82 thoughts on “New Release: Hammersmith Odeon”

  1. Sheik Yerbouti basic tracks. If a certain engineer didn’t fuck this one up again then this one would be something to get!

    Th.

  2. I wonder what everybody will be complaining about this release.
    Could we make a few rules, maybe, for the sake of preventing conversations being repeated over and over again.
    I would suggest this time:
    please NO complaining about the price. That subject is discussed to boredom with every new release.
    Please also NOT the same Gail-bashing for the sake of it.
    And please could we for once NOT complain about what is NOT released?

    Could we have here, for once, a sensible discussion about the release itself?

    I look forward to this one!

  3. This looks like an A+ excellent release!

    (Yet, FWIW, I think ton’s attempt at strangling any possible discussion is stupid, bully behaviour.)

  4. This looks promising. Total of 3 CDs would indicate probably little or no duplication of individual songs, so it might be an idealized version of a Hammersmith 78 show, with all the best takes of each song. At my advanced age, that works for me. I don’t really have time anymore to listen to less-than-stellar versions of FZ songs.

    You youngsters out there probably feel differently, and that’s just fine with me.

  5. [quote comment=”14961″]Could we have here, for once, a sensible discussion about the release itself?[/quote]
    You need to go over to the Zappa forums for that ton (I kid).

    Yes, this release looks to be a tasty little sucker IMO, but everyone here is free to say what they want with regard to it – though preferably in an intelligent, polite way.

  6. I’m especially curious about Envelopes, Dong Work For Yuda seems to be a real gem, and hoping to get some hard, sharp solos.
    I’m with Barry with that “free speech” thing (and with almost everything. 🙂 )
    Hi Ho Ho Ho Ho Silver!

  8. [quote post=”4234″]I’m with Barry with that “free speech” thing[/quote]

    Don’t get me wrong – I am for free speech as much as anyone here.
    It’s just that I get so irritated by the fact that with every new release there is SO little talk of the release itself, and instead there’s the same repeats of repeats of repeats of the same complaints (money, Gail’s choices and personality, releases that are not yet made available which nobody bashed Frank about when he didn’t release them himself).

    I respect everyone’s opinion about all of this and everything else, but once something is said, it’s been said – why repeating it so many times at the cost of a sensible conversation about the subject. apart from that, there seems to be less tolerance with the users of this board for any comment that explains the prices of the ZFT releases or has something positive to say about Mrs. Zappa.

    I would suggest these topics to be discussed in a seperate page, but not let them constantly interfere everywhere around the board in the almost “cut and paste” repetition we have so much around here.

    But enough about that. The subject….
    This is a release I am very much looking forward to as this tour was the first where I saw FZ live for the first time (with my then girlfriend and now late wife), and we haven’t missed a single show in this funny little country since.
    There will be some same tracks as on Sheik Yerbouty – but hey, how great to hear them in their original version as well, without the overdubs (I love the SY album to bits, but as it is only partly a live album the comparisons with this new set will be awesome!!)

  9. I was at some of those shows at Hammersmith, so looking forward to getting myself a copy at the Roundhouse this weekend.
    It will be a memory of some great times!!

  10. Wow…was this release a surprise to anyone else besides me? I’ve dropped a load of cash on FZ this week, what with the Greenaway book and now this. Yeah, I’m stoked, but I’m also broked!

  11. Oh man, is this going to be available at the Roundhouse? This is shaping up to be a superb weekend.

  12. [quote comment=”14971″][quote comment=”14961″]Could we have here, for once, a sensible discussion about the release itself?[/quote]
    You need to go over to the Zappa forums for that ton (I kid).

    Yes, this release looks to be a tasty little sucker IMO, but everyone here is free to say what they want with regard to it – though preferably in an intelligent, polite way.[/quote]

    No offense, dude, but I can find no real difference between the Z Forum, KUR, and Zappateers.

