Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect StrangerAn old EMI CD is just like the vinyl; all other CDs are different - they all have a remix that Zappa made in 1992, as well as one re-recorded piece. What We Need: Are the BP/Zappa Records CDs and the 1995 CD identical? ESSENTIAL VERSIONS FOR COMPLETISTS: Post-1992 CD (remix) plus either vinyl or EMI CD. [completist's guide] Issues
VinylFrom Bjørn M Bruun: I have the UK vinyl, I think it is the original from 84. It was in fact manufactured in Germany for the UK, and it has the catalogue number EL 27 0153 1. The EL is for UK only. I think the German issue have the same catalogue number, only without the EL. It has a yellow EMI label, and is a DMM pressing (direct metal mastering). Sounds fantastic! EMI CDThe original EMI CD is just like the vinyl. From Record Collector magazine #171, November 1993 (quoted by Mikael Agardsson):
The track order at the time:
From Biffy the Elephant Shrew:
From David G:
1992 RemixFrank Zappa's 1992 remix has been issued on the following CDs:
The track order is nowadays:
From "The Mother of All Interviews", in Guitar Player Magazine:
From Jeff Rocca:
From John Henley, Austin, Texas:
From Juha Sarkkinen: Mike Espinoza reveals that one track isn't just remixed--it's re-recorded! The whole album was remixed to better effect for CD, but the original "Girl In The Magnesium Dress" consists entirely of computer generated music. For the CD version, Frank included sampled marimba in place of some of the synth percussion. The result is much richer. Also, if you do a comparison between the two tracks, there are some notes that are played on one version that aren't played on the other. Quite simply, Frank re-recorded the whole piece. 1995 CDOfficial Ryko statement: "New master. New timing sheet. This is the 1992 remix." [full statement] 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. 2012 UMe CDReputed to be the same as the standard Barking Pumpkin remix, although at least one listener has heard a difference. From Fredrik Runnström:I compared my two editions of The Perfect Stranger, and there’s a difference in sound on The Girl In The Magnesium Dress. CDZAP 49 is quite a bit brighter than the new Universal release. I haven’t noticed any other differences and it applies to this track only. Questions
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