Finer Moments: Notes & Comments

Original Master

Liner notes

Engineers: FZ, Kerry McNabb, Paramount Studios, Hollywood
Original 1/4" DBX 187 encoded analog master tapes—dated 25 June, 1972

[...]

All Compositions & Compilation (& Title) by FZ

Vinyl Release

Vaultmeister, Zappateers, December 28, 2012

The vinyl edition was cut directly from the DBX187 encoded 1/4" analog stereo master tapes. NOT from a digital transfer. The digital transfer was done in 2007 which was used for the cd edition, but since the tapes are in great condition we used them again for the 2012 vinyl cutting.

Release Hints & Speculations

zappa.com Newsletter, October 31, 2012

5. From Now Until The End of the Year:

[...] November/December:

You know You Can't Do That Onstage Anymore, volumes of times but what you can do at your next picnic with your friendly Playground Psychotics—always soooo Ahead Of Their Time that is almost annoying—is treat yourself to a large orchestral snack of The Yellow Shark. Whenever the question is Have I Offended Someone? you won't need an ocean of Läther to find that Mystery Disc. You will know the answer in all the Lost Episodes and in each, every and all the Finer Moments.

Frank Zappa, Finer Moments, Allmusic.com, c. November 16, 2012

tracks: disc 1

1 Intro
2 Sleazette
3 Mozart Piano Sonata In Bb
4 The Walking Zombie Music
5 The Old Curiosity Shoppe
6 You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
7 Uncle Rhebus

tracks: disc 2

1 Music From The Big Squeeze
2 Enigmas 1 Thru 5
3 Pumped And Waxed
4 There Is No Heaven From Where Slogans Go To Die
5 Squeeze It, Squeeze It, Squeeze It
6 The Subcutaneous Peril

"More Zappa Goodness: 'Finer Moments' Out In December," WeirdoMusic.com, November 19, 2012

Hot on the heels of the release of "Road Tapes, Venue #1" comes news about yet another double album: "Finer Moments", to be released December 18th.

BobM (Connecticut), Zappateers, December 12, 2012

Just picked up my copy—

paper82 (Austria), Zappateers, December 14, 2012

Got it today (bought in Vienna).

disc 1

1. Intro

Liner notes

These first four tracks Recorded Live on 6.6.69. Royal Albert Hall, London, EMI Recorders Remote—1/2" 4-track analog tape (15ips).

Edits on the different known recordings:

Royal Albert Hall, June 6, 1969	The Weasel Music	Finer Moments (2012)
10. Intro To Music For Low Budget Orchestra	Albert Hall Spoken Introduction	Intro
	0:22-0:26	0:00-0:04
0:29-1:01	0:26-1:00	0:04-0:37
1:01-1:06
1:06-1:16	1:00-1:09	0:37-0:49
1:16-1:35	1:09-1:30
1:35-2:04	1:30-2:01	0:49-1:17
2:04-2:14
2:14-2:16	2:01-2:04	1:17-1:20

2. Sleazette

Edits on the different known recordings:

Royal Albert Hall, June 6, 1969	Finer Moments (2012)
8. Improvisation	Sleazette
1:01-1:07	0:00-0:06
1:07-1:14
1:14-1:40	0:06-0:34
1:40-1:59
1:59-2:18	0:34-0:55
2:18-2:38
2:38-3:21	0:55-1:41
3:21-3:24
3:24-5:12	1:41-3:33

3. Mozart Piano Sonata In Bb

Edits on the different known recordings:

Royal Albert Hall, June 6, 1969	The Weasel Music	YCDTOSA5 (1992)	Finer Moments (2012)
12. Mozart Ballet	Mozart Ballet	Mozart Ballet	Mozart Piano Sonata In Bb
0:02-0:07			0:00-0:06
0:07-0:32	0:00-0:26	0:00-0:23	0:06-0:32
0:32-1:36	0:26-1:34		0:32-1:40
1:36-2:34	1:34-2:36	0:23-1:25	1:40-2:41
2:34-2:52	2:36-2:54		2:41-3:00
2:52-4:24	2:54-4:32	1:25-3:02	3:00-4:38
4:24-5:37	4:32-5:50		4:38-5:56
5:37-6:02	5:50-6:16	3:02-3:28	5:56-6:21
6:02-6:06	6:16-6:20	3:28-3:33
6:06-6:20	6:20-6:35
6:20-6:35	6:35-6:51	3:33-3:49
6:35-7:17	6:51-7:36
13. Improvisation
0:00-0:50	7:36-8:29
0:50-1:05	8:29-8:45	3:49-4:05
1:05-2:05	8:45-9:46

4. The Walking Zombie Music

Edits on the different known recordings:

Special thanks to Charles Ulrich.

