(Frank Zappa, 6 CDs, Zappa Records/UME ZR20032, December 20, 2019)
Original recordings produced by Frank Zappa
Original 1969 recording engineers:
T.T.G. Studios—Jack Hunt, Cliff Goldstein
Sunset Sound Studios—Brian Ingoldsby
Whitney Studios—Dick Kunc
FZ—guitars, octave bass, percussion, keyboards, voice
Ian Underwood—keyboards, woodwinds
Captain Beefheart—vocals
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin, organ, vocals
Johnny Otis—keyboards
Don Preston—keyboards
Jean-Luc Ponty—violin
Buzz Gardner—trumpet
Bunk Gardner—sax
John Balkin—bass
Shuggie Otis—bass
Max Bennett—bass
Roy Estrada—bass
Art Tripp—drums
Ron Selico—drums
John Guerin—drums
Jimmy Carl Black—drums
Paul Humphrey—drums
+
Lowell George—rhythm guitar (live 1969)
Motorhead Sherwood—baritone sax (live 1969)
Annie Zannus—voice (NYC, 1969)
Cynthia Dobson—voice (NYC, 1969)
Produced for release by Ahmet Zappa & Joe Travers
Analog tape hi-res transfers by Joe Travers
1970 mix by FZ & Stan Agol, Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA
1972 mix by FZ with Barry Keene, Whitney Studios
1987 digital re-mixes by Bob Stone, UMRK
2019 mixes by Craig Parker Adams at Winslow Ct. Studios
Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Gateway Mastering, 2019
Cover photo & additional infrared photos—Andee Nathanson
Sessions photography—Bill Gubbins
Tape & tape box photography—Michael Mesker
Art direction & design—Michael Mesker
Hot Rats Board Game by Fantoons Animation Studio
Project manager—Melanie Starks
Liner notes by Matt Groening, Ian Underwood, Andee Nathanson, & Joe Travers with Ruth Underwood
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 18, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Rolling. Rolling, take 7.
includes Peaches En Regalia and Aybe Sea
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 18, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—organ
Buzz Gardner—trumpet
Bunk Gardner—sax
John Balkin—bass
Art Tripp—drums
. . . up two?
FZ: Yeah.
One, two . . . ta-da-da . . .
We're rolling. This'll be Tune #1, take 1
One, two . . .
We're rolling. Take 2.
One, two . . .
We're rolling. 3.
One, two . . .
We're rolling. 4. 4?
We're rolling, take 4. 4.
One, two . . .
We're rolling, take 6. Take—
One, two . . .
We're rolling. Take 7.
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
We're rolling. "Peaches En Regalia," take 1, take 1— Section 1.
One, two . . .
FZ: No. Faster, faster.
We're rolling. 2. 2.
One, two . . .
FZ: Again.
Still rolling. Take 3. Take 3.
Rolling. Take 5.
FZ: Why don't you fill like crazy all the way through that introduction? You know. Answer those bass figures.
Take 5.
One, two . . .
6.
One, two . . .
FZ: Again. Listen, instead of doing those rolls on the beginning coming in round, why don't you do like uh, a pass. On the last two beats of the bar. Just like, one, two, tiddle-diddle-diddle tiddle-diddle-diddle bomp, and they come in like that.
Take 7.
One, two . . .
Hold it, hold it, phew!
We're rolling, "Peaches En Regalia," take 8. 8.
Rolling. Take 8.
One, two, three . . .
Still rolling. Take 9. 9.
FZ: Much better. More fills! Get loose! Okay?
Rolling. Take 9. 9.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Do another start. Do another, fancier start.
Take 10.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Another one, please.
11. 11.
We're rolling, 11. 11.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Get that part, Shuggie.
We're rolling. This would be take 12. 12.
One, two, three . . .
12 1/2. We're rolling.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Now that was a good start. Do it again.
We're rolling. 14.
We're rolling. 14.
Two, three . . .
FZ: Marvelous!
15. 15.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Another one, please.
We're rolling, 16.
One, two, three . . .
One . . .
We're rolling. This would be 18. 18.
FZ: Get that groove going!
One, two, three . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Johnny Otis—tack piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Johnny Otis—tack piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
We're rolling. "Peaches," Part 3, take 1. Take 1.
Rolling.
One, two, three, four . . .
FZ: Again. Ron, you gotta play that fill in there, so— Gotta play that fill in there so there's a big difference between that fill section and where the vamp starts again . . . As crazed as you can make it.
Rolling. Take 3.
One, two, three . . .
We're rolling. 4.
One, two, three, four . . .
