The Grand Wazoo: Notes & Comments

The Cover Art

Cal Schenkel, interviewed by Jamie Atkins, Udiscovermusic, November 6, 2023

The basic concept was really all I needed, because once I had the two characters, the rest was just a matter of finding imagery I could borrow from National Geographic or whatever to make it look historical. It's pretty much this battle of the bands or battle of civilizations—Western and Eastern, to some extent Middle Eastern and Christian, maybe, I dunno!

The [back cover] illustration is very specific to Frank's description of the old guy, Uncle Meat, in his story. Then the eyeball plant was a take-off from the photo on Waka/Jawaka—that false aralia that looked like a marijuana plant.

The funny thing about the back cover is the way that the old guy came out. He looked just like my grandfather. It wasn't really intentional; it just happened that way. And there's a funny story about that because my uncle—my father's brother—had a restaurant and bar out in the country, and there was a Zappa fan who came in occasionally. When he found out that I did some of the covers, he brought that album in and showed it to my Uncle Ernie, who said, "That's my pa!" It was really funny; he'd never seen it.

The Wazoo Pictures

Liner notes by FZ, 1972

Photos By:
Ed Caraeff
Barry Feinstein
Tony Esparza

Tony Esparza

Javier Marcote, January 11, 2015

Grand Wazoo—Tony Esparza

Ed Caraeff

?

The Mothers Of Invention, promotion picture, 1970

Informants: Javier Marcote & Charles Ulrich

A Mothers Album

FZ, interviewed by Go-Set, Australia, July 14, 1973

Zappa: I have a perfect right to call every one of those bands the Mothers for this reason—what they're playing is Mothers' music and Mothers' music can only be played by people who have stayed together long enough to be able to express it as a group. If I write a piece and hand it to an orchestra it's not Mothers music. Or if I write a piece and hand it to a group of studio musicians I'll get perhaps a note accurate performance. But it won't be Mothers' music unless I get an individual sum-total craziness of everyone in the group, and you can't extract that unless the group has worked together for a long time, has been together on the road and has had a chance for all the personalities of the people in the group to blend to a point where they can feel comfortable being weird in a performance situation.

David [N. Pepperell]: But does that apply to the Grand Wazoo album? Wasn't that a studio group?

Zappa: Well, to this extent. Two tracks were using 17 pieces but the basic rhythm section that was being used were all guys who had been in the Mothers before.

The Legend Of Cleetus Awreetus-Awrightus & The Grand Wazoo

CLETUS immediately calls his service. Instructors are given for BEN-HUR BARRETT to contract the whole army (if Motown will let him take any outside jobs, this being perhaps the most outside job he could get).

Carol Kaye, Facebook, May 19, 2012

Ben Barrett the #1 working contractor, was a strong guy and I forgot yes he was once a boxer turned cellist—I knew he was a string player, which somehow didn't fit the personality, he was a very tough guy. [...]

Ben Barrett called me up to work for Motown one time, I said "sorry I can't, I'm already booked on a double-film call—have them change the date" and then he had the nerve to even ASK ME to CANCEL the double-date film call I already had—cancel a film call to work for him at Motown, and he threatened me if I didn't do it—I still said no.

He did that to a couple of others too at that same time, and you know what we did? We canceled on HIM! Any call Ben Barrett put out for days after that, we (Tommy, me and another, think it could have been Earl or more certainly Paul Humphrey who was doing a lot of Motown by then) told him:

"SORRY WE CAN'T DO IT, WE'RE WORKING ALREADY, WE CAN'T WORK FOR YOU" whether we were busy or not. He got the picture that he couldn't "threaten us at all!" Also, I had called the Motown offices directly and told them what Ben did, and they changed their date then to get me...totally over Ben's head. He never did that again, and was very mellow about it afterwards, so all was OK then.

It was funny to us, we were working so much it didn't matter to us, but it did to him. If a contractor couldn't consistently "get the #1 studio musicians" at all when producers, arrangers specifically asked for us.

[...] Ben, as well as being the finest in his job as musician contractor and picking the finest musicians, was also a great golfer by the way. He got Berry Gordy into the all-white golf association he belonged to, breaking the color barrier back then. Soon after, Ben got all Gordy's Motown accounts for that was when the announcement of "Motown moving to LA" came (right after someone ratted to the Union about all our cash dates). Motown had to use his recording license since they were busted for hiring us for the past "cash" non-union dates, and so we worked for Ben and his "Motown account."

1. The Grand Wazoo

See also ARF: Notes & Comments.