Royal Albert Hall, June 6, 1969	The Impossible Concert	Finer Moments (2012)
4. Some Ballet Music	11. Improvisations Pt. 4	The Walking Zombie Music
6:56-8:04	0:00-1:11	0:00-1:12
	7. Watts
8:04-8:06	5:10-5:11	1:12-1:14
8:06-8:08	5:07-5:10	1:14-1:17
8:08-8:16		1:17-1:25
8:16-8:37
	14. Improvisations Pt. 7
8:37-9:11	0:00-0:35	1:25-2:01
5. Improvisation
0:00-0:27	0:35-1:04	2:01-2:30
0:27-1:04		2:30-3:10
1:04-1:11	1:04-1:10	3:10-3:17
1:11-2:00

		3:17-3:23 Carnegie Hall, October 11, 1971

5. The Old Curiosity Shoppe

Liner notes

Recorded Live (cassette) 5.21.71, Auditorium Theater, Chicago

Patrick Buzby, June 19, 2014

When I checked around the time Finer Moments came out, it seemed that Old Curiosity Shoppe did not match the audience tape from Chicago May 71. My guess is that it was more likely they would perform BTM twice in the same night in that early phase in its development when it was a shorter piece. It could also be from another date, but since there are so few tapes of the Bob Harris #1 lineup I doubt we can find out much else.

6. You Never Know Who Your Friends Are

Edits on the different known recordings:

Mystery Disc (1986)	Finer Moments (2012)
Harmonica Fun	You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
0:00-0:41	0:00-0:41
	0:41-2:20

Recording contract (from an unidentified auction)

Name and Address of Studio: Criteria
Employer's name and: Warner Bros Records
Leader's name: Frank Zappa
Name of Artist or Group: The Mothers
No. of Minutes: 2.20
TITLES OF TUNES: You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
EMPLOYEE'S NAME:
Frank Zappa
Roy Estrada
Don Preston
Jim C. Black
Arthur D. Tripp III
John Gardner
Buzz Gardner
Ian Underwood
James E. Sherwood
Lowell George

John Hutchinson, May 4, 2014

The two mystery songs quoted in "You Never Know Who Your Friends Are" are:

The Sailor's Hornpipe (traditional)—see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sailor's_Hornpipe for more info on that.

It appears in the harmonica from 1:03 to 1:25

The other is Ach! Du Lieber Augustin—http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_du_lieber_Augustin, which is also sometimes known as "Hail to the Busdriver" if you're a Simpsons fan, or as a sketch from the Three Stooges ("Disorder in Court") involving a harmonica: http://youtu.be/sZeqHamjyjU?t=9m36s

It appears at 1:41 to 2:21

See notes on Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida, c. February 1-7, 1969.

7. Uncle Rhebus

Liner notes

Recorded Live—multi-track Analog (15 ips), 7.7-8.69, The Ark, Boston

Edits on the different known recordings:

Add approximately 21 seconds for the US Version of The Ark.

