A new live track from iconoclastic artist Frank Zappa has been unearthed ahead of a special 50th anniversary release of his album Apostrophe (’). The clip, filmed at a 1974 show in Colorado Springs, features Zappa playing his well-loved piece “Penguin in Bondage.”
Although the location is not specified, the footage likely comes from a performance at the Civic Center, where he performed that year with his band The Mothers. First released as part of the live album Roxy & Elsewhere in September 1974, “Penguin in Bondage” had long been a favorite of Zappa’s to take onstage.
Listen to “Penguin In Bondage (Live In Colorado Springs, Colorado)” now.
“Penguin In Bondage (Live In Colorado Springs, Colorado)” accompanies the release of a video diving into Zappa’s Vault, operated by long-time Vaultmeister Joe Travers. The video follows Travers through the vast collection of artifacts, creative assets, and behind-the-scenes details from across Zappa’s career that are all collected within the legendary space.
The expanded 50th anniversary edition of Apostrophe (’), due out September 13th via Zappa Records/UMe, is available in a massive Super Deluxe Edition, with 75 tracks in total spanning six different discs. The set contains everything from fresh Dolby Atmos mixes of hallmark Zappa songs to lost footage of key live shows in his history, including the Colorado Springs show and one at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio. An accompanying 52-page booklet features unseen photos from Sam Emerson’s archive, as well as an essay and liner notes from journalist Simon Prentis.
In selecting a mix of live material and recorded material on Apostrophe (‘), Travers emphasized that it was important to balance presenting Zappa in the best sound quality and presenting him in full. Although the quality on the Colorado Springs and Ohio tapes is imperfect, they were chosen to accompany the deluxe due to their presence of “variants of songs that never repeated on any other tours.”
For one of the first times since its 1974 release, Apostrophe (‘) will also be available on digital in all its glory. All 75 tracks will be available in hi-res and lo-res options, with a standalone Dolby Atmox mix of the original nine tracks on Apostrophe (‘) also arriving with the anniversary set.
Listen to “Penguin In Bondage (Live In Colorado Springs, Colorado)” now.