Review: Zappa's 200 Motels 6 CD set

 

The long awaited 50th anniversary monster disc set of Frank Zappa's soundtrack album 200 Motels was released on CD and streaming sources on December 17. There is also a 2 LP reissue of the original 2 LP set.
The set features some very interesting unreleased music, but also a bunch of dialogue tracks that few fans will listen to more than once.

On disc one and two we get the tracks from the original double album. This is great since it has been out of print for a long time and has not been available for streaming either. The original album has a somewhat thin sound but this new remastered issue sounds a lot better. The instruments are better separated and both the rock songs and the orchestral parts has more bottom and richer sound.

Then there are several demos of 200 Motels songs and songs for Chunga's Revenge. The most interesting one being on of the versions of "What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning". It has a rare musical intro that was left off the officially released song. Could have been the theme of a talk show. Keyboardist George Duke on trombone here. Check that out!
And for you who lingered for a while when reading "one of the versions", yes there are quite some repetition. There are multiple versions on some of the songs. In some cases interesting. In other cases the differences are not very obvious.

The new 200 Motels 6 CD set

Another segement that belongs to the highlights is "What's The Name Of Your Group?" A short piece of this one can be heard on the Remington Electric Razor bootleg and on a 2015 Record Store Day 7". 
It is a piece featuring the The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a female classical vocalist. Beautiful!
It includes the theme of "A Pound For A Brown On A Bus", a theme that Zappa often returned to after it was first released on Uncle Meat in 1969. 

A newer version of "What's The Name Of Your Group?"is also included on the CD 200 Motels – The Suites by conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and Los Angeles Philharmonic (recorded in 2013, released in 2015).

On the new 200 Motels set there are also versions of orchestral music from the original release but without the dialogue overdubs. Nice!

If you want to dive deeper into the details of this release we can highly recommend the ZappaCast Podcast where Joe Travers, Zappa's vaultmeister, and others talk about it. 

ZappaCast, December 10, 2021

When Frank Zappa met Elton John...

 

In the mid 70's Elton John and Frank Zappa were rehearsing their bands at Pirate Sounds in Los Angeles just doors apart. In the interview clip above Frank tells what happened when he went to check out Elton's rehearsal. "I walked in there one day. He got panic stricken", says Frank. This is just Frank's point of view and he loved to see himself as the demanding band leader. It would be interesting to hear Elton's memories of this encounter.

Robert Fripp: King Crimson have moved from sound to silence

 

King Crimson in Stockholm 2016.

Was the final tour date in Japan on December 8 also the band's final concert ever?
Band leader Robert Fripp says King Crimson have ‘moved from sound to silence’ following their final Japanese tour date in Tokyo.
Read more here:
https://planetradio.co.uk/planet-rock/news/rock-news/robert-fripp-king-crimson/?fbclid=IwAR10ljJF-OHTaZ_BPQnJrcRHJ58ZCf1ebbwVVqC3YhRtVLKXZWFZmFmFHx8

New Jethro Tull album in January 2022

Jethro Tull is releasing their first studio album of new material in over 18 years.
The Zealot Gene will see a January 28th, 2022 release.

Here is the first single from the album, Shoshana Sleeping:
https://youtu.be/uPTeqsBd1Ik

Bowie's Karma Man from the unreleased Toy album out now

 

Here is Karma Man, the second digital single from the legendary unreleased album Toy!
The song was originally recorded way early in David Bowie's career, in 1967, but wasn't released until 1970 when it appeared on a Bowie compilation album.

Around 2000 Bowie recorded a new version for the album Toy, but the album was shelved after a dispute between Bowie and his record company.
However this brilliant version of Karma Man has now been released digitally. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/pSycYtnZcbc

Toy will be released on January 7, 2022, in three-CD and six 10″ vinyl versions.
Before that (on November 26, 2021), Toy will be released as a part of the archival box set Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001).

Here is the first single from Toy:
https://youtu.be/-fC-FxTP_DA

Jethro Tull on the road playing Zappa and Gentle Giant?

Is this a joke? In a YouTube video Jethro Tull leader Ian Anderson announces a surprising setlist for the UK shows of the Prog Years tour in September.

How about Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull performing Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA, The Advent of Panurge by Gentle Giant and (as an encore) Frank Zappa's Dinah-Moe Humm?
Not many Tull songs on the setlist, Ian. 
But the Radio Dupree staff is excited! And since we have tickets for one of the shows in northern Europe early 2022, we will find out if Ian and the lads really can bring out the Stairway to Heaven.

