FRANK ZAPPA — You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 (1989) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most of You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is devoted the 1984 band which, at the time of this set's release, had not been properly documented (the live Does Humor Belong in Music? was made commercially available in the U.S. in 1995 only). Most of the material comes from late-'70s/early-'80s albums like Sheik Yerbouti, Joe's Garage, and You Are What You Is. Disc one is 1984 only (excerpt for a few edits in "Drowning Witch") and lacks interest. This band (Ike Willis, Ray White, Bobby Martin, Alan Zavod, Scott Thunes, Chad Wackerman) was competent but square and performances tended to resemble one another. Of significance for completists are "Ride My Face to Chicago," "Carol, You Fool," "Nig Biz," and "Chana in de Bushwop," all regular inclusions during that tour and unavailable elsewhere, but for the casual listener they hardly make the album worth buying. Disc two contains a few gems: the original version of "Dickie's Such an Asshole" (from December 1973), a slow and seductive "Zoot Allures" from 1975, and a 25-minute "King Kong" that collages wild performances from 1971 and 1982. Unless you happen to love the 1984 band, this volume is the weakest of the series. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1-1.     Sharleena 8:54
Lead Guitar – Dweezil Zappa
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-2.     Bamboozled By Love / Owner Of A Lonely Heart 6:06
Music By [Heart] – C. Squire, J. Anderson, T. Horn, T. Rabin
Words By [Bamboozled], Music By [Bamboozled] – FZ
1-3.     Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up 2:52
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-4.     Advance Romance 6:59
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-5.     Bobby Brown Goes Down 2:44
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-6.     Keep It Greasey 3:31
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-7.     Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me? 4:16
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-8.     In France 3:01
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-9.     Drowning Witch 9:22
Bass [1982 - 1984] – Scott Thunes
Drums [1982 - 1984] – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar - 1982] – Steve Vai
Keyboards [1982] – Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars
Keyboards [1984] – Alan Zavod
Keyboards [1984], Saxophone [1984], Vocals [1984] – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar [1982] – F.Z.
Lead Guitar [1984], Vocals [1984] – F.Z.
Percussion [1982] – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar [1982] – Ray White
Rhythm Guitar [1984], Vocals [1984] – Ike Willis, Ray White
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-10.     Ride My Face To Chicago 4:23
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-11.     Carol, You Fool 4:06
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-12.     Chana In De Bushwop 4:52
Words By, Music By – Diva Zappa, FZ
1-13.     Joe's Garage 2:20
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-14.     Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? 3:06
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-1 Dickie's Such An Asshole 10:09
Bass – Tom Fowler
Drums – Chester Thompson, Ralph Humphrey
Keyboards, Vocals – George Duke
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Percussion – Ruth Underwood
Saxophone, Vocals – Napoleon Murphy Brock
Trombone – Bruce Fowler 
Voice [Introductions] – Marty Perellis
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-2.     Hands With A Hammer 3:18
Drums [Drum Solo] – Terry Bozzio
Words By, Music By – Terry Bozzio
2-3.     Zoot Allures 6:09
Bass [1975] – Roy Estrada
Bass [1982] – Scott Thunes
Drums [1975] – Terry Bozzio
Drums [1982] – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [1975] – F.Z.
Guitar [Stunt Guitar - 1982] – Steve Vai
Keyboards [1975] – Andre Lewis
Keyboards [1982] – Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars
Lead Guitar [1982] – F.Z.
Music By – FZ
Percussion [1982] – Ed Mann
Rhythm Guitar [1982] – Ray White
Saxophone [1975] – Napoleon Murphy Brock
2-4.     Society Pages 2:32
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-5.     I'm A Beautiful Guy 1:55
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-6.     Beauty Knows No Pain 2:55
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-7.     Charlie's Enormous Mouth 3:40
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Percussion – Ed Mann
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-8.     Cocaine Decisions 3:14
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-9.     Nig Biz 4:58
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Percussion – Ed Mann
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-10.     King Kong  24:32
Bass [1971], Vocals [1971] – Jim Pons
Bass [1982] – Scott Thunes
Drums [1971] – Aynsley Dunbar
Drums [1982] – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [1971], Vocals [1971] – F.Z.
Guitar [1982], Vocals [1982] – Ray White
Guitar [Stunt Guitar - 1982] – Steve Vai
Keyboards [1971], Alto Saxophone [1971] – Ian Underwood
Keyboards [1971], Electronics [1971] – Don Preston
Keyboards [1982], Saxophone [1982], Vocals [1982] – Bobby Martin 
Keyboards [1982], Vocals [1982] – Tommy Mars
Lead Guitar [1982], Vocals [1982] – F.Z.
Percussion [1982] – Ed Mann
Vocals [1971] – Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-11.     Cosmik Debris 5:14
Words By, Music By – FZ
Credits :
Bass Bass – Scott Thunes (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11)
Drums – Chad Wackerman (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11)
Keyboards – Alan Zavod (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11)
Keyboards, Vocals – Bobby Martin (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11)
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z. (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11)
Producer, Arranged By, Compiled By, Edited By – Frank Zappa
Rhythm Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11), Ray White (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8, 1-10 to 1-14, 2-4 to 2-6, 2-11)

