FZ chronology

1985

  Them Or Us (The Book)
(Barking Pumpkin Records)
 
April 12, 1985 Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, CA
Kronos Quartet
April 19, 1985 Zappa The Old Masters Box One (7 LPs, Barking Pumpkin BPR-7777)
May 8, 1985 Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, NYC, NY
Aspen Wind Quintet
c. September 1985 FZ's comments
  • Congress Shall Make No Law [88]
September 19, 1985 Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
FZ testimony on the PMRC affair
  UMRK
  UMRK
November 21, 1985 Frank Zappa Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention (LP, Barking Pumpkin ST-74203)

1986

January 27, 1986 Frank Zappa Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention (European Version) (LP, EMI EMC 3507)
Frank Zappa Does Humor Belong In Music? (CD, EMI CDP 7 46188 2)
March 8, 1986 Playboy Magazine interview
UMRK, LA
  • "There Is No Need" [79]
March 18, 1986 Maryland State Legislature Testimony
  • Perhaps In Maryland [88]
August 20, 1986 UMRK
FZ with Bob Stone
August 22, 1986 Dweezil Zappa Havin' A Bad Day (LP, Barking Pumpkin ST-74204) produced by FZ & Bob Stone
September 1, 1986 Thing-Fish (2 CDs, Rykodisc RCD 10020/21)
London Symphony Orchestra (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10022)
Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10023)
We're Only In It For The Money/Lumpy Gravy (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40024)
Apostrophe (')/Over-Nite Sensation (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40025)
The Grand Wazoo (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10026)
Them Or Us (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40027)
Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (2 CDs, Rykodisc RCD 10028/29)
1986 MTV Interview
  • "Tom Wilson" [78] [79]
  • "My Pet Theory" [78] [79]
  UMRK
  UMRK
c. 1986 UMRK
1986 UMRK
1986 UMRK
November 1986 AES Convention, Los Angeles, CA  
November 25, 1986 Zappa The Old Masters Box Two (9 LPs, Barking Pumpkin BPR-8888)
Frank Zappa Jazz From Hell (LP, Barking Pumpkin ST-74205)

1987

February 1987 Keyboard Magazine Soundpage #29—including Black Page No. 1
June 2, 1987 Frank Zappa The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa (cassette, Barking Pumpkin GW002)
1987 UMRK
Jade Teta—burp sampling session
1987 FZ, interviewed by Peter Occhiogrosso
  • The Origin Of Hot Rats [#115]
August 4, 1987 UMRK
New remix

Bob Stone—remix engineer
September 17, 1987 Zappa London Symphony Orchestra Vol. II (Barking Pumpkin SJ-74207)
September 18, 1987 Joe's Garage Acts I, II, & III (2 CDs, Rykodisc RCD 10060/61)
October 23, 1987 Freak Out! (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40062)
Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10063)
Uncle Meat (2 CDs, Rykodisc RCD 10064/65)
Hot Rats (RCD 10066)
October-December 1987 Rehearsals  
December 30, 1987 Zappa The Old Masters Box Three (9 LPs, Barking Pumpkin BPR-9999)

1988

January 29, 1988 "Let's Put Jim And Tammy In Their Place," Fundamentalists Anonymous Legal Task Force Concert Fundraiser, 4D Nightclub, NYC, NY. FZ & Steve Allen co-host.  

February 2-March 25, 1988
US East Coast

  Zappa Band:
FZ—lead guitar/vocal 
Ike Willis—guitar/vocal 
Mike Keneally—guitar/synth/vocal 
Bobby Martin—keyboards/vocal 
Ed Mann—percussion 
Walt Fowler—trumpet 
Bruce Fowler—trombone 
Paul Carman—alto sax
Albert Wing—tenor sax 
Kurt McGettrick—baritone sax 
Scott Thunes—bass 
Chad Wackerman—drums
Zappa '88
February 9, 1988 Warner Theatre, Washington, DC
February 10, 1988 Warner Theatre, Washington, DC
February 12, 1988 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
February 13, 1988 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
February 14, 1988 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
February 17, 1988 Bushnell Memorial Hall, Hartford, CT
February 20, 1988 Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA
February 23, 1988 Mid Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
February 25, 1988 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
February 26, 1988 Royal Oak Music Theatre, Detroit, MI
February 28, 1988 Royal Oak Music Theatre, Detroit, MI
March 1, 1988 Frauenthal Auditorium, Muskegon, MI
March 3, 1988 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
March 4, 1988 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
March 5, 1988 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH
March 9, 1988 Shea's Theater, Buffalo, NY
March 11, 1988 War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY
March 12, 1988 Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, VT
March 13, 1988 Civic Center, Springfield, MA
March 15, 1988 Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME
March 16, 1988 Civic Center, Providence, RI
March 17, 1988 Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton, NY
March 19, 1988 Memorial Hall, Muhlenburg College, Allentown, PA
March 20, 1988 Rothman Center, Teaneck, NJ
March 21, 1988 Landmark Theater, Syracuse, NY
March 23, 1988 Towson Center, Towson, MD
March 25, 1988 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

