Frank Zappa is a person who makes you wonder, is he out of step with the rest of the human race or is everyone else out of step with him? Whichever it is, he’s unique. He’s survived rock music’s most turbulent years, remaining at almost total odds with the music business image of ‘product’. Paradoxically he is one of rock music’s most prolific writers/performers, with around 25 albums to his credit to date. That’s counting double albums as singles (which much to Zappa’s disgust is the way he claims he was paid for them) and not including compilations. He is in all likelihood the most respected musician among his peers. (read more)

Frank Zappa Sleep Dirt Discreet K59211 Must almost conclude the Discreet/WEA deal, and sounds like a man rooting round his tape cupboard. Which means some interesting stuff (the acoustic guitars of the title track, the instrumentation and voicing of Filthy Habits, the occasional string/fretless bass) and some dross (much of The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution, the aimlessness of Regyplian Strut]. Basically a depressing record of what appears to be mostly out-takes.

Sheik Yerbouti CBS 88339 First for CBS, anolher Zappa double-live. Some of the lyrics worth a miss, but make sure you hear the Dylan takeoff in Flakes and read the inner-sleeve note to Rubber Shirt. Overdubs range from ‘lots’ to ‘none’, venues from (mainly) Hammersmith Odeon to the Deutschland Halle and the New York Palladium, and recording quality from excellent to very excellent. A mixed experience – try it.

Interview with Mick Glossop, who mixed Joe's Garage and engineered Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar.

Page 31 [...] Round about the time Mick was beginning to get into production, Frank Zappa made him an offer that many people thought he couldn't refuse. Zappa wanted him to take charge of his new 46-track studio in the States. Mick explained why he turned the offer down. 'That was a very difficult decision. I had just started to get involved with production, that was 1½ years ago. I'd worked on the Shankar album (a Zappa production) and I'd done some live recording (of Zappa gigs with the Manor Mobile). I was in America working with Van Morrison on the Into The Music album during which time Frank called up and said: While you're over here I want you to come and mix these three live albums, a studio album and an album of guitar solos.'
The job involved recording Zappa in the studio and then going out on the road with him as a live sound engineer re-creating the sound of the album. 'I didn't want to go out on the road and I didn't want to work with just one person. As I was saying before, the main thing that I like about working in the business is the variety of working with different people and different bands. If I was going to work with one artist then Zappa would probably be the one person. I've always been a fan. Technically and musically he's streets ahead of everybody else. You try to show him some new device that's just come out and he's already got three of them. Also his ideas about music are constantly changing so he's not restricted by any one style.' [...]

Soure: worldradiohistory.com