We’re freaking out! “Zappa ’66” scheduled for release in May is reissued by Vaulterative Records – 2nd disc

Frank Zappa’s archive label, Volternative Records, was founded in 2002 by the late artist’s family to showcase a variety of fascinating works from his vast archive. Now, after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Vaulternative has returned from Zappa Records and UMe, continuing to preserve the experimental side of Zappa’s work. The newly relaunched Vaulterative label will be available on May 15th. Zappa ’66: Vol. 1 – Live at TTG Studio Available for purchase on one CD or two 180-gram LPs, or as a digital download/streaming (including hi-res audio) exclusively from Zappa.com, uDiscover Music, and Sound of Vinyl.

16 out of 17 tracks included Zappa ’66 Unreleased in any format. This release documents the young musician at a session in a Hollywood studio in October 1966, just months after the release of Mothers of Invention’s debut album. Freak out!from Verve Records. The new release was produced, restored and assembled by “Vaultmeister” Joe Travers and mastered by Jon Polito from the original 1/4-inch master tapes recorded on a Zappa reel-to-reel system. A 1966 radio interview is also included.

Zappa ’66 recorded television programs in audio format that were conceived as follows. 60’s sex And finally it was broadcast as sex in today’s world. The show’s producers invited Zappa and Mathers to stage an exploratory “freak out” with music, dance, and what today would be considered performance artists, with special lighting and smoke machines in the background. TTG Studios was the same venue where Zappa, the Mothers, and producer Tom Wilson recorded. Freak out! A while ago. This fluid set was unpredictable even by young Zappa’s standards, and he made sure to capture its audio on a reel-to-reel tape machine. This is the band’s only known recording featuring guitarist Del Kasher, and also marks the first appearance of percussionist Billy Mundy and keyboardist Don Preston on the Mothers. Ray Collins (vocals/tambourine), Roy Estrada (bass), and Jimmy Carl Black (drums/percussion) round out the lineup.

If you are a fan, you will immediately recognize the sound. Freak out!the concerts were less structured than the albums, varying from structured sections to improvisations and from R&B to avant-garde experimentation. Of course, Zappa would eventually develop the musical vocabulary explored here into his famously diverse discography.

“We are thrilled to announce the relaunch of Vaulterative Records, creating a direct connection from The Vault to our fans,” Joe Travers said in a press release. “Frank’s AAFNRAA philosophy, the idea of anything, anytime, anywhere for no reason, fits right in here, because the material can take such a variety of forms. It could be interviews, raw live recordings, things Frank worked on and never released, or fully realized concerts. Our goal is to uncover and share what we know our fans will appreciate most. We are The Vault We’re excited to bring back Vaulterative as another way to open up and provide even more content to the people who need it.”

Multiple source tapes were transferred for this release, from which Travers created the most complete record of the performance to date. He writes in the liner notes, “For the 60th anniversary, I decided to compile the best compilation of what happened that day in early October 1966, when the Mothers were hired to show the world what they were responsible for. The Mothers were different, and at 25 years old and less than a year into their contract, Frank Zappa was on the verge of making a major impact.”

all formats Zappa ’66 In addition to liner notes by Travers, photographs by Earl Leaf, stills from the film by Barry Feinstein, Freak out! era, and various images from The Vault. This title also marks the beginning of the 60th anniversary celebration. Freak out!original release.

search Zappa ’66 From Zappa/UMe on Vaulterative Records on May 15th. The evocative instrumental “Move On” is currently streaming on YouTube and elsewhere, and the title can be ordered from Universal’s online storefront below.

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Zappa ’66: Vol. 1 – Live at TTG Studio (Vaulternative/Zappa/UMe, 2026) (Zappa Online Store / uDiscoverMusic.com / Sound of Vinyl Link TBD)

CD:

1. “Hello”
2. Freak Shoefree
3. move on
4. The United Mutations
5. “Tommy, come back!”
6. FZ Director The Freaks
7. Sequence of stately atmosphere
8. legalize abortion
9. Twistin’ Again
10. electric banana
11. I could be a slave, the untold story
12. “There are frequent personnel changes.”
13. A2 jam
14. khaki sack
15. Duke of Prune (editor)
16. win with vegetables
17. “We’re having a freakout!”

2LP:

side 1

1. “Hello”
2. Freak Shoefree
3. move on

side 2

1. FZ & The United Mutations
2. “Tommy, come back!”
3. FZ Director The Freaks
4. Sequence of stately atmosphere
5. legalize abortion
6. Twistin’ Again
7. electric banana

side 3

1. I Could Be a Slave/Story Untold
2. “There are frequent personnel changes.”
3. A2 jam
4. Khaki Sack – Prototype Part 1

side 4

1. Khaki Sack – Prototype Part 2
2. Duke of Prune (editor)
3. win with vegetables
4. “We’re having a freak out!”