Click here to watch the video.

New Donald Fagen album coming!

In a Rolling Stone article dated September 30 Donald Fagen is quoted saying

After [the pandemic] went on for a while, I ended up writing almost an album’s worth of tunes for a solo record.

He says that a few demos for the new songs have been recorded and also mentions the title of one of the new songs; The Stellar Bartender. Apparently about a "very empathetic bartender".

There is no set date on when it will eventually arrive. Let's hope for 2022. :)

His solo albums so far:

The Nightfly (1982)

Kamakiriad (1993)

Morph The Cat (2006)

Sunken Condos (2012)

Donald Fagen's The Nightfly Live (2021) (*)

Read the full article here.

Meanwhile Steely Dan is back on the road towards the end of this month for the Absolutely Normal Tour '21. Check the tour dates covering October-November 202 and May-August 2022 over at steelydan.com. 

(*) Although the live album was recorded by the Steely Dan band during the 2019 tour, Radio Dupree thinks this should count as a Donald Fagen record. Or maybe not. 

The Specials play Zappa and Talking Heads on new album

Signing the new album. Photo: thespecials.com

On their new album British ska veterans The Specials do their own takes of 12 different protest songs dating from 1924 to 2012.
Fans of Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention and Talking Heads may be curious about the cover versions of Trouble Every Day and Listening Wind respectively.

Track list:
1.  Freedom highway
2.  Everybody knows
3.  I don't mind failing in this world
4.  Black, brown and white
5.  Ain't gonna let nobody turn us around
6.  Fuck all the perfect people
7.  My next door neighbor
8.  Trouble every day
9.  Listening wind
10.  I live in a city
11.  Soldiers who want to be heroes
12.  Get up, stand up

Album title: Protest Songs 1924-2012.
Release date: Friday October 1, 2021.

 

One track from the Zappa 200 Motels box available for streaming

Magic Fingers (Dialog Prtoection Reel) from the upcoming Frank Zappa 50th anniversary edition of 200 Motels is now available on Youtube and other streaming service sources.

YouTube: Magic Fingers (Dialog Protection Reel)

Box set of Zappa's 200 Motels for release in November

New Donald Fagen interview + two live albums

We have already written about the new Steely Dan/Donald Fagen live albums to be released 24 Septeber 2021.

Well, they're out and the vinyl versions coming in a week or so. Here's a brand new interview with Donald Fagen:

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/conversation-with-donald-fagen

Box set of Zappa's 200 Motels for release in November

50th anniversary release on November 19. The box set will include demos, studio outtakes and the original soundtrack (remastered by Bernie Grundman). 

The CD box set includes 6 discs. The original solundtrack will also be released on 2LP/2CD. 

Late news: DVD of the film will not be included in this release. 

https://www.zappa.com/news/200-motels-50th-anniversary-edition-available-november-19-zappa-recordsume

Remixed, remastered and updated release from Pink Floyd

First a part of the 2019 box set The Later Years the 2019 version of Pink Floyd's  A Momentary Lapse of Reason will be released as a separate vinyl album on October 29, 2021. 

Not only remastered but remixed and ... updated. As the press information says:

By returning to some of Richard Wright's original keyboard takes, and by re-recording new drum tracks with Nick Mason, producers David Gilmour and Bob Ezrin have restored a better creative balance between the three Pink Floyd members.

You get a half-speed master cut at 45 rpm for enhanced audio quality and a gatefold sleeve with 28-page booklet including new and updated artwork with a previously unused image from the original photo shoot. 

There is of course also CD, CD + DVD and CD + Blu-Ray versions released.

Radio Dupree will leave it at that.

Surprise new album from Elton John

You can stream it, get it on CD, vinyl and ... cassette!

As his final world tour ground to a Covid-19 halt for more than a year, Elton John sort of seems to have stumbled into making new music adding up to the suitably named album The Lockdown Sessions due to be released 22 October this year. 

It is a 16 track collaboration album and here's what Elton has to say about it:

All the tracks I worked on were really interesting and diverse, stuff that was completely different to anything I’m known for, stuff that took me out of my comfort zone into completely new territory.

At the start of my career, in the late 60s, I worked as a session musician. Working with different artists during lockdown reminded me of that. I was a session musician again. And it was still a blast.

