The album's been out three weeks and it's sold 90,000 copies. It's the fastest selling album that I've ever put out. And that's partly because we've been touring extensively over the past year. Whenever you tour your record sells. We did over 100 concerts last year; a big touring schedule.
Frank, I wanna know how much did it cost to put Apostrophe(') together and how long did it take?
It took approximately two and a half years, on and off, because that's the span that the pieces cover in there, and the total budget was $65,000.
During one of the Vaultmeister's more fruitful speleological expeditions, [...] it was discovered that Frank had first started to sequence an Apostrophe (') album in June 1973—even though the idea for an album of that name seems to have been around since 1971—and that it was quite different to the album he eventually released. [...]
What made this different was the realization that the track now known as "Down In De Dew" [...] and the title track "Apostrophe'" were originally two parts of a single piece with the surprisingly straightforward title (for a Zappa composition) of "Energy Frontier," laid down separately on the same day in November 1972 with Jack Bruce, Jim Gordon and Tony Duran. The first part of this piece was what became "Down In De Dew," and the second part, named "Energy Frontier—Bridge" (though with no indication as to what it might be the bridge to) went on to become "Apostrophe'." These two were sequenced by Frank to make up the last part of side one of the album's build reel, placed to follow "Cosmik Debris" and "Uncle Remus"—whose last line would seem to have given "Down In De Dew" its name—although by this stage the 'bridge' section of "Energy Frontier" had become "Skin-Head."
Above: The original uncropped apostrophe (') cover photo. Photo by Sam Emerson
[booklet, p. 2; photo: Yoram Kahana, uncredited.]
Frank Zappa (1974) Photo Credit: Yoram Kahana/Shooting Star
BACK-UP VOCALS:
Ray Collins
Kerry McNabb
Susie Glover
George Duke
Debbie
Lynn
Napoleon Murphy Brock
Ruben Ladron De Guevara**
Robert "Frog" Camarena**[...]
**courtesy RUBEN & THE JETS de la Mercury Records
While [FZ] was recording Apostrophe, he called me and asked if I could ask Ray [Collins] to contact him about doing some vocals. Ray was out of work at the time and was living in a fleabag hotel, the St. Moritz, which was next door to Frank's office and rehearsal complex on Sunset Boulevard. Frank apparently didn't want to call, or have someone "official" call Ray at the St. Moritz.
[Tom Waits] holds the distinction of being the only person at the St. Moritz Hotel in Los Angeles able to room next to Ray Collins for longer than three weeks at a time.
ENGINEERS:
Steve Desper
Terry Dunavan
Barry Keene
Bob Hughes
Kerry McNabbRE-MIX:
Kerry McNabbSTUDIOS:
Electric Lady, N.Y.C.
Bolic, Inglewood
Paramount, Hollywood
09/26/73 (2-6PM) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood—Excentrifugal Forz; Po-Jama People; Soup And Old Clothes
MUSICIANS: George Duke (leader and only session attendee)
[...] Dennis Moody, an LA-based engineer and producer who began his career at Paramount in 1975 in Studio B as an assistant to engineer Kerry McNabb on albums like Zappa's Apostrophe and Watson's Ain't That a Bitch.
01/23/74 (2-5PM) Paramount Recorders, Hollywood—Apostrophe ('); Uncle Remus
MUSICIANS: Bruce Fowler, Napoleon Brock, George Duke (note: FZ was not there—Fowler was the session leader)
TECHNICAL:
Paul Hof
Oscar Kergalves
Kansas & sometimes Dunt
Brian Krokus
Bob Ludwig
Unity
Previously there was some uncertainty as to whether his surname was Kergalves or Kergaives. [...]
It's Kergalvis, a Latvian surname. There's hardly anyone in the USA with this surname, but one of them is named Oscar. He's 67 years old now, which would mean he was 28 in 1974. He lives in Florida, but he used to live in southern California (specifically Canoga Park, like Mary). At one time, he was in the United States Marine Corps.
Regarding Apostrophe technician Bob Ludwig. He is not the same person as Bob Ludwig the master engineer regarding to Discogs—as they write. *"He is not to be confused with the famous NYC-based mastering engineer Bob Ludwig <https://www.discogs.com/artist/271098-Bob-Ludwig>."
