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Frank Zappa
Mystery Box • 10-Record Monstrosity • A Really Spiffy Collection

Album US 1986 on Nifty Tuff & Bitchen Records label
(Free Jazz, Art Rock, Doo-Wop)

Pigs 'N Repugnant: Tracks 1-2 are live in Appleton 1969, taken from Gas Mask. Track 1 begins with "The Jelly" and cuts to "The Eric Dolphy Memroial Barbecue" at 02:20. Tracks 3-6 taken from Our Man in Nirvana (Fullerton College, 08-Nov-1968). "King Kong" is 31 minutes long on Our Man in Nirvana, here it is 28 minutes and 41 seconds. It IS the same recording, yet it is slower here (and in a lower key, of course) and includes a final "goodnight" which is cut from Our Man in Nirvana. So one part has been edited out of this version, and the edit occurs at 14:24. Son Of Pigs 'N Repugnant: Track 1 is "A Pound for a Brown on the Bus" plus "Sleeping in a Jar", taken from Our Man in Nirvana (Fullerton College, 08-Nov-1968). At the time, Zappa called this conglomeration "The String Quartet". Tracks 2-4 are live in Appleton 1969, the recording that also appeared on Gas Mask. Track 2 is like "Return of the Hunch-Back Duke" on Stage #5 and includes "Aybe Sea" and "Transylvania Boogie", and track 4 is an instrumental jam. This side is a real live segued sequence. Beyond The Fringe Of Audience Comprehension: The Mystery Box version has these liner notes: "Tracks 1-4 [of side 2] are from the film 200 motels. Tracks 5-7 are from Hunchentoot." "'Space Boy' is the rarest track in this entire box. It was recorded for the Curtis Harrington film, Queen of Blood. Words, music and vocals by Florence Marley. Orchestration and additional instruments by FZ. Sound effects by Ackerman & Cole." Tracks 14-16 have been said to be the remixed Sleep Dirt versions. The suite on side 1 (often called "The Groupie Opera") has been circulated as either "unknown live 1970/1971" and "Butte, Montana 1970/1971" (they do sing "this is the swingingest place in Butte, Montana"), but sounds more like a studio job without an audible live audience. The title is from one of Zappa's catch-phrases: "Some of us live beyond the fringe of audience comprehension. The air is better here." Zut Alors: Track 4 is probably from the 1975 UCLA Royce Hall concert (the same concert as on Orchestral Favorites). The same recording also appears on Apocrypha, where it's listed as "Gypsy Airs". (The piece was originally recorded in 1967 for an unreleased single, which was planned for release on Capitol Records together with the all-orchestral original version of Lumpy Gravy, which was only released on 8-track.) Track 5 is a longer edit of the Shut Up & Play Yer Guitar version (Osaka 3-Feb-1976). Longer, but still edited; perhaps a tape edited by Zappa himself somehow found its way here. Track 6 is a guitar solo from "More Trouble Every Day". Track 7 is a different edit of "Hands with a Hammer" on Stage #3 (Osaka 3-Feb-1976). Those two are also what is listed as "Guitar Improvisation" on the Wanna Buy Some Acid? bootleg. Track 8 is live in Vancouver 1-Oct-1975. Track 9 is a version with the Mike Douglas band (from a 1976 TV show) backing Frank Zappa (also released on Apocrypha). According to the liner notes on the Mystery Box version, "Tracks 1-4 [on side 2] are the entire side 3 of the unreleased double album version of Zoot Allures". This may not be not correct, but there were serious plans for a double album version of Zoot Allures. The Rondo Hatton Band: Track 1 is the single version, with a different guitar solo from the album version. Tracks 2-6 are live at the Capitol Theater in Passaic 08-Nov-1974. Tracks 7-11 are live in Sydney 24-Jun-1973, also issued on Nifty (track 11 is Zappa improvising around the letters MAR-JUH-RENE) - from the "Un-Concert". Tracks 12-13 are December 1973 bonus tracks. A Token Of His Extreme: On both sides everything is adjusted to have an "all segue", but