day 8


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## Kjetil Heggelund

I might jump in on day 17 to 20! Watch out, I'm almost 100 kg.


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## Casebearer

Ah Eddie , I see you're doing fine managing the thread...

Freak out has so many great songs it's really hard to choose. How could I be such a fool is heartbreaking. I also love the revolutionary sound in many songs, the doo-*** etc.. I'll choose Trouble Everyday because we don't hear that kind of thing anymore.


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## Dr Johnson

So what are we on today?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

The next Album 
All great songs but today its time to move on to Absolutely Free and what a great Album it was I think stepping up a level and forming a strucutre and songs styles Zappa would continue with thru his career.

I'll pick Brown Shoes don't Make it


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## Manxfeeder

Rats; I missed out on Freak Out. (I would have picked In Memoriam Edward Varese.)

Shucks, Absolutely Free is a hard to pick just one. I'll vote for America Drinks and Goes Home because it was covered by Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd, and I was amazed back then that anyone know about that Zappa song besides me.


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## elgar's ghost

The Duke of Prunes - there are better tracks on the album but this one just kills me every time.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Manxfeeder said:


> Rats; I missed out on Freak Out. (I would have picked In Memoriam Edward Varese.)
> 
> Shucks, Absolutely Free is a hard to pick just one. I'll vote for America Drinks and Goes Home because it was covered by Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd, and I was amazed back then that anyone know about that Zappa song besides me.


Very cool never heard it before


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## norman bates

Brown shoes don't make it it's the obvious choice for me in this case


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Would have to say I'm quite partial to some Vegetables thou


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## starthrower

I rarely listen to Absolutely Free, but I'd go with Brown Shoes, Duke Of Prunes, and ...Vegetable. The live version of Brown Shoes on Tinseltown Rebellion is the one to listen to, imo.


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## Dr Johnson

What album is it today?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> What album is it today?


Absolutely Free


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## Dr Johnson

I don't know that one.

When will we get to Hot Rats?

Actually, looking at Allmusic: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-zappa-mn0000138699/discography I see that We're Only In It For The Money and Cruising With Ruben & the Jets came out before Hot Rats.

Can I rely on the Allmusic discography for this thread?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> I don't know that one.
> 
> When will we get to Hot Rats?


Acouple more days be patient


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## Dr Johnson

I don't know that one.

When will we get to Hot Rats?

Update: looking at this: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-zappa-mn0000138699/discography I see that We're Only In It For The Money and Ruben & the Jets came out before Hot Rats.

Can I rely on the Allmusic discography for this thread?


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## Dr Johnson

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> A couple more days, *be patient*


Not really in my nature :lol:

(However, see updated post above)


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> I don't know that one.
> 
> When will we get to Hot Rats?
> 
> Update: looking at this: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-zappa-mn0000138699/discography I see that We're Only In It For The Money and Ruben & the Jets came out before Hot Rats.
> 
> Can I rely on the Allmusic discography for this thread?


Pretty much or wiki we have only got 112 days and counting to go

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa_discography


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## Dr Johnson

I'll try to get the hang of it but I can't promise anything :lol:


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## Jos

Just dug up Joe's garage from the crates.
It's a bit too complicated Eddie, with all these dates and time zones. And are bootlegs included or is it just official albums? Anyways, I'll check on a daily basis when the time has come to recommend one of the best guitar solos ever: Watermelon in Easter Hay


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## starthrower

Is it possible to pick a favorite tune on Lumpy Gravy? It's one long collage. I'd have to go with the Oh No! melody played on the vibes.


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## Manxfeeder

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Would have to say I'm quite partial to some Vegetables thou


Back in the '70s in L.A. they had a cooking show on the radio, and they played that as bumper music. I thought that was very cool.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Today - Lumpy Gravy (both versions capital and MGM verve)










Today its Oh No for me (my favourite Zappa piece) from the capital version. From the Verve version its got be Pigs and Ponies for me but I am quite fond of the Surf music cut on the verve version also.  Its a shame the capital version was never widely played- I only heard it for the first time a couple of years ago when it was released by the Zappa family Trust as part of ther Lumpy Money release. its now my favourite Zappa album.
https://www.discogs.com/Frank-Zappa-The-Lumpy-Money-ProjectObject/release/2640344
_*"Lumpy Gravy*_ is the debut solo album by Frank Zappa, an album of orchestral, electric and concrete sound written by Zappa and performed by a group of session players he dubbed the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra. Zappa conducted the orchestra but did not perform on the album. It is his third album overall: his previous releases had been under the name of his group, the Mothers of Invention.
It was commissioned and briefly released, on August 7, 1967, by Capitol Records in the 4-track Stereo-Pak format only and then withdrawn due to a lawsuit from MGM Records. MGM claimed that the album violated Zappa's contract with their subsidiary, Verve Records. In 1968 it was reedited and reissued by MGM's Verve Records on May 13, 1968. It consisted of two musique concrète pieces that combined elements from the original orchestral performance with elements of surf music and the spoken word. It was praised for its music and editing.
Produced simultaneously with _We're Only in It for the Money_, Zappa saw _Lumpy Gravy_ as the second part of a conceptual continuity that later included his final album, _Civilization Phaze III_.
Later it was re-edited by Zappa as part of a project called _No Commercial Potential_, which included three other albums: _We're Only in It for the Money_, _Cruising with Ruben & the Jets_ and _Uncle Meat_."


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Jos said:


> Just dug up Joe's garage from the crates.
> It's a bit too complicated Eddie, with all these dates and time zones. And are bootlegs included or is it just official albums? Anyways, I'll check on a daily basis when the time has come to recommend one of the best guitar solos ever: Watermelon in Easter Hay


Bootlegs my god, even the offical albums run out to 122 titles, so no but is an idea this thread would run forever 
But I would suggest if you know a good boot (and zappa released his own versions of the boots on his label and I'm not including them either- I own a couple of the Beat the Boots as well as a few Boots) including the song version you like when the relevant albums day comes up  
Otherwise i would have to hand this thread down to my decendants..........


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese




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## Casebearer

I'm lagging behind because of time zones. Still on Absolutely Free. 

I'd choose The Dukes of Prunes because of the lovely Tune...
I'd choose Plastic People because of the relevant Message...
but I'll choose Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin because of the great Music!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*We're Only in It for the Money*

















The big one and may people favourite Zappa Album often rated in the top 10 Rock and Roll Albums of all time, Only disappoint for me is the loss of Ray Collins for this album but luckily he comes back for the next one

So now your favourite track from this collection- I going for Absolutely Free, typical Zappa names a tune after the previously album, What are you going to chioce I've got many favs here Idiot Ba*tard Son, Flower Punk, Take your clothes off, Lets make the water etc the list goes on

I'm lucky enough to have any original vinyl copy {two actually one Us and one UK, still chasing a reversed cover Oz one ]


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## Kjetil Heggelund

I'm only in it for the money too, just like Flower Punk!


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## starthrower

Absolutely Free from the ...Money album. Probably Frank's strongest melody on the album.

I also like Mom & Dad, Idiot ******* Son, Mother People, and well... the whole darn album.

The Mothers' strongest album to date.


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## starthrower

^^^
Hey, my post was censored. Just like the original album!


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## Phil loves classical

Nasal Retentive Calliope is my fav track on this album


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Your hair is getting good in the back


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## Casebearer

Eddie, could you plan a two day pauze every week to make up for lost time?

I'm lagging on Lumpy Gravy now. 'Oh No' is probably my favorite as well but the preceding Duodenum isn't bad at all, so I'll choose that one to prevent us from having a one-voiced choir.

At the Gas Station and I Don't Know If I Can Go Through This Again are great as well in my opinion. And many others of course. Lumpy Gravy has been severely underestimated. I love his Civilization Phase III maybe most of all his albums but the way he uses the speaking voices as a building part of 
the compositions is probably better on Lumpy Gravy.


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## Dr Johnson

Will Ruben and the Jets be tomorrow?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> Will Ruben and the Jets be tomorrow?


Yep we will be Crusin' tomorrow 

Ok, Casebearer - we will call the Weekend pause time (so in 4/5 days time depending on where you are)- so every weekend will be a pause for catch up


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## norman bates

I don't see a real standout on We're only in it.

Right now I'd say Mom & dad, I think of of the saddest songs written by Zappa. 
And while I don't listen to it very often, The chrome plated megaphone of destiny is certainly an interesting experiment between concrete music and industrial before industrial was even a genre. Zappa suggested reading Kafka and his In the penal colony before listening to it, and it makes the piece even more disturbing.


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## elgar's ghost

_Who Needs the Peace Corps?_

_'I'll stay a week and get the crabs and take a bus back home...'_ :lol:


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## elgar's ghost

P.S. I didn't post anything from _Lumpy Gravy_. I know it can be broken down but I prefer to hear it as one organic whole, so I couldn't see the point in nominating the album in its entirety.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Well today Boys and Girl its Doo *** to the max with Frankie piling on the wax, with the coupla twists add some Stravinsky's neoclassicistic works and a quote (Fountain of Love) as inspiration and various assorted stuff Zappa weirdness, stuck right in the middle of the No Commercial Potential trilogy.










A lot of goodies here but for me its Stuff Up the Cracks with its wicked Wah Wah solo at the end.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese




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## starthrower

There are a number of charming numbers on the Jets album that I can't pick one. If the only version you own of this album is the crummy 80s CD, do yourself a favor and buy the Greasy Love Songs re-issue. It's the real deal, and a beautiful package to boot!


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## elgar's ghost

_Jelly Roll Gum Drop_ - '60s pop rather than '50s doo-***.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Love _Jelly Roll Gum Drop, _those lyrics - I'll say no more the censors maybe watching....._ 

_Starthower is right, for Crusin with Rubin you need the original vinyl version (either on CD or vinyl) and not the 1980's version - which was my first introduction to this album (its awful) with rerecorded drums and bass 1980's style on a 1950's style record. Zappa tried to claim he did this due to the old master tapes having issues only with the bass and drums tracks..... Frank was funny sometimes. the other option is to get Greasy love songs (which is great and has the org version plus lots of outtakes and stuff.

I'm lucky enough to have found an original vinyl of this album in good nick- which spends a lot of time on my turntable.


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## elgar's ghost

_Greasy Love Songs_ is reasonably priced at the moment - if anyone hasn't got it then now is a good time to pounce.

Yes, Ed - God knows what Zappa was thinking when he thought it was better to use Arthur Barrow and Chad Wackerman on the remix of _Cruising with Ruben & the Jets_ - AB and (Th)wackerman just weren't right and what with 80s production being what it was it all helped to derail the album on CD until _Greasy Love Songs_ came out. _Greasy Love Songs_ sounds fine to me, so it makes Zappa's decision to overdub the rhythm section all the more baffling.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

I've read that Chad and Arthur even tried to talk Zappa out of doing the overdubs, you can ever hear Iron Butterflies In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida bass line on one track. 

I think the reason Zappa re-recorded was that he was about to be sued by the old band members for not paying royalities and he prob. and caught wind of the action being proposed against him.


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## Casebearer

Lagging on We're only in it for the money...

I'm probably saying nothing new but in my opinion this is Zappa's most emotional record. Speaking out strongly against alienation between people and phony behavior (plastic people and hippies). Many songs make for beautiful poetry. It never fails to touch me. It makes me a bit sad also as things have not improved over the past 40 years and there's less hope they will.

"It's such a drag to love a plastic Mom & Dad".

"How would you survive if you were alive". 

As an experience it's still a great trip from start to finish. Difficult to tell what song I love best. Emotionally it's Mom and Dad. Poetically it's Let's make the water turn black.


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## Casebearer

Ruben & the Jets is nice but not my favorite Zappa album. I'll choose Anything for the nice slow tempo and saxophone (but prefer the Greasy Love Songs version).


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## Dr Johnson

Hard to pick just one, but I'll go with Cheap Thrills.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Next from the man who gave us Ride my Face to Chicago come my Favourite Mothers Album "Uncle Meat"
a curious name for a woman but there you go, it two disc of pure bliss full Zappaness and introduces the talent of Ruth and Ian Underwood who would fill out and help define Zappa's music for many Albums to come.








And my fav Track well its about eating stuff, Zappa seams to have an Oral fixation you know Vegetables, prunes, Garbage Trucks etc Even Eat that Question comes to mind for some with Mr Green Genes........









What your Favourite Uncle Meat track, Cruisin' for Burgers, The Air, King Kong, Aunt Jemima, Dog Breath, in the Year of the Plague..............


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## elgar's ghost

_King Kong_ for me. Brilliant end to the album - it always seems to fly past despite being 18 minutes long.


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## starthrower

Too much great stuff on UM to choose a favorite.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^Agreed but I love ray's vocal on Green- well actually all his vocals on this Album


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## 38157

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> I've read that Chad and Arthur even tried to talk Zappa out of doing the overdubs, you can ever hear Iron Butterflies In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida bass line on one track.
> 
> I think the reason Zappa re-recorded was that he was about to be sued by the old band members for not paying royalities and he prob. and caught wind of the action being proposed against him.


I don't know Ruben and the Jets too well, but my highly unpopular view is that I actually prefer some of the overdubbed material on WOIFM (specifically, Who Needs the Peace Corps?). It sounds so inconsistent with the other stems, but I do enjoy it nonetheless.

Speaking of WOIFTM, The Idiot ******* Son is probably one of the most beautiful songs ever written. His music a reputation for being weird and erratic, but actually, the way he wrote was very melodic, in a pretty conventional way, and he could write with incredible poignance (Idiot *******, Oh No, Holiday in Berlin just being 3 examples). I think it's the way he harmonised and structured his pieces that is probably most unusual, but his sense of melody sometimes is borderline saccharine, in an unironic way (the B section of Oh No being a case in point). This is no criticism, but his music isn't as spiky and inaccessible as his reputation would suggest.

Anyway, my favourite track from Uncle Meat is definitely the fugue-y thing on the end of Golden Arches. Excuse my French, but it's painfully ******* beautiful, saw a really nice orchestration by Manson Ensemble in 2010 at Royal Academy of Music.
I similarly love Exercise 4 Variant from the new-ish Uncle Meat box set. Same theme as the Golden Arches excerpt, just a different version. Some of Zappa's loveliest stuff lurks on these albums, and it really shows off his compositional chops. A lot of his time his music can be surprisingly straightforward, even if it's not tonally simple (clear beat, unision melodies - like the Alien Orifice interlude, Rollo Interior, Inca Roads interlude, Moggio, etc), but sometimes you hear the way he could really handle multiple voices (it's not common practice harmonies, but he handles similar textures), and Exercise 4 is one such example (Rollo is another great example of some really beautiful "faux-counterpoint" writing).


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## norman bates

King Kong probably. 
A little curiosity: years ago I did a mashup with Project X and... Kiss me the song of Cardigans.
Just make the two pieces start at the same time:


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Which leads us on to Mothermania - The Best of the Mothers
and gives us one more pick from the original mothers albums with some alternate versions of the tracks

I'll go The Idiot ******* Son with the alternate mix

but here is Sting doing it- from something very different


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## 38157

Concur on this one. Much prefer the mix without the WOIFM weirdness in the middle. I love the whole collage-esque feeling that album has, but this is one song that doesn't need to be dismembered. That chord at 1.37 in the Sting video... smacks me around the ******* face every time. Jesus Christ, this is good music.

Another contender has to be the uncut Mother People. I can't listen to the original edit anymore.


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## elgar's ghost

That threw me, Ed - I was anticipating choosing something from Hot Rats!

Trying to avoid what I've already picked, so it's _Brown Shoes Don't Make_ It for me.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Yeah thought I would just slid that one in (as it is an official release ), in the same vein, I also have a nice vinyl copy of Mothers Day in my collection but it doesn't appear in the official releases even though its not a bootleg  Has a great cover though and is a double album unlike Mothermania and has some great tracks and spends a lot of air time on my turntable- but other than this post I wont include it here. 
And Yes tomorrow will be many peoples fav Hot Rats .








