Mixed & titled by Zappa himself [...].
This short bluesy piece was the original beginning to an early version of the Chunga's Revenge album. After it was pulled, it remained unreleased. Although the time frame of this recording dates a few years before most of the music presented here, FZ did connect it to Record Plant material on a build reel.
SIDE ONE
[...]
2. Motor Head's Boogie 2:09[...]
2. MOTOR HEAD'S BOOGIE features Roy Estrada on bass, Euclid James motor Head Sherwood on rhythm guitar & Frank Zappa on acoustic lead and primordial grunts. This selection was recorded in late fall 1967 at Apostolic Studios, at the end of one of the sessions for "UNCLE MEAT" . . . the weird ending is where the tape ran out (you can also hear a slight change of pitch at the end due to a failure of the Scully tape machine transport to compensate for reel load balance).
"Motorhead's Boogey", an old Delta-esque steel guitar blues shuffle. A bored voice grunts out, "funky". The song blips out at the end, ala "She's So Heavy". (Comments Zappa, "We ran out of tape.")
03/10/70 (12-3PM & 3:30-6:30PM) The Record Plant, Hollywood, CA—Khaki Sack; Bass And Drum Song [Tommy/Vincent Duo]
MUSICIANS: FZ, Ian R. Underwood, Max R. Bennett
DISC 1
[...] 2. TOMMY/VINCENT DUO I 0:45
Recorded & mixed at The Record Plant, 1970
[...] 8. TOMMY/VINCENT DUO II 6:42
Recorded & mixed at The Record Plant, 1970[...]
DISC 3
[...] 3. TOMMY/VINCENT DUO (UNEDITED MASTER) 21:53
3-9-70, 8-Track & 24-track reels
| Funky Nothingness (2023) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.02. Tommy/Vincent Duo I | 1.08. Tommy/Vincent Duo II | 3.03. Tommy/Vincent Duo (Unedited Master) | 3.06. Moldred |
| 00:00-00:06 | |||
| 0:00-0:41 | 00:06-00:48 | ||
| 00:48-05:53 | |||
| 0:00-0:56 | 05:53-06:50 | ||
| 06:50-07:16 | |||
| 0:56-1:21 | 07:16-07:40 | ||
| 07:40-07:47 | |||
| 1:21-1:38 | 07:47-08:04 | ||
| 08:04-09:08 | |||
| 1:38-2:44 | 09:08-10:14 | ||
| 10:14-10:42 | |||
| 2:44-6:37 | 10:42-14:34 | ||
| 14:34-16:09 | |||
| 16:09-17:18 | 0:00-1:19 (sped-down) | ||
| 17:18-17:48 | |||
| 17:48-17:54 | 1:19-1:26 (sped-down) | ||
| 17:54-18:36 | |||
| 18:36-18:54 | 1:26-1:46 (sped-down) | ||
| 18:54-20:00 | |||
| 20:00-20:52 | 1:46-2:45 (sped-down) | ||
| 20:52-21:18 | |||
| 21:18-21:46 | 2:45-3:18 (sped-down) | ||
| 6:37-6:41 | 21:46-21:51 | 3:18-3:21 (sped-down) | |
| 0:41-0:44 | |||
The opening bars (first ten seconds) are heard in the Flo & Eddie versions of Call Any Vegetable linking the "rutabaga plateau" to the "no one will know" section (2:03 of the JABFLA version). I believe this is a Zappa-composed "modular passage" common to both tracks (c.f. Wild Love / Sinister Footwear II) rather than a quotation of Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild within the 1970/71 arrangement of Call Any Vegetable, since my ears don't hear it in the original Penguins version.
(the "Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild (Take 4)" arrangement is identical in this regard)
I arrived at the airport & put on my uniform
I took my place behind the bench
Even though I knew deep down
I was unfit for this
Or any other job
Because I was so crazy . . .
Love will make your mind go wild, Ladies & Gentlemen
This mix was compiled from a number of 1/4" tape reels. FZ sliced them up in typical fashion and never really finished a master mix for this song. Eventually, FZ took the multi-track master into Paramount Studios and recorded over all of his vocal takes plus everything else he no longer had use for to create the rhythm track for the iconic "Stink-Foot" which ended up on Apostrophe(') in 1974. What you hear here is all that is left of the complete original recording.
Over here by the radiator
And those curtains with the big roses on 'em
Right over here by the Silvertone 45 rpm
Imitation stereo record player
| Quaudiophiliac (2004) | Funky Nothingness (2023) |
|---|---|
| 7. Chunga Basement | 1.05. Chunga's Revenge (Basement Version) |
| 00:00-00:14 | |
| 00:14-01:35 | 0:00-1:22 |
| 01:35-02:10 | |
| 02:10-03:23 | 1:22-2:34 |
| 03:23-03:47 | |
| 03:47-05:00 | 2:34-3:47 |
| 05:00-05:24 | |
| 05:24-05:36 | 3:47-3:59 |
| 05:36-05:59 | |
| 05:59-09:44 | 3:59-7:43 |
| 09:44-09:55 | |
| 09:55-11:33 | 7:43-9:21 |
| 11:33-11:34 |
I've identified some more source material from the "Läther" grouts:
["Basement Jam"]: 4:50-4:54 -> "Treacherous Cretins": 5:30-5:34 / "Honey Don't You Want A Man Like Me" 0:03-0:06
| Sheik Yerbouti (1979) (2012 UME) | SUNPYG (1991) (UME, 2012) | Läther (1996) (UME, 2012) | Funky Nothingness (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. Wait A Minute | 1.05. Treacherous Cretins | 2.01. Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me? | 1.06. Basement Jam |
| 0:00-4:50 | |||
| 5:30-5:34 | 0:03-0:06 | 4:50-4:54 | |
| 4:54-5:50 | |||
| 0:02-0:15 | 4:20-4:33 | 5:50-6:02 | |
| 6:02-6:12 | |||
| 0:19-0:30 | 4:37-4:49 | 6:12-6:23 |
| Funky Nothingness (2023) | |
|---|---|
| 1.07. Work With Me Annie/Annie Had A Baby | 2.05. Work With Me Annie/Annie Had A Baby (Alternate Edit) |
| 0:00-1:23 | |
| 0:00-0:28 | |
| 0:28-1:54 | 1:23-2:48 |
| 2:48-3:33 | |
| 1:54-2:47 | 3:33-4:28 |
The longest and final take was take 6 of 6, but fell apart at the end of the tune. No intercut for the ending was recorded.