April 9-June 9, 1988
Europe

April 14, 1988 Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany
April 16, 1988 Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK
April 18, 1988 Wembley Arena, London, UK
April 19, 1988 Wembley Arena, London, UK
April 22, 1988 Carl-Diem-Halle, Würzburg, Germany
April 24, 1988 Stadthalle, Bremen, Germany
April 25, 1988 Falkoner Teatret, Copenhagen, Denmark
April 26, 1988 Frank Zappa Guitar (2 LPs, Barking Pumpkin D1 74212)
Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Sampler (2 LPs, Barking Pumpkin D1 74213)
April 26, 1988 Olympen, Lund, Sweden
May 1, 1988 Johanneshovs Isstadion, Stockholm, Sweden
May 3, 1988 The Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
May 4, 1988 The Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
May 8, 1988 Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
May 9, 1988 Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1 (2CD, Rykodisc RCD 10081/82)
May 9, 1988 Rudi-Sedlmeyer Sporthalle, Munich, Germany
May 13, 1988 Pabellón de los Deportes de La Casilla, Bilbao, Spain
May 15, 1988 Prado de San Sebastián, Seville, Spain
May 18, 1988 Le Zenith, Montpellier, France
May 19, 1988 Le Summun, Grenoble, France
May 23, 1988 Hall Tivoli, Strasbourg, France
May 24, 1988 Beethovensaal, Liederhalle, Stuttgart, Germany
May 25, 1988 Rosengarten/Mozartsaal, Mannheim, Germany
May 26, 1988 Stadthalle, Fürth, Germany
May 28, 1988 Sporthalle, Linz, Austria
June 3, 1988 Palasport, Turin, Italy
June 5, 1988 Palasport, Modena, Italy
June 6, 1988 Palasport, Florence, Italy
June 7, 1988 PalaEur, Rome. Italy
June 9, 1988 Palasport, Genoa, Italy
February-June 1988 (unknown location)
July-August 1988 FZ writes The Real Frank Zappa Book with Peter Occhiogrosso  
October 25, 1988 Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2 (2CD, Barking Pumpkin D1 74217)
Frank Zappa Broadway The Hard Way (LP, Barking Pumpkin D1 74218)
December 16, 1988 Baby Snakes (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74219)

1989

January 23, 1989 Absolutely Free (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10093)
Waka/Jawaka (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10094)
One Size Fits All (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10095)
March 21, 1989 1630 Digital Mix
Engineer: Bob Stone
April 14, 1989 Bongo Fury (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10097)
May 23, 1989 An Evening With Pierre Boulez And Frank Zappa  
May 1989 The Real Frank Zappa Book (Poseidon Press, NYC)  
November 13, 1989 Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3 (2CD, Rykodisc RCD 10085/86)
Broadway The Hard Way (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40096)
You Are What You Is (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40165)

1990

January 1990 Moscow, Russia  
January 20-24, 1990 Prague, Czechoslavakia  
March 25, 1990 Alaska: Outrage at Valdez (The Cousteau Society)
1990 FZ
July 13, 1990 Zoot Allures (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10160)
Just Another Band From L.A. (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10161)
Sheik Yerbouti (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40162)
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10163)
Chunga's Revenge (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10164)
Tinsel Town Rebellion (CD, Rykodisc RCD 40166)
Fillmore East—June 1971 (CD, Rykodisc RCD 10167)
September 10, 1990 Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention (CD, Zappa Records CDZAP 33, Europe)

