The Lost Episodes

Frank Zappa personally compiled this Rykodisc collection of studio rarities, alternate versions, and unreleased tracks as one of his last projects -- not only as a way of paying tribute to many of the people who had affected his life but also as a gesture of appreciation to his fans. Assembled as a kind of after-hours project over 18 months in 1992 and 1993, THE LOST EPISODES includes 30 tracks spanning 1958-1972, with short detours to 1980 and 1992. Tracks of particular note include "Ronny's Booger Story" and "Kenny's Booger Story," which shed new light on the (ahem) incidents which inspired "Let's Make the Water Turn Black," an early, jazz samba arrangement of "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance," "Lil' Clanton Shuffle," a blues jam left off 1969's HOT RATS which features Sugar Cane Harris on violin, original recordings of such Zappa gems as "RDNZL" and "Inca Roads," the 1980 single version of "I Don't Wanna Get Drafted," and five tracks featuring the vocal stylings of Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) including one of the earliest Zappa-Beefheart studio collaborations, "Tiger Roach." TLE's cover art is by Gabor Csupo, founder of Klasky-Csupo Animation, the people who originally animated The Simpsons. Packaged in a deluxe slipcase, the album is accompanied by a 52-page booklet with extensive liner notes by music journalist Rip Rense, including detailed commentary about each song derived from interviews with Zappa, engineer Spencer Chrislu, and a plethora of FZ's musical associates including Vliet, Ruth Underwood, Terry Bozzio, and James "Motorhead" Sherwood. Both Rense and Csupo contributed to this package at Zappa's request.