Are you guys ready for the big tease?
I called 818 pumpkin just now, and the guy who answered was very friendly. He had very few specifics, but some intriguing generalities. [...] Here's where it gets interesting . . . he went on to say that they're all very busy right now, trying to time releases of a bunch of different things at once. One of the things is a CD release of a live concert from Australia in 1974. This has come up before, and we all know Frank wasn't in Australia in 74, and that this is most likely from the 73 tour, but hey, it was encouraging to hear about this project once again.
It's actually a 1976 concert, and it's been ready for release for years. I hope they've included the full show, which contain many interesting things.
The pumpco hotline recording says something along the lines of "if you're wondering, a new release will be out by the end of february . . . "
818 PUMPKIN Message Today:
"You've reached 818-PUMPKIN. Happy new year and best wishes from all us in 2002. For those of you who have been wondering you will be happy to know that there will be a new release by the end of February!"
I called 818 Pumpkin and asked them what the new release was going to be. I was surprised that when the guy answered the phone he didn't just give me a non-answer. He told me that the release was going to be called Zappa in Oz and that it was a show from Australia in 74. After a got off the phone and checked and I see that Zappa didn't play in Australia in 74, so I must have mis-heard or he mis-spoke. It must be either the Austria show in 74 or one of the Australia shows for 73.
Presumably it will be 1/21/76 Sydney, about which I've been hearing rumors for years. The whole show would fit on two CDs, but perhaps it has been edited in half.
I sure hope it includes the unreleased song "Kaiser Rolls". In addition to that one, the concert also featured early versions of "Let's Move To Cleveland" and "Keep It Greasey".
And I hope it will include "Chunga's Revenge". It's amazing that only one version of this tune has been officially released.
Guess what?! I just called 818-PUMPKIN and they told me that the new Zappa album is going to be called "Zappa in Oz" and that it's Live in Australia '76. How bad ass is that?! Woooooooooooo-hooooooooooo!
It'll be out in late February.
By all accounts, it's the show that circulates as 1/21/76 Sydney, which probably really dates from 1/20/76.
Hi, folks.
Well, the latest cool news is that the camp over at the Zappa offices have been reported as saying that the "end of february" release will be the Australian Concert from 1976. It's titled "FZ/OZ" & consists of a two-disc set of the concert held on January 20th, 1976. The band line-up at the time consisted of Terry Bozzio on drums, Napoleon Murphy Brock on tenor sax & vocals, Andre Lewis on keyboards & Roy Estrada on bass. The CD was prepared by Spence Chrislu, myself & Dweezil in 1998. It was one of the latest projects worked on by Spence before he left UMRK.
I'm excited about it's release & as soon as I hear of a release/order date, I'll post it here.
I just got off the line with Barko Swill, and the guy said the at the new release will probably not be coming out this month. What a surprise! When I asked him what the CD would be he said that he knows, but couldn't tell me. He said Gail is asking them not to tell anyone.
The reason he gave for the delay is that they want to synchronize the release with the roll out of their new web site.
NOTICE
regarding the live Australia / Frank Zappa ReleaseWe regret to inform you that we do not feel that we will be able to make our on or about June 1st ship date:
Paper, paper, everywhere but not a drop of ink will affix itself properly or beautifully on inferior paper. For this project we require as close to 100% recycled as possible without a dingy yellow cast. Because this country produces randomly in unpredictable quantities we have been seriously delayed in our own production.
Please be advised that the bulk of your monies, especially those charged through credit cards, are being held in escrow until shipping is imminent. We therefore beg your indulgence and your patience because we have put a great deal of effort, as always, into ensuring the finest quality both audio and physical that is possible for us to attain. We are supremely confident that not only is the wait worth it, it has given us a great deal of experience that can only benefit you as devotees of Frank's music and us in our obligations.
As soon as we have from the factory the actual manufacture date, we will advise actual ship date. Since there are far less than 5,000 orders, this project is in danger of becoming almost exclusively an act of love on our part and an instant rarity for you. These projects rely on us trusting that you will want to have these recordings and you trusting that we will deliver in equal sterling quality that you have come to expect in/on a Frank Zappa Master. If you have any further questions, or wish to cancel your order, please advise isky@zappa.com immediately.
Regretfully, we've all been inconvenienced. We thank you for your consideration and your interest in Frank Zappa's Music.
-Gail Zappa
24 May 2002
Zappa [Records] is everything Frank produced himself. Either he put together the whole thing, or it could be a collection of tracks that he produced. Vaulternative [Records] is material we don't know what he was going to do with it, it could have been a mix and match. We have no idea what these things were going to be. It's primarily live concerts, interviews, maybe a whole section of something that's not enough to make a whole album but he was putting it together for something.
Excerpts of the concert have been replaced with bootleg recordings to fill in the gaps during the times when the multitracks ran out (as in reel changes—there was only one machine). In one instance a multitrack recording from Japan (same tour, same band) was used in preference to a bootleg.
Okay, I've got it: the first minute of "How Could I Be Such A Fool" is not from Sydney. That must be the Japan recording. Also, I notice another obvious bootleg insertion near the end of "Kaiser Rolls." That's about 30 minutes before the "Zoot Allures" edit, which suggests that the tape reels lasted a half hour. So maybe there was some wasted tape at the beginning of the show, not used on the CD, and HCIBSAF has the first reel change. The second reel change would almost certainly have come during "Honey Don't You Want A Man Like Me," which conveniently is not included. "Kaiser Rolls" is the third change, and "Zoot Allures" the fourth. There's also some possible funny business going on at the end of "Muffin Man," which is 30 minutes from the "Zoot" edit. FZ seems to say "Good ni-guh" and there's a jarring beat change into the tour theme. I'm not sure whether there's an edit here or not.
In the room where the iron maiden,
Where the torture never stops
When did it change to "iron sausage"? And why?
Ludwigshafen 2/15 is the last tape where they just sing "iron maiden". On Cologne 2/17 I can't tell what they're singing, but I don't think it's "iron sausage"—rather something about "carry/carriage" which has permeated the whole song. Then at four consecutive shows (Feb. 18-21), one of the singers sings "iron sausage", which cracks up FZ badly each time. From Feb. 29 and on, it's sausage all the way.
I just noticed that the "iron sausage" is mentioned by FZ in the 2/17 Torture two, just before his solo: "And now, direct from the room of the iron sausage". Earlier in the song there have been numerous references to carrots (?—still not sure), but also to Bald-Head John ("Smothers never stops"). Whatever they were joking about at these German shows, it seems it had to do with Smothers.
Well, blow your harmonica, son!
Research, compilation and maintenance by Román García Albertos