The MOFO Project/Object

The Release History Of The Two MOFOs

zappa.com mail list, August 8, 2006

In commemoration of the FOURtieth Anniversary of a World That Contains Freak Out! we are so very pleased to present the FZ Audiography and Documentary Evidence (for the first time this century) of those certain recording sessions that occurred in Los Angeles between March and April of 1966. Who Could Imagine??? Well, we all know the answer to that question. This exciting and Deluxe, Limited Edition contains FOUR historically magnificent discs for your Audio Gratification. And a Gorgeous booklet—with the original art and lots of special surprises—and your name too. [...]

This is Exclusive to Barfko-Swill. Shortly after you receive this email with all of this stunning information you will be able to go to Zappa.com and see that the Pre-Order is for real. And we also want to assure those of you who are possibly frightened of something that costs as much as Ms. Pinky in these days of (speaking of) highly inflated gas prices and unseasonably rising global tensions and air temperatures that there will also be available a Very Wonderful Two Disc FZ Audio Documentary Release that might well turn up in greater convenience in your favorite record store (Is there such a Beast Anymore?). [...]

Official MOFO mail list, September 20, 2006

Yes, it's true. We never promised you a Rose Garden (too late to see Zappa in the White House). And speaking of late & the autumnal equinox, we sincerely regret to inform all of you wonderful people who have contributed materially to make this music possible, that our production, sadly, is delayed at this moment in time and space. For very good reasons though which will be readily apparent when you find MOFO in your mailbox in late October.

zappa.com mail list, September 20, 2006

We are pleased to inform you that MOFO is currently in production. We regret to inform you that we're not going to make our inaugural vicinity 21 September ship date. We anticipate that for those of you who pre-ordered, MOFO (The Limited Edition—4 Discs & a 60 page booklet!) will wend its way to you when the frost is on the pumpkin, just in time for Halloween. As soon as we have a confirmed delivery to Barfko-Swill date, we will advise you all, and it will be posted on the site.

We are also pleased to inform you that the official street date for MOFO (2 Discs & a 30 page booklet!) is 11 November. Yes. In stores. Unless you live in a socially retarded area. In which case you can always find it at Barfko-Swill.

Joe (and Gail) want you to know that both releases are thoroughly encrusted with the remnants of the Freak Out! Sessions, but only Disc 1 of both Releases are the same.

October 9, 2006

MOFO Project/Object CD [sic] available for pre-order at CD Universe; announced to be scheduled for release on November 7, 2006, on the WEA [sic] label.

zappa.com mail list, October 25, 2006

So you know Trance-Fusion is out at long (fill in the blank) last. We here at UMRK were certainly hoping that MOFO would be on its heels. This is the busiest time for production for Everyone In The World. I'm not here to talk about excuses but rather to say, be of good cheer, it will be here this year. The original street date for the 2 CD MOFO was set for 11/7/2006 and it looks like there will be at least a two week delay. This is not an official confirmation. When we know for sure, we will let you know for sure. Yes and but also we sincerely regret to inform you the 4 CD Limited Edition MOFO is a Monster with BIG TEETH and is madly chomping its way through the calendar and we're hoping that it doesn't develop a strong Taste for Turkey. If it does, it'll probably leave the table on 4 December. Some times things just happen that way around here.

November 21, 2006

MOFO Project/Object (2 CD version) delayed until December 5, 2006.

MOFO store, c. December 2, 2006

This List with your name on it will be in the Superb Deluxe Edition (in all its Splendid Project/Object Radiance) Four Disc Commemoration of the making of Freak Out! [...] Shipping in the vicinity of 12 December 2006. This will not be available in stores this year.

zappa.com mail list, December 4, 2006

Re: MOFO Deluxe

Our best information at this time is that MOFO Deluxe could ship as late as the week of FZ's birthday. Sadly, unless you and Santa have a special relationship with FedEx, you might not get it by Christmas.

December 4, 2006

The MOFO Project/Object (fazedooh) (2 CD version) starts shipping.

December 12, 2006

The MOFO Project/Object (4 CD version) starts shipping.

