"The Real Frank Zappa Book" (Audiobook version) by Frank Zappa with Peter Occhiogrosso, Read by Ahmet Zappa Review

 "The Real Frank Zappa Book" (Audiobook version) by Frank Zappa with Peter Occhiogrosso, Read by Ahmet Zappa Review by Rob H.

There are countless books on and about Frank Zappa and I've read many of them, they range from the linear factual life story "Frank Zappa" by Barry Miles, the books by Ben Watson including the wonderful "Frank Zappa : The Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play" and the incredibly detailed "The Big Note : A Guide To The Recordings of Frank Zappa" by Charles Ulrich which is excellent but needs bringing up to date.

 Chances are if you've picked up any book regarding FZ it's quite likely to have been the one written by Frank himself "The Real Frank Zappa Book" written in 1989 and published the following year. If so you might question the need for an audio version and especially that Frank is no longer here to narrate it (he passed in 1993) yet we all know that he would never have found the time to sit and record it anyway! The original book was sourced from interviews with the co-author Peter Occhiogrosso and it's nice that some of this source material is included here in it's audio form. 

So on paper it would seem having his third child and youngest son Ahmet take on the narration is a stroke of genius however this poses the first issue for some to overcome. Ahmet has become a divisive character to some fans for his roll in the dispute between Frank's children that became very public and left a bad taste in the mouth of many a fan. Thankfully that was resolved some years ago and the family seem to be united or at least less publicly vocal in what is released and what Dweezil bills himself as when playing live so try not to be put off by that whole scenario and give Ahmet a chance.

One thing Ahmet does as a narrator is to not try and imitate his father's distinctive voice and delivery and to be honest the opening chapters feel a little like he is struggling to find his feet however stick with it and he more than grows into the role. Where there are passages featuring dialogue between different people such as in the trial where Zappa sued the Crown for the cancellation of a 1971 concert booked at the Royal Albert Hall under obscenities concerns which came to court in 1975 Ahmet really animates these passages and shows his acting abilities which prove just as effective in the "Porn Wars" hearings later in the book.

Alongside the snippets of Frank speaking we also get the occasional bit of music to highlight relevant sections and also an interview with Laurel Fishman of "Stevie's Spanking" fame! All of this adds depth and interest to the audio version and gives added reason to give it a listen.

The source material isn't without issue mainly because of it's age and the chapters later on in the book that cover politics and tax now feel dated being some 30 + years later and Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Oliver North are all thankfully long gone (although North is still alive!). These chapters do tend to drag and not hold the interest that the rest of the book does but to have cut or amended them wouldn't have been faithful to the original so having them in a "historical" context still has it's place. 

So if this is a book that, like me, you've read countless times then you will still very much enjoy hearing it for the first time in whatever locations you choose to listen to it!

Available now from Audible.

Demon - "The Plague - Remix 2022" Album Review

 Demon - "The Plague - Remix 2022" Album Review by Rob H.

Following on from the remaster of their classic debut album "Night of The Demon" and the remaster and remix of it's follow up "The Unexpected Guest" comes a brand new remix of "The Plague" completed last year. 

The original release came with some mixed reviews as it was a further departure stylistically from the previous albums that rode the NWOBHM wave and had a more supernatural horror subject matter lyrically. "The Plague" saw the band explore a more Progressive sound including more prominent use of keyboards and a story based concept album format that was outlined in a starkly illustrated black and white booklet included with the original album. The album moved away from the more traditional horror themes but arguably embraced a more true to life horror of politics, a near dystopian future and of course a subject that now in these post pandemic years seems acutely prophetic!

Given that the album was released in 1983 when the so-called Neo-Prog genre was gaining popularity Demon created their own sound rather than imitating bands of the era or of the past and you could argue that it might have indeed influenced some of those artists, give "The Wedge" by Pallas a listen for instance which came out in 1986, but this change wasn't a clear commercial grab more an artistic progression.

 Since it's release it has rightly become regarded as a classic and for those who have loved it for the best part of the last forty years hearing this new remix will be like hearing the album for the first time all over again. Whereas some remixes can be clumsy, brutal affairs this has remained faithful to the source and hasn't chosen to rewrite history. The whole album just sounds so much richer, fuller, louder and more distinct. The keyboards are sharp and crisp and you can fully appreciate what they bring to the party and some of the enhanced sound effects make this a great headphones listen. 

It's hard to know whether to review an album that's been out nigh on forty years or to assume a level of exposure to it already. For those that aren't familiar and in this day and age of streaming the best advice would be to go listen for yourselves, check out the epic guitar on the outro to "Fever In The City", the pounding drum intro and throughout "Blackheath - Part 1 & 2", the opener and title track that will have you singing the chorus immediately (you can't go wrong it's "the Plague!"), the beautifully impassioned "The Only Sane Man" and the out and out rockers in "Nowhere To Run", "The Writings On The Wall" and "A Step Too Far". Lyrically the story is perhaps more relevant than ever and the only things that date it slightly is the mention of Evangelist Billy Graham and actress/model Mary Millington at the start of "The Writings On The Wall" and some of the other references within the same track although at the time there was already a sense of looking back with mention of "We've never had it so good" paraphrasing the Harold Macmillan speech from the late 1950's. 

Closer "A Step Too Far" was the only song where the original multi-tracks couldn't be found so it receives a remaster and not the same remix that the rest of the album did however this will not detract from how great a work this is.

Currently "The Plague - Remix 2022" is only available digitally but hopefully there will be enough demand to swing a physical release, it would certainly be good to have the accompanying art insert again, and that the band continue their remix project with "British Standard Approved" which would be what we have to look forward to next if they continue working chronologically.