1. Fountain Of Love 
2. Brown Shoes Don't Make It 
3. Concentration Moon 
4. Nasal Retentive Caliope Music 
5. Let's Make The Water Turn Black 
6. Stuff Up The Cracks 
7. America Drinks 
8. Cheap Thrills 
9. You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here 
10. The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny 
11. No No No 
12. Plastic People 
13. Are You Hung Up 
14. Help, I'm A Rock (Suite In Three Movements): 1st Movement: Okay To Tap Dance/2nd Movement: In Memoriam, Edgar Varese'/3rd Movement: It Can't Happen Here 
15. Bow Tie Daddy 
16. Harry, You're A Beast
17. What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body
18. Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin 
19. Later That Night 
20. The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet (Unfinished Ballet In Two Tableaus): Ritual Dance Of The Child Killers/Nullis Pretii 
21. Wowie Zowie
22. Call Any Vegetable


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## Casebearer

Uncle Meat is an absolute gem and I still play it regularly. I love the instrumental pieces a lot and also of course the great songs in between. Great variety and atmosphere. Never a dull moment here.


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## Casebearer

Mothermania might be an official release (and a real collectable) but I don't count it personally as an album.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Casebearer said:


> Mothermania might be an official release (and a real collectable) but I don't count it personally as an album.


Agreed (I have a copy but think Mothers Day is more of a collectable) but I am following the official Zappa releases as documented, otherwise this thread could get even more out of hand...............


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## Dr Johnson

Are we on Hot Rats yet?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> Are we on Hot Rats yet?


In about 8 Hrs


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## Dr Johnson

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> In about 8 Hrs


Huzzah!

If I'm not lying full of holes on my drive in 8 hours I will be coming in long and strong on that one.

:tiphat:


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

And now the Biggy Hot Rats, Zappa was really on a roll here could do no wrong shame he wasn't making much bucks.

My fav for today any way is Peaches but I coulda picked any of the tracks on this one 






second pick today is Willie the Pimp


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## Dr Johnson

Every track on Hot Rats is perfect. It is that rare thing: a perfect album.

Nonetheless, for the sake of the game, I choose The Gumbo Variations.


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## 38157

Hot Rats is unusual in that nothing else he ever made sounded anything like it. I love the density of the orchestrations, the multilayered keys and woodwinds. It's a really colourful-sounding album, it's a special artefact.

"It Must Be a Camel" is definitely the strongest track, in my perspective. It's only 5 minutes long, but it really creates its own universe. The meandering melodies in the middle of the piece, that sort of intertwine, and it's never completely clear if there's actually a hierarchy, or if the focus is mainly the texture of that sound in and of itself. It's definitely very melodic, but you could focus on any particular layer at any time, it's very beautiful. And nicely bookended by the unison quartal stuff, it's a shame that a piece of that magnitude seems to get so often overlooked. 

Every tracks on the album is stellar, but Camel somehow sets itself apart texturally from the other tracks (the closest is maybe Little Umbrellas, although the parts are more clearly delineated in that one)


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## elgar's ghost

_The Gumbo Variations_ for me, too.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Yeah, its like what happened to Zappa on this Album, did he toke something (he was anti drugs as we know but!), even his guitar suddenly is eclipsing Clapton/ Hendrix and co. We knew he had the musical chops and production techniques but on this record his guitar playing went to another level way beyond what he had done before- was this the start of the moded SG period?

We know this was his first recording after breaking up the original Mothers, his first also on 16 track recording and he was along side some great studio muso's on this one - did this lift him to a new level?


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## starthrower

****** said:


> "It Must Be a Camel" is definitely the strongest track, in my perspective. It's only 5 minutes long, but it really creates its own universe. The meandering melodies in the middle of the piece, that sort of intertwine, and it's never completely clear if there's actually a hierarchy, or if the focus is mainly the texture of that sound in and of itself. It's definitely very melodic, but you could focus on any particular layer at any time, it's very beautiful. And nicely bookended by the unison quartal stuff, it's a shame that a piece of that magnitude seems to get so often overlooked.
> 
> Every tracks on the album is stellar, but Camel somehow sets itself apart texturally from the other tracks (the closest is maybe Little Umbrellas, although the parts are more clearly delineated in that one)


Camel is my pick as well. I never heard anything like it before. The quirky melody lines played on the saxes are so delicious to my ears! And that weird sounding piano is also very interesting. I'll take all three of the more composed pieces over the guitar jams on this album. But I do dig the funk as well. And I prefer the 80s Ryko CD with the guitars cranked up in the mix.


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## 38157

starthrower said:


> And I prefer the 80s Ryko CD with the guitars cranked up in the mix.


Yeah, the purist complaint about the remix I always thought was a bit too tainted with nostalgia. The Ryko mix is much better, especially Little Umbrellas and Gumbo. Interesting to hear the differences, though, especially in the case of Camel - some lines are almost totally buried in the Ryko version that are at the forefront of the mix in the original (and Zappa Records reissue)


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## norman bates

very banal choice, Peaches en regalia
second place for Little Umbrellas, another big favorite of mine
third: it must be a camel 

As Starthrower I definitely prefer the shorter, "baroque" miniatures here than the jams.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Just come back from lunch here in Oz and managed to pick up a UK Trans-Atlantic label pressing of Uncle Meat, in great nick think its a rare thing too cost me $50 Oz 

Oh for Casey, next Album will be Monday Morning Oz time (Sunday night TC time I think)


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## Casebearer

I love Hot Rats for the music but I'm absolutely sure I haven't been able to enjoy it like it should be. I have the original vinyl and don't play it much. Everything sounds subdued as if I'm hearing it through a cushion or something...

But I remember now...... I have a new record player. I'll have to put it on again and report back to you tomorrow.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Make sure there is no fluff on the needle


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## Casebearer

There's no fluff on my needle, mr. Eddie. Maybe you wanna check your own needle. :devil:


----------



## starthrower

Casebearer said:


> I love Hot Rats for the music but I'm absolutely sure I haven't been able to enjoy it like it should be. I have the original vinyl and don't play it much. Everything sounds subdued as if I'm hearing it through a cushion or something...


Maybe that's why FZ re-mixed it for CD? The re-mix is anything but subdued. Probably too hot for those reared on the original. Many of the 80s & 90s remasters are far from ideal, but I'm glad I've got them along with a bunch of the 2012 analog masters. Actually, some of the albums sound weird on the 2012 CDs. I'm not used to hearing those warm, fuzzy bass frequencies on a CD.


----------



## Dr Johnson

I loved the original vinyl and I love the 1987 Barking Pumpkin Records digital remix done by Bob Stone at the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen.


----------



## Casebearer

starthrower said:


> Maybe that's why FZ re-mixed it for CD? The re-mix is anything but subdued. Probably too hot for those reared on the original. Many of the 80s & 90s remasters are far from ideal, but I'm glad I've got them along with a bunch of the 2012 analog masters. Actually, some of the albums sound weird on the 2012 CDs. I'm not used to hearing those warm, fuzzy bass frequencies on a CD.


You might be right about that. You know it sometimes dazzles me with all these Zappa releases (original release, re-mixes etc).
I think I would very much appreciatie if somebody - or we as a collective - could put together an overview of the different releases of Zappa's (original) albums with annotations on the main differences between the releases and what are the essential ones to have to enjoy the music best. You and Eddie come to mind as the ones with the most expertise that could start it off. Maybe others could add their knowledge/appreciation. Would that be a nice TC-project for us?


----------



## Dr Johnson

What album are we on today, Eddie?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^^ it confuses the Hell out of me


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> What album are we on today, Eddie?


Could be the post above lol

but no Monday is Burnt weeny Sandwich


----------



## Dr Johnson

Today is Saturday and we don't get to BWS until Monday??


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Yep as per Casebearers request to have catch up time


----------



## Dr Johnson

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Yep as per Casebearers request to have catch up time


Right. Sorry, I forgot about that.

As you were.


----------



## 38157

Casebearer said:


> You might be right about that. You know it sometimes dazzles me with all these Zappa releases (original release, re-mixes etc).
> I think I would very much appreciatie if somebody - or we as a collective - could put together an overview of the different releases of Zappa's (original) albums with annotations on the main differences between the releases and what are the essential ones to have to enjoy the music best. You and Eddie come to mind as the ones with the most expertise that could start it off. Maybe others could add their knowledge/appreciation. Would that be a nice TC-project for us?


May have been beaten to it, unfortunately/fortunately:
http://www.lukpac.org/~handmade/patio/vinylvscds/index.html


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

Yes, that's a great guide - at least until the back catalogue is once again re-released. I still have this update on my favourites bar which concentrates on the 2012 releases on the Zappa imprint:

http://www.lukpac.org/~handmade/patio/vinylvscds/2012hotpoop.html


----------



## Captainnumber36

Instead of making a new thread, I'll just put it here that I think One Size Fits All is my favorite Zappa/Mothers album. I love the guitar playing on it, and the songs are so unique and fun!

I never really dug Hot Rats, I always want to keep giving it chances, but it always leave me unfulfilled. I find his playing to be anti climatic on the album, and I don't enjoy his tone.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ hey you jumped that gun that's not until next Thursday week or something(too hard to work out)


----------



## Captainnumber36

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> ^ hey you jumped that gun that's not until next Thursday week or something(too hard to work out)


haha, :lol: My bad!


----------



## Casebearer

****** said:


> May have been beaten to it, unfortunately/fortunately:
> http://www.lukpac.org/~handmade/patio/vinylvscds/index.html


Well, fortunately of course. Thanks ******. Great guide!


----------



## Dr Johnson

Are we there yet, Eddie?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Yep were they, today is Burnt Weeny Sandwich










I'll go for The Little House I Used to Live In


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

That one for me as well. Sugarcane's violin playing takes it to another place.


----------



## 38157

Hard to choose with this album, but I think Little House is an extravaganza that takes it away. Beautiful piano intro, and the written score version is even slightly better (a couple of little things seem to have been omitted in the recorded version). I love the little melody at 3.27 as well, reminds me of some passages from L'Histoire du Soldat. 

But the best moment of the album is the little chamber piece at 13.35. Everything about it is bliss, the harmonies, the choices of timbre, the little call-and-response phrases. I wish there were more versions (other than the really bad audio-quality woodwinds-only version with a bunch of tape hiss on that bootleg from some London concert). I'd love to hear it as its own piece, not just spliced into the middle of this song, as there are hints in the bootleg I mentioned (and also in an audience recording of Zubin Mehta conducting 200 Motels) that there is more to this great little piece.

Obviously you can't go wrong with Holiday in Berlin, and Igor's Boogie is so fleeting you don't realise how nice it is at first (I played the version from the little piano score a while back, and it's a really nice, well-harmonised, tight melodic piece - noticed a few things that felt lost in the recorded version). But the chamber piece in Little House just has that slight edge, especially since it's such a unique occurence in Zappa's oeuvre.


----------



## Dr Johnson

Definitely _The Little House I Used to Live in_ for me too.


----------



## Dr Johnson

_"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform and don't kid yourselves"_

Splendid!

:lol:


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> _"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform and don't kid yourselves"_
> 
> Splendid!
> 
> :lol:


Yeah, its a beauty


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Today Weasels ripped my flesh










and for me its *Oh No / Orange County Lumber Truck
*


----------



## 38157

The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbeque, without a shadow of a doubt. I love that melody intensely, and when the full horn arrangement bursts through the scattered improv texture, it's truly grand. Reminds me of some Mingus recordings. You should listen to Don Preston's arrangement on his album "Transformation", some nice improv on that one, played like a regular jazz standard.

Oh No comes close, but there are arrangments I prefer (especially the Ahead of Your Time and 1988 arrangements), I find this one a bit dry.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Will have to look out for Don Preston's Album


----------



## elgar's ghost

EDMB for me too, closely followed by _Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask_.


----------



## Dr Johnson

For me: _Directly from My Heart to You_, but like EG, _Gas Mask_ has to be mentioned.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Now the original Mothers have left the building and we have Flo & Eddie.........
Chunga's Revenge 








Today I'll go for Transylvania Boogie


----------



## Merl

Sharleena............


----------



## starthrower

I adore Weasels all the way through. I prefer the instrumentals on Chunga's. I've always enjoyed the live jam, The Nancy and Mary Music. It's actually the instrumental sections of two tunes edited together. They're from the 1970 Minneapolis show that was released as Road Tapes #3.


----------



## Casebearer

Sorry, Eddie I can't keep up. I have no 'favorite song' list in my head so I can only say anything on that if I listen again with that perspective in mind. I'm already lagging three albums again...

Don't want to slow you down so you can skip the weekend pause as well :tiphat:


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Ok Case, full steam ahead then.

We have only got 100 days more till we get to the latest release "_The Roxy Performances" _and at this rate the ZFT may beat us in catching up


----------



## 38157

20 Small Cigars is the Chunga's favourite to me, it's a completely unironic little jazz piece, and it's beautiful - those rising major7 arpeggio figures in the melody in particular. Only thing missing in this version is the great little interlude that's present in the Jean-Luc Ponty version


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

****** said:


> 20 Small Cigars is the Chunga's favourite to me, it's a completely unironic little jazz piece, and it's beautiful - those rising major7 arpeggio figures in the melody in particular. Only thing missing in this version is the great little interlude that's present in the Jean-Luc Ponty version


Has always been a favourite of mine (was the first Zappa Album I brought way back when) and being a cigar smoker too  its actually from the Hot Rats recording sessions and doesn't have anything to do with the Chunga's Revenge set but ended up on the Album- typical Zappa


----------



## Dr Johnson

_Chunga's_ is not my favourite Zappa album, but I've always liked Road Ladies.

Although Twenty Small Cigars deserves an honourable mention.


----------



## starthrower

FZ's guitar playing on Chunga's Revenge, and Transylvania Boogie deserves mention. Frank created a lot of hip bass riffs and vamps to solo over like the one on the title track.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Hey were up to day 13 and some zanny Flo & Eddie
Fillmore East time








My choice is Peaches en Regalia with Flo & Eddie doing vocal acrobatics


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

AH! Peaches :wave::kiss:


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*200 Motels*

Now what do you get when you mix Keith Moon dressed as a Nun, Ringo dressed as Frank, a group of Groupies, Flo and Eddie, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Zappa, we could get into a lot of trouble here so be careful............ we don't want another Royal Albert Hall episode, as that took years to sort out 










I'll carefully choose (mods may be watching) "This Town Is a Sealed *Tuna* Sandwich"





and you gotta love the movie


----------



## elgar's ghost

The soundtrack desperately needs a re-release on CD by the looks of it. I've never seen the film but one friend who has, a Zappa fan for many years, said it was 'a load of self-indulgent garbage, a vacuous and self-congratulatory vanity project - in all, a total misfire...'. His appraisal actually used more invective than that (not to say liberally peppered with profanities), so I've offered a 'U' rating transcription of his comments.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

I got the movie on DVD and its a hoot.

200 Motels has been re-released in recentish times, was the last project that Gail Zappa did in 2013


----------



## 38157

200 Motels favourite is definitely "What's the Name of Your Group". Prefer the original too, sound quality on the new release is great, but the performances I find less compelling and even more cartoonish than the original (there's something about acting out the sillier parts that seems so contrived). There's a great instrumental version of this piece on Ahead of Their Time, under the moniker "Epilogue", I think in 200 Motels it's hooked onto Pound For a Brown and there's a really nice choral texture.


----------



## Dr Johnson

For me it's a toss up between ***** Dimension and What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning.


----------



## 38157

***** Dimension is a beautiful piece (funnily enough), love the version on Wazoo too. I saw 200 Motels in London when they did it the other year, and enjoyed that performance of it, although though Flo and Eddie stand-ins rushed the rising figure in the beginning, which was annoying, since it obscured the voice-leading. As usual, those details really reveal themselves when you look at the solo piano arrangements from the songbook


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

****** said:


> ***** Dimension is a beautiful piece (funnily enough), love the version on Wazoo too. I saw 200 Motels in London when they did it the other year, and enjoyed that performance of it, although though Flo and Eddie stand-ins rushed the rising figure in the beginning, which was annoying, since it obscured the voice-leading. As usual, those details really reveal themselves when you look at the solo piano arrangements from the songbook


Very cool, you saw 200 Motels in London- was that back in 1971 or was it the 2013 concert in london  it only took 42 years after the first Albert Hall one was banned lol . I'll give another vote to P*nis Dimension too.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...motels-will-finally-be-played-in-8755933.html


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Now its time for Flo and Eddies last stand - and of course I'll go for Eddie, Are You Kidding?







