FRANK ZAPPA 'AUTOGRAPHED' "SHEIK YERBOUTI" 1979 FIRST PRESSING 2-LP RECORD
FRANK ZAPPA "SHEIK YERBOUTI"
LABEL: ZAPPA RECORDS SRZ-2-1501
RELEASE DATE: MARCH 3, 1979
SIGNED TWICE BY FRANK ZAPPA ON REVERSE
2-LP GATEFOLD w/ ORIGINAL RED INNER LINERS & LYRICS
PRESSING: FIRST U.S. PRESSING ~ COLUMBIA RECORDS ~ PITMAN ('CP' IN MATRIX)
LACQUER CUTTING: 'MASTERDISK' (STAMPED IN DEADWAX)
MASTERING: ROBERT 'BOB' LUDWIG ('RL' IN DEADWAX)
ARRANGER & PRODUCER: FRANK ZAPPA
COVER PHOTO ATWORK: LYNN GOLDSMITH
MATRIX: (Etched) SRZ-2-1501-A-CP-3 (Stamped) MASTERDISK RL
EARLY AUTOCOUPLED VERSION: A/D & B/C
CONDITION: VINYL: EX- JACKET: VG++ INNERS: VG+ ('wrinkles')
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I've been going thru my massive vinyl record collection these past few weeks and pulling out some LPs that I thought that someone else would want for their collection. I've been collecting records for over 45 years and it's time to pass some of them on to the next generation of collectors.
This week on EBay I am offering up this signed, autographed, First pressing copy of Frank Zappa's great "Sheik Yerbouti" from 1979.
This is signed First Pressing copy, obtained in a trade with a local collector, about 15 years ago, that I've taken great care of for many years. See details on Condition below.
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AUTOGRAPHED/SIGNED TWICE BY FRANK ZAPPA
The back of this album has 2 Frank Zappa Autographs in the top 2 back corners.
I received this album from a big Zappa collector here in Baltimore, Frank's home town, about 15 years ago.
I had gone to this fellow record collector's home to make a trade for some rare old Jazz albums that we had discussed after meeting up at a local record shop. I had a bunch of things he wanted to trade for, so we hooked up. Most of the Jazz records he had were more beat up than I had hoped for, so we just hung out, drank beer, listened to records, and talked music instead. We talked about what artists we liked and what we collected.
I have about a dozen Zappa/Mothers albums in my collection, he's not really my thing, but this guy had a 'wall' of Zappa and started showing me a bunch of his albums. Working thru his collection, he eventually pulled out this 'signed' album and told me the story behind it. He actually had many signed albums, pictures, tickets, handbills and such, by Frank and other members of his bands over the years.
Later, as I was getting ready to leave, he tossed this album into the lot, to sweeten the deal, for some rare local Baltimore records he wanted from me.
He told me a weird story about getting the first signature at the premiere of the 'Baby Snakes' film, at the Victoria Theater up in Harlem, back on Frank's birthday, December 21, 1979. Apparently Frank was hanging out, in a good mood, handing out birthday cake, and signing autographs. That's why it's dated 12/21/79. This record would have been Frank's latest release at the time and he probably signed many copies.
The other autograph was obtained here in Baltimore in May 1980, a few months later, when he played the Civic Center.
They are very similar black ball-point pen signatures. The right-side autograph was done with more force and is more 'indented' into the jacket than the left-side one.
He said Frank took the record, flipped the album over, and signed it in the open 'white' upper corner. Obviously Frank had signed this album a bunch of times before, and knew where to sign it.
He said, since Frank initially signed the back of the album, he had him sign it again on the back, instead of the front, the 2nd time around.
I forget all the details of what he told me. This was about 15 years ago, and I've had this in my collection and on my shelves ever since. It's time to pass it on to another Zappa collector.
I obviously have no way to 'Authenticate' his story or these signatures, but I did research them them a bit back then, and they look very similar to other late 70's, early 80's signatures I could find. Around that time, Frank often signed with a simple "To (First name)", and then "F Zappa." His 'F' and 'Z' are pretty unique looking, very 'loopy', and match what's on this record and what I've seen online.
