Promos
These are not advance/promotional versions of regular
albums (these may be found in the Return
of the Son of the alt.fan.frank-zappa Vinyl vs CDs FAQ), but special albums
(compilations) that were only available as promotional albums. Here they are. If you know
an unlisted album, or unlisted details about a listed album, please mail me.
- Radio Spots from Warner/Reprise: The Grand Wazoo (Warner/Reprise MS-2093, 5-inch
60-second 7.5 IPS reel-to-reel tape, probably with five spots)
- The Force (Warner Brothers)
- (Promotional DJ Copy for) Rock Age Campaign (Reprise
PS-9, Japan)
- The Rock Years - Portrait of an Era (Westwood One L
3537, 1980)
- Barking Pumpkin Goes Digital (Barking Pumpkin
AS 1594 and/or 1670, 1983)
- Steal This Disc (Ryko RCD 00056, 1987)
- Steal This Disc 2 (Ryko RCD 00076, 1988)
- Steal This Disc 3 (Ryko RCD 00205, 1991)
- April '88 Sampler (Barking Pumpkin cassette, April
1988)
- Specialized Digital Audio Gratification
(EMI CDPROMO1111, UK, 1988)
- Here It Is, the Music (TDK/Ryko 1988)
- FZ25 - Zappaween (Ryko / Music Scene Inc. MSI
PROM-1, Japan 1988)
- Songs from the Sacred Napkin (Ryko RCD PRO 9001,
1990)
- You Can't Do That on the Radio Anymore
(Ryko RCDPRO 9003, May 1990)
- FZ25
- No Commercial Potential LP & CD (Ryko ZAP 1 on
CD, Ryko FZZAP 1 on LP, August 1995)
- Clean American Version (Ryko VRCD 0501, August 1995)
- Kill Ugly Radio (Ryko VRCD 0502, August 1995)
- Album Network Rock Tuneup #132 (containing Kill Ugly Radio)
- Kill Ugly Radio Some More (Ryko VRCD 0503)
- Left of the Dial (Ryko VRCD 0505)
- Advance CD (Ryko, 1995)
- No Commercial Potential - A Non-Conceptual
Promotion-Only Compilation of the Music of Frank Zappa (Ryko CDZAP1, 1995; Ryko/FZ
ZAP 1 (LP - probably a counterfeit))
- Ditties & Beer (Ryko CDZAP2, 1995)
- The Rykodisc Fall '95 Mixer (Ryko, fall 1995)
- Strictly Halloween (Ryko VRAC 40500,
(probably Halloween) 1995)
- Rykodisc Spring Loaded '96 (Ryko, spring 1996)
- Limbo at the Rykodisc Luau (Ryko VRCD 9604, 1996)
- Rykodisc 1996 Sampler (Ryko RSCD 1996,
EEC 1996)
- Return of the Son of Kill Ugly Radio (Ryko
VRCD 0504, 1996)
- The Ryko Disc (Ryko PRD 96/98, Australia 1996 - 16-track promo
with Läther version of "For the Young Sophisticate")
- Half a Dozen Provocative Squats (Ryko VRCD
10513/10514, 1997)
- A Rykodisc 15th Anniversary Sampler (Ryko VRCD
9802, 1998)
- Play Fast Forward (Cambridge Corn Exchange, UK 1998)
- See & Hear / Fast Forward (Cambridge Corn Exchange, UK
1999)
- Fast Forward (Cambridge Corn Exchange, UK 2000)
- Brazilian promo box (Gravadora Eldorado, Brazil 1999)
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Penguin in Bondage"
1. Felix Cavaliere: A High Price to Pay
2. Randy Newman: Birmingham
3. Fleetwood Mac: Heroes Are Hard to Find
4. Ron Wood: I Can Feel the Fire
5. Randy Newman: Louisiana 1927
6. Felix Cavaliere: Everlasting Love
7. John Sebastian: Friends Again
8. Ron Wood: Take a Look at the Guy
9. John Sebastian: Dixie Chicken
10. Randy Newman: Rednecks
11. Graham Central Station: Feel the Need
12. Bonnie Raitt: You Got to Be Ready for Love (If You Wanna Be Mine)
13. Zappa/Mothers: Penguin in Bondange [Roxy & Elsewhere version,
of course]
A 1970s Warner Brothers promo, stickered with a bright pink "PROMOTIONAL COPY /
NOT FOR SALE". There was a for-sale album called The Force, in the Loss
Leader series, without Zappa material.
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Tell Me You Love Me" from Chunga's Revenge
The track list for Side 2:
1. Neil Young: Only Love Can Break Your Heart (03:05)
2. Arlo Guthrie: Valley to Pray (02:47) [Doc Watson / J. Pilla (?) / Arlo
Guthrie]
3. Fleetwod Mac: Jewel-Eyed Judy (03:17) [D. Kirwan / M. Fleetwod / J.
McVie]
4. Jethro Tull: A Time for Everything (02:42) [Ian Anderson]
5. Frank Zappa: Tell Me You Love Me (02:43) [from Chunga's
Revenge]
6. Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind (03:48)
This is all we have on this Rock Age Campaign promo. What the Rock
Age Campaign itself was may be lost in the mists of time. The "title"
is written on the label as
PROMOTIONAL DJ COPY FOR
ROCK AGE CAMPAIGN
with "ROCK AGE CAMPAIGN" in larger type.
Informants: Isamu Shimizu
The Rock Years - Portrait of an Era
Zappa material: not known
This description from somewhere was forwarded by Robert Cloos:
Title: The Rock Years - Portrait of an Era (promo LP)
Catalog Number: L 3537
Date: 1980
Release Information: A promo LP for The Rock Years -Portrait of an Era radio show.
Segments include Pink Floyd music.
Cover: Pictures of artists.
Label: Black "The Rock Years" demo label.
Zappa's picture appears on the cover, along with many other artists, so there is some
reason to believe he may actually be on the record.
Unique material: ?
1. The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou
2. Cocaine Decisions
3. Mo & Herb's Vacation (3rd Movement)
This was a 12-inch radio promo, announcing that "all future products will be
digital, with special releases on CD format as that technology becomes more
available". The two songs on side one have been, in Frank's words, "re-tweezed
with the digital machinery" [probably identical to the first (not second) CD
remix of The Man from Utopia]. The
front cover has the LSO cover photo of Zappa's face, with the title
written in LCD characters. The back cover has the words "Demonstration Not
For Sale" embossed in gold colour.
