First sketch for the FAQ 'Are there any differences between FZ Vinyls and CDs'
Vladimir Sovetov
So you've got it! But obviously it far from being complete,
I personaly hope that all people _who knows_ mentioned below
don't mind to provide me with the labels of the CDs in question.
( Just look at the Sheik and Perfect Stranger sections and you
will see it's not so bad idea)
Anyway, enjoi!
-----
- Vladimir | Arf she said
Bimonthly FAQ
"Are there any differences between FZ Vinyls and CDs?"
version 0.9 ( 2-28-94 )
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From: Tom....@20.mechanic.fidonet.org (Tom Press)
CD's have extremely good sound quality. But I would never think
of giving up any of my Zappa vinyl's.
********* FREAK OUT ***************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Better than the Vinyl album - particularly the digital treatment of
the vocals and guitars. "MONSTER MAGNET" has been re-mixed
slightly. "BRAIN POLICE" has a longer outro and segues into "..ELSES
SHOULDER"
Some digital reverb has been added to some songs without "mushing" them up
too much.
******** ABSOLUTELY FREE ************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Two bonus tracks (BIG LEG EMMA & WHY DONT YA DO ME RIGHT). The mix is
the same as the vinyl with a bit more digital reverb.
******** LUMPY GRAVY **************
See
WIOFTM comments From: fn...@panix.com (Cliff Heller)
********* WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY ***********
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Completely different to the album. All the songs have been re-mixed and
new bass & drum tracks have been added. Some songs are sped up too. If you
are used to the original vinyl album and love it - DON'T BUY IT.
From: fn...@panix.com (Cliff Heller)
On one CD with Lumpy Gravy. CD version has bass and drum tracks
rerecorded, and worst of all, "Let's Make the Water Turn Black"
is sped up so that it sounds like the chipmunk version.
I believe the entire album is noticably (and annoyingly) sped up.
Two of my all time favorite songs: Mother People and Absolutely Free were
rendered unlistenable.
From: pe...@scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke)
Unlistenable. Even after not hearing the vinyl version for several years,
the CD version is just so shockingly WRONG. Stay away. Invest in a mint
copy of the vinyl and make a digital recording of it.
From: Mr_Gi...@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley)
Ditto for Hot Rats and Ruben and the Jets.
From: spb...@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU (Pat Buzby)
I first bought this on CD, and have never heard the LP.
It sounds fine to me.
********* CRUISING WITH THE RUBEN AND THE JETS ************
From: je...@sol.cs.uni-sb.de (Joerg Zeyer)
It is well known that the CD version of CRUISIN WITH RUBEN AND THE JETS
(along with WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY) is a remixed version of the
original vinyl version and the drums and bass parts are rerecorded and
sounding really bad and misplaced.
But as far as I can hear it there seem to be three exceptions:
On STUFF UP THE CRACKS, the bass AND the drums sound as if they were the
original recording (moreover, I believe I can hear TWO drummers).
And on ANYTHING and NO NO NO the bass seems to be rerecorded while the drums
sound as if they were the original recordings.
From: Chris Ullsperger <ulls...@mendel.berkeley.edu>
The Reuben and the Jets CD has also had its bass and drum tracks
overdubbed and, like WOIFTM, has basically been ruined. Otherwise, it's
the same. Where is the Sonic Solution guy to take care of those old
masters????
********* HOT RATS **************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
PEACHES sounds better. WILLIE THE PIMP 's intro is mixed differently.
MY GREEN GENES suffers the most - the drums are lost in a wash of cymbals.
LITTLE UMBRELLAS sounds better. GUMBO is about 5 minutes longer - good mix.
CAMEL sounds better. Some additional tracks (recorded during the original
sessions) have been mixed back in. The sound quality is better than the
vinyl for the obviious reasons, but this IS an example of CD's bringing out
the limitations of analog tape, particularly when the tape is nearly 25
years old!!
From: pe...@scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke)
CD release has a mix with less dynamic range than the vinyl.
Some songs are extended on the CD.
From: spb...@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU (Pat Buzby)
I don't know about that. The CD completely blows away the vinyl for me :
it's like the difference between black-and-white and color TV.
************** BURNT WEENY SANDWICH ****************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Much better sound quality than the vinyl album.
************* WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH *************
From: obr...@imagen.com (Doug Obrecht)
I just picked up Weasels Ripped My Flesh in CD (I had the vinyl)
in a used bin. "Weasels..." is still my favorite title for a FZ
album and has the BEST album cover art (IMO).
An extra 3 minutes was added to "Didja Get Any Onya?"
"Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas Mask" has
been remixed a bit.
The song "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" is still 2:08 of feedback
and noise. Oh well.
There are no speedups or added instruments as far as I can determine.
"RZZZZZ!"
*************** CHUNGA'S REVENGE ******************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix. Good sound quality.
*************** FILLMORE EAST, JUNE 1971 *************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
This album was badly recorded to begin with. The CD makes that all the
more apparent. Vocals have been treated and improved. Willie the pimp
part one and two are now 'AS ONE' , but it now fades out.
*************** JUST ANOTHER BAND FROM L.A. **********
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix. Good sound quality.
*********** GRAND WAZOO **************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix as original album. Sound quality better too. The track order is
different - " The Grand Wazoo" precedes "Calvin" .
From: db...@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Phillip A. Freshour)
Interesting. This is not so in the States. I have both the vinyl and CD
versions of Grand Wazoo, and "Calvin" and "The Grand Wazoo" are tracks
#1 and #2, respectively, on both.
From: spb...@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU (Pat Buzby)
I do know that Grand Wazoo is missing the musician photos from the
original album, and that Waka/Jawaka is missing the FZ photos.
Boo!
************** WAKA/JAWAKA ****************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix. Good sound quality.
See also
Grand Wazoo comments From: spb...@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU
************** OVER-NITE SENSATION **************
From: so...@bank.kemerovo.su (Vladimir Sovetov)
On the same CD as an APOSTROPHE
************* APOSTROPHE ****************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Better than the vinyl album, although The Excentifugal Force has been
re-mixed - the horn part is missing just before the vocal comes in.
*********** ROXY AND ELSEWHERE ***************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix. Good sound quality
*********** BONGO FURY ***************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix. Good sound quality
********** ZOOT ALLURES ****************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Same mix. Good sound quality
From: spb...@OCVAXA.CC.OBERLIN.EDU (Pat Buzby)
Zoot Allures is the one case I know of where the CD is inferior
to the LP. It's a subjective difference, but I noticed a certain boxy
quality to the CD sound that I never noticed on the album. Also, the
last scream on "Torture Never Stops" is obnoxiously placed at the
introduction to the next track.
********** FRANK ZAPPA IN NEW YORK *************
From: so...@bank.kemerovo.su (Vladimir Sovetov)
I never heard the CD version but I know that it has another numbers
order and four extra pieces. CRUSIN' FOR BURGERS, PUNKY'S WHIPS,
POUND FOR A BROWN and THE TORTURE NEVER STOPS .
*********** SLEEP DIRT ***************
From: Chris Ullsperger <ulls...@mendel.berkeley.edu>
The Sleep Dirt CD contains Thana Harris' vocal tracks on the
Hunchentoot numbers (Flambay, Spider of Destiny, Time is
Money) and represents an important "restoration" in my opinion.
Essential for continuity.
Too bad that musical will never see the light.
********** SHEIK YERBOUTI ****************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
I'm So Cute is shorter by about a minute - the synth noise that was
at the end has been edited out. Sheik yerbouti Tango is a couple of
minutes longer.
Mix and sound quality is great.
From: aj...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (David Watson)
"The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" extended to about four minutes, while most of
the ending of "I'm So Cute" is lopped off (FUCK!!). Quality almost as
good as the vinyl.
From: j...@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (jeffrey.j.rocca)
I have both an EMI CD and a Barking Pumpkin CD of _Sheik Yerbouti_.
The EMI CD is a digital master of the LP. The music content on the
EMI CD has not been altered, as was done with the Barking Pumpkin CD.
From: men...@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Menard Isabelle)
The EMI CD is exactly like the album. I would even predict that they
release the vinyl version of a album unlike Bob Stone and FZ who remix
about all first five albums. I am a long time fan of the first five
(Freak, Absolutely, Were only, Ruben and Uncle) and when the CD version
came out (as well as the FZ Box I) I was very sad that they did not
keep what was so wonderfull about those album: they sound "old". But
they should!!! It's like listening to a coloured film of the 1920-1930's.
It's not real and the charm of it is lost in a certain way. It is just
another interpretation of the same song but the original will always be
very important to FZ fans.
******** JOE'S GARAGE ***************
From: ais...@news.salford.ac.uk (Neil)
Great Mix. Much better sound quality, particularly the bottom end.
******** YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS **********
From: Chris Ullsperger <ulls...@mendel.berkeley.edu>
On the You Are What You Is CD, the guitar solo has been deleted
substantially because (according to one explanation) there is a
change in pitch or key during the album flip (you'll remember that
one side ends with the solo fade-out and the next side begins with
a cut back in--that's where the key change is--, and quickly segues
into Heavenly Bank Account).
******** THE MAN FROM UTOPIA *********
From: pe...@scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke)
The CD contains an extra song, the name of which escapes me right
now but it's doo-wop, and "Sex" is longer, which suits me fine.
What doesn't suit me is that the sound quality of the CD stinks on ice.
The bass is booming without being loud. When I played it, I thought my
speakers had been blown. However, the vinyl played just fine.
From: fn...@panix.com (Cliff Heller)
Plus a completely different song order.
"Sex" had an extra verse, but Some parts in the chorus were unnecessarily
hit with a pitch bender. It sounds stupid, he should have left that one
alone.
The other songs sound fine to me and I have the vinyl.
*********** THE PERFECT STRANGER ***********
From: j...@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (jeffrey.j.rocca)
I have both an EMI CD and a Barking Pumpkin CD of _The Perfect
Stranger_. The music content is identical on the CDs, but the sound
quality of the Barking Pumpkin CD is far superior.
********* BROADWAY THE HARD WAY ***********
From: Mr_Gi...@mindlink.bc.ca (Mike Quigley)
Frank exhorts the audience to register to vote during the intermission
on the vinyl version. I don't think this is on the CD...
From: pe...@scri.fsu.edu (Eric Pepke)
Yes, 'tis, but the "intermission" is in the wrong place. The exhortation
to vote is at the very end of the CD.
I have no joke. I just like typing "exhortation."
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Please, sent any comments, suggestions and corrections
to Vladimir Sovetov ( so...@bank.kemerovo.su )
- Arf she said