Frank Zappa - Entire Catalogue Remastered and Reissued

This was just posted over at Spin CDs. I did a search and haven't seen that the news is in a headline, so please read away:


Those of you looking forward to the re-release of the entire Zappa Catalogue by Universal will be buoyed by this press release from Marketwatch:

"The artist and composer, Frank Zappa, is one of the most important and influential artists in music history with his prolific body of work, including his breakthrough rock 'n roll concept albums. We are honored that Gail Zappa and the Zappa Family Trust have entrusted us with his legacy. We intend to honor him and bring high quality releases, digital and physical, for his new and longtime fans," said Bruce Resnikoff, President/CEO, Universal Music Enterprises.
Now fully back in hands of the Zappa Family Trust -- headed by Zappa's widow Gail Zappa -- the releases will honor the iconic legacy of the composer, musician, bandleader and filmmaker. ZAPPA was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 (although the family would like to know where it is). The official biography: Frank Zappa, American composer, 1940-1993.
The UME deal is for the entire Zappa Catalog as it appeared on Frank Zappa's own independent label, Barking Pumpkin Records. Many of the original analog masters have been re-mastered for this occasion"

The initial 12 FRANK ZAPPA releases included in the Zappa/Universal deal set for July 31 are as follows:
1. Freak Out! (1966)

2. Absolutely Free (1967)

3. Lumpy Gravy (1968)

4. We're Only In It For The Money (1968)

5. Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (1968)

6. Uncle Meat (1969)7. Hot Rats (1969)

8. Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970)

9. Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970)

10. Chunga's Revenge (1970)

11. Fillmore East, June 1971 (1971)

12. Just Another Band From L.A. (1972)

 

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=198022

 

No reason this couldn't be a separate thread.

 

Let me take you to the beach!!

 

Gail's email:

GLOBAL LICENSE/DISTRIBUTION DEAL SIGNED WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES

CATALOG OF 60 RECORDINGS TO BE LAUNCHED WITH JULY 31 RELEASE OF 12 TITLES

Back home where it belongs, the music of FRANK ZAPPA is now back in the hands of the ZAPPA FAMILY TRUST.

To celebrate this, the estate has signed a global license and distribution deal with UNIVERSAL MUSIC ENTERPRISES to release 60 of the iconic composer’s recordings. The roll-out kicks off July 31 with 12 recordings, with another dozen recordings to be released monthly through the end of 2012.

“The ink is not yet dry on The Zappa Family Trust's worldwide deal with Universal Music Enterprises,” says Gail Zappa. “They made us the offer we couldn't refuse--for all the right reasons. It is a win-win for all of us, but mostly for Frank Zappa. Long may his baton wave. We are so ready to go.”

“The artist and composer, Frank Zappa, is one of the most important and influential artists in music history with his prolific body of work, including his breakthrough rock ‘n roll concept albums. We are honored that Gail Zappa and the Zappa Family Trust have entrusted us with his legacy. We intend to honor him and bring high quality releases, digital and physical, for his new and longtime fans,” said Bruce Resnikoff, President/CEO, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe).

Now fully back in hands of the Zappa Family Trust--headed by Zappa’s widow Gail Zappa--the releases will honor the iconic legacy of the composer, musician, bandleader and filmmaker. ZAPPA was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 (although the family would like to know where it is). The official biography: Frank Zappa, American composer, 1940-1993.

The UME deal is for the entire Zappa Catalog as it appeared on Frank Zappa's own independent label, Barking Pumpkin Records. Many of the original analog masters have been re-mastered for this occasion. Yes that's right, you heard right. The entire Catalog, in all its spiffnificent glory will launch July 31, just in time for Frank Zappa’s daughter DIVA’s birthday-- an occasion that will be celebrated along with GAIL, sister MOON UNIT and brothers DWEEZIL and AHMET.

 

Great news.

 

I sure hope there are Hi-Res releases planned as well.

 

On Universal. Oh no!!

 

Any bonus tracks or outtakes would be welcome!

 

As Gail sez above, these would be versions based of the FZ products as represented on the Barking Pumpkin label, so...if you're looking for bonus tracks or outtakes, Frankie has anthologized those tracks into whole discs-worth, long ago!




Now playing on Ariel Stream: Groove Armada - Chicago

 

You are right, Universal releases are usually loud and compressed.

 

Any indication which version of We're Only In It For The Money is being used?

 

This is good news, no matter what. Chances are, we will get an original mix of Hot Rats, but even if that's not in the cards, any titles that were done from analog will be missing the digital reverb present on the Ryko CDs.

 

So what's the advantage of re-transferring a digital master?

 

they have so many live shows of unreleased gold.........what a wrong tree to bark up, no pun intended

 

^ Not to me. Half the Rykos do sound at least passable, but too many crucial titles got mangled (by Frank) – Sheik, Meat, Zoot, Sleep – which absolutely must be issued in good shape before I croak. The vinyl is just too hard to come by unless you're an uber-collector.

Meanwhile, ZFT is shooting out some very good live titles, even if '88, Yellow Shark and Roxy are way overdue.

 

Hot Rats in original mix form with the extended "Gumbo Variations" and I'll do whatever they want me to do.

 

Doug Sclar mentioned in another thread recently that there have been encouraging signs of a Roxy release soon (if not the video, at least a CD set of previously unreleased stuff).

 

I know that the MOFO mastering of the original mix of Freak Out was sourced from an 80s digital backup of the original tape, so they might be referring to stuff like that as well.

As long as the put the original, untampered mixes back into print I'll be happy! The recent ZFT stuff has sounded decent so I'm not worried that they'll screw up the mastering too much.

 

I wonder if high-rez and deluxe versions will be in the works.

 

Yes, but...

How I regret off-loading my HR LP before I migrated to Downunderland in 1975.

 

I’m happy with the vinyl.
Feel no burning need to support Gail, or Universal.

 

‘she’s only in it for the money'

 

I have visions of "Mastered by Kevin Reeves" in my head...

 

Both parts of Willie the Pimp on Fillmore East..........maybe...............?