Freak Out!

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Freak Out!
Released June or July1 1966
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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"

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)

Release Notes

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.

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...

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.

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).