Album Discography

 

IN ORDER OF RELEASE

 VERVE


REPRISE

UNITED ARTISTS

 

REPRISE

 

DISCREET

 

WARNER BROS

 

DISCREET


CBS


EMI

 


ALBUM BY ALBUM SUMMARY

All early release dates are subjective, more information is needed.

envelope cover= flipback jacket

matt sleeve = flat sleeve

laminated sleeve = gloss sleeve


VERVE

FREAK OUT - non release U.S.A release date June 27 1966

Even though there is no reason to believe Freak Out was ever meant to be released, a catalogue number does turn up on Australian vinyl. Mothermania & Metros’ self titled 1973 compilation. In the case of Mothermania, the information is simply duplicated off the USA sleeve.

                   
USA Freak Out

It is interesting to note that there was an amount of the German single LP, single sleeve Freak Out imported into Australia in the late sixties. Carinia, a combined record label, import & distribution company based in Sydney brought in European labels such as Deutche Grammophon. Some rock albums such as Freak Out made it on their import list.

        


The one 7” single from this album was the withdrawn ‘How Could I Be Such A Fool’?/Help I’m A Rock’ Verve V 5122 refer 7” singles

         


Common marketing practice in Australia during the sixties was the difference in time between the import arriving and the local release, sometimes up to 18 Months later than the UK & U.S.A release dates. During the mid seventies it was at least shortened to 2 to 3 Months. Many of Franks’ pre-80’s albums suffered this fate.

ABSOLUTELY FREE U.S.A release date 26th June 1967

The first album to be released here was Absolutely Free probably in 1968, but there is no hard evidence to suggest it wasn’t 1969. Mono first in an envelope jacket.

The laminated front only single sleeve consists of a combination off the U.S.A gatefold made to fit on a single front. The back cover uses the left inside U.S.A gatefold, while simply removing the Libretto and Freak Out map adverts & blurb. On the bottom, as on nearly all Australian Verve albums have ‘Made and Distributed in Australia by Phonogram recordings Pty Limited. Distributor of Phillips, Mercury, Fontana, Deutche Grammophon Gesellischaft, Polydor, Archiv, Caedmon, Heliodor, Zodiac, MGM and Verve.


            

The first Australian pressing has on the back, a small Mono sticker and a catalogue number printed. Also, a circular Verve logo preceding the albums title on top. Around the spindle hole there is a small rim, which is not apparent on later pressings.

Verve V 5013 Mono, laminated front, single envelope sleeve, different front sleeve

Design, b/w back, Mono sticker printed on back, Made &

Distributed in Australia by Phonogram on back, circular Verve

Logo on back, black label-silver print. Released 1968/69

spine V 5013 back top V 5013 label V-5013

                   


There is another Mono pressing without a sticker in a normal sleeve. This copy has no circular Boosey and Hawkes copyright logo on the label as all other Verves appear to.

Verve V 5013 Mono, laminated front, different front sleeve design,

b/w back, Made & Distributed in Australia by

Phonogram on back, no Verve logo on back, no circular copyright logo on

label, black labels-silver print. Released late 60‘s./early 70’s

spine mono V-5013 back top mono V-5013 label V-5013

                    



Well into the late seventies, some sixties albums were still in print. Absolutely Free was one of them. These pressings in Stereo have the same single sleeve design albeit in a normal non envelope jacket. Instead of the long winded ‘Made & Distributed in Australia by Phonogram…’ rave on the back there is simply ‘Manufactured in Australia under Licence’. Also, there is no Verve logo on the back.

There are two different Stereo pressings.

One has a silver Stereo sticker on the front with just the catologe number on the back and spine.

Verve V6 5013 Stereo, laminated front, single sleeve, different front sleeve design,

b/w back, silver Stereo sticker on front, Manufacture under Licence on

back, catalogue # on back and spine, black label-silver print.

Released in 70‘s. spine V 5013 back top V 5013 label V6 5013


                   


The other later pressing has Stereo printed on the back with the catalogue number and Stereo printed on the spine.

Verve V6 5013 Stereo, laminated front, single sleeve, different front sleeve design,

b/w back, no Verve logo on back, Manufacture under Licence on

back, catalogue # and Stereo on spine, black label-silver print.

released in late 70’s spine V6-5013 back top V6- 5013 label V6-5013

                   


Verve album covers with ’For Display Purpose Only’ on the lower back envelope flap have a dual purpose. Some housed a plain white label Test Pressing. Others were used to display the cover.





WE’RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY U.S.A release date February 1968

While in the U.S.A the release date was February 1968. Australia had to wait 19 to 20 Months for the local product. Around September 1969 saw the second and last FZ album to be released in Mono, and of course Stereo. The Mono being a Type B fold-down off the Stereo mix, not a true Mono mix. Both pressings have song separation.