*Just Another Band from L.A.*










Here the Flo & Eddie version - its got video sort of from 75


----------



## 38157

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Very cool, you saw 200 Motels in London- was that back in 1971 or was it the 2013 concert in london  it only took 42 years after the first Albert Hall one was banned lol . I'll give another vote to P*nis Dimension too.
> 
> https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-...motels-will-finally-be-played-in-8755933.html


2013! Great concert, Gail did a bit of a talk and there was an Old Bailey skit (excerpted from The Real Frank Zappa Book) before the main event. Can't think of any other gig where I could expect the entire chorus to wave around light-up dildos, sophomoric as it is...

Re. Just Another Band, has to be Billy the Mountain. I love the quartal line at "or if he has a son named Pinocchio or what", and the entirety of Studebacher Hoch. Great version on the Carnegie Hall release, too, with nice solos


----------



## Casebearer

I like Just another band from LA for nostalgic reasons but it's not that good is it?


----------



## Dr Johnson

Casebearer said:


> I like Just another band from LA for nostalgic reasons but it's not that good is it?


There are Zappa albums I much prefer.

Anyway, my pick: Call Any Vegetable.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Waka/Jawaka

Flo & Eddie are gone and Zappa is in a wheel chair. Didn't end well hey but the music is great!










I'll go for It Just Might Be a One-Shot Deal


----------



## 38157

I love Waka/Jawaka all around, One Shot Deal's a great song. Big Swifty is one of my favourite Zappa pieces, I love it intensely and am very tempted to pick it as my favourite, but I actually think the Waka/Jawaka version is the weakest, because the emergence of the return to head is nowhere near as impactful as later versions (because it was just part of the solos and went completely unharmonised in this version). This feels very much like the prototype of a astounding track, and I thoroughly revel every moment of the YCDTOSA #1 and Road Tapes #2 versions (can't go wrong with Ralph Humphrey on drums, and the bass line in the outchorus is beautiful).

However, this album's Big Swifty not being the beast I know it as, I have to choose the title track, love Don's synth solos and the horn overdubs on the guitar solos


----------



## Casebearer

I love your reflections on the album pieces, ******  Great the way you put your - and often mine - musical experience into words.


----------



## Dr Johnson

I choose Big Swifty.


----------



## Captainnumber36

Waka is a good one. I can't pick a favorite from it, but I love how the cover says "Hot Rats" on it!


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*The Grand Wazoo
*_








Well another great one, Zappa was really on a roll here, maybe burning down a Casino (smoke on the water), getting pushed off stage and leaving Flo & Eddie all renewed his enthusiasm for music and still in a wheelchair  George Duke and Aynsley is still on the drums. I wont even try to explain the concept to this album

I'll go for Eat That Question

but gotta love the lyrics to Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus

La la-da-la-la-la la-da-la la la-la 
(La la la-la-la-la-la la la-la la-la-la la-la-la-la 
La-la la-la-la la-la la-la-la la-la la-la-la) 

Teeh tee-tee-tee-tee-teeh tee-tee-teeh yah-ho! 
(Pom-pom pom-pom-po-po-pom pom 
Po-po-po pom-pom bro-po-po-po-pom 
A-rum-pa-pom-pom a-rum-pa-pom-pom 
A-rum-pa-pom-pom) 
La la la la la la la la la la la la rum-pam! 
Rat-ta-da da-dah!

For anyone brave enough to want to read the story behind this - the link is below:
http://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/The_Legend_Of_Cleetus_Awreetus-Awrightus_&_the_Grand_Wazoo


----------



## 38157

Casebearer said:


> I love your reflections on the album pieces, ******  Great the way you put your - and often mine - musical experience into words.


Glad to hear my little ramblings aren't quite as self-indulgent as I suspected they might be! It's interesting to see people's perspectives on this catalogue, there's so much diversity in the space of one album, people are attracted to the same work for totally different reasons.

Re. Grand Wazoo: has to be a toss-up between For Calvin and Blessed Relief, which are both incredibly unique - was Calvin played live? I think it might have been, I don't know of any other versions of Blessed Relief (incidentally, I think other than the album version, Waka/Jawaka was only played live once by the Petit Wazoo). I love the entry of the Kung-Fu esque interlude in Calvin, so maybe that gives it the edge. I do love how strangely and sincerely saccharine Blessed Relief is though, Zappa would let that seep through occasionally...

Think It Over is also a great track, but I think I prefer the live Wazoo extravaganza version over this version


----------



## Vronsky

I think these songs are my favourite: San Ber'dino, Andy, Inca Roads and Occam's Razor. My most listened song by Zappa is either San Ber'dino or Andy. Favourite album, probably One Size Fits All (I say 'probably' because Zappa has tons of works, and it is really hard to pick just one album). Waka/Jawaka, The Grand Wazoo, Jazz from Hell, Sleep Dirt, Hot Rats are great, also.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Stick around we are getting close to your fav 
_*Over-Nite Sensation - *_Now for me I would say this marks a definite change of approach by Zappa, you could say a more commercial style (well for Zappa anyway). At least he is out of the Wheelchair and his voice has dropped an octave and he is back singing some lead vocals, with Tina Turner on backups . Now is the beginning of the Roxy band George Duke is still here Ralph Humphrey has replace Aynsley, Ruth and Ian are here and Jean-Luc Ponty is part of the merry men. Note this one was recorded in the same sessions as the next one Apostrophe'








For me its Camarillo Brillo but there is a lot to like here with Franks T*tties and Beer stage show Pal Dinah-Moe Humm part of the set who knows where he is going next............


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

I'm with the pygme pony over by the dental floss bush


----------



## elgar's ghost

I'll pick _I'm the Slime_ - the vocal delivery sounds like a precursor to the _Central Scrutinizer_ character from _Joe's Garage_.


----------



## Manxfeeder

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> _*The Grand Wazoo
> *_


Finally, we're up to Grand Wazoo. I played that one a lot back in the day. I was thrilled when my friend couldn't sell his C melody sax, so he gave it to me. I now have my own Mystery Horn.

As for a favorite track, I've spent the most time with the title track. I even transcribed Billy Byers' trombone solo; it's so melodic and well put together.

And speaking of the liner notes, I often refer to my wife as "so sensitive she's invisible." Nobody seems to catch on to what I'm quoting.

This is my last Zappa album, so this will be all for me.


----------



## 38157

ONS choices can easily be narrowed down to 50/50, Zomby Woof and Montana. My favourite moment in Zomby Woof is the brief horn interlude with the retrograde iteration of that little quintuplet figure, and I wish there were more extended passages of that stuff in the tune. I love the "I'm plucking the old dental floss" interlude in Montana, and I never listen to versions of the tune that don't have that, because they're so disappointing, but my favourite version is on Road Tapes #2, so I think I have to go with 50/50 for its exclusivity to the record, as well as the stellar solos (which are usually my least favourite parts of songs of any genre, but in this case, they make the piece).


----------



## Dr Johnson

_Over-Nite Sensation_ was the album that got me into Zappa.

So much to choose from, but I'll pick Montana.


----------



## Merl

ONS is my fave Zappa album too. Dinah Moe Humm and Montana are just wonderful. Superb album.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Apostrophe (') *has anyone got the Quadraphonic version  Now this one is his big seller and finally into the US charts, got to No 10 and remains his biggest seller of all time and pigeon pair to the previous album with Jim Gordon and Jack Bruce throw in for one track.









I'll go for St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Love the pancakes! The build up to Father O'Blivion is awesome too


----------



## 38157

Has to be St. Alfonzo, which we all know is one big build-up to Rollo Interior, which is the melody that first got me hooked on Zappa. I've never heard anything quite like it even in Zappa's ouevre (though there are plenty of extended interludes structured like it), and the synth-marimba-clav combo is a perfect texture full of punchiness and gliding portamento figures. Absolutely beautiful little piece, and it sort of overshadows the rest of the album pretty early on. Ralph Humphrey's drumming is a lot more active in this take than on some versions I've heard - maybe because of the faster tempo (but also you can tell when Ralph's feeling it as opposed to when he's "just playing" - there's a monster fill in the outchorus of a '73 version of Big Swifty where he usually just played straight 16ths - I really wish that was available in more than just bootleg quality, because it's so much better than any other version).


----------



## Manxfeeder

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> *Apostrophe (') *


I remember when that came out, a friend pronounced it Apo strophe. I looked at him and thought, "How did you get into college"?


----------



## starthrower

I love that Ricky character who sings Zomby Woof, and 50/50.


----------



## starthrower

FZ's guitar solo on Stink Foot is really great.


----------



## Dr Johnson

I choose Stinkfoot, but I think there is a case to be made for the first 4 tracks (Yellow Snow to Father O'Blivion) being one continuous song.

In which case I'd choose that (them).


----------



## starthrower

I just cracked open the Roxy box, so I'll be preoccupied with this for several days.


----------



## 38157

starthrower said:


> I just cracked open the Roxy box, so I'll be preoccupied with this for several days.


That's a great set. Penultimate disc actually has the basic tracks for St Alfonzo and Father Oblivion, and a jazz waltz improv version of Rollo


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Damn gotta get it now 

Now for the originator of all this - _*Roxy & Elsewhere, *_what an album got two vinyl copies of it myself and Roxy the Movie

December 8, 9 and 10, 1973.they were on fire, although some it was was elsewhere lol in 1974

I'll go for Village of the Sun but they is too many to choose from


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Hey! I'll be first again! Maybe my favorite Zappa album and also my introduction to him, especially CHEEPNIS! I'll go for that. Did they manage to destroy the enormous poodle with napalm?


----------



## Casebearer

Love Roxy & Elsewhere of course. One of the favorites together with One Size Fits All and Civilization Phase III.

I'll go for the Bebop Tango.


----------



## 38157

Hard to pick between Echidna's Arf ans Bebop Tango. Think it has to be Echidna for its brevity. I think I actually prefer Bebop as a melody, and this is one of my favourite versions, but I rarely want to listen to the whole recording - my favourite part is the head, so when that's over, there's less incentive to go through the rest of the piece. I find music much more exciting when there's something on the horizon to look forwards to other than misc solos (like how St. Alfonzo's is so exciting as it builds up to an explosion of activity).

Roxy is a great album though, it's hard to choose.


----------



## Dr Johnson

Son of Orange County.


----------



## starthrower

Echidna/Don't You Ever Wash That Thing is my ensemble pick. And I'll go with Dr Johnson's choice for the guitar solo.


----------



## starthrower

Listening to everything re-mixed on the box set is a pleasure. I'm a big fan of all of this material including Uncle Meat, Dog Breath, Dupree's Paradise, Inca Roads, Big Swifty, etc. I don't think FZ would approve of a warts and all box like this, but he's not here to object, so it's up to you to decide.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

its 1975 and it time for _*One Size Fits All* 
_The 3rd album in the ONS, (') & OSFA series and its a beauty no Jean-Luc this time but we have still got Frank's superstar band with George Duke, Chester Thompson, Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler and Napoleon Murphy Brock. plus Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Captain Beefheart










My pick is Andy


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Hello...it's me again...the central scrooooooo etc. wait Love this album too, maybe San Ber'dino. One of the albums I've listened to a lot the last 25 years. Hard to pick one.


----------



## starthrower

Andy, Inca Roads, and Florentine Pogen.


----------



## Vronsky

Probably my favourite Zappa album. I choose Inca Roads, Andy & San Ber'dino. I prefer the live version of San Ber'dino with Adrian Belew singing the last two stanzas. Belew went berserk here.


----------



## Casebearer

Inca Roads, Florentine Pogen, Andy, Sofa 1 & 2, Po Jama People


----------



## Dr Johnson

I find it impossible to pick one track off this album. It's all too good.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Casebearer said:


> Inca Roads, Florentine Pogen, Andy, Sofa 1 & 2, Po Jama People


So all but three tracks


----------



## 38157

Has to be Inca, I love the interlude and the 7/16 bridge, what a great melody. Don't actually listen to this album often. Evelyn deserves a mention, that's a fairly unique piece. This album feels like a pivot away from the jazz-fusioney stuff more towards "straighter" rock-oriented material. There's a lot of material I like from this period through to about 1979, but I don't listen to much material post-Bongo Fury all that often (come the '80s, I think the best stuff was the orchestral material, the band arrangements seemed to become less harmonically elaborate up until about '88, with exceptions, obviously)


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Bongo Fury *_ - So the last album to feature his 73-75 superstar band members and introduces a new drummer (yet another one) little Terry Bozzio on a couple of tracks - who will feature on the next few albums and we have got Beefheart on this one two in a sort of doubling billing. Not my favourite album but it should have been a different album featured here (a double double one ) but I guess the recorded label either got freaked by it or did not want to pay Zappa the money for it, so what does Zappa do he pirates it himself by broadcasting it on the radio....... so we don't get to see Lather till much later.
Oh and there was some sort of trouble with this album being released in the UK, a virgin got in the way










Fav track Muffin Man


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

I'm first again, but I don't have that, and haven't heard it so much. Lovely title though! I've heard some songs on live albums, Carolina Hardcore Ecstacy f.ex.


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

So I'm listening to Bongo Fury! Captain Beefheart howling in the house  Actually it's some time since I heard a whole Zappa album. NICE!!


----------



## starthrower

For my ears Bong Fury is a great sounding live/studio album. Favorite tracks are Debra Kadabra, Carolina, Cucamonga, and Muffin Man. And Beefheart's Sam poem.


----------



## 38157

Think my favourite on this album is Cucamonga. I like a lot of this one, though, can't go wrong with Beefheart.


----------



## Casebearer

Beefheart makes this album such an outstanding gem. His lyrics are so madly evocative and his recitation is out of this world. I don't know anybody with a voice and presentation that has this power and impact. The music is great as everything from this period. I love all songs. Favorites? Maybe Debra Kedabra, Carolina Hardcore Ecstacy, Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top, Cucamonga, Muffin Man.


----------



## Dr Johnson

Like One Size, I find it virtually impossible to pick out one track, but, if forced to do so, it would be Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Zoot Allures -*_We have still got much the same band with Terry know on drums, don't believe the pic on the cover they are the next band!
Song still are great getting heavier thou. Frank is busting up with Herbie (his manager) and thing are tricky










Some great tracks- I go for Black Napkins


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

This album never stops! I meant I love the torture 
(Since we're talking Zappa, I'm allowed to joke, right?)


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> This album never stops! I meant I love the torture
> (Since we're talking Zappa, I'm allowed to joke, right?)


Its compulsory, otherwise you get buzzed by Green Flies


----------



## 38157

Love Black Napkins, but has to be Zoot Allures for this one. Really nice tune, great guitar tone.


----------



## Casebearer

Love the heavy sound of this album, the dark bass & drums. Zoot Allures and Black Napkins are great of course and The Torture Never Stops is iconic but I'll choose Friendly Little Finger, a less well known and easy to overlook gem.


----------



## Dr Johnson

I choose The Torture Never Stops, but it's only a nose ahead of Black Napkins.

A great album.


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Where are you Eddie?


----------



## 38157

He's in New York


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Hope the Illinois enema bandit didn't get him.


----------



## 38157

Yeah, you can't be too careful out cruising for burgers in those parts


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> Where are you Eddie?


Yep in New York, no sorry had to do some work this morning (started at 7am), nearly killed me but its all finished now (10.32am).

*Zappa in New York - *Now its 1977 and the records been released then withdrawn - why you can guess the usual no sense of humour by Warners and scared of being sued by even Punky Meadows....... I promise not to ........... then its re-released in 1978 a bit cleaned up  Originally recorded in 1976.

Having trouble uploading pics on the work PC, so if anyone wants to upload the album pic would be good.