FRANK ZAPPA — You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 (1991) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Like the first volume of the series, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 was put together without a specific theme in mind. It has a little of everything, from straight rock songs to more complex numbers, from stage antics to guitar solos. All eras of Frank Zappa's career are visited (including tracks from the 1988 tour), but the '80s provided the majority of the material. Highlights include the only official recording of the live arrangement of "The Evil Prince," very different from the Thing-Fish version and truly a must-have for the fan; a rare performance of "Filthy Habits"; and impressive performances of "Stevie's Spanking" (with "Church Chat" explaining its story), "Disco Boy," and the challenging "Florentine Pogen." Doo wop lovers will appreciate the closing six-track medley that ends with "The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou." Those looking for historically significant recordings have only little bits to chew, like the 1969 improvisations "Are You Upset?" and "You Call That Music?" (the latter with Dave Samuels guesting on vibes), or "Tiny Sick Tears," an impersonation of Jim Morrison's Oedipus-inspired delirium. The real treat is the original version of "The Torture Never Stops," sang by Captain Beefheart over a blues motif -- not a fantastic music moment, but an important piece of Zappa history. Neglected songs, live rarities, old favorites: volume four aims at both the die-hard fan and the casual listener, but it probably doesn't fully satisfy either of them. François Couture  
Tracklist :
1-1.     Little Rubber Girl 2:57

1-2.     Stick Together 2:04
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-3.     My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama 3:19
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-4.     Willie The Pimp 2:06
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-5.     Montana 5:47
Bass [1973] – Tom Fowler
Bass [1984] – Scott Thunes
Drums [1973] – Chester Thompson, Ralph Humphrey
Drums [1984] – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [1984], Vocals [1984] – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards [1973], Vocals [1973] – George Duke
Keyboards [1984] – Alan Zavod
Keyboards [1984], Saxophone [1984], Vocals [1984] – Bobby Martin
Lead Guitar [1973], Vocals [1973] – F.Z.
Percussion [1973] – Ruth Underwood
Saxophone [1973], Vocals [1973] – Napoleon Murphy Brock
Trombone [1973] – Bruce Fowler 
Vocals [1984] – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-6.     Brown Moses 2:38
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-7.     The Evil Prince 7:12
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Lead Vocals – Ray White
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Lead Guitar – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-8.     Approximate 1:49
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Music By – FZ
Percussion – Ed Mann
Vocals – F.Z.
1-9.     Love Of My Life Mudd Club Version 1:58
Drums – Dave Logeman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Tommy Mars
Keyboards, Bass – Arthur Barrow
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ, Ray Collins
1-10.     Let's Move To Cleveland Solos (1984) 7:11
Bass – Scott Thunes
Guitar – F.Z., Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone – Bobby Martin
Music By – FZ
Soloist, Drums – Chad Wackerman
Soloist, Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Soloist, Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
1-11.     You Call That Music? 4:07
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Clarinet – Ian Underwood
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – F.Z, Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Soloist [Guest], Vibraphone – Dave Samuels
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Words By, Music By – FZ
1-12.     Pound For A Brown Solos (1978) 6:29
Bass – Arthur Barrow, Patrick O'Hearn
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta
Guitar – F.Z.
Keyboards, Vocals, Soloist [2nd Solo] – Tommy Mars
Music By – FZ
Percussion – Ed Mann
Slide Guitar – Denny Walley
Soloist, Synthesizer [Mini-moog] – Peter Wolf
1-13.     The Black Page (1984) 5:14
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar – F.Z.
Music By – FZ
1-14.     Take Me Out To The Ball Game 3:01
Alto Saxophone – Paul Carman
Baritone Saxophone – Kurt McGettrick
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – F.Z.
Guitar, Synthesizer – Mike Keneally
Keyboards – Bobby Martin 
Percussion – Ed Mann
Tenor Saxophone – Albert Wing
Trombone – Bruce Fowler 
Trumpet [Solo], Vocals [Baseball Vocal] – Walt Fowler
Vocals [Baseball Vocal] – Ike Willis
Words By, Music By – Albert Von Tilzer, Jack Norworth
1-15.     Filthy Habits 5:39
Alto Saxophone – Paul Carman
Baritone Saxophone – Kurt McGettrick
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – F.Z.
Guitar, Synthesizer – Mike Keneally
Keyboards – Bobby Martin 
Music By – FZ
Percussion – Ed Mann
Tenor Saxophone – Albert Wing
Trombone – Bruce Fowler 
Trumpet [Solo], Vocals [Baseball Vocal] – Walt Fowler
Vocals [Baseball Vocal] – Ike Willis
1-16.     The Torture Never Stops Original Version 9:16
Bass – Tom Fowler
Drums – Terry Bozzio
Guitar – F.Z.
Harmonica, Vocals – Captain Beefheart
Keyboards – George Duke
Saxophone – Napoleon Murphy Brock
Slide Guitar – Denny Walley
Trombone – Bruce Fowler 
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-1.     Church Chat 2:00
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar], Vocals, Other [Zucchini] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone – Bobby Martin 
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Percussion – Ed Mann
Vocals [Inspirational] – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-2.     Stevie's Spanking 10:51
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar - First Solo] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Keyboards, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar [2nd Solo] – F.Z.
Percussion – Ed Mann
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-3.     Outside Now 6:09
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-4.     Disco Boy 2:59
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – F.Z.
Percussion – Ed Mann
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-5.     Teen-Age Wind 1:54
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Lead Vocals – Bobby Martin
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Percussion – Ed Mann
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-6.     Truck Driver Divorce 4:46
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Lead Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-7.     Florentine Pogen 5:10
Bass – Arthur Barrow
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta
Guitar – Warren Cucurullo
Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Keyboards – Peter Wolf 
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – Ike Willis
Percussion – Ed Mann
Slide Guitar, Vocals – Denny Walley
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-8.     Tiny Sick Tears 4:29
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Drums – Art Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Vocals [Sensitive] – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-9.     Smell My Beard 4:32
Bass – Tom Fowler
Drums – Chester Thompson
Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Keyboards, Vocals – George Duke
Percussion – Ruth Underwood
Saxophone, Vocals – Napoleon Murphy Brock
Words By, Music By – FZ, George Duke
2-10.     The Booger Man 2:44
Bass – Tom Fowler
Drums – Chester Thompson
Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Keyboards, Vocals – George Duke
Percussion – Ruth Underwood
Saxophone, Vocals – Napoleon Murphy Brock
Words By, Music By – FZ, George Duke, Napoleon Brock
2-11.     Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy 6:27
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-12.     Are You Upset? 1:29
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Drums – Art Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – FZ
2-13.     Little Girl Of Mine 1:40
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – Herbert Cox, Morris Levy
2-14.     The Closer You Are 2:05
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – Earl Lewis, Morgan Robinson
2-15.     Johnny Darling 0:51
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – Johnny Statten, Louis Satten
2-16.     No, No Cherry 1:25
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar, Vocals – Ike Willis, Ray White
Keyboards – Alan Zavod
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Vocals – F.Z.
Words By, Music By – J. Gray, L. Caesar
2-17.     The Man From Utopia 1:16
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin 
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – F.Z.
Percussion – Ed Mann
Words By, Music By – Donald Woods, Doris Woods
2-18.     Mary Lou 2:15
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar [Stunt Guitar] – Steve Vai
Guitar, Vocals – Ray White
Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals – Bobby Martin
Keyboards, Vocals – Tommy Mars
Lead Vocals – F.Z.
Percussion – Ed Mann
Words By, Music By – Obie Jess