Informants: Mewler, Robert Cloos, Songsmith
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "G-Spot Tornado" (Jazz from Hell version)
(C) 1987 Rykodisc
RCD 00056
Barcode: 0 14431 00562 6
From Dave Foster:
Steal This Disc and Here It Is, the Music are
the exact same compilation. I have the Ryko Steal This Disc, and the
lineup exactly matches the lineup listed for the latter.
Others are not so sure about that. Here is the track list for Here
It Is, the Music, as best we know it:
1. Howard Wales & Jerry Garcia: Da Birg Song
2. Frank Zappa: G-Spot Tornado
3. The Screaming Tribesmen: In His Shoes
4. The Red Clay Ramblers: Home Is Where the Heart Is
5. Mahavishnu / John McLaughlin: Something Spiritual
6. The Tannahill Weavers: Lucy Cassidy
7. The Bleterskate: The Smith of Chilliechassie
8. Poto Doudongo: Bolingo
9. The Residents: Serenade for Missy
10. Keith Levene: Cops Too
11. The Charlie Rouse Band: Cinnamon Flower
12. Bill Frisell & Vernon Reid: Size 10 1/2 Sneaks
13. Bernie Krause: Jungle Shoes
14. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin: Henry & James
15. Nanci Griffith: Once in a Very Blue Moon
16. Doc & Merle Watson: Hesitation Blues
17. Phil Woods & Chris Swansen: Moose the Mooche
18. Devo: Jerkin' Back & Forth
20. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Fire
However, István Fekete reports this track list for Steal This
Disc:
1. Josh White Jr with Robin Batteau: You Won't Let Me Go
2. Johnny Adams: I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home
3. Frank Zappa: G-Spot Tornado
4. Sugar Minott: Good Thing Going
5. Mahavishnu John McLaughlin: Something Spiritual
6. Old & in the Way: Wild Horses
7. Phil Woods & Chris Swansen: Moose the Mooche
8. George Thorogood & the Destroyers: Madison Blues
9. The Residents: Serenade for Missy
10. The Residents: Hello Skinny
11. Schoolly-D: B-Boy Rhyme & Riddle
12. The Red Clay Ramblers: Home Is Where the Heart Is
13. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin: Henry & James
14. Guy van Duser & Billy Novick: Jubilee Stomp
15. Devo: Jerkin' Back & Forth
16. Bill Frisell & Vernon Reid: Size 10 1/2 Sneaks
17. Nanci Griffith: Once in a Very Blue Moon
18. Mark O'Connor: Flight Home
19. Richie Havens: If Not for You
20. Doc & Merle Watson: Hesitation Blues
21. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Fire
Those lists have a lot in common, but they are not the same. Either there are two
versions of Steal This Disc, or ...
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Tengo 'na Minchia Tanta"
(C) 1988 Rykodisc
RCD 00076
Barcode: 0 14431 00762 0
1. Dweezil Zappa: Electric Hoedown
2. Jimi Hendrix: Lover Man
3. Big Guitars from Texas: Ride of the Ruthless
4. Beausoleil: It's You I Love
5. Irma Thomas: Gonna Cry 'Til My Tears Run Dry
6. Duke Elllington: Happy Anatomy
7. Marty Willson-Piper: On the Tip of My Tongue
8. Steve Kilbey: Atlantis
9. Birdsongs of the Mesozoic: Theme from Rocky & Bullwinkle
10. Poto Doudongo: Bolingo
11. The Residents: The Thing About Them
12. Mission of Burma: Mica
13. Paul Horn: Mantra II/Duality
14. Howard Wales & Jerry Garcia: Da Birg Song
15. Touchstone: Jack Haggerty
16. Nils Lofgren: If I Say It, It's So
17. Keith Levene: Cops Too
18. Charlie Rose Band: Cinnamon Flower
19. Jerry Jeff Walker: Driftin' Way of Life
20. Frank Zappa: Tengo 'na Minchia Tanta
Informants: Patrick Neve, Zoomspark, István Fekete
Steal This Disc 3
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "In France"
(C) 1991 Rykodisc
RCD 00205
Barcode: 0 14431-0205-2 0
1. Mouth Music: Seinn O! (Sing)
2. Nils Lofgren: Walkin' Nerve
3. Jimi Hendrix Experience: Love or Confusion
4. John & Mary: Red Wooden Beads
5. Jerry Jeff Walker: Flowers in the Snow
6. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin: Grey Skies (Edit)
7. Michael Case Kissel: Croc Gossip
8. Frank Zappa: In France
9. Badfinger: Sometimes
10. Ringo Starr: Honey Don't
11. The Jolly Boys: Ripe Tomato
12. Barking Tribe: Breakaway
13. Devo: Uglatto
14. 3 Mustaphas 3: Benga Taxi
15. Marty Willson-Piper: To Where I Am Now
16. Hex: Centaur
17. Chris Wall: Something to Shoot
18. Country Joe McDonald: Cocaine (Rock)
19. Evan Johns & His H-Bombs: Meant for You
20. Mike McGear: Norton
21. David Bowie: Heroes/Helden
Informants: István Fekete
April '88 Sampler
Unique material: none
"This Master Digital cassette is a 'real-time' transfer from a digital
audio master". It came with a yellow card insert.
1. Peaches en Regalia
2. Stuff Up the Cracks
3. Sharleena
4. Hungry Freaks, Daddy
5. Watermelon in Easter Hay
6. Little Umbrellas
7. Trouble Comin' Every Day
8. Republicans
9. Do Not Pass Go
10. Mr. Green Genes
11. You Didn't Try to Call Me
12. Once Upon a Time
13. King Kong
Informant: Peter Stupar, SF, CA
Unique material: None
1. Dancin' Fool
2. City of Tiny Lights
3. Keep It Greasey
4. Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?
5. Tinsel-Town Rebellion
6. Peaches III
7. Variations on the Secret Carlos Santana Chord Progression
8. Society Pages
9. You Are What You Is
10. Valley Girl
11. The Dangerous Kitchen
12. The Jazz Discharge Party Hats
13. He's So Gay
14. Stevie's Spanking
15. Whipping Post [Allman]
"Specialized Digital Audio Gratification" is a sampler of the frequently
sought-after EMI discs, and often goes for ridiculous prices on eBay.
Unfortunately, it's junk. Greg Russo writes:
GREG RUSSO: For all the tracks on that EMI promo, only one track of the two-track stereo
mixes was used on both channels of the CD. Naturally, all the tracks sound
different because half of their information is missing.
