Frank Zappa’s seminal live double album Zappa in New York will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an extensive reissue that includes over three hours of previously unreleased performances. The five-disc set will arrive March 29th via Zappa Records and Universal Music.
The original set was recorded during Zappa’s four-night run at the Palladium in New York between Christmas and New Year’s 1976. Zappa in New York compiled the best performances from that run, while additional overdubs were added later in the studio. While the album was supposed to arrive in 1977, it was delayed until 1978 due to censorship issues, primarily over the song “Punky’s Whips” (which is one of several songs to feature narration from late Saturday Night Live announcer Don Pardo).
The 40th anniversary edition of Zappa in New York was produced by the late musician’s son, Ahmet Zappa, as well as Zappa “vaultmeister” Joe Travers. The collection will include the original album, remastered by Bob Ludwig, a slew of relevant vault rarities and various unreleased live recording that represent every song played during the Palladium concerts (including some alternate versions of songs that made the original LP). The unreleased live tracks were also newly mixed from the original two-inch 24-track master tapes.
The Zappa in New York reissue will be available in several formats. A five-CD set will include all the aforementioned material, a replica ticket from the show, previously unseen live photos shot by Gail Zappa, liner notes from Zappa band members Ruth Underwood and Ray White, and an essay by Travers with Jen Jewel Brown. The whole collection will be housed in a limited-edition box shaped like an NYC street manhole cover.
Zappa in New York will also be available digitally, and as a three-LP vinyl set, though the latter will include just the original record and an addition LP of select bonus bonus content. All versions are available to pre-order, while a digital pre-order comes with an instant download of the unreleased rarity, “The Purple Lagoon/Any Kind of Pain.”
Zappa in New York Track List
Disc One – The Original 1977 Vinyl Mix
1. “Titties and Beer”
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth”
3. “Big Leg Emma”
4. “Sofa”
5. “Manx Needs Women”
6. “The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1”
7. “Black Page #2”
8. “Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?”
9. “The Illinois Enema Bandit”
10. “The Purple Lagoon”
Disc Two – Bonus Concert Performances, Pt. 1
1. “The Most Important Musical Event Of 1976”
2. “Peaches En Regalia”
3. “The Torture Never Stops”
4. “The Black Page #2”
5. “Punky’s Whips Intro”
6. “Punky’s Whips”
7. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth”
8. “Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?”
9. “The Illinois Enema Bandit”
10. “Two For The Price Of One”
11. “Penis Dimension”
12. “Montana”
Disc Three – Bonus Concert Performances, Pt. 2
1. “America Drinks”
2. “Irate Phone Calls”
3. “Sofa #2”
4. “The Moment You’ve All Been Waiting For”
5. “I’m The Slime”
6. “Pound For A Brown”
7. “Terry’s Solo”
8. “The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1”
9. “Big Leg Emma”
10. “Jazz Buffs and Buff-etts”
11. “The Purple Lagoon”
12. “Find Her Finer”
13. “The Origin Of Manx”
14. “Manx Needs Women”
15. “Chrissy Puked Twice”
16. “Cruisin’ For Burgers”
Disc Four – Bonus Concert Performances, Pt. 3
1. “The Purple Lagoon/Any Kind Of Pain”
2. “The Greatest New Undiscovered Group In America”
3. “Black Napkins”
4. “Dinah-Moe Humm”
5. “Finale”
Disc Five – Bonus Vault Content
1. “The Black Page #2” (Piano Version)
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth” (Alternate Version)
3. “Chrissy Puked Twice”
4. “Cruisin’ For Burgers” (1977 Mix)
5. “Black Napkins”
6. “Punky’s Whips” (Unused Version)
7. “The Black Page #1” (Piano Version)
Zappa in New York Vinyl Version Track List
LP 1 / Side 1 – Original Album Mix Remastered
1. “Titties & Beer”
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth”
3. “Big Leg Emma”
LP 1 / Side 2 – Original Album
1. “Sofa”
2. “Manx Needs Women”
3. “The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1”
4. “Black Page #2”
LP 2 / Side 3 – Original Album
1. “Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?”
2. “The Illinois Enema Bandit”
LP 2 / Side 4 – Original Album
1. “The Purple Lagoon”
LP 3 / Side 1 – Bonus Vault Content
1. “Black Napkins”
2. “Cruisin’ For Burgers” (1977 Mix)
LP 3 / Side 2 – Bonus Vault Content
1. “The Black Page #2” (Piano Version)
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth” (Alternate Version)
3. “Punky’s Whips” (Unused Version)
4. “The Black Page #1” (Piano Version)