Rarest Zappa
By Dan Forte
THE OLD MASTERS, BOX ONE
Frank Zappa
(Barking Pumpkin)
Frank Zappa is probably the most prolific rock composer/bandleader of all time – in 19 years he’s released 40 or so albums, and who knows how much more’s in the vaults. He’s also one of the few whose entire body of work bears periodic scrutinizing. If anything in Zappa’s catalogue embarrasses or frustrates him, it’s likely because it wasn’t executed or produced to his standard. The boy’s hardly infallible but if you picked up on his sides via “Valley Girls,” you made the scene pretty late and missed plenty of the good parts. Some of his early stuff sounds dated but, let’s face it, that’s no less true of Jimi Hendrix.
This seven-disk set contains digitally refurbished versions of Zappa and the Mothers of Invention’s first five releases, plus a “Mystery Disc.” Because Zappa’s remixes reveal sounds that even sealed copies of the original records don’t, this collection provides more than audiophile nostalgia for old-timers and should enlighten more youthful initiates.
For We're Only in It for the Money and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets, Zappa even rerecorded bass and drum tracks. The “purity” of this approach could be questioned, though we’re definitely not talking Elvis’ I Was the One or Jimi’s Crash Landing. In this case the actual artist/composer wasn’t satisfied with the original vinyl product and fortunately got a chance to edge it closer to his standard nearly two decades later. Freak Out, Absolutely Free and the classic, but out-of-print Lumpy Gravy have been remixed without changes. Money has the new drum and bass parts and an uncensored version of “Harry, You're a Beast.” Ruben & the Jets deviates furthest from its original form – for example, “Cheap Thrills” is slightly slowed down and begins with an upright bass line.
The “Mystery Disc” begins with a sort of Ennio Morricone spaghetti Western epic with private eye overtones. Some of the material here – such as FZ’s early rock opera, “I Was a Teenage Maltshop” – has been bootlegged, but most is news to everyone but Zappa himself. Highlights include a live version of “Plastic People,” a ’50s piano lesson, and a primitive live rendition of “Steal Away” displaying Frank’s early blues roots.
Now here’s the hard bottom line: a hundred bills for the seven disks, slightly altered covers, a booklet, pictures, info and assorted other goodies. Sound steep? Consider what buying near-mint copies of the originals would run, not to mention what your ears have been missing. If you can cover the damage, call this specific vegetable (818-PUMPKIN) and order up a box of Zappa. (You can also write to Barfko-Swill, Box 5418, North Hollywood, CA 91616-5418).