frank zappa the hot rats sessions-400x

Por Fabian Chacur

Na extensa discografia do saudoso, genial e prolífico Frank Zappa, Hot Rats (1969) é considerado um de seus itens mais concisos e preciosos. Como forma de celebrar os 50 anos de lançamento deste álbum incrível (leia a resenha de Mondo Pop para este álbum clássico aqui), o selo Zappa Records e a Universal Music prometem lançar no exterior no dia 20 de dezembro The Hot Rats Sessions.

Trata-se de uma caixa contendo seis CDs com faixas gravadas pelo roqueiro americano durante as sessões de gravação que geraram o LP original, incluindo algumas que, ou com outros títulos ou configurações alteradas, apareceriam depois em álbuns como Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970), Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970), Chunga’s Revenge (1970) e Studio Tan (1978).

Além dos seis discos, o fã leva de quebra um livreto com 28 páginas incluindo fotos inéditas da época (incluindo alguns out-takes das sessões para a capa) e textos informativos de Ian Underwood (que participou das gravações) e um opinativo de ninguém menos do que Matt Groening, autor dos Simpsons e fã confesso da obra de Frank Zappa. A curiosidade fica por conta de um jogo de tabuleiro no qual o fã precisa ajudar o músico a finalizar as gravações do álbum.

Os fãs de vinil também curtirão outro relançamento, que trará Hot Rats em LP cor rosa de 180 gramas trazendo como brinde um picture disc de 10 polegadas intitulado Peaches En Regalia EP que inclui mixagens em mono das faixas Peaches En Regalia e Little Umbrellas. Todo esse material (incluindo a caixa) será disponibilizado nas plataformas digitais.

Se nos EUA Hot Rats não passou da posição de nº 178, no Reino Unido se tornou o álbum de Zappa a atingir a melhor posição naquela região do mundo, chegando ao nº 9. O disco, basicamente instrumental, é um dos primeiros do que se convencionou chamar, posteriormente, de jazz rock. A única faixa com vocais, Willie The Pimp, tem como cantor Captain Beefheart.

Eis o conteúdo completo de The Hot Rat Sessions:

Disco 1: Basic Track Recording Sessions @ T.T.G. Studios, Hollywood, CA 7/18/1969 (1-2) and 7/28/1969 (3-12)

Piano Music (Section 1)
Piano Music (Section 3)
Peaches En Regalia (Prototype)
Peaches En Regalia (Section 1, In Session)
Peaches En Regalia (Section 1, Master Take)
Peaches Jam – Part 1
Peaches Jam – Part 2
Peaches En Regalia (Section 3, In Session)
Peaches En Regalia (Section 3, Master Take)
Arabesque (In Session)
Arabesque (Master Take)
Dame Margret’s Son To Be a Bride (In Session)
Portions of Disc 1, Track 2 released as “Aybe Sea” on Burnt Weeny Sandwich (Zappa Official Release #9, 1970)
Portions of Disc 1, Track 11 released as “Toads Of The Short Forest” on Weasels Ripped My Flesh (Zappa Official Release #10, 1970)

Disco 2: Basic Track Recording Sessions @ T.T.G. Studios, Hollywood, CA 7/29/1969

It Must Be a Camel (Part 1, In Session)
It Must Be a Camel (Part 1, Master Take)
It Must Be a Camel (Intercut, In Session)
It Must Be a Camel (Intercut, Master Take)
Natasha (In Session)
Natasha (Master Take)
Bognor Regis (Unedited Master)
Willie The Pimp (In Session)
Willie The Pimp (Unedited Master Take)
Willie The Pimp (Guitar OD 1)
Willie The Pimp (Guitar OD 2)
Disc 2, Track 6 released as “Little Umbrellas” on Hot Rats (Zappa Official Release #8, 1969)

Disco 3: Basic Track Recording Sessions @ T.T.G. Studios, Hollywood, CA 7/29/1969 (1-7) and 7/30/1969 (8-9)

Transition (Section 1, In Session)
Transition (Section 1, Master Take)
Transition (Section 2, Intercut, In Session)
Transition (Section 2, Intercut, Master Take)
Transition (Section 3, Intercut, In Session)
Transition (Section 3, Intercut, Master Take)
Lil’ Clanton Shuffle (Unedited Master)
Directly From My Heart To You (Unedited Master)
Another Waltz (Unedited Master)
Edit of Disc 3, Track 6 released as “Twenty Small Cigars” on Chunga’s Revenge (Zappa Official Release #11, 1970)
Remix and edit of Disc 3, Track 7 released on The Lost Episodes (Zappa Official Release #64, 1996)
Edit of Disc 3, Track 8 released on Weasels Ripped My Flesh (Zappa Official Release #10, 1970)
Edits of Disc 3, Track 9 released as “Little House I Used To Live In” on on Burnt Weeny Sandwich (Zappa Official Release #9, 1970)

Disco 4: Basic Track Recording Sessions @ T.T.G. Studios, Hollywood, CA 7/30/1969 (1-4) and overdubs recorded at Sunset Sound Studios, 8/1969 (5-7) and T.T.G. Studios 7/21/1969 (8)

Dame Margret’s Son To Be a Bride (Remake)
Son Of Mr. Green Genes (Take 1)
Son Of Mr. Green Genes (Master Take)
Big Legs (Unedited Master Take)
It Must Be a Camel (Percussion Tracks)
Arabesque (Guitar OD Mix)
Transition (Full Version)
Piano Music (Section 3, OD Version)
Disc 4, Track 1 utilized for “Lemme Take You To The Beach” on Studio Tan (Zappa Official Release #24, 1978)
Edit of Disc 4, Track 4 released as “The Gumbo Variations” on Hot Rats (Zappa Official Release #8, 1969)
Edit of Disc 4, Track 7 released on Weasels Ripped My Flesh (Zappa Official Release #10, 1970)
Portions of Disc 4, Track 8 released as “Aybe Sea” on Burnt Weeny Sandwich (Zappa Official Release #9, 1970)

Disco 5: From The Vault – Part 1

Peaches En Regalia (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
Willie The Pimp (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
Son Of Mr. Green Genes (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
Little Umbrellas (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
The Gumbo Variations (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
It Must Be a Camel (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
The Origin Of Hot Rats
Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #1
Peaches En Regalia (1969 Mono Single Master)
Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #2
Little Umbrellas (1969 Mono Single Master)
Lil’ Clanton Shuffle (1972 Whitney Studios Mix)
Disc 5, Tracks 1-6 remixed by Bob Stone at Utillity Muffin Research Kitchen. Released on Rykodisc CD 10066, 1987

Disco 6: From The Vault – Part 2

Little Umbrellas (Cucamonga Version)
Little Umbrellas (1969 Mix Outtake)
It Must Be a Camel (1969 Mix Outtake)
Son Of Mr. Green Genes (1969 Mix Outtake)
More Of The Story Of Willie The Pimp
Willie The Pimp (Vocal Tracks)
Willie The Pimp (1969 Quick Mix)
Dame Margret’s Son To Be a Bride (1969 Quick Mix)
Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #3
Bognor Regis (1970 Record Plant Mix)
Peaches En Regalia (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)
Son Of Mr. Green Genes (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)
Little Umbrellas (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)
Arabesque (Guitar Tracks)
Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #4

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