Trout Mask Replica

The 3rd official 'Magic Band' album and 1st double vinyl on Zappa & Cohen's independent Straight (opens in a new tab) label. Released in the fall of 1969 in the US & Canada (cover logo white) with a 6-page roll-fold insert and, without insert, in the UK (cover logo black) and Germany. Also released on 8-Track & Cassette in the US later that year.
The 2-fold insert, when opened out, has a photo of a school-age Vliet on the left page, center page sketches by Vliet's cousin Victor Hayden (opens in a new tab) (aka The Mascara Snake), and a 'Manta Ray' poem on right-hand page. Lyrics are on the 3 reverse pages. The insert was not included in Euro issues. US album issues, which are auto-coupled, can be identified by the Straight address on label; 5455 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700, Los Angeles 90036. It was manufactured* & distributed in the UK by CBS and in Germany by Electrola Gesellschaft m.b.H. Köln. Most issues are not auto-coupled**, however, the Canadian issue (pressed by Herbert S. Berliner's plant, Compo Company Ltd.*) had an unusual auto-coupled sequence; AC, BD - which, annoyingly, requires 'shuffling' on turn-over.
In January 1970 the Reprise Records (opens in a new tab) catalog 2 MS 2027 appeared on label issues in the US, using the original gatefold (with catalog 1053) - in which some issues appeared with blue 'Bizarre' labels. In Europe this became the Reprise Records 64024 catalog, which was then prefixed by 'K' in the 'Kinney' period of Reprise history. Releases then adopted the Warner Bros. & WEA (Warner Elektra Atlantic) identities thereafter.
Events surrounding band members in the recording of this album are revealed in the "Grow Fins" box set booklet, or elsewhere on the Web. However, it is worth noting the work John 'Drumbo' French did in transcribing and helping bring Vliet's concepts to fruition. He is not credited on the album. By the time the band toured on its release (appearing with its producer Zappa at BYG's seminal 5-day "Actuel Festival" in Belgium in October 1969†) he was replaced by Jeff Bruchell (referred to by Vliet as 'Drumbo' or 'Fake Drumbo' by others). Bass-player Marker, of Rising Sons, appears on tracks Moonlight On Vermont and Veteran's Day Poppy - recorded earlier at Sunset Sound (opens in a new tab). The remainder were recorded (using the T.T.G. 16-track) at Whitney Studios (opens in a new tab) in Glendale, California, or were field-recordings at the Magic Band House (opens in a new tab). Cotton's reading of "The Blimp" was via 'phone to Zappa at, where he was working on the "Charles Ives" track (found on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5 (Europe 1992) (opens in a new tab)). Thus, portions of it became the backing for the Blimp track.
*Manufacturers IDs on back covers.
**The 1972 Australian issue is in the correct AD, BC auto-coupled sequence. All other issues seem to be sequential AB, CD releases.
†Understanding how the band's activities 'fitted' in the music scene of the time is worthwhile by reading 'Profile' at this Discogs link: Actuel Festival (opens in a new tab).