Frank Zappa: the 75th anniversary album by album thread

I love Bianca. Shes a great lady and a wonderful vocalist. I was able to meet her several years back and she beamed when I mentioned Zappa to her. This was before this release and I was able to get her a copy of the Boston gignon cd to her. Her duet with Ray on the version of You Didnt Try is spine tingling.

Great to see her get some due aside from the one song on the Stage 6 release.

 

This morning "Freak Out" is blowing my mind. "You didn't try to call me..."

 

I remember thinking that the setlist was not very promising, but some tunes work so well with this band that I ended loving a couple of songs that I usually ignore, mainly because of the amazing vocals by Bianca and Ray. If only she had stayed and taken part in those December shows! Imagine having this band, Bianca included, plus Ruth and the wind section!

 

The entire run needs a release
More than the Halloween 1977.

 

Amen.
I'm not very fond of the Halloween run, and I'm not gonna hide under a chair!

 

Well, it is a good run, the band was pretty on fire, but yeah 4 shows and 3 of them have nearly identical setlists. OTOH 4 shows on the Christmas '76 run each with unique setlists.

 

HAMMERSMITH ODEON

Released: November 6 2010
Recorded: January - February 1978
Label: Vaulternative
Producer: Frank Zappa, Gail Zappa & Joe Travers



Frank Zappa: Guitar, Vocals
Adrian Belew: Guitar, Vocals
Tommy Mars: Keyboards, Vocals
Peter Wolf: Keyboards
Patrick O'Hearn: Bass, Vocals
Terry Bozzio: Drums, Vocals
Ed Mann: Percussion

All songs written by Frank Zappa

Disc 1
1.Convocation/The Purple Lagoon (January 27, 1978) (2:18)
2.Dancin' Fool (January 27, 1978) (3:43)
3.Peaches en Regalia (February 28, 1978) (2:36)
4.The Torture Never Stops (February 28, 1978) (13:52)
5.Tryin' to Grow a Chin (February 28, 1978) (3:37)
6.City of Tiny Lites (February 28, 1978) (7:01)
7.Baby Snakes (February 28, 1978) (1:54)
8.Pound for a Brown (February 28, 1978) (20:39)

Disc 2
1.I Have Been in You (January 26, 1978) (13:55)
2.Flakes (February 28, 1978) (6:39)
3.Broken Hearts Are for Assholes (February 28, 1978) (3:54)
4.Punky's Whips (January 26, 1978) (10:26)
5.Titties 'n Beer (January 26, 1978) (4:49)
6.Audience Participation (January 26, 1978) (3:32)
7.The Black Page #2 (January 26, 1978) (2:49)
8.Jones Crusher (January 25, 1978) (3:01)
9.The Little House I Used to Live In (January 25, 1978) (7:13)

Disc 3
1.Dong Work for Yuda (January 25, 1978) (2:56)
2.Bobby Brown Goes Down (January 26, 1978) (4:54)
3.Envelopes (January 26, 1978) (2:16)
4.Terry Firma (January 26, 1978) (4:10)
5.Disco Boy (January 26, 1978) (6:43)
6.King Kong (February 28, 1978) (10:10)
7.Watermelon in Easter Hay (Prequel) (January 27, 1978) (3:55)
8.Dinah-Moe Humm (January 26, 1978) (6:10)
9.Camarillo Brillo (January 26, 1978) (3:23)
10.Muffin Man (January 26, 1978) (6:18)
11.Black Napkins (January 25, 1978) (5:16)
12.San Ber'dino (January 25, 1978) (5:54)


Just in case anybody was wondering, Greasy Love Songs Project was skipped because the majority of the release consists of previously released material. Congress Shall Make No Law was skipped because it doesn't contain any actual music.

 

Well......... I don't know about that!
They SHOULD count, shouldn't they?
Anyway,
......what a GREAT SET!

 

Hammersmith Odeon was a bit disappointing for me since it did not include "Wild Love" and "Yo Mama" (apparently FZ hacked up all of the London versions while putting together Sheik Yerbouti) and because Patrick O'Hearn's bass was mixed too quiet. On the other hand, if you are a Terry Bozzio fan, you may have fun with this since his drums are mixed way out front.

Disc one is good for a few listens, and the "King Kong" and "Watermelon" near the end are unique and very good versions.

 

I got Hammersmith only recently, and love it.

I put it off because of critique over sound quality. It didn't help that when I saw them in 77, Maples Pavilion (Stanford University) was the aural equivalent of chewing on a tin can.

Hammersmith sounds fine to me. Or at least far exceeded my low expectations.

More importantly, it sports The Setlist From Hell. Can't ask for much more, content-wise. The playing is peerless, natch. And yet another reinforcement of Bozzio being my favorite FZ drummer.

 

I read the list of musicians involved and it's outstanding, but somehow, this band doesn't work that well for me. I should give it another chance, though.

 

When I play Hammersmith, I usually only play the instrumental tracks and City and sometimes Torture. I think it sounds good, and yes Bozzio is out front on this one.

Does it still come with a balloon?

 

Mine ordered a couple of months ago did

 

Balloon, yes.

 

We demand Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison! (Even though I'm not going to post any comments, since I'm not familiar enough with it).

 

I was listening to some Zappa this morning and I rememberd this abandoned thread.

 

Just got Zappa Wazoo and Meat Light for Christmas

 

....revive



1. Feeding The Monkies At Ma Maison 20:12
2. Buffalo Voice 11:35
3. Secular Humanism 6:37
4. Worms From Hell 5:31
5. Samba Funk 11:29

• Frank Zappa – synclavier
• Moon Unit - Vocals

The first three tracks were intended as vinyl release by Frank Zappa. "Buffalo Voice" and "Secular Humanism" are earlier versions of the tracks released in 1994 on Civilization Phaze III.
"Worms From Hell" is the full-length version of the music used in the opening credit of the 1987 Honker Home Video release "Video From Hell".
"Feeding The Monkies At Ma Maison" and "Samba Funk" are previously unreleased.
All tracks on this CD were probably recorded in 1986.

Packaged in a cardsleeve with a lenticular print insert and a 6 page foldout insert.

CD compilation 2010.
Vaultmeisterment at UMRK for the Zappa Family Trust.
Mastered at Audio Mechanics, October 2010.
All Recordings & Art Elements from the Vault, courtesy ZFT Archive.

 

I never heard this album, which track does Moon provide vocals?

 

IIRC, "Buffalo Voice," and she just says "Buffalo Voice!"

 

Yikes!

 

There's one track that's just sad & lonesome;
what I envision Joe to be like in solitary confinement (or Frank, envisioning 'the end of his life'), sounds that don't have any rhythm, no melody....
all that's left are the three 'funny sounds' from his three 'eras', giving the slightest little bits of 'hope', in the otherwise depressing 'song':
1)- Dick's infamous 'SNORK'!
2)-The 'oo-dley, oo-dley-ahhh'-sound from "Joe's Garage"
AND:
3)-Frank's "MOOOO-AAAH!" bass voice from the '80's!
These three sounds come and go quickly, but, in their small way, relieve the tension....

 

I have it, but it's the Synclavier I've listened to the least, so I can't remember much about it, to be honest.

 

Oh, and thanks for bringing this thread back to life.

 

Niiiiiiiice!