Original album credits

THE GRAND WAZOO & CALVIN
VOCALS:
Janet Nevill-Ferguson
Sal Marquez
WOODWINDS:
Mike Altschul
Earl Dumler
Tony "Bat Man" Ortega
Joanne Caldwell McNabb
Johnny Rotella
Fred Jackson
BRASS:
Sal Marquez (trumpet solo on Grand Wazoo)
Malcolm McNabb
Bill Byers (trombone solo on Grand Wazoo)
Ken Shroyer (contractor and spiritual guidance)
Ernie Tack
PERCUSSION:
Bob Zimmitti
Alan Estes
MINI-MOOG:
Don Preston
GUITARS:
Frank Zappa (opening solo on Grand Wazoo)
Tony Duran (bottle-neck solo on Grand Wazoo)
BASS:
Erroneous
DRUMS:
Aynsley Dunbar

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

[DISC 1] 8. Think It Over (The Grand Wazoo) (Outtake Version) 11:23
4-13-1972
Compiled from remaining outtake source material found on the master reel and feature lyrics not included in the issued master.
VOCALS: Sal and Janet

Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003, p. 285

04/14/72 (1-4PM) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood, CA—Think It Over [...]
MUSICIANS: FZ, Kenneth Shroyer, Aynsley Dunbar, Mike Altschul, JoAnn Caldwell, Earle Dumler, Alan C. Estes, Fred Jackson Jr., Salvador Marquez, Malcolm McNab, Anthony Ortega, Johnny Rotella, Ernie Tack, Robert J. Zimmitti, William M. Byers, Anthony Duran, Donald W. Preston, Robert H. Ross (copyist), Russell N. Brown (copyist), Vincent Bartold (copyist)

Mike Geneva, November 25, 2015

On THE GRAND WAZOO from the GW album the Big Swifty quote is at 3:26

2. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)

See also ARF: Notes & Comments.

Original album credits

THE GRAND WAZOO & CALVIN
VOCALS:
Janet Nevill-Ferguson
Sal Marquez
WOODWINDS:
Mike Altschul
Earl Dumler
Tony "Bat Man" Ortega
Joanne Caldwell McNabb
Johnny Rotella
Fred Jackson
BRASS:
Sal Marquez (trumpet solo on Grand Wazoo)
Malcolm McNabb
Bill Byers (trombone solo on Grand Wazoo)
Ken Shroyer (contractor and spiritual guidance)
Ernie Tack
PERCUSSION:
Bob Zimmitti
Alan Estes
MINI-MOOG:
Don Preston
GUITARS:
Frank Zappa (opening solo on Grand Wazoo)
Tony Duran (bottle-neck solo on Grand Wazoo)
BASS:
Erroneous
DRUMS:
Aynsley Dunbar

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

[DISC 1] 9. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers) (Outtake Version) 8:10
4-13-1972
Basic Tracks compiled from remaining outtake source material found on the master reel.

[...]

[DISC 2] 4. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers) (Alternate Mix) 6:29
Taken from an early build reel entitled "Hot Rats—Reel II." This mix is the opening track of the reel and contains source material not included in the issued master.

Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003, p. 285

04/14/72 (5-8:30PM) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood, CA—For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)
MUSICIANS: FZ, Kenneth Shroyer, Aynsley Dunbar, Mike Altschul, JoAnn Caldwell, Earle Dumler, Alan C. Estes, Fred Jackson Jr., Salvador Marquez, Malcolm McNab, Anthony Ortega, Johnny Rotella, Ernie Tack, Robert J. Zimmitti, William M. Byers, Anthony Duran, Donald W. Preston, Robert H. Ross (copyist), Russell N. Brown (copyist), Vincent Bartold (copyist)

Sources & edits

Waka/Wazoo (2022)	The Grand Wazoo (1972)
2.04. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers) (Alternate Mix)	2. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)
0:00-3:50	0:00-3:50
3:50-4:18
	3:50-3:56
4:18-6:28	3:56-6:05

3. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus

See also ARF: Notes & Comments.

Original album credits

WOODWINDS:
Ernie Watts (sax solo)
Mike Altschul
BRASS:
Sal Marquez
Ken Shroyer (multiple trombones)
KEYBOARDS:
George Duke
VOCALS:
"Chunky", George Duke, Frank Zappa
GUITAR:
Frank Zappa
BASS:
Erroneous
DRUMS:
Aynsley Dunbar

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

[DISC 2] 1. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus (Alternate Take) 2:51
5-23-1972
Basic Tracks recorded in May during the George Duke recording sessions.

[...]

