The Frank Zappa Discography Thread - #39 - 'The Perfect Stranger'

[Nihil-Morari]

Official Release #10 'Weasels Ripped My Flesh'
(Released 08/1970)




Background Information:
The second of the two 'excess mothers-material' album. Originally part of 'The History and Collected Improvisations of The Mothers Of Invention', which was supposed to be a double album of this exact material. As stated, there are indeed two versions of this album, the LP and the latest version being the same, original version, and the Ryko CD version has three minutes extra in Didja Get Any Onya. (Those three minutes of music is also known as 'Charles Ives' on later Zappa releases, and as 'The Blimp' on Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica)
This album, in contrast to Burnt Weeny Sandwich, focusses way more on improvisation, live recordings and a harsher, more extreme side of Zappa's music.



The Album Itself:
Side one consists nearly only of all out free-jam tracks: the opener Didja Get Any Onya, Prelude To... (a tribute to Debussy's 'Apres-midi d'une faune'), almost all of Toads of the Short Forest (apart from that beautiful intro) and Get A Little (which can serve as a preview of Zappa's later guitar-only albums).
Directly From The Heart To You is a Little Richard cover, recorded during the sessions of Hot Rats, just as the intro to Toads.

Side two is a bit more clever. The hommage to Eric Dolphy, and Dwarf Nebula both intertwine amazing composition with free-jazz like improvisations. The composed parts are really a highlight of this phase in Zappa's music.
My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama was actually a radio friendly song, and both Oh No and The Orange County Lumber Truck were Mother's classics. The album closes with a live 'tune'. Two minutes of ear deafening noise, played live by 9 people making as much noise as they could on their own instrument.


Essential Tracks:
The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue
Dwarf Nebula Processional March & Dwarf Nebula

[Pragmaticcircus]

Love this album, the improv is fantastic too! 

[bout to crash]

Loove this one. Haven't listened in a while, will get to that soon.

Note: I have a Weasels shirt that I've worn to a few shows and it has now been complimented by both Steven Wilson and Marco Minnemann 

[jammindude]

Still loving the reading!   And I had to chime in and say that this thread is directly responsible for me picking up Uncle Meat in my latest CD haul from Amazon.  (the others are IQ's Road of Bones, SW's Insurgentes, and R40 Live box set).   

Haven't listened to it yet, but it's in my queue. 

[jammindude]

Always wanted to get this album based on "My Guitar..." being one of my all time favorite Zappa songs, but it sounds like the rest of the album may be a tougher listen.

Listened to Uncle Meat today.   King Kong is amazing.   The movie excerpts were just a trip  not sure how often I'll re-spin those, but they were funny.

[darkshade]

This album is a weird one, by Zappa standards at least. Whereas BWS was Beauty, Weasel is the Beast. Unfortunately, this album really feels like a bunch of leftovers, whereas BWS felt more unified in a central theme, musically and conceptually. Weasels has some harsh music, especially at the end, but there's some jewels like Toad Forest, My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama, and Oh No/Orange Country Lumber Truck. We get more fusion, too, though more abstract, in the Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue.

Not an album for newcomers, maybe after getting your first dozen FZ albums.

[Nihil-Morari]

Always wanted to get this album based on "My Guitar..." being one of my all time favorite Zappa songs, but it sounds like the rest of the album may be a tougher listen.

Listened to Uncle Meat today.   King Kong is amazing.   The movie excerpts were just a trip  not sure how often I'll re-spin those, but they were funny.

The movie excerpts are, well, yeah, they weren't necessary, to say it kindly.

I'm moving on to Chunga, never really checked that one out myself, just glossed over it I guess, so I have a lot of listening and reading to do!

[jammindude]

If I make another FZ MP3 disc for the car (and I will) I will most likely not include the movie excerpts.   But I probably will leave in "Tengo Na Minchia Tanta"

[Mosh]

Since this is an album I've listened to many times, I decided for the discussion I'd try get a fresh spin on it and listen to the 2012 mix. The difference was clear instantly. It's a bit more bass heavy and less thin than the ryko. Less tiring on the ears, much more warm. Drums sound fantastic, I feel like you get better separation between the two drummers.  Not sure if I like that they reverted Didja Get Any Onya back to the non extended version. Besides that this might be my go to mix from now on.