  13. [quote post=”4234″]A quote from ton:

    I’m with Barry with that “free speech” thing

    Don’t get me wrong – I am for free speech as much as anyone here.
    It’s just that I get so irritated by the fact that with every new release there is SO little talk of the release itself, and instead there’s the same repeats of repeats of repeats of the same complaints (money, Gail’s choices and personality, releases that are not yet made available which nobody bashed Frank about when he didn’t release them himself).[/quote]

    One reason the tangential discussions persist (Ooo, almost Gail-speak) is that most pre-release info is very thin. So you are left to ponder why you are paying $$$$ for a “mystery disc”. In this case, there is at least a bit of specific info. But you gotta admit, in some cases there isn’t much real info to discuss other than price and alleged release date. Trying to decipher “Gail-speak” ain’t my idea of a good time. 😉

  16. [quote comment=”15038″]Does anybody know the band members on this one?[/quote]
    Zappa
    Belew
    Mars
    O’Hearn
    Bozzio
    Wolf
    Mann

  17. [quote comment=”15039″][quote comment=”15038″]Does anybody know the band members on this one?[/quote]
    Zappa
    Belew
    Mars
    O’Hearn
    Bozzio
    Wolf
    Mann[/quote]

    Belew and Mars together? cool, maybe I’m wrong but this is not the same baby snakes line-up then!

  19. Virgin Baby Snakes!

    In honor of the 70th birthday celebration at the Roundhouse, a female boa constrictor has given birth to an all-female “litter” of 22 baby snakes (3 appearances of that exact phrase in the article).

    More “Z” references (and I quote):

    “In place of X and Y, snakes and many other reptiles have Z and W chromosomes.

    In all snakes, ZZ produces males and ZW produces females.

    Bizarrely, all the snakes in these litters were WW. ”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9139000/9139971.stm

    How’s that for timing?

  20. I’m sure this will be a wonderful & worthy release!

    (But–uh-oh–here it comes: I am curious if there is a reason why there has been such limited (or none at all) material covering the 1973/1974 Mothers Of Invention years released by Gail Co. Nothing other than excerpts that were selected & mixed down by FZ (perhaps certain ex-Mothers like JL-P(?) are asking for too high licensing fees, or blocking any releases??)

    But since Dweezil is planning an Apostrophe show–maybe some original live recordings from ’73 will emerge in time?

    Excluding the Roxy DVD (???), a *full* live concert from 1973 would be most appreciated, as would an early 1974 (or even later though we have some material from Fall ’74 already) release. Oh well, i shall continue to wait patiently and in the meantime enjoy audience recordings of the 12 min. early ’74 versions of Andy, for instance, and the 10th anniversary “old stuff” medleys.

    Thank Jeezus there are good-enough sounding stereo mixdown dubs of some of the KCET-TV multi-tracks about (in addition to the stuff on The Dub Room Special), since although a complete audio release of that has been mentioned in the past, it seems to occupy the same limbo region as the Roxy dvd (?)

    (Many Zappa fans enjoy this new release; for others who fixate on the ’73/’74 years, i guess a self-imposed boycott will continue….)

  21. I’m sorry to say that Sheik Yerbouti IMO is one of the least interesting FZ records – yes it’s down there with Thing-Fish and Francesco. I never thought that puerile punk-rock was very representative of what FZ was capable of, and it becomes boring after a few listens. But I’ll be looking forward to hearing Envelopes and King Kong with this band. And I do love The Sheik Yerbouti Tango, Rat Tomago and Yo Mama.

  22. I contributed what seemed to be a Baby Snakes non-sequitur above…but it was not. Sheik Yerbouti was one of the first of his albums that I obtained by mail order (not able to find a lot of items in my local used record stores in the early 80’s). There was something about the bold covers – no song listings, slick glossy board like the Joe’s Garage albums to follow – that stuck with me in those heady high school years where my record collecting began. I was totally blown away by the album and of course needed to grab headphones to listen to the “dirty” songs lest my parents overhear. Little did I know my mom would become a fan in later years and was quite fond of “The Dangerous Kitchen”. Baby Snakes was my favorite song on the album. The tightest shortest little song I’d heard from him. I even made a Baby Snakes guitar by taking an old used guitar and painting it red with the Baby Snakes film logo stenciled all over it.