See link: https://www.discogs.com/artist/4907722-Bob-Ludwig-2
PHONETICS:
Ona S. Courvoisier
Taun [Moore]
It was only in July 1974 that Zappa finally had his first certified Top 20 smash with Apostrophe.
On Nov. 16 "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" was No. 62 on the best-selling singles chart and being played on AM radio, very unusual for the Mothers of Invention.
How about 'Yellow Snow' on AM radio? A guy in Pittsburgh took 'Yellow Snow' and cut it down from ten minutes to three minutes and programmed it on 13Q the big AM rocker. Eventually ninety other stations picked it up and it went on the charts!
Over-Nite didn't sell that well when it came out. Apostrophe (') was the first one that sold a quarter of a million, or whatever it was, and that was our first gold record. And that was an accident, because a radio station in Pittsburgh took "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow," cut it down from 10 minutes to three which was part of a chain, part of their format of playing novelty records from the'60s. The guy who did it heard the song, perceived it as a modern-day novelty record and put it on right alongside of "Teeny Weeny Bikini" and it became a hit. And at this time, we were touring in Europe. We hadn't even released it as a single, and I was informed in Europe that I had a hit single on this chain of stations in the East Coast and what do you want to do about it? And I told the engineer, who was still in Los Angeles, who worked on the album, to edit a version of "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" to match the way in which this guy had cut it, and put it out. And it was a hit. But it was nothing that Warner Brothers ever foresaw, it was nothing that I could have foreseen as a guy at DiscReet Records, a subsidiary of a subsidiary of a subsidiary. Who knew? The credit goes to the DJ.
[Basic Tracks] Recorded at Bolic Sound Studios, 5/30/73
Engineer: Barry Keene
Original Recording Source: 2" 16-Track Analog Tape Master
Bolic Studios:
Recording Engineers: Bob Hughes/Doug Graves[...]
12-12-73 Bolic Studios Recording Session
One unknown detail: on a Zappa bus trip in Washington, it was snowing outside the bus and a dog was peeing in the snow. Dave [Parlato] told me, "I looked out the bus window and said, 'Don't eat the yellow snow!' A few days later Frank had turned it into a songtitle."
I sang [...] "Nanook no-no."
This is a rough transcription from a brief radio interview done by KTRU in Houston to FZ. It's not dated but it should be from October 11, 1975 where they performed at Hofheinz Pavilion, University of Houston.
Between other comms on lyrics about "Any Downers" and "Montana" FZ is being questioned about "Yellow Snow", and he says:
FZ: Yellow Snow that's a long, long story that grew out of the conversation with the school teacher ( ) a long time. It's all derived from a.., since I'd heard about how the eskimos had six different words for snow. I used that up to ridiculous extremes.
Q: Did they have six words for...?
FZ: Yes, they do. All, the life is full of each, you know. And they have to add verbs, special words that describe different qualities of snow.
Q: What is the particular word for yellow snow?
FZ: I don't know what it is. I'm not an eskimo scholar.
(Laughs)
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) | The Roxy Performances (2018) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow | 12. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Basic Track—Alternate Take) | 1.10. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Basic Tracks/Alternate Take) | 6.11. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow—In Session |
| 0:00-0:33 | 0:01-0:34 | ||
| 0:34-0:37 | |||
| 0:33-1:58 | 0:37-2:03 | ||
| 1:58-2:05 | 9:42-9:49 | ||
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | Strictly Commercial (1995) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow | 2. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Single Version) | 5.11. Don't Eat The Yellow Snow (Single Edit) |
| 0:00-0:14 | ||
| 0:14-0:19 | 0:00-0:05 | 0:00-0:05 |
| 0:19-0:25 | ||
| 0:25-0:39 | 0:05-0:18 | 0:05-0:18 |
| 0:39-1:03 | ||
| 1:03-1:24 | 0:18-0:39 | 0:18-0:39 |
| 1:24-1:58 | ||
| 1:58-2:05 | 0:39-0:46 | 0:39-0:46 |
| 2. Nanook Rubs It | ||
| 0:00-0:32 | 0:46-1:20 | 0:46-1:19 |
| 0:32-1:13 | ||
| 1:13-2:15 | 1:20-2:22 | 1:19-2:21 |
| 2:15-2:25 | ||
| 2:25-2:45 | 2:22-2:42 | 2:21-2:41 |
| 2:45-3:05 | ||
| 3:05-3:47 | 2:42-3:24 | 2:41-3:23 |
| 3:47-4:35 | ||
| 4:35-4:37 | 3:24-3:25 | 3:23-3:25 |
| 3. St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast | ||
| 0:00-0:08 | 3:25-3:34 | 3:25-3:35 |
[Basic Tracks] Recorded at Bolic Sound Studios, 5/28/73
Engineer: Barry Keene
Original Recording Source: 2" 16-Track Analog Tape Master[...]
