Difference between revisions of "Freak Out!"
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+ The "[[Mothers' Auxiliary]]" | + The "[[Mothers' Auxiliary]]" | ||
− | == Background == | + | == Background Information== |
The group's original name had been [[The Soul Giants]]. The name Mothers was short for “motherfuckers,” which meant “excellent musicians.” The name was changed to [[The Mothers Of Invention]] in order to accommodate some paranoid, prudish [[MGM]] executives. | The group's original name had been [[The Soul Giants]]. The name Mothers was short for “motherfuckers,” which meant “excellent musicians.” The name was changed to [[The Mothers Of Invention]] in order to accommodate some paranoid, prudish [[MGM]] executives. | ||
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Most of the "accessible" songs on this album were suited to the R&B facet of the 1966 climate, since Frank intended to infiltrate the pop music scene, changing the industry’s machinery from the inside. The same tactics led to the suit-and-tie appearance he adopted while speaking out against censorship in the 1980s. The second disc represented his first step in revealing the barrier between “high” and “low” art as being utterly false. | Most of the "accessible" songs on this album were suited to the R&B facet of the 1966 climate, since Frank intended to infiltrate the pop music scene, changing the industry’s machinery from the inside. The same tactics led to the suit-and-tie appearance he adopted while speaking out against censorship in the 1980s. The second disc represented his first step in revealing the barrier between “high” and “low” art as being utterly false. | ||
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+ | "Mothers and Dads, you thought the [[The Beatles|Beatles]] were bad. You got up in arms about the [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]]. [[Sonny & Cher]] made you cringe. Well, as the man said, you ain't seen nothing yet. The Mothers of Invention are here with an album called '[[Freak Out!]]' (someone suggested it should have been called 'Flake Out!') They come from Hollywood. Their clothes are dreadful -- and I dig mod clothes. Their hair and beards are filthy. They smell bad. You just can't believe it -- So, Mothers and Dads, next time the Beatles, the Stones, or Sonny & Cher come to town, welcome them with open arms. Next to the Mothers of Invention the other groups come on like the Bobbsey Twins." - [[Loraine Alterman]], [[Detroit Free Press]] (July 15, 1966) - cited in [[The Real Frank Zappa Book]] (1989). | ||
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+ | == Liner Notes == | ||
=== Relevant Quotes === | === Relevant Quotes === | ||
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* The [[:Category:Freak Out! (The List)|"Freak List"]]. | * The [[:Category:Freak Out! (The List)|"Freak List"]]. | ||
* The [[Freak Out! Hot Spots]]... | * The [[Freak Out! Hot Spots]]... | ||
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== Conceptual Continuity == | == Conceptual Continuity == |
Revision as of 05:20, 15 April 2006
Contents
Release Notes
Next | |
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Released June or July1 1966 |
All compositions composed and arranged by Frank Zappa and controlled by The Zappa Family Trust d/b/a Frank Zappa Music (BMI)
Recorded Sunset-Highland Studios of TTG, March 9-12, 1966.
Produced by: Tom Wilson.
Director of engineering: Val Valentin.
The world's most patient engineers: Ami Hadani & Tom Hidley.
Cover design: Jack Anesh.
Cover photo: Ray Leong.
Tracks
- Hungry Freaks, Daddy (03:29)
- I Ain't Got No Heart (02:35)
- Who Are The Brain Police? (03:33)
- Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder (03:41)
- Motherly Love (02:46)
- How Could I Be Such A Fool (02:13)
- Wowie Zowie (02:53)
- You Didn't Try To Call Me (03:19)
- Any Way The Wind Blows (02:56)
- I'm Not Satisfied (02:39)
- You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here (03:38)
- Trouble Every Day (05:50)
- Help, I'm A Rock (Suite In Three Movements) (08:40)
- The Return Of The Son Of Monster Magnet (12:19)
Players
- Frank Zappa: Musical director, guitar & vocals
- Ray Collins: Lead vocalist, harmonica, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin & tweezers
- Jimmy Carl Black: Drums (also sings in some foreign language)
- Roy Estrada: Bass & guitarron; boy soprano
- Elliot Ingber: Alternate lead & rhythm guitar with clear white light
+ The "Mothers' Auxiliary"
Background Information
The group's original name had been The Soul Giants. The name Mothers was short for “motherfuckers,” which meant “excellent musicians.” The name was changed to The Mothers Of Invention in order to accommodate some paranoid, prudish MGM executives.
Freak Out! was the first double rock album and the first conceptual rock LP. It (and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds) heavily inspired The Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Carol Kaye, frequent Phil Spector and Beach Boys session bassist (and known as the most recorded bass player in history), played many of the bass parts on this album and its follow-up, Absolutely Free. She and Frank parted company peacefully when she admitted to him that some of his lyrics bothered her.
Suzy Creamcheese is played on the album by a friend of Frank’s named Jeannie Vassoir.
Most of the "accessible" songs on this album were suited to the R&B facet of the 1966 climate, since Frank intended to infiltrate the pop music scene, changing the industry’s machinery from the inside. The same tactics led to the suit-and-tie appearance he adopted while speaking out against censorship in the 1980s. The second disc represented his first step in revealing the barrier between “high” and “low” art as being utterly false.