Four of the songs have already been released in 2020 and 2021 as separate tracks. They're marked with a *.

1. Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) *

2. Elton John, Young Thug & Nicki Minaj – Always Love You

3. Surfaces feat. Elton John – Learn To Fly *

4. Elton John & Charlie Puth – After All

5. Rina Sawayama & Elton John – Chosen Family *

6. Gorillaz feat. Elton John & 6LACK – The Pink Phantom

7. Elton John & Years & Years – It's a sin (global reach mix) *

8. Miley Cyrus feat. WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo & Chad Smith – Nothing Else Matters

9. Elton John & SG Lewis – Orbit

10. Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Simple Things

11. Jimmie Allen & Elton John – Beauty In The Bones

12. Lil Nas X feat. Elton John – One Of Me

13. Elton John & Eddie Vedder – E-Ticket

14. Elton John & Stevie Wonder – Finish Line

15. Elton John & Stevie Nicks – Stolen Car

16. Glen Campbell & Elton John – I’m Not Gonna Miss You

Eltons output over the past few years has been a mix of new and old:

His latest album of new music dates back five years; Wonderful Crazy Night, released in 2016.

Live from Moscow 1979 was released in 2020 and Regimental Sgt. Zippo recorded late 1967 and early1968 was released this summer.

Walter Becker: Two "new" versions of "Surf And/Or Die"

3 September, 2021 and it is on the day four years since Walter Becker of Steely Dan passed away.

Today sees the release of two unheard versions of the song Surf And/Or Die from his solo album 11 Tracks Of Whack released in 1994. 

There's a demo and an early take that did not make the album. Hear them both here:

  

But today is also the day that Walter Becker University opens its doors. For more on WBU click this link: walterbecker.com

R.I.P. Charlie Watts

The sad news came a couple of hours ago. Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has passed away at the age of 80.

His spokesperson declares: "It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family..."

https://www.facebook.com/therollingstones

 

Elton John and Dua Lipa release four songs in one!

 Cod Heart is the title of the song that Elton John and Dua Lipa released yesterday. But in reality it is a mix of four old Elton songs that has been cut up and joined as one by Australian trio Pnau.

Pnau is a trio consisting of Peter Mayes and brothers Nick and Sam Littlemore who already back in 2012 released Good Morning to the Night which was a remixed collection of Elton songs made into new ones. And it was a hit giving Elton his first number 1 on the UK for 22 years.

Radio Dupree's Elton specialist has listened to the new song and deems it a hit. He also added that it is a bit strange when Elton's remixed and remodeled old songs comes across as more exciting than his recent albums of new songs, but that's the way it goes.

For your entertainment here's brand new Cold Heart video and here's the links to the song that this song was complied from:
Sacrifice (1989) Album: Sleeping With The Past.
Kiss The Bride (1983) Album; Too Low For Zero
Where's The Shoorah (1976) Album: Blue Moves
Rocket Man (1972) Album: Honky Château

New albums from Donald Fagen and Steely Dan!

In a bit of a surprise it was announced on July 27 that there are two new live albums from Steely Dan and Donald Fagen coming this autumn.

Both albums were recorded during the 2019 Steely Dan tour and will be released as files, CD:s as well as on vinyl. 

September 24 is the release date for all but the vinyl versions. They will arrive October 1.

Both albums produced by Donald Fagen and Patrick Dillett. More on Patrick here.

The new live Steely Dan album is called Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live! 

Tracks:

1. Black Cow

2. Kid Charlemagne

3. Rikki Don't Lose That Number

4. Hey Nineteen

5. Any Major Dude Will Tell You

6. Glamour Profession

7. Things I Miss the Most

8. Aja

9. Peg

10. Bodhisattva

11. Reelin' in the Years

12. A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry

Here's a first taste:

The new live Donald Fagen album is called The Nightfly Live.

Tracks:

 1. I.G.Y

2. Green Flower Street

3. Ruby Baby

4. Maxine

5. New Frontier

6. The Nightfly

7. The Goodbye Look

8. Walk Between the Raindrops

Meanwhile the twice postponed 2020 Earth After Hours Tour with Steve Winwood is still on for 2022, but added is the Absolutely Normal Tour 2021 starting in Miami Beach October 5. All the dates here.

Tickets go on sale July 30. Or on the 29 if you're into the "presale" or "platinum" game of spending even more money. 

