You make a good point there. Still waiting for the latest two LPs to arrive. Hopefully before Christmas.
I haven't heard it, but according to others, the vinyl is a brand new remaster that's free of all the old digital reverb. They'll probably use this same version whenever they get around to putting the deluxe CD together, sort of like how they did with Hot Rats.
Got ROXY and UNCLE MEAT vinyl yesterday. The latter went back to Amazon for replacement. It's cover was f - - - ed up.
The confusion probably comes from comparing the reissues of Uncle Meat and Hot Rats, which have been treated differently. Hot Rats had its 1969 mix that was on all vinyl since it first came out, but in 1987 (I think!) Frank made a completely new mix and that became the norm for every CD since then. For the 2012 CD they went back to the original mix (by way of the Grundman master). Uncle Meat also had its original mix out on vinyl since 1969. Then in 1987 (I think!) Frank made a new mix of one song, put on reverb over everything, and added the 3 infamous 'penalty' tracks; that has been on every CD since then. This is the same master that was used for the 2012 CD. Now the new vinyl reissue that is being discussed on this thread does come from the old original mix (judging by the reports, I haven't heard it). In a nutshell, the 2012 CD of Uncle Meat isn't dry because they didn't revert to the original mix on that reissue (even though they did for the 2012 Hot Rats CD). I hope that helps! (Corrections and additions welcome.)
I just purchased Uncle Meat from my local record store. I didn't get Roxy because that is on my xmas list and I am hoping someone picks that up for me. I will report back after I get a chance to listen to give it a spin.
Got a chance to give Uncle Meat a spin last night and once again I am very impressed by the Zappa vinyl re-issues. Pressing is flat, clean, and dead quiet. Comes with prettty nice sleeves (typical one's from Pallas). The sleeve is nice and thick and rugged. This is stuff you would expect from a "premium" release but don't always get. Sonics. Even though this release did not come directly from the analog tapes the sound is tremendous in my opinion. Uncle Meat isn't exactly the type of record you play to impress your friends sonically however, it is a very pleasant listen. Nothing to complain about at all. I do not own any other vinyl versions of this album so I can't compare and its not an album that I am uber familiar with but I would definitely recommend it especially if you don't already have a copy. Plus, my local record store was selling it for $25.00 -- at this price its a no-brainer imho.
Since this is drawn from the original analog master, am I correct that this is the only in-print version of the original mix of "Cheepnis" currently available?
Yes. While we're on the subject, the ZFT has just released a 10-minute movie about the song for $1.99 through I-Tunes. It shows Zappa doing the intro at the Roxy, then there are a couple takes of the song in the studio with the entire band plus members of the Ikettes on backing vocals. https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/cheepnis/id778020912
Can anyone compare Uncle Meat with an older vinyl version. My "original" is a 70's Portuguese import which has never really impressed me sonically and neither did my CD version.
The back of the jacket says: "Original 1968 Analog Stereo Master Digital Transfer." Inside says: "For best sonics ( the original edit master for Uncle Meat unfortunately in sections suffers from oxide loss due to tape age and bad storage conditions), a new hi-res digital patchwork edit master was created in 2013 with all damaged sections restored from safeties in the Vault - Joe Travers."
Playing the new UNCLE MEAT double vinyl reissue right now. Spectacular. Sounds as good or better than the original two-LP set. And they even included the booklet from the original Bizarre/Reprise issue. Nice.
Wow. I might have to revoke my vinyl ban. I know there's a big P/O version in the works, but who knows when that'll deliver...
That's not really the movie so much as a "making of" documentary on the movie - the kind of thing that, nowadays, would be a bonus extra on the DVD, not the feature itself. I suspect the booklet that came with the LP offers more of a sense of what Frank hoped the movie would be than the VHS tape does. And that, whatever he had in mind back in 1968, Masismo Bassoli had squat-all to do with it.