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Carol Hodge - "Vertiginous Drops" Album Review

 Carol Hodge - "Vertiginous Drops" Album Review by Rob H.

Solo album number four from the talented pianist/vocalist following on from the excellent "The Crippling Space Between" that was released in 2021. Each of Carol's albums have been strong but somehow she continues to grow with each one and "Vertiginous Drops" is no exception proving to be a rich and rewarding experience for the listener.

Carol the musician has a diverse cv and has played regularly with the likes of Ginger Wildheart and Steve Ignorant being one of the founding and constant members in the latter's Slice of Life and also providing keys as well as incredible lead vocals in the Steve Ignorant Band when touring C.R.A.S.S. sets. 

There are some welcome guest appearances on "Vertiginous Drops" including Mr. Wildheart who contributes a guest vocal on "The Price" that bolsters the chorus, additional guitar from Chris Catalyst on "Clean The Slate" which is subtly used and really kicks in for the briefest of breaks before returning for the climatic build at the end of the song. "Wrong Side Of The Glass" features guitar from the great Kavus Torabi of Gong & The Cardiacs whilst Kirsty McGee contributes a haunting musical saw and bass flute on closer "Silhouettes" adding to the melancholy of the vocal and lyric. 

Elsewhere the majority of the album is split between Carol on vocals, piano and synths (check out the wonderful "Never Run Out Of Things To Worry About") and Dave Draper providing drums, bass and guitar giving a richness to the material that can be performed live by a full band or stripped back for a more intimate solo acoustic feel.

"Oh, Amanda!" talks of a certain American musician, hero worship and seeing through the public image. Carol's piano quite fittingly features heavily at the beginning until the song progresses and builds reflecting the chosen instrument of the songs subject. The wonderfully titled "Bitch Don't Break My Serenity" whilst not reflecting Carol in full on punk mode definitely displays a harder edge to her voice while purists who long for a piano and voice showcase should look no further than "Grayson (Things Always Could Be Worse)". 

One of the album's strongest songs comes at the midway point and in "Giving It Up Now" Carol delivers an epic that builds before fading out over a repeated refrain that suggests the self doubt that we all face when making big decisions is always present and that we can always change our minds. As I've now mentioned each song on the album with the exception of opener "Best Will In The World" I will now correct that! As an opener it works perfectly as you can almost imagine it being a bridge between "The Crippling Space Between" and the album you are about to listen to, easing you in while you strap yourself in for the ride to come!

Existing fans will immediately fall in love with this album and for those new to Carol's music be prepared to join them! 

"Vertiginous Drops" is available in physical formats from Carols website and Bandcamp page and will be released on digital platforms on the 10th March.

Carol Hodge Shop

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Indignation Meeting - "Trouble In The Shed" CD/Download Review

 Indignation Meeting - "Trouble In The Shed" CD/Download Review by Rob H.

For anyone that's caught Indignation Meeting live you will know how infectious the enthusiasm and passion of teenage drummer/vocalist/lyricist and occasional trumpeter Peter Hirst is. He also has more than a passing resemblance vocally to the late Pete Shelley none more so than on the Buzzcocks-esque "Swingball Blues", an ode to that garden "sport" which I'm sure most have "enjoyed" at some stage of their lives!

Indignation Meeting are father and son duo of Peter and Michael Hirst (guitar) who are also joined by sister/daughter Heather on occasional backing vocals and on album closer "Give The Teddies What They Want" dual lead. Live they are augmented by either Keith Tyndall or Hugo Hatcher on bass, Blyth Power fans will probably know Hugo as he has stood in at various times on live streams and gigs alongside his parents Annie & Joseph.

Peter focuses his lyrics mainly on trains, both physical and model, which is a subject not alien to certain punk bands. The depth of detail in his lyrics is really quite something though and you will certainly learn something. "41241" about the steam loco almost reads like a Top Trump card of stats before moving on to its history and even model railway version, the song even starts with a recording of the real thing! 

Whereas there are numerous songs regarding trains in general ("Riotous Rolling Stock", "Electrification") and specific engines ("41241", "The Class 37's In The Pits" and "Fabulous Flying Scotsman") there is also the more political "Hornby Horrors" that deals with some of the model companies less savoury business practices which is well presented in both the CD booklet and the songs lyrics. 

"The Inspirational Transformation Of An Unwanted Derelict Industrial Diesel Locomotive Into A Key Display Exhibit" with it's changing time signature wins the award for best name for a song on the album and also contains a spoken word passage over a beat similar to the Talking Heads "Psycho Killer" in which Peter tells of the restoration of said locomotive (if money or the practicalities of garden storage didn't hinder the reality of things!)

When opting on whether to go physical or digital I'd strongly suggest that you consider the CD version as the booklet contains some great insights into the inspiration for each track from Peter which does give you a better understanding and appreciation (especially if you aren't a train aficionado!) 

"Trouble In The Shed" captures the energy and passion of the band as well as showcasing Peter as a lyricist and is a great debut and marks the moment where the band can now steam ahead! (Couldn't resist at least one train pun - sorry!)

OUT NOW - Available from Bandcamp https://indignationmeeting.bandcamp.com/album/trouble-in-the-shed

From The Vaults - Into A Circle - "Assassins" (1988)

 There's a common misconception that on their road to Rock superstardom Southern Death Cult became Death Cult and then simply The Cult but that is, of course, not true. Ian Astbury left the excellent Southern Death Cult and followed that route however the rest of the band (David "Buzz" Burrows, Barry Jepson and Haq Nawaz "Aky" Qureshi) continued as the ill-fated Getting The Fear after recruiting vocalist Paul "Bee" Hampshire.