Paul McCartney held up the world release of this album as he was opposed to the album cover. This eventually caused the inside gatefold image to be used as a front cover worldwide. Strange that the Australian release is how Frank wanted it to be, with the Sgt Peppers collage send-up on the front of the cover.

The front cover is laminated whereas the back cover uses a unique collage of the U.S.A back. The drag photo along the bottom in red, with the lyrics superimposed over the back cover. This all probably came about from the lack of production budget, as with a vast amount of Australian product back then. The Taiwanese pressing has the same front cover but missing a strip on the left with Tom Wilson.

           
USA gatefold outer      Taiwan front              Australia / USA comparison

Audio censorship was relevant throughout the world on this title, Australia was no exception. Both stereo and mono versions have five tracks censored.

Who Needs The Peace Corps? side 1 track 2 The line “I will love the Police as they kick the shit out of me on the street” was removed.

Concentration Moon side 1 track 3 From the line “Also, at the same time, I get to work with The Velvet Underground, which is as shitty a group as Frank Zappas’ group”. “which is as shitty a group as” is removed.

Absolutely Free side 1 track 8 From the line “I won’t do any publicity balling for you anymore”. ‘Balling’ was removed. The words “Flower power sucks” were also removed.

Let’s Make The Water Turn Black side 2 track 2 The lines “And I can still remember Mama with her aprons and her pads Feeding all the Boys at Eds’Café” were completely removed.

Mother People side 2 track 7 The backward verse was removed.

Verve V 5045 Mono, laminated front, single sleeve, different front & back sleeve

Design, heavily censored, black label-silver print, released 1969.

                      
Front cover                    Back cover                      Label

Verve V6 5045 Stereo, laminated front, single sleeve, different front & back sleeve

Design, heavily censored, black label-silver print, released 1969.

                      
Front cover                    Back cover                      Label

Towards the late sixties in England, mono may have been the preferred medium. In Australia it was quite the opposite, as stereo was more popular. The rarity of the Australian Beatles ‘Double White’ & ‘Yellow Snow; mono versions compared to the stereo are good examples

CRUISING WITH RUBEN & THE JETS U.S.A release date 2nd December 1968

As with Freak Out, Australia missed out on Lumpy Gravy.

The next release was a single sleeve Cruising with Ruben & The Jets with a laminated cover. The only difference to the U.S.A cover is on the top we have the bands name in pink similar Cal Schenkel type font. The rear cover consists of a smaller yellow tinted collage photo of the young Frank. The story of Ruben & The Jets on the right, with the credits and song titles on the left. The first review appearing in the Rock media was as late as mid 1970. This was probably around the release date.

        
USA inner                  USA back cover

Verve V6 5055 stereo, single sleeve, laminated slightly different front, black label-silver print, released 1970.

                
Australian front            Australian back             Australian label

The only 7”45 to be released off this album was ‘Deseri/Jelly Roll Gum Drops’ Verve VS 11 Refer 7” Singles

                 
Deseri                         Jelly Roll Gum Drops     Sleeve


MOTHERMANIA U.S.A release date 24th March 1969

Verve V6 5068 single sleeve, laminated front, slightly different back, black label -silver print, released 1969.

                
Australian front            Australian back             Australian label


Released in 1969 in a laminated front single sleeve with a slightly different back. It replaces the Uncle meat movie advert with the song titles and credits from the inside of the U.S.A gatefold.

 

REPRISE

Early 1968, after MGM/Verve neglected to exercise a contract option, Frank and Manager Herb Cohen formed Bizarre Productions that by March had turned into Bizarre Records. A distribution deal with Warner Bros was soon made. Bizarre product in Australia is on the Reprise label with distribution by WEA.

Not many cover variations from here on, except for the re-release of the Reprise catalogue sometime during 1975 & 1976. These were mainly in matte sleeves opposed to the laminated first pressings.

UNCLE MEAT U.S.A released date April 21 1969

Australia didn’t get a local pressing until February 1972. The first pressing in a laminated gatefold sleeve came without a booklet, though many countries did get one.

Reprise 2MS 2024 2LP laminated gatefold, two censored tracks, red logo-tan label

released 1972





Reprise 2MS 2024 2LP matte gatefold, two censored tracks, red logo-tan label

released 1975

As censorship was still a major issue in Australia in the late 60’ to early 70‘s, this, along with other artists albums had their lyrics censored and/or removed.

Side 1 track 2 ‘The Voice of The Cheese’. The line ‘And um, I actually fucked up in Europe’ is removed.

Side 2 track 2 ‘Our Bizarre Relationship’ has been shortened by 15 seconds.

Two sections were removed.

‘Asking me, What the fuck that chick was doing in your bed?, ‘And I’d walk in, and you wouldn’t be with the same one that you were in the night before’, ‘And the house, Well it had your shit all over’.