    I am looking forward to this release perhaps the most of any they have offered in the Vaulternative series (which is what I am assuming will be the label).

    Oh, and even though I know Thing-Fish is hard listening I still love the concept and the first LP side of that flawed epic. And I listen to Francesco at dinner-time with candles. Classy.

  23. I’m pretty pumped, this is a great band, a great tour (and the highlights from) these shows were the high point of that tour, IMHO.

    3cds seems like it’s gonna be an epic listen, if not extensive coverage. Definitely an exciting release!

    Shiek Yerbouti’s one of my favorite albums. Sure, it offers a lot of instant gratification pop melodies, but there’s a lot of formidable dense sections which are complimented by it.

    As for the absence of 73/74 vault releases, if you discount the period/studio albums, YCDTOSA 2 and Dub Room Special!, there is a bit of over-exposure.

    I’m sure they’re holding back those shows for a Roxy DVD tie in (laugh now).

  24. Paul Sempschi writes:

    “As for the absence of 73/74 vault releases, if you discount the period/studio albums, YCDTOSA 2 and Dub Room Special!, there is a bit of over-exposure.”

    I’m confused (again!). There haven’t been any vault releases covering 73/74 other than the excerpts and snippets that had previously been mixed/mastered by FZ. YCDTOSA 2 & half of the Dub Room Special cover the six-piece band (Fall ’74) that recorded One Size Fits All (and don’t count as a Gail vault release anyway). There have been no releases covering the larger units that comprised the early & spring tours of 1974.

    For early & spring 1973, there has been nothing other than the truncated Yellow Snow on One Shot Deal (unless i’m missing something?), and nothing post-FZ from the vaults covering the two-drummer Roxy era (and early 1974 too). Obviously, i would not include albums released during FZ’s lifetime as “vault releases”.

    Perhaps the real reason is because there is not that much in the vault for early ’73 (other than the Australian shows??), or that after FZ removed and mixed down excerpts, the remaining tapes were ruined or have since feel into complete disrepair. Obviously the earlier the tapes (analog) the more they would have degraded over time. The same might apply to 1974 as well, other than the KCET multi-tracks i’ve mentioned (which i think had to be *baked* anyway). My wet dream would be to reassemble the Helsinki shows to their original order/form and release that in a non-bastardized form (“laugh now”).

    Remember that the YCDTOSA 2 band is not the same as the early 1974 line-up, nor the “10th anniversary” band from the spring of ’74.
    Jesus H. Cricket, i’m sounding like an anal obsessed fanboy here.

  25. [quote comment=”15049″]I’m sorry to say that Sheik Yerbouti IMO is one of the least interesting FZ records – yes it’s down there with Thing-Fish and Francesco. I never thought that puerile punk-rock was very representative of what FZ was capable of, and it becomes boring after a few listens. But I’ll be looking forward to hearing Envelopes and King Kong with this band. And I do love The Sheik Yerbouti Tango, Rat Tomago and Yo Mama.[/quote]

    In my view, Sheik Yerbouti is pure genius, side after side. I tend to look at the vinyl albums as collections of 15-20 minute suites, and as such SY is one of the best. This is the album where Zappa perfected the editing principles of the aborted Läther project. Perhaps my appreciation is a bit influenced by the fact that I like punk rock as well as the long excursions. Not to mention that it was my first Zappa album (cassette actually)…

    The Hammersmith release looks very promising, indeed. There are many possible monsters here, and I can even tolerate Dinah Moe and Camarillo yet again, just for the context.

  26. [quote comment=”15083″]
    In my view, Sheik Yerbouti is pure genius, side after side….[/quote]

    Well, I guess it is nice that the FZ fanbase are as diverse as the man himself.

    Genius for me is Roxy, Uncle Meat, Money, Lumpy Gravy, Sandwich, Hot Rats, Waka, Wazoo, the ’88 albums and to some extent the Flo & Eddie albums, but I dislike Utopia and Them Or Us together with SY, Francesco and Thing Fish.