Getting The Fear got off to a positive start but ultimately fell foul of record company politics and disbanded after releasing just one single (a retrospective album "Death Is Bigger 1984 - 1985" would finally appear in 2021 on the Dais Records label). 

Barry and Bee then continued together forming Into A Circle, releasing a total of four singles between 1985 and 1988 and their excellent debut album "Assassins" which came out in 1988 before splitting the following year. The duo would surprise fans by reuniting and releasing a new album 32 years later when "Steel Box" appeared in 2021.

"Assassins" has become a bit of a lost classic to all but the hardcore fans and is well worth exploring if it's not already on your radar. Rose McDowall of Strawberry Switchblade added her instantly recognisable voice to the album providing the perfect counterpoint to Bee's vocal and adding a harmonic dimension rather than a second lead. Musically the band are often seen as Goth but that is largely due to the heritage of their former bands and "Assassins" drifts somewhere in the realms of indie, dream pop whilst the more jangly elements of 80's goth are evident in both the opening track "Beneath" and it's closer "Seraphin Twin" which also arguably displays an electronic dance beat. Elsewhere there is the rhymical tabla laden "Allah Akhbar" and title track which tells the tale of Hassan-I Sabbah, the mercenary that founded the order of Assassins, although it is a million miles from the Hawkwind song of the same name!

Singles "Forever" and the excellent "Evergreen" both broke the Indie Chart Top Ten but they were perhaps a bit too unique to crossover into the mainstream in the ways that some of their contemporaries managed, maybe if they had then "Assassins" might have lost some of it's charm!

We can only imagine what the second album would have sounded like if it had followed at the time, there's no doubt that "Steel Box" is a welcome addition to their discography however different it may sound, but "Assassins" remains an absolute classic however you want to define it!

 

How To Buy...Frank Zappa (Part Seven Albums #121 - Ongoing)

 How To Buy...Frank Zappa (Part Seven Albums #121 - Ongoing) by Rob H.

#121 "The Mothers 1971" The Mothers

An eight disc set primarily based around the complete Fillmore East tapes that provided the album "Fillmore East - June 1971". We get four complete shows including the previously released John Lennon & Yoko Ono encore jam from Show 2 on June 6th combined with the previously mentioned album as well as the odd appearance on the "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore" series there is certainly some material you will already have. Where this set really works is by providing the full sets from the Fillmore Shows, whereas the original album focussed heavily on the smut element with Flo & Eddie hearing those same tracks within the context of the original performance works much better and is a bit less grating. There's also the question of how many versions of "Billy The Mountain" do you need in one place - the answer appears to be five! It all works though as you are unlikely to listen to the set in one sitting! In addition to the Fillmore shows we also get the earlier "hybrid" show made up of combining the June 1st Scranton and the June 3rd Harrisburg shows which preceded the Fillmore run. One of the big draws here for die hard fans will be the infamous December 10th show from The Rainbow Theatre in London, the show that followed the destruction of the majority of the bands equipment in a fire that burnt down the Casino in Montreux and inspired Deep Purple to write "Smoke On The Water". The Rainbow show is best know for when Zappa was attacked and pushed offstage at the end of the encore (all captured on tape), the resulting injuries left Frank wheelchair bound for a year and the dissolution of The Mothers. The band are obviously struggling in places including and extended opening where the monitors are feedbacking as there wasn't time to complete the soundcheck and the set is noticeably different from the earlier shows in the set. Like the 1970 set there is a lot to recommend this one.

  

#122 "Zappa/Erie" Frank Zappa

Whereas most of the Vault releases seem to have a theme or a purpose "Zappa/Erie" is pretty much three shows (plus bonus tracks) performed in Erie, PA and the surrounding area dating from 1974 and 1976. As this is where vaultmeister Joe Travers grew up that seems to be the only reason that he hunted out the shows for this release which seems a bit tenuous and unlike some of the sets with more discs this one came with a high price tag (unless you go digital or stream). Musically of course it more than justifies it's existence with three different bands and feels. For the first 1974 show the band features the three Fowler Brothers (Walt, Tom & Bruce), Ralph Humphrey, Chester Thompson, Jeff Simmons, George Duke, Don Preston and Napoleon Murphy Brock but noticeably no Ruth Underwood. Highlights include a brilliant "Inca Roads" and a whole host of early material that Napoleon Murphy Brock adds his voice to. By the time of the second 1974 show here approximately six months later the band had slimmed down leaving just Napoleon Murphy Brock, Tom Fowler, Chester Thompson, George Duke and the returning Ruth Underwood. Zappa also had a bad case of the flu on this show which you can here in his vocal delivery and there are some great guitar moments to enjoy on songs such as "RDNZL" and "Montana" as well as a sax laden "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow". By the time of the 1976 show we have an entirely different band, one that was very short lived so it's always interesting to hear, consisting of Terry Bozzio, Patrick O'Hearn, Eddie Jobson, Ray White and "Lady" Bianca Odin. The real highlight from the 1976 show has to be the near nineteen minute "Black Napkins" with extended guitar soloing but also vocal passages.

#123 "Zagreb/Ljubljana" Frank Zappa

A double album taken from two Yugoslavian shows (the only time Zappa played there) with another rare and short lived line up featuring Napoleon Murphy Brock, Terry Bozzio, Roy Estrada, Andre Lewis and Norma Jean Bell. Amongst the highlights here are a prototype heavy fuzz instrumental version of "Wind Up Working In A Gas Station", Terry Bozzio solos from both nights, a nineteen minute solo laden "Chunga's Revenge" and a "Black Napkins" with some great sax lines. It's definitely a completists show but there's plenty of nice moments to enjoy.