Anyway, this album is the perfect way to close Zappa's first chapter. It kinda covers it all while giving you a glimpse at the live show in a way that was never captured on record before. It's sequenced perfectly too. Going from Didja to Directly From My Heart was a really great idea. It really slaps you in the face with how diverse this first band could be. And of course, one of my favorite moments of Zappa's career is the run from Oh No to Weasels Ripped My Flesh. 3 very different tracks making a perfect grand finale for The Mothers.

Only song that doesn't really do it for me is My Guitar... Eric Dolphy Memorial is a cool tune but can be tiring if I'm not in the right mood.

And btw, for those who aren't familiar with Dolphy, check out Out To Lunch ASAP. He was one of the Jazz greats and Zappa had already paid homage to him by including him on the infamous Freak Out list. The melody to Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue itself is written in Dolphy's improv style, he was very well known for those odd interval jumps. It's said that Dolphy got his style by learning Charlie Parker solos and changing the octaves on random notes and phrases. Unfortunately, he died young and had a very short career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tnPkQufnZY

[darkshade]

The 2012 UMe CD is one of those cases where it sounds a lot better than older CD issues, but for completionists, having both the older RYKO and 2012 UMe versions is essential for the extra music. The title track sounds the same on either version 

Bring on the FLo n Eddie era.

[darkshade]

Also, I'm pretty sure that at this point in the discography, Frank stopped using acoustic guitars and stuck to electric only. Chunga's might be the last album to feature acoustic guitar, but I haven't listened to it in a while.

[Mosh]

Sofa on the OSFA album uses acoustic guitars. But yea, it's very rare for Zappa, in fact hearing an acoustic guitar on a Zappa album usually sounds pretty weird to me.

[darkshade]

Sofa on the OSFA album uses acoustic guitars. But yea, it's very rare for Zappa, in fact hearing an acoustic guitar on a Zappa album usually sounds pretty weird to me.

Listening now, sounds like electric guitar, maybe with an acoustic guitar effects pedal or something like that. I've heard that sound on other FZ tunes. I'm pretty sure I recall reading an article about Frank's music and the author mentioned something about 1970 being the last year for an FZ album to feature any acoustic guitar, which was rare already at that point.

[Cyclopssss]

Aren't there accoustic guitars used on Joe's Garage? (pt 2, I think).

[Nihil-Morari]

Official Release #11 'Chunga's Revenge'
(Released 10/1970)




Background Information:
Officially only the second Zappa solo album (after Hot Rats) and the first album to include Flo and Eddie, a.k.a. The Phlorescent Leech and Eddie. The two singers became famous as The Turtles (with worldwide hit Happy Together) and when that band disbanded Zappa, who already knew the guys, asked them to join the band.
Zappa stated that this band was 'one of the most talented group of individuals he'd ever had', according to Mark Volman.
This band still had Ian Underwood in it as Zappa's main sideman in those days, but with George Duke, Jeff Simmons and Aynsley Dunbar a couple of other legendary Zappa bandmates made their appearance too.
Although this was such a great band, there are hardly any studio recordings available. Zappa was changing in the way he recorded. From now on (except for a short while due to Zappa being in a wheelchair, but more on that later) his main way of recording would be recording live, and adding overdubs in the studio.

The Album Itself:
This is another eclectic combination of tracks. A couple of guitar solo's, a live improv, a blues track, a jazz track and a couple of pop songs. The only thing that really binds this album together is the band.
The album starts of with an extended guitar solo called Transylvania Boogie, recorded in a studio (The Record Plant, later featured on more Zappa albums) in march 1970.
Road Ladies shows the direction Zappa wanted the show to go in. Fun, great vocals and above all, very entertaining.
Twenty Small Cigars is a Hot Rats outtake, and a great interlude on this albums. The fade-out though is a shame, makes you realize that it's nothing more than an interlude.
The Nancy & Mary Music is a live outtake of the jam bit in King Kong. That track could last up to half an hour back in the late 60's.