    But again, it must be genius that he could satisfy us both with our differences in taste.

  27. I like those other albums, too, with the possible exception of Flo and Eddie, which I’ve never listened too very much…

    The thing about Sheik Yerbouti is that it is in its own way just as complex and accomplished as many of the more ostensibly challenging works. Just look at side 2. Is that an intricate suite or what?

  29. I think i’ve figured this out!

    Terry Bozzio (in full Devil costume, naturally) signed an unholy, satanic pact with Gail Zappa whereby it was explicitly stated that he must appear in 95% of all the posthumous vault releases, explaining this new one, FZ:OZ, Philly ’76, etc., etc…

  30. I ‘m afraid I never get much past side 1. When I have listened to Broken Hearts Are For Assholes, I’m So Cute and Jones Crusher I run away, screaming.

    They are so awful, and the thought of having to endure Bobby Brown and Tryin’ To Grow A Chin if I should carry on, is enough to make me stop right there, and put on for instance FZ In New York instead.

    I think that Zappa perfected his editing skills much earlier on Uncle Meat, Money and Lumpy Gravy not to forget Roxy again.

    But I’m glad on your behalf that you get some new ’78 stuff to listen to. Maybe next time it’s my turn, if the ZFT in all their strangeness suddenly decides to relase some ’73 og ’74 koncerts.

    Until that happens, I think I will listen to Roxy one more time and skip this one.

  31. [quote post=”4234″]When I have listened to Broken Hearts Are For Assholes, I’m So Cute and Jones Crusher I run away, screaming. [/quote]

    Wow. I do love the fantastic differences between the fans. I am leaving the US to go to the Roundhouse and what did I choose to listen to as my “get pumped for an 11 hr flight”: The three songs listed above (alongside City of Tiny Lites and Rubber Shirt of course). I am all for the differences and won’t attempt to talk someone in to why they should like a song. I think it’s great to disagree.

  32. [quote comment=”15093″]I think i’ve figured this out!

    Terry Bozzio (in full Devil costume, naturally) signed an unholy, satanic pact with Gail Zappa whereby it was explicitly stated that he must appear in 95% of all the posthumous vault releases, explaining this new one, FZ:OZ, Philly ’76, etc., etc…[/quote]

    I laughed so hard reading this everybody looked at me in my university’s cafeteria.

    Just wait ’till I get an opportunity to play some Zappa live.

  33. Sheik Yerbouti was my first Zappa album too.
    There is (possibly) life before I first heard the solo of Yo’ Mama, and there is LIFE after I listened to it. I am thrilled that more real live music from that band comes out now.

    So far every ‘complete show’ vault release offered some more of the same, and some beautiful new insights. I’m sure these 3 discs will prove to hold some great stuff.

  34. I remember a girl friend (she was with another guy) who I was pretty close with. We had a late night drunken party, and in the morning hours I put on Sheik Yerbouti. We talked while the album was playing, but had run out of steam when Yo’ Mama came on. We just smoked and relaxed, but towards the end of the solo, when it lifts off, I felt the shivers down my spine, and I looked at her and I saw that she felt it too. We just looked at each other and said wow, wow, WHOA!

    That’s maybe the one experience I’ve had of really sharing my love of Zappa’s guitar playing with someone. And every time I hear Yo’ Mama I understand again why it happened, because there’s something amazing going on there.

  38. …and VISUAL, TOO!
    “Ah, it’s a fine time to be alive, ladies and gentlemen, and that’s the theme of our show tonight!”

  41. [quote comment=”14958″]Sheik Yerbouti basic tracks. If a certain engineer didn’t fuck this one up again then this one would be something to get!

    Th.[/quote]

    If Thinman happens to be inferring Joe Chiccarelli’s work on the Frank Zappa Halloween DVD-A may this be a lesson as to the difference of a production for a single disk DVD-A item licensed to DTS and the WHY, WHEN & WHAT of the 3 CD Hammersmith Odeon release.

    Excuse me there is far too much fecal matter around here, I’m going to listen and watch Frank Zappa’s 70th Birthday Celebration streamed from The Roundhouse in London England, up now is The Yellow Shark.

