Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
The European and American vinyls were quite different - some tracks were only on the
European version, and some material was only on the American version. The original US CD
did not have the track "H.R. 2911" from the European version, and the original
European CD did not have "Porn Wars" from the American version. The
European Zappa Records CD re-issue and the 1995 Ryko CD are the only CDs that have all
tracks on them.
ESSENTIAL VERSIONS FOR COMPLETISTS: Either the 1995 CD with all tracks on it, or both the
European and American older versions (while the 1995 CD sounds different from
earlier CDs, there are no actual content differences). Plus, if you're adamant, the Zappa Records
CD with a shorter edit of "I Don't Even Care". (The 1995 CD is a remaster.) [completist's guide]
Issues
Track Titles
There are some variations, but they are purely ortographic: "H.R. 2911" is
written "HR 2911" on the twofer CD, where "One Man,
One Vote" also has a dash instead of a comma.
US Vinyl
The track list, courtesy of Juha Sarkkinen:
1. We're Turning Again (04.55)
2. Alien Orifice (04.03)
3. Yo Cats (03.31) [Zappa/Mariano]
4. What's New in Baltimore? (05.21)
5. Little Beige Sambo (03.02)
6. Porn Wars (12.04)
7. Aerobics in Bondage (03.16)
Missing tracks: "I Don't Even Care" and "One Man - One Vote", which
were on all other issues, plus "H.R. 2911", which was on all other issues except
the original US CD. This LP had Zappa's warning/guarantee
"sticker" printed on it (if you can confirm or deny that it was printed on all
pressings, and that there were no actual stickers on any pressing, mail me):
WARNING/GUARANTEE
This album contains material which a
truly free society would neither fear nor suppress.
In some socially retarded areas,
religious fanatics and ultra-conservative political organizations violate your First
Amendment Rights by attempting to censor rock & roll albums. We feel that this is
un-Constitutional and un-American.
As an alternative to these
government-supported programs (designed to keep you docile and ignorant), Barking Pumpkin
is pleased to provide stimulating digital audio entertainment for those of you who have
outgrown the ordinary.
The language and concepts contained
herein are GUARANTEED NOT TO CAUSE ETERNAL TORMENT IN THE PLACE WHERE THE GUY WITH
THE HORNS AND THE POINTED STICK CONDUCTS HIS BUSINESS.
This guarantee is as real as the
threats of the video fundamentalists who use attacks on rock music in their attempt to
transform America into a nation of check-mailing nincompoops (in the name of Jesus
Christ).
If there is a hell, its fires wait for
them, not us. |
(This "sticker" was also on Thing-Fish.)
From Mikael Agardsson:
The American Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention came
with an order sheet for mail-ordering the Old Masters box 1,
and if you did, you got a special Old Masters T-shirt with
the box. The price was $100 for US residents, and for non-US residents it was $115 for
surface shipping and $140 for air mail delivery.
European Vinyl
The track list, courtesy of Román García Albertos:
1. We're Turning Again (04:55)
2. Alien Orifice (04:03)
3. Yo Cats [Zappa/Mariano] (03:31)
4. What's New in Baltimore? (05:21)
5. I Don't Even Care [Zappa/Watson] (04:43)
6. One Man - One Vote (02:36)
7. H.R. 2911 (03:35)
8. Little Beige Sambo (03:02)
9. Aerobics in Bondage (03:16)
Missing track: "Porn Wars" (which was on the US vinyl
and subsequent US CD, and also on the European
Zappa Records CD re-issue and 1995 CD).
This was also the Canadian version. From Kevin Sallows:
I've got a "European Version" vinyl copy of Frank Zappa Meets the
Mothers of Prevention that was pressed and released in Canada (Capitol ST 6535).
As with the tape version, Canada got the Euro version rather
than the US release (strange considering our proximity both geographically and
culturally).
The cover is white on black with the yellow "European Version" callout box.