FRANK ZAPPA — You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 (1992) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For the fifth volume in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series, Frank Zappa prepared two unrelated discs. Disc one features the original Mothers of Invention in unreleased live and studio recordings mainly from 1969 (but also one from 1965 and a couple from 1967-1968). Disc two documents the 1982 European tour. There is something wicked -- almost obscene -- in this pairing, and it surely was intentional. Throughout the 1980s, fans of the early Mothers had attacked Zappa's integrity in the case of the re-recorded CD reissues of We're Only in It for the Money and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets, and often despised the scatological antics and straightforward rock stylings of his latter bands. This was a calculated move, a way to say: "So you want unreleased material from the early Mothers? OK, but you'll have to pay for the 1982 band -- and hopefully listen to it, too." The material on the MOI disc occasionally features meager sound quality (as expected), but it contains many gems for the aficionado ("Run Home Slow," the hilarious "Right There," and "No Waiting for the Peanuts to Dissolve" stand out). This is a place for fans to salivate over bits and pieces, not for newcomers to get the full picture about Zappa's pre-1970 career. On the other hand, the performances on disc two are of more general appeal. Although the 1982 band had not really been documented yet (left only a few tracks on Vol. 1 and Vol. 4 of this series), it was not the case for its repertoire. Of historical significance are "Dead Girls of London" and "Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously?" The other tracks show good performances but don't stand out as particularly original or essential. François Couture   
Tracklist :
1-1.     The Downtown Talent Scout 4:01
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Jimmy Carl Black
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Recorded By [Ampex Portable] – John Judnich
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Rhythm Guitar – Elliot Ingber
Tambourine – Ray Collins
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
1-2.     Charles Ives 4:33
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – F.Z.
Guitar, Lead Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Recorded By [Scully Console] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet [Solo] – Buzz Gardner
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
1-3.     Here Lies Love 2:45
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Ian Underwood
Arranged By [Uncredited] – Frank Zappa
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – F.Z.
Guitar, Lead Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Recorded By [Scully Console] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet [Solo] – Buzz Gardner
Written-By – Martin, Dobard
1-4.     Piano/Drum Duet 1:57
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III
Electric Piano [RMI Electric Piano] – Ian Underwood
Music By – F.Z.
Recorded By [Scully Console] – Steve
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
1-5.     Mozart Ballet - Piano Sonata In B Flat 4:05
Bass, Voice [Asthmatic Laughter] – Roy Estrada
Conductor, Vocals, Voice – F.Z.
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III*, Jimmy Carl Black
Electronics, Noises [Injured Chicken Noises] – Don Preston
Music By – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer [Ballet - Biological Masterpiece] – Kanzus J. Kanzus
Performer [Ballet - Dance Stylings] – Noel Redding
Performer [Snorks - Rubber Chicken Strangulation] – Dick Barber
Performer [Victim Of Evil Experiments] – Motorhead Sherwood
Piano [Acoustic Piano Solo] – Ian Underwood
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Words By, Arranged By – F.Z.
1-6.     Chocolate Halvah 3:25
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals [Swami Vocal 2] – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guiro, Vocals [Swami Vocal 1] – Lowell George
Guitar – F.Z.
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Music By – F.Z.
Recorded By [Scully Console] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Words By – Lowell George, Roy Estrada
1-7.     JCB & Kansas On The Bus #1 1:04
Recorded By [UHER Portable] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – Bob Stone
Voice – Dick Barber, Dick Kunc, Jimmy Carl Black, Kansas J. Kanzus
Words By – Barber, Kunc, Black, Kansus
1-8.     Run Home Slow: Main Title Theme 1:17
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Music By, Guitar, Conductor – F.Z.
Recorded By – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
1-9.     The Little March 1:21
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Music By, Guitar, Conductor – F.Z.
Recorded By – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
1-10.     Right There 5:07
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone, Vocals – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass, Vocals [Lunatic Vocals] – Roy Estrada
Drums, Vocals – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Effects [Fx] – F.Z., Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics, Tape [Tape Playback] – Don Preston
Music By, Conductor – F.Z.
Recorded By [At Criteria] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tape [Documentary Recordist, Past Performance Recordings] – Bunk Gardner