Mixed by Kerry McNabb at Paramount Studios, 1973
Source: 1/4'' 2-Track Stereo Analog Tape
Bolic Studios:
Recording Engineers: Bob Hughes/Doug Graves[...]
12-12-73 Bolic Studios Recording Session
I sang [...] "Strictly Commercial," [...] "Peak-a-boo," [...] etc.
GREAT GOOGLY-MOOGLY
"Going Down Slow" [by Howlin' Wolf, 1961] contains the original version of "great googly moogly". The first time I ever heard "great googly moogly" any place is in the middle of this song. And he does a really good rendition of it.
Right down to the parish of Saint Alfonzo . . .
[In the early '60s] Eddie Davis and Billy Cardenas would produce your records on their label, Faro. Billy Cardenas would have you booked all over, places like Kennedy Hall, Montebello Ballroom, the Big Union Hall in Vernon, Garfield High School, and St. Alphonsus, which Frank Zappa later sang about on Apostrophe.
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) | The Roxy Performances (2018) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. Nanook Rubs It | 14. Nanook Rubs It (Session Outtake) | 1.12. Nanook Rubs It (Session Outtake) | 6.12. Nanook Rubs It—In Session |
| 0:00-1:14 | 0:00-1:14 | ||
| 1:14-1:29 | |||
| 1:14-3:05 | 1:29-3:21 | ||
| 3:05-3:25 | |||
| 3:25-4:36 | 3:21-4:32 | ||
| 0:00-0:48 | 4:32-5:21 | ||
| 5:21-5:41 | |||
| 6.13. St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast—In Session | |||
| 4:36-4:37 | 0:00-0:00 | ||
Bolic Studios:
Recording Engineers: Bob Hughes/Doug Graves[...]
12-12-73 Bolic Studios Recording Session
I sang on St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast & Apostrophe [prob. "Stink-Foot"].
Debbie and Lynn. Hmm. [...] The recordings were done at different times. They weren't there the day I did my parts. The day I did my parts it was with George, Ruben, & Nappy. Upstairs at Paramount Studios.
Can you really distinguish my voice? How about on St Alfonzo's where I sang the high background "Hurt Me Hurt Me oh yeah" [...], "St. Alfonzo," etc.
There's a margarine in the United States called Imperial Margarine, and they have this commercial that is in such a bad taste it makes you wanna die every time it comes on.
There's a young black gentleman sitting in a bed, and he's just woken up, and he's got his covers up like this. And then his young girlfriend comes trudging into the room; she's carrying a tray. She walks in, and he goes, "Oh, boy! Pancakes and butter!" And she says, "Good morning, your highness! No, it's not butter!" And as soon as she says "Your highness" this crown appears on his head. It goes, "ding!" Like that. And he takes a big mouthful of these pancakes and starts shoveling it in and goes "Mmm . . . this really tastes better than butter," you know. God, it's horrible!
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | The Roxy Performances (2018) |
|---|---|
| 3. St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast | 6.13. St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast—In Session |
| 0:00-0:23 | 0:00-0:23 |
| 0:23-1:18 | |
| 0:23-1:50 | 1:18-2:46 |
Bolic Studios:
Recording Engineers: Bob Hughes/Doug Graves[...]
12-12-73 Bolic Studios Recording Session
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) | The Roxy Performances (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Father O'Blivion | 15. Frank's Last Words . . . | 6.14. Father O'Blivion—In Session |
| 0:00-1:23 | 0:00-1:23 | |
| 1:23-1:24 | ||
| 1:23-2:12 | 1:24-2:12 | |
| 2:12-2:19 | ||
| 2:12-2:17 | 0:05-0:10 | 2:19-2:25 |
| 0:10-0:16 | 2:25-2:31 |
Recorded at Bolic Sound Studios, 5/28/73
Engineer: Barry Keene
Original Recording Source: 2" 16-Track Analog Tape Master
Mixed by Kerry McNabb at Paramount Recording Studios 1973 to 1/4" 2-Track Stereo Analog Tape
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) |
|---|---|
| 5. Cosmik Debris | 1. Cosmik Debris |
| 0:00-0:06 | |
| 0:00-4:13 | 0:06-4:21 |
The mix of the song [on The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016)] is the exact same mix as on the Apostrophe (') album. It's just that on the Apostrophe (') album Frank took off that intro. And so when I found that early sequence of side one, that intro was on the version of "Cosmik Debris" on that tape, so I left it.