5. Take 5.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Again.
We're rolling. Take 6. 6.
FZ: That rhythm is ta-da-da-dah ta-dah ta-dah . . . It's okay, do it the third time, so it's got a build for the fade.
Rolling. Take 6.
FZ: Yeah.
Take 6.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Again, please. Again, please.
This'll be take 7.
FZ: There's a little clink on the piano there.
Take 7.
FZ: Ron, please, when you— after that fill bring the volume down just a little bit for when the piano comes back in.
7.
One, two, three . . .
Take 8.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Okay. That's enough on this one.
We're rolling. Take 9. Take 9.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: One more, please.
Still rolling. 10. 10.
One, two, three . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
FZ: Okay. That— That's the one. Thank you. I'll show you the next—
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
FZ: Hold now. Hello?
We're rolling. This is the "Arabesque." Take 1. Take 1.
Rolling. Take 1.
One, two, three, two . . .
FZ: Okay. One more. Hello . . . No, don't worry, I cancelled the march . . . If you can take it just a shade brighter. And keep the time real tight.
Rolling. Take 2. Right.
One, two, three, two . . .
FZ: Hello.
We're rolling. Take 3.
Rolling. Take 8.
One . . . One . . . two . . .
FZ: Okay. Hold it. Hold it for just—
Rolling.
We're in 9. 9.
One . . . two . . .
We're rolling. 10. 10. Take 10.
One . . . two . . .
FZ: Come on. Get vicious.
Take 11.
FZ: Special metal teeth on this one.
Still rolling. This'll be take 12.
FZ: Ian, watch that chord at the cadence on second ending.
One . . . two . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—organ
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
This is "Dame Margret's . . ."
FZ: Son.
"Son To Be A Bride." Take 1. Take 1.
FZ: Again, please.
We're rolling. Take 2. 2.
One, two, three, four . . .
FZ: Again, please. Keep— Come on, keep it bright.
We're rolling. Take 3.
FZ: It gets disinterested in spots.
[...]
One, two, three . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Stand by. We're rolling.
"It Must Be A Camel." Take 1. Take 1.
Okay, rolling. 2.
One, two, three, one, two . . .
One . . .
Take 3.
Three, one, two . . .
FZ: Another one, please . . . Hello! One more, please.
Still rolling, this'll be 4. 4.
You know the dotted quarters before we go into the 4/4?
FZ: Yes.
You want me to fill it between those?
FZ: Hit 'em and then fill.
Right.
FZ: And also, you can fill more during the melody. And I could dig some passes— in the A section all the way around. Within the first eight bars especially.
We're rolling. Take 4.
Oh, wait, there's one more thing, uh, before the—
Still 4. 4.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: Again, please. Hello. John?
John: Yeah.
FZ: Passes. You know, should be like, uh, 32nd note raging monstrosity, you know, like, uh, destroy the mood completely.
John: Right.
FZ: Okay?
John: Yeah.
Rolling. 5. Take 5.
One, two, three, four, five . . .
FZ: Hello?
Rolling. Take 6. Take 6.
FZ: Those, those fills are good. You can go even more so.
John: Okay.
Three . . .
Rolling. Take 6.
. . . four, five . . .
FZ: Again. Hello? Just make sure when you come off of 'em you get right down tight onto the beat.
John: Oh, you— Okay.
Take 7. Good old 7.
One, two, three, four, five . . .
FZ: Another start.
Take 8.
Two, three, four, five . . .
FZ: Ah . . .
Rolling. This'll be take 9. 9.
FZ: What? This is the atmospheric lighting. You want— You want it removed?
Yeah . . .
Rolling. Take 9. 9.
FZ: On the Top 40 in Saudi Arabia, "It Must Be A Camel."
Take 9.
One, two, three, four, five . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
FZ: Hold it. Hello. So marvelous up—
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
FZ: Intercut. Five bars before the bridge.
FZ: One more, please. Hello. Hello! Another one, please. Ah, do it— Play a different kind of beat during that— Same place. Do something on the ride cymbal, please.
Intercut. 4.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Are you kidding me? Hmh hmh hmh . . .
Intercut. 5. 5.
FZ: You're on.
Two, three . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
We're rolling. This is "Natasha." Take 1. Take 1.
One, two, one, two, three . . .
This is Take 2. 2.
One, two, one, two, three . . .
Rolling. 3. 3.
One, two, one, two, three . . .
FZ: Again. Ian, a little bit less stiff on the, on the chords. Try and listen to John a little bit more and make it groove along.
Rolling. Take 4. 4.