My choice on this one is "The Illinois Enema Bandit" Classic funny bad taste Zappa and a great tune






It was Punky's Whips, I had to watch out for


----------



## 38157

I love a lot of this album, Punky's Whips being a particular highlight. Love the interlude after the first verse, beautifully melodic, nice sus2 chords sustained in the horns, typical of Zappa. Also, historically, it's great to hear what would become the Mo 'n Herb's Vacation motif surface in the Cruisn' For Burgers guitar solo. (Enema Bandit is a great song also)

My favourite on this album has to be The Black Page No. 1, though. I love everything about that melody, and the rhythms are so satisfying in the way they lock on top of the 4/4 beat. In case anyone's interested, I did a video on how to approach and analyse these kinds of rhythms recently, using Black Page as an example (it's quite brief and isn't comprehensive - it's just meant to be a starting point for the uninitiated): https://www.talkclassical.com/54846-nested-tuplets-beginning-approach.html#post1430142


----------



## starthrower

The Black Page, I Promise Not To... , The Torture Never Stops

My favorite musical moment on this album is Eddie Jobson's beautiful moog solo on the obscenely titled, I Promise Not To...


----------



## Casebearer

I'll have to check it out again but I guess I'll arrive at the Black Page


----------



## Dr Johnson

I shall have to sit this one out.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Dr Johnson said:


> I shall have to sit this one out.


Were you struck by the Bandit?


----------



## Dr Johnson

No. I didn't buy this album.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Studio Tan

*_Official unofficial album released in 1978, ie not the way Zappa planned it to be released, was originally part of the _Läther_ Set- finally released in 1996.









I'll go for REDUNZL


----------



## starthrower

Music For Guitar & Low Budget Orchestra


----------



## 38157

With Starthrower on this one, has to be "Music For...". Really nice, the horn overdubs give the guitar solo some real impact too.


----------



## Casebearer

Studio Tan seems much underrated. Gregary Peccary has great music as well. It reminds me somewhat of 200 Motels.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Sleep Dirt *_- More refugees from _Läther, _1979,this time and was originally going to be called *Hot Rats III!
*This is the first disc that I don't have a copy of










My pick is Regyptian Strut


----------



## 38157

Difficult one between Spider of Destiny and Time Is Money, but has to be Spider, I think. Really nice tune which never seemed to crop up elsewhere. Flambay is also a nice little jazz thing, parodically sweet, reminds me of America Drinks.


----------



## EdwardBast

I missed yesterday's album Studio Tan, so a late vote for Greggery Peccary (I always forget the proper misspelling.) What a magnificent tribute to Stravinsky(?) And from this piece I received the first nickname of my life that stuck: Among I small crowd I became known as Peccary. Damn you FZ!


----------



## starthrower

Flambay 
Sleep Dirt
Time Is Money

If you have the old Ryko CD with the vocal over-dubs, do yourself a favor and get the 2012 all instrumental re-issue. It sounds fantastic!


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Well as I continue my search for an original vinyl copy of Sleep Dirt it is on to 
_*Sheik Yerbouti* 
_Was Frank into Cheek and Chong at the time because the title and cover remind me a lot of Things are Tough All Over- TATAO in Zappa speak  Apparently the title is a spoof of Shake Your Booty by KC and the Sunshine Band

Anyway, we have moved on briefly from the Lather fallout and some new stuff and his has got his own label, expect a lot more LP's now  we got Bobby Brown big in Europe, maybe the lyrics were more acceptable there! but I'll go for City of Tiny Lites

Also the band has changed a lot with Adrian Belew doing a mean Dylan, Tommy Mars, Ed Mann, Peter Wolf added to the cast.


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Larry's not with us anymore...I used to play this a lot when I met my wife 17 years ago. I have been in you...It's all fun and wonderful music. Flakes is awesome!


----------



## 38157

I actually have never listened to this album all the way through, but from what I know of it, it has to be Wild Love. Love the interlude.


----------



## starthrower

Flakes, and Wild Love


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Orchestral Favorites

*_Now for the last Lather fall out album 1979 is a busy year for Zappa Fans. Not that Zappa approve the release of these last Warner Bros albums.
I like this album with the 37-piece Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra withTerry Bozzio on drums. Iremeber when I first was this record in the shops and thinking is this orchestral or is Zappa just having a lend of us.......









I'll go for Bogus Pomp


----------



## elgar's ghost

The only orchestral album from Zappa I had post-_Lumpy Gravy_. It was too much for me to handle back then but I showed more interest in _Duke of Prunes_ because I liked the older version. I never replaced the vinyl edition and I'm still torn whether to get the three individual 'classical' albums on CD (even though Zappa didn't sanction the originals) or simply get _Läther_.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Its is a toss up and the tracks are different on the individual albums but I'd just get Lather


----------



## starthrower

I'm with Eddie. Bogus Pomp is the most impressive piece. I also like Naval Aviation In Art.


----------



## Dr Johnson

I seem to be out of step. Sorry.

From Sheik Yerbouti I choose Flakes and Rubber Shirt.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

At least your still in 1979


----------



## KJ von NNJ

Tryin' to Grow a Chin is a hoot. The boneheaded punk wannabe that was perfect for Bozzio's sense of humor. Flakes was good. How could anyone keep a straight face with Dancin' Fool?!
Rat Tomago is a good raw guitar-driven instrumental. 

For Lather, Bogus Pomp among others.

My favorite records by Frank are numerous. I tend to enjoy the Roxy band ALBUMS most of all.
Burnt Weeny, One Size Fits All, Roxy and Elsewhere and all 6 stage ALBUMS are favorites for me. Lots more to mention, to say the least!


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

We have finally made it to the last and four or fifth (if you split Joe I & II-III, as released separately) record release for Zappa in 1979. Sleep Dirt, Sheik Yerbouti, Orchestral favourites & _*Joe's Garage* _The record presses must have been smokin and the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen was still getting built. Zappa described the album as a "stupid little story about how the government is going to do away with music." 
So we have a rock Opera about Zappa favorite topics music sex, religion and politics. I originally got copies of this backwards a second hand copy of ii&III in the mid eighties and didn't manage to find a copy of I till a couple of years later- was hard to find any Zappa in Oz back then....
My pick Watermelon in Easter Hay full name "*Playing a Guitar Solo With This Band is Like Trying To Grow a Watermelon in Easter Hay"*


----------



## starthrower

On The Bus is my choice for the guitar solo. Also love the Central Scrutinizer overture. And I like some of the simpler songs including Lucille, and the title track.


----------



## elgar's ghost

How can one pick just one choice from three acts of a total masterpiece?

If we are talking act one which was the first album on vinyl then it has to be _The Entrance of the Central Scrutinizer_, but I'm so tempted to go for _Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?_.

My choices for acts II and III will follow tomorrow.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Good point Elgars Ghost, I'll go for that - was tossing up whether to split them - so today is act one and tomorrow is act II&III

So todays choice for me is Joe's Garage - as it was the only Zappa track I could play at parties on the stereo back in the day (in the Eighties) without someone complaining  (They weren't cool enough for Ship Arriving or anything around my way)


----------



## elgar's ghost

'...it jumped right up and grabbed my meat...'

Priceless.


----------



## KJ von NNJ

Wet T-shirt Night is hilarious. Watermelon in Easter Hay is about the most vulnerable piece of guitar playing I have ever heard by Zappa. It's downright....dare I say tender and sentimental! Poor Joe, he's been plooked in so many different ways he's beginning to feel sorry for himself. And we cannot help but feel sorry for him. A beautiful track. Touching.
Of course the lead off track after the Scrutinizer intro, "Joe's Garage" is a glorious tune. A Token of My Extreme is another gem that is an older tune that the Roxy band would play, called Tush Tush Tush. For Joe's Garage it is elaborated on and musically expanded with with new lyrics that fit the whole crazy narrative.

Ben Watson had such insight in his book, "The Negative Dialects of Poodle Play". He really go's into detail about proposed meanings of all of Zappa's music. I'm not totally sure how accurate it all is but he really sells it well. Watson actually met and interviewed Zappa shortly before his death. An interesting exchange that is included among the last pages of the book. Provocative stuff.


----------



## Casebearer

I'm still with Sheik Yerbouti. I absolutely love that album. It's one of the best. Some gems are Rat Tomago, Sheik Yerbouti Tango (the guitar, the keys, the horns!), Rubber shirt, Wild Love and Yo' Mama.

Yo' Mama, I love all of that!


----------



## Casebearer

"Maybe we should stay with Frank Zappa".


----------



## Casebearer

As for Joe's Garage #1 it's Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up. A song of pure beauty.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

So today is Joe's Garage Act 2&3


----------



## elgar's ghost

_Watermelon in Easter Hay_ is an obvious choice. Other highlights: _Sy Borg_ (a wicked Lovers Rock parody) and _Packard Goose_ (more great guitar).

_'This is the Central Scrutinizer. You have just destroyed one model XQJ-37 Nuclear Powered Pan-Sexual Roto-Plooker, and you're gonna have to pay for it! So give up, you haven't got a chance...'_


----------



## Dr Johnson

Shameful though it may be to admit it, I only know Watermelon In Easter Hay, so I'll go with that.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_Packard Goose_ is a beauty and def worth a listen


----------



## Casebearer

I join the choices made so far. Watermelon in easter hay is out of this world.


----------



## starthrower

Quite a few lengthy tunes in acts II & III that I haven't listened to for a while. I'll go with Sy Borg for the melody and synth playing. Most of these tunes (Sy Borg included) contain gratuitously smutty lyrics that the music doesn't need. But I guess FZ had to tell his crazy story and sell records to rock n roll fans. Watermelon is nice, but not one of my top FZ solos. He wrote a few of those ascending descending scale vamps to solo over, and I like Outside Now, and Deathless Horsie.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

next *Tinsel Town Rebellion* we have skipped to 1981 and now we have Steve Vai on board

Replacing what could have been Warts and All and Crush All Boxes









I'll go for Bamboozled by Love


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

Wow! I missed Joe's Garage. I like the kinky songs on that  On the current one I like Fine Girl. She's my wife!


----------



## KJ von NNJ

I forget exactly how many, but quite a few of the guitar solos that Zappa used were culled from live performances. I know that Packard Goose and On the Bus were two of them. I love that Scrutinizer quote after Packard Goose! Also, when Zappa runs out of ways to describe Joe's "messed up" condition ending with....."ah...he was a wreck". Or he'd just break off trying in vain not to laugh. Priceless. He was clearly having a lot of fun with the whole screwy story.


----------



## elgar's ghost

^
^

If memory serves I think Frank also cracks up as the Central Scrutinizer when he talks about all the musicians and executives in prison 'taking turns snorting detergent and plooking each other...'. I think the term 'plook' amused him - he gave a credit in the sleeve-notes to the person who coined the expression.


----------



## starthrower

Best performance on Tinsel is Brown Shoes... imo. And I like the guitar solo Now You See It, Now You Don't.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> Wow! I missed Joe's Garage. I like the kinky songs on that  On the current one I like Fine Girl. She's my wife!


But does your Wife know that your call her the Fine Girl :lol:


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

elgars ghost said:


> ^
> ^
> 
> If memory serves I think Frank also cracks up as the Central Scrutinizer when he talks about all the musicians and executives in prison 'taking turns snorting detergent and plooking each other...'. I think the term 'plook' amused him - he gave a credit in the sleeve-notes to the person who coined the expression.


Plooking is right up there with Susie Creamcheese its priceless, all from the same man who came up with the term Groupie.

http://factmyth.com/factoids/frank-zappa-coined-the-term-groupie/


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> But does your Wife know that your call her the Fine Girl :lol:


Actually she doesn't like that one, she honestly prefers I Have Been in You


----------



## starthrower

Anybody else prefer the Tinseltown title track performed on Does Humor Belong In Music? That one strikes me as the definitive version.


----------



## Captainnumber36

I need guidance to help me become a bigger Zappa fan.

I already enjoy the following:

Hot Rats
One Size Fits All
Waka/Jawaka
London Symphony Vol. 1 & 2
Apostrophe
Overnite Sensation
Jazz From Hell
The Yellow Shark
Francesco Zappa
You Are What You Is

Fairly diverse selection, but where should I go from here? I'm lacking in exposure to live material. But what I've heard of the live stuff, there is a lot of talking and narratives throw into the show which I guess makes it more important to listen to the lyrics/words (which I don't do as often).

Help!

Thanks in advance.


----------



## 38157

Captainnumber36 said:


> Fairly diverse selection, but where should I go from here? I'm lacking in exposure to live material. But what I've heard of the live stuff, there is a lot of talking and narratives throw into the show which I guess makes it more important to listen to the lyrics/words (which I don't do as often).
> 
> Help!
> 
> Thanks in advance.


Try "Road Tapes Volume 2". It seems like you mainly prefer a lot of the instrumental stuff (Hot Rats, Waka/Jawaka, the orchestral stuff), so this album will suit you (sound quality isn't pristine, but it's not bad by any stretch). There's a great extended suite of instrumental tunes on there, running from "Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbeque" through to "RDNZL", and it includes a much tighter version of "Big Swifty" from Waka/Jawaka. There's a bit of talking, but it's not a lyrics-centric recording, so you can happily skip through that stuff.

By the way, "Father Oblivion" (not related to the Apostrophe song) from that album is an unsung beauty.

The album is in a Youtube playlist:


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^^ I would also go back and listen to the original Mothers stuff, namely Uncle Meat, Absolutely Free and WOITFTM


----------



## Captainnumber36

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> ^^ I would also go back and listen to the original Mothers stuff, namely Uncle Meat, Absolutely Free and WOITFTM


I'm not ready for abbreviations yet Eddie! WOITFTM?


----------



## Captainnumber36

****** said:


> Try "Road Tapes Volume 2". It seems like you mainly prefer a lot of the instrumental stuff (Hot Rats, Waka/Jawaka, the orchestral stuff), so this album will suit you (sound quality isn't pristine, but it's not bad by any stretch). There's a great extended suite of instrumental tunes on there, running from "Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbeque" through to "RDNZL", and it includes a much tighter version of "Big Swifty" from Waka/Jawaka. There's a bit of talking, but it's not a lyrics-centric recording, so you can happily skip through that stuff.
> 
> By the way, "Father Oblivion" (not related to the Apostrophe song) from that album is an unsung beauty.
> 
> The album is in a Youtube playlist:


I'll listen to that! Thanks for the informed suggestion, that's exactly what I needed.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Captainnumber36 said:


> I'm not ready for abbreviations yet Eddie! WOITFTM?


*
We're Only in It for the Money - *check out post #43 on page 3& then page 4 here


----------



## starthrower

Captainnumber36 said:


> I'm not ready for abbreviations yet Eddie! WOITFTM?


We're Only In It For The Money

As far as getting into live material, Roxy & Elsewhere, Bong Fury, and Zappa In New York are my recommendations. It's good to listen to the albums crafted and produced by FZ himself. There is something to be said for the art of record making, as opposed to the warts and all posthumous live releases. FZ was one of the great record producers of his day. Just one of his various talents.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Were still in 1981 and *Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (SUNPTG- *I just made that one up I think*)

*As Zappaheads know his album titles have often been reduced to initials because of their length  and this one is no exception, consisting of three LP's all released together and called variously -*1* _Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar_, *2.* _Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More_ and *3*. _Return of the Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar and _the albums consists solely of instrumentals and improvised solos and is great stuff but I would not recommend trying to listen to it all in one sitting, Wagner Ring cycle fatigue comes to mind.

I'm thankful I've got the boxed CD version of this one.









My pick is the The Deathless Horsie from Album #2 but give special mention (because I like the song title) for "Variations on the Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression"


----------



## starthrower

I was addicted to Shut Up for many years. I like all the music with the exception of Soup & Old Clothes. That one kinda bores me. FZ cherry picked some great solos for this release. If had to pick one, it's Some More, which is an Inca Roads solo.


----------



## Captainnumber36

Captainnumber36 said:


> I'll listen to that! Thanks for the informed suggestion, that's exactly what I needed.


I just put it on, it's blowing my mind!


----------



## 38157

Captainnumber36 said:


> I just put it on, it's blowing my mind!


