New Zappa releases

[Progatron]

HMV and Tower Records Japan are listing a 6-disc 200 Motels set for release on October 29th. No photo or any other info listed as yet. Also 2-disc version and vinyl.

PLEASE, no bloated nonsense-filled box. Give me a clamshell like the Mothers 1970 or Carnegie Hall sets and I will be first in line to buy. Stuff it full of costumes and masks and board games and I'll opt out.

[Steve F.]

PLEASE, no bloated nonsense-filled box. Stuff it full of costumes and masks and board games and I'll opt out.

The super-deluxe version will feature a 3/4 scale inflatable 'Centerville', complete with 3/4 scale Mark and Howard [already inflated].

[JJ88]

200 Motels...well, I like bits of it. Good to see it's coming back in print, it's been unavailable for years. I believe there were tangled rights issues.

[Mister Triscuits]

Good to see it's coming back in print, it's been unavailable for years. I believe there were tangled rights issues.

That's assuming the rumor I heard isn't true, that this will consist entirely of alternates and related recordings, while the actual released album remains out of the Zappa Trust's hands. Sounds unlikely to me, but we shall see.

I think 200 Motels is magnificent; it really justifies the whole Flo & Eddie era. Terrible recording, though even that is part of its charm--the murky, cloudy sound just makes the whole experience of the album all the more surreal.

[Progatron]

That's assuming the rumor I heard isn't true, that this will consist entirely of alternates and related recordings, while the actual released album remains out of the Zappa Trust's hands.

I'm sure hoping that's not true. For one thing, I won't have to make room on the shelves if I can just swap out the old fatboy jewel case version for this new one (again, fingers crossed that they give us a sensible package).

[aith01]

The super-deluxe version will feature a 3/4 scale inflatable 'Centerville', complete with 3/4 scale Mark and Howard [already inflated].

[pb2015]

That's assuming the rumor I heard isn't true, that this will consist entirely of alternates and related recordings, while the actual released album remains out of the Zappa Trust's hands. Sounds unlikely to me, but we shall see.

My understanding is that to get the soundtrack in the 90's Ryko had to do a terrible deal where they bought the entire MGM soundtrack catalog and spent far more than they could have earned. Whether the Trust managed something better now, we shall see. (I'd be surprised if they could do 6 CDs without including the soundtrack.)

[polmico]

The super-deluxe version will feature a 3/4 scale inflatable 'Centerville', complete with 3/4 scale Mark and Howard [already inflated].

I’m in for a tuna sandwich.

[chalkpie]

That's assuming the rumor I heard isn't true, that this will consist entirely of alternates and related recordings, while the actual released album remains out of the Zappa Trust's hands. Sounds unlikely to me, but we shall see.

I think 200 Motels is magnificent; it really justifies the whole Flo & Eddie era. Terrible recording, though even that is part of its charm--the murky, cloudy sound just makes the whole experience of the album all the more surreal.

I am hoping they cleared out the murk and muck on this...I have the original vinyl and 90s CD for that. Some amazing material though on this.

[Mister Triscuits]

Stolen from TwentySmallCigars on the zappa.com forum. Looks fab, but a LOT of spoken word stuff.

Frank Zappa - 200 Motels (6 CD/2 CD/LP) - 29 October 2021
Frank Zappa’s “200 Motels” turns 50! In celebration of FZ’s famous 1971 “Surrealistic Documentary,” Zappa Records, UMe and MGM are pleased to present an extensive 7-disc box set. Contains the original soundtrack remastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering along with a massive amount of never-before-heard audio documentary material surrounding the project. Unearthed from FZ’s Vault are original demos, studio outtakes, work mixes, interviews and movie ads along with newly discovered dialog reels revealing an early audio edit of the film. This incredible set contains a replica of the movie poster, a custom motel keychain, Do-Not-Disturb motel door hanger and the original 1971 soundtrack packaging along with new liner notes from Pamela Des Barres, Ruth Underwood and Vaultmeister, Joe Travers. Also included is a first-ever Blu-ray disc featuring the movie in 1080p high-definition with its intended screen-crop-ratio for the first time along with the digital premiere of FZ’s documentary 1987 Honker Home Video VHS release “The True Story Of 200 Motels.”

