2003-07-02

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

There's not much to add to the other customer reviews, but it should be noted that this CD is currently the only way to hear `Wino Man' (aka `Wonderful Wino') in its original form - with Flo and Eddie (Mark and Howard) providing backup vocals behind Jeff Simmons's lead vocal. And what a singer he was! His performance makes this `Wino' arguably the best version ever.
The editing on this album is questionable - Sides 1 & 2 appear to be in reverse, `Concentration Moon' is lacking a verse (consult the PLAYGROUND PSYCHOTICS album to hear it done properly), we have `Happy Together' (and its introductory remark) but not the rest of the Groupie Opera...and `Call Any Vegetable' (which is terrific) has a fake ending.
The sound quality is particularly galling to those who know about the long-since-deleted `BEAT THE BOOTS VOLUME 2', which reprised some of this material in superior sound. But, one way or another, you need to hear the vocal version of `Holiday in Berlin', as much for Zappa's wonderful guitar solo (bookended by foretastes of `Inca Roads' and `Easy Meat') as Howard's equally wonderful lead vocal. That and the aforementioned `Wino Man' make this disc necessary for Zappa collectors.

Bruce E Bowman 2002-04-26

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

This album was originally a bootleg release. Frank bought a vinyl copy and remastered it, then sold it as part of his "beat the boots" series in 1991. The plan was to legitimately release some material that he otherwise wasn't getting any royalties for. So don't blame him for the poor sound quality, as he had nothing to do with that aspect.

If you're interested in other live Zappa albums of this genre, I recommend "Tis the Season to be Jelly." This is a very old Mothers concert in Sweden (1967) that contains some very unique material unlike anything else in the Zappa catalog.

alan fagan 2001-04-22

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

pITY ABOUT THE LOW SOUND QUALITY BECAUSE there's lots of choice music here, from 1970. We have the holiday in berlin lyrics about the student riot, that's class. Frank has some great soloing here, call any vegetable also sleeping in a jar. It's well worth hearing despite crummy sound

W. Randy Woodall 2000-12-18

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

This live cd makes a nice companion to "Fillmore East". It's the same line-up (Flo and Eddie), the humor's there and it rocks. The sound isn't the best (It was originally an audience recorded bootleg) but the music and humor win you over. My favorite part is the "Dr John routine"...Zappa's impression of Dr John doing "Wino Man'.

2000-11-23

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

The 1971 line up was not Zappa's best although it could pull off some neat little numbers like "Fillmore East" or even produce a masterpiece such as 200 Motels (Admitedly with a lot more musicians).

But this record is way below Zappa standards both in contents and in form. The sound is awful, and the performances nothing to write home about. I give this two stars because any Zappa record, however bad, deserves more than one. But get "Filmore East" or "Just another band from LA" instead. Anything but this. You'll fell cheated by this one.