edits between songs are of course clear. Audience is only audible in the middle of "Approximate" and after "Florentine Pogen" (the song finish at 9:55). Most songs on side 1 (and expecially the second half of "Inca Roads") are overcrowded of crazy rumours overdubs. "Stinkfoot" is the "Tom Waits version" ("right around the corner ... over by Tom Waits's Restaurant"] and is sung through the voice modifier. "Approximate" is, of course, just a little bit of the song, with first the theme illustration by the whole band, then a vocal extravaganza (Zappa: "That's the melody"), after which Zappa says "Ok, this can also be danced" but "Cosmik Debris" starts. Chalk Pie: Track 7 has been officially released on Guitar in a slightly different mix; it's from Salt Lake City 07-Dec-1981. Track 8 is an officially unreleased live version edited together from Santa Monica 11-Dec-1981 (early show) and Salt Lake City 07-Dec-1981. Track 9 is an officially unreleased guitar solo from "The Black Page #2", from San Diego 12-Dec-1981, early show. Track 10 is from the Ritz show in New York on 17-Nov-1981 when Al DiMeola sat in (bootlegged on Assault on New York - The Toxic Shock Trilogy). Crush All Boxes: Quoth the liner notes: "'Fine Girl' and 'Drafted Again' are outtakes. Tracks 2-5 are studio rehearsals with drum machine. ('Teenage Wind' and 'Harder Than Your Husband' are instrumentals. 'Falling in Love Is a Stupid Habit' is a demo for Jimmy Carl Black (FZ: piano & vocal)." Zappa later denied that he ever wrote that last song in an interview published in the fanzine Society Pages. Tracks 2-5 and 7 also appear on Apocrypha.Tracks 9-12 on side two represent the entire side one of the unreleased Crush All Boxes. Bonus track 'Teenage Wind' is an outtake. It does not feature Bob Harris on vocals. Return Of The Son Of Serious Music: Side 1 is from an orchestral situation with the Pomona Valley Symphony Orchestra at Mount Saint Mary's College, Claremont, California in 1963, conducted by Frank Zappa. A small part of this has been officially released on The Lost Episodes, as "Mount Saint Mary's Concert Excerpt". According to the liner notes on the Mystery Box, "While You Were Art #1" is the "original, stripped-down version", and the Francesco tracks are out-takes. They sound like different orchestrations of Francesco Zappa album tracks. "Francesco Rock" has a drum track. The notes also claim that "Pedro's Dowry" was played by the Berkely Symphony Orchestra in June 1981, but it's from "A Zappa Affair", June 16, 1984. Anyway, this release may or may not be related to the bootlegs Serious Music and Son of Serious Music - it's certainly supposed to look that way. Randomonium: Track 2 has been officially released on the Mystery Disc. Track 3 is an alternate take of "Dwarf Nebula" from Weasels Ripped My Flesh, recorded at Apostolic Studios, New York. Tracks 5-6 are the last bit of "Billy the Mountain"; it also appears on Cuccurrullo Brullo Brillo and Apocrypha. It's a live recording, but there has been speculation that there are some overdubs on it. Track 7 is a longer edit of the Playground Psychotics version with John Lennon. Track 8 is a live improvisation from a New York TV show called The Bitter End in 1967. Track 10 is the same version as on disc 3 of Apocrypha (Stonybrook, 15-Oct-1978). Track 12 is a 1981 studio version that also appears on Demos and Apocrypha. Tracks 1, 9, and 11 are unknown versions. Track 1 must be from 1967-1968 as Ray Collins is on it. Track 11 must be from Europe, summer 1982, as Ed Mann is on it.

     
Musicians
PortraitFrank Zappa voc, g, 1940-1993 US
album by
Album Tracks
No Title Artist Composer Duration
1Pigs 'N RepugnantFrank Zappa
2The Eric Dolphy Memorial BarbecueFrank Zappa10:10
3Hungry Freaks, DaddyFrank Zappa3:40
4The Wild Man Fischer StoryFrank Zappa3:35
5I'm The MeanyFrank Zappa1:35
6Bacon FatFrank Zappa4:00
