New Frank Zappa Live Set Captures Unreleased, Blistering 1980 Concerts

Daniel Kreps
·3 min read
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Frank Zappa - Credit: Redferns
Frank Zappa - Credit: Redferns

A pair of unreleased Frank Zappa concerts from 1980 — highlighting shows from a tiny New York club and a packed German arena — will feature on the latest archival release excavated from the Zappa family vaults.

Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich, out March 3, boasts two complete shows from the guitar god’s short-lived five-piece lineup, gigs that followed a torrid 1979 that saw Zappa release both Sheik Yerbouti and his three-act Joe’s Garage.

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The first show in the 3CD set showcases Zappa and company’s May 8, 1980 gig at New York City’s 240-capacity Mudd Club, a concert that he sandwiched between two arena-sized dates in Philadelphia and Long Island. The latter concert was recorded two months later, on July 3, 1980, at Munich’s massive Olympiahalle venue, the final show of that tour.

Both shows are stocked with selections from Zappa’s then-new albums — like “Joe’s Garage,” Keep It Greasy,” “City of Tiny Lite” and more — plus selections from throughout his enormous catalog and songs that would ultimately wind up on his 1981 LP You Are What You Is.

Ahead of the live set’s March 3 release, check out “Outside Now” from the Mudd Club show:

Joining Zappa on the road for both gigs were singers Ike Willis and Ray White, bassist Arthur Barrow, keyboardist Tommy Mars, and drummer David Logeman, whose tenure in the band only lasted one year; Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich is the first release to feature entire Logeman shows.

Only two of the tracks found on Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich have previously been released, having been included on the live comps You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore. The live albums also include an essay by Zappa Vault master Joe Travers, a track-by-track setlist breakdown by bassist Barrow and a remembrance by Steve Vai, who attended the Mudd Club gig and would soon after join Zappa’s band.

In addition to the 3-CD set that includes both shows, both the 15-song Mudd Club gig and the 22-track Munich concert will be released separately on 2LP and 3LP vinyl, respectively. All three are available to preorder now.

Zappa ’80: Mudd Club/Munich Track List

Disc 1: Mudd Club New York, NY May 8th, 1980 
1. Mudd Club Show Start
2. Chunga’s Revenge
3. Keep It Greasy
4. Outside Now
5. City Of Tiny Lites (Edited)
6. Pound For A Brown
7. You Are What You Is
8. You Didn’t Try To Call Me
9. I Ain’t Got No Heart
10. Love Of My Life
11. Easy Meat
12. Mudd Club
13. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
14. Joe’s Garage
15. Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?

Disc 2: Munich, Germany Olympiahalle July 3rd, 1980
1. Munich ’80 Show Start
2. Chunga’s Revenge
3. Keep It Greasy
4. Pick Me, I’m Clean
5. City Of Tiny Lites
6. Pound For A Brown
7. Cosmik Debris
8. You Didn’t Try To Call Me
9. I Ain’t Got No Heart
10. Love Of My Life
11. You Are What You Is

Disc 3: Munich, Germany Olympiahalle July 3rd, 1980 (Continued)
1. Easy Meat
2. Mudd Club
3. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
4. Joe’s Garage
5. Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?
6. Dancin’ Fool
7. Bobby Brown Goes Down
8. Ms. Pinky
9. Stick It Out
10. Nite Owl (T. Allen)
11. The Illinois Enema Bandit

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