Tell me about it, I listen to that album so much. I like the recording quality too, it sort of reinforces the homogeneity between the dense horn and violin textures. And the music's so exciting. I love some of the posthumous releases for this, because unlike back in the day, there's already a base of enthusiasts who are totally on board with Frank and can view his work with a full perspective, so they can just put out albums of instrumental music and obscure stuff.

Re. the thread: I have actually never heard the entirety of Joe's Garage! I like Sy Borg, but I prefer Ed Palermo's version if I'm honest. Outside Now is a great track. And I've heard a couple of Tinsel Town tracks, but not many, I only remember Easy Meat, really. I've also only heard fragments of "Shut Up And...", so I can't comment on that one (a lot of this era has bypassed me - I got into the instrumental stuff with horns, so around here I start delving into the orchestral stuff and get my additional fix of obscure jazzy stuff from bootlegs and such, until around 1988)


----------



## Captainnumber36

starthrower said:


> We're Only In It For The Money
> 
> As far as getting into live material, Roxy & Elsewhere, Bong Fury, and Zappa In New York are my recommendations. It's good to listen to the albums crafted and produced by FZ himself. There is something to be said for the art of record making, as opposed to the warts and all posthumous live releases. FZ was one of the great record producers of his day. Just one of his various talents.


I put Zappa In New York on.  I kind of didn't like the idea that the Road Tape #2 was a posthumous release.


----------



## Captainnumber36

Sorry if I'm ruining your thread Eddie, btw! But, Zappa In New York is awesome. I loved Titties and Beer, very fun song. It's getting into some awesome instrumental works here!


----------



## starthrower

Captainnumber36 said:


> I put Zappa In New York on. I kind of didn't like the idea that the Road Tape #2 was a posthumous release.


Nothing wrong with the posthumous releases, but my feeling is that it's better to listen to them with a point of reference. It depends on the concert and material, but some of the compositions were in a state of underdevelopment when they were performed and recorded, which is why FZ left them in the vault. Now of course, everything is being released warts and all which FZ was not in favor of doing when producing his records.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Captainnumber36 said:


> Sorry if I'm ruining your thread Eddie, btw! But, Zappa In New York is awesome. I loved Titties and Beer, very fun song. It's getting into some awesome instrumental works here!


Have you got to Bobby Brown very naught but oh so funny............

Your not ruining the thread, its all about enjoying Zappa's music


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

You are a fun person, I like you. I want to kiss you always!


----------



## Casebearer

Shut Up is a great album. It never tires (like Wagner's Ring).


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Gosh, got busy at work today and almost forgot to post the next album here 
We are in for a beauty today and its still 1981, Zappa was burning my pockets this year........

*You Are What You Is *- another double album too (it replaces what could have been called _Crush All Boxes) _and was even available on 8-track tape!








I go for "Suicide Chump" but a good selection to choose from here


----------



## Dr Johnson

Heavenly Bank Account.

Priceless.


----------



## starthrower

Sinister III , and If Only She Woulda for the guitar playing. This album gives me ear fatigue due to the density of overdubs and bright sound, but it contains more catchy, inventive songs than many bands could manage to come up with throughout their entire careers.


----------



## Captainnumber36

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Have you got to Bobby Brown very naught but oh so funny............
> 
> Your not ruining the thread, its all about enjoying Zappa's music


I don't know song titles yet, but I heard the whole album. I'm listening to Uncle Meat now, this is awesome stuff! I think the crazy instrumental side of Zappa is my favorite side of him. But then again, I also like his poppy funny music too!

I didn't quite enjoy Weasels Ripped My Flesh Out, but I didn't listen to the whole thing either. I found the first track not for me.


----------



## millionrainbows




----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Captainnumber36 said:


> I don't know song titles yet, but I heard the whole album. I'm listening to Uncle Meat now, this is awesome stuff! I think the crazy instrumental side of Zappa is my favorite side of him. But then again, I also like his poppy funny music too!
> 
> I didn't quite enjoy Weasels Ripped My Flesh Out, but I didn't listen to the whole thing either. I found the first track not for me.


Yeah, agree the instrumental Zappa is were its at for me and Uncle Meat is my Favourite Zappa Album, you should also listen the the original Lumpy Gravy (Capital Version)- not listed here in the chronology as it wasn't officially available until the last couple of years- record company sued Zappa back in 1968(as he recorded with Capital and was contracted to Verve at the time) and stopped its release. Weasels Ripped My Flesh took me many listens originally before I got into it. I do enjoy his funny pop side too but I think he did that for his live audience - which for many years kept him in bread


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Psst. anyone game to put Bobby Brown on song of the day.....maybe not:devil:


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Psst. anyone game to put Bobby Brown on song of the day.....maybe not:devil:


Why not!? It was a big hit in Norway. I made a student translate it into Norwegian once. She had known it by heart since she was a little girl. I knew you'd be surprised!


----------



## Casebearer

You are what you is is one of my favourite albums. I understand one can get ear fatigue because of the enormous amount of overdubs and energy but I love the experience.


----------



## Captainnumber36

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Yeah, agree the instrumental Zappa is were its at for me and Uncle Meat is my Favourite Zappa Album, you should also listen the the original Lumpy Gravy (Capital Version)- not listed here in the chronology as it wasn't officially available until the last couple of years- record company sued Zappa back in 1968(as he recorded with Capital and was contracted to Verve at the time) and stopped its release. Weasels Ripped My Flesh took me many listens originally before I got into it. I do enjoy his funny pop side too but I think he did that for his live audience - which for many years kept him in bread


This might be better than Uncle Meat!


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Its is amasing and sad that it never really saw the light of day until a few years ago. Before that I'd only heard rumours and suggestions of what the originally Lumpy gravy album was and all we had was frank's cut up version that he was allowed to release on Verve...............


----------



## starthrower

This is a bit off topic, but I just wanted to mention that I was in Ithaca, NY last night to see Dweezil's Choice Cuts show, and it was fantastic! Three hours of incredible music with loads of instrumental playing. As a bonus, my wife and I met Dweezil after the show. I'm compiling a set list from memory and so far I've recalled 25 tunes. I'll post them later when I get home. Get out and see the band if they're playing in your area.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ you lucky bugger, I saw ZPZ in Brisbane with Steve Vai in tow many years ago now

Now its time for Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch







and we have finally left 1981 a big year with 3 Zappa albums released








So lets Gag me with a spoon...... no not really not my favourite Zappa song but made him a lot of bucks but i love this album valley girl aside Drowning Witch is one of my fav Zappa songs. Who else would put Stravinsky and Dragnet together in one song wow...... Envelopes is another standout and Teen-Age Prostitute always brings a smile, I still have my cassette version of this one that I originally bought (still works) and the vinyl and CD versions....
Steve Via and Frank are on fire on this one


----------



## starthrower

The title track. BTW, Dweezil played it last night. I couldn't believe my ears when they launched into the tune.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

time for some Pink Zappa﻿


----------



## Dr Johnson

Ship is not my favourite Zappa album, but I will choose "Teen-Age Prostitute".


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese




----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

The Man from Utopia  Studio album by Frank Zappa ReleasedMarch 28, 1983RecordedOctober 1980 - October 1982GenreHard rock, progressive rock, art rock, comedy rockLength36:34 (original vinyl version) / 40:20 (CD)[SUP][1][/SUP]LabelBarking PumpkinProducerFrank ZappaFrank Zappa chronology 
_Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch_
#35 (1982)_*The Man from Utopia*_
#36 (1983)_Baby Snakes_
#37 (1983)
  Singles from _The Man from Utopia_ 

"The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou"
Released: 1983
"Cocaine Decisions"
Released: 1983
 
Today we are in a fly infected swamp in Italy-I go for Cocaine Decisions


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## starthrower

Mary Lou, and Moggio. But I rarely ever listen to this album or Mother's Of Prevention. Maybe it's the anticeptic digital perfection?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Still 1983 and its time for release #37 _*Baby Snakes. *_I've got the DVD of the movie and like it alot, think I might have the soundtrack but would have to deep deep into my collection to check..........









I'll go for The Black Page #2


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Ah we are still in 1983 and now Zappa unleashes *London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I *and feature the London Symphony Orchestra performing four instrumental compositions -Sad Jane", "Pedro's Dowry", "Envelopes", and "Mo 'n Herb's Vacation" 
, only 6000 copies of this were originally pressed and it was recorded digitally and was one of the earliest digital multitrack recordings of an orchestra.. Don't have a copy of this one (got vol 2) but would love a copy....








I'll go for Envelopes


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## 38157

Favourite here is definitely "Mo 'n Herb's Vacation". I love every moment, and the first movement is a great, strong introduction to the themes that the other 2 movements embellish and dismember. But particularly, I love the 3rd movement. There's this melody that comes about 5 minutes in, and it has this beautiful texture between the piano and clarinet written into it, punctuated by these aggressive percussion interludes, before the horns reiterate the original motif, and the whole section is unlike any other part of the piece. Almost feels like it belongs in Sad Jane (also a great piece).

I love this entire album, though, and think it's the strongest volume of the LSO material (though I do love Bob in Dacron). I think I prefer this album to the Yellow Shark - it's less intimate, like this dense, relentless behemoth of sound that sort of looms and sluggishly lumbers around (and it revisits less previously heard material, although I love Yellow Shark's versions of his old stuff).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Here is a different version of "Mo 'n Herb's Vacation". Recorded at the UMRK ca. 1982.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

back to SATLTSADW, here is a piano version of Drowning Witch and other Zappa tunes

1.Easy Meat-1
2.Echidna's Arf (of you)
3.RDNZL
4.Dog Breath
5.Uncle Meat
(5.5 La Mer (Debussy))
6.Drowning Witch
7.Easy Meat-2
8.Sofa


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## Casebearer

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Ah we are still in 1983 and now Zappa unleashes *London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I *and feature the London Symphony Orchestra performing four instrumental compositions -Sad Jane", "Pedro's Dowry", "Envelopes", and "Mo 'n Herb's Vacation"
> , only 6000 copies of this were originally pressed and it was recorded digitally and was one of the earliest digital multitrack recordings of an orchestra.. Don't have a copy of this one (got vol 2) but would love a copy....
> 
> View attachment 103100
> 
> I'll go for Envelopes


I didn't know that. I checked and found out I've got volume II on vinyl as well.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

1984 and I aint got this one, well I brought a copy in France of this but left it in the hire car by mistake Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger









I'll go for The Girl in the Magnesium Dress


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## 38157

Think my favourite on this album is Dupree's. I like the Synclavier tracks, but the FM synthesis is just so inferior to the samples he used on CPIII and the likes, those digital tracks haven't aged too well aesthetically. Plus, Dupree's has that lovely piano interlude. Much better than the versions he played with the jazzier bands, which basically just followed a head-solos-head format.

That said, love the title track and Naval Aviation. Hard to make my mind up, actually.

On a sidenote, saw the (Grand)Mothers' final UK gig in Manchester last night - very entertaining (although I feel like it's sacrilege to say this, but I have to say, not so tight at times). Caught them in London in 2015 when they were a trio, this time they had Ed Mann, who was a great addition and played some tasty vibe solos.


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## starthrower

I like Sad Jane from London Symphony, and the orchestra pieces from Perfect Stranger. But I don't listen to these albums very much. I listen to FZ's influences. Varese, Bartok, Penderecki, 2nd Viennese School, Takemitsu, Ligeti, etc.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Them or Us *still 1984 and here is Franks money maker for this year and the last of the "Dog" Covers

I'll go for "In France" because it funny and this album had a sticker that said "contains content "which a truly free society would neither fear nor suppress", and a "guarantee" which stated that the lyrics would not "cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business."


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## starthrower

Them Or Us was my first Zappa CD purchased in 1986. Lots of variety on this one! I do like In France with Johnny Guitar Watson, but the funniest song for me is Truck Driver Divorce. The lengthy guitar solo is taken from the 1981 Ritz concert in NY.

Other favorites are the doo-*** cover, The Closer You Are, and the sprawling instrumental, Sinister Footwear. Ever timely with a parody, FZ lambasts MTV, and David Bowie in the tune, Be In My Video.


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## Casebearer

I've always loved The Perfect Stranger. It's an important album to me. I suddenly became seriously ill in 1986 and was immediately sent to the hospital to have it checked out. I stayed there for three weeks while they were trying to figure out what it was. They tested me on all kind of diseases you don't want to have. During all this waiting for potentially scary test results The Perfect Stranger was my main musical companion. I especially love Outside Now Again. It keeps you waiting for that ground note and when it hits the floor finally you're in heaven for a split second.






Apart from music I remember reading Yukio Mishima's The Golden Pavillion and eating fresh herrings with onions brought in by a dear friend to compensate for the absolutely uneatable hospital food.


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## Casebearer

Them or Us: I was astonished by the sound quality of that album on vinyl. Incredible and so much better than other vinyl records. Love In France, The Closer You Are, Be in My Video and all the rest.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Still 1984 and we get *Thing-Fish
*Not sure about this one, have not got it myself think its look on in a better light these days but not a favourite, Frank was always pushing boundaries and he nudged a few here............... he was forever trying to get a stage play or film up and going.








Could have gone for "Briefcase Boogie" but I got for "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing"


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## starthrower

I resisted buying Thing Fish for 30 years but finally relented and bought a copy last year. I listened to it once and filed it away. Haven't gotten back to it since.


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## Casebearer

It's not his best and not his most original but I've nevertheless loved Thing Fish since I first heard it. Apart from the funny Zappa-esk Broadway parody there's a lot of recycling/conceptual continuity going on, especially of songs from You Are What You is and Them or Us. I don't mind that at all.

Great songs are The White Boy Troubles, Brown Moses, Artificial Rhonda.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Last installment for 1984 a busy year and the last Dog cover *Francesco Zappa*

Strange album. Frank hears of Italian little known unpublished composer called Francesco Zappa and decides it would be a good idea to release an album of his namesakes works using his new Synclavier machine. Maybe he was trying to recoup some cost for it without have any royalty issues, he was about to be sued by some of the original mothers for non payment of royalties. Incidentally this is the other CD I left in a French Hire car if anyone finds it, you can keep it







 









fav song - not sure


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## Casebearer

This is the one official release I never understood. Maybe some Baroque expert can explain the genius of the album if there is one.


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## Merl

fav song - not sure




[/QUOTE]

As far as this and Thing Fish are concerned I would be happy to never hear them again. Zappa low points for me.


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## starthrower

I have a cassette copy of Francesco Zappa around here somewhere. Haven't listened to it in ages. But I remember it sounding rather one dimensional. This was before Frank purchased the sampling equipment for the Synclavier, so it's not very colorful.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Now we leave 1984 and it time for* The Old Masters. *I've only got the sampler on vinyl of this set which I like but this is the set that brought to life the re-record WOIIFTM & and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets. I have CD of the re-recorded Crusing but I try not to listen to it much prefer the original vinyl version.







Anyway Box I is the first in a series consisting of 
_Freak Out!_
_Absolutely Free_
_Lumpy Gravy_
_We're Only in It for the Money_
_Cruising with Ruben & the Jets_
_Mystery Disc_

_I'll go for _Charva from the Mystery Disc


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## Casebearer

Don't know this one so I'll skip.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

1985 and its time for *Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
*







I got the non-US versions brought it hot of the vinyl press when it first came out, so no "Porn Wars" on my copy

I'll go for "What's New in Baltimore?"


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## Casebearer

Me too. 

Musically I'll choose What's new in Baltimore as well. But we also have to honour the politically active and humoristic Zappa, so I'll also choose Porn Wars from the American version.

As an album it's a bit unbalanced maybe but it's a great album nevertheless with several pieces casting their shadow forewards to Civilization Phase 3.


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## Casebearer

No forget all of that. I'm choosing Little Beige *****! Or Aerobics in Bondage?! That Civilization Prephase...


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## Casebearer

I forgot Alien Orifice!!!


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## 38157

Mystery Disc has to be Original Duke of Prunes. Favourite version of DoP, wish it was longer (I've also seen the film it was featured in, Run Home Slow - what an absolutely atrocious film on basically every level other than the music). I like Zappa's film scores. They're almost cliche, but in a quintessentially Zappa way (LA Phil version of the World's Greatest Sinner theme is very lovely).