Since I can't 'prove' any of this, I'll just list this album for a reasonable starting bid and pass it along to a new collector who appreciates it a lot more than I do.
This would be a neat item for any Frank Zappa collector. One signature on an album is cool, 2 on the same record has to be pretty unusual, and would make a great addition to any collection.
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THE STORY OF ZAPPA'S "SHEIK YERBOUTI"
'Sheik Yerbouti' is easily one Frank Zappa's most entertaining albums. There's a lot of satire, wit, crude humor, excellent instrumentals and guitar solos, great catchy melodies, and it still has room for Frank's complex experimental weirdness.
"Sheik Yerbouti" was very popular at the time and ended up being Zappa´s most commercially successful release. This was some of Frank's most mainstream and accessible music up to that point.
It would be wrong to call ANY Frank Zappa release an easy, mainstream listen, but "Sheik Yerbouti" is probably as close as you'll get. Frank knew how to write everything from aurally offensive weird-rock to ridiculously catchy pop songs, all of which are on this album.
Despite that, the listener is constantly kept on their toes and is challenged by the clever, eclectic nature of the compositions and the high level of musicianship.
You can tell that Frank Zappa was suddenly free of all of his previous commercial restraints and he delivers one of his best albums of his career. It's an eclectic mix of satire & parody and the closest Zappa ever came to chasing after commercial success.
This album is definitely one of Frank's albums that could be considered a perfect entry point into his music. It's one of Zappa's most endearing and impressive albums and a great introduction as to what Zappa was all about.
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This album was in many ways, a new start for Zappa, and that included his Band as well. The amazing band that recorded 'Sheik Yerbouti' included:
Frank Zappa / lead guitar, lead vocal, arranger & producer
Adrian Belew / rhythm guitar, lead vocals
Tommy Mars & Peter Wolf / keyboards
Patrick O'Hearn / bass
Terry Bozzio / drums
Napoleon Murphy Brock & Several Others / backing vocals
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Zappa assembled a terrific group of eccentric, eclectic, and crafty musicians. As far as artists go, this might be one of Frank's best and tastiest line-ups. The musicality and arrangements are fantastic.
"Sheik Yerbouti" is notable for the introduction of new members Adrian Belew (guitar/vocals), Peter Wolf (keyboards) and Tommy Mars (keyboards) into the Zappa madness.
This album is the only Zappa studio album to feature the guitar and vocal talents of Adrian Belew. Belew sings a few songs, but mostly adds his amazing guitar skills to the music. Belew would move on to join Bowie, The Talking Heads, and King Crimson, but really left his mark on this album first.
Keyboardist Tommy Mars was one of the finest keyboardists Zappa ever employed.
Drummer Terry Bozio plays fantastic drums, does amazing rhythm work, and adds some fierce yelps and howls on backing vocals.
The backing vocals are great and an important part of this album. The vocal parts of the album are equally as eclectic in nature as the instrumental part. The entertaining, crazy interplays between the various backing singers really flesh out the story and feel of the songs.
The musicianship, arrangements and playing on this album are just amazing.
When it was released, many critics accused Zappa of including too many vocals, drawing the attention away from the excellent music underneath.
'Sheik Yerbouti' is a defining and hugely-enjoyable record from one of rock music's most iconic performers.
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In May of 1976, Frank Zappa split with his manager and business partner Herb Cohen.
That put an end to 'DiscReet' Records and opened up a battle with Warner Records over ownership and distribution of Frank's music. Frank was embroiled in various lawsuits at the time he was making this album.
The lawsuits, among other things, argued over Zappa's rights to make and record new music.
In 1977 Frank Zappa's contract with Warner Brothers finally ended and he won the complete creative freedom that he'd been yearning to have for years. He started his own record Company, Zappa Records.
This album, 'Sheik Yerbouti' was the first release on Frank's new, self-owned Zappa label.
He was finally able to release a record on which he had complete control over the lyrics and music. He wanted to do something shocking, fun and interesting. He succeeded.
Since there were still pending lawsuits over who could use, produce and distribute Frank's music at the time, he smartly used older Live recordings as the base for this album, but it's not a typical live album. It was 'new' music, but it wasn't.
