Zappa’s legendary recording ‘Zappa In New York’ released as 5CD box set in March

A firm favourite with most Zappa fans, 1978’s double live LP ‘Zappa In New York’ will be released as a lavish and hugely expanded 5CD set for its 40th anniversary in March 2019.

The original album had a troubled and complex release.  The track ‘Punky’s Whips’, concerning drummer Terry Bozzio’s fantasies over Angel guitarist Punky Meadows was seen as problematic and subsequently withdrawn from the LP, but not before various copies had appeared in UK record stores.  (The original vinyl pressing has been known to fetch huge sums of money, but if you’re lucky, you might stumble upon an affordable cassette from time to time.)

A hastily re-pressed version omitted ‘Punky’s Whips’ and also edited a part from ‘Titties & Beer’ that made reference to Meadows and the offending track.  To confuse things further, the first batch of these were sold with ‘Punky’s Whips’ still credited on the sleeve.

A 2CD version issued on Zappa’s own label in 1991 added four tracks not featured on the most commonly circulated double LP, reinstating ‘Punky’s Whips’ in the process.  To add to the confusion, the version on the CD isn’t actually the same version removed from the 2LP set, but a version recorded at a different show and various other tweaks were made to other songs.

March 2019 brings some glorious news for lovers of ‘Zappa In New York’ when the Zappa Family will release a 5CD box set of the original album (presented on CD in its original mix for the very first time) alongside three discs’ worth of recordings made at the four night run shows that sourced the original release.    A condensed 3LP version featuring the original 2LP set plus a bonus disc of rarities will also be released.

A full tracklisting can be found below.

ZAPPA IN NEW YORK: 40th Anniversary Edition

CD box set release:

Disc One – The Original 1977 Vinyl Mix
1. “Titties and Beer”
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth”
3. “Big Leg Emma”
4. “Sofa”
5. “Manx Needs Women”
6. “The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1”
7. “Black Page #2”
8. “Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?”
9. “The Illinois Enema Bandit”
10. “The Purple Lagoon”

Disc Two –  Bonus Concert Performances, Pt. 1
1. “The Most Important Musical Event Of 1976”
2. “Peaches En Regalia”
3. “The Torture Never Stops”
4. “The Black Page #2”
5. “Punky’s Whips Intro”
6. “Punky’s Whips”
7. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth”
8. “Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?”
9. “The Illinois Enema Bandit”
10. “Two For The Price Of One”
11. “Penis Dimension”
12. “Montana”

Disc Three
 – Bonus Concert Performances, Pt. 2
1. “America Drinks”
2. “Irate Phone Calls”
3. “Sofa #2”
4. “The Moment You’ve All Been Waiting For”
5. “I’m The Slime”
6. “Pound For A Brown”
7. “Terry’s Solo”
8. “The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1”
9. “Big Leg Emma”
10. “Jazz Buffs and Buff-etts”
11. “The Purple Lagoon”
12. “Find Her Finer”
13. “The Origin Of Manx”
14. “Manx Needs Women”
15. “Chrissy Puked Twice”
16. “Cruisin’ For Burgers”

Disc Four – Bonus Concert Performances, Pt. 3
1. “The Purple Lagoon/Any Kind Of Pain”
2. “The Greatest New Undiscovered Group In America”
3. “Black Napkins”
4. “Dinah-Moe Humm”
5. “Finale”

Disc Five – Bonus Vault Content
1. “The Black Page #2” (Piano Version)
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth” (Alternate Version)
3. “Chrissy Puked Twice”
4. “Cruisin’ For Burgers” (1977 Mix)
5. “Black Napkins”
6. “Punky’s Whips” (Unused Version)
7. “The Black Page #1” (Piano Version)

Vinyl release:

LP 1 / Side 1 – Original Album Mix Remastered
1. “Titties & Beer”
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth”
3. “Big Leg Emma”

LP 1 / Side 2 – Original Album
1. “Sofa”
2. “Manx Needs Women”
3. “The Black Page Drum Solo/Black Page #1”
4. “Black Page #2”

LP 2 / Side 3 – Original Album
1. “Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me?”
2. “The Illinois Enema Bandit”

LP 2 / Side 4 – Original Album
1. “The Purple Lagoon”

LP 3 / Side 1 – Bonus Vault Content
1. “Black Napkins”
2. “Cruisin’ For Burgers” (1977 Mix)

LP 3 / Side 2 – Bonus Vault Content
1. “The Black Page #2” (Piano Version)
2. “I Promise Not To Come In Your Mouth” (Alternate Version)
3. “Punky’s Whips” (Unused Version)
4. “The Black Page #1” (Piano Version)