In recent times following Frank Zappa‘s oeuvre has become both an exciting and expensive enterprise with his archival releases arriving rather frequently and appearing quite alluring. Yet while most of those focused, until now, on the great late artist’s solo years, the forthcoming set titled “Whisky A Go Go, 1968” fixates on THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION‘s early onstage shenanigans, not only pre-dating both “The Mothers 1970” and “The Mothers 1971” collections that have been issued in the series a few years ago but also going for a more conceptual approach.
Unlike what was there before, this three-CD – or, alternatively, five-LP – entry in FZ’s discography, scheduled for June 21st, emerges from the ensemble’s three performances, preserved for posterity on a single date, July 23rd, 1968, when the jolly posse descended onto the legendary West Hollywood venue and stayed for the night with a prospect to derive an album from the musical chaos that ensued. The album never emerged, of course, but some pieces landed on various projects later on, and it’s about time the entire sonic adventure was properly mixed and presented in the original order, with the disorderly results best described, in the entertainer’s own words, as fun and merriment.
& THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION –
Whisky A Go Go, 1968
CD 1:
1. Whisky Improvisation: Episode I
2. America Drinks & Goes Home
3. Help, I’m A Rock / Transylvania Boogie
4. My Boyfriend’s Back
5. Bust His Head
6. Tiny Sick Tears Jam
7. “The Purpose Of This Evening…”
8. Whisky Improvisation: Episode II
9. Status Back Baby
10. Memories Of El Monte
11. Oh, In The Sky
12. Valerie
CD 2:
1. “Fun & Merriment”
2. Hungry Freaks, Daddy
3. King Kong – Part 1
4. King Kong – Part 2
5. Octandre
6. Whisky Improvisation: Episode III
7. Meow
8. God Bless America
9. Presentation Of Wings
10. Plastic People
11. Della’s Preamble
12. The Duke – Take 1
13. The Duke – Take 2
14. Khaki Sack
CD 3:
1. The Whip
2. Whisky Chouflée
3. Brown Shoes Don’t Make It
4. Brown Shoes Shuffle
bonus tracks:
5. The Whip (FZ mix)
6. Hungry Freaks, Daddy (FZ mono mix)