Mothers of Prevention choice has to be Alien Orifice. I love the interlude. I like the MAJNH version a little bit more, but any version of Alien Orifice is perfection.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Now we leave 1984 and it time for* The Old Masters. *I've only got the sampler on vinyl of this set which I like but this is the set that brought to life the re-record WOIIFTM & and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets. I have CD of the re-recorded Crusing but I try not to listen to it much prefer the original vinyl version.
> View attachment 103256
> 
> Anyway Box I is the first in a series consisting of
> _Freak Out!_
> _Absolutely Free_
> _Lumpy Gravy_
> _We're Only in It for the Money_
> _Cruising with Ruben & the Jets_
> _Mystery Disc_
> 
> _I'll go for _Charva from the Mystery Disc


Charva is such a beautiful love song


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## starthrower

I don't listen to Mother's of Prevention. There are better live recordings on the YCDTOSA volumes, and Make A Jazz Noise Here. I do love the Warning/Gaurantee message on the cover. It's classic FZ. I wonder if any of those PMRC mothers or congressmen read it?


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

starthrower said:


> I don't listen to Mother's of Prevention. There are better live recordings on the YCDTOSA volumes, and Make A Jazz Noise Here. I do love the Warning/Gaurantee message on the cover. It's classic FZ. I wonder if any of those PMRC mothers or congressmen read it?


Think I posted this earlier as it appeared on some other albums too, sticker that said "contains content "which a truly free society would neither fear nor suppress", and a "guarantee" which stated that the lyrics would not "cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business."


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## Kjetil Heggelund

Do we ever get to an album with Stairway to Sausage?


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## Kjetil Heggelund

Do we ever get to an album with Stairway to Sausage? Heard it live in 88, that's the best band you never heard in your life...but I heard them!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> Do we ever get to an album with Stairway to Sausage? Heard it live in 88, that's the best band you never heard in your life...but I heard them!


Yep, Stairway to Sausage (Heaven) Zappa cover of Zep on "The best band you never heard in your life" is not far away release #55 from 1991.

but now its 1986 and time for *Does Humor Belong in Music?

*Concert recordings from October-December 1984, I've got the DVD of his one (same title) but with some different tracks

I'll go for Whipping Post. the story behind Zappa playing this Allman Bros song is an interesting one.

"In a 1974 concert in Helsinki, Finland, an audience member repeatedly disrupted a Frank Zappa performance by shouting a request for "Whipping Post." Zappa responded by playing a version of his song "Montana",[SUP][23][/SUP] where he altered the lyrics with references to whipping posts.[SUP][22][/SUP] (This incident was eventually captured on his _You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2_ live album, released in 1988.) In 1981, Zappa's band learned "Whipping Post" and added it to their repertoire, since the band's new singer and keyboard player Bobby Martin knew the song and sang the lead vocals on it.[SUP][22][/SUP] Zappa released a version of the song on the 1984 album _Them or Us_; a live recording of the song featuring Frank's son Dweezil Zappa on lead guitar was released in 1986 on the _Does Humor Belong in Music?_ album, while a different version appeared in the associated video. Zappa also included a live solo from this song on _Guitar_ with the title "For Duane". In the released versions, Bobby Martin also used the closing line "there just ain't no such thing as dyin'" that Allman had sung on _ABC In Concert_."


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

And now for some lines from Dummy up from Roxy and Elsewhere- was just looking up some details of Zappa old Roadie Dunt (his Brother inlaw) and came across this 
(DUMMY UP!)
*Napoleon:*
I heard it again, somebody said . . .
*Jeff:* You see this?
*Napoleon:*What d'you mean? College!
*FZ:* College!
*Jeff:
*That's college-rhythm
*Napoleon:
*You mean if I smoke that
It's the same as if . . . As if I was at college?
Roll it over up!
Roll it over up!
Roll it over up!
Gimme a . . .
*FZ:* No no, the college-degree is stuffed with absolutely nothing at all, you get . . . you get nothing with your college-degree . . .
*Napoleon:
*Oh . . . But that's what I want
*FZ:* . . . I forgot, I'm sorry.
*Napoleon:*
Well,
You get nothin',
But that's what I want
*FZ:* A true Zen saying: Nothing is what I want . . . The results of a higher education!


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## Casebearer

Famous lyrics. I almost know them by heart :lol:


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## Kjetil Heggelund

One way of learning English...


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Today its 1986 and *Jazz from Hell, *I'll skip the remaining Master Box set #2. This was Zappa's final studio album released in his lifetime. For the remaining seven years of his life, he would only release live concert albums. 
Zappa's take on the albums title was "Things in America can be from hell. Right now we have a president from hell [Reagan], and a National Security Council from hell, so we should add _Jazz from Hell_ also."

Zappa won a 1988 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for this album









I'll go for NIGHT SCHOOL


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## Casebearer

With every album we're nearing Civilization Phase III. Night School is such a great piece, one of my favourites as well. It's part of that civilization phase....


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## Casebearer

I also love the photography on the album cover. Slick Zappa portraying as a modern day somewhat disguised Satan.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Casebearer said:


> I also love the photography on the album cover. Slick Zappa portraying as a modern day somewhat disguised Satan.


Yeah, is good pic this is another Lp I brought back in the day when it first come out and still in joy it alot.


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## Casebearer

I bought it back in the day as well and enjoy it till today too.


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## starthrower

Night School, Beltway Bandits, Damp Ankles, and St Etienne are the tracks I like to listen to on Jazz From Hell. There is some footage of Frank playing the guitar solo on the Video From Hell VHS. It's on YouTube now.

I used to play the hell out of Humor In Music years ago, but I burned out on it and filed it away. I like Zoot Allures, Tinseltown Rebellion, and Let's Move To Cleveland. The DVD was filmed a few days before they stopped here in Syracuse for a show at the New York State Fair. FZ was interviewed here by a local TV station.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 2* its npw 1987 and was recorded at the same sessions, in January 1983. got this one but don't listen to it much I'll have to give it another spin


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## Casebearer

Same goes for me. It's still a great record though.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

I'll skip the Old Master Bix set again and move onto Guitar and 1988

Not an album i've got (have the box set shut up & play) This was Zappa first release both on CD and Vinyl from day one. The double CD contained all 32 tracks while the double LP was pared down to 19 tracks and released on Zappa's Barking Pumpkin label (US) and Zappa Records (rest of world).

Not a set I see much in the second hand record shops.










lot to choose from her but I'll go for


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## starthrower

I picked up the Guitar CD 30 years ago and played it often for many years. I can't pick any one solo, but there's a 5 track sequence on disc one starting with Do Not Pass Go through When No One Was No One that contains some great playing. And I like the opening blues, Sexual Harassment..


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## Casebearer

Zapa's guitar is a great double album. I bought it the day it came out. I have almost everything (official) released from the eighties on because I became a Zappa enthusiast relatively late (around 1984) so that was the height of my Zappa collection period. I bought every new release and started collecting backwards.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1
*Zappa has broken open the vaults and its the first of 6 gems from his career. (have listened them all to death but lovem)










I'll go for "Sofa #1"Rainbow Theatre, London, UK December 10, 1971- just love this original version with Flo and Eddie - Mark Volman made a good sofa


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## starthrower

^^^
It needs a bit of flooring under it.


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## Casebearer

I remember all these YCTDOSA cd's coming out. I enjoyed everyone of them. They were real presents. #1 of course made the most impact maybe because it was the first.


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## 38157

Has to be Big Swifty on this album. Phenomenal Zappa tune, and this version opens with so much more energy than the others, the segue from "I'm the Slime" couldn't be any better. Great set of solos, and the return to head is a thing of beauty, slightly slower pace than some of the other versions, and I love how Tom's bass plods (there's a really nice figure under the phrase that happens right before the augmentation of what was the 5/8 figure in the theme's first statement - 7'40" in: 



). Love the quartal figure that marks the end of the extended triplet weirdness near the end of the coda.

The only version that competes with this one is the Road Tapes #2 version, which has a weaker opening, but a more interesting drum figure in the coda (because of Ralph's snare syncopations).


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## starthrower

I didn't have very many Zappa albums when I bought vol 1, so it exposed me to a lot of great material. I still think this one is the best of the series along with the Helsinki concert.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 *- 'The Helsinki Concert' and its still 1988 release #52

This is currently sitting in my car and gets a lot of air time with me, its like Roxy +








Hard to choose a fav love Tush Tush Tush in fact all of this set but I'll go for Inca Roads" I'm not an Inca Roads freak like some Zappa fans are but I like this one.


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## St Matthew

^^

_Inca Roads_ is one of my favorite average length songs, the reprise from beautiful and epic _Holiday In Berlin_ melody is heartwarming!


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## Casebearer

I'm an Inca Road freak.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ knew that would bring you guys out of the woodwork


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## starthrower

RDNZL, Echidna's Arf/Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, and Idiot ******* Son are my picks from the fabulous Helsinki Concert. FZ's solo on RDNZL is the most ecstatic and emotional playing I've ever heard from him.

Is b#stard a naughty word? I suppose the censors here think so.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Continuing the live Albums from Zappa next is *Broadway the Hard Way *from his 1988 world tour, his last tour.
Not an album I have a copy of and don't think it was a big seller........









I'll go for "Elvis Has Just Left the Building"


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## starthrower

I don't listen to Broadway very often. It features a lot of dated political/religious commentary. I like Stolen Moments, Murder By Numbers, and Outside Now. The quality of the recording is pristine, and it sounds like a studio album.


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## 38157

YCDTOSA#2 is difficult - contenders are Inca, RDNZL, Echidna's, Idiot ******* and Dog Breath Variations. I think the earlier Roxy Band arrangements of Dog Breath and Idiot ******* were slightly better, and although I love the new melody I still miss the energy of the '73 RDNZL.
Echidna's is a better version than on Roxy in my opinion (I love the reworked accents in the coda, it's actually a lot different to the phrasing in Roxy), but ultimately, it probably has to be Inca, this being my favourite version of it. Love Duke's synth tone on the interlude.

Big Swifty was a nice inclusion - wish it had the beginning too! I wonder if they played the rest of the song, I can't find this streamlined lineup playing it in any bootlegs.

Never heard Broadway the Hardway. Maybe I'm a philistine...


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Skipping thru Broadway quickly we have* You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 
*and we are in 1989 and we have Bamboozled with a lonely heart - which cracks me up every time, I'm sure Yes where amused or not 

I'm tempted to go with Ride My Face to Chicago but Drowning Witch will do


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## starthrower

Drowning Witch, Hands With A Hammer/Zoot Allures, King Kong, Sharleena. That's about it for vol 3.

I really dig the head to Zoot Allures on the heals of Bozzio's drum solo. FZ plays it enticingly slow with heaps of soul, great dynamics, and feedback.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life* its 1991 and Frank puts out this beauty from the 1988 world tour.









I'll go for Penguin in Bondage" (Swaggart version)


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## Casebearer

I love this album. As I was into Zappa only by the mid eighties this was the only tour I saw him perform live. In the Ahoy in Rotterdam that was. I was the one guy that didn't stay in his seat because the rhythms were so powerful. To me Zappa is the ultimate dance music but I admit I dance funny. 

Whatever. The performance was out of this world and I'm very grateful I've seen him perform live. A lot of One Size Fits All was performed.


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## Dr Johnson

Too much to choose from.

I love the version of Stairway To Heaven, especially the guitar solo where Zappa gets the brass to play part of it.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

I've often called this album my favorite Zappa, maybe because I saw them  A friend and me were up on chairs going "JA" ( pronounced yaaaaa). I have a hard time picking a favorite. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/frank-zappa/1988/skedsmohallen-oslo-norway-43d0efd7.html
According to a mystical man I met at a Zappa exhibition in 1994, the concert was not recorded like Zappa used to do, but he had a recording anyway.


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## starthrower

Since Make A Jazz Noise Here was released the same year, I didn't listen to Best Band as much. But it has a great performance of Mr. Green Genes that segues into a killer rendition of Florentine Pogen. So those are my picks.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Yeah, is one of my fav Zappa albums too but not till tomorrow its release #57, today its #56 also from 1991
*You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 *_Actually this is ome of the 6 I have not got
_









_I''ll go for _Florentine Pogen - I think this clip is where the Vol 4 version is from (good to listen to while driving your Morgan)


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## starthrower

I could take or leave most of vol 4. The one track I really dig is the Pound For A Brown solo excerpt which features some great moog playing by Peter Wolf.


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## Casebearer

I must admit volume 4 is the one I have listened to least.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Make a Jazz Noise Here *_Release #57 and only 50 or so to go we are about half way 

I got a nice Japanese CD version of this one and I almost played it to death when I got it.










I'll go for King Kong from this one - almost chose Big Swifty. This might be my fav King Kong


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## Casebearer

I got it immediately when it got out and have played it a lot as well. Great double album.


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## starthrower

Jazz Noise would be on my short list of greatest live albums. That band was incredible! So much talent, so much great music making! I'll mention just a few moments that make my hair stand up. The opening to the Black Page when FZ greets the crowd, the incredible bari sax solo on King Kong, and the Bartok concerto excerpt segueing into Sinister Footwear.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5* - 1992 Early Stuff on disk one and disk 2 summer 1982 tour of Europe









I'll go for 
My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama fromA & R Studios, NYC, June, 1969


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## starthrower

Downtown Talent Scout from disc one.

Moggio, and Pound For A Brown from disc two.

But really, Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously?


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## Casebearer

Eddie, before you even start..........

Thirteen is my absolute favorite of YCDTOSA Volume 6. I can listen to it for ever. It'll never bore. One of his greatest pieces.
One two, one two, one two three four....

It makes the mind dance!


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## starthrower

I'll go with Thirteen, and the Michael Brecker Black Napkins. I hope the Zappa's decide to do a In New York box of those December '76 shows. My other favorite from vol 6 is Lisa's Life Story.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6

*Ok thirteen is very cool this is another CD that spends a lot of time in my car (not so much when the wife is driving thou )

I was going to say the The Poodle Lecture..........








but I'll go for "I Have Been in You" as a special tribute to Peter Frampton :lol:


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Its 1992 and time for *Playground Psychotics *one of my favourite ( I like the early Zappa stuff best)









I could go for "Learning "Pen!s Dimension" but will pick


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## Casebearer

I forgot to mention that this is my favorite piece from Man from Utopia:


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Ahead of Their Time* 1993 and its time for another glance into the past and the Royal Festival Hall concert of 1968









I'd go for Oh No but its not available for me to post - so I'll put up King Kong instead


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## starthrower

I haven't listened to Playground or Ahead Of Their Time for years. Will have to revisit.


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## 38157

Tough one with "Ahead of Our Time". Great version of King Kong, but I really wish it wasn't edited down (there's a bootleg available where the middle section is much longer). I think this is my favourite version of the Orange County Lumber Truck medley (lovely set of tunes, and a great version of Oh No - I love it as an instrumental). Speaking of which, I think that medley is my favourite moment on MAJNH too - alongside Alien Orifice and Big Swifty (though the solos in that version of Big Swifty are a bit rambling).

However, I really like Epilogue, an early version of "What's the Name of Your Group" (the same bootleg reveals this has also been edited down, like King Kong) and lots of the little orchestral interludes. The little skits would be more interesting to watch than listen to though, so it'd be nice to hear this as one continuous instrumental suite (a la Bogus Pomp, which shares a fair bit, but not all, of the same material). Nice versions of Pound For a Brown and Sleeping in a Jar, but ultimately, I have to settle on either the legendary King Kong or the classic Orange County medley (I really like the overlapping solos in the Oh No coda in this version, and the 5/8 drum accents being juxtaposed with the 5/4 melody, which doesn't happen in later versions).