Ryan Davenport elaborates:
Greg Russo is right - all of the songs sound different because one
channel is missing. I recorded snips from a couple of songs with Cool Edit Pro
and then had a look at the waveforms, and all they've done to come up with a
sort of a stereo effect is to duplicate one channel on to the other but they
delayed one channel by a hundredth of a second - the waveforms are
exactly the same on both channels, they're just .01 seconds apart. [And this
is cheepnis here - Ed.] There is also a considerable difference on
"Tinsel-Town Rebellion" - the first 61 seconds of the song have
been cut. Don't know why, unless they wanted to remove the "cocks and
balls" reference. Funny, because the work "fuck" is still
in "The Dangerous Kitchen". The disc is nowhere close to running out
of room - it's only 67:58 long.
From Esgee:
As you will probably know as a fan, many of Zappa's album were briefly licensed to EMI
UK in the late '80s. To celebrate this licensing coup, EMI issued this 15-track CD and
gave copies of it to selected record stores to promote the full-album re-issues. This
15-track CD entitled Specialized Digital Audio Gratificaton comes in a
slimline single plastic jewel case. The front of the inlay features Frank looking rather
suave in a patterned white jacket, red scarf and wraparounds. He is holding a cigarette in
his right hand. The front also carries the title plus the tagline "A limited
edition promotion only CD containing a selection of tracks taken from nine Frank Zappa
albums now available on CD". The rear of the inlay features the track
listing in white on a red background. This inlay folds out to show a further track
listing ... linked to the albums the cuts came from ... plus a small amount of
blurb written by someone at EMI telling people what they were doing with the album issues.
Additional informants: Tony Burke. Patrick Neve
Here It Is, the Music
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "G-Spot Tornado" (Jazz from Hell version)
1. Howard Wales & Jerry Garcia: Da Birg Song
2. Frank Zappa: G-Spot Tornado
3. The Screaming Tribesmen: In His Shoes
4. The Red Clay Ramblers: Home Is Where the Heart Is
5. Mahavishnu / John McLaughlin: Something Spiritual
6. The Tannahill Weavers: Lucy Cassidy
7. The Bleterskate: The Smith of Chilliechassie
8. Poto Doudongo: Bolingo
9. The Residents: Serenade for Missy
10. Keith Levene: Cops Too
11. The Charlie Rouse Band: Cinnamon Flower
12. Bill Frisell & Vernon Reid: Size 10 1/2 Sneaks
13. Bernie Krause: Jungle Shoes
14. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin: Henry & James
15. Nanci Griffith: Once in a Very Blue Moon
16. Doc & Merle Watson: Hesitation Blues
17. Phil Woods & Chris Swansen: Moose the Mooche
18. Devo: Jerkin' Back & Forth
20. The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Fire
From Kevin Lisankie:
Yes, it's a strange looking cover alright; that's because it was a joint venture of
Rykodisc and TDK (the tape company). It was given away free in select packs of cassette
tapes as a bonus. It's not an enhanced CD; "just" music. Includes full-color
1988 Ryko catalog/booklet.
From Dave Foster:
Steal This Disc and Here It Is, the Music
are the exact same compilation. I have the Ryko Steal This Disc,
and the lineup exactly matches the lineup listed for the latter. [This has been called
into question - see Steal This Disc for details -
Ed.]
FZ25 - Zappaween
|
|
|
The above picture is a T-shirt,
drawn by Cal Schenkel. The cover of the "FZ25" single is has the
"FZ25" and its brick foundation cut out from the above picture,
and tinted a strange, low-contrast red.
|
Ryko Music Scene Inc PROM-1/D1277 (Japanese 3" CD promo, 1991)
1. Trouble Every Day
2. Cosmik Debris
3. Porn Wars
From Record Collector magazine #177, May 1994 (quoted by Mikael
Agardsson):
This mega-rare (300 copies) Japanese only 3" CD has become a major Zappa
collectable. And "Porn Wars" and "Trouble Every Day", it should be
noted, are severly edited.
From Mikael Agardsson:
That's not quite true - "Trouble Every Day" is not edited,
but "Porn Wars" is - 09:50 here, compared to the original
12:03. This edit fades out, so that the last word you hear is
"boorish":
SENATOR GORTON: "Mr Zappa, I am astounded at the courtesy and
soft-voiced nature of the comments of my friend, the senator from Tennessee.
I can only say that I found your statement to be boorish ..."
By the way, the text on the T-shirt (see table to the right), not
included on the single cover, says:
Once upon a time there was a guy who thought that music was important and
that rock n' roll songs ought to say something different in their lyrics. So
he wrote a few hundred of these items, trying to get his point across to the
people in the U.S.A.
Twenty-five years later, most of the people in his own country had never
heard any of his music (it had been systematically "removed" from
the mainstream of American broadcasting and made mysteriously absent from many
important retail outlets). But he kept on doing it anway because he believed
that one day things would get better.
From Kristian Kier:
In the recent September issue of Oldie-Markt, a german
record-collector magazine wich has tons of auctions running, there is a hit list of the 40
most expensive records they ever auctioned till beginning of 1994. Here are the top ten:
1. Dark: Round the Edges (SIS-0102, UK 1972) - 3600,30 DM
2. Bent Wind: Sussex (Trend T-1015, UK 1969) - 3256,33 DM
3. Elvis Presley: Golden Boy (RCA 25037, CH [?] 1965) - 2664,67
DM
4. Dog That Bit People: Dog That Bit People (Parlophone PCS 7125, UK
1971) - 2566,65 DM
5. Frank Zappa: FZ 25 - Zappaween (Ryko / Music Scene Inc. MSI
PROM-1, Japan 1988 [error - 1991]) - 1854,16 DM
6. Can: Monster Movie (Music Factory SRS 001, Germany 1969) -
1780,11 DM
7. The Beatles: Impression (Deutsche Buchgemeinschaft Odeon 6086, Germany
1965) - 1734,82 DM
8. CA Quintet: Trip Thru Hell (Candy Floss CF 7764S, US 1964) -
1715,00 DM
9. Lang'syne: Lang'syne (Düsselton TS 2737, Germany 1976) - 1652,65
DM
10. The Beatles: The Beatles (13-LP picture-disc box, London Wavelength
(Limited Edition)) - 1638,60 DM
It's above as a 1988 release there, but we all know that the "FZ25"
anniversary was in 1991.