CD 1:

ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK – REMASTERED
1.Semi-Fraudulent / Direct-From-Hollywood Overture
2.Mystery Roach
3.Dance Of The Rock & Roll Interviewers
4.This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Prologue)
5.Tuna Fish Promenade
6.Dance Of The Just Plain Folks
7.This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Reprise)
8.The Sealed Tuna Bolero
9.Lonesome Cowboy Burt
10.Touring Can Make You Crazy
11.Would You Like A Snack?
12.Redneck Eats
13.Centerville
14.She Painted Up Her Face
15.Janet’s Big Dance Number
16.Half A Dozen Provocative Squats
17.Mysterioso
18.Shove It Right In
19.Lucy’s Seduction Of A Bored Violinist & Postlude
20.I’m Stealing The Towels
21.Dental Hygiene Dilemma
22.Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You?
23.Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
24.***** Dimension
25.What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning

CD 2:

ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK – REMASTERED (Cont’d)
1.A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes
2.Magic Fingers
3.Motorhead’s Midnight Ranch
4.Dew On The Newts We Got
5.The Lad Searches The Night For His Newts
6.The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth
7.The Girl’s Dream
8.Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce
9.Strictly Genteel (The Finale)

200 MOTELS DEMOS, 2ND MOVEMENT – ROCK MUSIC
10.Road Ladies (Alternate Mix)
11.What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening
12.What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are?
13.Bwana Dik
14.Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
15.Do You Like My New Car?
16.Magic Fingers
17.Phyllis & Aynsley
18.What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (Alternate Mix)

200 MOTELS DEMO SESSION OUTTAKES
19.Tell Me You Love Me (Mix Outtake)
20.Road Ladies (Alternate Take)
21.What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening (Studio Outtakes)
22.What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening (Alternate Take, Incomplete)
23.“Aynsley Dunbar, Ladies & Gentlemen”
24.Magic Fingers (Version B, Mix Outtake)
25.What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (Mix Outtake)
26.Tell Me You Love Me (Alternate Take)

CD 3:

200 MOTELS – DIALOG PROTECTION REELS
1.Scene 1-2: Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture
2.Scene 3: “What’s The Deal?”
3.Mystery Roach
4.Scene 32: “It’s A Good Thing We Get Paid To Do This…”
5.Scene 14: What’s The Name Of Your Group? I
6.Scene 32: “We Haven’t Formed The Group Yet”
7.Scene 15: What’s The Name Of Your Group? II
8.Scene 17: “When Do We Get Paid?”
9.Scene 18: Went On The Road
10.Scene 19-20: “Special Delivery”
11.Scene 21: Centerville
12.Scene 21: Janet & Lucy
13.Scene 22: This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich
14.Scene 23-24: Tuna Fish Promenade
15.Scene 28: The Sealed Tuna Bolero
16.Scene 29: Lonesome Cowboy Burt
17.Scene 30: JCB & Rance
18.Scene 21: Larry The Dwarf
19.Scene 81: Magic Fingers
20.Scene 47: Larry The Dwarf In The Hotel Room
21.Scene 33: The Lad Searches The Night For His Newts
22.Scene 40-41: The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth
23.Scene 42: Little Green Scratchy Sweaters & Courduroy Ponce
24.Scene 45: A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes
25.Scene 57: The Perverted Nun
26.Scene 87: “*****!”
27.Scene 58: She Painted Up Her Face
28.Scene 60: Janet’s Big Dance Number
29.Scene 61: Half A Dozen Provocative Squats
30.Scene 62: Lucy’s Seduction Of A Bored Violinist
31.Scene 63: Shove It Right In
32.Scene 67: “I Am Bwana Dik!”
33.Scene 68-69: What Will This Morning Bring Me This Evening
34.Scene 77: Daddy, Daddy, Daddy

CD 4:

200 MOTELS – DIALOG PROTECTION REELS (Cont’d)
1.Scene 90: Biff Debris & Jeff
2.Scene 84-85: ***** Dimension
3.Scene 32: Mystery Roach (Acoustic) / “Yeah? Well Fine!”
4.Scene 71: What Will The Evening Bring Me This Morning
5.Scene 92: Jeff Flips Out / I’m Stealing The Room
6.Scene 100: Strictly Genteel
7.Scene 100: 200 Motels Finale