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## Capeditiea

Just reading some of these posts... makes me want to fetch everything by Zappa, :O *nods, my next task.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Yeah, I just got a copy of Joe's Camouflage and its on heavy rotation in my work car at present (I'm not game to tell the wife I brought yet another Zappa LP) love the version of Black Napkins on it with Novi Novog on viola,


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

But I digress (back on track now) its time for Zappa last stand

*The Yellow Shark. *Released in November 1993, it was the last Zappa album to appear in his lifetime, almost exactly a month before he died of the cancer. Singer Tom Waits has listed it as one of his favourite albums, commenting: "The ensemble is awe-inspiring. It is a rich pageant of texture in colour. "It's the clarity of his perfect madness, and mastery. Frank governs with Elmore James on his left and Stravinsky on his right. Frank reigns and rules with the strangest tools"

I got my copy when it first came out and was great to hear Zappa's complicated works played in this way. History -In 1991, Zappa was chosen to be one of four featured composers at the Frankfurt Festival in 1992 (the others were John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Alexander Knaifel. Zappa was approached by the German chamber ensemble, Ensemble Modern, which was interested in playing his music for the event.









I'll go for


----------



## Casebearer

Me and my wife also bought it immediately when it came out and loved it. Random choice out of many great pieces: G-spot tornado.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Jeeze, can we swaps wives . Mine listens to Celine Dion and refuses to have anything to do with Zappa


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Civilization Phaze III*_ Zappa epic studio piece, must say I'm not a fan of this...........









Maybe I need to listen to it more..........


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

I ordered that one when I studied in San Francisco, and thought they forgot about me BUT it came right in time for my birthday! I listened a lot to it, but can't say I have a favorite. Louie, the psychotic turkey, speaks inside the big piano ("They made me eat it HAHAHAHAHA"), as does several old recorded voices. "It will turn into another Haight/Ashbury!"...wait: FZ: "The audience sits inside of a big piano, and they listen to it grow"...Happy dancing nazi pigs and ponies...me: It's pretty wild


----------



## Casebearer

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Jeeze, can we swaps wives . Mine listens to Celine Dion and refuses to have anything to do with Zappa


I'll think about it. Won't be cheap. What do you have to offer? My wife has a job so she brings in part of the money, she doesn't like shopping, she is a really great cook, she has humor and she's an atheist!


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## Casebearer

In my opinion Civilization Phase III is his ultimate masterpiece. I'm not always in the mood for the inside-the-piano pieces (sometimes I am) but the rest is stunning.

Amnerika is a long time favorite of heavenly beauty but I have many favorites.


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## Casebearer

In my opinion it's about desire, reaching for the ultimate gratification.


----------



## Casebearer

Two other very great pieces are N-lite and Beat the Reaper.


----------



## starthrower

I remember the day I stopped into a local record store to pick up my copy of The Yellow Shark. As I looked at the cover photo I felt it was FZ's way of saying goodbye. He died two weeks later, so this one is a bittersweet pill to swallow. It's a great sounding disc, but I usually watch the video footage. I like the FZ conducted overture which is not on the CD.


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## starthrower

I rarely listen to Phase III although it is a great production and recording. After all these years I still have a hard time enjoying this album. I prefer live musicians.


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## Merl

I can't stand Civilisation Phase III. I thought it was awful then I've never changed my mind.


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## 38157

I really like Yellow Shark. Interesting arrangement of Dog Breath by Ali N Askin - quite a few differences in melody and the meter changes compared to pretty much all earlier versions, not to mention the new intro. One of my favourite arrangements. Difficult to say which is my favourite piece, there are a lot of gems. Get ****** is quite beautiful, but I also love the textural homogeneity of the wind pieces. Might go with Get ****** because of how odd a track it is.

CPIII I actually really enjoy, but rarely listen to. It was definitely the best synclavier effort. I like Dio Fa, love the eerie repetition of that guttural grunty noise (maybe a highly manipulated extract from some of the sessions he did with Tuvan throat singer?). Maybe Beat the Reaper + Waffenspiel is my favourite though, quite a journey, and very strange for Zappa. Basically a soundscape. There are some exotic beauties on this album that are easily overlooked, and if I'm honest, I forget what a lot of it sounds like, because I prefer to take it all in in one sitting (hence why I don't listen to it often, certainly not in rapid succession).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Release #64 _*The Lost Episodes

*_1996 and we are into the vaults and its got or its five tracks which feature Captain Beefheart - Zappa early stuff. Love this CD










I'll go for Alley Cat (they say could be missing track from Clear Spot) as I have already posted lost in the Whirlpool


----------



## 38157

Some gems in this one. Really like the Handsome Cabin Boy medley, best recording of Kung Fu, great version of Inca (I like the slower tempo, the melody is allowed to show off it lyricism), but I have to say, my favourite track is RDNZL, for Ralph's absolutely monster fills during the coda. On some live recordings he's just rinsing 16ths, but on this there are some really nice syncopations.

The early curiosities are really nice, and cops and buns is quite funny (full version of that is on the recent Uncle Meat box set)





3'22" in, Ralph's fills. Not especially fancy rhythmically, but really melodically syncopated, and he infuses the half-time coda with so much energy.


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## Norman Gunston

.


----------



## Dr Johnson

Sharleena. .


----------



## starthrower

Dr Johnson said:


> Sharleena. .


Can't believe FZ left this one in the vault for over 25 years. My other picks from Lost Episodes are RDNZL, Inca Roads, and Kung Fu.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese




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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

''_*Läther'' *_release #66 but it should have been release #23 but was held up due to a variety of reasons including Zappa bust up with Herb Cohen & DiscReet Records









I'll go for "For the young sophisticate"


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## starthrower

I paid too much for Lather several years ago. But how could I know the 2012 editions were coming? Anyway, the only track I need it for is the Lather guitar solo.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute* #66. I have not got this one

I'll go for Merely a Blues in A"


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## Casebearer

Looks dense Eddie.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Typical Zappa hey


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## 38157

Re. Lather, not sure whether it's Spider of Destiny or Time Is Money. Pedro's Dowry is a nice one too, and the jazz-standardy pastiche Flambay deserves a mention - the marimba (not actually sure of the personnel, assuming it's Ruth) sounds lush.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Have I Offended Someone? #67 - *it compiles a number of Zappa's songs that have gained notoriety as being particularly offensive, and often satirical or parodic, in other words typical naughty boy Zappa stuff.......








I'll go for Jewish Princess


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

1998 and its *Mystery Disc *time #68









Another one I have not got - so not sure what to choose so will go for Agency Man" (Studio Version)


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## 38157

My Mystery Disc selection has to be Original Duke of Prunes. I wish it was longer, it's such a nice rendition. I obtained a copy of the film, Run Home Slow. God, it was absolutely terrible. The only reason to watch it is for Zappa's cues (amongst which was an excerpt from Idiot ******* Son). 

On the topic of those daft old films, World's Greatest Sinner was better, but still bad (and incredibly poorly edited, to the point where it impacted the narrative's coherence).


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese




----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Everything Is Healing Nicely #70
*_









This one is a bit different to Yellow Shark (was made from the rehearsals)

I'll go for


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## KJ von NNJ

I have direct tv and recenttly saw a 1 hour show about the making of Apostrophe and Overnight Sensation. Lots of interviews with Dweezil, Moon, Ruth Underwood (extremely wonderful), Napoleon, Billy Bob Thornton (?), Sofia Warren Cucurullo, Ralph Humphrey and more...........
My brother has both of my albums over at his place so I had to go to u-tube for a shot of cosmic continuity. Good enough........but after a while, the "Stage" volume 2 affair with the famed Roxy band proved the clincher.......Pygmy, Cheepnis, Approximate, Room Service (the fishy with the eye fallin' out), Village of the Sun, Inca Roads, Idiot ******* son, Montana......no Whipping Post....no Montana! It's such a ballad at this tempo........ You get the picture. My hats off this Memorial Day weekend to Frank and his crazy musical excursions. Cheers!

PS, one of my favorite tracks is from stage volume 4. The Evil Prince. A highlight from Thingfish made better in this live cut. Too many others to mention in one post.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*FZ:OZ #70 *_Now we have got to a fav of mine. Zappa in Oz in 1976 (with a couple of demo tracks and stuff thrown in) January 20, 1976 concert at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Australia.

And best of all it features the legendary Norman Gunston (who is sometimes on this forum) - on harmonica on "The Torture Never Stops"











I'll go for Zappa with Norman on Harp here


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Bonus track for two years later


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Halloween* #71 October 1978 another one I have not got, will work on that.........









I'll go for


----------



## Casebearer

I think we'll see something that started out so great die out gradually because people don't know these so called official releases. Or do they?


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Not sure, they are available for sale still in record shops here in Oz but I guess eventually the ZFT will run out of old unreleased master tapes or money............


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

While I'm here I'll post another one- we have only got about 30 or so to go to get up to date 

*Joe's Corsage* #72 (2004)

*Joe's Corsage* is a CD of material recorded by Frank Zappa with The Mothers of Invention in the mid-1960s, before the recording of their debut album _Freak Out!_ (1966). The album was compiled by archivist Joe Travers, and its title is a play on Zappa's 1979 work _Joe's Garage.

I'll go for 




_


----------



## 38157

I've got Halloween, but still need to listen to it.
Wedding Dress/Cabin Boy is probably my favourite from Corsage, though it's been ages since I've listened to it!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Joe's Domage* #73 still 2004 and have not got this one either (not sure I will unless its selling as a cheap thrill, although the song below has got me interested as its rehearsals for the Grad Wazoo)









I'll go for It ain't real so what's the deal


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*QuAUDIOPHILIAc #74 2004
*is a compilation album featuring music by Frank Zappa, released in DVD-Audio format by Barking Pumpkin Records in 2004. It compiles recordings he made while experimenting with quadraphonic, or four-channel, sound in the 1970s. Zappa prepared quadraphonic mixes of a number of his 1970s albums, with both _Over-Nite Sensation_ (1973) and _Apostrophe (')_ (1974) being released in discrete quadraphonic on Zappa's DiscReet Records label. Another one I have not got yet............
I'll go for "Chunga Basement"


----------



## 38157

I really like Domage as a documentary, and it's a great insight into the rehearsal process of one of my favourite eras. However, I rarely listen to it, and I never listen to it if I just want to hear music. It's been a while, so I couldn't pick a particular track. But this is probably the most fascinating to me out of the whole "Joe's xage" series.

Quadiophiliac is nice. Chunga's Basement and the horn-dub-less Waka/Jawaka are great, but Rollo is probably a highlight for me. This is a really nice album, nice version of Naval Aviation too.


----------



## Casebearer

I think this one is dead:devil:


----------



## Norman Gunston

*Joe's Xmasage* life on the ZFT yet.................

Ive got this one

will go for "Suckit Rockit" hope eddie does not mind:devil:


----------



## Norman Gunston

*Imaginary Diseases* #76
From the Petit Wazoo tour of 1972
I'll pick"Rollo"


----------



## 38157

Been a while since I've heard "Xmasage", but I think I remember liking the Uncle Frankie Show, because Zappa performed an extended solo and made it work. it's not often you hear Frank with just his guitar and nobody else.

Imaginary Diseases is a difficult one. Rollo is one of my favourite pieces, not just of his, but altogether (and I'm currently enjoying transcribing it), and this is the best recorded version of the outro. That said, this album contains my favourite version of Farther Oblivion, another great composition, and I might just have to hand it to that track in this instance.


----------



## starthrower

I don't have any of the ...mage, ...sage albums. From the Quad disc I like the smokin' guitar solo, Venusian Time Bandits.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*The MOFO Project/Object* #77, #78

Gosh this one gets to release numbers its so big- got this one and its a beauty








I'll go for "Motherly Love - Vocal Overdub Master Takes" although "Groupie Bang Bang" is worth a listen


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Trance-Fusion* #79
album of guitar solos completed by Frank Zappa shortly before his death, but not released until 2006.








Have not got this one but is on my list to get. I'll go for Chunga's Revenge


----------



## starthrower

This is an excerpt from one of six lengthy solos taken on those half hour renditions of Wild Love during the Halloween '77 shows. Unfortunately it wasn't from Halloween night, so it's not on the 3 CD set.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Buffalo* # 80
concert was recorded on October 25, 1980 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.









I'll go for "Buffalo Drowning Witch"


----------



## starthrower

I have a copy of Buffalo but I haven't listened that much. I'm not too crazy about the material so I'll go with the opener, Chunga's Revenge.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*The Dub Room Special* #81
Recordings from a TV-show performance on August 27, 1974, and from a concert in New York City on October 31, 1981








I'll go for A Token of My Extreme (Vamp) & Stevie's Spanking ( as it is avail on utube)


----------



## starthrower

I had the DVD first, but bought the CD from a vendor at NEARfest Apocalypse in 2012. I like Stinkfoot for the great sounding guitar solo.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Wazoo *_#82 - another one I want but is pricey
​complete concert given by "The Mothers of Invention/Hot Rats/Grand Wazoo" 20-piece big band on September 24, 1972 at the Music Hall, Boston










I'll go for "Big Swifty"


----------



## starthrower

Very clever cover design! I'll go with Greggery Peccary


----------



## 38157

I love Wazoo. Big Swifty is definitely the highlight, this arrangement is when the outchorus really started to take shape.

Also has my favourite version of ***** Dimension - there's a lot of humour in the arrangement (the trombone solos over the vamp at the end are a hilarious texture), but it really shows off the harmonies for the splendour that they are (like all of FZ's instrumental arrangements).

Greggery Peccary is a really nice suite here as well though - how glorious it would have been if the Steno Pool section had been included (not sure it had even been written at this point, though).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*One Shot Deal* #83
I got this one from 2008








I'll go for "Australian Yellow Snow"


----------



## 38157

I got that album from the merch stand first time I saw Dweezil in Cambridge, 2010. Great album, Rollo is definitely my favourite track. Australian Yellow Snow is at its best on Crux of the Biscuit, I thought (just because the entirety of St Alfonzo's is there)


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## starthrower

Occam's Razor, another great Inca Roads solo.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Joe's Menage* #84
Live material from 1975








Have not got this one - but think I'll chase it down
I'll go for "The Illinois Enema Bandit"


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*The Lumpy Money Project/Object #85
*Got this one and its a beauty, my fav bit is disc 1 "The first disc consists of the 1967 version of _Lumpy Gravy_, intended for release by Capitol Records (actually a few 4-track cartridge copies of the Capitol version were distributed to wholesalers and radio stations before MGM Records, Zappa's label at the time, forced Capitol to halt distribution of their version of the album). Anyone got this 4 track?








I'll go for Disc 1


----------



## 38157

It's hard to say with Menage. Despite the less-than-stellar audio quality (I think it's taken from an audience bootleg - if so the sound is very decent for such a source), I think this is a great recording. Very nice stripped-back band, and fairly tight playing. I like Zoot Allures the most on this album, probably. Really nice version of Chunga's though, and I love the synth solo in Lonely Little Girl (I think it's that track? Been a while since I've listened).

Lumpy Money's a great set. I love the Capitol version of Lumpy Gravy, and Sink Trap's probably my favourite off that segment of the album (although I tend to listen through to it as a suite). I actually really like the new parts in WOIIFTM, despite the bad press - they do sound sort of out of place in what is otherwise a decidedly '60s texture, but there's also a bit of bounce in the new rhythm section that I quite like.

Final disc has some nice curiosities. I like the extended intro to Gum Joy, and there's a really nice variation on that in Unit 3A, if I remember (interesting that the same motif appeared as a Run Home Slow cue in Lost Episodes).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Philly '76 #86
*I've got my on boot of this made by taping of Utube with my NAK tape deck  Is a great Album with Lady Bianca out front
in her very short Zappa appearance of only a couple of weeks.







I'll go for "Stranded in the Jungle"


----------



## starthrower

My wife listens to Philly '76 more than I do. I like Purple Lagoon, and Black Napkins.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Greasy Love Songs #87

*_Got this one and its a gooden








I'll go for "Stuff Up the Cracks" (Mayfair Studios Mix) as the Wah Wah always gets me


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Congress Shall Make No Law...#88 spoken word so we will skip this one*_


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Hammersmith Odeon #89 and its 2010 *_(starting to catch up )

Frank Zappa played London's Hammersmith Odeon five times in 1978: on 24, 25, 26 & 27 January 1978 and on 28 February 1978.