[DISC 2] 7. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus (Alternate Mix) 2:57
VOCALS: FZ, "Chunky", George Duke
SAX SOLO: Ernie Watts

Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003, p. 285

04/14/72 (5-8:30PM) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood, CA—For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)
MUSICIANS: FZ, Kenneth Shroyer, Aynsley Dunbar, Mike Altschul, JoAnn Caldwell, Earle Dumler, Alan C. Estes, Fred Jackson Jr., Salvador Marquez, Malcolm McNab, Anthony Ortega, Johnny Rotella, Ernie Tack, Robert J. Zimmitti, William M. Byers, Anthony Duran, Donald W. Preston, Robert H. Ross (copyist), Russell N. Brown (copyist), Vincent Bartold (copyist)

Lauren "Chunky" Wood

Lauren Wood aka "Chunky," quoted in United Mutations

I actually only recorded at one session with him, the rest of the time, I was just hangin' out. It was the funny "Fee-Fah" vocal on 'Cleetis Alreetis Alrightis". It was very quick and painless . . . it was all fun!

I recorded Cleetus with a pretty complete track.

4. Eat That Question

See also ARF: Notes & Comments.

Original album credits

WOODWINDS:
Mike Altschul
Joel Peskin
BRASS:
Sal Marquez (multiple toots)
KEYBOARDS:
George Duke
PERCUSSION:
Frank Zappa
Lee Clement (on gong)
GUITAR:
Frank Zappa
BASS:
Erroneous
DRUMS:
Aynsley Dunbar

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

[DISC 1] 3. Minimal Art (Eat That Question—Version 1, Take 2) 10:28
A vintage mix of an earlier arrangement recorded on 4-11-1972, mixed down from 16 Track to 4-Track Stereo at Paramount Studios on 4-22-1972. This composition had a few different titles ("Minimal Art," "Eat That Christian") before eventually settling on "Eat That Question." The multi-tracks of this take have been ripped apart by FZ and no longer exist in this form.
Source: 1/2'' 4-Track tape

[...]

[DISC 2] 2. Eat That Question (Version 2, Alternate Take) 11:08
5-24-1972
Revisited and recorded in May during George Duke recording sessions, this is an alternate take played before the issued master version.

[...]

8. Eat That Question (Alternate Mix) 5:43
From a reel named "Non-Masters"—this alternate mix was constructed before FZ tacked on the outro section from another take.

Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003, p. 285

04/18/72 (5-8PM & 9-12midnight) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood, CA—Minimal Art; Blessed Relief
MUSICIANS: FZ, Aynsley Dunbar, Salvador Marquez, George Duke, Anthony P. Duran

FZ, quoted by Ed Baker, The Hot Flash, May 1974

Q. I was wondering about the beginning to "Eat that Question." Is that wholly improvised?

FZ. That's completely improvised.

Q. That's really nice.

FZ. That's all George's improvisation.

FZ interviewed by Robert Oman, Beetle, July 1973

Actually, that was a badly recorded [guitar] solo. It's pretty hard to really stretch out when you are confined to a wheelchair which I still was from the accident when I recorded that.

Sources & edits

Waka/Wazoo (2022)	Waka/Wazoo (2022)	The Grand Wazoo (1972)
2.08. Eat That Question (Alternate Mix)	1.03. Minimal Art (Eat That Question—Version 1, Take 2)	4. Eat That Question
0:00-5:44		0:00-5:43
	[09:14-10:12]	5:43-6:40

5. Blessed Relief

Original album credits

WOODWINDS:
Mike Altschul
Joel Peskin
BRASS:
Sal Marquez
KEYBOARDS:
George Duke
RHYTHM GUITAR:
Tony Duran
LEAD GUITAR:
Frank Zappa
BASS:
Erroneous
DRUMS:
Aynsley Dunbar

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

[DISC 1] 4. Blessed Relief (Outtake Version) 10:19
4-11-1972
Compiled from remaining outtake source material found on the master reel.

Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003, p. 285

04/18/72 (5-8PM & 9-12midnight) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood, CA—Minimal Art; Blessed Relief
MUSICIANS: FZ, Aynsley Dunbar, Salvador Marquez, George Duke, Anthony P. Duran

[...]

05/05/72 (12-3PM, 4-7PM & 8-11PM) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood, CA—Big Swifty; Blessed Relief
MUSICIANS: FZ, Salvador Marquez, Mike Altschul, Joel Peskin

The Cover Art

The Wazoo Pictures

Liner notes by FZ, 1972

Tony Esparza

Javier Marcote, January 11, 2015

Ed Caraeff

?

The Mothers Of Invention, promotion picture, 1970

A Mothers Album

The Legend Of Cleetus Awreetus-Awrightus & The Grand Wazoo

The Movie

Recording Sessions

The Grand Wazoo (1972) liner notes by FZ

Credits

1. The Grand Wazoo

Original album credits

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

Mike Geneva, November 25, 2015

2. For Calvin (And His Next Two Hitch-Hikers)

Original album credits

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

Sources & edits

3. Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus

Original album credits

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

Lauren "Chunky" Wood

4. Eat That Question

Original album credits

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022

Sources & edits

5. Blessed Relief

Original album credits

Joe Travers, Waka/Wazoo liner notes, 2022