BTB I: The Ark [UK Version]	YCDTOSA5 (1992)	Finer Moments (2012)
Uncle Meat/King Kong		Uncle Rhebus
07:59-15:01		00:00-07:09
15:01-15:30
15:30-20:15		07:09-12:01
	Baked-Bean Boogie
	0:00-3:26	12:01-15:26
		15:26-15:28
	Piano/Drum Duet
	0:00-1:57	15:28-17:26
		17:26-17:45

Recording contract (from an unidentified auction)

June 26, 1972
Frank Zappa
Recorded live at "The Ark," Boston, Mass.
The Mothers
Employee's Name: Frank Zappa, Don Preston [...]

michael, Zappateers.com, December 19, 2012

Uncle Rhebus is second part of the Uncle Meat/King Kong medley, and ends with Piano/Drum Duet, which used to be part of Piece One a.k.a. Like It Or Not, later to become the Redneck Eats section in Bogus Pomp.

alfonzo, Zappateers.com, December 19, 2012

At precisely 12:01 into Uncle Rhebus is "Baked Bean Boogie" from YCDTOSA #5 but this time it goes on till the end without a fade-out . . . So, Uncle Rhebus is an edited version as this should be at 23:25 on King Kong (instead of the awful noise) . . . The beginning of Uncle Rhebus is really the KK part at 8:01 on The Ark.

disc 2

1. Music From The Big Squeeze

Liner notes

Recording—1" 8 Track Analog, Mayfair Studios, NYC, 1967

Recording contract (from an unidentified auction)

June 26, 1972
Frank Zappa
The Mayfair, New York, New York
The Mothers
Employee's Name: Frank Zappa

2. Enigmas 1 Thru 5

Liner notes

Recorded (1" 8 Track Analog) September, 1968, Sunset Sound, L.A.
Engineer: Jerry Hansen

Edits on the different known recordings:

	Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970)	Finer Moments (2012)
	Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich [half-speed]	Enigmas 1 Thru 5
	3:15-4:32 [6:31-9:04] (Cymbal Track)	0:44-3:19 (Cymbal Track)

number1823, Zappateers, December 19, 2012

The first thing that struck me upon listening to the track was how much it reminded me of the percussion added to the An Evening With Wild Man Fischer album. I did pull out the original LP of that album and looked at the liner notes. The recording info is the same year and location.

Piggies, Zappateers, December 20, 2012

Upon listening to Enigmas you can tell that portions of it crop up on Burnt Weeny Sandwich (sped up of course) under the guitar solo during Theme From BWS. I expect bits n' bobs were also utilised on the WMF album

See notes for "Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich" on Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970)

3. Pumped And Waxed

See also notes for "Waka/Jawaka" on Quaudiophiliac (2004).

Liner notes

Recording (1/2" 4-Track Analog) Zappa Basement, 1972

Recording contract (Ebay Item Number 290104724032, April 12, 2007)

Frank Zappa 1972, American Federation of Musicians contract, with Warner Brothers Records. The session for, "Pumped and Waxed". The contract is signed by Frank himself.

Original 1972 American Federation of
Musicians Contract for the Mothers of Invention.
Hired by Warner Brothers Frank and
company recorded the track
"Pumped and Waxed"
in Frank Zappa's basement studio.

4. "There Is No Heaven From Where Slogans Go To Die"

Liner notes

Recording Live—1/4" stereo 2 track analog (15 ips)
Engineer: Dick Kunc

Liner notes

Dave Samuels—Guest soloist on vibes

See notes for "You Call That Music?" on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4 (1991).

Edits on the different known recordings:

YCDTOSA Sampler (1988)	YCDTOSA 4 (1991)	Finer Moments (2012)
You Call That Music?	You Call That Music?	TINHFWSGTD
0:00-3:06	0:00-3:06	0:00-3:05
	3:06-4:07	3:05-4:05
		4:05-4:37

5. Squeeze It, Squeeze It, Squeeze It

Liner notes

Recorded Live on 2/16/69 at The Ballroom, Stratford, CT
Engineer: Dick Kunc

See notes for "Let's Make The Water Turn Black/Harry, You're A Beast/The Orange County Lumber Truck" on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 (1988).

Edits on the different known recordings:

Special thanks to Charles Ulrich.

probable source	WATMATIWWSL	Finer Moments (2012)	Mystery Disc (1986)	YCDTOSA 5 (1992)
	Variations On A Theme From "Run Home Slow"	Squeeze It, Squeeze It, Squeeze It	Skweezit Skweezit Skweezit	Right There
The Ballroom, Stratford, CT, February 16, 1969	0:00-0:02		0:00-0:02
	0:02-2:56	0:00-2:54	0:02-2:57
	2:56-2:56	2:54-2:54
Thee Image, Miami Beach, FL, February 7-9, 1969				0:00-0:47
Criteria Studios, Miami, FL, c. February 1-7, 1969				0:37-3:45 (*)
Thee Image, Miami Beach, FL, February 7-9, 1969				3:42-3:59
	2:56-3:18	2:54-3:15		3:59-4:21
	3:18-4:03			4:21-5:07
	4:03-4:08

(*) There are some seconds of overlapping between the studio and live recordings.

