Frank Zappa's Quadiophiliac on DVD-Audio

Has anyone got this yet??? Any reviews??? I think it was supposed to be released Sept 14th.

 

I am waiting for my copy to ship from cduniverse.com. Hopefully I will have it early next week. Can't wait.

 

Is this an old Quad recording?

Michael St. Clair probably knows this catalog well.

 

Here are the details:

DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) (Nasdaq: DTSI) entertainment label, DTS Entertainment (DTSE,) announces the release of QuAUDIOPHILIAc by Frank Zappa. The DVD-Audio disc is an audiophile documentary featuring various multi-channel recordings and mixes produced by the Composer throughout the 1970s.

These vintage mixes were culled from the Vault by Zappa Family Vaultmeister Joe Travers. At UMRK, Dweezil Zappa then constructed the sequence and produced the program now known as QuAUDIOPHILIAc for release. QuAUDIOPHILIAc 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 is licensed in cooperation with the Zappa Family Trust and FZ’s Barking Pumpkin label (www.zappa.com). DTS Entertainment previously released the first Zappa DVD-Audio release, Halloween, in 2003.

“From his quadrophonic releases in the early ‘70s, through the multi-channel theatrical mix of his 1979 film Baby Snakes, Frank Zappa was a passionate advocate for surround sound," said Jeff Skillen, Vice President of DTS Entertainment. “We are proud and excited to continue our relationship with the Zappa family, and to bring these incredible, ground-breaking recordings to the world. We hope that the release of QuAUDIOPHILIAc will help raise awareness of the greatness, staying power and relevance of Frank Zappa's music, as well as give the public a thrilling new surround music experience."

The QuAUDIOPHILIAc surround sound DVD-Audio disc includes:

· 10 recordings exclusively mixed and issued in surround, including:

- Selections from 1975 UCLA Royce Hall Concerts

- Mesmerizing live/studio hybrid musical inventions by Zappa

· High resolution DTS 96/24 surround and stereo mixes for all DVD-Video players

· Special "Surround Pioneer" presentation from the 2003 SurroundPro Awards ceremony, including video of Frank Zappa discussing advanced surround playback

· On-screen notes by Dweezil Zappa

· Complete visual discography and special photo gallery

· And a special bonus: Frank Zappa's visionary 1983 Music Industry Proposal for downloadable music (pre-dating the online phenomenon by 20-plus years)

"Frank surrounded himself in music whenever and wherever possible. He was always pushing the envelope of what was possible given his available tools and inventive concepts gleaned from years of experimenting with all manner of the recording experience – from the type of microphone and its placement to the waveform of the mix itself. For him, anything was possible subject only to the budget and this idea extended well beyond the studio. The only place where this restriction could not deter him was in his imagination,” said Gail Zappa. “Having said that, Dweezil is no slouch in the studio either.”

“I am continuously intrigued by Frank’s music and the way he composed and recorded it. Having the opportunity to hear some of my favorite songs that were formerly in stereo but now in surround is really exciting,” said Dweezil Zappa. As he explains in the liner notes, QuAUDIOPHILIAc is “an interludicrous journey that we could all experience together.”

 

Mine should be here tomorrow, Saturday at the latest.

Here's the closest thing to a review to be found yet:

And by the way, as the cat said, HOLY S**T. QuAUDIOPHILIAc is a great
time.

Hopefully by next week we are all saying "HOLY S**T".

 

What exactly does this mean? Is this a "DVD-V", "DVD-A", a multichannel "DAD", "HDAD"... what?

 

It means that the music is encoded at 24bit/96khz including the DVD-Audio surround tracks, DTS surround tracks, and PCM stereo tracks. The PCM stereo tracks are playable on all DVD players, the DTS surround on DVD players that have DTS, and DVD-Audio on DVD-Audio capable players.

 

Whew! Thanks, Ted.

Are 24/192 stereo tracks officially a thing of the past now? My DVD-A collection is small, but I don't believe I have a single one that uses the full resolution available for two-channel tracks.