7King Kong (29:16) (cut @ 14:21)Frank Zappa29:16
8Son Of Pigs 'N RepugnantFrank Zappa
9The String QuartetFrank Zappa24:35
10The Duke (Including Aybe Sea And Transylvania Boogie)Frank Zappa8:50
11Help, I'm A RockFrank Zappa5:05
12The Return Of The Son Of Monster MagnetFrank Zappa10:11
13Beyond The Fringe Of Audience ComprehensionFrank Zappa
14What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening?Frank Zappa1:54
15Watering HolesFrank Zappa0:41
16What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?Frank Zappa4:29
17Bwana DikFrank Zappa1:20
18Latex Solar BeefFrank Zappa1:36
19Daddy Daddy DaddyFrank Zappa2:53
20Do You Like My New Car?Frank Zappa2:55
21Magic FingersFrank Zappa2:33
22What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning?Frank Zappa3:50
23Interview (Part 1)Frank Zappa2:58
24The Final SolutionFrank Zappa2:22
25Interview (Part 2)Frank Zappa1:47
26Penis DimensionFrank Zappa3:25
27Time Is MoneyFrank Zappa2:45
28FlambayFrank Zappa4:52
29Spider Of DestinyFrank Zappa3:00
30Space BoyFrank Zappa2:51
31Zut AlorsFrank Zappa
32Mr.Green Genes/King Kong/Chunga's RevengeFrank Zappa21:27
33Sink TrapFrank Zappa1:48
34Ship AhoyFrank Zappa5:48
35Munchkin TitsFrank Zappa5:19
36Drum SoloFrank Zappa2:41
37T'Mershi DuweenFrank Zappa2:18
38Black NapkinsFrank Zappa4:33
39The Rondo Hatton BandFrank Zappa
40I'm The SlimeFrank Zappa3:00
41Ruthie-RuthieFrank Zappa2:19
42No, BabetteFrank Zappa4:02
43Boogers Of Marty PerellisFrank Zappa4:48
44White Juice On His BeardFrank Zappa2:08
45Smell My BeardFrank Zappa5:16
46Father O'BlivionFrank Zappa2:21
47Don't Eat The Yellow SnowFrank Zappa0:57
48Nanook Rubs ItFrank Zappa6:42
49St. Alphonzo's Pancake BreakfastFrank Zappa1:10
50MAR-JUH-RENEFrank Zappa4:26
51Penguin In BondageFrank Zappa5:10
52T'Mershi Duween / The Dog Breath Variations / Uncle MeatFrank Zappa1:56
53Dog BreathFrank Zappa4:23
54A Token Of His ExtremeFrank Zappa
55MontanaFrank Zappa3:58
56StinkfootFrank Zappa3:56
57Inca RoadsFrank Zappa9:38
58Dog Breath / Uncle MeatFrank Zappa3:55
59ApproximateFrank Zappa1:25
60Cosmik DebrisFrank Zappa7:39
61Florentine PogenFrank Zappa10:10
62Chalk PieFrank Zappa
63I'm The SlimeFrank Zappa3:10
64Peaches En RegaliaFrank Zappa3:20
65Dancin' FoolFrank Zappa4:00
66The Purple LagoonFrank Zappa3:57
67The Meek Shall Inherit NothingFrank Zappa3:33
68Son Of St.AlphonzoFrank Zappa4:18
69Chalk PieFrank Zappa4:42
70We're Turning AgainFrank Zappa4:48
71Them Or UsFrank Zappa7:57
72Clowns On VelvetFrank Zappa4:49
73Crush All BoxesFrank Zappa
74Fine GirlFrank Zappa3:34
75Pick Me, I'm Clean!Frank Zappa3:31
76Teen-age WindFrank Zappa3:07
77Harder Than Your HusbandFrank Zappa2:32
78Bamboozled By LoveFrank Zappa3:04
79Drafted AgainFrank Zappa3:42
80Falling In Love Is A Stupid HabitFrank Zappa1:56
81Teen-age WindFrank Zappa3:02
82DoreenFrank Zappa2:42
83Fine GirlFrank Zappa3:23
84Easy MeatFrank Zappa8:09
85Goblin GirlFrank Zappa4:16
86Return Of The Son Of Serious MusicFrank Zappa
87Piece #1Frank Zappa6:02
88Piano PieceFrank Zappa3:40
89Piece #2Frank Zappa2:01
90Collage OneFrank Zappa1:29
91Opus 5Frank Zappa12:43
92While You Were Art #1Frank Zappa7:15
93Francesco Opus 1, No. 1, 2nd MovementFrank Zappa1:34
94Francesco Opus 1, #6Frank Zappa1:50
95Francesco Opus 1, #11Frank Zappa2:00
96Francesco RockFrank Zappa2:17
97Pedro's DowryFrank Zappa8:25
98RandomoniumFrank Zappa
99America Drinks And Goes HomeFrank Zappa0:50
100Agency ManFrank Zappa5:42
101RandomoniumFrank Zappa1:31
102Lumpy Gravy (Dialogue Outtakes)Frank Zappa0:45
103Studebaker HochFrank Zappa6:06
104Don't Fuck AroundFrank Zappa1:31
105Well (Baby Please Don't Go)Frank Zappa7:47
106In Memoriam: Hieronymous BoschFrank Zappa5:05
107Two On The TownFrank Zappa0:22
108Suicide ChumpFrank Zappa9:00
109Truck Driver DivorceFrank Zappa1:24
110Frogs With Dirty Little LipsFrank Zappa2:21
111None Of The AboveFrank Zappa6:31
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