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Words By – F.Z., Roy Estrada
1-11.     Where Is Johnny Velvet? 0:52
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards – Don Preston
Lead Guitar, Vocals, Words By – F.Z.
Recorded By [UHER Portable] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer – Bob Stone
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
1-12.     Return Of The Hunch-Back Duke 1:44
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards – Don Preston
Lead Guitar, Vocals, Music By – F.Z.
Recorded By [UHER Portable] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer – Bob Stone
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
1-13.     Trouble Every Day 4:07
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Vocals – Lowell George
Keyboards – Don Preston
Lead Guitar, Vocals, Words By, Music By – F.Z.
Recorded By [UHER Portable] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer – Bob Stone
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
1-14.     Proto-Minimalism 1:40
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – F.Z., Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Music By, Conductor – F.Z.
Recorded By [Scully Console] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
1-15.     JCB & Kansas On The Bus #2 1:11
Recorded By [UHER Portable] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – Bob Stone
Voice – Dick Barber, Dick Kunc, Jimmy Carl Black, Kansas J. Kanzus
Words By – Barber, Kunc, Black, Kanzus
1-16 My Head? 1:22
Performer [Party Animal], Voice – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Bunk Gardner, Don Preston, Ian Underwood, Jimmy Carl Black, Motorhead Sherwood, Roy Estrada
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Words By – M.O.I.
1-17.     Meow 1:24
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Recorded By – Wally Heider
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – Bob Stone
Tambourine, Vocals – Ray Collins
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Words By, Music By, Conductor – F.Z.
1-18.     Baked-Bean Boogie 3:27
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar, Vocals – Lowell George
Lead Guitar – F.Z.
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
1-19.     Where's Our Equipment? 2:29
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Billy Mundi, Jimmy Carl Black
Music By, Conductor – F.Z.
Piano – Don Preston
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – Bob Stone
Tambourine – Ray Collins
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
1-20.     FZ/JCB Drum Duet 4:27
Drums [First Drum Solo] – F.Z.
Drums [Rhythm Drums] – Jimmy Carl Black
Drums [Second Drum Solo] – Arthur Dyer Tripp III
Music By, Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Recorded By [Scully] – Dick Kunc
1-21.     No Waiting For The Peanuts To Dissolve 4:45
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar [First Guitar Solo] – Lowell George
Guitar [Second Guitar Solo] – F.Z.
Keyboards – Don Preston
Recorded By [Scully Console] – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
1-22.     A Game Of Cards 0:46
Recorded By [Sony Cassette], Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Voice – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, F.Z., Ian Underwood, Motorhead Sherwood
Words By – Tripp, F.Z., Underwood, Sherwood
1-23.     Underground Freak-Out Music 3:52
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Conductor, Vocals – F.Z.
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Guitar – Lowell George
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Recorded By – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Trumpet – Buzz Gardner
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
1-24.     German Lunch 6:43
Performer [Comedian - Main Customs Officer] – Lowell George
Performer [Comedian] – Arthur Dyer Tripp III*, Bunk Gardner, Buzz Gardner, Don Preston, F.Z., Ian Underwood, Jimmy Carl Black, Motorhead Sherwood, Roy Estrada
Recorded By – Dick Kunc
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Words By – M.O.I.
1-25.     My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama 2:12
Alto Saxophone – Ian Underwood
Baritone Saxophone – Motorhead Sherwood
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Arthur Dyer Tripp III, Jimmy Carl Black
Keyboards, Electronics – Don Preston
Lead Guitar, Vocals – F.Z.
Remix, Engineer [UMRK] – F.Z.
Tenor Saxophone – Bunk Gardner
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
Dedicated To The 1982 Band
2-1.     Easy Meat 7:39
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-2.     The Dead Girls Of London 2:29
Music By – L. Shankar
Words By – F.Z.
2-3.     Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously? 1:45
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-4.     What's New In Baltimore? 5:04
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-5.     Moggio 2:29
Music By – F.Z.
2-6.     Dancin' Fool 3:13
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-7.     RDNZL 7:59
Music By – F.Z.
2-8.     Advance Romance 7:01
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-9.     City Of Tiny Lites 10:38
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-10.     A Pound For A Brown (On The Bus) 8:39
Music By – F.Z.
2-11.     Doreen 1:59
Words By, Music By – F.Z.
2-12.     The Black Page #2 9:52
Music By – F.Z.
2-13.     Geneva Farewell 1:38