One, two, one, two, three . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
One, two, three, four . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Tune 2. Take 1.
Tune 2. Take 1.
Tune 2. Take 1.
Tune 2. Take 1.
FZ: Good work.
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Overdubs:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Overdubs:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
We're rolling. "Transition." Take 1. Take 1.
Yeah [...]
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: Another one.
Still rolling. Take 2. 2.
Yeah, when we get through that, we do the whole thing again. We're just gettin'—
Rolling. Take 2.
One . . . two . . .
FZ: Marvelous introduction.
We're rolling. Take 3. 3.
One, two, three, two, three . . .
Okay, rolling. 4.
FZ: Ian, why don't you play the other variant of that l—
Stand by, we're rolling. This is the continuation from reel 6. "Transition." Take 6.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: Again, please.
Still rolling. Take 7. 7.
Three beats.
One, two.
Take 8.
The tension mounts.
FZ: Girdle rides up, girdle rides down.
Rolling. Take 8.
Six beats.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
Nah.
I got [...] I think [...]
Yeah, that sounds— sounded good too. All right.
John Guerin: We got it, Frank.
FZ: Good. I like that roll thing that you're doing at the end of the intro. It sounds good; don't destroy it.
John Guerin: Okay.
Take 10.
John Guerin: Oh, I just killed— It's the first time I've ever killed a fly with my brushes, man.
You didn't kill it; he's moving, man.
John Guerin: Oh. Got it.
No, he's—
John Guerin: Okay.
Only one?
John Guerin: Right.
We're rolling. Take 10.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: Again.
This'll be take 11. 11.
One, two . . .
This'll be 12 1/2.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: Could you start again, please. The juncture between the introduction and the first downbeat of the melody was just a little lumpy, you know.
John Guerin: Gravy.
FZ: Let— Yeah. Let the introduction taper off so there's a— there's a slight separation. In case anything goes wrong, gives me a chance to cut on one of the other introductions.
We're rolling. Take 14.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
FZ: Hold it. Hold it. We now will do an inter—
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Stand by, gentlemen. This'll be Intercut, to take 14.
Now where're we starting from?
How many bars before—?
Four bars.
Before the rod. Okay.
Two, three, two, two . . .
Intercut 2.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: Do another one, please, and when you get to that "dah-dah-dah-dah-daah" make the left hand really— a little fatter . . . Get a little darker . . . No, wrong chord. "Dah-dah-dah" . . . You got that weird thing dangling down that chord. That sounded good.
This'll be Intercut 3.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
Hey, Frank, that could be lighter.
We're rolling. Intercut 4.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
[...] should have been into the bolero.
Yeah, that was quite good.
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
FZ: Watch those chords, Ian. Some of 'em are a little bit weird.
Greenies.
Ian: I'd say they were wrong.
This'll be . . .
FZ: I want it to be tactful, seeing as how you've been playing for seven hours, but . . .
We're rolling. Intercut 4.
That's—
A little more greenie.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
Still rolling. 5. 5.
One . . . One, two, three, two, two . . .
We'll relax a little bit. One . . . I think we came up on [...]
Yeah.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
FZ: This tempo was playing under what you've been doing. It's a shade— The t—
Rolling. This will be Intercut 7.
One, two, three, two, two, three . . .
John Guerin: It's a good ending.
FZ: Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah.
Intercut 8.
One, two, three, two, two . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin, vocals
Don Preston—organ
Roy Estrada—bass
Jimmy Carl Black—drums
FZ: Start that pattern right after the violin solo.
?: All right.
Engineer: We're rolling. "Directly From My Heart To You." Take 1.
Two . . .
Take 1.
One, two, three . . .
Direct
Directly from my heart to you
Direct
Directly from my heart to you
Oh, you know that I love you
That's why I feel so blue
Oh, I pray
Our love will last always
I pray
That our love will last always
Yeah, we'd be so happy together
But you're so far away
Well, I need
I need her by my side
Well, I need
Yes, I need her by my side
Oh, I loved you little darlin'
Your love I could never hide
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Don Preston—piano
Roy Estrada—bass
Jimmy Carl Black—drums
Engineer: We're rolling. "Not A Waltz." Take 1.
FZ: Hey, you want 'em all off?
Yeah.
FZ: Okay. Turn the lights all off, please.
FZ: Okay.
Engineer: Take 1.
FZ: One, two, three, one, two, three . . .
Don Preston: I think it ran out.
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
Rolling. 4. 4.
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
We're rolling. This is "Mr. Green . . . Genes." Take 1.
One, two, three, four . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
Take 2.
Rolling. Take 3.
