Bongo Fury
Encyclopedia
Bongo Fury is a mostly live album released by Frank Zappa
and Captain Beefheart
in 1975. The live portions were recorded on May 20 & 21, 1975 at the Armadillo World Headquarters
in Austin
, Texas
. Studio tracks were recorded in January 1975 (during the sessions which produced One Size Fits All
and much of Studio Tan
).
The album is a notable entry in Zappa's discography because it was the last to feature a majority of his early 1970s band, which appeared on Apostrophe (')
and Roxy & Elsewhere
. Napoleon Murphy Brock
's vocals are featured both on the sprawling "Advance Romance" as well as on the three-part harmonies of "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy". Captain Beefheart
, in his only tour with Zappa's band, delivers vocals on several tracks, including his two short prose readings "Sam With the Showing Scalp Flat Top" and
"Man With the Woman Head." Bongo Fury also marks the first appearance of Terry Bozzio
, who would become Zappa's featured drummer between 1975 and 1978.
All tracks composed by Zappa, except tracks 3 & 8 composed by Van Vliet.
NOTE - This is the last original Frank Zappa album on which the band name "[The] Mothers [of Invention]" is used.
(North America)
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
and Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
in 1975. The live portions were recorded on May 20 & 21, 1975 at the Armadillo World Headquarters
Armadillo World Headquarters
The Armadillo World Headquarters was the premier music hall and entertainment center in Austin, Texas, United States from 1970 to 1980.-History:...
in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Studio tracks were recorded in January 1975 (during the sessions which produced One Size Fits All
One Size Fits All
One Size Fits All is a 1975 rock album by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. It is the last Zappa album to be released with the subheading of "Mothers of Invention". A special four-channel Quadraphonic version of the album was prepared and advertised, but not released...
and much of Studio Tan
Studio Tan
Studio Tan is an album by Frank Zappa, first released in September, 1978 on his own DiscReet Records label. It reached #147 on the Billboard 200 albums chart...
).
The album is a notable entry in Zappa's discography because it was the last to feature a majority of his early 1970s band, which appeared on Apostrophe (')
Apostrophe (')
Apostrophe is an album by Frank Zappa, his eighteenth, released on March 22, 1974 in both stereo and quadraphonic formats. An edited version of its lead-off track, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", was Zappa's first chart single, reaching position 86. Apostrophe remains Zappa's biggest commercial...
and Roxy & Elsewhere
Roxy & Elsewhere
Roxy & Elsewhere is a live album by Frank Zappa & The Mothers which was released in 1974. Most of the songs were recorded at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California on December 8, 9 and 10, 1973...
. Napoleon Murphy Brock
Napoleon Murphy Brock
Napoleon Murphy Brock is an American singer, saxophonist and flute player who is best known for his work with Frank Zappa in the 1970s, including the albums One Size Fits All, Roxy and Elsewhere, and Bongo Fury...
's vocals are featured both on the sprawling "Advance Romance" as well as on the three-part harmonies of "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy". Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
, in his only tour with Zappa's band, delivers vocals on several tracks, including his two short prose readings "Sam With the Showing Scalp Flat Top" and
"Man With the Woman Head." Bongo Fury also marks the first appearance of Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
, who would become Zappa's featured drummer between 1975 and 1978.
Track listing
All tracks performed by Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart.All tracks composed by Zappa, except tracks 3 & 8 composed by Van Vliet.
Side one
- "Debra Kadabra" (live) – 3:54
- "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy" (live) – 5:59
- "Sam With the Showing Scalp Flat Top" (live) – 2:51
- "Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead" (live) – 3:03
- "200 Years Old" – 4:32
Side two
- "Cucamonga" – 2:24
- "Advance Romance" (live) – 11:17
- "Man With the Woman Head" (live) – 1:28
- "Muffin ManMuffin Man (song)"Muffin Man" is a song recorded live by Frank Zappa. It appears on his 1975 mostly live album Bongo Fury made with Captain Beefheart . The song begins with studio-recorded spoken word lyrics delivered by Zappa and is followed by the chorus...
" (live) – 5:34
NOTE - This is the last original Frank Zappa album on which the band name "[The] Mothers [of Invention]" is used.
Musicians
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
– vocals, guitar - Denny Walley – vocals, slide guitar
- Tom Fowler – bass, dancer
- Terry BozzioTerry BozzioTerry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
– drums - Chester ThompsonChester ThompsonChester Cortez Thompson is an American drummer and session musician.-Biography:Thompson made his name as a session drummer, going on to play in Frank Zappa's touring band and with Weather Report...
– drums - Captain BeefheartCaptain BeefheartDon Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
– vocals, saxophone, harmonica - George DukeGeorge DukeGeorge Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music...
– keyboards, vocals - Napoleon Murphy BrockNapoleon Murphy BrockNapoleon Murphy Brock is an American singer, saxophonist and flute player who is best known for his work with Frank Zappa in the 1970s, including the albums One Size Fits All, Roxy and Elsewhere, and Bongo Fury...
– saxophone, vocals - Bruce FowlerBruce FowlerBruce Lambourne Fowler is a prominent American trombone player and composer. He notably played trombone on many Frank Zappa records, as well as with Captain Beefheart, and in the Fowler Brothers Band...
– trombone, dancer
Production staff
- Michael Braunstein – engineer
- Frank Hubach – engineer
- Kelly Kotera – engineer
- Kerry McNabb – engineer
- Davey Moire – engineer
- Cal SchenkelCal SchenkelCal Schenkel is an artist specialising in album cover design. He was the main visual collaborator for Frank Zappa and was responsible for the art and graphic design of many of Zappa's most well-known album covers. Schenkel's work is iconic and distinctive in style; a forerunner of punk art and...
– design - John Williams – photography, cover photo
- Bob Stone – engineer
- Mike Stone – engineer
Charts
Album - BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Pop Albums | 66 |