[2021-06-18] Frank Zappa "Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show" 2CD set (Zappa)

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Description
Nobody knew, not even Frank Zappa, as he led his 11-strong band through a celebratory version of “America The Beautiful” to close out his show at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY on March 25, 1988, that it would be the last time he’d ever play in the United States. Days later, the '88 band would trek to Europe for a multi-country tour, only to implode on the road before they could make it back to the States for another round of scheduled shows. Despite the growing tensions in the band, the ensemble was considered one of the best Zappa ever put together, a skilled mix of extremely talented musicians made up of both longtime members that had played with The Maestro from the early days alongside exciting new additions, bolstered by his favorite new instrument, the Synclavier. A well-oiled machine armed with an extensive 100-song repertoire, the adroit band were equally as adept at playing Zappa’s complex and challenging, genre-defying songs as they were performing classical compositions by the likes of Bartók, Ravel and Stravinsky.

On June 18, Zappa’s historic, final American show will be released for the first time as the new live album, Zappa ’88: The Last U.S. Show via Zappa Records/UMe. The first posthumous archival release from the ‘88 touring band, the album features 29 unreleased performances including two additional performances from the same tour: Zappa’s wild interpretations of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Whipping Post” from the March 16 show in Providence, R.I. and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” from the March 23 Towson, Md. show. The record is also notable for containing the first official release of the much talked about “The Beatles Medley.”

Fully authorized by the Zappa Trust and produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, the recordings have been newly mixed by Craig Parker Adams in 2020 from the 48-track digital master tapes. The shows were recorded using two Sony 3324 DASH PCM 24 track tape recorders synced together using a Lynx Time Code Module, thus providing 48 track recording capabilities. The album is rounded out with detailed liner notes by Travers and Zappa ’88 drummer Chad Wackerman, who celebrated his 28th birthday on stage and is serenaded by Zappa and the crowd, as well as photos from the tour by Peder Andersson.

Tracklist
[CD1]
1. “We Are Doing Voter Registration Here”
2. The Black Page (New Age Version)
3. I Ain’t Got No Heart
4. Love Of My Life
5. Inca Roads
6. Sharleena
7. Who Needs The Peace Corps?
8. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
9. Dickie’s Such An Asshole
10. When The Lie’s So Big
11. Jesus Thinks You’re A Jerk
12. Sofa #1
13. One Man, One Vote
14. Happy Birthday, Chad!
15. Packard Goose Pt. 1
16. Royal March From “L’Histoire Du Soldat”
17. Theme From The Bartok Piano Concerto #3
18. Packard Goose Pt. II
19. The Torture Never Stops Pt. I
20. Theme From “Bonanza”

[CD2] 
1. Lonesome Cowboy Burt
2. The Torture Never Stops Pt. II
3. City Of Tiny Lites
4. Pound For A Brown
5. The Beatles Medley
6. Peaches En Regalia
7. Stairway To Heaven
8. I Am The Walrus
9. Whipping Post
10. Bolero
11. America The Beautiful

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092P6WVD2/?tag=imwan-20

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:38 am

I've added the packshot and pre-order link to Alan's opening post above, and here's an audio sample:

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Zappa considered his 1988 band to be one of his best. It was an awesome band that imploded because a handful of guys hated Scott Thunes. It's the band that introduced me to Mike Keneally.

"The Beatles Medley" was a medley of "Norwegian Wood", "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", and "Strawberry Fields Forever" with lyrics about the Jimmy Swaggart scandal. The "I Am The Walrus" and "Whipping Post" covers are excellent (WP was always epic when FZ performed it), but the "Stairway To Heaven" cover is a real gem. It's done fairly faithfully, but the guitar solo is played by the horn section and is outstanding. Zappa's versions of that are my favorite.

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

This was a GREAT show!

A couple of weeks ago I had heard that there were 2 double cds coming out in June...an 88 show I was not expecting but it is a wonderful surprise.

This band was one of my favorite FZ combos...the horn section was awesome.

Pre-ordered!

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

Does anyone have a full band member list for this one?

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

From the Zappa.com article (I wasn’t sure I’d remember all the horn players, and I was right - I had one name wrong).

Quote:

With Zappa on lead guitar, vocals, and wielding his new obsession the Synclavier, he led the proceedings through a career-spanning set, backed by a stellar cast of veteran band members and newly added members: Mike Keneally (guitar, synth, vocals), Scott Thunes (electric bass, Minimoog), Ike Willis (rhythm guitar, synth, vocals), Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion), Ed Mann (vibes, marimba, electronic percussion), Robert Martin (keyboards, vocals) and the cracking horn section of Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugel horn, synth), Bruce Fowler (trombone), Paul Carman (alto, soprano and baritone sax), Albert Wing (tenor sax) and Kurt McGettrick (baritone and bass sax, contrabass clarinet).