Recording contract, June 26, 1972

Name and Address of Studio: Recorded Live at "The Ball Room" Connec.
Employer's name and: Warner Bros Records
Leader's name: Frank Zappa
Name of Artist or Group: The Mothers
No. of Minutes: 3.49
TITLES OF TUNES: Squeezit, Squeezit, Squeezit
EMPLOYEE'S NAME:
Frank Zappa
Ian Underwood
Don Preston
Roy Estrada
Jim C. Black
John Gardner
Bu Charles Gardner
Arthur D. Tripp III
James E. Sherwood
Lowell George

See notes on Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida, c. February 1-7, 1969.

6. The Subcutaneous Peril

Liner notes

Recorded Live 10.11.71 at Carnegie Hall, NYC
1/4" mono analog tape (7 1/2 ips)
1972 Stereo Tweakage by FZ with Kerry McNabb, Paramount, L.A.

Edits on the different known recordings:

Special thanks to Charles Ulrich.

Soloist	Carnegie Hall (2011)	JABFLA (Unreleased 2nd LP)	Finer Moments (2012)
	Pound For A Brown	The Subcutaneous Peril	The Subcutaneous Peril
(Theme)	00:00-01:35
FZ—guitar	01:35-04:39	00:00-03:03	00:00-03:04
	04:39-05:08	03:03-03:32
	05:08-05:45	03:32-04:09	03:04-03:41
	05:45-05:59	04:09-04:23
	05:59-06:02
	King Kong
(Theme)	00:00-02:14
Don Preston—synth	02:14-03:06	04:23-05:15	03:41-04:34
	03:06-03:28		04:34-04:56
		An Easy Substitute For Eternity Itself
	03:28-03:31	00:00-00:03	04:56-04:59
	03:31-03:35		04:59-05:02
	03:35-04:41
	04:41-05:33	00:03-00:55	05:02-05:54
	05:33-05:36	00:55-00:58
	05:36-05:44
	05:44-05:58	00:58-01:11	05:54-06:08
	05:58-06:26	01:11-01:39
	06:26-06:53
	06:53-07:03	01:39-01:49
	07:03-07:27	01:49-02:13	06:08-06:32
	07:27-07:29
	07:29-07:41
	07:41-07:47	02:13-02:19	Walking Zombie Music 3:17-3:23
	07:47-08:04	02:19-02:36
	08:04-08:20
	08:20-08:28	02:36-02:43
Ian Underwood—sax	08:28-09:18	02:43-03:34
	09:18-09:40
	09:40-13:37	03:34-07:29
	13:37-13:44
	13:44-14:02		06:32-06:50
Aynsley Dunbar—drums	14:02-14:17	07:29-07:44	06:50-07:04
	14:17-14:19		07:04-07:06
	14:19-14:28
	14:28-14:44	07:44-08:01
	14:44-15:09
	15:09-15:10	08:01-08:02
	15:10-19:00	08:02-11:50	07:06-10:56
FZ—guitar	18:57-19:26	11:50-12:16	10:56-11:22
	19:26-19:36	12:16-12:26
	19:36-19:44	12:26-12:33	11:22-11:30
	19:44-19:47	12:33-12:37
	19:47-20:49	12:37-13:38	11:30-12:31
	20:49-20:57	13:38-13:47
	20:57-21:32	13:47-14:21	12:31-13:06
	21:32-21:40		13:06-13:14
	21:40-26:54	14:21-19:33	13:14-18:28
	26:54-27:03	19:33-19:42	18:28-18:37
(Theme)	27:03-28:52
(Applause)	28:52-29:08	19:42-19:58	18:37-18:53
	29:08-29:55		18:53-19:40
	29:55-30:20