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION — Absolutely Free (1967-1995) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Frank Zappa's liner notes for Freak Out! name-checked an enormous breadth of musical and intellectual influences, and he seemingly attempts to cover them all on the second Mothers of Invention album, Absolutely Free. Leaping from style to style without warning, the album has a freewheeling, almost schizophrenic quality, encompassing everything from complex mutations of "Louie, Louie" to jazz improvisations and quotes from Stravinsky's Petrushka. It's made possible not only by expanded instrumentation, but also Zappa's experiments with tape manipulation and abrupt editing, culminating in an orchestrated mini-rock opera ("Brown Shoes Don't Make It") whose musical style shifts every few lines, often in accordance with the lyrical content. In general, the lyrics here are more given over to absurdity and non sequiturs, with the sense that they're often part of some private framework of satirical symbols. But elsewhere, Zappa's satire also grows more explicitly social, ranting against commercial consumer culture and related themes of artificiality and conformity. By turns hilarious, inscrutable, and virtuosically complex, Absolutely Free is more difficult to make sense of than Freak Out!, partly because it lacks that album's careful pacing and conceptual focus. But even if it isn't quite fully realized, Absolutely Free is still a fabulously inventive record, bursting at the seams with ideas that would coalesce into a masterpiece with Zappa's next project. Steve Huey
"Absoutely Free" (1st In A Series Of Underground Oratorios)    
1.    Plastic People    3:42
2.    The Duke Of Prunes    2:13
3.    Amnesia Vivace    1:01
4.    The Duke Regains His Chops    1:52
5.    Call Any Vegetable    2:15
6.    Invocation & Ritual Dance Of The Young Pumpkin    7:00
7.    Soft-Sell Conclusion    1:40
8.    Big Leg Emma    2:31
9.    Why Don'tcha Do Me Right?    2:37
"The M.O.I. American Pageant" (2nd In A Series Of Underground Oratorios)    
10.    America Drinks    1:53
11.    Status Back Baby    2:54
12.    Uncle Bernie's Farm    2:10
13.    Son Of Suzy Creamcheese    1:34
14.    Brown Shoes Don't Make It    7:30
15.    America Drinks & Goes Home    2:45
Credits :
Artwork By [Cover Art, Layout, Collages Etc.], Liner Notes, Composed By, Arranged By, Conductor – Frank Zappa
Performer – Billy Mundi, Bunk Gardner, Don Preston, Frank Zappa, Jim Black, Jim Sherwood, Ray Collins, Roy Estrada