This was the first song recorded with the full band on 3-9-70. The acoustic bass and tack piano intro was recorded separately from the main tune. FZ spent a lot of time on this tune, with 9 takes and multiple intercuts to complete the full arrangement. Overdubs were recorded on Take 9 of 9,
There were three takes of this tune with the third being the only full run-through. The master version consists of the full Take 3 with Ian's solo edited out. The original multi-track sources were scattered everywhere. Once identified, a composite was found with the top of Take 1 edited to the body of take 3. With Ian's solo restored, we now have a longer alternate version to enjoy.
I've identified some more source material from the "Läther" grouts:
[...]
The Clap (Unedited Master - part I):
0:43-0:44 -> "Pedro's Dowry" 7:45-7:45
1:07-1:09 -> "Whatever Happened to All The Fun In The World" 0:27-29 / "Filthy Habits" 6:26-6:27
1:10-1:13 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:10-0:11
1:13-1:16 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:13-0:14
1:19-1:21 -> "Läther" 3:37-3:38
2:28-2:29 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:16-0:16
2:45-2:47 -> "Whatever Happened to All The Fun In The World" 0:05-0:06 / "Filthy Habits" 6:04-6:05
3:04-3:05 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:00-00:00
3:05-3:06 -> "Spider of Destiny" 2:36-2:37The Clap (Unedited Master - part II):
3:04-3:12 -> "Naval Aviation In Art?" 1:28-1:33
4:02-4:06 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:16-0:18
4:22-4:23 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:20-0:20
4:24-4:24 -> "Tryin' to Grow A Chin" 0:21-0:21
4:29-4:32 -> "Leather Goods" 0:33-0:34All the samples from "The Clap" are at double speed on the grouts. There are probably some that I missed but I don't think all the percussion links come from this session.
I'd like to add that 2:30-3:25 of The Clap (Unedited Master - part I) can be also heard in Uncle Meat the Movie, approximately from 46:03 (Technician: "Okay, how many tunes are you gonna do?") to 47:02 (Motorhead: "Well, you know, we're rehearsing").
It seems [FZ] did not save the actual multi-track master tape, sections and segments were transferred to a few different multi-track reels. Weirdly, the available tapes didn't match sonically, specifically the imaging of the drum kit. In order to present this in its entirety, we had to bounce between sources and match eq. Good job Craig.
This item was found at the end of the multi-track reel. [...] Most of it was recorded over, this is all that is left. Frank plays all instruments.
Found at the end of an 8-Track transfer reel, Frank edits together segments from the Tommy/Vincent Duo master to create a composite, then overdubs himself on bass.
Scott: Now the name "Moldred," that is not Frank's name.
Joe: No, I believe it is. I think he used it—Ahmet told me that he used it as a character name on a Howard Stern interview or something like that. So, yeah, it is a term that Frank used.
JB: There's a San Jose couple who've offered a reward of a hundred dollars for naming their child. They keep calling it "it" or "the baby". And where you came up with such imaginative names for your children, we thought maybe you could come up with a name for this particular child and it's worth a hundred dollars. Five-day-old tyke.
FZ: The name is Mouldred.
JB: Mouldred? How would we spell that?
FZ: M-O-U-L-D-R-E-D.
JB: As in the virus? Mouldred? Does Mouldred have any particular meaning, or—?
FZ: It's a good name for a child of the '80s.
JB: Why?
FZ: Because of the things that will be going on as the child grows up. I think that particular kind of a name will be very much in phase with the future.
JB: Can you be more specific about that?
FZ: Well, as we enter the dark ages
JB: Dark ages!
FZ: and all beautiful things disappear from the face of the earth in the United States, a name like Mouldred should stand out.
JB: No doubt.
Frank Zappa on the Howard "Moldred" Stern Show (circa 1987 or 88) [...]. The "Moldred" in Howard Stern's name is also from this interview. Stern asks Frank to rename him with a name like his kids have.
RS: Did you ever find a name for Mouldred, or a place to use that name?
FZ: Mouldred? Not yet.
DS: You've been toying with that one for a while, huh?
FZ: Yeah, well, y'know. They come, they go . . .
DS: Maybe the new dog can be called Mouldred.
FZ: That doesn't look like a Mouldred. [laughter] That's a cute dog.
[...]
FZ: It goes back to what Varèse used to say: "Why do you call pieces 'Density 21.5' and 'Ionisations'?" He said "It serves as a convenient means of cataloging the work." [laughter] You could call it "Buddy". You could call it "Mouldred". [laughter] You could call it "Billy". You could call it "Sink Trap".
This was found on a 2-track reel full of of snippets and oddities.
Additional informants: Patrick Buzby, Francesc Arnau.
Research, compilation and maintenance by Román García Albertos