Difference between revisions of "Freak Out!"

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== Background Information==
 
== Background Information==
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[[Freak Out!]] was an early example of a rock album being issued as a set of two [[wikipedia:Gramophone_record#Explanation|LP]] discs, although it was edited and issued as a single disc in some countries. The content followed a thematic concept, rather than being a collection of disparate songs, and is considered one of the first rock music concept albums.
  
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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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[[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]].
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<blockquote>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|Mothers Of Invention]] the other groups come on like the [[wikipedia:Bobbsey Twins|Bobbsey Twins]].</blockquote><div align="right">Loraine Alterman, Detroit Free Press (July 15, 1966) - cited in [[The Real Frank Zappa Book]].</div>
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[[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.
 
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[[Suzy Creamcheese]] is played on the album by a friend of Frank’s named [[Jeannie Vassoir]].
 
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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.
 
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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).
 
  
 
== Liner Notes ==
 
== Liner Notes ==

Revision as of 11:17, 15 April 2006

Release Notes

  Next
Freak Out!
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

  1. Hungry Freaks, Daddy (03:29)
  2. I Ain't Got No Heart (02:35)
  3. Who Are The Brain Police? (03:33)
  4. Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder (03:41)
  5. Motherly Love (02:46)
  6. How Could I Be Such A Fool (02:13)
  7. Wowie Zowie (02:53)
  8. You Didn't Try To Call Me (03:19)
  9. Any Way The Wind Blows (02:56)
  10. I'm Not Satisfied (02:39)
  11. You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here (03:38)
  12. Trouble Every Day (05:50)
  13. Help, I'm A Rock (Suite In Three Movements) (08:40)
    1. "Okay To Tap Dance"
    2. "In Memoriam Edgar Varese"
    3. "It Can't Happen Here"
  14. 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

Freak Out! was an early example of a rock album being issued as a set of two LP discs, although it was edited and issued as a single disc in some countries. The content followed a thematic concept, rather than being a collection of disparate songs, and is considered one of the first rock music concept albums.


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.

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

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

  1. 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).
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