Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life

Personnel: Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar, synthesizers); Ike Willis, Mike Keneally (guitar, synthesizers); Kurt McGettrick (contrabass clarinet, baritone & bass saxophones); Paul Carman (soprano, alto & baritone saxophones); Albert Wing (tenor saxophone); Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizers); Bruce Fowler (trombone); Scott Thunes (Mini-Moog synthesizer, electric bass); Bobby Martin (keyboards); Chad Wackerman (drums, percussion).
Digitally remastered by Bob Stone (1993).
Recorded live in 1988.
Personnel: Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar, synthesizer, computer); Bobby Martin (vocals, keyboards); Ike Willis, Mike Keneally (vocals, synthesizer); Kurt McGettrick (contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone); Paul Carman (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Albert Wing (tenor saxophone); Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizer); Bruce Fowler (trombone); Scott Thunes (mini-Moog synthesizer, electric bass); Ed Mann (vibraphone, marimba, electronic percussion); Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion).
Liner Note Author: Frank Zappa.
Recording information: Allentown, PA; Binghampton, NY; Brighton, England; Detroit, MI; Florence, Italy; Grenoble, France; Linz, Austria; London, England; Modena, Italy; Munich, Germany; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Poughkeepsie, NY; Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Strasbourg, France; Syracuse, NY; Teaneck, NJ; Vienna, Austria; Wurzburg, Germany.
Editor: Frank Zappa.
Arranger: Frank Zappa.
One of three collections from the 1988 world tour, THE BEST BAND YOU NEVER HEARD IN YOUR LIFE is a portrait of one of Zappa's most accomplished bands. Unfortunately, this band self-destructed in mid-tour and never completed their scheduled appearances. Hence, the title stands for the fans that couldn't see this amazing group live. The vocals of Ike Willis and Mike Keneally, the rhythmic acrobatics of Chad Wakerman, Ed Mann and Scott Thunes, the powerful horn section including the Fowler brothers, keyboardist/vocalist Bobby Martin--it all adds up to one of the most musically agile bands Zappa ever commanded.
There are the usual Zappa favorites on disc one with "Cosmic Debris" and "Zomby Woof." The band also gets to flex its muscles on the instrumentals "Zoot Allures" and "Sofa #1." Disc two captures all the zany behavior that could be preserved on tape as bizarre covers of "Purple Haze" and "Sunshine Of Your Love" start things off. Snippets of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," "The Godfather Theme" and "Bonanza" escalate into a diatribe by right-wing character Brother A. West and several songs denouncing televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. The finale of "Stairway To Heaven" ties everything back together in grand Zappa style.