  42. The Hammersmith Odeon 1978 set looks like an excellent one. It should have plenty of great guitar solos. However, these shows were at the beginning of the tour (except for the February 28th finale.) I think the band hit it’s stride during the German portion of the tour, as exemplified by Rat Tomago, the SY Tango and especially Yo’ Mama.

    Perhaps the ZFT should have made this set from the Berlin, Eppleheim and Neunkirchen shows, as the basic tracks used on Sheik Yerbouti from the London shows were poorly mastered. Start from scratch, as it were. Guess we’ll find out this set’s quality soon enough.

    Is the ZFT using the Hammersmith shows as a tie-in to the SY album? Or is it because of the Roundhouse shows in London this week?

  43. [quote comment=”15141″]… If Thinman happens to be inferring Joe Chiccarelli’s work on the Frank Zappa Halloween DVD-A …[/quote]
    I meant Filipetti’s work on Buffalo and Philly ’76 of course.

    Th.

  44. If I remember correctly, the London shows on this tour were recorded multi-track, while the later German shows were recorded only two-track. If so, that might have something to do with the decision by the ZFT.

  45. Virgil’s right on this one.

    All four Hammersmith shows were recorded with the big multitrack equipment Zappa had available in London and this album is assembled from all four shows (following the standard tour setlist), not using any of the SY basic tracks – so it’s all new – and from one cursory listen it’s sounding pretty nice – but bigger ears and closer listenings will have to wait until after this Roundhouse weekend…

  48. [quote comment=”15174″]Vince: yes it will, and even the one on sunday – just go to this site: http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/live !

    Tonight’s guests are Scott Thunes and Ian Underwood (though Dweezil always stated that they do not really care about the alumni), seems to be exciting.[/quote]

    Here we have yet another poster on this domain packing the bullshit. I never heard or viewed Dweezil Zappa make a direct and literal statement that as Bálint directly made that “they do not really care about the alumni”. That statement has no context.

    The problem with some fans analysis of what Dweezil is doing with his Zappa Plays Zappa project is their perception and how they report that in context that is not correct. If a person wants to state their opinion of what they think Dweezil is doing that is one thing but it would help for the community to understand the difference and not spread the ignorance of opinion.

    What is evident in the evolution of Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa is that on occasion alumni have been invited as “Special Guests”. The core band is far more representative of the composers intent than parading alumni in a pose which resembles nostalgia. That poser posture that one can see if some of the cover bands that are out there. They parade the nostalgia.

    Now some may say that on occasion DZPZ is parading the nostalgia with the special guests but if one listens to the shows with or without alumni over time in the DZPZ evolution they will see it is far more about the composers intent than parading nostalgia.

    Ian Underwood & Scott Thunes are Special Guest for a one time event. Enjoy it!

  49. So, the q&a WAS shown, too?!?!
    I left the stream after the performance.
    The ‘mash-up’ cafe sounded like fun.

    P.S. Can anyone give a list of the 50’s tunes they played in between the Verese piece and The Yellow Shark?
    BLEW MY MIND to hear “I Ran All The Way Home (Just To Say I’m Sorry)”, a song I hadn’t heard in AGES, and notice the riff from “Anyway The Wind Blows”! I need to get a copy of that, and the other great songs they played!

  50. [quote comment=”15157″]… Perhaps the ZFT should have made this set from the Berlin, Eppleheim and Neunkirchen shows, as the basic tracks used on Sheik Yerbouti from the London shows were poorly mastered. …[/quote]
    I don’t know what you have been listening to in the case of SY, but I always thought that the tracks produced from the HO recording sounded much better than the Palladium recordings and of course the German 4-track recordings. The HO tracks are the ones most heavily overdubbed, though. Getting a chance to listen to the original performances without all those overdubs might be shocking for some people. Maybe therefore they have omitted Wild Love and Yo’ Mama.

    Th.

  52. Hm, Scott Thunes on stage! 🙂 (Dumb All Over). It’s a pity the video stream has been turned off this time (again). STRONGGG BASSSSSSSS!