I'll go for KIng Kong


----------



## starthrower

Little House I Used To Live In


----------



## Casebearer

I told you this one's dead :lol::devil::tiphat:


----------



## Prat

Well frank is no longer with us


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison #90
*Almost brought this one for $15 buck the other day, so not sure what its like.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Carnegie Hall #91
*Official release of the live recording of Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention's debut (and only two) performances at the titular New York City's Carnegie Hall on October 11, 1971, with Flo 7 Eddie out front.








I'll go for "The Mud Shark"


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Road Tapes, Venue #1* 2012

This is one I want to get









I'll go for "Octandre" no surprises here


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Understanding America #93
*is a compilation album, it was compiled and mastered by Zappa before his death in 1993 and released posthumously in 2012 and includes tracks from 1966 to 1985.









I'll go for Plastic People"


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Finer Moments #94
*was compiled and mastered by Zappa in 1972 and released posthumously in 2012. I managed to get this one on Vinyl








I'll go for Mozart Piano Sonata in B♭" complete with chook noises


----------



## Casebearer

I admire your stubbornness :lol:


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

I've only got 13 Left


----------



## 38157

Hammersmith's a great box set. I'm not generally too interested in post-Mothers versions of King Kong (some of the themes I enjoyed the most are missing and never returned), but I really like this version. Really like Tommy Mars' scatting on Pound For a Brown, quite funny, and it actually really suits the lines. Probably has my favourite version of Black Napkins too, so will go with that

I have Maison but haven't listened to it for a few years. I think I liked it quite a lot, but as with most of the Synclavier stuff, whilst the music's interesting, the recordings just sound so dated by the technology they were created with.

Studebacher Hoch is a favourite from Carnegie, nice to hear the extended themes and the solos. I prefer this version of Billy even to JABFLA. Nice to hear Peaches, though it's not my favourite version.

Road Tapes #1 is a nice set, I like the Orange County medley on that one the most. 

Finer Moments, I liked the little collection of percussion pieces (improvisations?). Haven't listened to that for a while, so don't remember it too well, but I do remember it cut out a theme from King Kong and called it "Uncle Rhebus" - I preferred it in context, to be quite honest.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*AAAFNRAA Baby Snakes: The Compleat Soundtrack #95
*the soundtrack to Frank Zappa's film _Baby Snakes_ originally released in 1979.

View attachment 104949


I'll go for BABY SNAKES


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Road Tapes, Venue #2 *LP #96
another one that I gotta get from three concerts, all of them held in August 1973







I'll go for "Penguin in Bondage"


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## 38157

Hard one, this is one of my favourite Zappa albums. Wish this band was more widely documented (beyond the bootlegs of varying quality). I love the run of tunes from Exercise #4 - RDNZL, and it's probably my favourite arrangement of that suite. However, this has the one version of Big Swifty that possible beats YCDTOSA#1 - so might have to go with Big Swifty (the outchorus sounds better with just Ralph drumming in my opinion).

Nice to hear another version of Farther Oblivion, the quickly scrapped intro and outro of Village of the Sun is nice, Echidna's sounds extemely rough but DYEWTT is better than the Roxy version, and Montana is better than the ONS version. Great album.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

****** said:


> Hard one, this is one of my favourite Zappa albums. Wish this band was more widely documented (beyond the bootlegs of varying quality). I love the run of tunes from Exercise #4 - RDNZL, and it's probably my favourite arrangement of that suite. However, this has the one version of Big Swifty that possible beats YCDTOSA#1 - so might have to go with Big Swifty (the outchorus sounds better with just Ralph drumming in my opinion).
> 
> Nice to hear another version of Farther Oblivion, the quickly scrapped intro and outro of Village of the Sun is nice, Echidna's sounds extemely rough but DYEWTT is better than the Roxy version, and Montana is better than the ONS version. Great album.


Yeah, overall this would be my favourite Zappa band, followed by a very close second with the late period original mothers with Ian and Ruth, In fact any Zappa band with ruth in it is the best


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*A Token of His Extreme (Soundtrack) #97
*Another Ruth Band LP lol live album recorded in 1974 and released posthumously in 2013








I'll go for "Oh No / Son of Orange County"


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Joe's Camouflage #98 and its 2014
* first official release of material by a band Zappa assembled for rehearsals in the summer of 1975 
I've got this one and its not bad but no ruth 







I'll go for "Reeny Ra"


----------



## 38157

"Token Of"'s version of Oh No is really nice. Best version of Cosmik Debris too, Napoleon's solo is class (and George's unison octaves manoeuvre in the end of his solo is insane - pre-Cory Henry madness). Napoleon's dancing in "I'm plucking the old dental floss" is more than worthy of a mention, but my favourite on this album might be Dog/Meat.

Re. Camouflage, think it's either Phyniox or T'mershi Duween. Interesting appearance of Solitude in Reeny Ra.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Roxy by Proxy #99 and its 2014
*I've got this one too (think a lot of Zappa fans have) and its a beauty. Live album recorded in 1973 with the Roxy band with Ruth








I'll go for Dog Breath Variations / Uncle Meat"


----------



## 38157

RDNZL - such an energetic version, I love Duke's clavinet stabs in the opening section. I used to dislike earlier versions of RDNZL because (apart from a few '74 bootlegs) they don't have the beautiful melodic section from YCDTOSA#2, but this version turned me, and now I much prefer the '73 versions over any other. Some lovely figures in the bass too, and great synth solo near the end

That run from T'Mershi - RDNZL is probably one of my favourite moments on any Zappa record. This version of Inca Roads is nice too.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

There is a new Zappa book out
*The Big Note: A Guide To The Recordings Of Frank Zappa*

anyone seen it yet


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Dance Me This # 100
*Studio album by Frank Zappa released posthumously in 2015 by The Zappa Family Trust and is the last album Frank Zappa completed before his death in 1993.









I'll go for Calculus


----------



## Captainnumber36

Has the Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar albums been discussed yet? I just listened to all three today and was blown away. Zappa is becoming my favorite "Rock" improv guitar player!


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund

On Ruth, on Ruth...Dutududut...Hey, that's Ruth :kiss:


----------



## starthrower

Captainnumber36 said:


> Has the Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar albums been discussed yet? I just listened to all three today and was blown away. Zappa is becoming my favorite "Rock" improv guitar player!


Yes. Go back several pages to the albums released in 1981.


----------



## starthrower

The Token DVD was a disappointment due to the lousy video quality. Dub Room Special has better '74 video quality.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*200 Motels: The Suites #101

*Always have like 200 Motels, was one of the first Zappa LP's I brought way back when, so love this reworking .
Esa-Pekka Salonen Conducts Los Angeles Philharmonic Los Angeles Master Chorale Walt Disney Concert Hall









I'll go for Pen!s Dimension


----------



## starthrower

I haven't heard the Salonen recording or Dance Me This, other than the opening track with the Mongolian singer.


----------



## 38157

I enjoyed Dance Me This, but it's been a while since I've listened to it and I don't remember much. I do remember enjoying Calculus and the tale behind it, so I'll go with that.

The recent(ish) 200 Motels was ok. Probably a favourite for me is "What's The Name of Your Group", though I prefer the original. I saw the London performance, and I enjoyed it a lot, but I'm not into the Flo and Eddie parts. I don't actually mind Flo and Eddie, but I just think it sounds awful when people try to imitate them. I felt similarly about the Greggery Peccary performances I've seen (Roundhouse and Proms) with the narrators.

***** Dimension is beautiful, but the lovely harmonies in the ascending line near the beginning were obscured by a strange rubato in the London version, sadly. Quite a bit better in the released version.


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Roxy the Soundtrack #102
*the CD companion released in the _Roxy The Movie 2015
_The film used to produce the movie was shot in 1973 using four cameras at three live shows performed on December 8, 9 and 10. What no one knew at the time the film was shot is a malfunction led to the audio and video being out of synch. As John Albanian discusses in the liner notes, the problem was such that not until today's technology could the issue be painstakingly resolved








can't find singular songs so whole thing


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*Road Tapes, Venue #3

*_I gotta get these road tapes, have not got any of them yet. posthumous album which was released in May 2016. The album was recorded as one of the first shows with the newly, then featuring Flo & Eddie, Aynsley Dunbar, George Duke, Jeff Simmons and returning member Ian Underwood. This release is notable for being one of the few tapes in the Zappa Vault from this time period, and line up










I'll go for The Return of the Hunchback Duke"


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

_*The Crux of the Biscuit* #104 2016

_originally intended to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of his album _Apostrophe(')

_








I'll go for Don't Eat The Yellow Snow-St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast live


----------



## 38157

Road Tapes #3 is Return of the Hunchback Duke, Igor's Boogie or the Orange County medley. Only listened to that twice, I like the concert, but struggle with the poor quality.

Crux of the Biscuit on the other hand, is a great album. My favourite is Yellow Snow Suite. It delivers a great version of Rollo Interior - slightly slower tempo than the album, but a much thicker texture, with Ponty, Fowler, Marquez and Ian Underwood joining Duke and Ruth in playing the melody. Quite an impressive display. And a very welcome inclusion of "Join the march and eat my starch".


----------



## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Frank Zappa for President #105
*Compilation CD with unreleased compositions realized on the Synclavier and unheard tracks relating to the uniting political thread that ties it all together








I'll go for "America The Beautiful"


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## starthrower

^^^^
With the thousands of tapes in the vault, this one strikes me as a barrel scraping job. The other one is the superfluous greatest guitar hits CD with the stupid furry mustache on the cover that Dweezil put together. I bought these but wish I hadn't.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

I'm a bandleader! Not only can I drink a whole lot, but I play 23 instruments too, and I don't even know how to read music...


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

starthrower said:


> ^^^^
> With the thousands of tapes in the vault, this one strikes me as a barrel scraping job. The other one is the superfluous greatest guitar hits CD with the stupid furry mustache on the cover that Dweezil put together. I bought these but wish I hadn't.


Yeah, I bought that mustache one too but the only track I really like on it is the original version of Watermelon from the Joes LP anyway. Its a nice artefact but if I had realised too what was in it I would not have paid my $15 bucks for it. As the Zappa for President I give it a miss.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Zappatite* #106
compilation album released in 2016. It is the second greatest hits album (to be released) of Zappa's best known material, the first one being _Strictly Commercial_ released in 1995. It replaces the _Strictly Commercial_ set in Zappa's catalog.
_Strictly Commercial_ is enough for me, I got that one on CD and still sealed vinyl.








I'll go for Sofa No1


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## Casebearer

Hi Eddie, don't know if you're finished yet but when you do please summarize what to buy and what not!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Casebearer said:


> Hi Eddie, don't know if you're finished yet but when you do please summarize what to buy and what not!


Ok cool, got 5 more to get up to date (111 at last count). 
Might just do a list of my suggested pics. But others like Starthrower, yourself and others would have suggestions too


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## starthrower

My suggestion is to go for the FZ produced albums first. And if you crave more, there are all of the posthumous releases. Most of these are warts and all complete concerts. 

I can't really complain about these now that they have mass distribution selling at low prices. The only frustrating release is Halloween '77. The complete concerts are only available on a ridiculously over-priced USB port. If there was a cheap download or box set, I would buy it just for the guitar solos and ensemble workouts. But I'm not paying 75 dollars for that USB stick with the goofy FZ costume.


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## starthrower

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> I got the movie on DVD and its a hoot.
> 
> 200 Motels has been re-released in recentish times, was the last project that Gail Zappa did in 2013


I'm going to have to pick up this one. I'm listening on YouTube, but I need to hear it on my audio system.


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## 38157

I got Zappa For President, but only listened once, so I've forgot what it was like. Will have to give it another shot.


Casebearer said:


> Hi Eddie, don't know if you're finished yet but when you do please summarize what to buy and what not!


This depends mostly on the listener's aesthetic interests, I think. I have holes in my collection between '75 and '88 (the only things that really interest me from that era are the orchestra works, although I really like Hammersmith Odeon and some Baby Snakes stuff, along with selections from the Man From Utopia) - this is because I don't like the rock aesthetic of the bands from this era very much, and much prefer the earlier jazz-fusion and art-rock ventures between the '60s and early to mid '70s.

Key albums like We're Only In It For the Money, Lumpy Gravy, Hot Rats, Grand Wazoo, Roxy, and pretty much any FZ-produced album that well-represents the output of an era is probably the best starting point. Here is a good list of every official release (everything after #64 "Lost Episodes" is posthumous): http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/

Personally, I actually prefer a lot of the posthumous albums to some of the original releases, despite their warts - I would say "Imaginary Diseases", "Wazoo" and "Road Tapes #2" are just as essential as any FZ-released album in terms of their unique content (even if the sound quality of the source material for some of them wasn't up to FZ's standards). FZ was limited by the technology of the time (vinyl mostly), and it feels like there are lots of edits that are as much to fit within the capacity of the LP as they are artistic choices (although you wouldn't know unless you kew something was missing - "Penguin in Bondage" being a good example), so the CD and digital releases feel like they emancipate a lot of music that might have otherwise made the cut (Roxy Performances being a prime example).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ All good summaries to which I agree, for me its 1966- 1975 is my favourite Zappa period. Just Brought Road Tapes Venue 1 yesterday and I giving it a flogging - its great love the 20min+ "The Orange County Lumber Truck"- because it just a great collection full of WOIIFTM and Lumpy Gravy goodness.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Meat Light#107
*This is one I want to get as Uncle Meat is my fav Zappa LP but they want $47 for it in my neck of the woods- ********

3CD compilation of Frank Zappa's Uncle Meat recordings. It is project/object #5 in a series of Fortieth Anniversary FZ Audio Documentaries.

I'll go for Mr Green Genes


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## starthrower

Move to the states and you can get it for 25! I think I've been ruined by over-exposure to Zappa music. I have Meat Light, Lumpy Money, the Roxy box, and a bunch of other nice stuff but I don't listen to them. I enjoyed listening to the Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution solo in real time, which is one of the extras on the Meat Light set. It runs about ten minutes.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

starthrower said:


> Move to the states and you can get it for 25! I think I've been ruined by over-exposure to Zappa music. I have Meat Light, Lumpy Money, the Roxy box, and a bunch of other nice stuff but I don't listen to them. I enjoyed listening to the Nine Types Of Industrial Pollution solo in real time, which is one of the extras on the Meat Light set. It runs about ten minutes.


I've got Lumpy Money and the Roxy box but have been doing a monthly check on the only shop in town here the stocks new Zappa stuff waiting for the price to come down on Meat Light- I might even resort to using my Nak to make a utube taped copy yet lol


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## 38157

"Exercise 4 Variant" was definitely my favourite track from Meat Light. Very nice winds textures. Disc 3 is full of gems (the fulls Cops and Buns is quite funny to hear too). Also nice to have a CD of the album without the boring 30 minute film excerpt and that song from the '80s.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Chicago '78 #108

*The Zappa FT is on a roll here (2016) with more to come the entire second concert recorded on September 29, 1978 at the Uptown Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.








I'll go for Twenty One (only single track could find on youtube from the concert)


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Little Dots #109
*live album by Frank Zappa consisting of recordings from the Petit Wazoo tour of 1972.









I'll go for Rollo (includes: Rollo/ The Rollo Interior Area/ Rollo Goes Out)"


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## starthrower

Little Dots is kinda weak. Not enough material for a CD, so we get some so so jams.

Chicago '78 is a great sounding concert, but I could do without the obligatory crowd favorites. Why does Keep It Greasy have to be on every other live release? I'll go with Yo Mama, and the opening solo played over the odd meter vamp.


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## 38157

Was slightly disappointed by the Little Dots content. Worth it for a complete version of Rollo, though (I got the record store day single of that tune, which is ever so slightly different in places, and has an improv on the B side). Theme of Little Dots I liked, but the improvisations I found to be a bit lacking. I love the texture of the Petit Wazoo band, but I wish there was more solid composed material on this release.

Can't remember much about Chicago '78, only listened once, need to listen again. I liked Little House, I think, and of course, the YS suite.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

*Halloween 77 #110
*The Palladium, NYC [Costume Box Set edition containing a 24-bit WAV audio USB stick of the complete 6 shows: 10.28.77 (2 shows), 10.29.77 (2 shows), 10.30.77, 10.31.77

have not heard this one


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