#124 "Waka/Wazoo" Frank Zappa

A five disc set focussing on the "jazz" period of "Waka/Jawaka" and "The Grand Wazoo" containing outtakes and alternate versions as well as presenting both albums in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround Sound and Hi-Def Stereo mixing on a blu ray disc (disc five). Also included is a disc of George Duke demos and sessions outtakes produced by Zappa and a full "Petite Wazoo" gig from Winterland 1972 which is an interesting gig as it features none of the tracks from either "jazz" album instead we are treated to instrumentals "Little Dots", "America Drinks", "Farther O'Blivion" and closer "Chunga's Revenge" along with vocal versions of "Montana" and "Cosmik Debris". If you are a fan of the source albums then this is definitely one you'd want to explore and as they are both perhaps underappreciated releases this is a great way of rediscovering them! 

How To Buy...Captain Beefheart

How To Buy...Captain Beefheart by Rob H.

People new to the wonderful world of Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart often jump feet first into his most famous album "Trout Mask Replica" and then many will dismiss him and wonder what all the fuss is about. Hopefully this guide will help you find the gems and the best way of approaching the Beefheart discography!

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Safe As Milk (1967)

Throughout his musical career two things were always certain, firstly he would sign a series of bad contracts which would prevent him from capitalising on any momentum a previous tour or album might have had and secondly the Magic Band membership was always in flux!

"Safe As Milk" saw a reshuffled Magic Band as well as the introduction of guitar legend Ry Cooder (then aged 20) and drummer John French who would soon earn the moniker Drumbo. This would be Cooder's only album with the Magic Band.

As a debut album it certainly makes its mark although it doesn't quite know where it is stylistically vering from electric Blues through Sixties pop and psychedelia. Singles wise this allowed them to showcase their different sides with the pop of "Yellow Brick Road" and the psychedelic blues tinged "Plastic Factory" both solid numbers but far from the best the album had on offer.

Standout songs include : "Sure 'Nuff 'n' Yes I Do", "Zig Zag Wanderer" and "Electricity" which was the song that reportedly got them dropped by A&M after the labels co-owner declared it "too negative" for his teenage daughter to listen to. It also has an amazing drum beat and a theremin weaving in and out, this is possibly the song that is most indicative of where the Magic Band would be heading.

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Strictly Personal (1968)

After recording demos for the follow up to "Safe As Milk" Beefhearts label Buddah declined to release the album then called "It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper". So after one album Beefheart would move on to his third label (having been signed to A&M prior to Buddah).

"Stictly Personal" is an odd one and often divides opinion as the material has been released on four or five albums in different foms. Buddah would take their tapes and release the excellent "Mirror Man" in 1971 which I'll come to in a few days which then was extended into "The Mirror Man Sessions" but one of the big bones of contention with "Strictly Personal" is the production.

Essentially it's produced like a psychedelic album with heavy use of phasing and reverb which does the material no favours. The album takes the material written earlier but re-records it which wouldn't be the last time Beefheart would be forced into that situation.

A lot of the album just sounds murky and doesn't allow the material or performance to shine, take "Son of Mirror Man - Mere Man" as a case in point, it's like listening to audible sludge but you can hear the performance would be great if it sounded cleaner.

Standout songs include : "Safe As Milk", "Beatle Bones 'n' Smokin' Stones" and "Gimme Dat Harp Boy" which allows Beefheart to highlight his harmonica skills.

My recommendation would be to skip this album in favour of "The Mirror Man Sessions".

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (1969)

Beefhearts masterpiece or a hot mess that's hard to understand? The truth in all honesty lays somewhere inbetween. It's an iconic album and as such has probably drawn many people to listen to it only to immediately disregard it!

So album number three and label number four! This time signing to Frank Zappa's Straight (although some copies made it out on the sister label Bizarre). Zappa and Beefheart had been childhood friends and the concept was to record the Magic Band and give them total artistic freedom. A house was rented and Beefheart mercilessly rehearsed the band for fourteen hours a day for eight months so remember when you listen to the album where you might think it's a bit of a cacophony of random notes that this was tightly rehearsed and it is how the music was written. To be fair if you have a background in free jazz you'll probably cope better!

The band were also all given new names which you will hear refered to in various spoken word parts on the album so with Beefheart and Drumbo the members became Antennae Jimmy Semens, Zoot Horn Rollo, Rockette Morton and The Mascara Snake.

Zappa's idea (he was also producing the album) was to record the band in their rented house until Beefheart insisted on going into a studio, you can hear the difference in the quality of the "field" recordings.

"Trout Mask Replica" is twenty eight fairly short songs and was a double album. It features multiple time signatures, spoken word passages, pounding drums and picked guitar runs and also introduces us to the phrase "fast and bulbous"! There's also a few songs that just feature Beefheart singing which accentuates the offbeat nature of his lyrics/poetry but what is now absent is the feeling of a blues based band.

However challenging it may be on first listen there is plenty to appreciate and it keeps you coming back exploring the multi-layed depths. It would be a massively influential album for many and it's easy to see it as a blueprint for Mark E. Smith and The Fall and Peter Murphy and Mick Karn named their Dali's Car project after one of the albums instrumentals. The album cover designed by Cal Schenkel, who was responcible for many Zappa covers, has become iconic and has been parodied in work such as on the Robert Rankin book "Sprout Mask Replica". It's also worth noting the Trout Mask of the cover was actually a carp for all you trivia fans!

