Lost Episodes

Frank Zappa

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 27, 1996)
• Original Release Date: February 27, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Zappa Records
• ASIN: B0000009VW
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,591 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

From the Label
Frank Zappa personally compiled this new Rykodisc collection of studio rarities, alternate versions, and unreleased tracks as one of his last projects -- not only as a way of paying tribute to many of the people who had affected his life but also as a gesture of appreciation to his fans. Assembled as a kind of after-hours project over 18 months in 1992 and 1993, THE LOST EPISODES includes 30 tracks spanning 1958-1972, with short detours to 1980 and 1992. Tracks of particular note include "Ronny's Booger Story" and "Kenny's Booger Story," which shed new light on the (ahem) incidents which inspired "Let's Make the Water Turn Black,” an early, jazz samba arrangement of "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance,” ”Lil’ Clanton Shuffle,” a blues jam left off 1969’s HOT RATS which features Sugar Cane Harris on violin, original recordings of such Zappa gems as “RDNZL” and “Inca Roads,” the 1980 single version of "I Don't Wanna Get Drafted,” and five tracks featuring the vocal stylings of Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) including one of the earliest Zappa-Beefheart studio collaborations, “Tiger Roach.” TLE’s cover art is by Gabor Csupo, founder of Klasky-Csupo Animation, the people who originally animated The Simpsons and now bring you Duckman and Rugrats. Packaged in a deluxe slipcase, the album is accompanied by a 52-page booklet with extensive liner notes by music journalist Rip Rense, including detailed commentary about each song derived from interviews with Zappa, engineer Spencer Chrislu, and a plethora of FZ's musical associates including Vliet, Ruth Underwood, Terry Bozzio, and James "Motorhead" Sherwood. Both Rense and Csupo contributed to this package at Zappa's request.

From his early rock combos of the late 50's to the primitive early-60’s Studio Z era, through the state-of-the-art Utility Muffin Research Kitchen to just about anywhere else FZ ever turned on a tape recorder, THE LOST EPISODES is an autobiographical glimpse behind the scenes of Zappa's long and varied recording career and a fascinating look at one of “popular music’s most brilliant -- and daunting -- figures” (Chicago Sun-Times). If you want to know the story of the time Zappa shared a stage with Louis Armstrong, if you want to hear FZ's Clio Award-winning music for a 1967 Luden's Cough Drop commercial, or if you simply want to know the meaning of the word "eructation," THE LOST EPISODES is the disc you need.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FZ Gives Us More Treasures For The "Die-Hard" Fan, October 19, 2002

By	William Caputo (Scranton, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Lost Episodes, one of the last projects FZ ever worked on, is a compilation of the earliest recordings of Zappa material. the tracks on this album go back to 1958...8 years before his premiere album! there are 30 tracks ( I say "tracks" because many are not songs) yet every one of them is very significant and entertaining.

A 60 page booklet comes with the album that describes the history of every track....a giant "plus" in the compilation department and a mandatory read if you want to entirely grasp and appreciate this album. there are very many highlights on this album and I'll name a few:

"The Blackouts" lets you hear how FZ sounded as a teenager in the late 1950's.

"Lost in a Whirlpool", a song from 1958, is Captain Beefheart as a teenager singing a blues parody that contains the word "mother******" (the oldest song I know of to contain that word).

"Cops & Buns" is a real 2 1/2 minute confrontation FZ had with the NYPD as they stormed into his studio on a noise disturbance call. the recorder was left on and captured all of it.

There's also the movie score Zappa wrote for his high school english teacher, who had written a western screenplay. "Run Home Slow theme" is the score and it was finally made into a movie in 1965, never released on video of course. there are awesome instrumentals as usual and a few humorous songs.

But the best thing about lost episodes is that it contains the extremely rare 1980 single "I DON'T WANNA GET DRAFTED!" that is not found on ANY other Zappa album whatsoever. The 1981 album "You Are What You Is" has a revised and inferior version called "Drafted Again"....this version is not worth anybody's time to listen to. I repeat: YOU CANNOT FIND THIS SONG ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE!