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION — We're Only in It for the Money (1968-1995) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

From the beginning, Frank Zappa cultivated a role as voice of the freaks -- imaginative outsiders who didn't fit comfortably into any group. We're Only in It for the Money is the ultimate expression of that sensibility, a satirical masterpiece that simultaneously skewered the hippies and the straights as prisoners of the same narrow-minded, superficial phoniness. Zappa's barbs were vicious and perceptive, and not just humorously so: his seemingly paranoid vision of authoritarian violence against the counterculture was borne out two years later by the Kent State killings. Like Freak Out, We're Only in It for the Money essentially devotes its first half to satire, and its second half to presenting alternatives. Despite some specific references, the first-half suite is still wickedly funny, since its targets remain immediately recognizable. The second half shows where his sympathies lie, with character sketches of Zappa's real-life freak acquaintances, a carefree utopia in "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance," and the strident, unironic protest "Mother People." Regardless of how dark the subject matter, there's a pervasively surreal, whimsical flavor to the music, sort of like Sgt. Pepper as a creepy nightmare. Some of the instruments and most of the vocals have been manipulated to produce odd textures and cartoonish voices; most songs are abbreviated, segue into others through edited snippets of music and dialogue, or are broken into fragments by more snippets, consistently interrupting the album's continuity. Compositionally, though, the music reveals itself as exceptionally strong, and Zappa's politics and satirical instinct have rarely been so focused and relevant, making We're Only in It for the Money quite probably his greatest achievement. Steve Huey 
Tracklist :
1.    Are You Hung Up?    1:24
2.    Who Needs The Peace Corps?    2:34
3.    Concentration Moon    2:22
4.    Mom & Dad    2:16
5.    Telephone Conversation    0:48
6.    Bow Tie Daddy    0:33
7.    Harry, You're A Beast    1:21
8.    What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body?    1:03
9.    Absolutely Free    3:24
10.    Flower Punk    3:03
11.    Hot Poop    0:26
12.    Nasal Retentive Calliope Music    2:02
13.    Let's Make The Water Turn Black    2:01
14.    The Idiot Bastard Son    3:18
15.    Lonely Little Girl    1:09
16.    Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance    1:32
17.    What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body? (Reprise)    1:02
18.    Mother People    2:26
19.    The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny    6:25
Credits :
Artwork [Plastic Figures & All Other Artwork], Design [CD Design Consultant] – Cal Schenkel
Composed By, Arranged By, Edited By [Scientifically Mutilated By], Supervised By [Orchestral Segments Conducted Under The Supervision Of] – Frank Zappa
Drums, Trumpet, Vocals, Voice [Indian Of The Group] – Jimmy Carl Black
Drums, Vocals, Other [Yak & Black Lace Underwear] – Billy Mundi
Electric Bass, Vocals, Other [Asthma] – Roy Estrada
Guitar, Piano, Lead Vocals, Other [Weirdness], Edited By [Editing] – Frank Zappa
Performer [Retired] – Don Preston
Performer [Snorks] – Dick Barber
Piano, Woodwind, Other [Wholesome] – Ian Underwood
Soprano Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Voice [Road Manager], Other [All Purpose Weirdness And Teen Appeal] – Euclid James Motorhead Sherwood
Voice [Has Graciously Consented To Speak To You In Several Critical Area] – Eric Clapton
Voice [Telephone] – Suzy Creamcheese
Woodwind [All], Vocals [Mumbled Weirdness] – Bunk Gardner

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION — Uncle Meat (1969-1995) RM | 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Just three years into their recording career, the Mothers of Invention released their second double album, Uncle Meat, which began life as the largely instrumental soundtrack to an unfinished film. It's essentially a transitional work, but it's a fascinating one, showcasing Frank Zappa's ever-increasing compositional dexterity and the Mothers' emerging instrumental prowess. It was potentially easy to overlook Zappa's melodic gifts on albums past, but on Uncle Meat, he thrusts them firmly into the spotlight; what few lyrics there are, Zappa says in the liner notes, are in-jokes relevant only to the band. Thus, Uncle Meat became the point at which Zappa began to establish himself as a composer and he would return to many of these pieces repeatedly over the course of his career. Taken as a whole, Uncle Meat comes off as a hodgepodge, with centerpieces scattered between variations on previous pieces, short concert excerpts, less-realized experiments, doo wop tunes, and comedy bits; the programming often feels as random as the abrupt transitions and tape experiments held over from Zappa's last few projects. But despite the absence of a conceptual framework, the unfocused sprawl of Uncle Meat is actually a big part of its appeal. It's exciting to hear one of the most creatively fertile minds in rock pushing restlessly into new territory, even if he isn't always quite sure where he's going. However, several tracks hint at the jazz-rock fusion soon to come, especially the extended album closer "King Kong"; it's his first unequivocal success in that area, with its odd time signature helping turn it into a rhythmically kinetic blowing vehicle. Though some might miss the gleeful satire of Zappa's previous work with the Mothers, Uncle Meat's continued abundance of musical ideas places it among his most intriguing works. Steve Huey

