Zoot Allures

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zoot Allures
Zoot Allures cover
Studio album by Frank Zappa
Released October 20, 1976
Recorded Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles c. May June, 1976
Genre Hard rock, comedy rock
Length 41:32
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Frank Zappa
Professional reviews
Frank Zappa chronology
Bongo Fury
(1975)
Zoot Allures
(1976)
Zappa in New York
(1978)

Zoot Allures is a 1976 rock album by Frank Zappa. This was Zappa's only release on the Warner Bros. Records label. Due to a lawsuit with his former manager Herb Cohen Frank Zappa's recording contract was temporarily re-assigned from DiscReet Records to Warner Bros.

The title is a pun on the French expression "Zut alors!" which, though it has no direct translation, conveys mild surprise and may be approximated by "Damn it!" or the British use of "Blimey!"

The album was originally conceptualized as a double LP, but for unknown reasons Zappa rearranged, edited, and shortened the track listing to what was eventually released as a single LP.[1] Zappa played a test pressing of the original album for Circus magazine in 1976, which reported a radically different, though slightly erroneous track listing that included "Sleep Dirt", "The Ocean Is the Ultimate Solution", "Filthy Habits", and "Night of the Iron Sausage". The former three tracks eventually surfaced on Sleep Dirt and the posthumous Läther; "Night of the Iron Sausage" remains unreleased, but was seemingly intended to be a guitar solo of fair length. "Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station" and "Zoot Allures" were notably absent from test pressings.

"Black Napkins", one of several guitar-driven pieces on Zoot Allures, began life accompanied by themes that would later make up the unique piece known as "Sleep Dirt".[2] The performance heard on the album was culled from Zappa's 1976-02-03 performance in Osaka, Japan, though it was edited for the official release.[3] Along with "Zoot Allures" and "The Torture Never Stops", "Black Napkins" became a signature piece for Zappa, featuring heavily in nearly every subsequent tour and several official releases.

"Wonderful Wino" was originally released on Jeff Simmons' 1970 LP, Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up. The album, produced partially by Zappa (though credited as "La Marr Bruister"), also included the titular track, which later appeared on 1980's Joe's Garage.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

[edit] Side one

  1. "Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station" – 2:29
  2. "Black Napkins" – 4:15
  3. "The Torture Never Stops" – 9:45
  4. "Ms. Pinky" – 3:40

[edit] Side two

  1. "Find Her Finer" – 4:07
  2. "Friendly Little Finger" – 4:17
  3. "Wonderful Wino" (Simmons, Zappa) – 3:38
  4. "Zoot Allures" – 4:12
  5. "Disco Boy" – 5:11

[edit] Release history

Country Date Label Format Catalog
United States
Canada
October 20, 1976 Warner Brothers LP BS 2970
United Kingdom December 1976 Warner Brothers LP K 56298
United States May 1990 Rykodisc CD RCD 10160
United Kingdom May 1990 Zappa Records CD CDZAP22
United States May 2, 1995 Rykodisc CD RCD 10523

[edit] Rykodisc CD release

Zoot Allures on compact disc, released by Rykodisc, is mixed differently than the original vinyl.

[edit] Members

[edit] Musicians

[edit] Production staff

  • Arnie Acosta – mastering
  • Amy Bernstein – layout design
  • Michael Braunstein – engineer
  • Gary Heery – photography
  • Cal Schenkel – design
  • Bob Stone – digital remastering

[edit] References

[edit] External links