News 17 Jan 2018

Frank Zappa / The Roxy Performances

By Paul Sinclair

7CD set • New stereo mixes • All shows included in their entirety

In conjunction with the Zappa Family Trust, Universal music will next month issue The Roxy Performances, a definitive seven-CD box set that collects all four public performances of Frank Zappa‘s legendary Roxy Theatre concerts from December 1973 and adds the soundcheck and other bonus material.

Frank Zappa and the Mothers played the four shows on 9th and 10th December ’73 with the soundcheck a day earlier on 8th. All this is included in its entirety, as well bonus content that features rehearsal nuggets and unreleased tracks, along with highlights from the recording session at Bolic Studios that took place in conjunction with the filming dates. This totals nearly eight hours of music.

Brand new 2016 stereo mixes (by Craig Parker Adams) have been created from new 96/24 transfers from the original multi-track tapes, so this should sound as good as it has ever sounded. Additionally, the set comes with a 48-page booklet with photos from the performances, a selection of archival press reviews, extensive sleeve notes by Joe Travers, and essays and recollections from various other contributors.

The Roxy Performances will be released on 2 February 2018. As you can see below the US price is far better than what’s on offer in the UK. However, British fans should note that when shipped from the US (using the cheapest option) – with import fees included – it will cost about £50. Still a £10 saving, I suppose, although the UK price might drop at some point (or not!).

Frank Zappa

The Roxy Performances

	Price gbp
Amazon uk	58.45	Order
Amazon de	71.02	Order
Amazon usa	55.92	Order
Amazon fr	106.46	Order
Amazon it	108.14	Order
Amazon es	104.7	Order
Amazon ca	89.99	Order
Amazon jp	7534.00	Order
JPC de	76.99	Order
FNAC fr	90.00	Pre-Order

Currency:

DISC 1
12-9-73 Show 1 1. Sunday Show 1 Start
2. Cosmik Debris
3. “We’re Makin’ A Movie”
4. Pygmy Twylyte
5. The Idiot Bastard Son
6. Cheepnis
7. Hollywood Perverts
8. Penguin In Bondage
9. T’Mershi Duween
10. The Dog Breath Variations
11. Uncle Meat
12. RDNZL
13. Montana
14. Dupree’s Paradise

DISC 2
1. Dickie’s Such An Asshole
12-9-73 Show 2
2. Sunday Show 2 Start
3. Inca Roads
4. Village Of The Sun
5. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)
6. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?
7. Slime Intro
8. I’m The Slime
9. Big Swifty

DISC 3
1. Tango #1 Intro
2. Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen’s Church)
3. Medley: King Kong / Chunga’s Revenge / Son Of Mr. Green Genes
12-10-73 Show 1
4. Monday Show 1 Start
5. Montana
6. Dupree’s Paradise
7. Cosmik Intro
8. Cosmik Debris

DISC 4
1. Bondage Intro
2. Penguin In Bondage
3. T’Mershi Duween
4. The Dog Breath Variations
5. Uncle Meat
6. RDNZL
7. Audience Participation – RDNZL
8. Pygmy Twylyte
9. The Idiot Bastard Son
10. Cheepnis
11. Dickie’s Such An Asshole
12-10-73 Show 2
12. Monday Show 2 Start
13. Penguin In Bondage
14. T’Mershi Duween
15. The Dog Breath Variations
16. Uncle Meat
17. RDNZL

DISC 5
1. Village Of The Sun
2. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)
3. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?
4. Cheepnis – Percussion
5. “I Love Monster Movies”
6. Cheepnis
7. “Turn The Light Off”/Pamela’s Intro
8. Pygmy Twylyte
9. The Idiot Bastard Son
10. Tango #2 Intro
11. Be-Bop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen’s Church)

DISC 6
1. Dickie’s Such An Asshole
Bonus Section: 12-10-73 Roxy Rehearsal
2. Big Swifty – In Rehearsal
3. Village Of The Sun
4. Farther O’Blivion – In Rehearsal
5. Pygmy Twylyte
6. That Arrogant Dick Nixon (Unreleased Track)

12-12-73 Bolic Studios Recording Session
7. Kung Fu – In Session
8. Kung Fu – with guitar overdub
9. Tuning and Studio Chatter
10. Echidna’s Arf (Of You) – In Session
11. Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow – In Session
12. Nanook Rubs It – In Session
13. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast – In Session
14. Father O’Blivion – In Session
15. Rollo (Be-Bop Version)

DISC 7
12-8-73 Sound Check/Film Shoot
1. Saturday Show Start
2. Pygmy Twylyte/Dummy Up*
3. Pygmy Twylyte – Part II
4. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)
5. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?
6. Orgy, Orgy
7. Penguin In Bondage
8. T’Mershi Duween
9. The Dog Breath Variations
10. Uncle Meat/Show End

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