Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention’s much-anticipated live collection Whisky A Go-Go, 1968 is out now. Bits and pieces from the legendary all-night concert have appeared over the years but the album has never appeared in its entirety, until now.
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The show was initially announced via an ad from Zappa in the L.A. Free Press: “The Mothers of Invention cordially invite you to join them on Tuesday, July 23, 1968 when they will be taking over the Whisky a Go Go for 5 full hours of unprecedented merriment, which will be secretly recorded for an upcoming record album. Dress optional. Starting sometime in the evening. R.S.V.D.T.”
Decades in the making, this extensive collection compiles everything The Mothers of Invention played across their three sets that night in 1968. Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Joe Travers, the album is newly remixed in 2023 from hi-res 24-bit/96kHz digital transfers of the original 1” 8-track analog tapes by Craig Parker Adams at Winslow CT Studios.
A Super Deluxe Edition box set is available on both 5LP 180-gram black vinyl or 3CD, and features a booklet with many unseen photos from the night’s events, along with detailed liner notes by “Vaultmeister” Joe Travers, an essay by Pamela Des Barres of the Zappa-signed group The GTO’s who played that evening, and an interview by Ahmet Zappa with the legendary Alice Cooper, whose own band made a momentous splash at the Whisky that night as one of the featured acts.
“Listen to all of this album in its entirety and try to envision the Whisky a Go Go that long ago night,” writes Des Barres. “It happened in a space and time that will never come again, so buckle up, baby, close your eyes, let your imagination soar, and set your freak free.”
Ahead of the release, West Hollywood declared June 10, 2024 as Frank Zappa Day. Travers has also been hosting a YouTube video series diving into Zappa. Episodes have explored the events leading up to the July 1968 performances at the Whisky as well as Zappa’s musical and cultural influence.
In addition to the album’s release, historical footage from the night has been unearthed. You can view the 14 minutes from the event here.
Buy or stream Whisky A-Go-Go, 1968.
