Frank Zappa

• SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION

• DELUXE 180 GRAM REISSUE

• INCLUDING ORIGINAL ARTWORK & CREDITS

Frank Zappa, Apostrophe (') marks Zappa’s 18th album, and his fifth under his own name. It was released in March 1974 in both stereo and quadraphonic formats. An edited version of its opening track, “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow”, was the first of Zappa’s three Billboard Top 100 hits, ultimately peaking at number 86.

The album itself became the biggest commercial success of Zappa’s career, climbing to number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1974. It was also certified gold by the RIAA in 1976. As was the case with many of Zappa’s albums, it featured short songs showcasing his sense humor and musical arrangements, and a combination of archival and recent recordings.

One of the LP’s highlights is “Cosmik Debris”, which contains one of Zappa’s best guitar solos ever. Among the musicians featured are such figures as Aynsley Dunbar, John Guerin, Jack Bruce, George Duke, Ian Underwood, and Jean-Luc Ponty. It was given a rating of 4½ stars in AllMusic, with Steve Huey stating that "Apostrophe (‘), which became Frank Zappa’s second gold and only Top Ten album, has the narrative feel of a concept album, but aside from its willful absurdity, the concept is difficult to decipher; even so, that doesn’t detract from its entertainment value".

MUSICIANS:

• DRUMS: Jim Gordon, Johnny Guerin, Aynsley Dunbar, Ralph Humphrey; BASS: Jack Bruce*, Erroneous. Tom Fowler. FZ; KEYBOARDS: George Duke; VIOLIN: Sugar Cane Harris, Jean-Luc Ponty; PERCUSSION: Ruth Underwood; SAXOPHONE: Ian Underwood; Napoleon Murphy Brock; TRUMPET: Sal Marquez; TROMBONE: Bruce Fowler; BACK-UP VOCALS: Ray Collins; Kerry McNabb, Susie Glover, George Duke, Debbie Lynn, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ruben Ladron De Guevara, Robert “Frog” Camarena, LEAD VOCALS & ALL GUITARS: FZ (except Tony Duran rhythm guitar on APOSTROPHE’)

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1 Don't Eat the Yellow Snow
• A2 Nanook Rubs It
• A3 St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast
• A4 Father O'Blivion
• A5 Cosmik Debris

• SIDE B
• B1 Excentrifugal Forz
• B2 Apostrophe
• B3 Uncle Remus
• B4 Stink-Foot