(Kristian Kier comes back with an aside:
In the same issue there's a special about Alice Cooper. Here's an excerpt:
It's been proven that the first gig at the Cheeta Club on January 5th, 1968 (other
sources report Santa Barbara, March 16th) took place as an Alice Cooper concert, and
shortly thereafter the legendary farewell concert of Lenny Bruce took place, where the
quintet managed to sour away 2000 people out of the club. Two guys who stayed there
impressed were Frank Zappa and Shep Gordon. The former offered the band a record contract
on his Straight label, the latter his management. Up to that point Furnier - to be
named Alice Cooper from now on, even if it's the name of the whole band - and his
boys weren't attracting attention in an optical way. But the lyrics were extraordinary
above all. Even more curious was the making of their debut album, Pretties for You:
"We recorded our first album in November 1968. We went every day to the recording
studio for one week, and played every song about four or five times, while Herb Cohen and
Zappa were noodling the knobs in the control room. We thought we would just start to
record the songs and experiment a little bit, when Zappa came out of the control room and
said: 'Okay, your album will be ready next Thursday.' As I pointed out that we made many
mistakes he only replied: 'We'll get it fixed with the mixing.' Five months later we heard
the result for the first time."
Nevertheless the boys managed to reject Zappa's idea to rename the group to Alice
Cookies, because he saw more a comedy troup in them.
And then there's a mention that probably the GTOs created the female image of the band,
they liked to dress them up like Barbie dolls, somewhere in 1969. I hope my little
translation is understandable ...)
Unique material: none
20. Cozmic Debris [sic]
This was a Ryko promo, representing their entire catalogue. The mislisted "Cosmik
Debris" is the only Zappa track; it's the version from The Best Band You
Never Heard in Your Life. (Apparently, the business plan for the Rykodisc record
company was originally drawn on a napkin in a restaurant.) Other tracks
include David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World", a reggae version of
"Hotel California" and Jerry Jeff Walker's "Trashy Women".
Informants: Dr István Fekete + another person
Unique material: none
1. Peaches en Regalia
2. Montana
3. Cosmik Debris
4. Muffin Man
5. Don't Eat the Yellow Snow / Nanook Rubs It
6. Dinah-Moe Humm
7. Oh No
8. Elvis Has Just Left the Building
9. Joe's Garage
10. Be in My Video
11. Dancin' Fool
12. Catholic Girls
13. Disco Boy
14. Trouble Every Day
15. America Drinks & Goes Home
Original versions of all tracks. You Can't Do That on the Radio Anymore
first came in a black digipak with a booklet glued to the inside cover. (The booklet
includes a few pages of CD and LP titles, a picture of Zappa and Chip Horaneck at a WMMR
Halloween party and a track list.) Later, it was re-released in a green jewel case without
booklet but with an insert under the tray. The cover has "YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON THE
RADIO ANYMORE" in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore
font, plus a picture of Zappa holding a radio to his ear.
The booklet proudly announces the impending release of Rykodisc titles like
Sheik Yerbouti, Zoot Allures, and others.
Which versions of all of the tracks is currently up in the air. David
G. elaborates:
"You Can't Do That on the Radio" theoretically pre-dates the '95
standardization of the catalogue under Ryko. The versions used on the disc vary
wildly, though, and sometimes weirdly. "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow," "Be In My
Video" and "Dinah-Moe Humm" are the versions from the Zappa Records CDs, with
the attendant audio problems. Bizarrely enough, though, "Cosmik Debris" is a
slight digital variation on the version which would later make an appearance on
Ryko's 1995 disc, super-reverb and all. Where the heck did this come
from?
Informants: Dr István Fekete, Wild Bill
Unique material: none
1. Peaches en Regalia
2. Dirty Love
3. Dancin' Fool
4. San Ber'dino
5. Fine Girl
6. Trouble Every Day
7. Cosmik Debris
8. Blessed Relief
9. Joe's Garage
0. Don't Eat the Yellow Snow
1. Nanook Rubs It
2. I'm the Slime
3. Valley Girl
4. Be in My Video
Cardboard sleeve. The cover is the "Shoot me!" picture from Absolutely
Free, and the same picture is on the disc. These are CD versions, not single
edits as on Strictly Commercial.
(The vinyl and CD versions of Apostrophe (')
are a little different - for example, there's two extra bars in the first verse of
the CD version of "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" that aren't in the LP version. But
Ryko's audiophile special gold CD of Apostrophe
(') used a different CD master, which was just like the vinyl master, so that CD had
the original, a little bit shorter version of "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow". There
has recently (May 1999) been rumoured that Ryko has switched to using that master for
their regular Apostrophe (') CD as well -
this hasn't been confirmed yet - but anyway, the version on Clean American
Version is the original CD version, with the extra bars.)
Additional informants: Dr István Fekete, rarediscs@aol.com,
David Goodwin, Biffy the Elephant Shrew
- Kill Ugly Radio also appeared as disc two in a double promo called Album
Network Rock Tuneup #132
Unique material: 7 short interview excerpts
1. As a Matter of Fact ...
2. Peaches en Regalia
3. Just Imagine ...
4. I'm the Slime
5. It Has Just Been Passed ...
6. Dirty Love
7. Joe's Garage
8. You Can Get a Point Across ...
9. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
10. Yeah, Well ...
11. Murder by Numbers
12. Cosmik Debris
13. San Ber'dino
14. The Guy on the Staten Island Ferry ...
15. Apostrophe (')
16. Valley Girl
17. Whippin' Post
18. Radio Has Helped to ...
19. RDNZL
This was a radio station promo for the FZ approved re-issue catalog. All tracks are the
original versions (the versions that were first released); Tracks 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 14 &
18 (all tracks with titles that end with "...") are short interview
excerpts from a WBAI Zappa tribute which aired January 22, 1994. The cover has the
"my pumpkin" picture from Absolutely Free, and the CD and
under-the-tray insert have the smoking-and-playing picture from the back of the Guitar
CD booklet.
Informants: Dr István Fekete, JWB
Album Network Rock Tuneup #132
The Kill Ugly Radio disc also appeared as disc two of a double-CD
promo called Album Network Rock Tuneup #132, where disc one was a
various-artists sampler, containing:
1. Hum: Stars
2. Beggars: Falling Down
3. The Stone Roses: Ten Storey Love Song
4. Faith No More: Ricochet
5. Del Amitri: Roll to Me
6. Bad Company: Down & Dirty
7. Sons of Elvis: Soaking in It
8. Joan Osborne: Right Hand Man
9. Chris Whitley: O God My Heart Is Ready
10. Peter Murphy: The Scarlet Thing in You
11. Sonny Landreth: Native Stepson
12. Neotone: It Haunts Us All
13. Stonewheat: Know Where to Go
Informants: Uncle Recyclemuz
Unique material: 8 short interview excerpts. The single versions are not unique, but
from the Strictly Commercial compilation.
