A compilation of previously unreleased Frank Zappa songs will officially have a proper release in June. The compilation, titled Funky Nothingness, was announced by the Frank Zappa Estate, following the Universal Music Group’s purchase of his life’s work in 2022. The tracks in the album, which include the medley “Work With Me Annie/Annie Had Baby”, were originally thought to be a follow-up to his 1969 solo debut, Hot Rats. This is far from the first time Frank Zappa has had his unreleased tracks go public: prior to this, the Frank Zappa Estate released an unreleased version of “Your Mouth (Take One)” as a part of a repackaging of Zappa’s album, WAKA/JAWAKA, which also included alternate, previously unheard takes of the album’s iconic tracks.”Valley Girl”, Zappa’s Grammy-nominated track poking fun at teenaged Californian culture, was also in the spotlight again last year, as an animated video of the track was released in celebration of its 40th anniversary.
Funky Nothingness is confirmed to pick up where Hot Rats left off, with every track being characteristic of Zappa from that particular era. According to a press release, the tracks were recorded shortly after The Mothers of Invention’s disbandment, were subsequently mixed and prepared for release, but “the wildly prolific musician’s insatiable musical curiosity pulled him in other directions as the year wore on”. After these tracks were unearthed by Zappa “Vaultmeisters” John Travers and Ahmet Zappa, they were produced and compiled into the 11-track album, which got its name from a song Zappa recorded in 1967 during sessions for Uncle Meat.
The compilation will release on June 30 via Zappa Records/UMe, with a 2-LP vinyl edition and a 3-CD digital edition. Each edition will additionally be accompanied by a 28-page booklet of photos by photographer John Williams and individual track-by-track liner notes by Travers. The tracklist for both versions is as follows:
2-LP Vinyl:
Side A
1. Funky Nothingness
2. Tommy/Vincent Duo I
3. Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild
4. I’m A Rollin’ Stone
Side B
1. Chunga’s Revenge (Basement Version)
2. Basement Jam
Side C
1. Work With Me Annie/Annie Had A Baby
2. Tommy/Vincent Duo II
3. Sharleena (1970 Record Plant Mix)
Side D
1. Khaki Sack
2. Twinkle Tits
3 CD/Digital:
CD 1: Funky Nothingness – The Album
1. Funky Nothingness
2. Tommy/Vincent Duo I
3. Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild
4. I’m A Rollin’ Stone
5. Chunga’s Revenge (Basement Version)
6. Basement Jam
7. Work With Me Annie / Annie Had A Baby
8. Tommy/Vincent Duo II
9. Sharleena (1970 Record Plant Mix)
10. Khaki Sack
11. Twinkle Tits
CD 2: Zappa/Hot Rats ’70 Session Masters and Bonus Nothingness
1. Chunga’s Revenge (Take 5)
2. Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild (Take 4)
3. Transylvania Boogie (Unedited Master)
4. Sharleena (Unedited Master)
5. Work With Me Annie/Annie Had A Baby (Alternate Edit)
6. Twinkle Tits (Take 1, False Start)
7. Twinkle Tits (Take 2)
CD 3: Zappa/Hot Rats ’70 Session Masters and Bonus Nothingness
1. The Clap (Unedited Master-Part I)
2. The Clap (Unedited Master-Part II)
3. Tommy/Vincent Duo (Unedited Master)
4. Chunga’s Revenge (Take 8)
5. Halos and Arrows
6. Moldred
7. Fast Funky Nothingness
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