One, two, three . . .
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—sax, organ
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—organ, violin
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
Engineer: Stand by. We're rolling.
FZ: This is called "Big Leg."
?: "And Little Socks."
Engineer: Take 1.
"Big Legs." Take 1.
FZ: Big legs and little socks.
Take 1 and rolling.
Here we go.
FZ: Oh. Hold the tape.
Rolling. Take 1.
FZ: Don't worry about it. Here we go.
Rolling. Take 1.
FZ: It's gonna start off like that.
FZ: Do another one.
Take 2.
How many bars?
FZ: Uh . . . Why don't you count it off?
All right.
FZ: Just every— You three start together on this.
All right.
One . . . Two . . . One, two . . .
And that sure was a lot of "Big Legs."
prob. Whitney Studios, Glendale, CA
c. August 28-30, 1969
FZ—percussion overdubs
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 28, 1969
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Shuggie Otis—bass
Ron Selico—drums
Overdubs:
Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles, CA
August 25-26, 1969
FZ—guitars
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Overdubs:
Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, CA
August 25-26, 1969
FZ—guitar
includes Peaches En Regalia and Aybe Sea
Basic track:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 18, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Overdubs:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 21, 1969
FZ—acoustic guitars
Ian Underwood—woodwinds, harpsichord
UMRK, 1987
Bob Stone—digital re-mix engineer
UMRK, 1987
Bob Stone—digital re-mix engineer
I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back
Pair a khaki pants with my shoe shined black
Got a little lady . . . walk the street
Tellin' all the boys that she cain't be beat
Twenny dollah bill (I can set you straight)
Meet me onna corner boy 'n don't be late
Man in a suit with a bow-tie neck
Wanna buy a grunt with a third party check
Standin' onna porch of the Lido Hotel
Floozies in the lobby love the way I sell
Hot meat
Hot rats
Hot cats
Hot ritz
Hot roots
Hot soots
Hot meat
Hot rats
Hot cats
Hot zitz
Hot roots
Hot soots
UMRK, 1987
Bob Stone—digital re-mix engineer
UMRK, 1987
Bob Stone—digital re-mix engineer
Take 2.
How many bars?
FZ: Uh . . . Why don't you count it off?
All right.
FZ: Just every— You three start together on this.
All right.
One . . . Two . . . One, two . . .
FZ, interviewed by Peter Occhiogrosso, 1987
FZ: That's where I got the idea for the Hot Rats album—the title for the Hot Rats album. There is a recording that I picked up in Europe that had—I think it was "The Shadow Of Your Smile," with Archie Shepp playing on it. And he played this solo—it just sounded to me immediately like there was this fucking army of preheated rats screaming out of his saxophone. That's what it sounded like.
includes Peaches En Regalia
David Ossman:
Hi there, kids. The name of this song is called "Peaches En Regalia." It tells the story of a bowl of peaches that lives in the Royal Garden Hotel, across the street from the Kensington Market in London.
"Peaches En Regalia." That's one of six amazing rock & roll concertos from an album called Hot Rats. Hot Rats is a new album on Bizarre/Reprise. The music is written and performed by Frank Zappa. In spite of that fact, we think you should obtain it.
includes Little Umbrellas
David Ossman:
Hi there, kids. The name of this song is "Little Umbrellas." Well, it tells the story of a bowl of umbrellas that lives in the Royal Garden Hotel, across the street from the Kensington Market in London.
"Little Umbrellas." One of six amazing rock & roll concertos from an album called Hot Rats. Hot Rats is a new album on Bizarre/Reprise. The music on Hot Rats is written and performed by Frank Zappa. Now please don't be put off by this fact. Try to be objective. Buy the record anyway.
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Overdubs:
prob. Whitney Studios, 1972
Engineer: Barry Keene
FZ—guitar
Mix:
Whitney Studios, 1972
Mixed by FZ with Barry Keene
Pal Studio/Studio Z, Cucamonga, CA
c. 1961-1964
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Overdubs:
Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, CA and/or Whitney Studios, Glendale, CA
c. August 25-30, 1969
Ian Underwood—woodwinds, keyboards
FZ—guitar
FZ: "Miniscule Umbrellas," #1.
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
Overdubs:
Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, CA
August 25, 1969
FZ—guitars
Ian Underwood—woodwinds, keyboards
FZ: Are you rolling? "This Must Be A Camel."
Basic tracks:
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
Overdubs:
Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, CA and/or Whitney Studios, Glendale, CA
c. August 25-30, 1969
Ian Underwood—woodwinds, keyboards
FZ—percussion
FZ: "Son Of Mr. Green Genes."
