Zappa Chronology

11-29-12        Zappa Chronology

John Mayall born 1933

As some of you will be aware, The Zappa Family Trust has allowed Universal Music to re-issue dozens of titles previously only available on Rykodisc.  In some cases, they went back to the original analogue masters and allowed DSD transfers of master tapes to be given to ‘top guys’ in the field of mastering / re-mastering.  Fans rejoiced as the LP mix of “Hot Rats” finally made it to the digital platform!

Not all wrongs were righted, however.  The ‘vinyl mix’ of “Uncle Meat” has still never been on CD.  “Mothermania” (the oldest ‘best of’, Verve material!) has yet to see the light of day, as a 2012 re-master (despite it being assigned a number in the master list, from the ZFT from 2007).  Looks like a digital master was used for “Live at The Roxy (& Elsewhere)”, not an analogue master.  Etc.

As far as a “Chronology” goes, the ZFT are using release dates, not recording dates.  How to untangle this mess?  Zappa Wiki Jawaka, has a ‘solution’, as such.  To get us from post-‘Apostrophe’/’Roxy & Elsewhere’ up to ‘Zoot Allures’, you can ‘order’ the albums in this way:

• The Dub Room Special! (2007, Frank Zappa)
• Philly ’76 (2009, Frank Zappa)
• Läther (1996, Frank Zappa)
• Hammersmith Odeon (2010, Frank Zappa)
• Halloween (2003, Frank Zappa)
• Studio Tan (1978, Frank Zappa)
• Sleep Dirt (1979, Frank Zappa)
• Unmitigated Audacity (1991, Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention)
• You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2 (1988, Zappa)
• One Size Fits All (1975, Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention)
• FZ:OZ (2002, Zappa)
• Bongo Fury (1975, Zappa / Beefheart & The Mothers)
• Orchestral Favorites (1979, Frank Zappa)
• Joe’s Menage (2008, Frank Zappa)
• Zappa In New York (1978, Zappa)
• Conceptual Continuity (1992, Frank Zappa)
• Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa (1996, Frank Zappa)
• Zoot Allures (1976, Zappa)
• Philly ’76 (1976, Zappa)

…which doesn’t answer the question:  “Lather” supersedes, yet includes “Studio Tan” and “Sleep Dirt” – how to ‘order’ this material?  Excluding live shows, what if I wanted to track his studio work from late ’74 up to ’76?  “One Size Fits All” and…?