Zappa, Palladium Shows, October 31st, 1981

What has gone down in history as probably two of the worst produced Frank Zappa concerts are the early and late Palladium shows from October 31st, 1981. Neither presented in their entirety then or since. MTV broadcast one live and a slightly shortened and modified rebroadcast of the late show (omitting Sinister Footwear). To add insult to injury, what could have been a distinctive live concert experience of Frank Zappa in the 1980s – on par with the 26th – 29th December 1976 Palladium shows which made Zappa In New York a quintessential example of 70s Zappa – were cut up and delivered piecemeal to Zappa’s fans, instead. The promise of the Big One – still unfulfilled almost thirty years later. Yes, like all fans of these shows, I have all the various recordings and DVDs, both unofficial and official, including most recently, The Torture Never Stops (which also has Sinister Footwear omitted). Until that day comes when these shows are released in their entirety, and given the treatment they deserve, I’ll have to enjoy these sporadic YouTube clips – “Sinister Footwear II“, “Black Napkins“, “Black Page #2” – and dream:
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Tunes, Treats & Torrents – The Grandmothers

The first version of The Grandmothers came into being in 1980, formed by original Mothers of Invention and Soul Giants alumni Don Preston, Jimmy Carl Black and Bunk Gardner. From almost the start, the group was a thorn in Zappa‘s side (who’d probably thought he’d seen the last of his former bandmates when he forced them into the cold when he disbanded the original Mothers in 1970) when Zappa himself became the target of the new band’s on-stage satire and was apparently particularly upset over a dummy of himself that was being used in various provocative ways. Thus began a pattern of the Zappa family and its legal minions fighting with various members of the Grandmothers over the right to perform and record original Mothers of Invention compositions. At one point in the early ’90s, the Zappa estate quashed a new recording deal for the Grandmothers with a major label that was unfortunately not interested in working with the band unless it was allowed to use the name of the Mothers of Invention.
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Zappa on “Freeman Report” CNN – October 26th, 1981

In this long, five part interview from the October 26th, 1981, edition of the “Freeman Report”, host Sandi Freeman appears mostly well prepared as she asks Frank Zappa open ended questions concerning his views on a variety of topics. For his own part, Zappa is unusually open and honest and personal throughout.
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Joe’s M’ssage

Joe Travers’ letter, on the audio-tracks of the new DVD – found on the Usenet group alt.fan.frank-zappa:

I’m sorry Mark, but it’s Dolby Digital. We originally were going to with PCM audio but we decided that we would go Dolby since we did not treat the audio in any way, nor remix. We went for picture quality instead. But when we switched the audio, the print work had already been completed.
That’s the story. We are planning on a special edition-type release with (hopefully) the full shows & all remixed in surround. The Nina Blackwood stuff should be on that.

Enjoy & thanks!!!
Joe

Khm.

New Live FZ DVD: The Torture Never Stops

Well, apparently today is Zappa-news day. A new DVD, hot off the press at Barfko Swill: FZ: The Torture Never Stops. As per the blurb:

  • $21.98
  • Halloween, New York City, 1981 – Live at The Palladium
  • edited, performed & music composed & conducted by FZ
  • with Ray White, Steve Vai, Bobby Martin, Tommy Mars,Ed Mann, Scott Thunes, Chad Wackerman
  • 2 hours with xtras – ratta tat too!
  • DVD 9 Dual Layer, NTSC, American English, Dolby Digital 2.0

This appears to be a fully captured version of the Halloween ’81 show, perhaps most famous for this rendition of “Stevie’s Spanking”, as previously featured in the Dub Room Special DVD. (See Also)

Visuals? Yup:

The Torture Never Stops DVD

Have to admit I for one didn’t see that one coming. Whatever happened to frost on pumpkins and such?

Update: