A quote from vince:

psst….. how does one keepthis?

Actually with the exception of a few tracks (regretfully Flambay being one of em), you can pick up most of these on the epic Frank Zappa discography torrents. Specifically the Rarities and “Apocryphia” files.

These torrent(s) also include the original lp “Hot Rats” and “Sleep Dirt” mixes with the test acetates of “We’re Only in it For the Money” and “Uncle Meat” + the premixes of “Thing-Fish” and “Civilisation Phase 3″ + “Crush All Boxes” and “Warts and All”.

AND “An Evening with Wildman Fischer” + “Permanent Damage”

Sorry to once again deviate from the topic, but your pointer is a bit vague. Could you be a bit more … ahem … explicit?

psst….. how does one keepthis?

Actually with the exception of a few tracks (regretfully Flambay being one of em), you can pick up most of these on the epic Frank Zappa discography torrents. Specifically the Rarities and “Apocryphia” files.

These torrent(s) also include the original lp “Hot Rats” and “Sleep Dirt” mixes with the test acetates of “We’re Only in it For the Money” and “Uncle Meat” + the premixes of “Thing-Fish” and “Civilisation Phase 3″ + “Crush All Boxes” and “Warts and All”.

AND “An Evening with Wildman Fischer” + “Permanent Damage”

But to bring it back to the topic, I’ve always felt that “Tears Began to Fall” could have really been a hit single. It’s a shame that Frank never bothered to take it into the studio and produce a cleaner, more refined recording.

A quote from vince:

psst….. how does one keep this?

Have you considered converting to .mp3?

Sure he considered. Hence the question. And the answer would be…?

psst….. how does one keep this?

Have you considered converting to .mp3?

Can someone explain what a ‘45′ version is? It sounds like a ’single’ release (in the UK at least single tracks were called 45’s), but I can’t see many of these releases having ‘commercial potential’. The two Ruben releases are so much better than the later versions than I am used to.

Yes, Paul, a ‘45 version’ is a single release. In some cases, such as “Dog Breath” the version is much different from the Uncle Meat mix. Versions such as “Deseri” and “Jelly Roll Gum Drop” from ‘Cruising…’ are the original mix, with Jimmy Carl Black on drums and original bass by Roy Estrada. I agree, these two Ruben releases are so much better than the remixes (at least in my opinion). “Help I’m A Rock” and “Lonely Little Girl” versions were also different from their LP versions (edited for single release). And releases such as “Junior Mintz Boogie” and “Bognor Regis” would never appear on a Zappa LP, only as single releases and an acetate. I’m sure there is enough interest in these early FZ and M.O.I. singles that an official Vaulternative release of them would be both welcome and profitable. I know I would purchase such a compilation with nary a second thought.

A quote from Robert:

I just compared Flambay from the mixtape with the version on my CD of Sleep Dirt (i.e. the one that already has the vocals). At least the vocal track appears identical. Any comment about what makes the mixtape version peculiar? (If they are indeed identical, then you are definitely infringing the ZFT’s copyright, aren’t you?)

While the vocal track on “Flambay” is identical to the version on the CD version of Sleep Dirt, if you listen closely, you’ll notice that the version on the mixtape does not have Chad Wackerman’s drum tracks added which so obscure Ruth Underwood’s fantastic percussion. I also included “Flambay” because it is so necessary to appreciate the bass segue into “Spider of Destiny”. Given the differences in these versions, and that KUR presents these mixtapes purely for educational purposes, I don’t see anyone’s copyright being infringed.

I know Zappa himself remixed this and added drums and bass parts (I think), but I don’t understand why he reduced the impact of the backing vocals on the later version for example. Any ideas?

This has been discussed time and time again. My (personal) conclusion is this: FZ owns the stuff and has the right to do with it as he pleases. Now, why did he and why did the new mix give less emphasis on the backing vocals? My theory: This was the 80s with digital drums, new digital recording equipment and everything. FZ was a *lot* into the new stuff, so this pleased his ears at the time, that’s why he did it and that’s why the backing vocals mattered less. (Much to the dislike of those who had to play the tracks, btw. I remember Arthur Barrow talking about this somewhere. FZ told him to play the stuff and paid him for it, so what should he do? Go on strike?)