‘He didn’t see how anyone could make it who insisted on saying fuck onstage’.

The matte reissue has the same censorship and of course no booklet.



HOT RATS

Originally released around March/April 1971. The first laminated single sleeve came with rich red colour tones, later with label variations.

This was the other FZ title to be pressed well into the late 70’s along with Absolutely Free. Always with a matte single sleeve in a variety of lighter red colour tones.

All rear sleeves utilize the inside U.S.A gatefold section of Frank, Ian Underwood

and Captain Beefheart.

Reprise RS 6356 single laminated sleeve, b/w different back, no Stereo on label,

red square logo-tan label. Released 1971




Reprise RS 6356 single matte sleeve, colour variations in cover, b/w different

back, Stereo on label, red square logo-tan label. Released mid 70’s





Reprise RS 6356 single matte sleeve, colour variations in cover, b/w different

back, Manufactured & Distributed by WEA and extra Copyright

info on label, red square logo-tan label, released mid to late 70’s.





BURNT WEENY SANDWICH

Reprise RS 6370 laminated front gatefold sleeve, no folder, red square logo-tan label.

released 1972

Reprise RS 6370 matte gatefold, sleeve, different coloured spine, no folder

manufactured & distributed by WEA and different layout on label, red

square logo-tan label. released 1975



WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH

Reprise MS 2028 laminated front sleeve, red square logo-tan label. released 1972

Reprise MS 2028 matte sleeve, different layout & extra copyright on label, red square

logo-tan label. released 1975

CHUNGAS REVENGE

Reprise MS 2030 laminated front sleeve, manufactured under licence on back,

red square logo-tan label. released 1972

Reprise MS 2030

Reprise MS 2030 matte sleeve, title colour variations, distributed by WEA on back,

1975 on spine, manufactured & distributed by WEA on label,

variation in track listing layout, red square logo-tan label.

released 1975

FILLMORE EAST, JUNE 1971

reprise MS 2042 laminated front sleeve, misprinting on some

labels, red square Logo-tan label. released 1972.

reprise MS 2042 matte sleeve, manufactured & distributed

by WEA on label, red square logo-tan label. released 1975

 

UNITED ARTISTS

200 MOTELS

The Australian pressing of Frank’s opus Soundtrack was released in here in 1972 in a matte gatefold sleeve, as with the U.S.A pressing. The only album on this label and Licensed to be distributed by Festival in Australia.

This was the only country that edited this album and with a ridiculous amount of censorship.

The complete track ‘Penis Dimension’ was removed along with three other tracks having

lines edited.

Side 1 track 9 Lonesome Cowboy Burt From the verse ‘Come out here to Californy Just to find me Some pretty girls Ones I seen Gets me so horny Ruby lips N’ teeth like pearls’. The two lines ‘Ones I seen Gets me so horny’ were removed.

Side 2 track 3 Redneck Eats From the verse ‘What the fuck was that? I wonder if that sonabitch can play something I might like..’ The line ‘What the fuck was that?’ was removed.

Side 2 track 9 Shove It Right In From the last two verses the line ‘Waiting girls they can shove it right in’ was removed.

As well as censorship the matte double gatefold album set didn’t contain a booklet or poster as with some other countries.

Reissued in the mid 70’s in the original sleeve with the same censorship but with a different catalogue number and slight label variation. An amended catalogue number sticker is placed over the printed number on the rear of the sleeve. Both pressings have side 1 & 4/record one and side 2 & 3/record two.

The 1972 cassette received the same censorship as the vinyl.

United Artists SUAL 934326/7 matte gatefold sleeve, one track removed, censored

lyrics, UA in brown-tan label. released 1972

United Artists LL 65477788 matte gatefold sleeve, one track removed, censored

lyrics, amended catalogue # sticker on back,

UA in brown-tan label. released 1975



REPRISE

JUST ANOTHER BAND FROM L.A

Reprise MS 2075 matte gatefold sleeve, red square logo-tan label. released 1972

Reprise MS 2075 matte gatefold sleeve, slight label variation, red square logo-

tan label. released 1975

WAKA/JAWAKA

Reprise MS 2094 laminated front & back sleeve, red square logo-tan label.

released 1973

THE GRAND WAZOO

Reprise MS 2093 laminated front & back gatefold sleeve, red square logo-tan label,

released 1973



DISCREET

Early 1973 Frank & Manager Herb Cohen replaced Straight and Bizarre records with Discreet, whereas a new distribution deal was made with Warner Bros. W.E.A handled the distribution in Australia.

The differences between the Australian and U.S.A pressings are only minor.

Over-nite Sensation’s inside gatefold is light brown & white compared to the rich brown & yellow of the U.S.A pressing.

The first pressing has the matrix number stamped in the run out grooves. All other pressings have hand written matrix which start with ‘WBR’. The matrix is also printed on the label, with label variations.

