Frank Zappa’s ‘Apostrophe’ 50th Anniversary Box Set Celebration

Frank Zappa’s iconic 1974 album, Apostrophe (‘), is set to receive a grand re-release as a six-disc set in celebration of its 50th anniversary later this summer. This expanded edition, which not only remasters the original tracks but also includes live performances and rare session tracks from that era, is scheduled for release on September 13.

Zappa began working on Apostrophe (‘) after the release of 1973’s Over-nite Sensation, credited to the Mothers. Combining new recordings with some older archived tracks, Zappa successfully assembled an album that struck a chord with fans and critics alike. Gaining traction in 1974, it eventually became his only Top 10 record, featuring hit tracks like “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow,” which reached No. 86 on the charts, and the fan-favorite “Cosmik Debris.”

The 50th Anniversary Edition of Apostrophe (‘) is a comprehensive package that includes a 2024 remaster of the original album along with a rich collection of 75 additional tracks. These include alternate takes, new mixes, and recordings from two live concerts held in Colorado Springs and Dayton in 1974. Notably, seven tracks from these live performances were initially released on the out-of-print album The Crux of the Biscuit in 2016.

Apart from the extensive five-CD and one Blu-ray Super Deluxe Edition, the 50th-anniversary release will also be available in other formats. Fans can look forward to a two-LP and 7-inch single edition, featuring a visually striking white vinyl with a yellow-snow-splatter design. There’s also a special “cosmic glow” in the dark version of the 7-inch single, along with a single-LP edition and a high-resolution digital version for modern listening preferences.

For those eager to get a taste of the upcoming release, the “Uncle Remus (Piano and Vocal Mix 2024)” track from the set has been made available for listening.

Here’s a look at the track listing for the Super Deluxe Edition of Apostrophe (‘):

CD 1:
1. Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow

2. Nanook Rubs It

3. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast

4. Father O’Blivion

5. Cosmik Debris

6. Excentrifugal Forz

7. Apostrophe’

8. Uncle Remus

9. Stink-Foot

Bonus Tracks:
10. Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow (Basic Tracks / Alternate Take)
11. Nanook Rubs It (Basic Tracks / Outtake)
12. Nanook Rubs It (Session Outtake)
13. Cosmik Debris (Basic Tracks – Take 3)
14. Excentrifugal Forz (Mix Outtake)
15. Apostrophe (Mix Outtake)
16. Uncle Remus (Mix Outtake)
17. Apostrophe’ (Unedited Master / 2024 Mix)

18. Uncle Remus (Piano and Vocal Mix 2024)

CD 2 – Bonus Concert 1 – Colorado Springs, CO 1974:
1. Show Start / Band Intros
2. Village Of The Sun
3. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)
4. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?

5. Babbette
6. Approximate
7. Cosmik Debris
8. Pygmy Twylyte
9. The Idiot Bastard Son
10. Cheepnis
11. Montana

12. Dupree’s Paradise Intro

CD 3 – Bonus Concert 1 Continued:
1. Dupree’s Paradise
2. Is There Anything Good Inside You?
3. Florentine Pogen
4. Kung Fu
5. Penguin In Bondage
6. T’Mershi Duween
7. The Dog Breath Variations
8. Uncle Meat
9. RDNZL

10. Medley: King Kong / Chunga’s Revenge / Son Of Mr. Green Genes

CD 4 – Early 1974 Bonus Live Track + Bonus Concert 2 – Dayton, Ohio, Hara Arena, November 20, 1974:
1. Inca Roads – Salt Lake City, Utah – 3-18-74 – Terrace Ballroom

2. Tush Tush Tush (A Token Of My Extreme)
3. Stink-Foot
4. RDNZL
5. Village Of The Sun
6. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)

7. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?
8. Penguin In Bondage
9. T’Mershi Duween
10. The Dog Breath Variations

11. Uncle Meat

12. Building A Girl

CD 5 – Bonus Concert 2 Continued + Bonus Tracks:
1. Dinah-Moe Humm
2. Camarillo Brillo
3. Pygmy Twylyte
4. Room Service
5. Tush Tush Tush (End Vamp)
6. Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow

7. Nanook Rubs It

8. St. Alfonso’s Pancake Breakfast

9. Father O’Blivion

Bonus Tracks:
10. Apostrophe TV Ad

11. Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow – Single Edit
12. Goteborg GTR

13. Approximate

BLU-RAY AUDIO:

1. Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow

2. Nanook Rubs It
3. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast

4. Father O’Blivion

5. Cosmik Debris
6. Excentrifugal Forz

7. Apostrophe’

8. Uncle Remus
9. Stink-Foot

The re-release of Apostrophe (‘) provides a detailed and enriched listening experience for both long-time fans and new listeners, making it a highly anticipated event in the music community.

Source: Ultimate Classic Rock