Yesterday marked 50 years since the release of Frank Zappa‘s innovative sophomore album Hot Rats. In commemoration of its anniversary, it will be getting a six-disc reissue that will delve deep into the makings of the album.
The re-issue compiles a collection of recording sessions, rare remixes, unreleased tracks and more of what formed the jazz-rock masterpiece.
Frank Zappa’s estate are commemorating 50 years of Hot Rats with a single vinyl re-pressing and a special six-disc reissue of the jazz-rock masterpiece.
The Hot Rats Sessions will showcase every composition recorded during the July 1969 studio sessions, including “abundance of rare and unedited mixes, work mixes, relevant Vault nuggets and complete basic tracks mixed from the original multi-track master tapes,” according to Rolling Stone.
The studio sessions are on the first four discs of the release, giving an insight into the creative processes behind tracks such as Peaches En Regalia, It Must Be a Camel, and Willie The Pimp featuring Captain Beefheart, as well as non-LP tracks such as Transition and Natasha.
A 1987 digital remix of Hot Rats, along with radio advertisements, rare mono mixes, rhythm tracks and more will be featured on the fifth and sixth discs.
The Hot Rats Sessions also comes with a 28-page book featuring never-before-seen photographs from both the recording sessions and the album cover shoot. The Simpsons’ Matt Groening also contributes a written tribute, saying that Hot Rats “spun me around like a propeller beanie, and melted my brain.”
The original Hot Rats album will also be getting a single-LP reissue pressed on translucent hot pink 180-gram vinyl.
Both the 6CD and 1LP reissue are due out on the 20th of December, one day before what would’ve been Zappa’s 79th birthday, and are available for pre-order now.
The Hot Rats Sessions Track List
CD1
1. Piano Music (Section 1)
2. Piano Music (Section 3)
3. Peaches En Regalia (Prototype)
4. Peaches En Regalia (Section 1, In Session)
5. Peaches En Regalia (Section 1, Master Take)
6. Peaches Jam – Part 1
7. Peaches Jam – Part 2
8. Peaches En Regalia (Section 3, In Session)
9. Peaches En Regalia (Section 3, Master Take)
10. Arabesque (In Session)
11. Arabesque (Master Take)
12. Dame Margret’s Son To Be A Bride (In Session)
CD2
1. It Must Be A Camel (Part 1, In Session)
2. It Must Be a Camel (Part 1, Master Take)
3. It Must Be a Camel (Intercut, In Session)
4. It Must Be a Camel (Intercut, Master Take)
5. Natasha (In Session)
6. Natasha (Master Take)
7. Bognor Regis (Unedited Master)
8. Willie The Pimp (In Session)
9. Willie The Pimp (Unedited Master Take)
10. Willie The Pimp (Guitar OD 1)
11. Willie The Pimp (Guitar OD 2)
CD3
1. Transition (Section 1, In Session)
2. Transition (Section 1, Master Take)
3. Transition (Section 2, Intercut, In Session)
4. Transition (Section 2, Intercut, Master Take)
5. Transition (Section 3, Intercut, In Session)
6. Transition (Section 3, Intercut, Master Take)
7. Lil’ Clanton Shuffle (Unedited Master)
8. Directly From My Heart To You (Unedited Master)
9. Another Waltz (Unedited Master)
CD4
1. Dame Margret’s Son To Be A Bride (Remake)
2. Son Of Mr. Green Genes (Take 1)
3. Son Of Mr. Green Genes (Master Take)
4. Big Legs (Unedited Master Take)
5. It Must Be a Camel (Percussion Tracks)
6. Arabesque (Guitar OD Mix)
7. Transition (Full Version)
8. Piano Music (Section 3, OD Version)
CD5
1. Peaches En Regalia (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
2. Willie The Pimp (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
3. Son Of Mr. Green Genes (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
4. Little Umbrellas (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
5. The Gumbo Variations (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
6. It Must Be A Camel (1987 Digital Re-Mix)
7. The Origin Of Hot Rats
8. Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #1
9. Peaches En Regalia (1969 Mono Single Master)
10. Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #2
11. Little Umbrellas (1969 Mono Single Master)
12. Lil’ Clanton Shuffle (1972 Whitney Studios Mix)
CD6
1. Little Umbrellas (Cucamonga Version)
2. Little Umbrellas (1969 Mix Outtake)
3. It Must Be A Camel (1969 Mix Outtake)
4. Son Of Mr. Green Genes (1969 Mix Outtake)
5. More Of The Story Of Willie The Pimp
6. Willie The Pimp (Vocal Tracks)
7. Willie The Pimp (1969 Quick Mix)
8. Dame Margret’s Son To Be A Bride (1969 Quick Mix)
9. Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #3
10. Bognor Regis (1970 Record Plant Mix)
11. Peaches En Regalia (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)
12. Son Of Mr. Green Genes (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)
13. Little Umbrellas (1969 Rhythm Track Mix)
14. Arabesque (Guitar Tracks)
15. Hot Rats Vintage Promotion Ad #4
