Discography- Apostrophe (') album

Recording Studios: ElectricLady, NYC, Bolic, Inglewood, Paramount, Hollywood

Released: March 1974

Engineers: Steve Desper, Terry Dunavan, Barry Keene, Bob Hughes, Kerry McNab

Produced, Arranged & Struggled with Frank Zappa

Graphics: Cal Schenkel

Front Photo: Emerson-Loew

Apostrophe (')

After Overnite-Sensation, Frank introduced Apostrophe ('), which happens to be very much in the same vein as O.S. in that the compositions are extremely technical and the tunes are just as crazy.

Apostrophe (') features Cream's bass legend Jack Bruce on a near 6 minute instrumental that emphasizes his distorted bass a lot more than any Cream track ever did. Jack's presence gives this a very bluesy sense. Zappa's solos on this album are probably his fastest studio solos, and they are performed incredibly on a wah drenched guitar.

Zappa had his first true commercial achievement with his earlier album "Overnight Sensation" and "Apostrophe" would follow up with more innovative songs, particularly "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" which would actually get him a significant amount of radio airplay.

Tracks

Side one

1.         "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" 2:07

2.         "Nanook Rubs It" 4:38

3.         "St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" 1:50

4.         "Father O'Blivion" 2:18

5.         "Cosmik Debris" 4:14

Side two

1.         "Excentrifugal Forz" 1:33

2.         "Apostrophe'" Frank Zappa, Jim Gordon and Jack Bruce          5:50

3.         "Uncle Remus" Frank Zappa and George Duke      2:44

4.         "Stink-Foot" 6:33

The album is parody on the whole idea of rock operas, as this album tells the touching story of an Eskimo called Nanook. Music is heavily based on blues/blues-rock with some brass rock arrangements and terrific solos, usually of free style. Even if album is quite short and the majority of songs are short also, all music appears as one blues-fusion-avant opera… Album Apostrophe (') is great fun and there is some fantastic music here. But let's be honest, this release was used to finance more serious works…..

The fusion-rock of Cosmik Debris, the free-form jamming of Apostrophe, the doo-wop parody of Uncle Remus, and the darkish funk of Stink Foot...it's all over the map, but it never loses your thoughts or makes you scratch your head, in contrast to previous Zappa albums.

Frank Zappa – vocals, guitar, bass, bouzouki

Lynn – vocals, backing vocals

Robert "Frog" Camarena – vocals, backing vocals

George Duke – keyboards, backing vocals

Ruben Ladron de Guevara – vocals, backing vocals

Debbie – vocals, backing vocals

Ray Collins – backing vocals

Sue Glover – backing vocals

Kerry McNabb – backing vocals, engineer, remixing

Sal Marquez – trumpet

Tony Duran – rhythm guitar

Ian Underwood – saxophone

Napoleon Murphy Brock – saxophone, backing vocals

Erroneous (Alex Dmochowski) – bass guitar

Bruce Fowler – trombone

Don "Sugarcane" Harris – violin

Jean-Luc Ponty – violin

Ruth Underwood – percussion

Tom Fowler – bass guitar

Jack Bruce – bass on "Apostrophe'"

Aynsley Dunbar – drums

Ralph Humphrey – drums

Johnny Guerin – drums

Jim Gordon – drums on "Apostrophe" and "Excentrifugal Forz"