My copy didn't come with liner notes, just the plastic sleeve. The disc has the usual
Canadian pressing info: "Manufactured and distributed in Canada under license by
Capitol records - EMI of Canada Limited."
European (and Canadian) Cassette
From John Seifert:
I have the cassette of the "European Version" (Capitol 4XT-6535). This tape
was manufactured in Canada as the European version was Canada's version as well.
No elaborate packaging - just the white lettering on a black background cover and the
track listing and credits on the inside.
Saudi-Arabian Cassette
This Saudi-Arabian cassette, which found its way to Sundown Records somewhere in
America via a GI who had been stationed in Saudi-Arabia, is based on the European version but has 13 tracks - the 9 regular
tracks on the European version (in the wrong order) plus:
- The Jazz Discharge Party Hats
- The Radio Is Broken
- Ya Hozna
- Sharleena [Them Or Us version]
Original US CD
The track list, courtesy of JWB:
1. I Don't Even Care [Zappa/Watson] (04:45)
2. One man, One Vote (02:34)
3. Little Beige Sambo (03:02)
4. Aerobics in Bondage (03:17)
5. We're Turning Again (04:54)
6. Alien Orifice (04:12)
7. Yo Cats [Zappa/Mariano] (03:34)
8. What's New in Baltimore? (05:25)
9. Porn Wars (12:03)
Missing track: "H.R. 2911" (which was on the European
vinyl and all other CDs).
Original European (EMI) CD, Coupled with Jazz from Hell
The track list, courtesy of Dr István Fekete:
1. We're Turning Again
2. Alien Orifice
3. Yo Cats [Zappa/Mariano]
4. What's New in Baltimore?
5. I Don't Even Care [Zappa/Watson]
6. One Man - One Vote
7. HR 2911
8. Little Beige Sambo
9. Aerobics in Bondage
10. Night School
11. The Beltway Bandits
12. While You Were Art 11 [sic!]
13. Jazz from Hell
14. G-Spot Tornado
15. Damp Ankles
16. St Etienne
17. Massagio Galore
Tracks 1-9 are Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention; tracks
10-17 are Jazz from Hell. Missing track: "Porn
Wars" (which was on the American vinyl and subsequent US CD, and
also on the European Zappa Records CD re-issue and 1995 CD.) The front cover was Jazz from
Hell and the back cover Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention.
European (Zappa Records) CD Re-Issue
CDZAP 33. The track list, courtesy of Dr István Fekete:
1. Porn Wars
2. We're Turning Again
3. Alien Orifice
4. Aerobics in Bondage
5. I Don't Even Care [Zappa/Watson]
6. Little Beige Sambo
7. What's New in Baltimore?
8. One man, One Vote
9. H.R. 2911
10. Yo Cats [Zappa/Mariano]
This was the first CD to gather all the tracks that had previously
been specific to either the European or the American version; additionally, for
the most part, the mastering on this version is identical to the later Ryko '95
reissue. However, "I
Don't Even Care" was abridged. From Pierre Guertin:
It so happens that I've got 3 editions of this album:
- 1986 Rykodisc RCD 10023 USA
- 1990 Zappa Records CDZAP 33 France
- 1995 Rykodisc RCD 10547 Canada (Americ Disc)
While compiling the differences in timing I may see of the tracks of these
editions, I noticed a big difference in the song "I Don't Even Care".
The timing on the 1986 and 1995 editions is almost identical (04:44 & 04:39
respectively), but the time on my 1990 edition is way off: 03:47 ... I
decided to listen carefully to hear "what's the difference", and this
is what I came up with:
My 1990 edition has the following lyrics deleted:
- From 02:11 to 02:29 on the 1995 version (total 00:18):
No no I don't
Ha-tch-tch-tch-tch
(I-I-I-I)
Ha-tch-tch-tch-tch-tch
(DON'T EVEN CARE)
Uh-huh, now listen, now ain't that som'thin' - oof!