BONUS SWILL, PART I
8.“I Was Gonna Make A Movie One Time…”
9.200 Motels Movie Ad #1
10.What’s The Name Of Your Group? (FZ Edit)
11.200 Motels Movie Ad #2
12.FZ on Ringo Starr
13.Ringo Starr on 200 Motels
14.200 Motels Movie Ad #3
15.Motorhead’s Midnight Ranch (Mix Outtake)
16.Looking For Newts
17.“They Are Only In It For The Money”
18.200 Motels Movie Ad #4
19.200 Motels Commercial Session Outtakes
20.Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You? (Mix Outtake)
21.“I Shall Ruin All The Tapes”
22.Janet’s Big Dance Number (Basic Tracks)
23.Martin Lickert Voice-Over
24.Touring Can Make You Crazy (Mix Outtake)
25.***** Dimension (Instrumental Alternate Take)
26.Centerville (Mix Outtake)
27.Mystery Roach (Alternate Master)
28.Magic Fingers (Mix Outtake)
29.200 Motels Movie Ad #5

CD 5:

200 MOTELS – ALTERNATES AND OUTTAKES
1.“What Is 200 Motels?”
2.Theodore Bikel Voice-Over
3.Semi-Fraudulent/Direct-From-Hollywood Overture (Mix Outtake)
4.What’s The Name Of Your Group? (Complete Sequence, Part I)
5.What’s The Name Of Your Group? (Complete Sequence, Part II)
6.What’s The Name Of Your Group? (Complete Sequence, Part III)
7.Can I Help You With This Dummy?
8.Pianos For The Pleated Gazelle
9.Synth Tracks (Part I)
10.Would You Like A Snack? (Alternate Take)
11.Howard Kaylan/Mark Volman Voice-Over
12.Centerville (Rough Mix)
13.This Town Is A Sealed Tuna Sandwich (Prologue, Mix Outtake)
14.Tuna Fish Promenade (Mix Outtake)
15.The Sealed Tuna Bolero (Alternate Take)
16.Lonesome Cowboy Burt (Mix Outtake)
17.Naval Aviation In Art?
18.Redneck Eats/The Restaurant Scene (Basic Tracks)
19.Mystery Roach (Basic Tracks)
20.I Have Seen The Pleated Gazelle
21.Dew On The Newts We Got (Rough Mix)
22.The Lad Searches The Night For His Newts (Rough Mix)
23.Motorhead’s Midnight Ranch (Rough Mix)
24.The Girl Wants To Fix Him Some Broth (Rough Mix, Alternate Ending)
25.The Girl’s Dream (Rough Mix)
26.Little Green Scratchy Sweaters And Courduroy Ponce
27.Scene 43: A Cardboard Box
28.Scene 44
29.A Nun Suit Painted On Some Old Boxes (Rough Mix)
30.She Painted Up Her Face (Compressed Mix)
31.The Secret Stare
32.Half A Dozen Provocative Squats (Compressed Mix)
33.Lucy’s Seduction Of A Bored Violinist (Basic Tracks)
34.Shove It Right In (Compressed Mix)
35.Postlude (Basic Tracks)
36.What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning (Mix Outtake)

CD 6:

200 MOTELS – ALTERNATES AND OUTTAKES
1.Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (Alternate Take)
2.Magic Fingers (Alternate Take)
3.***** Dimension (Basic Tracks)
4.Scene 86
5.Scene 87 (Alternate Take)
6.Synth Tracks (Part II)
7.I’m Stealing The Towels (Basic Tracks, Alternate Take)
8.Scene 94: “He’s Always Watching Me”
9.Dental Hygiene Dilemma (Part I, Basic Tracks)
10.Does This Kind Of Life Look Interesting To You? (Mix Outtake)
11.Dental Hygiene Dilemma (Part II, Basic Tracks)
12.Strictly Genteel (Basic Tracks)
13.200 Motels Finale (Alternate Take)
14.200 Motels Finale (Basic Tracks, Unedited Ending)

BONUS SWILL, PART II
15.Movie Theater Skit (Commercial Session Outtake)
16.200 Motels Album Ad #1
17.Script Rehearsal Trim
18.Lonesome Cowboy Burt (In Rehearsal 1969)
19.Lonesome Cowboy Burt (In Rehearsal 1970)
20.200 Motels Album Ad #2
21.***** Dimension Jingle Music
22.TV Hype (Commercial Session Outtake)
23.200 Motels Movie Ad # 6

[pb2015]

^^ Yes, heavy on dialogue/interviews, but a very pleasant surprise that they're able to reissue the movie and soundtrack album.