Disc 1 Time: 57:21

1.     Main Title Theme (1:56)

2.     The Voice of Cheese (0:26)

3.     Nine Types of Industrial Pollution (6:00)

4.     Zolar Czakl (0:54)

5.     Dog Breath, in the Year of the Plague (3:59)

6.     The Legend of the Golden Arches (3:28)

7.     Louie Louie (At the Royal Albert Hall) (2:19)

8.     The Dog Breath Variations (1:48)

9.     Sleeping in a Jar (0:50)

10.     Our Bizarre Relationship (1:05)

11.     The Uncle Meat Variations (4:46)

12.     Electric Aunt Jemima (1:46)

13.     Prelude to King Kong (3:38)

14.     God Bless America (1:10)

15.     A Pound for a Brown on the Bus (1:29)

16.     Ian Underwood Whips It Out (5:05)

17.     Mr. Green Genes (3:14)

18.     We Can Shoot You (2:03)

19.     If We'd All Been Living in California... (1:14)

20.     The Air (2:57)

21.     Project X (4:48)

22.     Cruisin' for Burgers (2:18)

Disc 2 Time: 63:05

1.     Uncle Meat Film Excerpt, Pt. 1 (37:34)

2.     Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (3:46)

3.     Uncle Meat Film Excerpt, Pt. 2 (3:50)

4.     King Kong Itself [Played by the Mothers] (0:49)

5.     King Kong II [Interpreted by Tom Dewild] (1:21)

6.     King Kong III [Motorhead Explains It] (1:44)

7.     King Kong IV [Gardner Varieties] (6:17)

8.     King Kong V (0:34)

9.     King Kong VI [Live at Miami Pop Festival] (7:24)

Total Time: 120:26

Line-up / Musicians

Frank Zappa - Guitar, Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals

Don Preston - Bass, Keyboards, Electric Piano

Jimmy Carl Black - Comedy, Percussion, Drums, Voices

Ray Collins - Guitar, Vocals

Aynsley Dunbar - Guitar

Roy Estrada - Basses, Vocals

Bunk Gardner / clarinet, flute, bass clarinet, piccolo, saxes, wind

Ruth Komanofff - Percussion, Marimba

Billy Mundi - Drums, Vocals

Jim Sherwood - Guitar, Vocals, Wind

Art Tripp - Percussion, Chimes, Drums, Marimba, Xylophone, Bells, Tympani, Vibraphone, Wood Block

Ian Underwood - Organ, Clarinet, Flute, Guitar, Piano, Celeste, Harpsichord, Keyboards, Saxes, Wind, Electric Organ

Ruth Underwood - Percussion, Keyboards

Nelly Walker - Vocals

Euclid James Sherwood - Tenor Sax, Tambourine, Voices 

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION — Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970-1995) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Burnt Weeny Sandwich is an album by The Mothers of Invention, released in 1970. It consists of both studio album and live elements. In contrast to Weasels Ripped My Flesh, which is predominately live and song-oriented, most of Burnt Weeny Sandwich focuses on studio recordings and tightly arranged compositions.

The LP included a large triple-folded black and white poster ("The Mothers of Invention Sincerely Regret to Inform You") which has never been reproduced in any of the CD reissues. Until the 2012 Zappa Family Trust reissue campaign, CD editions had a severe dropout at the beginning of "The Little House I Used to Live In" that wasn't present on the original LP pressing. This is Official Release #9.

The album's unusual title, Zappa would later say in an interview, comes from an actual snack that he enjoyed eating, consisting of a burnt Hebrew National hot dog sandwiched between two pieces of bread with mustard.

Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh were also reissued together on vinyl as 2 Originals of the Mothers of Invention, with the original covers used as the left and right sides of the inner spread, and the front cover depicting a pistol shooting toothpaste onto a toothbrush.

The album was essentially a 'posthumous' Mothers release having been released after Frank Zappa dissolved the band.

Ian Underwood's contributions are significant on this album. The album, like its counterpart Weasels Ripped My Flesh, comprises tracks from the Mothers vault that were not previously released. Whereas Weasels mostly showcases the Mothers in a live setting, much of Burnt Weeny Sandwich features studio work and structured Zappa compositions, like the centerpiece of the album, "The Little House I Used to Live In", which consists of several movements and employs compound meters such as 11/8 with overlaid melodies in 6/8 and 4/4.

The guitar solo portion of the "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich" is an outtake from an unused extended version of "Lonely Little Girl" from the 1967 sessions for the We're Only in It for the Money LP. Zappa and Art Tripp later added multiple percussion overdubs for the released version (The source recordings for the percussion overdubs were issued in 2012 on the posthumous Zappa release Finer Moments under the title "Enigmas 1-5").

"Valarie" was originally intended to be released as a single coupled with "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama". However, either Zappa or his label, Reprise Records, cancelled its release, resulting in its inclusion on the LP.

"Igor's Boogie" is a reference to a major Zappa influence, composer Igor Stravinsky.

Cal Schenkel has noted that his unique cover art for Burnt Weeny Sandwich was originally commissioned for the cover of an Eric Dolphy release.