  56. Can anyone tell me if Ian Underwood really did whip it out? Sorry folks (well, Balint anyway!), but I gave up after Cruisin’ (which, it must be said, was actually rather good, I thought). Dweez, please keep the music live, pack the kids in, but don’t invite me again….

    Having said that, Mr. Thunes made the trip worthwhile, no argument, and it was nice to see Jeff Simmons as well.

    And how embarrassingly awful were the Mighty Boosh Band? They are, and here I quote the programme, “massive Zappa fans and authorities”, so it was nice to hear how important Francis Vincent Zappa is to them. Hmm. Oh, and before you ask, yes, I do actually happen to be a Boosh fan, and yes, I was rather looking forward to it.

    So, onwards and upwards. If yesterday is anything to go by, I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a bit special.

  57. Mr. (or Ms.) Packin It, may I call you “He’s”?

    “The core band is far more representative of the composers intent than…”

    You know this for a fact do you? Sounds like unadulterated, sycophantic frogshit to me.

    “The composer’s intent” has become a phrase like WMD – speculative and unprovable, and wheeled out whenever justification is required. If you can elucidate please do.

  58. Magic Fingers: we’re different. 🙂 Details later – now the setlist:

    Gumbo Variations
    Cosmik Debris
    Excentrifugal Forz
    Apostrophe
    Uncle Remus
    Stinkfoot
    Inca Roads
    (Scott Thunes enters)
    Dumb All Over
    Montana
    Pick Me I’m Clean (Thunes out)
    RDNZL
    (Jeff Simmons in)
    Wino Man
    Cruising for Burgers
    I Promise Not To ome In Your Mouth
    Baby Snakes
    (Moon Zappa & Mathilda enter)
    Valley Girl
    Muffin Man

    (I had some internet-connection problems during Cruising for Burgers, so I’ve totally missed that)

  59. “The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.” (Wiki)

    Honouring “the composer’s intent” once that composer has ceased to exist, of neccessity means whoever is playing this stuff (having no direct access to the composer) is idealising the past. Nothing wrong with that, is and of itself. But either all of the FZ tribute bands are nostaligic or none of them are.

  60. Quick question: now that some folks “across the pond” have this 3-cd set in their *grubby* little hands; is that really the actual cover (that juvenile, simplistic caricature of FZ in pig-tails [why?] on a plain powder-blue background with “Frank Zappa” and nothing else on it, which looks like it was designed by a graphically-challenged-two-year-old)?

    If the answer is yes, thank gawd i won’t have to look at that thing ever (not even counting the inherent musical and/or sound quality attributes of the performances contained within).

  61. Have been watching ZPZ at the Roundhouse streaming yesterday. What a bored bunch that still is, standing and sitting around on stage half asleep. They really need someone like Scott Thunes to kick their asses.

    – the drummer: heavy like lead, holding the group back instead of pushing them forward
    – the regular bass player: inaudible and unnoticeable as always
    – the keyboard player: a replicator of some automated sort
    – the vocals: maybe in another ten years

    Wanted to take a two hour drive to their Hengelo (NL) show next week before watching this. Now I can stay home and listen to Apostrophe’ the way it was intended by the composer.

  63. Can any of you “across the puddle” print the HO HO HO track listing for all of us yanks on this side of the puddle?

  66. Thinman Shithead of The Year 2010
    [quote comment=”15212″]Have been watching ZPZ at the Roundhouse streaming yesterday. What a bored bunch that still is, standing and sitting around on stage half asleep. They really need someone like Scott Thunes to kick their asses.

    – the drummer: heavy like lead, holding the group back instead of pushing them forward
    – the regular bass player: inaudible and unnoticeable as always
    – the keyboard player: a replicator of some automated sort
    – the vocals: maybe in another ten years

    Wanted to take a two hour drive to their Hengelo (NL) show next week before watching this. Now I can stay home and listen to Apostrophe’ the way it was intended by the composer.[/quote]

  67. [quote comment=”15319″]Thinman Shithead of The Year 2010[/quote]
    … and most likely of 2011 also. Some things never change.

