There is a new Cordelia Records CD - as usual
available from the record shop page at www.cordeliarecords.co.uk and CD Baby in
the fullness of time.
This is another Frank Zappa related one that was
organised in conjunction with the people at
http://www.idiotbastard.com/ - it's
a collection of new recordings of unreleased Zappa compositions.
"Rare Episodes"
Frank Zappa's unmined nuggets
New recordings of compositions he didn't get round to
recording himself.
A CD conceived by Andrew Greenaway of The Idiot
Bastard website and author of "Zappa the Hard Way" (the definitive
account of Frank's last tour). The idea was that some of the world's foremost
Zappa-influenced bands would record thirteen Zappa compositions that he either
didn't record, didn't release or, if he did, he changed them quite a lot first.
These are the tracks:
1. VARIANT #1 by Zappa Early Renaissance Orchestra
One of a number of pieces Frank wrote "must
record" - see The MOFO Project/Object booklet - and then actually did: at
TTG Studios in Hollywood on 10 June 1966, during sessions for the Burt Ward
single Boy Wonder I Love You.
2. FALLING IN
LOVE IS A STUPID HABIT by The Vegetarians
A song Frank denied knowing, yet a tape exists of him
demonstrating it to drummer Jimmy Carl Black. Jimmy told The Idiot Bastard that
Frank said he "could have the song and we even discussed the instruments
that would sound good on it. It was Frank playing the piano in his studio with
Andy Cahan and me there. The year was 1981 and I was in California rehearsing
for the first Grandmothers tour of Europe."
3. BOGNOR
REGIS by Jerry Outlaw & Friends
An instrumental originally recorded during the Hot
Rats sessions in 1969, and intended to be released as the b-side of a single
version of 'Sharleena' that never happened.
4. RALPH
STUFFS HIS SHOES by Todd Grubbs Group feat J Todd Plant and Daniel Swartwood
In September 1974, shortly before it became 'Can't
Afford No Shoes' on One Size Fits All, Frank's lyrics poked fun at drummer
Ralph Humphrey.
5. MICE by
Evil Dick
According to Frank, the first thing he ever composed:
"a piece for snare drum...I wrote that when I was about 14 and performed
it at school."
6. PORTUGUESE
LUNAR LANDING by Fuchsprellen
Performed live during the 1975 Bongo Fury tour, and
rehearsed by the 1981 band, but like all of these songs, not officially
released thus far.
7. MO'S VACATION
by Marc Atkinson
An early version of 'Mo 'N Herb's Vacation' in a basic
arrangement, described by drummer Terry Bozzio as "like 'The Black Page',
but more of it!" Performed live with Vinnie Colaiuta and Arthur Barrow in
1978, Chad Wackerman told The Idiot Bastard he also "did a studio
recording for Frank."
8. CLOWNS ON
VELVET by Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra
First performed at New York's Ritz Theatre in November
1981, with special guest Al DiMeola on lead guitar. Frank then added studio
overdubs to a fragment of this live recording and had the Thing-Fish rap over
it.
9. LITTLE DOTS
by Gumbo Variation
An instrumental similar to 'Approximate', only ever
performed live by the Petit Wazoo in 1972.
10. ROLLO by Chato Segerer
Officially released in instrumental form only on the
albums Imaginary Diseases, Apostrophe, QuAUDIOPHILIAc and You Can't Do That On
Stage Anymore Vol. 1. In 1972, the piece has the lyrics presented here. (This
version also appends the rare 'Village Of The Sun' intro/outro that appeared on
the recent Road Tapes, Venue #2 release.)
11. BRUTALITY by Neither Beasts, Nor Gods
A Synclavier composition from a cassette titled
Resolver + Brutality that Frank handed to someone he'd had an 'intensive
artistic relationship' with for several years.
12. VELVET SUNRISE by Spanner Jazz Punks
Another piece performed live during the 1975 Bongo
Fury tour, providing Frank with an opportunity to tell various tales about life
on the road.
13. WE ARE NOT ALONE by ZAPPATiKA
The instrumental track on The Man From Utopia album
had these lyrics when rehearsed by the 1981 band.
Other Zappa related CDs available from Cordelia are
"Lemme Take You To The Beach" (The Surf instrumental bands of the
word perform the tunes of Frank Zappa) - and three previous collaborations with
the Idiot Bastard web site: "20 Extraordinary Renditions" (of the
song "The Idiot Bastard Son"), "21 Burnt Weeny Sandwiches"
(21 condensed versions of the Burnt Weeny Sandwich album) and "On
Broadway: Covers Of Invention" (Zappaesque versions of other people's
songs covered by Zappa on the '88 tour).