1991

February 3, 1991 UMRK
1630 digital master
April 16, 1991 Zappa The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life (2CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74233)
June 4, 1991 Zappa Make A Jazz Noise Here (2CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74234)
June 14, 1991 Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4 (2CD, Rykodisc RCD 10087/88)
June 24, 1991 "Adieu CA"
Nahranove Sportoni Hale, Prague, Czechoslavakia
Michael Kocáb & Pražský Výběr featuring FZ
June 30, 1991 Budapesti Búcsú 91
"Taban Jazzfestival"

Budapest, Hungary
FZ—guitar
Gyula Babos—guitar
János Egri—bass
Béla "Szakcsi" Lakatos—keyboard
Imre Köszegi—drums
Taban Jazzfestival
Photo by Eddie Persson 
July 1991 Joe's Garage Studio
UMRK

Ensemble Modern rehearsals
July 16, 1991 Beat The Boots! (10 LPs, Foo-Eee R1/R2 70537-70544)
1991 Pražský Výběr Live—Adieu CA (CD, Hungary Art Production K 0001-2311) featuring FZ, guitar on Improvizace v A Dur s Frankem Zappou
September 17, 1991 Orchestral Favorites (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74236)
Studio Tan (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74237)
Sleep Dirt (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74238)
October 22, 1991 Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74235)
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74239)
Zappa In New York (2 CDs, Barking Pumpkin D2 74240)
November 7-9, 1991 "Zappa's Universe: A Celebration"
Ritz, NYC
 

1992

January 21, 1992 Roxy & Elsewhere (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74241)
Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74242)
Francesco Zappa (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74202)
spring 1992 UMRK
1992 UMRK
June 2, 1992 Beat The Boots! #2 (11 LPs, Foo-Eee R1/R2 71017-71023)
June 24, 1992 UMRK
The Chieftains
July 10, 1992 Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5 (2CD, Rykodisc RCD 10089/90)
Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6 (2CD, Rykodisc RCD 10091/92)
July 1992 FZ & Ensemble Modern rehearsals in Germany
September 17, 1992 "The Yellow Shark"
Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
September 19, 1992 "The Yellow Shark"
Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
September 1992 "The Yellow Shark"
Alte Oper Frankfurt (17-19)
Philharmonie Berlin (22-23)
Wiener Konzerthaus (26-28)
October 27, 1992 Frank Zappa/The Mothers Of Invention Playground Psychotics (2CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74244)
October 27, 1992 Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane Loves You (3CD, RCA 09026-61110-2) including Would You Like A Snack? (FZ/Slick)

1993

January 1993 UMRK soirée
Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoli Kuular, Kongar-ol Ondar, The Chieftains, L. Shankar, Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider, Terry Bozzio, Johnny Guitar Watson, etc.
February 2, 1993 The Man From Utopia (CD Barking Pumpkin, D2 74245)
February 15, 1993 UMRK
Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Anatoli Kuular & Kongar-ol Ondar
 
February 25, 1993 UMRK
The Chieftains with Tom Jones
March 1993 Interview with Nigel Leigh for BBC Late Show
UMRK, LA
  • "The 'Original' Group" [79]
  • "Necessity" [79]
  • "Union Scale" [79]
  • "25 Hundred Signing Fee" [79]
April 20, 1993 Mothers Of Invention Ahead Of Their Time (CD, Barking Pumpkin D2 74246)
April 1993 FZ & GZ transfer all their rights to the ZFT  
July 1993 Warner Bros. Soundstage, Burbank, California
Ensemble Modern conducted by Peter Eötvös
Produced by FZ
July 22, 1993 UMRK
Engineer: Spencer Chrislu
fall 1993 UMRK
c. 1991-1993 UMRK
November 2, 1993 Zappa/Ensemble Modern The Yellow Shark (CD, Barking Pumpkin R2 71600)
December 4, 1993 FZ dies in L.A.  
This project researched & developed by Román García Albertos
http://www.donlope.net/fz/
WARNING: This is not a complete list of FZ concerts, as only those of special significance or which are represented in FZ's official output appear in this chronology. If you're looking for an exhaustive list of FZ concerts go to Charles Ulrich's Frank Zappa Gig List, and if you're looking for the complete known setlists go to Oscar Bianco's FZShows, v. 7.1.
Here's a list of main sources & contributions
Release dates and sessions information taken from Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History And Improvisations Of Frank Zappa (The Son Of Revised), 2003
Concert dates and venues taken from Charles Ulrich's Frank Zappa Gig List
Corrections & additions welcome
This page updated: 2026-10-19