I said
(I-I-I-I)
Alright
- From 02:50 to 03:08 on the 1995 version (total 00:18):
Would you listen to me baby?
I'm just talkin' 'bout
(I-I-I-I)
OW!
(DON'T EVEN CARE)
Shit, I don't care!
Listen! I said now
(I-I-I-I)
Uh-huh
- From 03:20 to 03:31 on the 1995 version (total 00:11):
OW! Yep, that's the reason! That's the reason! That's the reason! OW!
(I just don't care!)
(I-I-I-I)
Uh-huh
(No no no!)
That makes for about the 00:52 deleted from the 1990 edition.
1995 CD
Official Ryko statement:
New master. New timing sheet. When this title was originally released in Europe, Zappa
removed the "porn rock" hearings excerpts, and replaced it with other tracks.
When this title first came out on CD, it included both the hearing material and all Euro
tracks except "H.R. 2911". That track is on this re-release. [It was also on
the European Zappa Records CD re-issue.]
The track list, courtesy of Dr István Fekete:
1. I Don't Even Care [Zappa/Watson]
2. One man, One Vote
3. Little Beige Sambo
4. Aerobics in Bondage
5. We're Turning Again
6. Alien Orifice
7. Yo Cats [Zappa/Mariano]
8. What's New in Baltimore?
9. Porn Wars
10. H.R. 2911
The Ryko 1995 reissue mostly matches the mastering on the
Zappa Records CD,
but features a different track order and the full "I Don't Even Care."
Tracklisting Variations
Mike Espinoza isn't fond of the way the 1995 disc is sequenced:
Both the American and European vinyl versions had the same side one. As such,
those should be the first four songs, not songs 5 through 8. This is not
negotiable.
The US vinyl version of MOP is one of my favorite albums. Absolutely flawless.
"One Man, One Vote" is a nice addition, as well.
What basically happened was that Frank transposed the sides of the European
version, removed "H.R. 2911"
(which I don't have much use for), and stuck Porn Wars at the end. It's the
transposing of sides that I take issue with.
Then, when the 1995 CD came out, "H.R. 2911" was just tacked onto the end, right
after "Porn Wars" which
uses it as a backing track. It's just sloppy.
Fortunately for me, I never bought the 1995 CD and made a CDR of a sequence that
I like.
CD Versions Compared
From the 2004 Zappa CD Rundown:
I compared the EMI twofer, the old Ryko, and the 1995 Ryko. They're all drawn
from the same digital master (unsurprising, as I believe this album was recorded
digitally), but the EQ is very different on all of them, although it's pretty
close between the old Ryko and EMI. I'd be curious to see how the Zappa Records
and '95 CD measure up.
Japanese Paper-Sleeve Version (2001-2002)
Starting in 2001, Video Arts Music released a limited-edition series (2000
copies each) of Zappa CDs in
paper sleeves - miniature LP sleeves. There was nothing special about this
series other than the covers, which were very well done - inserts and
"bonuses" were reproduced, the albums that originally had gatefold
covers got little miniature gatefolds, and cover track lists were exactly as on
the corresponding LPs, even in cases where the CD has bonus tracks or a
different track order. Included in this series were some entries that never had
"proper" LP issues, i.e. Läther. Additionally, some rarities--like the "green/gold"
cover of Chunga's Revenge--were reproduced as special items in this run.
We need to stress that the sound quality of these discs matches the US
Ryko issues, which they are clearly derived from. These are collectors
items, not new remastered editions.
Late-2012-update: It appears as if the Japanese may be warming up the
mini-LP ovens for a new batch based on the 2012 UMe remasters. We'll let you
know if this happens.
Questions
- Any tape details?
- What's the original Japanese CD like? Track list!
- Was the "sticker" printed on all pressings, or was it ever an
actual sticker? Was it on the European version at all?
Additional Informants
- Tito Osuna
- Mikael Agardsson
- Andy & Janie @ Sundown Records
- Adrian Clark
- Kristian Kier
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