The Old Masters
Encyclopedia
The Old Masters is an album box set series by Frank Zappa
. Originally four box sets were planned, but only three were issued. Contrary to the box set series' name, the sets featured remixes that were vastly different from the original albums (prepared for the CD
reissues). In the case of We're Only In It For The Money and Cruising With Ruben & The Jets, the original rhythm tracks were replaced by bass player Arthur Barrow
and drummer Chad Wackerman
(Cruising With Ruben & The Jets also featured Jay Anderson playing string bass).
, Absolutely Free
, We're Only In It For The Money
, Lumpy Gravy
and Cruising With Ruben & The Jets
) and a bonus "Mystery Disc" consisting of previously unissued material that, at the time, was unavailable elsewhere. Only the first and second Old Masters box sets featured a Mystery Disc. In 1998, both Mystery Discs were combined together and released as a single CD
by Rykodisc
(with the omission of two tracks, "Big Leg Emma" and "Why Don'tcha Do Me Right", which had already been included as bonus tracks on the Absolutely Free CD). A sampler containing material from the box set was also issued.
Originally, all of the albums in the first Old Masters box set were to feature new overdubs, but this never came to be. A remix of Lumpy Gravy was prepared, but never released in complete form until 2009 on Lumpy Money
(although an excerpt appeared on the sampler for the first Old Masters box set).
The second box set consisted of the albums Uncle Meat
, Hot Rats
, Burnt Weeny Sandwich
, Weasels Ripped My Flesh
, Chunga's Revenge
, Fillmore East, June 1971 and Just Another Band From L.A.
. Like its predecessor, it featured a bonus "Mystery Disc
" of previously unreleased material. The material on both bonus discs were not available elsewhere until they were issued on a single CD in 1998 by Rykodisc
.
The third box set consisted of the albums Waka/Jawaka
, The Grand Wazoo
, Over-Nite Sensation
, Apostrophe (')
, Roxy & Elsewhere
, One Size Fits All
, Bongo Fury
and Zoot Allures
. Unlike its predecessors, it did not feature a "Mystery Disc
", and a sampler was not issued.
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...
. Originally four box sets were planned, but only three were issued. Contrary to the box set series' name, the sets featured remixes that were vastly different from the original albums (prepared for the CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
reissues). In the case of We're Only In It For The Money and Cruising With Ruben & The Jets, the original rhythm tracks were replaced by bass player Arthur Barrow
Arthur Barrow
Arthur Barrow is a multi-instrumental musician, best known for his stint as a bass guitar player for Frank Zappa in the late 1970s and early 1980s.-Early life:...
and drummer Chad Wackerman
Chad Wackerman
Chad Wackerman is a jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer; arguably best known in the United States for his work as a drummer and percussionist in Frank Zappa's band...
(Cruising With Ruben & The Jets also featured Jay Anderson playing string bass).
Box One
The first box set consisted of the first five albums by Zappa (Freak Out!Freak Out!
Freak Out! is the debut album by American band The Mothers of Invention, released June 27, 1966 on Verve Records. Often cited as one of rock music's first concept albums, the album is a satirical expression of frontman Frank Zappa's perception of American pop culture...
, Absolutely Free
Absolutely Free
Absolutely Free is the second album by The Mothers of Invention, led by Frank Zappa. Absolutely Free is, again, a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire. The band had been augmented since Freak Out! by the addition of saxophone player Bunk Gardner, keyboardist Don...
, We're Only In It For The Money
We're Only in It for the Money
We're Only in It For the Money is the third studio album by The Mothers of Invention, released in March 1968. The album peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 200...
, Lumpy Gravy
Lumpy Gravy
Lumpy Gravy is the first solo album by Frank Zappa, originally released in 1967, but not generally available until May 1968. Zappa was credited as conductor on the album cover and he described the contents as "a curiously inconsistent piece, which started out to be a BALLET, but probably didn't...
and Cruising With Ruben & The Jets
Cruising with Ruben & the Jets
Cruising With Ruben & The Jets is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in December 1968, and controversially reissued in an alternate mix with newly recorded bass and percussion in 1984.-Concept:...