    Th.

  68. He’s Packin’ It – sorry Mr, this discussion is mostly about music, not about each other – and surely not THAT way. You don’t have to agree with anyone, but PLEASE, not this way…

  69. KUR appreciates and encourages any comments you add to this entry, but cannot be held responsible for its content. We will not tolerate any comment that constitutes a vile, personal, gratuitous attack against any other participant. Because life as we know it is short, KUR also expects your comment to be at least slightly on topic. KUR reserves the right to delete any comments that do not meet the above criteria, and will not hesitate to ban any commenter who consistently proves him or herself to willfully ignore the above rules.

  70. Please Dweezil , where is the next release from ZPZ?
    I’m sick of listening to lousy audience recordings…

  71. [quote comment=”15321″]He’s Packin’ It – sorry Mr, this discussion is mostly about music, not about each other – and surely not THAT way. You don’t have to agree with anyone, but PLEASE, not this way…[/quote]
    Seconded.

  72. [quote comment=”15212″]Have been watching ZPZ at the Roundhouse streaming yesterday. What a bored bunch that still is, standing and sitting around on stage half asleep. They really need someone like Scott Thunes to kick their asses.

    – the drummer: heavy like lead, holding the group back instead of pushing them forward
    – the regular bass player: inaudible and unnoticeable as always
    – the keyboard player: a replicator of some automated sort
    – the vocals: maybe in another ten years

    Wanted to take a two hour drive to their Hengelo (NL) show next week before watching this. Now I can stay home and listen to Apostrophe’ the way it was intended by the composer.[/quote]

    Much like you, Thinman, I spent last weekend basking in all the Zappamania streaming from the Roundhouse festival. Technically speaking, it was a smashing success from what I could see (and hear) and Theydon Bois’ excellent review of the event certainly does give that overall impression, too. And certainly, as personal tastes go – I, too, had a few misgivings, but not really dire enough to mention. I have always given bands that cover Zappa’s compositions a wide berth musically to impose their own particular (and at times, peculiar) eyebrows on the composer’s intent. Sometimes it makes for a wonderful gestalt experience, musically – other times, it makes for the equivalent of combing a poodle with a meat cleaver.

    After listening to The Mighty Boosh, I still don’t see (or hear) what is the hubbub over this group? Frankly, they gave me a mighty big yawn – but to each his own, I suppose.

    I agree with Thinman that ZPZ have still yet to discover their own particular “eyebrows”. Dweezil, an excellent guitarist in his own right, seems perpetually caught in a quandary between adhering to what he and his mother view as “the composer’s intent” and the group’s ability to impose it’s own “eyebrows” on the material as so many other accomplished musical groups have done. I think that is what separates ZPZ covers from the superb and sublime ones that they could and should be.

  73. I pretty much agree with Thinman and urbangraffito. This band really would benefit from someone like Thunes being their rehearsal Meister… and maybe a new singer who can enunciate. They can play but the combined effect is (to my ears and eyes) sometimes pretty limp.

    Having said that, I did enjoy the stream. There were some worthy moments. It was disappointing that the visuals disappeared whenever something approaching eyebrows occurred. But then, I didn’t pay to be there so anything was a bonus.

    Really enjoyed the stream of night 3. A nice performance of TAOGP.

  74. [quote comment=”15258″][quote comment=”15211″]Quick question: is that really the actual cover? [/quote]

    No.[/quote]
    [quote comment=”15230″]Uncle Meat: go check the Discography section! 😉 Barry was fast enough to refresh that part.[/quote]

    Oh my God …it’s actually worse

  75. Thanks for the track listing.
    I’m sure I’m in the majority here who signed on for this release without hesitation. Compared with other Vault releases, we have a great reference point to the material, and the promise of free ground shipping makes the price more palatable.

    A few folks have already commented on the content of the music, dates, etc. but I haven’t read anything about the sonic quality of the music.
    I’m sure it will be “listenable”, certainly not as good as FZ’s own release – back in the vinyl days – but decent. Any current owners care to chime in?