Geff R. · 27 Sep 2006

alantig wrote:

From the Zappa.com article (I wasn’t sure I’d remember all the horn players, and I was right - I had one name wrong).

Quote:

With Zappa on lead guitar, vocals, and wielding his new obsession the Synclavier, he led the proceedings through a career-spanning set, backed by a stellar cast of veteran band members and newly added members: Mike Keneally (guitar, synth, vocals), Scott Thunes (electric bass, Minimoog), Ike Willis (rhythm guitar, synth, vocals), Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion), Ed Mann (vibes, marimba, electronic percussion), Robert Martin (keyboards, vocals) and the cracking horn section of Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugel horn, synth), Bruce Fowler (trombone), Paul Carman (alto, soprano and baritone sax), Albert Wing (tenor sax) and Kurt McGettrick (baritone and bass sax, contrabass clarinet).

Thank you! It should be good.

Dental Floss Tycoon · 16 Oct 2007

Thunes's view on the infamous '88 band "implosion" is pretty well covered in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0879109564/?tag=imwan-20

Well worth a read if you're a fan of this band. Thunes is way more candid than Keneally's diary. You can easily see why ST rubbed people the wrong way.

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Dental Floss Tycoon wrote:

Thunes's view on the infamous '88 band "implosion" is pretty well covered in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0879109564/?tag=imwan-20

Well worth a read if you're a fan of this band. Thunes is way more candid than Keneally's diary. You can easily see why ST rubbed people the wrong way.

All of the interviews in that book are good. But yeah, 'diplomatic' is not a word that is often used with Thunes. He's definitely been scorched-earth at times, but I think he's softened a bit as he's gotten older. To his credit, though, he's never said it was all 'them' - he's pretty much said all along that he can be rather abrasive.

Dental Floss Tycoon · 16 Oct 2007

alantig wrote:

Dental Floss Tycoon wrote:

Thunes's view on the infamous '88 band "implosion" is pretty well covered in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0879109564/?tag=imwan-20

Well worth a read if you're a fan of this band. Thunes is way more candid than Keneally's diary. You can easily see why ST rubbed people the wrong way.

All of the interviews in that book are good. But yeah, 'diplomatic' is not a word that is often used with Thunes. He's definitely been scorched-earth at times, but I think he's softened a bit as he's gotten older. To his credit, though, he's never said it was all 'them' - he's pretty much said all along that he can be rather abrasive.

Wictor's followup book, Ghosts and Ballyhoo, includes a lot more with Thunes.

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Dental Floss Tycoon wrote:

alantig wrote:

Dental Floss Tycoon wrote:

Thunes's view on the infamous '88 band "implosion" is pretty well covered in this book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0879109564/?tag=imwan-20

Well worth a read if you're a fan of this band. Thunes is way more candid than Keneally's diary. You can easily see why ST rubbed people the wrong way.

All of the interviews in that book are good. But yeah, 'diplomatic' is not a word that is often used with Thunes. He's definitely been scorched-earth at times, but I think he's softened a bit as he's gotten older. To his credit, though, he's never said it was all 'them' - he's pretty much said all along that he can be rather abrasive.

Wictor's followup book, Ghosts and Ballyhoo, includes a lot more with Thunes.

Thanks! I didn’t know about that one.

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:42 am

Another sample:

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

Talking Wax did an episode about this album last week with Vaultmeister Joe Travers and Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally. I'm really excited for this album.

And thanks again, DFT - I picked up the Wictor book.

Dental Floss Tycoon · 16 Oct 2007

alantig wrote:

Talking Wax did an episode about this album last week with Vaultmeister Joe Travers and Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally. I'm really excited for this album.

And thanks again, DFT - I picked up the Wictor book.

Glad to hear! Tom is a real interesting guy. Excellent bassist too; I believe he still has a youtube page featuring some of his playing. Also, he's considered one of the world's leading experts on World War I German elite forces; we've published three of his books on the topic.

Simon · **Joined:** 26 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 59407

alantig · 20 Sep 2006

One of the things I really like on this is the arrangement of "Stairway", adding the FZ solo before the Keneally/horns version of the classic solo. I have several different shows w/this on them, and I don't think any have that arrangement.

NoURider · **Joined:** 21 Jul 2006 **Posts:** 3309

alantig wrote:

One of the things I really like on this is the arrangement of "Stairway", adding the FZ solo before the Keneally/horns version of the classic solo. I have several different shows w/this on them, and I don't think any have that arrangement.

Agreed. I listened to this last night and thought - boy that's a bit extended compared to the only other version I have ("Best Band...); though solo aside, I give the edge to Best Band version, as all the teasing of Zappa's guitar throughout the song, then simply letting the horns rip into the solo (I feel their energy is more intense on the Best Band as well) still gives me goosebumps.

But giving an edge certainly does not mean disappointed. I am enjoying this release mucho.

[2021-06-18] Frank Zappa "Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show" 2CD set (Zappa)

Who is WANline