Zappa In New York

About

Zappa in New York is a double live album by Frank Zappa (and his 23rd album overall), released internationally in March 1978. It was recorded in December 1976 at a series of concerts at the Palladium in New York City. Overview Zappa in New York was released in the UK by Zappa's DiscReet Records label in 1977, then quickly withdrawn. A second version was re-released internationally in March 1978 with changes ordered by DiscReet's distributor, Warner Bro. Record. The 1978 edition reached #57 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United State. Musical and lyrical content Immediately following the 1976 concert, Zappa spent time in the studio adding a significant number of overdubs to the live recording. Several of these recordings were originally intended for the shelved album Läther, including "The Illinois Enema Bandit", "The Black Page #1", "Big Leg Emma", "Punky's Whips", "The Purple Lagoon" and "I Promise Not to Come in Your Mouth." The album is notable for the presence of members of the Saturday Night Live band, including Lou Marini and Tom Malone, as well as the Brecker Brother. In addition, Don Pardo was invited by Zappa to the Palladium concert, and he provides introductory narrations to "Punky's Whips" and "The Illinois Enema Bandit". On the CD version, Pardo also delivers a verse of "I'm the Slime" (he did the same for Zappa's 1976 Saturday Night Live appearance). The lyrics of "Punky's Whips" were intended as an inside joke regarding drummer Terry Bozzio's purported infatuation with Punky Meadow, lead guitarist of the band Angel. "Titties and Beer" also features Bozzio in the role of the Devil, with whom Zappa tries to negotiate in order to reacquire the titular possession. The song references "Milhous Nixon" and "Agnew" whose souls are supposedly taken by the Devil. This is a clear re-interpretation of Histoire du soldat by Igor Stravinsky, one of Zappa's favorite classical composer. The "favorite group" of the girl portrayed in "Honey Don't You Want a Man Like Me?" is said to be Helen Reddy. In concert performances from the 1980, Zappa would substitute other current bands in this line (mentioning Twisted Sister in two officially released version, and Echo & the Bunnymen, Missing Persons and The Cars in other versions). The lyrics of "The Illinois Enema Bandit" are based on facts about the criminal actions of Michael H. Kenyon. Alongside humorous lyric, Zappa presented many musically complex instrumental passages which stretched the band's skill to the absolute limit. Among the most complicated parts are the instrumentals "The Black Page" and "Manx Needs Women". This title references the 1967 science fiction B-movie Mars Needs Women. "The Purple Lagoon" is an extended instrumental which takes up an entire side of the vinyl disc. It features a complicated opening theme (based on Zappa's earlier composition "Approximate") and jazz-like solos from the Brecker Brother, bassist Patrick O'Hearn and saxophonist Ronnie Cuber. Release history Zappa in New York was first released in early 1977 with Zappa's original intended track listing. A small number of LP copies reached stores in England before the album was quickly withdrawn. In 1978, some original cassette copies also appeared in the United State, though, apparently this was by mistake. Before re-issuing the album Warner removed one of the longest song, "Punky's Whips". This reduced the playing time of side one to a mere ten minute, moving "Big Leg Emma" from side 2 to the end of side 1; "Titties & Beer" was also edited to remove references to the song "Punky's Whips". The changes made to the album violated Zappa's contract, which gave him complete artistic control over album content. When Zappa's distribution agreement with Warner ended in 1982, all release rights reverted to him. Zappa re-issued Zappa in New York as a double CD in 1991 with the addition of four bonus tracks ("Cruisin' for Burgers", "Punky's Whips", "I'm the Slime", "The Torture Never Stops"). The CD reissue was remixed to feature guitar overdubs that were recorded at the time of the album's issue but not included on the original vinyl, and contained a different recording of "Punky's Whips" and the full-length "Titties & Beer". Track listing Recalled original vinyl pressing Side one No. Title Length 1. "Titties & Beer" 6:28 2. "I Promise Not to Come in Your Mouth" 3:50 3. "Punky's Whips" 10:51 Side two No. Title Length 1. "Sofa" 3:15 2. "Manx Needs Women" 1:40 3. "The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1" 4:06 4. "Big Leg Emma" 2:17 5. "Black Page #2" 5:25 Side three No. Title Length 1. "Honey, Don't You Want a Man Like Me?" 4:15 2. "The Illinois Enema Bandit" 12:31 Side four No. Title Length 1. "The Purple Lagoon" Personnel Musicians Frank Zappa – conductor, lead guitar, vocal, producer; guitar overdubs Ray White – rhythm guitar, vocals Eddie Jobson – keyboard, violin, vocals Patrick O'Hearn – bass guitar, vocals Terry Bozzio – drum, vocals Ruth Underwood – percussion, synthesizer, and various humanly impossible overdubs Lou Marini – alto sax, flute Mike Brecker – tenor sax, flute Ronnie Cuber – baritone sax, clarinet Randy Brecker – trumpet Tom Malone – trombone, trumpet, piccolo Don Pardo – sophisticated narration David Samuels – timpani, vibes John Bergamo – percussion overdubs Ed Mann – percussion overdubs Lou Anne Neill – osmotic harp overdub Production staff Frank Zappa – production Bob Liftin – NYC live remote engineer Davey Moire – NYC live concert mix, studio engineer (overdubs) Rick Smith – studio engineer (overdubs) John Williams – package design Dweezil Zappa – cover photo .

via Last.fm

The Clerk says

Start your shelf to read the full take →