) and a bonus "Mystery Disc" consisting of previously unissued material that, at the time, was unavailable elsewhere. Only the first and second Old Masters box sets featured a Mystery Disc. In 1998, both Mystery Discs were combined together and released as a single CD
Mystery Disc
Mystery Disc is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released on CD in 1998, compiling tracks that were originally released on two separate vinyl records and included in the mail order Old Masters box sets, which were released in three volumes between 1985 and 1987...
by Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
(with the omission of two tracks, "Big Leg Emma" and "Why Don'tcha Do Me Right", which had already been included as bonus tracks on the Absolutely Free CD). A sampler containing material from the box set was also issued.
Originally, all of the albums in the first Old Masters box set were to feature new overdubs, but this never came to be. A remix of Lumpy Gravy was prepared, but never released in complete form until 2009 on Lumpy Money
Lumpy Money
The Lumpy Money Project/Object is an album by Frank Zappa. The album commemorates the 40th anniversary of both Zappa's first solo album, Lumpy Gravy , and his 1968 record We're Only in It for the Money with The Mothers of Invention...
(although an excerpt appeared on the sampler for the first Old Masters box set).
Box Two
Uncle Meat
Uncle Meat is the fifth studio album by the Mothers of Invention, released in 1969. It is billed as a supposed "soundtrack" to a film by The Mothers of Invention which was, in the end, never made. The front cover, designed by Cal Schenkel, included the words ""...
, Hot Rats
Hot Rats
Hot Rats is the second solo album by Frank Zappa. It was released in October 1969. Five of the six songs are instrumental . It was Zappa's first recording project after the dissolution of the original Mothers of Invention...
, Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Burnt Weeny Sandwich is a live and studio compilation album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970 ....
, Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Weasels Ripped My Flesh is an album by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, released in 1970.Given Zappa's already stated penchant for expressing his music in "phases"—We're Only in It for the Money was written up as "phase one of Lumpy Gravy"—conceptually, Zappa fans occasionally label this...
, Chunga's Revenge
Chunga's Revenge
Chunga's Revenge is an album by Frank Zappa, released on October 23, 1970. Zappa's first effort of the 1970s marks the first appearance of former Turtles members Flo & Eddie on a Zappa record, and signals the dawn of a controversial epoch in Zappa's history...
, Fillmore East, June 1971 and Just Another Band From L.A.
Just Another Band from L.A.
Just Another Band from L.A. is a live album by The Mothers, released in 1972 . It was recorded live on August 7, 1971 in Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles. A notable inclusion on this album is Billy the Mountain, Zappa's long, narrative parody of rock operas, which were gaining...
. Like its predecessor, it featured a bonus "Mystery Disc
Mystery Disc
Mystery Disc is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released on CD in 1998, compiling tracks that were originally released on two separate vinyl records and included in the mail order Old Masters box sets, which were released in three volumes between 1985 and 1987...
" of previously unreleased material. The material on both bonus discs were not available elsewhere until they were issued on a single CD in 1998 by Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
.
Box Three
Waka/Jawaka
Waka/Jawaka is an album by Frank Zappa, released in 1972. The album is the jazz-influenced precursor to The Grand Wazoo, and, as the front cover indicates, sequel of sorts to 1969's Hot Rats. Miles Davis's Bitches Brew-era influence is readily apparent on this and its sister album, The Grand Wazoo...
, The Grand Wazoo
The Grand Wazoo
The Grand Wazoo is a 1972 jazz fusion album by Frank Zappa. Composed and recorded during Zappa's period of convalescence following his assault in London, the album, along with its "twin brother" Waka/Jawaka, represent Zappa's foray into big band fusion, the logical progression from Hot Rats, which...
, Over-Nite Sensation
Over-Nite Sensation
Over-Nite Sensation is an album by Frank Zappa & The Mothers, released in 1973 . It was recorded in March – June 1973 at these studios: Bolic Sound in Inglewood, Whitney, in Glendale, and Paramount in Los Angeles...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, Bongo Fury
Bongo Fury
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...
and Zoot Allures
Zoot Allures
Zoot Allures is a 1976 rock album by Frank Zappa. This was Zappa's only release on the Warner Bros. Records label. Due to a lawsuit with his former manager Herb Cohen Frank Zappa's recording contract was temporarily re-assigned from DiscReet Records to Warner Bros.The title is a pun on the French...
. Unlike its predecessors, it did not feature a "Mystery Disc
Mystery Disc
Mystery Disc is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released on CD in 1998, compiling tracks that were originally released on two separate vinyl records and included in the mail order Old Masters box sets, which were released in three volumes between 1985 and 1987...
", and a sampler was not issued.