Standout tracks include : "Ella Guru", "Pachuco Cadaver" and "The Blimp (Mousetrapreplica)" the latter featuring a phone recording of guitarist Jeff Cotton (aka Antennae Jimmy Semens) reading the lyrics of a song down the phone to Zappa as Beefheart was too excited to do it as legend goes. Zappa then put this over a song The Mothers of Invention were working on called "Charles Ives" which accounts for why musically that song sounds different to the rest of the album.

So approach with caution and keep coming back!

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off, Baby (1970)

Following "Trout Mask Replica" was always going to be interesting and "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" follows the same musical style with time signatures galore and an almost discordant sound but here it is softer, less stark and Beefheart's vocal is more to the fore.

You may also have noted that for the first time the Magic Band are billed as the Magic Band rather than His Magic Band, this would continue on future albums which the exception of "Mirror Man" which was an historical recording. The line up had also changed with the departure of guitarist Jeff Cotton (Antennae Jimmy Semens) and Victor Hayden (The Mascara Snake) and the arrival of Art Tripp (Ed Marimba) from The Mothers of Invention on marimba and percussion.

For those still tracking labels this was released both on Straight and it's parent company Reprise.

Standout tracks include : "Lick My Decals Off, Baby", "I Love You, Big Dummy" and "The Smithsonian Institute Blues (Or The Big Dig)".

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Mirror Man (1971)

After the critical success of "Trout Mask Replica" and the commercial success of "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" former label Buddah went back to the tapes that had been intended to form the second album "It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper" and put out "Mirror Man" reducing the proposed double album to just one.

"Mirror Man" consists of four songs inclucluding the near twenty minute "Tarotplane" and fifteen minute title track and is the bluesy psych sound that you'd expect given it was recorded four years prior to it's release. It was re-issued many years later in an expanded form as "The Mirror Man Sessions" which featured more of the material that would be re-recorded for the "Strictly Personal" album but without the controversual production that had split opinion so.

"Mirror Man" is great, it's an essential part in any Beefheart collection and also a good starting point as it immerses you in the music and Beefhearts harmonica playing as much as his singing.

Standout tracks include : "Tarotplane", "25th Century Quaker" & "Mirror Man".

Captain Beefheart - The Spotlight Kid (1972)

The first of two albums released in 1972 and the only album to be released solely under the name of Captain Beefheart despite the Magic Band being on the album.

"The Spotlight Kid" differs substantially from the preceding albums and is seen as Beefhearts attempt at being more accessible. The songs are noticiably slower in tempo and far less complex in structure and it's reported that it wasn't well liked by the band who also featured former Mothers of Invention guitarist Elliot Ingber on two songs.

Standout songs include : "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby", the Tom Waits-esque "The Spotlight Kid" and the harmonica laden "Click Clack".

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Clear Spot (1972)

The second album to be released in 1972 "Clear Spot" continues the more commercial path started on "The Spotlight Kid" but has arguably better material. There was a re-shuffle in The Magic Band with Drumbo leaving meaning Art Tripp becoming drummer and percussionist, Rockette Morton switched to guitar and bass and yet another former Mothers of Invention member was bought in with the now disgraced Roy Estrada joining on bass from Little Feat.

There's a diversity of styles from the sparsly accompanied poetry of closer "Golden Birdies", the ballads of "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains" and "Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles" to the more driven "Low Yo Yo Stuff" and "Sun Zoom Spark".

Standout tracks include : "Low Yo Yo Stuff", "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains" and "Big Eyed Beans From Venus"

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Unconditionally Guaranteed (1974)

The first of two albums released in 1974 and another label change leaving Reprise for Mercury in the US and Virgin in the UK. "Unconditionally Guaranteed" is generally considered the weakest of the Beefheart albums in so much that it really doesn't sound much like Beefheart, it has more of a Dr John or even Joe Cocker vibe about it.

With another shuffle in The Magic Band Alex St. Clair returned to the band on guitar, Roy Estrada left and Rockette Morton switched back to bass but musically it again follows a more overtly commercial direction. The album is viewed a bit as a money grab which Beefheart doesn't hide by being pictured on the cover clutching wads of cash but things were all too much and the entire Magic Band quit after the recording of the album.

It's not a bad album by any stretch but it's simply not Beefheart and I'll only be picking two standout tracks instead of my usual three these are the excellent opener "Upon The My-O-My" and closer "Peaches".

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Bluejeans & Moonbeams (1974)

The second album to be released in 1974 and The Magic Band on the album are that in name only after the entire Magic Band quit following the recording of the previous album "Unconditionally Guaranteed" many of whom formed the band Mallard. For "Bluejeans & Moonbeams" Beefheart used session musicians for a pretty straight album.

Again an album that is not particarly band but unremarkable in a 70's funk tinged rock way and not that representative of the Beefheart sound.

Standout songs include : "Party of Special Things To Do", "Pompadour Swamp" & "Rock 'n' Roll's Evil Doll".

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (1978)

Out of contract with Mercury after the disappointments of both "Unconditionally Guaranteed" and "Bluejeans & Moonbeams" Beefheart was invited to tour with Frank Zappa which resulted in the part live / part studio album "Bongo Fury" as well as some unofficial live albums from radio broadcasts such as "Muffin Man Goes To College".

After that tour Beefheart formed a new Magic Band and recorded the "Bat Chain Puller" album in 1976 for the DiscReet label founded by Zappa and his manager Herb Cohen. Zappa discovered that Cohen had funded the album out of Zappa's royalty checks without his knowledge which lead to a breakdown of their relationship, legal action and ultimately the master tapes of "Bat Chain Puller" being withheld. They wouldn't be released until 2012 two years after Beefheart had passed away.