    Speaking of FZ vinyl days; I read a review of the film Baby Snakes once wherein it was written, “Frank Zappa the Producer should’ve fired Frank Zappa the Director.” When it comes to the remastering for CD release, FZ truly botched the sonic majesty of too many of his wonderful albums.
    In a small way, as much as the world is a much darker place without Uncle Frank in it, I’m glad he’s not at the controls. The live material is there, in the vault, waiting for capable folks to master and release it to us denizens of the deep. I hope the muffins come out well baked and tasty, indeed!

  76. ZPZ has a rock ethos that disappeared from Frank’s own bands after the O’Hearn/Bozzio incarnation. Dweezil is of course less original and charismatic than Frank, but some of his versions sound as good or better than versions from Frank’s later years. City of Tiny Lites with Ray White in 2007 is one example. IMHO, the 1984 and 1988 bands were already partly tribute bands, with the saving grace of Frank’s presence and soloing and, in the case of the 1988 band, some new horn and synclavier arrangements.

  77. The Mighty Boosh Band might not have translated well to the live stream but those of us there at the Roundhouse had a jolly good time. There was a lot of love for the Boosh in that audience. They are local darlings and reference the borough of Camden quite often in their comedy.

    As a Boosh fan there were a few favorites songs that I wish they had played and no doubt their stripped down “Willie the Pimp” might have been sacrilege. But the audience lapped it up and laughed along. What made their set work that night was 1) comedy in place of pretension, 2) the happy vibe of the Roundhouse, and 3) the chops that Julian Barrett clearly has on his guitar.

    For those that are completely not familiar with the Boosh, go ahead and YouTube their song “Tundra” or Old Greg’s “Do You Love Me?” to get a sense of how funny these folks can be in the realm of music.

    I too would have liked to have seen their take on the Old Bailey Obscenity Trial but that night was a rock-and-roll night and a spoken word routine may not have gone over well with such a thronged and expectant audience.

  78. I really want this release but it is £48 in the UK. I’m not prepared to pay that however good it may be 🙁

  79. [quote comment=”15952″]I really want this release but it is £48 in the UK. I’m not prepared to pay that however good it may be :-([/quote]

    I empathize with your dilemma, Numpty. £48 translates to well over $80 including shipping. That’s a mighty big hunk of cheese…

  80. I just received this release yesterday. I have listened to about half of it and “spot-listened” to the rest. It seems like an ok show, with ok solos, but really, nothing outstanding that warrants special packaging, price, etc. Hopefully there will be a Zappa downloads facility soon. This release is something I would gladly pay $10 for, but not the $48.00 US that I did pay. To me, it’s just another good, but not great, live show. And certainly not much unique material. I’m off for the Thanksgiving holiday, so no time for a more detailed review. I’m sure there are others who will beat me to it.

  81. P-Rip: I don’t think anyone shoud beat you ;-), each and every review is useful and interesting – I’d rather read it in the discography section, BTW.

    The thing you write makes me remember the One Shot Deal CD (which I happen to like), about which Gail said (approx): “I said to Joe: what’s there that we can produce within a week?” – or now: “I said to Joe: what do we have that is from England?” That doesn’t seem to be a strong and substantial attitude: “Quickly, something”.

    I don’t think it to be a place of lamenting on the ZFT’s policy (again), but really: if the ZFT does NOT have a strong, long term policy about the releases – without this there always be a huge amount of questioning the actual releases: “Why this, why not THAT?”

    Anyway, since I haven’t heard this one and most of the reviews are positive, I hope you are wrong on this one, P-Rip ;-), but that will not make your point something to be ignored.

    “Information is not Knowledge” – but it sure is important!

  82. [quote comment=”16042″]
    I don’t think it to be a place of lamenting on the ZFT’s policy (again), but really: if the ZFT does NOT have a strong, long term policy about the releases – without this there always be a huge amount of questioning the actual releases: “Why this, why not THAT?”
    [/quote]

    Quite agree, Balint. That horse has been whipped to death – and I must confess, I did most of that whipping myself!

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