 

No, I do not believe it is a think of the past, but many people and companies feel that 24/192 is overkill, plus it eats up a lot of the disc's space to use it.

Here are some titles that have 24/192 stereo tracks off the top of my head:

Any HDAD title
Neil Young - Harvest
REM - In Time (Best of)
Steely Dan - Everything Must Go
Frank Sinatra - Sinatra at the Sands
Eagles - Hotel California

 

Thanx for the post.

After a year of wondering why I bought that little $150 Pioneer uni-player -- and not a single hi-res disc in 4 months -- now it's clear...

I must have Quadiophiliac in all its glory... I had discrete quadraphonic in the 70s, and imperfect as that technology was, Overnite Sensation was a marvel.

Can't wait for this'un.

 

Anybody heard it yet?

 

I just got it. I'm verily liking it so far, even though I wish that it was slightly less scattershot. I'm currently listening to the 2-channel track, so I'm probably missing most of the intended experience, but it's still a great listen.

Notes: Chunga Basement is astoundingly good. "Wild Love" seems like the standard SY version, but swimming in reverb. "Lumpy Gravy" is a 1970s recording of one of the "randomonium" orchestral sections, and isn't Duodenum or anything.

-D

 

Is the stereo just a fold-down from the quad?

 

It would make sense that it was...after all, the selling point of this product is Frank's quad mixes. Offhand, the downmixing isn't necessarily done well. The guitar in "Venusian Time Bandits" seems buried awfully low...I'm wondering if it's just a result of the downmixing.

 

By the way, I just got an email from zappa.com and there is already a new Zappa title coming out in October. A CD called "Joe's Domage" a sequel to Joe's Corsage. They say it will be a series. No track list yet. The price is $13.99 and they are taking orders now.

 

Domage:

1. When it's perfect... 3:18
2. The New Brown Clouds 2:44
3. Frog Song 17:23
4. It Just Might Be a One-Shot Deal 1:57
5. The ending line... 3:12
6. Blessed Relief / The New Brown Clouds 5:03
7. It Ain't Real So What's The Deal 13:14
8. Think It Over (some) / Think It Over (some more) 5:20
9. Another Whole Melodic Section 1:53
10. When it feels natural... 1:27

Educated guess is Waka/Wazoo outtakes and/or live stuff.

 

New Brown Clouds, Blessed Relief, and Think it Over were all performed on the Grand Wazoo tour.

 

From the photo it looks like Frank is in a wheelchair. He spent most of 1972 in the chair, so the GW tour is a good fit. Looking at the setlists still makes me think that at least some of this would be alternate takes.

 

Quadiophiliac on DVD-Audio is $14.99 @Best Buy

 

So much to buy so much to buy!!! whether it be dvd, cd, sacd, or dvd a. I love and hate the remaining months of the year!!!

 

And, interestingly enough, the $2 off-CD coupon works on it.

-D

 

Were did you get the coupon?

 

It's in the Madden 2005 Coupon Book. DVDtalk.com had an entire thread on it. Some stores were giving these babies away. Most of the coupons were for Gamecube items, but there were two (20% off any three DVDs/$2 off any CD priced 9.99 or above) that were especially appealing.

 

A co-worker lady whose husband coaches high-school football was selling these discount cards for $10 that get you discounts at restaurants, barbers, etc. It was a fundraiser for the school/team and I bought one. Well, it says $2 off cds/dvds at Best Buy and I'VE USED IT ABOUT 15 TIMES SO FAR!!! They discount each cd/dvd, no limit!! And I've even used it at a non-Denver Best Buy, no problem. Pretty schweeeeet!!! Now if I could just find the CCR Mardi Gras SACD there...

I've gone back and thanked her...

Okay, back on topic...

 

ICE on 'Domage':

Sounds cool, but it makes me suspect we'll be waiting even longer for the 'Petit' concert that Spence Chrislu mixed.