Just like the "Strictly Personal" album had re-recorded material that the Buddah label chose not to release Beefheart decided to re-record some of "Bat Chain Puller" and release the excellent "Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)" album with a different line up of the Magic Band than the one that recorded the source album which included Bruce Fowler from the Zappa band, guitarist Jeff Moris Tepper and drummer Robert Williams.

In the subsequent years between "Shiny Beast" and the eventual release of "Bat Chain Puller" a few semi official albums were released which were purported to be taken from Beefhearts original tapes of the session as "Dust Sucker" and "Son of Dust Sucker".

"Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)" marks the long return of something more akin to the classic Magic Band sound and it's an incredible album that should feature in any Beefheart collection.

Standoud songs include : "The Floppy Boot Stomp", "Tropical Hot Dog Night" & "Bat Chain Puller".

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Doc At The Radar Station (1980)

Now on the Virgin label globally and with another reshuffle in the ranks of The Magic Band which saw the return of John French (Drumbo) as a multi-instrumentalist as well as the introduction of guitarist Gary Lucas (who would have a larger role on the following album "Ice Cream For Crow" two years later).

There is a new energy in The Magic Band and even though a lot of the songs are re-worked unreleased songs from earlier periods they are more developed and bought up to date.

Standout songs include : "Hot Head", "Ashtray Heart" and "Sue Egypt".

 

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Ice Cream For Crow (1982)

The final album before Beefheart retired from music to spend time on his painting continues in the same vein as "Doc At The Radar Station" in that it draws largely on unfinished songs. As you'd expect there was more changes in the Magic Band most importantly Gary Lucas playing a more prominant role.

The legal issues with "Bat Chain Puller" had been resolved and the plan was to include three songs from the unreleased album but Zappa refused for these to be used as the owner of the rights to the album. Although Beefheart used his original tape of "'81 Poop Hatch" and reworked "Human Totem Pole" into "Skeleton Makes Good".

Standout songs include : "Ice Cream For Crow", "The Host The Ghost The Most Holy-O" and "Ink Mathmatics".

Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) would pass away in 2010 never returning to music, "Bat Chain Puller" would finally be released two years later in 2012 released by Zappa Records. The Magic Band would reform a few times to tour and release some live albums. There are also a number of official and unofficial Beefheart live albums of varying quality available, of the official releases both "Live 1974" and "Amsterdam '80" are well worth hearing.

How To Buy...Frank Zappa (Part Six Albums #101 - #120)

 How To Buy...Frank Zappa (Part Six Albums #101 - #120) by Rob H.

#101 "Frank Zappa : 200 Motels - The Suites" Frank Zappa

A live recording of an orchestral performance of 200 Motels by the Los Angeles Philharmonic & Los Angeles Master Chorale from 2013. What you don't get is any of the rock band tracks which gives this a very different feel than the original "200 Motels". Musically it feels smoother but it will take you a while to get used to some of the vocals as this is very hard to listen to without expecting the absent defining vocals of Flo & Eddie.

As a live performance it would have been great to attend and as an album it does offer something different as a listening experience especially as the original can feel quite harsh at times but it will never take it's place!

 

#102 "Roxy - The Soundtrack" Frank Zappa & The Mothers

The hallowed Roxy performance that had been filmed but then abandoned after technical issues meant the sound and picture were out of sync. Even after the announced release of the movie it would still take another 15 years for it to be released!

This came out in various formats either as a DVD or Blu Ray or as a DVD with CD and as such you won't find the soundtrack on streaming sites. As previously stated my advice would be to get the "Roxy Performances" box set for the music and the Blu Ray for the film - casual fans please note the film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

 

#103 "Road Tapes, Venue #3" Frank Zappa

The last in the Road Tapes series to date features two complete shows from the Mothers in 1970. Despite both shows being on the same day (early and late shows) there is little duplication between them and even when a song features in both the performance is very different such as the early show version of "Call Any Vegetable" which is largely performed as a guitar solo whereas the late show leans more towards the electric piano.

Sound quality again is of a more rough and ready nature so the real audiophiles out there may want to give it a miss.

Highlights include "Mother People", a twenty minute "King Kong / Igor's Boogie" medley which starts into "It Can't Happen Here" which Frank decides to conclude quickly in favour of explaining the restrictions of a band like The Mothers writing a more mainstream "hit" like "Sharleena".

Flo & Eddie are both featured but this is before the material became profoundly sexualised instead you get great performances on "Let's Make The Water Turn Black", "Harry You're A Beast" and

"Mom & Dad" as well as the obligatory "Wonderful Wino" that would still take another five years to release on album and go through a complete transition in the meantime!

 

#104 "Crux Of The Biscuit" Frank Zappa

A Project/Object release based around the "Apostrophe (')" album which is wrongly numbered on the sleeve as release #102 rather than #104!

This contains various early versions, alternate takes and mixes as well as some live and interview material. In "The Story Of "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow/St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast"" Frank explains some of the more baffling parts of the lyrics so you can finally realise the source of "Good Morning Your Highness"! The live version that follows is a real highlight especially for the George Duke vocal which Zappa would deliver on the album version.

There are a few early versions of the title track one of which doubles the length to just under ten minutes but for me the real surprise of the album is "Cosmik Debris (Basic Tracks-Take 3)" which offers a rare chance to hear an instrumental version of the song.

This isn't as in-depth as some of the other Project/Object releases but is a worthy addition!

 

#105 "Frank Zappa For President" Frank Zappa

Compiled for the American election year that gave the country the most divisive President in modern history!

Frank had often expressed an interest in a career in politics which ultimately wasn't pursued due to his worsening health. He was briefly appointed by Vaclav Havel as the Special Ambassador to the West on Trade, Culture and Tourism in the Czech Republic post the velvet revolution until U.S. Secretary of State James Baker threatened to withdraw economic aid if they continued their association with Zappa.