1. It's OK to be Smart ...
2. Plastic People
3. Don't Eat the Yellow Snow (single version)
4. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
5. Obscenity Is a Legal Term ...
6. Let's Make the Water Turn Black
7. Trouble Every Day
8. Transylvania Boogie
9. Once Upon a Time ...
10. Be in My Video
11. Fine Girl
12. I Think the First Thing That I Did ...
13. Dancin' Fool
14. Goblin Girl
15. I Go Out There and Give 'Em Everything That I Can ...
16. Echidna's Arf (of You)
17. Royal March from L'Histoire du Soldat
18. The Horrible Part of it Is ...
19. Montana (single version)
20. Drowning Witch
21. You Have Any Last Words ...
22. NYC Halloween Audience
23. Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
This was a radio station promo to promote the new Strictly Commercial
compilation. All tracks are the original (first released) versions, except 3 & 19,
from Strictly Commercial, 20 from Stage #3, and 23 from Stage
#6; Tracks 1, 5, 9, 12, 15, 18 & 21 (all tracks with titles that end
with "...") are short excerpts from an interview conducted by Ben Manilla
for WLIR-FM. The exact interview is presently unknown. The cover has the "my
pumpkin" picture from Absolutely Free, and the CD and under-the-tray insert have the
smoking-and-playing picture from the back of the Guitar CD booklet.
Informants: Dr István Fekete, JWB
Unique material: none
1. Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
2. Stink-Foot
3. Hungry Freaks, Daddy
4. Concentration Moon
5. Would You Go AlltThe Way?
6. I Don't Wanna Get Drafted
7. A Few Moments with Brother A. West
8. I Don't Even Care
9. Alley Cat
10. Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead
11. Lil' Clanton Shuffle
12. Hot-Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel
13. When the Lie's So Big
14. Dickie's Such an Asshole
All tracks are the original (first released) versions, except tracks 1 & 6 from The
Lost Episodes, track 2 from Make a Jazz Noise Here, track 12
from Broadway the Hard Way, and track 14 from Stage #3.
Tracks 2 and 14 have a little note on the cvoer that says "please note the presence
of the word
COCKSUCKER on each of these tracks" - apparently, "cocksucker" is one
of the words you have to be very careful with on the radio in the Land of the Free.
This was a radio promo for the new Lost Episodes album: the liner
notes say that "Not only does this shrewd promotional tool aid and abet the sale of
Frank Zappa's "The Lost Episodes", but it reminds us that this is an election
year. Don't forget to register to vote." The cover has the "my pumpkin"
picture from Absolutely Free, and the CD and under-the-tray insert have the
smoking-and-playing picture from the back of the Guitar CD booklet.
Informants: Dr István Fekete, JWB
Unique material: none
1. Tryin' to Grow a Chin [Läther version]
2. Plastic People [Absolutely Free version]
3. Läther [Läther version]
4. Mudd Club [You Are What You Is
version - drop-outs & all]
5. It Just Might Be a One-Shot Deal
6. Suicide Chump [Stage #1 version]
7. WPLJ
8. Any Way the Wind Blows [Freak Out! version]
9. Lemme Take You to the Beach
10. Baby Snakes [Baby Snakes version]
11. Camarillo Brillo
12. 200 Years Old
13. Filthy Habits [Läther version]
14. Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station [Zoot Allures version]
15. Baby, Take Your Teeth Out
16. Big Leg Emma [Läther version]
17. Stink-Foot [Apostrophe (') version]
This was a radio promo to promote the new Läther release. The cover
depicts a small radio that is spotted like a cow, with pink touch-ups. There is a thought
bubble coming out of the radio that says: "ZAPPA: LEFT OF THE DIAL".
Below it says "includes selections from the legendary Läther".
From JWB:
Left of the Dial is, in my opinion, the best Zappa compilation that
Ryko ever attempted to put together, promotional or otherwise. Great editing, flow and
track selection.
Additional informants: Dr István Fekete
Unique material: none
1. Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-from-Hollywood Overture
2. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
3. Mystery Roach
4. Magic Fingers
5. Lonesome Cowboy Burt
6. Penis Dimension
... [Tracks 7-98 are blank]
99. Half a Dozen Provocative Squats
This is a promotional CD released just prior to the new 200 Motels CD
release, 1997. As the CD package says:
Rykodisc and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. are proud to announce the long-awaited re-release
of 200 Motels, the missing piece of the Frank Zappa catalog. These six
songs will give you a good idea why 200 Motels has been the most
sought-after title by legions of Zappa afficionados. From the compositional brilliance of
"Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-from-Hollywood Overture" to the hard rocking satire of
"Mystery Roach" and "Magic Fingers" (both of which feature the vocal
gleam of Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, AKA Flo & Eddie), 200 Motels
is Zappa's sprawling tale of a rock and roll group on the road in the 1970s, told in every
musical genre the man ever worked in. Remastered from the original analog tape Zappa
delivered in 1971 to United Artists Pictures, now a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Inc., the digital debut of 200 Motels appears on a double disc, complete
with bonus audio and visual material. To hear 200 Motels in all its sonic
glory (and without those annoying popcorn sounds of scratchy vinyl) is perhaps just shy of
a religious epiphany. So sit back and pop this into your CD machine. Who knows, there may
even be a bonus waiting to be found ...
From David A Sage:
There is a bonus track hidden way down at the end of the CD, after
close to 100 blank "tracks" of some number of seconds. The bonus track is, of
course, "Half a Dozen Provocative Squats". There is a still of Miss Lucy and
Janet from the movie on the cover of the CD.
Miss Lucy and Janet have word balloons that say:
"Janet! Did you see those guys over there with the hair?"
"Pop stars are so depressing when they been on the road for a long time and they
finally get some action ..."