 

The MOFO List Of Contributors

The MOFO Project/Object (2006) liner notes by GZ

Materially & Absurdly, So Also Have These:

Zola Frank, Mathilda Plum, Diva, Ahmet Emmukha Rodan, Dweezil, Moon Unit, Lauren, Paul Doucette, Gregory Peck, Jim Henson, John Cage, Matt Groening, Don Johnson, Billy Connolly, Harry Andronis, Warren De Martini, Beverly D'Angelo, Al Malkin, Bruno Moderna, Douglas Adams, Jack Sloatman, Tonga of the Pacific, Richard Avedon, Jack Nicholson, Pamela Mayall, Luciano Berio, Nicolas Slonimsky, Ernie Kovacs, George Duke, Sun Ra, Chou Wen-Chung, Chris Rock

Herman Kretzchmar, Todd Yvega, David Anderle, George Lucas, Madonna, Katie Couric, Martin Gardiner, Tom Waits, John Frusciante, Martin Luther King, Louis Steven Inghilterra, Kevin Spacey, Haskell Wexler, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, John Judnich, Lenny Bruce, Melanie Starks, Steve Vai, Terry Bozzio, Elliot Ingber, John Alexander, Harriet Pilpel, Charles Fort, Ed Begley Jr., Ian Underwood, Dogess, Jon Stewart, Tod Browning, Malcolm McNab, Charles Laughton, Richard Brautigan

Donald "Roller" Wilson, Bill Clinton, Keith Moon, Jenny Brown, Jim Jarmusch, Steve Di Furia, Howard Stern, Patrick O'Hearn, Chester Thompson, Van Carlson, Vinne "Zeets" Colaiuta, Kelly Lange, Vaclav Havel, Magdalena, Michael Kocab, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Chris Riess, Jamie Lee Curtis, Elliot Carter, Tracey Ullman, John Cassavetes, Jeff Beck, Greg Gorman, Verona Calhoun Johnston, Midget, Squidget, Mr. Sting, Abel Salazar

John French, Ed Sanders, Ali N.Askin, Christine Frka, Gene Simmons, Lily Tomlin, Aleister Crowley, Keith Richards, Paracelsus, St. Agnes, Koko, George Harrison, Joe Travers, Duke Ellington, Simon Prentis, Alice, Barney Frank, Pamela Des Barres, Ronald Reagan, Dr. Gene Scott, Mick Jagger, Rdnzl, Bonecake, Terence Donovan, Nina Simone, Garry Marshall, Lala, Ozzy, Tipper Gore, Larry Flynt, Lalo Schifrin, Miranda Stein, Adrian Belew, Selma Blair, Keith Lawler, Alfonso Cuaron

Edward Van Halen, Antonio, Burt Bacharach, Owen Sloane, Bob Kahan, Larry Stein, Gary Iskowitz, Jane Fonda, Brian Lamb, Cathy Berberian, Dr. Norman Krevoy, Cynthia Watson, Jesse Jackson, Conlon Nancarrow, Vincent Price, Whoopi Goldberg, Andrew Tenenbaum, Justice Mocatta, Kylie Wyote, Danny DeVito, Scott Thunes, Jim Nagle, Tom Hayden, Maria Shriver, Tom Hanks, Allee Willis, Dan Eldon, Louis Armstrong, David Lynch, Conan O'Brien, Peter Eotvos, John Belushi, Chrissie Hynde, Alexander Calder, Sid Ceasar, Robert De Niro

Dick Pearce, Phil Parmet, Rob Leacock, John Smothers, Prince, Nando Boero, Godzilla & Olive, Claude Barthelemy, Chi Chi, Simon & Coralie Bollier, Al Gore, Jacques Cousteau, Madeline Kahn, Jimi Hendrix, Zal Yanovsky, Jackie, Iannis Xenakis, Marcia Zappa, Maurice Ravel, Robert Plant, John Gilkerson, Dylan Thomas, Lois & Roddy Mancuso, Claudia, Denny Walley, Roy London, David Abel, eric white, Alain & Natasha, Rob Cohen, Billy Barty, Billy Bob Thornton

Rumi Ogawa, Peter Rundel, Dietmar Wiesner, Catherine Milliken, Roland Diry, Wolfgang Stryi, Veit Scholz, Franck Ollu, Stefan Dohr, William Formann, Michael Gross, Uwe Dierksen, Michael Svoboda, Daryl Smith, Ueli Wiget, Rainer Römer, Andreas Böttger, Detlef Tewes, Jürgen Ruck, Ellen Wegner, Mathias Tacke, Claudia Sack, Hilary Sturt, Friedemann Dähn, Thomas Fichter, Jurgen Hempel, Rutger Hauer, Tracy Veal, Elsa Lancaster, Judith Owen, Bob Geldof, Frank Scheffer, David Fricke, Larry Charles