The album itself is an odd mix of a few synclavier pieces including a Napoleon Murphy Brock vocal version of "Amnerika Goes Home". "If I Was President..." has Frank laying out how he would tackle running for office over a synclavier backing, a remix of "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" and two live tracks from 1988 both with political themes complete the album .

 

#106 "ZAPPAtite - Frank Zappa's Tastiest Tracks" Frank Zappa

Considering how long a career Zappa had there are surprisingly few "best of" albums and just how would you go about compiling such an album?

"ZAPPAtite" is an 18 track career spanning collection that tries to offer something for everyone, it's a good attempt and would serve a fairly good introduction for newcomers. All tracks are the standard album versions with the exception of "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" which is the single version.

 

#107 "Meat Light - The Uncle Meat Project/Object Audio Documentary" The Mothers of Invention

A great addition in the Project/Object series which contains the original vinyl mix of the "Uncle Meat" album along with the original sequence and a host of bonus archive material including the single version of "Dog Breath".

The bonus material is interesting enough and clocks in at about 50 minutes but most will be attracted to the original vinyl mix which loses the reverb that was added when the album was released on CD. The difference in the original sequence provides a radically different listening experience especially with the placement of "King Kong" in the middle of the album instead of the end.

Due to the time constraints of CD's the original release was split on to a second disc which was then bulked out with audio from the "Uncle Meat" movie as well as a track recorded for the project "Tengo Na Minchia Tanta" which always seemed out of place and both have now been removed for this release.

 

#108 "Chicago '78" Frank Zappa

A full show from Chicago in 1978 (hence the name!) starting with the guitar solo piece "Twenty One" which would evolve over the years into "Trance-Fusion" and closing with the signature guitar piece "Black Napkins".

Highlights are a slow tempo "Village Of The Sun" with an amazing Ike Willis vocal, "Paroxysmal Splendor" which begins as a lounge track referencing "The Adventures Of Greggery Peccary" then teases a fledgling "I'm A Beautiful Guy" before ending with a boogie version of "Crew Slut"! "Yo Mama" is a little less fluid than the version that would appear on "Sheik Yerbouti" but as it's not often heard so having another version is still welcome.

A quick run through of "Magic Fingers" leads in to an eighteen minute "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" suite which builds to a vocal coda based around "Nanook Rubs It". For the fans of Franks instrumental work you have the aforementioned guitar tracks as well as "Little House I Used To Live In" and a delicate "Strictly Genteel".

 

#109 "Little Dots" Frank Zappa

More from the short lived Petit Wazoo band recorded live in 1972 and in many ways a companion to the "Imaginary Diseases" album.

"Little Dots" features early versions of "Cosmik Debris" and "Rollo", the former wonderfully relaxed and the latter a rare chance to hear it performed vocally rather than as an instrumental.

The other three songs showcase the improvisational skills of the band with "Little Dots" showcasing the guitar and percussion whereas "Columbia, S.C." allows the brass to shine on part one and the guitar on the 16 minute part two. The other improvisational track is "Kansas City Shuffle" which is a pretty obvious description of what to expect!

 

#110 "Halloween 77" Frank Zappa

The full recording of the 1977 Halloween show which was filmed for the "Baby Snakes" film and partially released on the album of the same name. This full set however runs for over 3 hours and captures everything from that night although some tracks suffer from not having a visual to connect with such as "The Demise Of The Imported Rubber Goods Mask".

There are a few oddities including an instrumental version of "Conehead", an extended improvised "Pound For A Brown" and a fast run through of "Big Leg Emma". The real standout for me is the absolutely stunning 30 minute "Wild Love" with great soloing throughout.

"Halloween 77" was released in different ways, you had the 3 hour Halloween night set or for those who wanted more there was a box set of the six show run released on a USB memory stick and packaged alongside a Zappa mask, quite interestingly the streaming sites have these sets listed separately so you can pick and choose which of them you want.

 

#111 "The Roxy Performances" Frank Zappa & The Mothers

Seven discs containing every note played during the fabled 1973 Roxy run that produced the "Roxy & Elsewhere" album. By now you already know the high regard I have for this band and period and it will come as no surprise that this is an epic release full of incredible performances.

Some of the more unusual inclusions apart from the concerts themselves are the soundchecks and rehearsals which are amazing to hear as well as recording sessions where performances are still being constructed and honed. As an added bonus for the passionate fan is the unreleased "That Arrogant Dick Nixon" which is a reworking of "The Idiot Bastard Son".

 

#112 "Zappa In New York - 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition"

A five disc expanded set featuring the original vinyl mix of "Zappa In New York" plus over three hours of unreleased live material from the NYC Palladium shows.

Be careful when looking at tracklistings as many of the between song introductions and chats have been given names so may appear like unreleased songs. There's plenty here to justify the expanded set including an instrumental version of "Penis Dimension", a nearly 30 minute brass heavy version of "Black Napkins" and "Chrissy Puked Twice" which evolved in to "Titties & Beer" but with different lyrics - it's an odd inclusion as both tracks feature here.

 

#113 "Orchestral Favorites 40th Anniversary Edition"

A remaster of the original "Orchestral Favorites" album plus a two hour concert from Royce Hall in 1975.

The real draw here is the concert material which is wonderful especially for Frank's between track interaction often setting the scene for the piece that follows. Despite it being an orchestral performance there are still a couple of great guitar solos in both "Rollo" and "Black Napkins".