Additional informants: Dr István Fekete, "615"
No Commercial Potential - A Non-Conceptual
Promotion-Only Compilation of the Music of Frank Zappa
- Ryko ZAP 1 (CD)
- Ryko/FZ ZAP 1 (LP - probably a counterfeit)
Unique material: none
1. Peaches en Regalia (03:37) [Hot Rats version]
2. Dancin' Fool (03:43) [Sheik Yerbouti version]
3. Hungry Freaks, Daddy (03:27)
4. Oh No (01:45) [Weasels Ripped My Flesh version]
5. The Orange County Lumber Truck (03:21) [Weasels Ripped My Flesh
version]
6. Cosmik Debris (04:14) [Apostrophe (') version]
7. Why Don'tcha Do Me Right? (02:37)
8. Camarillo Brillo (03:59) [Over-Nite Sensation version]
9. Who Needs the Peace Corps? (02:34) [We're Only In It for the Money
version]
10. Conehead (04:18)
11. Debra Kadabra (03:54)
12. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (03:43)
13. Montana (06:36) [Over-Nite Sensation version]
14. Valley Girl (04:50)
15. Blessed Relief (07:59) [CD only]
A UK promo. From Kristian Kier:
In the "liner notes" there is something mentioned about "Authorized
Frank Zappa Dealer campaign to run indefinitely with a series of posters, postcards,
special promo CD's, stickers and other desireable paraphernalia." So what makes a
dealer an authorized Zappa dealer? Are there any stores with that label?
From the Grand Wazoo:
I once saw the LP version of the promo record No Commercial Potential
here in Paris. The track listing is the same, but it was pressed on purple
semi-translucent vnyl.
This LP version is probably a counterfeit, although it's raison
d'être then is beyond me. Kristian Kier found it at a record show in
November 1999:
The same as the official promo CD, with the last track ("Blessed
Relief") omitted. The enumeration on the back side of the sleeve is in
the same way as the CD, so not telling what's on side one and what's on side
two. It's just listing the songs from 1 to 14.
The record is pink vinyl, with blank white labels. The cover art is taken
directly from the CD, without the mentioning of track 15 and the "Compact
Disc Digital Audio" logo. If you look closer at the printing you'll
notice it's a little bit "unsharp". Also, the cover is not as bright
yellow as the original CD, it tends a little bit to orange.
It still has the Ryko/FZ logo, along with the old ordering number ZAP1,
which makes it look like a legit release. But this is obviously a counterfeit
of the promo CD.
Additonal informants: Dr István Fekete
Unique material: none
1. Camarillo Brillo
2. City of Tiny Lites
3. Willie the Pimp
4. Any Way the Wind Blows
5. Stink-Foot
6. Orange County Lumber Truck
7. For Duane
8. Stevie's Spanking
9. Ms Pinky
10. Bamboozled by Love
11. A Token of My Extreme
12. Who Needs the Peace Corps?
13. Can't Afford No Shoes
14. Sam With the Showing Scalp Flat Top
15. Teen-Age Prostitute
Exact track versions unknown. A UK promo.
Informants: Dr István Fekete
The Rykodisc Fall '95 Mixer
Unique material: None
Zappa material: "Dirty Love"
1. Lloyd Cole: Like Lovers Do [Lloyd Cole]
2. Maura O'Connell: Hit the Ground Running [Dana Cooper]
3. Elvis Costello: Brilliant Mistake [Declan MacManus]
4. Morphine: Radar [Mark Sandman]
5. Frank Zappa: Dirty Love
6. Mem Shannon: My Baby's Been Watchin' TV [Mem Shannon]
7. The Roches: My Winter Coat (Live on KCRW) [Margaret A. Roche]
8. Bill Frisell/Kermit Driscoll/Joey Baron: Have a Little Faith in Me [John Hiatt]
9. Mouth Music: Tomorrow (The Whirl-y Gig / Monkey Pilot & Saracen Mix) [Joyce/Swan]
10. Baka Beyond: Ohureo [Martin Cradick]
11. Toumani Diabate: Cheick Oumar Bah [Toumani Diabate]
A Rykodisc/Hannibal/Gramavision promo sampler with a red cover depicting a pink &
white mixer, a cocktail glass and some bubbles.
Informants: Patrick Neve
Strictly Halloween
Unique material: none
A cassette from (Halloween) 1995, promoting the Strictly Commercial
compilation.
1. Cosmik Debris
2. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
3. Transsylvania Boogie
"(program repeats both sides)"
The front cover has a Strictly Commercial photo, and the back cover
has a track list plus this Zappa quote:
"Today in the United States there's a group of people - I know
they gotta be out there - who don't care whether they're hip, hep,
swinging or zorch. These people have the ability to motivate social change. I
want to reach the vast minority."
Everything is in the colour scheme of red, black & white and grayscale.
Informants: Bill Lanz
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Alley Cat"
This track list was transcribed from a scan of the cover, and some titles were very
difficult to read:
1. Alejandro Escovedo: Put You Down (Edit)
2. Golden Smog: V
3. Morphine: Scratch
4. Mem Shannon: Taxi Driver
5. Jesús Alemañy's Cubanismo: Descarga de Hoy
6. Lead Belly: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
7. Golden Smog: Cowboy Song
8. Like Swimming: Swing It Low
9. Arthur Lyman: Caravan
10. Peter Applebaum: Phoenix Hill
11. Mutiny: Ticking Like a Time Bomb
12. Frank Zappa [and Captain Beefheart]: Alley Cat
13. Aisha Kandisha's Jarring Effects: A Muey A Mue
14. Ron Miles: Say It Loud
15. Abiodun Oyewole: Brown Sugar
16. Marta Sebestyen: Devoiko Mome [?]
The cover has a pattern of dark green rays fanning out across a black background.
Yellow letters say "Rykodisc / Hannibal / Gramavision / Spring
'96" (on four lines) and red letters say "G LOADED SPRING LOADED SPRING LOADED
SPRIN" along the bottom edge. From alistaire@earthlink.net:
CD in a gateway fold cardboard sleeve with dramatic artwork and detailed liner notes.
Features 16 tracks from Rykodisc, Hannibal, and Gammavision releases.
Additional Informants: Patrick Neve, littleflower22@hotmail.com,
Feartech
Limbo at the Rykodisc Luau
Unique material: none
Zappa Material: Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance (Lost Episodes version)
1. Arthur Lyman: Taboo
2. Medeski Martin and Wood: Bubble House
3. Medeski Martin and Wood: Dracula
4. Medeski Martin and Wood: Think
5. Oranj Symphonette: Charade
6. Oranj Symphonette: Shot In The Dark
7. Throwing Muses: Limbo
8. Throwing Muses: Shark
9. John Cale: Crazy Egypt
10. John Cale: Dancing Undercover
11. Mickey Hart's Mystery Box: Look Away
12. Bob Mould: Fort Knox, King Solomon
13. Frank Zappa: Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
14. Amos Garrett: Sharks Ate My Wahine
Thanks to James Croston for the above.