Side two is a more pop-oriented side. Apart from the title track and The Clap, the four other tracks are poppy tunes. Tell Me You Love Me, and Sharleena would become live favorites, both featuring on a couple of tours, played by different bands.
The Clap is a solo track by Frank himself, in every way. He plays all the drums and other percussion on this track. Chunga's Revenge is an extended violin/guitar solo, and a really wonderful one. Later this would become the concert opener, giving the band the time to set up the mood, then Frank would come on stage and solo away.


Essential Tracks:
Road Ladies
Tell Me You Love Me
Chunga's Revenge

[Cyclopssss]

Chunga's Revenge was another transitional album, I think. As Hot Rats was his first 'solo' album (although, technically, Lumpy Gravy was something of a solo record as well), Chunga is billed as being his second. Off course, it was nothing but that. Musician-wise, Frank was laying the foundation for the second legendary Mother's line-up with illuminaries like Aynsley Dunbar, Jeff Simmons and the first appearances of George Duke.
Mucially, Chunga's Revenge is something of a hodge-podge with on the one hand some remnants of the Hot Rats like instrumental sessions with great improvisations, fantastic guitar playing in the likes of Transylvanian Boogie, Twenty Small Cigars and The Clap. On the other hand there's the first tastes of what would be the new musical style for the next installment of the 'comedy-rock' generation Mothers of Invention, with songs like Would you go all the way, Road ladies, Sharleena and Rudy wants to buy yez a drink, about the strange union rules in the States. It's also a first taste of the vocal stylings of The Fluorescent Leach. (i.e. Flo and Eddie), stylings that would prove to fit the music of FZ very well. Frank had finally found his vehicle to excercise his bizarre and unique type of humour.

With again some great inner sleeve artwork from the legendary Cal Schenkel, Chunga's Revenge is a first taste of what's to come. And what was to come was Great.

[Nihil-Morari]

Totally agree with you. It's again a filler album, I guess that's why I don't listen that often to albums like Burnt Weeny, Weasels and this one. I could make a nice single CD out of those three though, I think.

[Mosh]

Chunga's Revenge is a cool album. Definitely not essential or one I go for often, but I always greatly enjoy it whenever I do. It's definitely transitional, overall I'd say it's a taste of things to come. The bulk of it is a preview to 200 Motels, from the liner notes:

All the vocals on this album were a preview of the story from 200 MOTELS. Coming. Soon. Near. You.

In a way it feels like a compilation of leftover material that didn't have any place anywhere else, Zappa had a few of those. There's a bit of Hot Rats sounding stuff, stuff that reminds us of the Original Mothers, and the Flo and Eddie stuff. All periods that are better represented elsewhere, but this album still never fails to put me in a great mood.

Anyway, I love the Flo and Eddie era. The humor is fun and they did a lot of interesting things musically. Some classics in there for sure, especially later on. Sharleena is a great song.

Chunga's Revenge (the song) is definitely a classic. Of the two solos I actually prefer Ian Underwood's saxophone solo with the wah pedal. Sinister!

[Nihil-Morari]

Fillmore East is next. Like I thought, Chunga isn't that interesting to discuss, apparently. Fillmore will be the last before christmas break. Got a couple of gigs, and I'm going away for a week of so. 200 Motels will be the first album of 2016! The pace so far has been roughly one album a week, that should mean we're finishing this one around September 2017 

[Cyclopssss]

LOL, you've got your work cut out for ya! Fillmore is fantastic. Some great stories to be told about that one.   

[Podaar]

I haven't contributed to the last two record discussions not because I don't like them (because I really do) but more because I don't have anything new to contribute.

I really enjoy "Theme" through "Little House" but the rest of the album is a bit of a miss for me. I don't listen to this album very much but I usually enjoy it when I do.

And honestly, you can copy/paste my response for the next two albums as well.

Ditto.

I'm still reading and enjoying the comments by those who are more familiar with these works. 