[Hunchentootz]

Hmmm... some neat stuff perhaps - couple of wasted discs?

[Hobo Chang Ba]

^ YEah, that's my first impression as well. I'm going to have to wait to read reviews to see how much extra music there is and how much of it is more than just the usual 'studio outtakes' and alternate mixes.

Also, fuck the censoring of the word penis.

[pb2015]

I'm guessing the features here will be more of FZ's early 70's orchestral music, and some new takes/mixes of the groupie songs.

[MudShark22]

Even as a Flo n Eddie phan - this seems somewhat overkill on dialogue.

Will wait n see/read

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

[GuitarGeek]

My understanding is that to get the soundtrack in the 90's Ryko had to do a terrible deal where they bought the entire MGM soundtrack catalog and spent far more than they could have earned. Whether the Trust managed something better now, we shall see. (I'd be surprised if they could do 6 CDs without including the soundtrack.)

They did what?! I remember reading back in the late 90's that Rykodisc got frelled over in the 200 Motels deal, to the point that it put the label's future in serious doubt (maybe that's why they sold out to Chris Blackwell a few years later). What a crazy idea, buying the entire MGM soundtrack catalog. I wonder who the asshole at MGM was who made that a condition of the deal, ya know, "Oh you have to buy ALL our soundtracks, not just the one you want".

[Progatron]

frelled over

What does this mean?

[Mister Triscuits]

What does this mean?

GG likes to use swear words from the science fiction TV show Farscape. Frell = fuck, dren = shit.

[Progatron]

GG likes to use swear words from the science fiction TV show Farscape. Frell = fuck, dren = shit.

Oh. I've never heard of that, but I'll take the swearing from Johnny Dangerously any day.

[Mister Triscuits]

Oh. I've never heard of that, but I'll take the swearing from Johnny Dangerously any day.

I dig the slang in Stand on Zanzibar myself, not that anybody gives a pint of whaledreck.

[Mister Triscuits]

Now officially announced on zappa.com. No mention of any video content. Looks like we are not getting the blu-ray disc mentioned in the earlier description, with the movie and the documentary.

https://www.zappa.com/news/200-motel...ppa-recordsume

[Progatron]

That super deluxe box looks like it might be a little more my style than the ridiculous Halloween boxes of recent years (are they skipping that this year?) I'm estimating it to be about the same style as Hammersmith Odeon, but I'm not 100%.

[pb2015]

That super deluxe box looks like it might be a little more my style than the ridiculous Halloween boxes of recent years (are they skipping that this year?)

Must be. There are only a few Halloween shows left in the vault I think (Zappa wasn't able to record 1974 through 1976 and I have read he did not keep the tapes of 1980 as he was very ill during those shows - not sure about 1972 or 1984).

[Mister Triscuits]

not sure about 1972

Whew, I'd buy that, even if it did come with a mask of the Grand Wazoo.

[jkelman]

This incredible set contains a replica of the movie poster, a custom motel keychain, Do-Not-Disturb motel door hanger and the original 1971 soundtrack packaging along with new liner notes from Pamela Des Barres, Ruth Underwood and Vaultmeister, Joe Travers. Also included is a first-ever Blu-ray disc featuring the movie in 1080p high-definition with its intended screen-crop-ratio for the first time along with the digital premiere of FZ’s documentary 1987 Honker Home Video VHS release “The True Story Of 200 Motels.”

Where did you read that this box set includes a Blu ray disc with the film? I can't see that mentioned anywhere, and unless my tired eyes are missing it, that also includes the Zappa website.

I'm tossing around the idea the box, and the inclusion of the film and documentary might push me over the line, so would appreciate your identifying where you heard/read that there's an included BR.

Thanks!
John