HOT RATS - Frank Zappa - 1969 Bizarre/Reprise RS 6356 - 1st Terre Haute pressing

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Hot Rats is the second solo album by Frank Zappa, released in October 1969. It was Zappa's first recording project after the dissolution of the original version of the Mothers of Invention. Five of the six songs are instrumental, while "Willie the Pimp" features vocals by Captain Beefheart. In his original sleeve notes, Zappa described the album as "a movie for your ears".  He dedicated the album to his newborn son, Dweezil.

Because Hot Rats largely consists of instrumental jazz-influenced compositions with extensive soloing, the music sounds very different from earlier Zappa albums, which featured satirical vocal performances with extensive use of musique concrète and editing. Besides Zappa, multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood and guitarist Lowell George are the only members of the Mothers to appear on the album, with Underwood being Zappa's primary musical collaborator. Other featured musicians were bassists Max Bennett and Shuggie Otis (who was only 15 years old at the time of the session); drummers John Guerin, Paul Humphrey and Ron Selico; and electric violinists Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Jean-Luc Ponty.

This was the first Frank Zappa album recorded on 16-track equipment and one of the first albums to use this technology. Machines with 16 individual tracks allow for much more flexibility in multi-tracking and overdubbing than the professional 4 and 8-track reel-to-reel tape recorders that were standard in 1969.

In the Q & Mojo Classic Special Edition Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, the album was number 13 in its list of "40 Cosmic Rock Albums". It was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In 2000 it was voted number 123 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.

THIS COPY is a 1st Terre Haute pressing from 1969 on the Bizarre / Reprise label ("variant 1" - see Notes, below).  The vinyl shows some surface marks, but per a test listen, none that affect playback.  The vinyl is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition.  The original gatefold cover hs some light ring wear, and the bottom edge has rubbed on the shelf.  Overall, the cover is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition. The original inner sleeve has about a 4-inch split in the middle of the bottom edge; other wise it is in near mint condition  Overall, the inner sleeve is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition (if not better).

Notes

Recorded 16 track August through September 1969.
Dedicated to Dweezil, Bug & Gil.
Cover photo features Christine Frka, a/k/a Miss Christine, of the GTO's.

"Pressed by" credit (Terre Haute) is derived from the "T" in run-outs.

Runouts are etched except o for Customatrix is stamped

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Rights Society: BMI

Pressing Plant ID (Runout, etched): T1

Matrix / Runout (Label, side A): 30,926

Matrix / Runout (Label, side B): 30,927

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched, variant 1): T1 RS 6356A 30926-1 0

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 1): T1 RS 6356B 30927-1

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched, variant 2): T1 RS 6356A 30926-1 B7

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 2): T1 RS 6356B 30927-1 A17

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched variant 3): T1 RS 6356A 30926-1 B8

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 3): T1 RS 6356B 30927-1 A8

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched, variant 4): T1 RS 6356A 30926 - 1 B 11

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 4): T1 ○ RS 6356B 30927 - 1 A 3

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched, variant 5): T1 RS 6356A 30926 - 2 A

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 5): T1 RS 6356B 30927 - 1

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched, variant 6): T1 RS 6356 A 30926-1 B3

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 6): RS 6356 B 30927-2 A o T I

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A etched, variant 7): T1 RS 6356A 30926 - 1 B13

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B etched, variant 7): T1 RS 6356B 30927 - 1 A21

ENJOY!