[Nihil-Morari]

I haven't contributed to the last two record discussions not because I don't like them (because I really do) but more because I don't have anything new to contribute.

I really enjoy "Theme" through "Little House" but the rest of the album is a bit of a miss for me. I don't listen to this album very much but I usually enjoy it when I do.

And honestly, you can copy/paste my response for the next two albums as well.

Ditto.

I'm still reading and enjoying the comments by those who are more familiar with these works. 

Yeah, these last three weren't the greatest records. Like I said, I'd love to make a single disc of all the awesome material, I believe that'll fit, and it would be an awesome disc. But like this, not so much. Too much filler.

[darkshade]

Chunga's is an album I checked out relatively recently in my Zappa fandom. I knew most of the songs already from later live albums, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised the first time I heard this album. It's got a heavy rock/blues feel, with lots of improv, very much a night-time album. My favorite track is Twenty Small Cigars, because it's such a great, haunting melody, and a tune I wasn't familiar with when I first listened, even though I had been a Zappa fan for years by then. TSC is not a tune that Zappa performed live, and the only other versions I know of are from the King Kong album, and a version from Joe Travers on one of the AAFNRAAA albums. Anyway, great jazz tune. I wish it didn't have that sudden fade out at the end.

The rest of the album does have a transitional feel to it, in context of Zappa's canon, and is surrounded by other more popular albums. You got the 60s Mothers and Hot Rats behind, and Filmore and 200 Motels after. This is the first appearance of George Duke, so that's always great. Only song I'm whatever about, is Would You Go All The Way. Title track is classic and I really like Frank's tone on this version. It's a flawed album, but an enjoyable one.

[sneakyblueberry]

The main riff in Chunga's Revenge is awesome

[Nihil-Morari]

I won't be able to write up Fillmore today. There is a chance that I'll finish writing before christmas, but I'm not sure. I'll be away a lot.

Anyways, happy christmas to all of you!

[Nihil-Morari]

Getting this thing going again! Had a great holiday, looking forward to a year of Zappa. If I can manage to keep up the one album a week pace, we'll roughly get to You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 in 2016. Looking forward to all the great albums that lie in between Fillmore and that one!

[Podaar]

No shit, that's the real cream of the crop, IMO. Welcome back N-M!

[jammindude]

I was just wondering about this yesterday!!  Looking forward to it!!!   

[darkshade]

Bring it on!

[DebraKadabra]

Horribly, horribly late to this thread - I'll hit the the high points with what you've covered so far N-M so as not to clog things up.

Quick intro to Deb's FZ fandom - my older brother was a FZ fanatic starting in about.... 1983 or 1984. He got HARDCORE into him probably after he graduated US high school in 1985. He'd give me FZ mixtapes and badger me about listening to them until one day I finally did. Frank was an acquired taste for me to start, I'll be on Front Street about that. But, with repeat listens, I got into him hardcore the summer of 1989 (which was a year after I graduated US high school, and YES I'M SHOWING MY AGE HERE BUT IDGAF lol). So, that said...

Freak Out!--I got into this one well after 1989, probably deep into my FZ fandom. Great, great record, and a fond memory is driving on I-35 here in Austin while I was still with Wey and we spun this one. Perfect example of FZ's twisted doo-wop and the very start of his sense of humor on wax. Favorites:  Who Are The Brain Police?, Trouble Every Day (though I prefer other versions of it tbh), It Can't Happen Here

Absolutely Free--Another FZ affair I got into, but I got into AF earlier into my FZ fandom because the majority of this record was on a mixtape my brother made for me. He'd put the whole second side and almost all of the first on the mixtape. "A moonbeam through the prune... in June... " LOVE this record. Favorites: Sorry, that little thing called the whole record.

Lumpy Gravy--"The way I see it, Barry, this should be a really dynamite show." Another one of my favorites that I got into fairly early in my fandom, again thanks to my brother making a tape of the whole album. IIRC, it also marks the first appearance of Louis The Turkey. LOVE that dude, and his interplay with Motorhead. "How do you get your water so dark?"... "Because I'm paranoid." Favorites--whole album.