"Excentrifugal Forz"—John Guerin
One of John's signature drum licks is evident at :25 into "Excentrifugal Forz". Then listen to Hot Rats, 3:14 into "It Must Be A Camel". There's the lick, only faster. Also compare the opening drum fill of Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" off of Court And Spark to the first drum fill of "Forz". Those are definitive John Guerin tom-tom sounds. Most likely the same drum set. (That's a guess.)
FZ's guitar part at the beginning of the song [...] sounds to me an awful lot like FZ is playing the electric bozouki, as he did on "Canard du Jour" on Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar.
Recorded at Paramount Recording Studios, 7/1972
Engineer: Kerry McNabb
Original Recording Source: 2" 16-Track Analog Tape Master
Mixed by Kerry McNabb at Paramount Recording Studios 1973 to 1/4" 2-Track Stereo Analog TapePLAYERS:
FZ—Lead Vocal/Guitar/Bass
George Duke—Keyboards
Jean-Luc Ponty—Violin
John Guerin—Drums
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, 11/8/72
Engineer: Unknown
Original Recording Source: 2" 16-Track Analog Tape Master
Mixed by Kerry McNabb at Paramount Recording Studios 1973 to 1/4" 2-Track Stereo Analog TapePLAYERS:
FZ—Lead Guitar
Tony Duran—Rhythm Guitar
Jack Bruce—Bass
Jim Gordon—Drums
| Apostrophe (') (1974) (UME, 2012) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7. Apostrophe' | 4. Apostrophe' (Mix Outtake) | 1.15. Apostrophe' (Mix Outtake) | 1.17. Apostrophe' (Unedited Master/2024 Mix) | 10. Energy Frontier (Bridge) |
| 00:00-00:01 | ||||
| 0:00-0:00 ("Stink-Foot") | ||||
| 0:00-0:45 | 0:00-0:45 | 00:01-00:46 | ||
| 00:46-00:51 | ||||
| 0:45-1:18 | 0:45-1:19 | 00:51-01:25 | ||
| 0:00-0:55 | ||||
| 1:18-1:24 | 1:19-1:25 | 01:25-01:30 | 0:55-1:01 | |
| 01:30-01:36 | 1:01-1:07 | |||
| 1:07-1:35 | ||||
| 1:24-1:30 | 1:25-1:30 | 01:36-01:42 | 1:35-1:41 | |
| 1:41-1:46 | ||||
| 1:30-1:46 | 1:30-1:47 | 01:42-01:59 | 1:46-2:03 | |
| 2:03-2:09 | ||||
| 1:46-2:42 | 1:47-2:43 | 01:59-02:54 | 2:09-3:05 | |
| 2:43-3:00 | 02:54-03:11 | 3:05-3:21 | ||
| 3:21-3:27 | ||||
| 3:00-3:06 | 03:11-03:17 | 3:27-3:32 | ||
| 03:17-03:39 | 3:32-3:55 | |||
| 3:06-3:17 | 03:39-03:50 | 3:55-4:06 | ||
| 4:06-4:11 | ||||
| 3:17-3:45 | 03:50-04:18 | 4:11-4:39 | ||
| 2:42-2:54 | 3:45-3:56 | 04:18-04:29 | 4:39-4:50 | |
| 4:50-4:56 | ||||
| 04:29-05:24 | 4:56-5:51 | |||
| 5:51-5:57 | ||||
| 05:24-05:36 | 5:57-6:08 | |||
| 3:56-4:07 | 05:36-05:47 | 6:08-6:19 | ||
| 6:19-6:25 | ||||
| 4:07-4:24 | 05:47-06:03 | 6:25-6:41 | ||
| 6:41-7:37 | ||||
| 2:54-3:32 | 4:24-5:03 | 06:03-06:42 | 7:37-8:15 | |
| 8:15-8:23 | ||||
| 5:03-5:28 | 06:42-07:07 | |||
| 3:32-3:44 | 5:28-5:39 | 07:07-07:19 | ||
| 5:39-5:45 | 07:19-07:24 | |||
| 3:44-3:55 | 5:45-5:56 | 07:24-07:35 | ||
| 5:56-6:07 | 07:35-07:47 | |||
| 3:55-4:23 | 6:07-6:36 | 07:47-08:15 | ||
| 6:36-6:42 | 08:15-08:21 | |||
| 4:23-4:43 | 6:42-7:01 | 08:21-08:41 | ||
| 7:01-7:16 | 08:41-08:55 | |||
| 4:43-5:05 | 7:16-7:38 | 08:55-09:17 | ||
| 7:38-7:49 | 09:17-09:28 | |||
| 5:05-5:16 | 7:49-8:00 | 09:28-09:39 | ||
| 8:00-8:22 | 09:39-10:01 | |||
| 5:16-5:30 | 8:22-8:36 | 10:01-10:15 | ||
| 8:36-8:47 | 10:15-10:26 | |||
| 10:26-10:34 | ||||
| 5:30-5:49 | 8:47-9:07 | 10:34-10:54 | ||
| 10:54-11:06 | ||||
I met Jack [Bruce] in 1967 when we were working at the Garrick Theater in New York. And I've seen him on and off since that time and when that track was recorded I was traveling around with a ten-piece group of which Jim Gordon was drummer. [...] Well, Jim Gordon was a friend of his and when we were in NY we went to see the concert of Bruce, West and Laing at Radio City Music Hall and so after the concert we went over to his hotel and talked for a while and he had the day off and we had the day off, so he decided to go into the studio and jam.