Tommy Tedesco, Paddy Maloney, William Burroughs, Warren Cuccurrullo, Jan Hooks, Robert Treuhaft, Germaine Greer, Lene Lovich, Kongar-ol Ondar, David Raksin, Angus & Malcolm Young, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Richard Feynman, Robert Graves, Robert Wagner, Emil Richards, Jodie Foster, Roko & Adrian Belic, Hana Mayall, Jamey Hampton, Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Michael Fielding, Rich Fulcher, Dave Brown, Bill Murray, Chano Urveto

Ella Fitzgerald, Ruth Underwood, Harpo Marx, Herbie Hancock, Paul Reubens, Pete Townshend, Robert Downey Jr., Eddie Murphy, Tom Fowler, Bruce Fowler, Al Pacino, Sidney Lumet, Roseanne, John Clark III, Scheila Gonzalez, Aaron Arntz, Jamie Kime, Pete Griffin, Billy Hulting, Ornette Coleman, Melanie Sloane, Chloe & Robert Trujillo, Lauren Hutton, Annie Leibovitz, Marianne Faithful, Richard & Karen Carpenter, Sally Kellerman, Don Brewer, Ian Copeland, Tim Conway, Elliott Carter, Ian La Frenais, Frank Filipetti, Clint Eastwood

 

disc 1

Liner notes

Disc 1 exists of Original 1966 Vinyl Stereo Mix of Freak Out!

[...] REMASTERED 2006 BY DOUG SAX WITH SANGWOOK "SUNNY" NAM IN OJAI, CALIFORNIA.

 

disc 2

Liner notes

Audio Restoration & Mastering by John Polito, Audio Mechanics, Burbank, CA, 2006.

 

4. I Ain't Got No Heart—Vocal Overdub Master Take

Liner notes

Note: This is the master take as it happened, but recorded on FZ's machine, in full track mono. Tracks 4, 5, 6 & 16 were recorded by FZ in the same way—as were all of the other tracks which did not become the master takes for Freak Out!

 

7. You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here—Vocal Overdub Take 1 (Incomplete)/Take 2 (Incomplete)

I never thought I'd cut a record by myself, but . . .

"Laugh At Me," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, October 1, 2015

"Laugh At Me" was Sonny Bono's only hit song as a solo artist under the name Sonny. The song was released in 1965 and reached #1 in Canada on the RPM national singles chart [...]. The song begins with Sonny saying, "I never thought I'd cut a record by myself but I got somethin' I wanna say. I want to say it for Cher and I hope I say it for a lot of people."

 

16. Help, I'm A Rock—FZ Edit

 

17. Who Are The Brain Police? (Section B)—Alternate Take

Liner notes

Mix by Joe Travers (original 4-Track Master), UMRK, September 2005

 

18. Groupie Bang Bang

Liner notes

Mix by Joe Travers (original 4-Track Master), UMRK, August 2005

Paul McCartney and Ringo too
Says she balls better than Epstein do

Had her boogie on my lap
Four days later I had the clap

 

disc 3

Liner notes

Audio Restoration & Mastering by John Polito, Audio Mechanics, Burbank, CA, 2006.

 

1. Objects

Liner notes by GZ, 2006

FZ directs Kim Fowley in crowd control [...]. Participants also include Vito Paulekas, Carl Franzoni, the freak scene of Los Angeles & assorted other guests including but not limited to Danny Hutton and Cory Wells, Mike Clarke, P.F. Sloane, Paul Butterfield—per original liner notes and of course, Terry Gilliam. Who knew(?).

 

2. Freak Trim (Kim Outs A Big Idea)

Liner notes by GZ, 2006

Kim Fowley's revelations [...]. Known quantities: FZ—Guitar; Ray Collins—Vocals, Harmonica; Elliot Ingber—Rhythm Guitar; Roy Estrada—Bass; Jim Black—Drums; Les McCann—Piano;

 

4. Freak Out Drum Track w/ Timp. & Lion

Liner notes

Freak Out Drum Track w/ Timp. & Lion
(FZ wrote this on tape box**) From FZ Build Reel.

 

6. Lion Roar & Drums From Freak Out!

Liner notes

Lion Roar & Drums From Freak Out **
Taken from an FZ Build Reel.

 

7. Vito Rocks The Floor (Greek Out!)

Liner notes

Another event from the Later-that-night Session, featuring Vito and his special message.

 

8. "Low Budget Rock & Roll Band"

Maybe we'll go down to Canter's and grease a few copies

Danny Hutton! Can I grease you for a ride somewhere?