The piano introduction of "The Little House I Used to Live in" appears in Yvar Mikhashoff's four CD set "Yvar Mikhashoff's Panorama of American Piano Music"

After guiding the Mothers of Invention to significant critical respect and even modest commercial success over the second half of the ‘60s, Frank Zappa welcomed 1970 as a newly minted solo artist. But you wouldn’t necessarily know it based on his recently disbanded group’s lingering presence all over Zappa’s first album of the new year, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, which arrived in stores in February 1970 and was credited to the defunct group.

Named after one of Zappa’s favorite snacks in times of hunger emergency, the burnt weeny sandwich essentially consisted of flash-roasting a hot dog over an open flame, sticking it between two slices of bread, and snarfing it down while expediently returning to work, which, in Zappa’s case, entailed filling endless pieces of paper with little black dots called notes.

‘Burnt Weeny Sandwich’ in many ways mirrored the recipe for the snack in that it somewhat hastily and haphazardly threw together songs of radically diverse style and origin, as was aptly represented by artist Cal Shenkel’s chaotic collage adorning the LP cover. As such, two doo-wop covers — the Four Deuces’ “WPLJ” and Jackie & the Starlites’ “Valarie” — book-ended the other musical contents like thin slices of white bread. They may have harked back to Zappa’s earliest musical influences, but they had pretty much zero in common with the musical condiments they surrounded.

These included a dazzling display of the Mothers’ ensemble virtuosity in “Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich” (complete with blazing lead guitar and found sound effects), a mutant sea shanty named “Aybe Sea” (named after its A-B-C chord progression) and a quartet of bite-sized avant-classical pieces in “Igor’s Boogie, Phases 1 & 2,” “Overture to a Holiday in Berlin” and “Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown.” Though consistently stimulating, and typical of Zappa’s fearless genre-hopping tendencies, many of these songs were essentially leftovers from previous recording sessions with the recently unemployed Mothers, and mostly an exercise in closet cleaning.

The biggest single ingredient packing this savory musical hoagie was a near-20-minute concert performance entitled “The Little House I Used to Live In.” Recorded at London’s Royal Albert Hall in June 1969, the song’s extended improvisations provided an epic send-off to the beloved Mothers, in all of their eclectic audaciousness under the leadership and in the service of  Zappa’s singular vision. The recording even contains a snippet of heated repartee between Zappa and an audience member that spawned his famous critique of all the flower children present: “Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform.”

Everyone, that is, except for Zappa, who would almost finish clearing out his vaults of Mothers material later in the year with the release of Weasels Ripped My Flesh. In October, Zappa released Chunga’s Revenge, which introduced the first of many new Mothers lineups that would back him over the decade ahead. web

Burnt Weeny Sandwich is the first of two albums by the Mothers of Invention that Frank Zappa released in 1970, after he had disbanded the original lineup. While Weasels Ripped My Flesh focuses on complex material and improvised stage madness, this collection of studio and live recordings summarizes the leader's various interests and influences at the time. It opens and closes on '50s pop covers, "WPLJ" and "Valarie." "Aybe Sea" is a Zappafied sea shanty, while "Igor's Boogie" is named after composer Igor Stravinsky, the closest thing to a hero Zappa ever worshipped. But the best material is represented by "Holiday in Berlin," a theme that would become central to the music of 200 Motels, and "The Little House I Used to Live In," including a virtuoso piano solo by Ian Underwood. Presented as an extended set of theme and variations, the latter does not reach the same heights as "King Kong." In many places, and with the two aforementioned exceptions in mind, Burnt Weeny Sandwich sounds like a set of outtakes from Uncle Meat, which already summarized to an extent the adventures of the early Mothers. It lacks some direction, but those allergic to the group's grunts and free-form playing will prefer it to the wacky Weasels Ripped My Flesh. François Couture 

Tracklist :

1.     WPLJ (The Four Deuces)     3:02

2.     Igor's Boogie, Phase One       0:40

3.     Overture to a Holiday in Berlin       1:29

4.     Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich       4:35

5.     Igor's Boogie, Phase Two       0:35

6.     Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown       6:27

7.     Aybe Sea       2:45

8.     The Little House I Used to Live in       18:42

9.     Valarie (Jackie and the Starlites)     3:14

All songs written and composed by Frank Zappa except where noted. 

Personnel :

Frank Zappa – Organ, Guitar, Vocals

Jimmy Carl Black – Percussion, Drums

Roy Estrada – Bass, Backing Vocals, Pachuco rap on "WPLJ"

Janet Ferguson – Backing Vocals on "WPLJ"

Bunk Gardner – Horn, Wind

Buzz Gardner - Trumpet

Billy Mundi – Drums (uncredited, left group in December 1967, possibly played on "Theme from Burnt Weeny Sandwich")

Lowell George – Guitar, Vocals

Don "Sugarcane" Harris – Violin on "The Little House I Used to Live In"

Don Preston – Bass, Piano, Keyboards

Jim Sherwood – Guitar, Vocals, Wind

Art Tripp – Drums, Percussion

Ian Underwood – Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Wind

John Balkin – Bass on "WPLJ", string bass on "Overture to a Holiday in Berlin"