Bongo Fury, the 1975 partly live album recorded by Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, will celebrate a belated 50th anniversary in March with a new five-CD, one-Blu-ray box set.
The upcoming collection will feature 48 unreleased live and studio tracks from the period, including new mixes, extended versions and a pair of concerts.
In addition to the Super Deluxe Edition, Bongo Fury (50th Anniversary Edition) will be released on March 20 in several formats, including disc, vinyl and digital.
READ MORE: Captain Beefheart Albums Ranked
You can listen to “Debra Kadbra” recorded live in Austin on May 21, 1975, below.
Hear Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart’s ‘Debra Kadabra (Live In Austin, TX – May 21, 1975)’
Zappa and Captain Beefheart (who was born Don Van Vliet) met when they were teens growing up in Lancaster, California, in the late ’50s. While their relationship had experienced some rocky periods over the years, they continued collaborating.
What Records Did Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart Play On Together?
Beefheart’s 1969 classic Trout Mask Replica featured much Zappa input, including production and performance credits. Beefheart repaid the favor by appearing on Zappa’s Hot Rats album that year, singing “Willie the Pimp.”
In January 1975, they recorded the studio tracks that would be on Bongo Fury; the live performances followed in May that year. It would be the last record Zappa and Beefheart would work on together. The album was also the final one to be released under the Mothers’ name.
Zappa’s band at the time included drummer Terry Bozzio, singer and saxophonist Napoleon Murphy Brock, keyboardist George Duke, trombonist Bruce Fowler, bassist Tom Fowler and guitarist Denny Walley.
What’s on the 50th Anniversary Edition of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart’s ‘Bongo Fury’
The expanded Bongo Fury will include Bob Ludwig’s 2012 master of the original nine-track album, plus five outtakes from the record’s sessions.
zappa beefheart album
New stereo mixes of the live material, some of which ended up on the original LP, fill out the remaining CDs.
Live shows from May 20 and 21, 1975, at Austin’s Amardillo World Headquarters feature Bongo Fury songs and cuts from other Zappa records, such as “Apostrophe’,” “Montana” and “Willie the Pimp.”
The Blu-ray features Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound mixes of the album and some of the bonus tracks. You can see the track listing for the set below.
Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, ‘Bongo Fury (50th Anniversary Edition)’ Track Listing
CD 1
Bongo Fury – The Original Album – 2012 Remaster + Bonus Fury – Bonus Tracks
The Original Album
1. Debra Kadabra
2. Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
3. Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top
4. Poofter’s Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead
5. 200 Years Old
6. Cucamonga
7. Advance Romance
8. Man With The Woman Head
9. Muffin Man
Bonus Fury – Bonus Tracks
10. Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy (Long Version)
11. Man With The Woman Head (Isolated Vocal)
12. Muffin Man / A Little Green Rosetta (Alternate Take)
13. 200 Years Old (Long Version)
14. Born To Suck (Vocal Session Snoop)
15. Born To Suck
CD 2
Armadillo World Headquarters – Live In Austin, TX, 5/20/1975
1. 5-20-75 Show Start
2. “Put A Shirt On Man”
3. Apostrophe’
4. Stink-Foot
5. I’m Not Satisfied
6. Debra Kadabra
7. Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
8. The Velvet Sunrise
9. Pound For A Brown – Part I
10. Pound For A Brown – Part II
11. Sleeping In A Jar
CD 3
Armadillo World Headquarters – Live In Austin, TX, 5/20/1975
Continued
1. “Enjoy The Steambath”
2. The Torture Never Stops (Original Version)
3. Camarillo Brillo
4. Muffin Man
5. Advance Romance
6. Montana
7. Duke’s Things
8. Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top
9. Poofter’s Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead
10. Echidna’s Arf (Of You) / Terry’s Solo
11. The Ampeg Mini-Moog Controller Guitar Experiment
12. Willie The Pimp
CD 4
Armadillo World Headquarters – Live In Austin, TX, 5/21/1975
1. “Good Evening, Ladies And Gentlemen”
2. Apostrophe’
3. Stink-Foot
4. I’m Not Satisfied
5. Debra Kadabra
6. Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
7. The Velvet Sunrise
8. Pound For A Brown – Part I
9. “We’ve Had A Bomb Threat”
10. Pound For A Brown – Part II
CD 5
Armadillo World Headquarters – Live In Austin, TX, 5/21/1975
Continued
1. Advance Romance
2. Florentine Pogen
3. Montana
4. Camarillo Brillo
5. Muffin Man
6. Willie The Pimp
7. Claremont Rehearsal
8. Poofter’s Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead
9. Portuguese Lunar Landing
BLU-RAY AUDIO
Bongo Fury – The Album + Bonus Audio
Dolby Atmos / 24-bit/96kHz Dolby TrueHD 5.1 / 24-bit/192kHz PCM Stereo / 24-bit/96kHz PCM Stereo
Bongo Fury – The Album
1. Debra Kadabra
2. Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
3. Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top
4. Poofter’s Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead
5. 200 Years Old
6. Cucamonga
7. Advance Romance
8. Man With The Woman Head
9. Muffin Man
Bonus Audio
1. The Torture Never Stops (Original Version)
2. Debra Kadabra (1993 UMRK 6-Channel Mix)
3. Poofter’s Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead (1993 UMRK 6-Channel Mix)
Frank Zappa Albums Ranked
Navigating his extensive catalog, including releases with the Mothers of Invention, can be tricky. But don’t worry – we did the heavy work.
Gallery Credit: Michael Gallucci