 

9. Suzy Creamcheese (What's Got Into You?)

Liner notes

Excerpt from an interview at KBEY-FM Kansas City, MO, 22 October 1971

Willy: Frank, who is Suzy Creamcheese?

 

10. Motherly Love

Liner notes

The following tracks (10-14) recorded Live to 1/4" tape by John Judnich at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, 25 June 1966:

An introduction by Bill Graham
FZ—Guitar, Vocals; Ray Collins—Vocals, Harmonica, Tambourine; Elliot Ingber—Guitar; Roy Estrada—Bass; Jim Black—Drums
Dance troupe accompaniment by The Cherry Sisters

 

11. You Didn't Try To Call Me

FZ: We'd like to bring up our traveling dance troupe, our ballet company, the Mothers Ballet Company, otherwise known as the Cherry Sisters.

 

14. Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder

I gave you my high school ring
At the Hippo Burger, baby

Charles Ulrich, March 31, 2015

From 1950 till 1987, Hippo Burger was a gourmet hamburger restaurant in San Francisco. You can read about it at [San Francisco Eater], [Flickr], and [The Quagmire].

 

disc 4

Liner notes

Audio Restoration & Mastering by John Polito, Audio Mechanics, Burbank, CA, 2006.

 

1. Wowie Zowie

Liner notes

Tracks 1-4, all Basic Tracks, remixed by FZ with Stan Agol at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, 8 January 1970.

 

5. Trouble Every Day

Liner notes

Single edit (Mono) by MGM, 11 October 1966.

 

7. "Psychedelic Music"

And there was no such thing as Suzy Creamcheese, or "Freak Out", or . . .

 

8. "MGM"

Liner notes

Interview excerpts:
7. "Psychedelic Music" 2:34
8. "MGM" 1:54

Above are Mixed Media, Detroit, 13 November 1967

Joe Doll, Joe's Ugly Things Page

Recorded Nov. 13, 1967 at Mixed Media bookstore, Cass & Palmer in Detroit:
Frank Zappa Interview on WCBN Strobe Show Aired Nov. 18, 1967

Bart Bealmer, "Your Mother Should Know: Newly Unearthed 1967 Frank Zappa Interview Taped At A Detroit Head Shop," Dangerous Minds, May 26, 2017

On November 13th, 1967, Frank Zappa was interviewed by two radio DJs at a head shop in Detroit. The conversation aired on the 18th and was promptly forgotten about. [...] The interviewers, Joe Doll and Dave Pierce, were involved with the University of Michigan's student-run community radio station, WCBN. Their 30-minute chat with Zappa aired on Doll's program, Strobe.

When they first heard us, we were working at a club in Hollywood called the Whisky à Go-Go, and the A&R man, uh, producer, Tom Wilson, came in, he heard us play one song, it was the Watts riot song.

 

9. "Dope Fiend Music"

Liner notes

Interview with Matty Biberfeld at WRVR, New York City, Summer 1967.

 

10. "How We Made It Sound That Way"

Liner notes

WDET Detroit, 13 November 1967

 

11. "Poop Rock"

 

12. "Machinery"

Liner notes

WRVR, NYC with Matty Biberfeld as above

Eric Burdon from the Animals liked it very well, he performs, uh, several of the songs from the first album with his group.

 

13. "Psychedelic Upholstery"

Liner notes

Mixed Media, Detroit, 13 November 1967

Somebody's gonna put a band together that, uh, the music is made on a '39 Chevy.

 

14. "Psychedelic Money"

Liner notes

WRVR, NYC with Matty Biberfeld as above

 

15. Who Are The Brain Police?

Liner notes

Tracks 15, 16, 17 Remixed by FZ with Bob Stone at UMRK, 4 August 1987

 

18. "The 'Original' Group"

Liner notes

Titles 18-21 from original BBC Late Show interview with Nigel Leigh, UMRK, March 1993

 

21. "25 Hundred Signing Fee"

The guy who came to see us, who was the staff producer at Verve, Tom Wilson, had other priorities.

 

22. "Tom Wilson"

Liner notes

Titles 22 & 23 are from a 1986 MTV interview/And from an FZ Build Reel

Tom [Wilson] was a great guy.

 

24. "There Is No Need"

Liner notes

From 1986 Playboy Magazine interview taped at UMRK

 

 

Research, compilation and maintenance by Román García Albertos
http://www.donlope.net/fz/
This page updated: 2023-11-02