Category: Zappa News

QuAUDIOiNFoUpPerLOWerCaSePHILIAc

More info on the upcoming QuAUDIOPHILIAc release: “[it] debuts previously unreleased performances, both live and from the studio, of compositions such as “Rollo” and “Venusian Time Bandits,” and features experimental multi-channel recordings from Zappa’s basement, as early as 1970. The DVD-A includes tracks from Sheik Yerbouti, Shut Up ‘N Play Yer Guitar and Orchestral Favorites superbly mixed in surround.”

Quaudiophiliac Tracklist

With thanks to Le Monde journalist Sylvain Siclier’s comment a couple posts back, here’s the tracklist for Quaudiophiliac:
* * * *
01 Naval Aviation in Art?
02 Lumpy Gravy
03 Rollo
04 Drooling Midrange Accountants on Easter Hay
05 Wild Love
06 Ship Ahoy
07 Chunga Basement
08 Venusion Time Bandits
09 Waka/Jawaka
10 Basement Music #2
* * * *
From the french press-release: “QuAUDIOPHILIAc is the Holy Grail (…) for Zappa fans and completists around the world, presenting previously unreleased tracks alongside re-mixed and re-edited material from the huge FZ back-catalogue, from Lumpy Gravy and Chungas Revenge to Sheik Yerbouti, Joes Garage and Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar all in spectacular Quadrophonic Surround!”

Quaudiophiliac

It figures.
I go on holiday for a week, and stuff happens at the ZFT.
quaudiophiliac.jpg
GZ: “Not a hunch, not a rumor. We have announced a DVD-Audio release. It is scheduled for a street date of 14 September on DTS label. It is surround sound and is made up of tracks originally mixed/recorded by FZ during the 70’s. It is essentially an audio documentary of ideas by FZ about quad and 4 channel mixes and multichannel recordings. Dweezil tweezed these items into a full on program now entitled QuAUDIOPHILIAc. Obviously, it will not translate on ordinary radio.” Can you say “petite wazoo“?
(artwork via FrenchPowered)

Zappa Of The Month Club

LA Times: “Not Just In It For the Money” (subscr. req.). A notable quote: “The details are still being worked out, but Gail Zappa, Frank’s widow, says that the concept is pretty simple. Fans will pay an annual fee (probably around $100) and receive a set number of new releases each year (probably five), some of which will not be available elsewhere. Subscribers will have some level of choice as to what titles they receive from an ever-expanding catalog, and will also likely get bonus material and other special merchandise.”

Anything, Anytime

Billboard has a look at the “Zappa Vault Series”: Indeed, Gail Zappa estimates there are 40 albums’ worth of material that could see the light of day, including complete live concerts. “But ‘Joe’s Corsage’ the series will be separate,” she says. “It could be anything, anytime, for no reason at all. We already know what the next one is. I hope it will be available before the summer is out.”

Clue #1

Well I guess by now you’ve all had z.com’s Barfies email. For those who haven’t, here’s the poot: “Coming right up in June (not to be interfered or confused with our schedulement of a petite Wazoo outbreak in July) to your very doorstep is the First in a bold, new, Series created at UMRK by your friendly neighborhood Vaultmeister. This is Clue #1. And this can be in your mailbox soon. It will be completely surrounded by music.” Let’s hear it believers & non-believers!

Acetate Guitar Solo

The acetate version of WOIIFTM (’68) had quite a different tracklist compared to the subsequent release (see comments for full tracklist). Via Gilles, here’s track 7, rather aptly called: Guitar Solo. (And yes, Gilles, it sounds a lot like “Stinkfoot, The Prequel”)
UPDATE 14/06: I’ve put this track offline to save on bandwidth.

Frank Zappa: The Classic Interviews


From UK based Chrome Dreams comes a new FZ-release: The Classic Interviews. It comprises, guess what, interviews that Zappa did with Guitar Magazine’s Stephen Rosen. As the tapes were not meant for commercial reproduction (they only served for Rosen to write his articles – you can hear a woosh…woosh as the taperecorder rolls), the sound quality leaves, shall we say, something to be desired. But who cares! It’s great to actually hear Frank speak in that low, slightly smug, curmudgeonly voice of his, talking about xenochrony, flangers, fuzz, Oberheim small amps, Mod-o-fied Les Pauls, dbx compressors and the like, throwing around some of the quotes that have since started a life of their own (“the hardest thing for me to do is play straight up and down…”). The CD is accompanied by a 16 page booklet with some rare FZ photos and a peculiar foreword written by Rosen. In all, if you’re a Zappa-fan, you’ll need this one in your collection…