NYC, NY
c. August 1969
Annie Zannus—voice
Cynthia Dobson—voice
FZ—voice
FZ: I want you to go into intimate detail about Willie The Pimp.
Annie: Willie The Pimp. The famed person who first said, "Son-of-a-bitch! Oh, excuse me, there's a lady in the car.[...], son-of-a-bitch stupid bastard!" Wearing the clothes.
FZ: Quickly—
Cynthia: Loony socks, white shorts, skinny dumpy legs, and a big fat stomach, and a big cigar hanging out of his mouth, straw hat, and sitting down, and he says, "Son-of-a-bitch!"
Annie: Willie, who sits in his ch— in front of the TV set all day, at night goes down to 42nd St. and pimps around there unknown to his wife and grateful children—
Cynthia: Tell him about the Lido Hotel.
Annie: The Lido Hotel, where he sometimes hangs out with some prostitutes, uh, when it's—
Cynthia: No, we were gonna call, we were gonna call uh, a lady—no, we were gonna call Willie and tell him we're a beautiful lady, measure— measurements 36-24-36, tell him to meet— meet us at uh, in front of the Lido Hotel, and then—
Annie: A well known prostitute house.
Cynthia: And then he'll be expecting this beautiful blonde to come by, and he'll be standing in front of the Lido Hotel—
Annie: When his wife walks by.
Cynthia: And we walk by, and then he just won't know what to do, and, he, "Son-of-a-bitch, get away from here!"
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
Mixed by Craig Parker Adams in 2019
Captain Beefheart—vocals
I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back
Pair a khaki pants with my shoe shined black
Got a little lady . . . walk the street
Tellin' all the boys that she cain't be beat
Twenny dollah bill (I can set you straight)
Meet me onna corner boy 'n don't be late
Man in a suit with a bow-tie neck
Wanna buy a grunt with a third party check
Standin' onna porch of the Lido Hotel
Floozies in the lobby love the way I sell
Hot meat
Hot rats
Hot cats
Hot ritz
Hot roots
Hot soots/Hot ritz
Hot soots
Hot zitz
Hot meat
Hot rats
Hot cats
Hot zitz/Hot ritz
Hot roots
Hot soots
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 29, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—tack piano
Don "Sugarcane" Harris—violin
Max Bennett—bass
John Guerin—drums
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
includes Igor's Boogie
Arena, Philadelphia, PA
March 2, 1969
Recorded by Dick Kunc
FZ—guitar
Lowell George—rhythm guitar
Ian Underwood—keyboards, woodwinds
Don Preston—keyboards
Motorhead Sherwood—baritone sax
Bunk Gardner—sax
Buzz Gardner—trumpet
Roy Estrada—bass
Art Tripp—drums
Jimmy Carl Black—drums
David Ossman: Frank Zappa took a heavy trip recently. Got into some new things. Turned into his own good vibes. Got heavy behind his own mind. Went deep into inner space and found . . . Hot Rats. An album almost too psychedelic, almost too spiffy to listen to. On Reprise/Bizarre, where the other Mothers are also heavy on your head.
FZ: We'll see you later.
Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, 1970
Mix engineers: FZ & Stan Agol
FZ: Can you still hear me? Can the machine hear me? Bingo bango bongo?
T.T.G. Studios, Los Angeles, CA
July 30, 1969
FZ—guitar
Ian Underwood—piano
Max Bennett—bass
Paul Humphrey—drums
FZ: "Green Genes" rhythm track.
Rolling. Take 3.
One, two, three . . .
FZ: Watch me now! Hah!
Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles, CA
August 25-26, 1969
Mixed by Craig Parker Adams in 2019
FZ—guitars
includes The Gumbo Variations
FZ: Another one!
David Ossman: Hot Rats is a new album on Bizarre/Reprise. Now we're not gonna tell you who made it yet because most people think that his music is ugly and too weird and wish to have nothing whatever to do with him and the crazed minority he represents, okay? You can see if we tell you who made this Hot Rats album right off you'd push the button to another station and that'd blow it. Okay. Nevertheless Hot Rats is really a good album—it has a lot of pictures all over it, and if you hold the outside cover, which is a pink infrared closeup of Miss Christine of the GTO's under a yellow light it turns black & white mysteriously right there in your hand. Now in spite of this fact, we feel it is imperative that you obtain Hot Rats. We hope that you will discover the work of this exciting composer, this, this daring arranger, this, this reasonably competent guitar player—who must unfortunately remain anonymous during this commercial.
All compositions by Frank Zappa except as noted