"Mothers and Dads, you thought the Beatles were bad. You got up in arms about the Rolling Stones. Sonny & Cher made you cringe. Well, as the man said, you ain't seen nothing yet. The Mothers of Invention are here with an album called 'Freak Out!' (someone suggested it should have been called 'Flake Out!') They come from Hollywood. Their clothes are dreadful -- and I dig mod clothes. Their hair and beards are filthy. They smell bad. You just can't believe it -- So, Mothers and Dads, next time the Beatles, the Stones, or Sonny & Cher come to town, welcome them with open arms. Next to the Mothers of Invention the other groups come on like the Bobbsey Twins." - Loraine Alterman, Detroit Free Press (July 15, 1966) - cited in The Real Frank Zappa Book (1989).
Liner Notes
Relevant Quotes
Freak Out! had the kind of minute detail (sleevenotes, in-jokes, parodies) that generated instant cult appeal. What about the following "Relevant Quotes"?
- "The present-day composer refuses to die!". (Edgard Varèse, 1921)
- "I’d like to clean you boys up a bit and mold you. I believe I could make you as big as the Turtles". (a noted L.A. disc jockey - the "noted L.A. disc jockey" was Lord Tim, as explained by FZ in "Frank & Moon", an article by Michael Goldberg in Creem, November 6, 1982)
The quote is also attributed to Reb Foster, an L.A. disk jockey and The Turtles' manager at the time.
- "No commercial potential". (a very important man at Columbia Records) --> this was Vice President Clive Davis, who’d go on to sign Aerosmith and eventually start Arista Records
- "I find your approach to music to be commensurate with the major motivational forces exemplified most manifestly in the 'tragicomic' aspects of the ‘theatre of the absurd’". (David Anderle)
- "I told you so". (Billy James)
More Relevant Quotes
And there were even "More relevant quotes":
- "Straight Ahead!" (Tom Wilson, March 1966)
- "What the h--- you gonna do with all those drums at 1:00 in the morning?" (Herbie Cohen, March 1966)
- "Tell us where those drums are... we want to repossess them... we’ll call MGM Records! We’re a multi-million dollar company and we can play havoc with you." (Laurentide Finance Co., March 1966)
- "If your children ever find out how lame you really are, they’ll murder you in your sleep". (our closing message to tourists at the Hollywood Wiskey A-Go-Go, December 1965)
And then some
- The "Freak List".
- The Freak Out! Hot Spots...
Conceptual Continuity
Here may be some CC clues, with some explanation.
This could be a section on each album-page.
Versions
ZFT # | Version # | # discs | Format | Catalog # | Release (YYYY-MM-DD) |
Barcode (EAN-13) |
Artwork | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1.1 Original Stereo |
2 | LP | MGM Verve V6-5005-2 |
1966-06 or1 1966-07 |
US edition | ||
2 | LP | MGM Verve/Polydor 2352 024 |
1974? | UK edition. Polydor reissued early albums having acquired the MGM/Verve label in 1972. Set No. 2683-004 | ||||
1.2 Original Mono |
2 | LP | MGM Verve V-5005-2 |
1967? | ||||
1.3 Original Mono Shortened |
1 | LP | MGM Verve VLP 9154 |
1966? | UK edition. Matrix # V 5005 A1 / V 5005 B1 | |||
Unknown | 2 | LP | Barking Pumpkin BPR 7777-1 |
1985-04-19 | Included in The Old Masters, Box I set. | |||
2 Remix |
1 | CD | Rykodisc RCD 40062 |
1987 | 0144314006225? 0014431006227? |
US edition | ||
1 | CD | Zappa CDZAP 1 |
1987-10 | 5016583600129 | UK edition | |||
1 | CD | Intercord i.r.s. 970701 |
? | German edition | ||||
1 | CD | VideoArts VACK 5021 |
1994-10-26 | 4988112405240 | Japanese edition | |||
1 | CS | Rykodisc RAC 10501 |
1995-05-02 | 0014431050145 | US edition | |||
1 | CD | Rykodisc RCD 10501 |
1995-05-02 | 0014431050121 | US edition | |||
1 | CD | VideoArts VACK 5101 |
1995-09-09 | 4988112406957 | Japanese edition | |||
1 | CD | VideoArts VACK 5236 |
1996-05-30 | 4988112408364 | Japanese edition | |||
1 | CD | VideoArts VACK 1203 |
2001-09-21 | 4988112403116 | Japanese edition, mini-album papersleeve | |||
1 | CD | Rykodisc RCD 40582/1 |
2002-03-21 | None | US edition, included in the Threesome No. 1 box set. Matrix # IFPI L502 IFPI 8708 DISCTRONICS RCD 10501 01 | |||
1 | CD | Rykodisc RCD 10591 |
2005-08-16 | 0014431059124 | = VideoArts VACK 1203, the barcode is a sticker, the Ryko reference is not printed |
Notes
- Depending on the source, released February 1966 (zappa.com - The Official Frank Zappa Website), July 1966 (Ben Watson, Zappa Patio and Michael Gray), or June 27, 1966 (Greg Russo).