The album's working title was "Martian Love Secrets", words that he saw on a toilet paper dispenser in a restroom at the Record Plant in New York, where he was working on the album.
The album was nearly finished and Zappa and Rock photographer Lynn Goldsmith met up to take some album cover photos. They were joking around about Disco and spoofing on the song 'Shake Your Booty' the 1976 disco song by KC & the Sunshine Band.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran was big news in the Spring of 1979 when Zappa was finishing this album. Disco was also in full swing. Zappa's mind put 'Shake' and 'Sheik' together and Boom, 'Sheik Yerbouti' was created. Lynn Goldsmith created the iconic images and Zappa loved the idea.
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Frank Zappa was well recognized for his extremely comedic, funny, largely offensive, lyrical content and on this album, free from Warner's or Herb Cohen's input, he was free to pull out all the stops.
Zappa has always been an advocate of First Amendment rights, Free Speech and a champion of Sexual Freedom. This album pushes all those beliefs to the limits.
Frank Zappa was the essential observer of American culture, American humanity (or lack of it) and of America's hung up sexuality. He found the many strange oddities of human life peculiar enough to write about them in his songs.
Frank had put some odd lyrics on all his previous albums, but this one is possibly one of Zappa's dirtiest and most vulgar albums. At the time, 1979, it was said to have the "most offensive Zappa lyrics ever."
Frank's lyrics on this album are typically offensive to most people, and are definitely not for the musically conservative, the faint of heart, or for the easily offended. Most of the songs aren't suitable for airplay, but that's one of it's appealing factors.
The lyrics can be quite offensive, but they should be understood as Frank's social commentary rather than hateful rantings. It´s all done with a gleam in his eye and from the odd social satirical angle that Zappa was known for. There is no shortage of scathing societal commentary on this album.
"Sheik Yerbouti" is loved by many, but loathed by just as many due to sexually explicit lyrics and Frank poking fun at almost everyone.
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Sheik Yerbouti is a mix of character studies and social commentary on the trends in American life that thrived in the late 1970s. It's a rather eclectic, unconventional and captivating album. It has a bit of everything. A fascinating kaleidoscope of an album. It shows that Frank was never afraid to "put it all out there." All told, Sheik Yerbouti is a musical masterpiece.
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'Sheik Yerbouti' is an exceptionally well-made recording. It's a hybrid of live and studio recordings, but if you didn't know that, you can't tell that these tracks originated as live recordings, except for the audience noise heard at the very end.
Most of these songs started life as live tracks recorded in late 1977 and early 1978 in New York, London and Berlin. The songs were later spliced together seamlessly with studio overdubs. In typical Zappa fashion, it´s polished so well that it's hard to tell where the live tracks and the studio overdubs begin and end.
Adrian Belew has said in recent interviews, that many of the 'live' tracks Frank used were actually part of 'Soundchecks' from previous shows, thus not part of the live concert, nor anything that Warner could claim they had rights to. By using live soundcheck recordings as a base, he was able to avoid ownership issues with Warner. It was a revolutionary, yet brilliant idea on Frank's part.
The studio mastery is amazing. One song is actually created from separate, individual performances of the players then weaved into a new, complete song.
In other places, Zappa takes a guitar solo from a live recording and overdubs it into the middle of a studio song, blending it all effortlessly to give the appearance of a seamless song. Frank called this technique 'xenochrony,' and started using it on 'Zoot Allures'.
Virtually all of the songs on this album were initially recorded live, and then overdubbed, stitched together and polished to perfection in the studio. To connect the various styles of songs, he adds brief pieces of "musique concrète" and studio dialog from his band to serve as commentary and the 'glue' to bind it all together.
The production is so slick, you would never know it was a live LP, and the tracks flow from one to the other almost seamlessly. All of the tracks work so well together.
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There are some very odd songs on this album.
This album contains some of Frank Zappa's most beloved tunes including "Bobby Brown", "Baby Snakes", "Dancin' Fool", and "City of Tiny Lites."
"Dancin' Fool" is a classic tune that even non-Zappa fans know. It was Frank's incredibly spot-on swipe at the vapid disco phenomenon and the disco music polluting the airwaves at the time.
"Baby Snakes" is another fine uptempo track featuring Adrian Belew's vocals and heavy, full throttle guitar riffs. A fine piece of poppy guitar-rock.
"City Of Tiny Lights" also has Belew on lead vocals. FZ comes in with an amazing, ripping solo halfway through and the song features great guitar work between FZ and Belew.
"Bobby Brown" tells of a macho, jock-type male character who somehow has an encounter with a lesbian woman. It mocks the American dream and obsession with looks. It's packed with sexually explicit lyrics and is one of the most vile and criminally disturbing songs Frank ever wrote.
Despite that, it's catchy and rather radio-friendly, but was banned from airplay in the US due to its controversial lyrics. The song, despite being strange, was the main reason the album was such a big seller. The track was released as a single and, oddly, was a huge hit in Scandinavia, which baffled Frank at the time.
Several of these songs feature some fantastic, raw, aggressive guitar shredding by Frank. "The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" features a terrific scorching guitar solo that goes on and on.
On "Rat Tomago," an excellent instrumental piece, Frank cuts loose on the fret board and proceeds to dazzle and stun your ears with his amazing guitar work.
This album also has a few outstanding, energetic instrumentals thrown in to give a relief from all the vocals.
"Yo Mama", is the longest and best track on the album, so Zappa saved it for the end.
It's the perfect ending for a perfect Zappa album. It opens up with a blistering flurry of percussion but then mellows out slightly. "Yo' Mama" features one of Frank's most memorable guitar solos, which was patched in from a live concert. It checks all the boxes, silly lyrics and a killer, cinematic guitar solo, one of Zappa's best.
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This is the original, complete, First Pressing from 1979. Later pressings of this album were 'edited', to shorten it and clean it up, especially the CD releases. There were even 'clean' versions of the record released to radio stations back then.
The sound on this recording is amazing. Clean, crisp, dynamic. All analog with no compression. Zappa had a very critical ear and the mixing and production on this early pressing sounds fantastic.
The final lacquers were cut at Masterdisk by Bob Ludwig, one of the best mastering engineers of the time. The result is one of Frank Zappa's best sounding records, at least in the pre-Audiophile years. Not many bands could produce a sound like this.
It's one of his finest late period recordings and one of the essential albums in Zappa´s discography.
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CONDITION: I tried to show good hi-resolution photos of the signatures, cover, labels and vinyl in my pictures.
As I mentioned, I got this in a trade, about 15 years ago, and have taken great care of it since.
VINYL: The vinyl looks excellent. Clean and bright. Maybe a tiny hairline, but No serious scuffs, palpable scratches, or dings. It looks fantastic across all 4 sides and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
The Deadwax has the Sterling stamp and mastering engineer Bob Ludwig's initials. See the full Matrix above.
I tried to show some close-up pictures of the vinyl to show how good it looks. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.
I would suggest a good deep cleaning to make it even bettter looking and better sounding than it already is.
LABELS: This is pressed with Frank's red custom 'Zappa' records labels. The labels are clean and bright. No marks or damage. The spindle holes are still sharp and clean, suggesting minimal playing and my careful handling over the years.
JACKET: As you can see from my pictures, this still looks very nice for an old 1979 OG copy.
This thick jacket is notorious for showing ringwear, dirt, scuffs and damage, but this copy is still quite nice.
The artwork is bold and bright, the corners are sharp, and the original gloss is still present. The 2 signatures on the back are bold and easy to read.
The inner gatefold is clean and crisp. The spine is straight. A nice survivor.
Overall, I'll call the whole record EX- in general, but the vinyl is very clean.
This record has been sleeved and stored properly for years, and is still quite nice for an original, autographed pressing.
This copy is all original, signed TWICE! and a real gem. I'm sure you'll love it.
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** NOTE: I'm selling this rare 'Collector' record "AS IS" and "NO RETURN". It's rare and as described and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
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I’m recently retired and downsizing and letting go some gems and rarities from nearly 45 years of vinyl record collecting. Check out the many other fantastic 45s and 33s coming soon to my page!
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THANK YOU for looking and reading if you got this far. -- JOHN