 

#114 "Halloween 73" Frank Zappa

This is an interesting one for many reasons. It's the fabled "Roxy" band barely a month in to their existence and a month away from that legendary run. The tempo of many of the songs is much slower than it will be a month later so some of the urgency heard on "Roxy" recordings is missing but it allows the songs to breathe which is very evident on "Inca Roads".

This album was released in two different formats, one was a four disc set with the early and late sets from Halloween night plus a disc of rehearsals from ten days previous and the other a highlights disc of the Halloween night. To be fair in this case you probably want the box set (or maybe not the physical box set unless you really want a FRANKenZAPPA mask and gloves!) as the rehearsal disc is a really interesting musical document, maybe not something you'll play all the time but well worth having.

Due to the fledgling nature of the band its repertoire at this time was limited so there is some duplication between the two sets but the versions are by and large different enough to avoid repetition.

"Halloween 73" is perhaps less "Halloweeny" than future shows played on that holiday (although you do have "Cheepnis" and "I'm The Slime" here) but it's knowing what this band would deliver in just another month of being together and hearing that progression that makes it remarkable!

 

#115 "The Hot Rats Sessions" Frank Zappa

To mark the 50th anniversary of Frank's most successful album the Zappa Family Trust pulled out all the stops to create a six disc ultimate box set documenting the recording sessions that lead to the album's release.

Sadly this really is a case where less is more would be better as for most people there is simply far too much repetition. Some fans will love hearing 8 versions of the same track all slightly different and with some studio chat but this could have been pulled into an essential alternate album on a single or double disc, there is zero point including the "Hot Rats" album in this set (but they do!) as if you are enough of a fan to invest £100 or more in this set then you sure as hell already own that album and probably more than once!

Needless to say there are plenty of great moments to discover but there is simply too much to work through to truly appreciate them!

 

#116 "The Mothers 1970" Frank Zappa & The Mothers

A four disc set celebrating the line up that would last until the recording of "200 Motels" at which point bassist Jeff Simmons quit.

The first disc is studio recordings made in London from which only one track was issued when "Sharleena" was released on "Chunga's Revenge" although here it is given a remix. The standouts from these sessions are multiple takes on "Wonderful Wino" including vocals by Zappa and alternate guitar solos, the guitar and bass driven "Red Tubular Lighter" and "Lola Steponsky" which wouldn't sound amiss on the "West Side Story" soundtrack before it progresses in to a drum work out that is!

The other three discs are live recordings taken from different sources including the "Piknik" recording for Dutch Radio and a couple of incomplete shows spliced together to make a hybrid show that works. The final disc is taken from Frank's own live recordings which also include some candid backstage moments. Sound quality on all of the live discs are more akin to the raw nature of the "Road Tapes" series but include some fantastic performances that are definitely worth hearing!

 

#117 "Halloween 81" Frank Zappa

A six disc set featuring the run of three Halloween shows from the Palladium, New York City with a band that included "stunt guitarist" Steve Vai.

The material largely draws from the "Ship arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch", "Sheik Yerbouti", "Tinseltown Rebellion" and "You Are What You Is" albums although other eras are represented. There is plenty of duplication in the three different sets but the versions are different enough and it's unlikely you'll be sitting down to listen to it in one seven hour sitting anyway so it shouldn't be an issue!

Vai fans won't be disappointed as he is all over this and his playing style is very different to Frank's so it is easy to identify which one of them takes the solo or in the case of "Stevie's Spanking" they trade solos.

Highlights are of course numerous from the high energy rendition of "Flakes", the guitar heavy "Illinois Enema Bandit" and probably the most peculiar version of "King Kong" you've ever heard played over a reggae beat!

There is a separate highlights disc for those not wishing to go for the six disc set which may be worth considering but of course every minute of the six disc set is worth it! The packaging of the box set proved controversial with fans as it again featured a Halloween themed mask similar to the one from the "Halloween 73" set but this time a Count Frankula mask and cape which drove the price up to over £100 whereas you can pick up the download for about £30.

 

#118 "Zappa - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack"

The soundtrack to the labour of love film directed by Alex Winter (yes that Alex Winter, Bill from Bill & Ted!). This is very much one for the completist as most songs are standard album versions with the allure of some unreleased live material including three songs from a 1968 show at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go as well as the documentary score by John Frizzell which is pretty good in it's own right.

#119 "Zappa '88 : The Last U.S. Show" Frank Zappa

The "Broadway The Hard Way" tour ended abruptly as infighting lead Zappa to disband what was an incredible band of musicians and cancel the remaining dates of the tour meaning that the later planned American leg after the European shows would never happen. It's another full show with the exception of the two songs that Dweezil performed on as special guest on the night which he requested not to be used, however performances without Dweezil from an earlier night have been spliced in to keep the setlist complete and it's seamlessly done. There's so many great moments, the sublime guitar solo in "Inca Roads", extended solo heavy versions of "City of Tiny Lights" and "Pound For A Brown" as well as lesser played songs like "Packard Goose" and the first release of both "The Beatles Medley" and "I Am The Walrus" the former being reworked lyrically to feature the televangelist scandals whereas "I Am The Walrus" is faithful to the original. If you enjoyed "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life" and "Make A Jazz Noise Here" then you will want to add this to your collection.

#120 "200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition" The Mothers of Invention and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

To mark the 50th anniversary of the "200 Motels" film not only was a remastered version of the two disc set released but also a six disc box set. The two disc version is a sonic upgrade on the previous but if you are a big fan of the music or the film there is a lot to appreciate on the fuller set including demos, outtakes and alternate versions as well as dialogue reels from the film. Unlike the expansive "Hot Rats" set there is less repetition but the nature of the set itself will only be attractive to collectors as most will be fine with the standard album.