11/06/72—'Radio City Music Hall' New York, New York
It was an interesting experience, and we probably will not work together anymore. What was wrong with it? Nothing! Nothing at all, you know, it's just that . . . is he? He is? He's in jail? See what I know about this stuff? George says he's in jail all the time. So that makes it tough.
That was just a jam thing that happened because he was a friend of [drummer] Jim Gordon. I found it very difficult to play with him; he's too busy. He doesn't really want to play the bass in terms of root functions; I think he has other things on his mind. But that's the way jam sessions go. On that solo on "Apostrophe" I'm using an SG with a Barcus-Berry on the bridge, and that's being sent to one of the channels, then the other side is coming out of a Pignose. And there's an attack differential between how fast the Barcus-Berry speaks and how fast the Pignose speaks. So you've got a sharp attack on one side and then the rest of the note following it on the other.
How did you come to use Jack Bruce on the title track?
Well, that was an accident. I was introduced to him by Jim Gordon, who used to be the drummer in the band in 1972. We were in New York City and Bruce was playing at Radio City Music Hall with 41:25 Leslie West, and—I forget who the drummer was, but after the show, since Jim knew him, we went over to the to his hotel out with him for a while and I had two days off in New York City in the middle of the tour so I said, "Well, let's just rent Electric Lady Studios," you know, Hendrix's studio. I booked that for a night, we just went in there and have a jam session. And that's where that track came from.
It was, all right, so it was just a jam out of the studio, not intended for the record?
Well, I mixed it after we did the jam in the studio and put it on the album.
Whilst in the USA I also played a session with Frank Zappa and Jim Gordon that ended up on Frank's album "Apostrophe". We had met before and he suggested that it might be fun to work together. For that session he originally wanted me to use a cello on the track, but as my instrument was back in London he hired one from a company in New York. It was so bad that I couldn't use it. That's when he suggested doing something with me playing my EB 3 bass and the track "Apostrophe" came out of that.
That was simply Frank Zappa who I got to know when Cream first went to New York. Eric and I used to go to this little theater in the Village and Frank used to do these mad things in the afternoon. At these gigs he would gather hobos off the street and give them a ukulele or something, I thought this guy's outrageous; and then of course I had the first Mothers of Invention album and fell in love with him. Frank was very kind and helpful to me. He liked my singing. He called me up when I was in New York and asked me to come down to the studio and play some cello. I told him that I didn't have my cello with me; it's not something I carry around that much. He said we can rent one. I told him that you can't really rent a cello, it's very personal. So I went down to the studio and there was this really terrible cello and I tried to play it but it sounded awful. Frank said, "Oh well, why don't you just play bass guitar." So I played on "Apostrophe" with Jim Gordon on the drums and Frank. Then when he mixed it, it had that sort of distorted sound I used in Cream.