Rykodisc 1996 Sampler
"A sampler with a black, green and yellow cover. Two guys listening to
some old records with a headphone or so."
Unique material: None
Zappa material: "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama"
1. Morphine: Buena (03:18)
2. Richard Thompson: Walking Through A Wasted Land (04:00)
3. Dr Didg: Devon (05:04)
4. Frank Zappa: My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama (03:31)
5. The Last Poets: Black Rage (05:19)
6. Nick Drake: Hazy Jane 1 (04:24)
7. Márta Sebestyén: Devoiko Mome (04:50)
8. John Prine: Ain't Hurtin' Nobody (05:00)
9. Baka Beyond: Ndaweh's Dream (05:06)
10. Pete Townshend: Pure & Easy (05:32)
11. Alejandro Escovedo: Put You Down (04:16)
12. Norma Waterson: There Ain't No Sweet Man (02:53)
13. Bootsy Collins: Good Night Eddie (04:23)
14. John Cale: Thoughtless Kind (02:32)
15. John Trudell: Rockin' The Res (03:34)
16. Maura O'Connell: Stories (03:51)
17. Golden Smog: On The Beach (06:08)
18. Mickey Hart: The Last Song (04:44)
Informant: Michael Nickel
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Montana"
1. Bob Mould: Egoveride
2. Kristin Hersh: Gazebo Tree
3. Bruce Cockburn: The Whole Night Sky
4. Golden Smog: V
5. Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Hang Out Your Heart
6. Mickey Hart: Udu Chant
7. Morphine: Buena
8. Frank Zappa: Montana [Over-Nite Sensation version]
9. Medeski Martin And Wood: Bubblehouse
10. Jesús Alemañy's ¡Cubanismo!: Desca de Hoy
11. Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder: Lasidan
12. Maura O'Connel: Blue Chalk
13. Kelly Joe Phelps: Without the Light
14. Odetta: Midnight Special
15. Richard Thompson: Calvary Cross
The cover is a collage of Ryko album covers, about 1/3 of which are Zappa covers, with
a big "Ryko" and a big "15". The
booklet has a little history of the Rykodisc company.
Informants: Philip Marshall, Patrick Neve
Unique material: none
1. Baby Snakes
2. Tryin' to Grow a Chin
3. City of Tiny Lites
4. Dancin' Fool
5. Flakes
6. Whatever Happened to All the Fun in the World?
7. Rat Tomago
A promotional EP with Sheik Yerbouti material. It came in a black
& white sleeve with a small picture of Zappa from the Sheik Yerbouti
cover.
From Tom Maguire:
One of the wildest audiophile quality surprises was the "Clean
Cuts" 4-song radio play sampler of Sheik Yerbouti. I always
wanted another copy. White cover with black printing.
That's right, he said "four-song" - he was pretty certain that
his copy had had
1. Flakes
2. Whatever Happened to All the Fun in the World?
3. Rat Tomago
4. Dancin' Fool
- "I would not bet my life on it ... the grooves were pretty wide
for that many songs. I could be wrong, it's
happened before." Of course, there may also have been two versions.
Additional informants: Kevin Beyer
Unique material: none
1. Pink Napkins
2. Why Johnny Can't Read
3. Stucco Homes
From Mewler:
From 1982, this is a 12" radio-only Zappa promo with 3 tracks from Shut Up
& play Yer Guitar. The realy cool thing about this is the letter on the front
from Frank pleading with whoever finds this record at the radio station not to throw it in
the garbage can.
Unique material: none
- Joe's Garage
- Central Scrutinizer
A promotional EP with Joe's Garage material. It came in a black &
white sleeve with Zappa's picture on it - the Joe's Garage cover picture
pasted onto a hand-drawn gas pump. Sometimes confused with the Zappa
Records MK 129 issue, which also has Joe's Garage material.
Informants: Kevin Beyer
Unique material: none
1. Joe's Garage (6:10)
2. Wet T-Shirt Nite (5:26)
3. Lucille Has messed My Mind Up (7:17)
4. A Token of My Extreme (5:28)
5. He Used to Cut the Grass (8:34)
6. Watermelon in Easter Hay (10:00)
A promotional EP with Joe's Garage material. (I've seen
pictures of the cover, small ones, where I couldn't read a title. I've held a
copy in a record store, but that was long ago.) The cover is black, has small
insets of the Joe's Garage Act I and Acts II-III cover pictures
(in black and white) and song titles.
Sometimes confused with the Welcome to Joe's Garage promo (hopefully, MK 129 was not
called "Welcome to Joe's Garage" as well). (The number 126 has
also been reported.) From Michael J Popil:
I almost paid $25 for it back in the early '90s ... thought better
(about things like food, gas, and rent), and left it on the shelf at my
favourite used record store. A few months later, my former place of employment
had a record sale to get rid of all their ugly, stinky, useless, vinyl.
"The Great CFUN / QM-FM Record Sale" was on ... take your turn ...
as many as you could carry ... one at a time in the basement, please. My
instincts found MK-129 in a matter of minutes, along with a few other
collectable non-Zappa morsels, for the price of ... wait for it ... 10
cents each.
The cover is black with white lettering. Small pictures, in black and white, of
the album covers appear, along with song titles and times, in hap-hazard
placement. The reverse side is blank.
MaJohn Buu adds some comments:
It's a simple sleeve too. One side is just plain white, and the other (which
has the text and picture's on it) is completely black. There's a little picture
of Act I's cover by the songs listed on Side A, and small picture of Act II &
III's cover on the listings for Side B. At the Bottom, it says quite clearly
'NOT FOR SALE', since it was only meant to be a promotional item.
Additional informants: Kevin Beyer, Mikael Agardsson (126)
Unique material: none
1. The man from Utopia meets Mary Lou (Medley)
2. We Are Not Alone
3. Cocaine Decisions
4. Moggio
(Vinyl mix versions, of course.)
The Man from Utopia Promo
May or may not be related to the above sampler.
From RIFF RAFF FROM MICHIGAN:
I don't remember if I ever mentioned this before, but there was a
promotional vinyl issue of The Man From Utopia on the Barking Pumpkin
label (not CBS). It came in a white sleeve with small reproductions of the
front and back cover art (in black & white, I think). The label was the
regular Barking Pumpkin logo, in color, with black lettering. There were only
short samples of each song, not full-length cuts ... with no silence
between the cuts, if I remember. The record store I worked at when I was a kid
had a copy of this promo vinyl. I borrowed it for a few days, then returned it ...
I should have kept it!!! Zoot.