We're Only In It For The Money--The start of a lapse in Deb's FZ knowledge. I SHOULD know this album more than I do and I do... but that's more thanks to Playground Psychotics than WOIIFTM. However, some songs from this one ended up on one of the MANY mixtapes my brother made, bless his pointy opinionated head. Favorites--Who Needs The Peace Corps?, The Idiot Bastard Son, Concentration Moon, Mom & Dad, Let's Make The Water Turn Black

Cruisin' With Ruben & The Jets--Another one I'm woefully unfamiliar with. No favorites on this one, sadly, though I have heard it once and I remember liking some of it, especially since the doo-wop on this one was quite over the top.

Uncle Meat--The classic that I need to listen to more. My brother ended up essentially giving me his old CD copy of this when the first Ryko re-releases came out. Favorites:  Electric Aunt Jemima, The Dog Breath Variations, Sleeping in a Jar (though again, I like other versions of this one better), Cruising For Burgers, Mr. Green Genes

Mothermania--I have never heard of this one. Ever. Seeing that it's a compilation that Frank eventually disavowed (according to wiki), I see why as it just looks to be more of a "greatest hits" type of affair than a real release. Arf.

Hot Rats--A lot of people see this as the FZ album that people will dig if they're not familiar with The Conceptual Continuity. Fair enough. It's a great record, don't get me wrong. I'd say it's a... Top 15ish for me. Great, but not the ABSOLUTE BEST EVER MOO-AAAHHHH. Favorites:  Peaches en Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Little Umbrellas (I just got goosebumps typing that, I LOVE this song), Son of Mr. Green Genes.

Burnt Weeny Sandwich--Yet another I'm woefully unfamiliar with, except for Aybe Sea. Funny story time... I had to explain to my brother that Abye Sea was "ABC". Which, I do like that song rather much btw.

Weasels Ripped My Flesh--RZZZZZ!!!! I became familiar with this one... I'd say early 1990s-ish. The first song I heard off of this one was Gas Mask, thanks to it being my brother's favorite and he was REALLY stoned at the time. Needless to say, Gas Mask grew on me lol. Favorites:  Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask (naturally ), Oh No/The Orange County Lumber Truck (there's some SMOKING live versions of both Lumber Truck and Oh No), Didja Get Any Onya, My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama

And now we come to... *drum roll*

CHUNGA'S REVENGE (in 3D aaarrrrrffff  )

My absolute, absolute favorite on this album is Transylvania Boogie. I love that song in a quite unhealthy way but it's JUST SO DAMN GOOD. I also like Tell Me You Love Me and Sharleena, but I prefer live versions to the studio versions on those... which is a recurring theme for me on a LOT of Frank's music.

TL;DR Deb is a FZ-aholic. Arf.

[Orbert]

Deb!!  I was wondering what happened to you.

[Nihil-Morari]

Arf.

Hey! Welcome to the thread! Very cool to read your story, and incredible that you can summarize your feeling on 11 Zappa albums in a couple of sentences. Update coming right now!

[DebraKadabra]

Gah, I didn't notice your write-up for Fillmore!

Anyhooooooo.....

Fillmore East - June 1971--I'll admit, I haven't listened to the whole album in its entirety, but YAY for the start of the Flo/Eddie era! They managed to come up with some really interesting twists on old Mothers songs, and I love how Do You Like my New Car? eventually evolved into The Groupie Routine from YCDTOSA 1. That, and the beginning of the legend of the one and only... mud shark... DWAAAAARF NEBULAAAAAA oops.

Favorites: Do You Like My New Car?, What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?, Happy Together

Interesting note - the live stuff with John Lennon and (eeegads) Yoko Ono was recorded during these shows, but didn't show up on wax for Zappa until Playground Psychotics. It was also the start of the John/Yoko vs Frank feud, where John and Yoko renamed King Kong as "Jam Rag" and called it their own composition, which really pissed Frank off. In Frank's own words

[bout to crash]

Interesting indeed! I've fallen behind here. I need a spanking.

[Orbert]

Wait, what the hell just happened?  How did I miss the Fillmore East writeup from... last month?