Dee Gees (Foo Fighters) covers the Bee Gees for Record Store Day

Record Store Day does deliver some good stuff as well as some duds.

As far as Radio Dupree goes the 2021 Record Store Day release You Should Be Dancing from Dee Gees is on the plus side. 

Having enjoyed - in various levels of ecstasy all the way to despair - the disco era of the 1970's, this was a surprise release from Foo Fighters. Excuse me, Dee Gees:

Highlights and weak points of "Zappa '88: The last U.S. Show"

Frank Zappa's versions of songs by The Beatles, some gorgeous versions of Zappa's own tunes and the sound quality itself are the strong point of this new album. 

This 2 CD/4 LP set Zappa '88: The last U.S. Show consists of the entire show at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y. 3/25 1988. Well, two songs have been replaced with versions from other shows, since it seems like Dweezil Zappa was not satisfied with his guitar playing on the Nassau Coliseum recording.

On this his last tour Zappa played surprisingly many "covers". Well, for several tours he had played the Allman Brothers' Whipping Post, usually saved for an encore. But here we get several songs that must have come as a big surprise for the audience; A medley of Beatles tunes – Norwegian Wood, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Strawberry Fields Forever – with new lyrics, I'm The Walrus with original lyrics, Ravel's Bolero and  Led Zeppelin's Stairway To Heaven, plus a few others.

During this 2½ hours long show we also get classic Zappa tunes as Inca Roads and The Black Page (a "new age" version). But the ones that really make my heart melt are Sofa and When The Lie's So Big. Just beautiful!

Frank had very high thoughts about the abilities of this touring unit, but there were previous bands that were better (i.m.o.). To be honest the '88 band often lacked groove and didn't really "rock", Some of the songs sound over-arranged or over-played, if you know what I mean. Everybody do not have to play all the time.

Let's face it, Frank would never have released a concert in its entirity like this, since besides the songs that sound great we also get to hear the mistakes and the solos that didn't really go anywhere. But on the other hand it's cool to hear how a whole show sounded...AND the sound quality of this album is also better than the previous releases from the '88 tour. 

S. Huckle

Sheryl Crow interviewed as she's getting ready to release her final album

Here's an interview with Sheryl Crow well worth watching ... weather you're a fan or not:

Donald Fagen playing on David Crosby's upcoming album

Since Radio Dupree was started with a special dose of affinity for Steely Dan and Frank Zappa, we do keep an extra pair of eyes open for any news about those artists. So excuse us for the headline beginning with Donald and not David. 

July 23, 2021 is the date David Crosby will release his album For Free. Roughly one month before he turns 80. 

Among the musicians on the record is Donald Fagen, who's latest solo album Sunken Condos was released in 2012. He has kept a low profile as far as new recordings go and instead opted for touring as Steely Dan. He has, however, appeared on other musicians recordings. And this is the latest example.

Meanwhile Steely Dan is set to tour again starting in May, 2022, It's the twice postponed 2020 Earth After Hours Tour with Steve Winwood that hopefully will go live next year after the pandemic situation has been sorted out. 

Anyway, here's a preview track from For Free written by David's son James Raymond and Michael McDonald (Another Steely Dan connection!): 

Bowie recordings from 1970 to be released on 2 CD set

The album The Width of a Circle features 21 tracks: "non-album singles, a BBC In Concert session, music for a TV play and further Visconti remixes wrapping up David’s recordings from 1970 and revealing the first sonic steps toward Hunky Dory."

The David Bowie 2 CD set will be released on Parlophone on May 28, 2021.

https://www.davidbowie.com/blog/2021/4/13/the-width-of-a-circle-due-next-month

One of the tracks is already available here. A 2020 mix of Holy Holy:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2vrxKWXL6tPuUwfROlFhAW?si=b0ad0c2f89b64fa5

Genesis announce US fall tour

 

Genesis will do a US tour in November and December 2021. Before that (September-October) they will play the rescheduled UK tour dates.
The core of the group is made up of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks. On drums – Nic Collins. Guitar – Daryl Stuermer.

https://www.genesis-music.com/

https://www.loudersound.com/news/genesis-announce-2021-us-tour-dates?fbclid=IwAR1jtbaV6MqRSRxv53vxI8PiHSLmcqjYzaTTavrYfHyoHFkA5PKo8BZTJLg