The "Apostrophe" track with Frank was a pretty interesting thing. Was it written for you?
No, that's just my riff. What happened was that Frank asked me if I would come and play cello on something. I said, "OK, but I haven't got a cello." He said, "Don't worry. I'll rent you one." And I said, "Well, this is not going to be much of a cello if you can rent it." So I went along to the session and there was this unplayable cello. I tried to play it but you just couldn't get a sound out of it. So, I think his plan really all the time had been to get me to play bass guitar but he didn't really want to ask directly. So we just improvised that track. He came up with that title but it's very much just a bass riff. It was some of the most distorted bass sound I've ever had. Very far out.
[...] When I played with Frank Zappa on "Apostrophe," he really accentuated that distortion.
Informants: Tan Mitsugu, Patrick Buzby and Charles Ulrich
Recorded at Paramount Recording Studios, 5/24/72
Engineer: Kerry McNabb
Original Recording Source: 2" 16-Track Analog Tape Master
Mixed by Kerry McNabb at Paramount Recording Studios 1973 to 1/4" 2-Track Stereo Analog Tape
My guess is that [Sue Glover is] on "Uncle Remus," (a) because it sounds like her, and (b) because there are two other Brits on this track. The personnel is Frank Zappa, George Duke, Alex Dmochowski and Aynsley Dunbar. It was recorded in 1972 at the same time as Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo (phone conversation with Alex Dmochowski in 1993). Of course, my guess could be completely wrong.
DISC 3
George Duke Demos
[...]Players:
[...]
FEMALE VOCAL: "Chunky"
| Apostrophe (') (1974) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) | Waka/Wazoo (2022) | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition (2024) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8. Uncle Remus | 2. Uncle Remus (Mix Outtake) | 1.16. Uncle Remus (Mix Outtake) | 3.03. Uncle Remus (Instrumental) | 1.18. Uncle Remus (Piano And Vocal Mix 2024) |
| 0:00-1:27 | 0:00-1:27 | 0:00-1:27 | 0:00-1:27 | |
| 1:27-2:30 | 1:27-2:30 | |||
| 1:27-2:12 | 2:30-3:14 | 2:30-3:15 | 1:27-2:12 | |
| 3:14-3:20 | 3:15-3:21 | 2:12-2:18 | ||
| 2:12-2:49 | 3:20-3:57 | 3:21-3:55 | 2:18-2:55 | |
| 3:57-3:59 | 2:55-2:56 | |||
| 2:56-3:19 | ||||
Q. Did George Duke write the lyrics to "Uncle Remus."?
FZ. No, I did.
Q. You did? Because I thought it was from the point of view of a black person.
FZ. Well, it sort of is. It's not exactly from the point of view of a black person. I don't think that a black person would actually write that song. It's not exactly . . . . there are subtle differences in point of view in there. I think that it's something that should have been said. If you've ever seen these little jockey on the lawn. They've had it coming for a long time.
[On The Aura Will Prevail (1975)] I also recorded "Uncle Remus," an original song of mine that Frank wrote lyrics for, and was first released on his album Apostrophe.
"Uncle Remus" came about as a result of Frank producing a demo for me . . . I already had a record deal with a label called MPS Records in Germany but their distribution here in the States was not very good. So he was going to do a demo for me. We did three songs and "Uncle Remus" was one of them. Frank decided, after we recorded it—I didn't get a deal out of it, by the way—but, basically, he said, "I think I'd like to use this track on my album and I'm going to write some lyrics to it." And so I said, "Hey Frank, you paid for it. Go ahead." . . . I would never have written a lyric like that. I really wouldn't have, but Frank saw the humor in it. He just decided for some reason to put it on his record.
03/04/70 (7-10PM, 10PM-1AM & 1:30-4:30AM) The Record Plant, Hollywood, CA—Sharleena; Love Will Make You Lose Your Mind; The Clap [Chunga's Revenge]; I'm A Rolling Stone
MUSICIANS: FZ, Ian R. Underwood, Donald F. Harris, Max R. Bennett
What if the unreleased "I'm A Rolling Stone" is actually a version of Muddy Waters' song and FZ just took the basic track from 1970, added bass, piano and some more guitars, and sang "Stink-Foot" over it in 1973 or 1974?