Unique material: none
1. Be in My Video
2. He's So Gay
3. Won Ton On
4. The Closer You Are
5. Whipping Post
6. Planet of My Dreams
Original vinyl mixes, of course, except "Won Ton On", which is the version
from the maxi single True Glove - a
totally different version - like a whole new song:
- It's longer (05:48, compared to 04:17 on the 1995 Thing-Fish CD);
- Zappa has removed all the non-backwards vocals from Thing-Fish, except
some of the weeping;
- Johnny "Guitar" Watson's voiceover from the Thing-Fish CD version of "He's So Gay"
(not on the LP) has been added instead!
And as if that weren't enough, it's a different edit of the Watson
track:
WON TON ON (this
promo)
|
HE'S SO GAY (THING-FISH CD)
|
Yes, he is.
I guess he likes it.
Yeah.
Uh-huh?
Into ... into RUBBER?
The boy's into rubber EV'RY NIGHT?
Oh, my GOODNESS!
Whoo!
Yeah ... that's what they say.
Aw, look, have you ever SMELLED rubber?
I guess it's OK, l-look at his woman, yeah, I-I guess it's all right.
Mm-hmm.
Uh-huh.
Don't tell me that. |
Yes, he is.
I guess he likes it.
Yeah.
Uh-huh?
Into ... into RUBBER?
The boy's into rubber EV'RY NIGHT?
Oh, my GOODNESS!
Whoo!
Yeah ... that's what they say.
Aw, look, have you ever SMELLED rubber?
I guess it's OK, l-look at his woman, yeah, I-I guess it's all right.
Mm-hmm.
Uh-huh.
Don't tell me that. |
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. |
Uh, a spanking?
[unintelligeble] chain ... |
Uh-huh.
Wait a minute ... |
Uh-huh.
Wait a minute ... |
["Won Ton On" has
nothing here] |
Wh...?
Make it into rai...? Oh, NO ... |
(Eh!) What is the problem?
Uh-oh ... UH-OH.
Yeah; that's what it is.
Oh, boy.
Wh-what could you say?
I agree.
Uh ... least the boy ain't gonna reproduce hisself again.
Uh-huh.
Hey, hey hey.
WHOO, that's shockin'!
Um-m-m-m-m-m-m, whoo!
I'm tellin' you.
Uh, what I'm a borrow?
NO WAY!
Don't you tell me this!
I said: don't you tell me this!
No! No! No!
Oh, gay ... |
(Eh!) What is the problem?
Uh-oh ... UH-OH.
Yeah; that's what it is.
Oh, boy.
Wh-what could you say?
I agree.
Uh ... least the boy ain't gonna reproduce hisself again.
Uh-huh.
Hey, hey hey.
WHOO, that's shockin'!
Um-m-m-m-m-m-m, whoo!
I'm tellin' you.
Uh, what I'm a borrow?
NO WAY!
Don't you tell me this!
I said: don't you tell me this!
No! No! No!
Oh, gay ... |
["Won Ton On" has
already faded out here] |
You just did! |
Black & white promo cover.
Informants: TThor5220, Patrick Neve, Mikael Agardsson, Dave Foster
You Can't Sheik Yerbouti on a Ship Arriving Too
Late
Unique material: none From Jim Kelly:
This was the title of a Barking Pumpkin sampler cassette I once had. It was
approximately 9 minutes per side and was intended, or so it said, for radio
airplay! That is, it was for DJs only. It combined tracks from Sheik
Yerbouti, Ship Arriving Too Late and Stage #4. If I remember
correctly, the tracks were these:
1. Dancin' Fool
2. Jewish Princess
3. Flakes
4. Bobby Brown
5. Take Me Out to The Ball Game 1. Valley Girl
2. The Torture Never Stops (Original Version)
The versions here were the CD versions - no new mixes, sorry. This
promo cassette had a blue cardboard J-card and blue paper labels on the
cassette itself. It also said "Don't Forget - Register To
Vote!" and asked the listener not to take the music too seriously:
"Laughter helps."
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Dupree's Paradise", "The Perfect Stranger" and
"Get Whitey"
From Tony Burke:
In February, March and April of 1998 the Britten Sinfonia played three concerts called The
Fathers of Invention in Cambridge, UK. To promote the three concerts the
Cambridge Corn Exchange issued a special promo CD called Play Fast Forward
which featured three Zappa tracks: "Dupree's Paradise" and "The Perfect
Stranger" from Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger, and
"Get Whitey" from The Yellow Shark. All were licensed from
Ryko. Other stuff was by Conlon Nancarrow, Stravinsky, Reich, two tracks to promote a
Women in Africa concert and "Blood on the Floor" (Turnage).
When asked about the Cambridge Corn Exchange, he said:
It was where corn and other goods used to be sold and exchanged around 100 to 150 years
ago! Most cities have these buildings - they became general trading places, many were
disused and most cities have turned them into venues or theatres or museums.
Unique material: none
Zappa material: "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" (Absolutely Free
version)
From Tony Burke, February 1999:
This is a promotional CD for the forthcoming Amerkon's 1 concert on April 22, 1999.
Contains17 tracks including "Igor's Boogie" by Britten Sinfonia, recorded in
1998; "G-Spot Tornado" as above, and "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" from Absolutley
Free. Britten Sinfonia will play "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" and
"Music For Low-Budget Orchestra" on April 22.
See above for info on the "corn
exchange".
Fast Forward
From Tony Burke - "This came through the post this week":
A promo from the Corn Exchange in Cambridge, UK to advertise their Britten
Sinfonia concerts on November 30th (next week) and on February 9th, 2001. On
the CD (no number etc) are: Brown Shoes Don't Make It / Dog Breath
Variations / G-Spot Tornado along with tracks by John Adams, Ensemble
Bash, etc.
See above for info on the "corn
exchange".
Brazilian Promo Box
Albums: The Grand Wazoo, Zoot Allures, Sheik
Yerbouti & Cheap Thrills
From edumilk, June 1999:
This box was released by Gravadora Eldorado in Brazil. They are releasing the complete
Zappa catalog here (finally). This box was sent only to radio stations and according to my
sources there are less than 150 copies made. It contains the following items:
- Four Brazilian (Gravadora Eldorado / Ryko) CDs:
- Grand Wazoo
- Zoot Allures
- Sheik Yerbouti
- Cheap Thrills
- One poster
- One button
- Two stickers
- One t-shirt
- One postcard
Thank you and all the best from Brazil.
Additional Informants
- Tony Burke
- David Blumenstein
|