This song is a must have if you are a true fan. To have a "complete" Zappa collection without I DON'T WANNA GET DRAFTED is IMPOSSIBLE! If you're a big Zappa fan and have never heard it, hear it now. It's a very catchy song that the Mercury label would not release. Enjoy!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is GREAT! 1 of my favorite FZ compilations!, December 11, 2005

By	Blackzoner "There are forty people in the wor... (St. Louis MO. US of A) - See all my reviews

Wow. While I understand the other reviewer's(like kaysixone)saying that 'this cd would appeal to only hardcore Zappaphiles' imo, the great music that was totally unreleased before the "Last Episodes" came out, & the historical significance & comedic value contained within, would make this cd great for anyone that had just a few of FZ's recordings.

I began buying FZ's material in 1965 w/the release of the then unheard of 2 album(vinyl)release of "Freak Out"(i'm dating myself by saying this)& I just never stopped buying FZ's recordings! Besides having every official release, & having all but 3 of his official video's, I also STILL have many of the bootleg recordings of Zappa as well. Having said that, "The Lost Episodes" finds it's way into my cd player more than most other
FZ recordings!! Tho MANY of those are often played too. I just can't get enough. Which is why I wish Gail Zappa was as prolific
at releasing her husbands cd's & VIDEO's as Frank was!!

For me "The Lost Episodes" shows you the evolution of the 1 of a kind composer of both orchestral & R&R musics, & the evolution of the man as well!! Imo FZ was the greatest composer of the last 100 years.

Hearing the beginning of Zappa's musical career, almost from the very start, & also hearing snippets of his orchestral works(Of which he wrote at a very young age, AND spent his own $300 to hire a collegiate orchestra to play!)from the start, along w/the funny stories, interviews & songs FZ did w/his friend Don Van Vliet(They originally became friends b/c they both had extensive collections of 45's & albums)makes buying this cd & it's price ALONE, worth it.

Besides the historical significance this cd has, being able to hear the 1st original recordings of songs i've become SO FAMILAR WITH over the years, eg:Fountain Of Love-RDNZL-Sharlenna-The Grand Wazoo-Lost in a Whirlpool, & so many more, is a true revelation for me & I would think for anyone that was familar w/these songs, many of which weren't released until MANY yrs after they were composed!! Just great to have.

Lastly. I believe FZ's "Project/Object & Coceptual Continuity" idea began w/some of the songs on this disc, & you'll be able to hear this for yourself, this is also fascinating to me. So if you only own 1 album of his from the 60's-70's or 80's, this would be of great interest to you! I think this cd & it's music ect stands on it's own! It all ended way too soon(basically) sadly. For me, like 10's of 1000's of others had hoped we'd STILL be hearing & enjoying the great music of Zappa today!

So do yourself a favor & buy this incredible cd.

Plus. If SOMEHOW Mrs. Gail Zappa could read this(?)PLEASE do as your husband was before his death(As he was putting together & releasing material whilst being very sick, this cd being the final 1 FZ ever did!)& make all of us very happy by releasing more of his work!!

For example: On the re-release of the dvd "Baby Snakes" 2 or 3 yrs ago, this great dvd had a 'trailer' telling us that all 3 shows, or 4 hours of the brilliant live performances at the "Roxy" on Dec. 8-9 & 10th 1973 that FZ had already mixed, would ALL be available soon! Only the 1 show that FZ released long before his death on the vid "The Dub Room Special" has ever seen the light of day! These great performances(the only thing that could have possibly made them better were if the 2nd drummer Ralph Humphries were on these gems from 1 of the best M.O.I. bands ever!) So my ? is, What in God's name is holding things up?? {ls release these & make so many happy & make alot of money!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Zappa taps early years and Rad Outtakes, November 20, 1998

By A Customer

The Lost Episodes are pretty much what they sound like, a collection of studio work that never made it to an album. Much of this was culled from Frank's early recording output at Paul Buff's Z studios that Frank bought. There is the story behind, "Let's Make the Water Turn Black" told by the original booger smearers, Knny and Ronny. Some of Zappa's early orchestral works are here to. This album paints a general picture of Zappa's surroundings just before he formed the Mother's. Included also are various 70's and 80's outttakes including a scorching rendition of "Wonderful Wino".