That sounds very plausible to me. Interesting!
And last year, the rehearsal footage from the 1981/11/7 Boston gig became available via the Zappa Movie project.
During this footage, the band is trying to play "I'm A Rolling Stone". And interestingly, at 1:47, FZ says "Play the same background as Stink-foot".
Is it just coincidental? Or does it suggest that the origin of Stink- foot was actually I'm A Rolling Stone?
So I just heard "Merry Christmas Baby," by Booker T. & The M.G.'s, for the first time, and I must say that the similarities between that and "Stinkfoot" are just a little too close. I'm thinking mostly of the [Apostrophe (')] version.
Zappa takes lead vocals on the nearly 12-and-a-half-minute-long rendition of Lightnin' Slim's "I'm a Rollin' Stone." This recording would go on to serve as the genesis for the iconic "Stink-Foot" that closes Zappa's 1974 album, Apostrophe(') as he would eventually wipe his vocals from the multi-track master, save the drum, violin and bass track, and overdub new guitars, vocals and sound effects to create something entirely different.
"Stink-Foot"—Aynsley Dunbar
John [Guerin] used single-headed tom-toms. Aynsley Dunbar used double-headed tom-toms. That cancels John out for "Stink-foot". Those are definitely double-headed toms. Aynsley plays the the bulk of "Stink-Foot" with brushes. Just like he does on "Lonesome Cowboy Burt" on 200 Motels. Check 'em out.
On "Stink-Foot" there's an interesting sound where I'm using an acoustic guitar with a magnetic pickup on it and a Barcus-Berry on the bridge. The Barcus-Berry is going into one channel, and the magnetic pickup is going to a Mu-tron and the other channel, so you have a sharp attack and an enveloped attack. It gives a lot of space.
There's a solo on "Stink-foot" where I use an acoustic guitar with a Barcus-Berry on it and that's going to one side and the electric output of the acoustic is going to a Mutron on the right side. A hybrid kind of thing.
Also [I sing] in "Stink-Foot" in the part that goes "The poodle bites, the poodle chews it..." YES.
There's one [song] inspired by the Mennen foot-spray commercial where the dog keels over after the guy takes his shoes off. Do you know how hard it is to write a song about something like that?
Dr. Scholl's early 1970's foot odor commercial
I guess the commercial wasn't very effective, since before Apostrophe was even released FZ was already describing it as an ad for Mennen foot spray rather than Dr. Scholl's.
Provisional draft following the drum and some of the violin tracks.
| Apostrophe (') (1974) (UME 2012) | The Crux Of The Biscuit (2016) | Funky Nothingness (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| 9. Stink-Foot | 4. Apostrophe' (Mix Outtake) | 1.4. I'm A Rollin' Stone |
| 0:00-0:00 | 0:00-0:00 | |
| 0:00-1:06 | 00:04-01:10 | |
| 01:10-01:39 | ||
| 1:06-1:17 | 01:39-01:50 | |
| 01:50-01:53 | ||
| 1:17-1:48 | 01:53-02:25 | |
| 02:25-02:29 | ||
| 1:48-2:45 | 02:29-03:25 | |
| 03:25-03:54 | ||
| 2:45-3:09 | 03:54-04:19 | |
| 04:19-05:18 | ||
| 3:09-4:10 | 05:18-06:19 | |
| 06:19-06:37 | ||
| 4:10-4:37 | 06:37-07:04 | |
| 07:04-07:08 | ||
| 4:37-4:57 | 07:08-07:28 | |
| 07:28-07:31 | ||
| 4:57-5:51 | 07:31-08:25 | |
| 08:25-08:32 | ||
| 5:51-6:36 | 08:32-09:17 | |
| 09:17-12:19 |
What is your Conceptual Continuity?
This is the idea of "conceptual continuity," Zappa's belief that everything he creates and performs in any medium is part of a single continuous artistic and communicative experience.
"Instead of thinking of each individual unit, like a guitar solo, a song or a series of songs, as being an end in itself, the way I look at the stuff is that all these units deserve ultimate care and concern, but you also have to think about what it means in terms of the overall output structure."
Research, compilation and maintenance by Román García Albertos