The Bongo Fury cover has a slightly larger image where now in the top left the writing is disclosed on the bottom of the mirror.

OVER-NITE SENSATION

Discreet MS 2149 matte gatefold with light brown & white inside covers, yellow label.

released 1973

Discreet MS 2149 matte gatefold with light brown & white inside covers, different label

layout, different matrix on label & vinyl, yellow label,

released 1975

Discreet MS 2149 matte gatefold with light brown & white inside covers, different label

layout, different matrix on label & vinyl, yellow label,

released 1975

APOSTROPHE(‘)

Discreet DS 2175 laminated front sleeve, manufactured & distributed under licence

from WEA on back, yellow label. released 1974

Discreet DS 2175 matte sleeve, distributed by WEA on back, yellow label.

released 1975





ROXY & ELSEWHERE

Discreet 2DS 2202 2LP laminated front & back gatefold, manufactured & distributed

under licence from WEA on inside cover, manufactured &

distributed in Australia under licence from WEA on label,

yellow label. released 1974

Discreet 2DS 2202 2LP matte gatefold, distributed by WEA on inside cover,

manufactured & distributed by WEA on label,

yellow label. released 1974

ONE SIZE FITS ALL

Discreet DS 2216 manufactured & distributed under licence from WEA on inside

cover and label, yellow label. released 1975

Discreet DS 2216 distributed by WEA on inside cover, manufactured & distributed

by WEA on label, slightly different label layout, yellow label.


BONGO FURY

Discreet DS 2243 matte sleeve, enlarged cover photo, yellow label. released 1975

ZAPPA IN NEW YORK

Discreet 2D 2290 matte gatefold, yellow label. released 1978

STUDIO TAN

Discreet DSK 2291 matte sleeve, yellow label. released 1979


SLEEP DIRT

Discreet DSK 2292 matte sleeve, yellow label. released 1979

ORCHESTRAL FAVOURITES

Discreet DSK 2294 matte sleeve, yellow label. released 1979

 

WARNER BROS

The only album on this label, released 1976 in a similar matte sleeve as with the U.S.A pressing. The first using the WB logo on the label, while the second late 70’s pressing has the palm tree label.

ZOOT ALLURES

Warner Bros BS 2970 matte sleeve, WB logo label. Released 1976

Warner Bros BS 2290 matte sleeve, palm tree logo. Released late 70’s
 


CBS

The first three titles in the States were on Frank’s own ‘ZAPPA’ label, though on CBS in all other countries. CBS covering distribution as well. Australian vinyl is basically the same , though we missed out on the inner sleeves from Sheik Yerbouti.

1980 Barking Pumpkin was set up with Frank finally taking complete control of his own product. Distribution in non U.S.A countries by CBS 1981-1983 then EMI 1984-1987.

SHEIK YERBOUTI

CBS S2BP 220210 2LP matte gatefold, no inner sleeves, sunburst label. released 1979

JOE’S GARAGE ACT I

CBS S2BP 237366 matte gatefold, 4 page insert, with or without Lyrics Warning

sticker on front, sunburst label. released 1979

JOE’S GARAGE ACT II & III

CBS S2BP 220222 2LP matte gatefold, with or without circular or square Lyrics

Warning sticker on front, sunburst label. released 1980

TINSELTOWN REBELLION

CBS S2BP 220239 2LP matte gatefold, with or without circular or square Lyrics

Warning sticker on front, sunburst label. released 1981

YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS

CBS S2BP 220244 2LP matte gatefold, inner sleeves, sunburst label. released 1981

SHUT UP ‘N PLAY YER GUITAR

CBS S3BP 220505 3LP two piece box, inner sleeves, sunburst label. released 1981

SHIP ARRIVING TOO LATE TO SAVE A DROWNING WITCH

CBS SBP 237809 matte sleeve, two sided insert, sunburst label. released 1982

THE MAN FROM UTOPIA

CBS SBP 237894 matte sleeve, sunburst label. released 1983

 

EMI

Similar releases except, Jazz From Hell has a light blue title strip on the top of both front and back covers opposed to a darker blue.

The reissue of Sheik Yerbouti has the inner sleeves that weren’t in the CBS release.

THEM OR US

EMI VMP 240234/2 2LP matte gatefold, red box logo-cream label. Released 1984

FRANK ZAPPA MEETS THE MOTHERS OF PREVENTION

EMI VMP 240492 matte sleeve, European version, red box logo-cream label.

released 1986

JAZZ FROM HELL

EMI VMP 240673 matte sleeve, light blue top & bottom on front & back, red box

logo-cream label. Released 1986

SHEIK YERBOUTI

EMI 260810 2LP matte gatefold, inner sleeves, red box logo-cream label.

released 1987

 

website counter