The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life

Infobox Album
Name = The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life
Type = live
Artist = Frank Zappa


Released = April 16, 1991
May 30 1995 (reissue)
Recorded = February – June 1988
Genre = Hard rock, progressive rock, jazz fusion, experimental rock
Length = 131:13
Label = Barking Pumpkin Records
Capitol Records
Producer = Frank Zappa
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:qguf6j4h71l0~T1 link]
Last album = "You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3"
(1989)
This album = "The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life"
(1991)
Next album = "You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4"
(1991)

"The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life" is a double disc live album by Frank Zappa, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music). The album was one of three to be recorded during the 1988 world tour, along with "Broadway the Hard Way" and "Make a Jazz Noise Here". Each of these three accounts of the legendary '88 tour has a different focus: "Broadway the Hard Way" mostly showcases new compositions, "Make a Jazz Noise Here" features a sampler of classic instrumental Zappa tunes, and this album devotes itself to covers, some unlikely such as "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, as well as the back catalogue. It was re-issued in 1995 along with his entire catalogue.

Track listing

All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

Disc one

#"Heavy Duty Judy" – 6:04
#"Ring of Fire" (Merle Kilgore, June Carter) – 2:00
#"Cosmik Debris" – 4:32
#"Find Her Finer" – 2:42
#"Who Needs the Peace Corps?" – 2:40
#"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (George C. Cory, Jr., Douglas Cross) – 0:36
#"Zomby Woof" – 5:41
#"Boléro" (Maurice Ravel) – 5:19
#*Removed from some European releases of the album
#"Zoot Allures" – 7:07
#"Mr. Green Genes" – 3:40
#"Florentine Pogen" – 7:11
#"Andy" – 5:51
#"Inca Roads" – 8:19
#"Sofa No. 1" – 2:49

Disc two

#"Purple Haze" (Jimi Hendrix) – 2:27
#"Sunshine of Your Love" (Peter Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton) – 2:30
#"Let's Move to Cleveland" – 5:51
#"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (Ernest Ball, George Graff, Chancellor Olcott) – 0:46
#""Godfather Part II" Theme" (Nino Rota) – 0:30
#"A Few Moments with Brother A. West" (Brother A. West, Zappa) – 4:00
#"The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 1" – 5:19
#"Theme from "Bonanza"" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston) – 0:28
#"Lonesome Cowboy Burt" (Swaggart version) – 4:54
#"The Torture Never Stops, Pt. 2" – 10:47
#"More Trouble Every Day" (Swaggart version) – 5:28
#"Penguin in Bondage" (Swaggart version) – 5:05
#"The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue" – 9:18
#"Stairway to Heaven" (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant) – 9:19

The original European release of this album omits Bolero due to the estate of Maurice Ravel objecting to Zappa's treatment of the song.

Personnel

Musicians

*Frank Zappa – synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, vocals
*Paul Carman – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone
*Bruce Fowler – trombone
*Walt Fowler – synthesizer, trumpet, flugelhorn
*Mike Keneally – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
*Ed Mann – percussion, marimba, vibraphone, electronic percussion
*Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
*Kurt McGettrick – saxophone, baritone saxophone, E flat clarinet
*Scott Thunes – synthesizer, bass guitar, electric bass, vocals, Minimoog
*Chad Wackerman – drums, vocals, electronic percussion
*Ray White – guitar
*Ike Willis – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
*Albert Wing – tenor saxophone

Production

*Frank Zappa – production, editing, arranging, compilation
*Bob Stone – engineering supervision

References

External links

* [http://www.lukpac.org/~handmade/patio/vinylvscds/best_band.html Release details]