FRANK'S COMPACT PEACHES

Artist: FRANK ZAPPA; Title: PEACHES EN REGALIA; Label: RYKO; Format: CDS (CD Single); Cat. No.: RCD3 1001; Year: 1987

Today's post is one that I tried to do a while back but which didn't make it to the blog due to a few issues with the computer.  Using a different machine so that won't be an issue!!!!  Anyway on with the post - and this CD single from Zappa is one of the first CDs I ever bought - alongside Eno's 'Another Green World'.  Both of which came from the Our Price shop in Carlisle back in 1990.

The lead-off track is the downright wonderful "Peaches En Regalia" - and one of my all-time favourite Frank Zappa tracks.  It comes from his Jazz album 'Hot Rats' - mainly instrumental apart from the Beefheart voiced 'Willie the Pimp' - and inspired by 'Jupiter' from Gustav Holst's 'Planets Suite' (as was Manfred Mann's Earth Band's 'Joybringer').  It such an uplifting track - and alongside Zappa and Ian Underwood you've got Shuggie Otis on bass, and I've said quite a few times on this blog it's well worth checking out if you don't already know it.  And if you're unfamiliar with FZ's work then this as good a place as any to start!

Next up you've got "I'm Not Satisfied" which is Frank and The Mothers in full doo-wop mode.  The track comes from their 'Cruising With Ruben & The Jets' set.  And there's not a single teenage groupie, dodgy Senator, or other Zappa staple character in sight.  The parent LP from what I remember is Zappa's hommage to the doo-wop music he grew up with in the 50's, and which along with the composer Edgard Varèse is the influence that underpins a lot of the distinctive Frank Zappa style.

The third track on offer here is another doo-wop flavoured tune - "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" dating from the 1979 'Joe's Garage' set.  Compared to the previous offering this is more of straight forward reading - and I seem to remember that the lead vocal on this was handled by Ike Willis.  It's another good one, and like the other two a good intro in the unique world of the late great Frank Vincent Zappa. 

FRANK'S FRENCH GUITAR

Artist: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION; Title: MY GUITAR; Label: REPRISE; 

Format: 7"; Cat. No.: RV. 20221; Year: 1969; Country: FRANCE

 First on for Feb is this 1969 French single from Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.  And not a single underage groupie or roadie/dodgy politician in sight!

The A Side gives you "My Guitar" - which with it's longer title of 'My Guitar Wants To Kill You Mama' appears in a somewhat different mix on the parent 'Weasels Ripped My Flesh' LP.  What you a have here is a slower mid-tempo version with more of a Funk vibe to it, and without the speeded-up sax solos from Ian Underwood.  You can almost dance too it too!

The flip side gives you "Dog Breath" - and again a somewhat different version from the on that appears on 'Uncle Meat'.  Here it's an instrumental take (if you discount the backing vocal la-la-la's on the intro and Frank's mutant doo-wop at the end of the track) - so just when you're expecting the fuzzy dice and bongos bit instead you get Zappa and Ian Underwood playing in synch on what would normally be the vocal part.  The effect is to make it sound more akin to the stuff on 'Hot Rats'.

There's a copy of this on Discogs selling for £75 - so this one's probably worth around the £50 mark.  Not bad considering I only paid £20 for it back in Manchester a few years ago!

In Praise of Captain Beefheart

Just browsing the web and came across Eddie Chilton's 'No Fighting In The War Room' blog and an entry from last year in praise of the good Captain - Don Van Vliet, and yes I'm inclined to agree that for those looking for an entry point to the work of Beefheart & The Magic Band then 'Safe As Milk' is a pretty good place to start.  

From the Muddy Waters/Howlin' Wolf inspired opener of "Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do" through "Dropout Boogie" and then to the brace of tracks that kick off Side Two "Yellow Brick Road" (check the performance of this on the beach at Cannes on You Tube), "Abba Zabba" - and pretty much the rest of the album.  Plus Ry Cooder plays slide on this set.

The UK version was originally released on Pye International in 1967 as NPL 2810 and about then reissued about 6 months later on Pye's Marble Arch imprint (the copy I have) as MAL 1117 - which I'm guessing was after their UK/European tour, which includes their appearance of the beach at Cannes during the film festival - and with the following track listing:

Side 1: Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do

Zig Zag Wanderer

Call On Me

Dropout Boogie

Electricity

Side 2: Yellow Brick Road

Abba Zabba

Plastic Factory

Where's There's Woman

Autumn's Child

It was then reissued again in 1971 on Buddah as 'Dropout Boogie' 2349002, this time with 2 extra tracks the sublime "I'm Glad" on side 1 and "Grown So Ugly" on side 2.  And of course since then it's been released on CD with the alternate versions of tracks from 'Strictly Personal' LP that had previously been issued as a CD in their own right.

From here on it's onto the aforementioned 'Strictly Personal' and the Zappa produced wierd-feat that is 'Trout Mask Replica'.  Which is whole blog in it's own right!