New Zappa album from the last tour – including Beatles medley

A 2 CD/4 LP set from Frank Zappa's last US tour will be released on June 18.
The highlight of the album is probably the previously unreleased Beatles medley, a medley of songs where Frank changed the lyrics.
The album title is not really honest. Almost all songs were recorded at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 3/25/1988, Zappa's last show in the US. Two songs come from other shows.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B092C2MJSW/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_apa_glt_2VA0AMQH6E54A4YD90MK?fbclid=IwAR13lR2Iqysf7ueYj5XLffzxXUwC_x9zmcS9ZmTuH36rbng4i8Ho0uz84V8

One song is already available for streaming here: 
https://open.spotify.com/album/17zsryow67Xt8UTScZ9i13?si=7bUItir_T3iowR4Z8iy74Q

King Crimson’s 1969 BBC Radio Sessions released on YouTube on April 8

 

King Crimson’s 1969 album “21st Century Schizoid Man" (BBC Radio Sessions) will be released this Thursday, April 8th, at 11:00am CEST in the Official King Crimson YouTube Channel. 

Click on the link to set a reminder: 

https://youtu.be/Pi8x9OsJnEY

The original master tapes of this recording from May 6, 1969 have long disappeared from the BBC archives. This version has been revived from an Italian bootleg. 

Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" is 50! Watch this special livestream

Catch Ian Anderson talking about all the songs on the 1971 album Aqualung in this live special that first aired March 19 2021.

New song from Walter Becker released just in time for his birthday: One In the A.M.

Walter Becker was born February 20, 1950. And just in time for February 20, 2021 one more song from the vaults sees the light of  day - or darkness of night, depending were you live. 

We at Radio Dupree got to enjoy it 11:35 p.m. February 19. 

Pop on over to the forum at
https://www.walterbeckermedia.com/forum/rarities-unreleased/one-in-the-a-m and wish Walter a Happy Birthday. Maybe even leave a comment on the song. Then listen to all the other stuff that's there; demos, unreleased songs, rehearsal tapes etc.  All available to listen to and download for free as per Walter Becker's wishes.

There is a tape of Zappa and Hendrix jamming...but where?

The Zappa vault sure contains a lot, and everything have not been cataloged, the Hendrix tape being one of those items.
"The one we haven’t found yet", Frank's son Ahmet Zappa tells Noise11.com.

Read more here: 
http://www.noise11.com/news/there-is-a-frank-zappa-and-jimi-hendrix-tape-but-the-zappas-cant-find-it-20210211?fbclid=IwAR26m98ceJClfDdYdQ3LSTWucmFZ9S37cKL2_BVdjC8cLuSB45xevumiuj4

The pocast Phil Collins from A to Z premieres

The first of six episodes of this podcast has been published! As the title says it's all about Phil Collins with Phil Collins and hosted by radio personality Matt Everitt. 

The following five episodes will be released one a week on Fridays. And here's the link:

http://www.philcollins.lnk.to/A-ZPodcast  

Jazz giant Chick Corea has passed away

 

The legendary keyboard artist Chick Corea passed away on February 9, Corea's family reports on his Facebook page.

"It is with great sadness we announce that on February 9th, Chick Corea passed away at the age of 79, from a rare form of cancer which was only discovered very recently."

https://downbeat.com/news/detail/in-memoriam-chick-corea

Chester Thompson talks about his days with Zappa, Genesis and Weather Report

 

Rolling Stone has an interesting interview with drummer Chester Thompson. The man is a real veteran and talks about his days with Genesis, Frank Zappa, Weather Report and others.

"One day, he got pretty frustrated with me and literally cussed me out in front of everybody. He told me that I sounded like crap and all that. The vibe just changed." – Chester Thompson on Phil Collins

Read the whole story here:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/drummer-chester-thompson-interview-genesis-phil-collins-frank-zappa-weather-report-1122064/

Steely Dan on the Biden-Harris Inaugural Playlist

As per usual the US president and vice president has reeleased a playlist for the inauguration. Steely Dan being on it is the reason we made a post about it, although there are quite a few more on that list that would make the Radio Dupree playlist as well.

More about the list here:

https://variety.com/2021/music/news/biden-harris-inaugural-playlist-songs-streaming-1234886600/

New song from State Cows for all yacht rock westcoast AOR fans

 The Swedish band State Cows has a new song for 2021. 

And here is where you can hear it: