The Rolling Stones announce reissue of classic 1976 album, "Black and Blue"

The Rolling Stones have announced the reissue of the classic 1976 album "Black and Blue" including a new 2025 mix. Below is the official media release and artwork of the forthcoming title coming Nov. 14, 2025...Robert Kinsler

"BLACK AND BLUE"   SUPER DELUXE BOX SET OUT NOVEMBER 14, 2025   FEATURING NEW 2025 MIX, UNRELEASED STUDIO SESSIONS, LIVE CONCERTS + RARE FOOTAGE

September 24, 2025 - Nearly five decades after its original release, The Rolling Stones are set to celebrate their groundbreaking 1976 album Black and Blue with a definitive Super Deluxe Box Set, arriving globally on November 14, 2025 from Interscope/UMe. Originally released in April, 1976 Black and Blue marked a bold new chapter for the band and now returns in a stunning, remixed and expanded package across multiple formats. Available as a 5LP vinyl box set and a 4CD box set, both editions include a Blu-ray disc, a hundred-page hardback book, and a replica tour poster. A limited edition 5LP version on exclusive black and blue marbled vinyl will also be available via select online retailers, alongside streamlined 2-disc and 1-disc formats on both vinyl and CD. Additionally, a limited edition 1LP zoetrope vinyl will also be released. Now available to pre order here. Black and Blue is the Stones’ 13th studio album, the first following the departure of former guitarist Mick Taylor who was eventually replaced by Ronnie Wood. The recording sessions famously served as auditions with guitar greats Harvey Mandel, Wayne Perkins, Jeff Beck, and Robert A. Johnson all contributing. Ultimately, free from commitments to The Faces, it was Ronnie Wood who joined Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts & Bill Wyman as a bona fide Rolling Stone appearing on three tracks. Soon after Ronnie officially signed up for the band’s U.S. tour, starting his continuing tenure with the group across five decades with multiple live and studio albums and dozens of Stones groundbreaking world tours. In a brand-new interview included in the new box set, Ronnie reflects on joining the band in 1976 with these words - "Right then, this is where I’m meant to be." Musically, Black and Blue showcased The Rolling Stones’ adventurous spirit by infusing reggae, funk, and soul into their signature rock sound. The swaggering “Hot Stuff,” the driving “Hand of Fate,” the poignant ballad hit single “Fool to Cry,” fan favorite “Memory Motel” plus “Melody” featuring the talents of Billy Preston a heavy contributor to the whole album. Black and Blue was the second to be self-produced, credited to "The Glimmer Twins" a pseudonym used by Jagger and Richards for their roles as producers. On release it went to No. 1 on the USA album chart and stayed there for four consecutive weeks gaining immediate platinum status while in the UK Black and Blue went to No. 2 in May 1976. The Black and Blue 2025 reissue includes a six-track disc of previously unreleased recordings, including the Jagger/Richards composition “I Love Ladies,” plus a high-energy take on Shirley & Company’s “Shame, Shame, Shame” which is available to listen to now here. Also included are four amazing Stones instrumental jams from the 1975 sessions featuring the guest guitarists. To accompany the reissue, a new music video for “Shame, Shame, Shame” will premiere on September 25th, available to watch here. Directed by acclaimed Dutch filmmaker Camille Boumans, the video is a collage of Stones history and attitude, blending rare archival photography with hand-drawn animation and modern flair. Known for her award-winning work with global brands and her distinctive blend of classic and contemporary aesthetics, Boumans brings a fresh energy to the Stones’ legacy. In addition and a must for Stones fans is a full live concert recording from the bands celebrated six night residency at London’s Earls Court Exhibition Centre, where they were joined onstage by Ian Stewart, Billy Preston, and Ollie Brown - all of whom had contributed to the studio album. The accompanying Blu-ray disc offers a previously unreleased TV broadcast of the Stones’ 1976 show at Les Abattoirs in Paris, plus Dolby Atmos surround sound mixes of both the studio album and the live Earls Court concert. All audio content is also available in high-resolution stereo. Rounding out the Super Deluxe Box Set is a 100-page hardback book featuring a brand new essay by recognized Stones expert Paul Sexton, exclusive photographs from the album sessions and tour, and a replica poster from the 1976 Paris concert.   Release Formats Include: 5LP Super Deluxe Box Set 4CD Super Deluxe Box Set Limited Edition 5LP Marbled Vinyl Super Deluxe Box Set 2LP / 2CD (Album + Outtakes & Jams) 1LP / 1CD (2025 Steven Wilson Mix) 1LP Zoetrope Vinyl    FULL TRACK LISTING + CREDITS BELOW:   TRACKLISTING   1CD – STEVEN WILSON REMIX 2025   Hot Stuff Hand Of Fate Cherry Oh Baby Memory Motel Hey Negrita Melody Fool To Cry Crazy Mama   1LP – STEVEN WILSON REMIX 2025   Side A Hot Stuff Hand Of Fate Cherry Oh Baby Memory Motel Side B Hey Negrita Melody Fool To Cry Crazy Mama    2CD   Disc 1: Steven Wilson Remix 2025 Hot Stuff Hand Of Fate Cherry Oh Baby Memory Motel Hey Negrita (Inspiration by Ron Wood) Melody (Inspiration by Billy Preston) Fool To Cry Crazy Mama   Disc 2: Outtakes and Jams I Love Ladies Shame, Shame, Shame Chuck Berry Style Jam (With Harvey Mandel) Blues Jam (With Jeff Beck) Rotterdam Jam (With Jeff Beck & Robert A. Johnson) Freeway Jam (With Jeff Beck)   2LP   Disc 1: Steven Wilson Remix 2025 Side A Hot Stuff Hand Of Fate Cherry Oh Baby Memory Motel Side B Hey Negrita (Inspiration by Ron Wood) Melody (Inspiration by Billy Preston) Fool To Cry Crazy Mama   Disc 2: Outtakes and Jams Side A I Love Ladies Shame, Shame, Shame Chuck Berry Style Jam (With Harvey Mandel) Side B Blues Jam (With Jeff Beck) Rotterdam Jam (With Jeff Beck & Robert A. Johnson) Freeway Jam (With Jeff Beck)   SUPER DELUXE 4CD + BLU RAY   Disc 1: Steven Wilson Remix 2025 Hot Stuff Hand Of Fate Cherry Oh Baby Memory Motel Hey Negrita (Inspiration by Ron Wood) Melody (Inspiration by Billy Preston) Fool To Cry Crazy Mama   Disc 2: Outtakes and Jams I Love Ladies Shame, Shame, Shame Chuck Berry Style Jam (With Harvey Mandel) Blues Jam (With Jeff Beck) Rotterdam Jam (With Jeff Beck & Robert A. Johnson) Freeway Jam (With Jeff Beck)   Disc 3: Live at Earls Court 1976 1.    Honky Tonk Women 2.    If You Can’t Rock Me/Get Off My Cloud 3.    Hand Of Fate 4.    Hey Negrita (Inspiration by Ron Wood) 5.    Ain’t Too Proud To Beg 6.    Fool To Cry 7.    Hot Stuff 8.    Star Star (Starfucker)  9.    You Gotta Move 10. You Can’t Always Get What You Want 11. Band Intro 12. Happy 13. Tumbling Dice 14. Nothing From Nothing  15. Outa-Space   Disc 4: Live at Earls Court 1976 Midnight Rambler It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) Brown Sugar Jumpin’ Jack Flash Street Fighting Man Sympathy For The Devil   Blu-Ray Disc 1. Black and Blue (Steven Wilson Remix 2025) 2. Les Rolling Stones Aux Abattoirs, Paris-Juin 1976  ·      Band Intro ·      Honky Tonk Women ·      Hand of Fate ·      Fool To Cry ·      Hot Stuff ·      Star Star ·      You Gotta Move ·      You Can’t Always Get What You Want ·      Band Introductions ·      Happy ·      Outa Space ·      Jumpin’ Jack Flash ·      Street Fighting Man 3. Live at Earls Court Live 1976  ·      Band Intro ·      Honky Tonk Women ·      If You Can’t Rock Me/Get Off My Cloud ·      Hand Of Fate ·      Hey Negrita ·      Ain’t Too Proud To Beg ·      Fool To Cry ·      Hot Stuff ·      Star Star (Starfucker) ·      You Gotta Move ·      You Can’t Always Get What You Want ·      Happy ·      Tumbling Dice ·      Nothing From Nothing ·      Outa-Space ·      Midnight Rambler ·      It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) ·      Brown Sugar ·      Jumpin’ Jack Flash ·      Street Fighting Man ·      Sympathy For The Devil   SUPER DELUXE 5LP + BLU RAY   Disc 1: Steven Wilson Remix 2025 Side A Hot Stuff Hand Of Fate Cherry Oh Baby Memory Motel Side B Hey Negrita (Inspiration by Ron Wood) Melody (Inspiration by Billy Preston) Fool To Cry Crazy Mama   Disc 2: Outtakes and Jams Side A I Love Ladies Shame, Shame, Shame Chuck Berry Style Jam (With Harvey Mandel) Side B Blues Jam (With Jeff Beck) Rotterdam Jam (With Jeff Beck & Robert A. Johnson) Freeway Jam (With Jeff Beck)   Disc 3: Live at Earls Court 1976 Side A Honky Tonk Women If You Can’t Rock Me/Get Off My Cloud Hand Of Fate Hey Negrita (Inspiration by Ron Wood) Side B Ain’t Too Proud To Beg Fool To Cry Hot Stuff Star Star (Starfucker)    Disc 4: Live at Earls Court 1976 Side A You Gotta Move You Can’t Always Get What You Want Band Intro Happy Side B Tumbling Dice Nothing from Nothing Outa-space   Disc 5: Live at Earls Court 1976 Side A Midnight Rambler It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) Brown Sugar Side B Jumpin’ Jack Flash Street Fighting Man Sympathy For The Devil   Blu-Ray Disc   Black and Blue (Steven Wilson Remix 2025) Hi-res stereo and Atmos Mix   2. Les Rolling Stones Aux Abattoirs, Paris-Juin 1976  ·      Band Intro ·      Honky Tonk Women ·      Hand of Fate ·      Fool To Cry ·      Hot Stuff ·      Star Star ·      You Gotta Move ·      You Can’t Always Get What You Want ·      Band Introductions ·      Happy ·      Outa Space ·      Jumpin’ Jack Flash ·      Street Fighting Man   3. Live at Earls Court Live 1976  ·      Band Intro ·      Honky Tonk Women ·      If You Can’t Rock Me/Get Off My Cloud ·      Hand Of Fate ·      Hey Negrita ·      Ain’t Too Proud To Beg ·      Fool To Cry ·      Hot Stuff ·      Star Star (Starfucker) ·      You Gotta Move ·      You Can’t Always Get What You Want ·      Happy ·      Tumbling Dice ·      Nothing From Nothing ·      Outa-Space ·      Midnight Rambler ·      It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It) ·      Brown Sugar ·      Jumpin’ Jack Flash ·      Street Fighting Man ·      Sympathy For The Devil     CREDITS   Mick Jagger - Lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3 – 5), percussion (1), piano (4, 7) electric guitar (8) Keith Richards - Electric guitar (all tracks except 4), backing vocals (except 6,7), piano (4, 8), bass (8), co-lead vocals (4) Ronnie Wood - Electric guitar (3,5,8), backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 8) Bill Wyman - Bass guitar (except 8), percussion (1) Charlie Watts - Drums, percussion (1) Billy Preston - Piano (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8), organ (5, 6), percussion (6), backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 6, 8) Nicky Hopkins - Piano (7), organ (3) Harvey Mandel - Electric guitar (1, 4) Wayne Perkins - Electric guitar (2,7), acoustic guitar (4) Ollie Brown - Percussion (1, 2, 5, 8) Ian Stewart - Percussion (1) Arif Mardin - Horn (6)   Produced By The Glimmer Twins (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards)   # # #

Elton John - 'Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper' out on Vinyl, CD & Digitally on July 25 via UMe

Elton John - Live from the Rainbow Theatre

with Ray Cooper

Out on Vinyl, CD & Digitally on July 25^th via UMe

Pre-Order HERE

Photo Credit: Watal Asanuma / Shinko Music

Elton John - Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper will be released on July 25 via UMe. One of Elton John’s most celebrated performances, the live album was initially released on a limited vinyl run for this year's Record Store Day. Now receiving a wider release, it will be available both digitally and on CD for the first time, alongside a vinyl repress. The CD and digital editions include a brand-new bonus track, "Goodbye," plus the original twelve-song tracklist, personally curated by Elton, and additional liner notes.

 

In May 1977, Elton John took the stage at London’s iconic Rainbow Theatre with percussion legend Ray Cooper for a six-show residency. These performances were the first of 233 Elton-and-Ray only shows that would follow, and featured the live debut of deep cuts; “Roy Rogers”, “Cage The Songbird”, “Idol”, and “I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford)”.

 

May 1977 was the first time in five years that a full month had passed without an Elton LP or single appearing on the UK charts. It had also been eight months since his last performance, after averaging one show every four days throughout the previous seven years. Ticket holders expecting to see a typical Elton concert were in for a big surprise. The first half of the set would be Elton alone at the piano, the second half would see him accompanied by Ray Cooper, the two performers working together telepathically, harking back to the earliest days of Elton’s rise to superstardom. The stripped-back performances have since been regarded as some of the finest of his career.

 

The material selected represents a generous sampler of Elton's career to date, yet without the big hits that were part of his regular set, offering a glimpse of what he would have been playing had he been a cult artist, not the global superstar he had become.

 

Speaking on the album, Elton John says: “I’m delighted that Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper will be available for my fans to enjoy. It’s an album I’m incredibly proud of, and listening back to it, I’m astounded by how great it sounds. The freedom I felt playing with just the two of us is something I will always remember.”

 

The release comes in the wake of Elton’s chart-topping album with close friend and eleven-time GRAMMY-winning US superstar Brandi Carlile, Who Believes In Angels? A true collaboration between Elton, Brandi, Bernie Taupin, and multiple GRAMMY Award-winning producer and songwriter Andrew Watt, the ten-track LP was a global critical and commercial success and Elton’s tenth UK number one album.

 

Elton John - Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper Track List:

1. The Greatest Discovery
2. Border Song
3. Cage The Songbird
4. Where To Now St. Peter?
5. Ticking
6. Better Off Dead w/Ray Cooper
7. Sweet Painted Lady
8. Tonight w/Ray Cooper
9. Idol w/Ray Cooper
10. I Feel Like A Bullet (In The Gun Of Robert Ford) w/Ray Cooper
11. Roy Rogers
12. Dan Dare (Pilot Of The Future)
13. Goodbye*

 

*Bonus track available on digital and CD release only

 

About Elton John:

Elton’s career achievements to date are unsurpassed in their breadth and longevity. Elton is one of the top-selling solo artists of all time. In the UK and US charts alone he has 2 Diamond, 43 Platinum or Multi-Platinum, and 26 Gold albums as well as over 85 Top 40 hits. He has sold more than 300 million records worldwide.

Among the many awards and honours bestowed upon him are six GRAMMYs, including a GRAMMY Legend award, a Tony, two Oscars, a Best British Male Artist BRIT Award, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Kennedy Center Honor, Legend of Live Award, 13 Ivor Novello Awards and a knighthood from HM Queen Elizabeth II for “services to music and charitable services”. In January 2024, Elton John joined Hollywood’s elite group of EGOT winners after securing his first-ever EMMY Award for his historic Disney+ live, concert special Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.

He holds the record for the biggest-selling physical single of all time, “Candle in the Wind 1997,” which sold over 33 million copies. Released in 2017 ‘Diamonds’ the Ultimate Greatest Hits album, became Elton’s 43rd UK Top 40 album and has spent over 300 consecutive weeks in the top 75 of the UK album charts, over 200 of these in the top 20. This release celebrated 50 years of his songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin. It topped the UK charts in January 2025, becoming his 9th UK number 1 album, achieving 4 times Platinum status in the process and is the longest charting album of Elton’s career 62-deep catalog.

August 2018 saw Elton named as the most successful male solo artist in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart history, having logged 71 entries, including nine No. 1s and 29 Top 10s. ‘The Lockdown Sessions’, an album of collaborations recorded during the COVID-19 Pandemic, was released in October 2021 and went straight to No. 1 in the UK album Charts, becoming Elton’s 8th UK No. 1 album in the process. Its lead single “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) with Dua Lipa” became a bona fide global hit, reaching No. 1 in over 20 charts worldwide, including the UK and Australia. Its success meant that Elton became the first ever solo artist to score a UK Top 10 hit single in six consecutive decades. In America, he holds the record for the longest span between Billboard top 40 hits among soloists at 51 years and currently has logged 57 entries. Elton also holds the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart record with 18 No. 1s and 76 total songs. Summer of 2022 saw another global smash single, as Elton and Britney Spears released ‘Hold Me Closer’, a Top 5 hit in the UK and a No. 1 hit in the Australian single charts.

Elton announced the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour at New York’s Gotham Hall in January 2018. The tour kicked off on 10th September 2018 in North America and subsequently saw Elton play 330 shows to over 6.25 million fans across the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia. The shows marked his retirement from touring after more than 50 years on the road. In 2019, it was named Billboard's Top Rock Tour and Pollstar’s Major Tour Of The Year. The U.S. leg of the tour concluded with 3 sell-out shows at Dodger Stadium. The concert was live-streamed on Disney+ + in every single territory the channel broadcasts in, a global first. Elton headlined Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in June 2023, the final UK show before the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour concluded. The Sunday night closer was widely heralded as one of the greatest performances in the festival's rich history, attracting one of the largest crowds ever witnessed at the festival. It also received the biggest ever televised audience for a Glastonbury set, reaching 7.6m overnight on BBC1. Elton has delivered more than 4,600 performances in more than 80 countries since launching his first tour in 1970.

2019 also saw the release of ‘Rocketman’ and global best-selling autobiography, ‘ME’. An epic fantasy musical motion picture of Elton’s life, 'Rocketman' has been a commercial and critical hit, taking close to $200m at the box office. It has won an Oscar, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Critics’ Choice Award and garnered four BAFTA nominations. The soundtrack was also nominated for a GRAMMY Award. ‘Elton John: Never Too Late’ follows Elton as he looks back on his life and the astonishing early days of his 50-year career in an emotionally charged, intimate, and uplifting full-circle journey. Directed by R.J. Cutler and David Furnish the documentary premiered in December 2024, on Disney+.



In 1992, Elton established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which today is a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. So far the Foundation has raised more than $600 million for HIV/AIDS grants, funding more than 3,000 projects in over 90 countries. In June 2019, President Emmanuel Macron presented Elton with the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest award, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and the fight against HIV/AIDS. Elton was awarded the Companion of Honour in the 2021 New Year Honours list in the UK. The highest acknowledgement in the list, Elton became one of only 64 people to hold the Honour. September 2022 saw President Biden award him the National Humanities Medal in recognition of his storied career and advocacy work to end AIDS.



Always a tireless champion of new artists, Elton has been a leading industry voice in lobbying the government for young artists’ visa-free touring rights in Europe post-Brexit.

 

In 2024, Fragile Beauty opened at the V&A Museum to widespread critical acclaim. Running until 2025, the exhibition showcases an unparalleled selection of the world’s leading photography from Elton and David Furnish’s collection.

 

# # #

Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention's Wild Three-Hour Concert Album, "Whisky a Go Go, 1968," Out Now

Today marks the official release date of Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention's three-hour concert album, "Whisky a Go Go, 1968." Additionally, 5LP vinyl box set and 2LP vinyl titles are set for release on July 12th...Robert Kinsler

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION’S WILD THREE-HOUR CONCERT RECORDED LIVE AT THE WHISKY A GO GO IN 1968 OUT NOW AS WHISKY A GO GO, 1968

5LP VINYL BOX SET AND 2LP VINYL HIGHLIGHTS COLLECTION COMING JULY 12, 2024

INCREDIBLE 14-MINUTE VIDEO OF FOOTAGE FROM THE HISTORIC NIGHT UNEARTHED FROM THE VAULT

CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, HOME TO THE LEGENDARY WHISKY, DECLARES JUNE 10, 2024, AS “FRANK ZAPPA DAY” IN PROCLAMATION CEREMONY WITH MAYOR JOHN M. ERICKSON AND MOON AND DIVA ZAPPA

Los Angeles – June 21, 2024 – Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention’s legendary three-hour performance at the famed Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood on July 23, 1968, is available now as the 3CD/digital album, Whisky a Go Go, 1968, via Zappa Records/UMe. Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, this extensive collection, released 56 years after it was recorded, compiles everything The Mothers played across their three sets that night, nearly three hours in all, complete and newly remixed in 2023 from hi-res 24-bit/96kHz digital transfers of the original 1” 8-track analog tapes by Craig Parker Adams at Winslow CT Studios. The Super Deluxe Edition box set features a booklet with many unseen photos from the night’s events, along with copious liner notes by Travers, an essay by Pamela Des Barres of the Zappa-signed group The GTOs who played that evening, and an interview by Ahmet Zappa with the legendary Alice Cooper, whose own band made a most momentous splash at the Whisky that night as one of the featured acts. Purchase/stream Whisky a Go Go, 1968 here: https://frankzappa.lnk.to/WhiskyAGoGo1968PR On July 12th, Whisky a Go Go, 1968 will be released as a 5LP box set, containing nine sides of music and a silkscreen printed image on the 10th side plus a custom turntable mat. A 2LP Highlights edition will also be available, spotlighting highlights from all three sets. All vinyl was cut from hi-res digital file by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in 2023 and is being pressed at Optimal: Media in Germany on BioVinyl, a new environment-friendly formulation and sustainable product made from bio-based PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The petroleum previously required for PVC production is replaced by recycling used cooking oil or industrial waste gases. Through the use of renewable energies and recycled raw materials, CO2 emissions are significantly reduced. More information about BioVinyl available here: https://www.optimal-media.com/en/news/biovinyl/

L to R: West Hollywood Vice Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers, Diva Zappa, Moon Zappa, West Hollywood Mayor John M. Erickson. Photo by Scott Dudelson

Last week, the city of West Hollywood, home to the iconic Whisky a Go Go, declared June 10, 2024, as “Frank Zappa Day,” in honor of the many valuable contributions the legendary musician, activist and counterculture icon made to music and culture in West Hollywood and beyond. In a private ceremony at the Whisky, located on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood, Moon Zappa and Diva Zappa, the daughters of Frank and Gail Zappa, were presented the proclamation by West Hollywood Mayor John M. Erickson and Vice Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers.  In conjunction with today’s release, a 14-minute video featuring newly restored 16mm film footage shot at Zappa’s historical Whisky show has been unearthed from The Vault and is available to view for the first time. The film, which was shot in increments throughout the night, has been painstakingly synched to music for the first time, marking the first time it’s ever been seen with audio (Zappa himself never had the opportunity to see the footage synched to the music). The video is an incredible document of the five-hour festivities and shows fans lined up around the block on Sunset Blvd., the late ‘60s free-spirited revelry of the packed audience and the musicians and never-before-seen performance footage of The Mothers along with scenes involving The Freaks and the debut of The GTOs (Girls Together Outrageously). In the audience that night were Flo & Eddie (The Turtles), John Mayall, Elliot Ingber (The Fraternity Of Man), Alice Cooper and members of the Rolling Stones. Watch the video here: https://FrankZappa.lnk.to/LiveAtWhisky Also available now are the first three episodes of the four-part Whisky A Go Go Series on YouTube, hosted by Travers and recorded inside the Whisky. In the first episode, Travers sits down with Sunset strip icon Pamela Des Barres who reflects about her own band, Girls Together Outrageously (the GTOs), making their world premiere at the wild five-hour show and what performing with Zappa meant to her. The second episode continues with Des Barres reminiscing fondly about the historic gig as she sees footage for the first time ever of herself and her friends performing that night culled from previously unreleased film discovered in The Vault. The third video sees Travers and Des Barres discussing the “freaks and fashion of 1968 and Zappa’s influence on the freak out culture.” Check out the series here: https://frankzappa.lnk.to/WhiskySeries   Additionally, a new merch collection for Whisky a Go Go, 1968 is also available now. Visit the official Frank Zappa Store to see the new offerings: https://store.zappa.com/ The hand-scrawled ad in the L.A. Free Press — an open invitation to Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention’s all-night affair at one of their favorite venues, L.A.’s historic Whisky a Go Go — laid things out in black and white as to what Zappa and the band’s intentions were for that soon-to-be epic evening. It read: “The Mothers of Invention cordially invite you to join them on Tuesday, July 23, 1968, when they will be taking over the Whisky a Go Go for 5 full hours of unprecedented merriment, which will be secretly recorded for an upcoming record album. Dress optional. Starting sometime in the evening. R.S.V.D.T.” The show was billed on the Whisky marquee as “Mothers Of Invention – Recording Session,” and thus, Zappa had indeed recorded the entire evening’s aural festivities with the intention of releasing an album. That project never quite fully materialized — until now. Early on during the Whisky proceedings — right after the quite gnarly eight-minute “Tiny Sick Tears Jam” — Zappa told the eclectic gathering of freaks and hippie-cum-hipster music geeks alike, “The purpose of this evening is supposedly to make some recordings of The Mothers live, in person.” Zappa’s core intention of live invention that night was to capture an entire Mothers performance on multi-track tape. The only other time this had occurred was two months earlier at the Miami Pop Festival on May 18, 1968, when Eddie Kramer had documented The Mothers’ set on 1” 8-track tape. For the Whisky engagement, Zappa had hired the Wally Heider remote truck, which itself had been outfitted with a 1” 8-track recorder that would be helmed by recording engineer Dick Kunc. The choice of venue was no accident either. The Whisky had been very good to The Mothers over their formative years, and this showcase event was a way to give back to the place where manager Herb Cohen had persuaded producer Tom Wilson to witness Zappa and The Mothers perform in late 1965. That ultimately resulted in the band securing a record contract with MGM, not to mention planting the seeds of the fruitful relationship that developed between Zappa and Wilson. By the time The Mothers came back to the Whisky in July 1968, they had quite well established themselves as leaders of the underground. Led by Zappa on guitar and vocals, The Mothers’ formidable lineup for this extravaganza included Ray Collins (vocals, percussion), Ian Underwood (alto sax), Bunk Gardner (tenor sax, flute), Don Preston (keyboards, gong), Motorhead Sherwood (baritone sax, percussion), Roy Estrada (bass, vocals), Art Tripp (drum set, percussion), and Jimmy Carl Black (drum set, percussion). Along with the three individual sets The Mothers played that night, there were also performances by Alice Cooper, Wild Man Fischer, The GTOs, and a still-mysterious guitar player from New Jersey named Joe Piresanti. The ensuing mayhem during these performances — “from time to time, there’ll be interesting events taking place here in the arena, to keep you occupied,” as Zappa put it — was duly captured on film as well. Vito, Szou, Carl and The Freaks writhed and contorted themselves in an orgy-like state on the floor in front of the stage, while The GTO’s danced, twirled, and screamed along for the entire evening, hands down the most raucous and most verbally reassuring cheerleading section in the house. Besides all their gyrating, whooping, and hollering, The GTOs also performed a pair of carefully hand-selected numbers onstage during “King Kong – Part 2.” Other notable scenesters in attendance that evening were The BTO’s, Kim Fowley (whom, at FZ’s insistence, joins in vocally early on in the set, a la his accompaniment on Freak Out!), The Turtles, John Mayall, Elliot Ingber (a former Mother now part of The Fraternity Of Man), and members of The Rolling Stones. What attendees and participants alike witnessed that night at the Whisky — keeping in mind that some audience members had to be swapped in and out from set to set, since people were lined up around the block to get in (Thank you teenagers, one and all). Linchpin songs like “Memories of El Monte” and “Help, I’m A Rock” were there, and well known from the beginning days of The Mothers’ L.A. gigs. Improvisation was critical — “Just start playing something nice, in G minor. Make it up,” Zappa implores before The Mothers dive into “Improvisation: Episode II” — plus, there were doo-wop chops for days (“Valerie,” the soaring falsetto from Roy Estrada in “Oh, In The Sky”). As for Zappa himself, not only did he commence the first set by utilizing his trademark hand signals to direct the band in real time, he also got to deploy his then newly acquired Les Paul Gold Top guitar before the Bigsby tailpiece and other experimental modifications on the instrument had been implemented. For his part, Alice Cooper remains thankful to this day for not only what Zappa saw in his fledgling group, but for giving them a cherished slot on that fateful Whisky night. “Nobody would touch us except Frank. He was the only one that even gave us the time of day,” as Cooper related to Ahmet Zappa in the liners. “He saw something specific in us that was pretty insane. All the record companies wanted the next Buffalo Springfield, and we were not that.” No, they were decidedly not that — and Alice Cooper collectively lit the Whisky ablaze with an incendiary performance of their own that set the table for a career that’s still in full swing.   “It truly was a night of nights,” as Travers oh-so-succinctly put it in the liners. “The Mothers performance wasn’t perfect, but very good. Frank was in good spirits, the band played well, and the sequence of songs did capture the group’s live repertoire of the time.” The Mothers were already poised for greater pastures and pastimes ahead by virtue of the music they would soon enough be creating for their next studio album, one that would arrive before the tail end of 1968 — the doo-wop-inspired concept piece, Cruising With Ruben & The Jets. But for five glorious hours on a hot mid-1968 summer night in L.A., the Whisky a Go Go was the most happening place to be. To best absorb the contents of Whisky a Go Go 1968, we should all follow the advice given by GTOs royalty Miss Pamela Des Barres, who implores us to “listen to all of this album in its entirety and try to envision the Whisky a Go Go that long ago night. It happened in a space and time that will never come again, so buckle up, baby, close your eyes, let your imagination soar, and set your freak free.”  FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: WHISKY A GO GO 1968 SUPER DELUXE EDITION   Tracklists   3CD – SUPER DELUXE   CD 1 1. Whisky Improvisation: Episode I 2. America Drinks & Goes Home 3. Help, I’m A Rock / Transylvania Boogie 4. My Boyfriend’s Back 5. Bust His Head 6. Tiny Sick Tears Jam 7. “The Purpose Of This Evening…” 8. Whisky Improvisation: Episode II  9. Status Back Baby 10. Memories Of El Monte 11. Oh, In The Sky 12. Valerie CD 2 1. “Fun & Merriment” 2. Hungry Freaks, Daddy 3. King Kong – Part 1 4. King Kong – Part 2 5. Octandre 6. Whisky Improvisation: Episode III 7. Meow 8. God Bless America 9. Presentation Of Wings 10. Plastic People 11. Della’s Preamble 12. The Duke – Take 1 13. The Duke – Take 2 14. Khaki Sack CD 3 1. The Whip 2. Whisky Chouflée 3. Brown Shoes Don’t Make It 4. Brown Shoes Shuffle Bonus Vintage Mixes 5. The Whip (FZ Mix) 6. Hungry Freaks, Daddy (FZ Mono Mix) 5LP – SUPER DELUXE   Side 1 1. Whisky Improvisation: Episode I 2. America Drinks & Goes Home 3. Help, I’m A Rock / Transylvania Boogie   Side 2 1. My Boyfriend’s Back 2. Bust His Head 3. Tiny Sick Tears Jam 4. “The Purpose Of This Evening…” 5. Whisky Improvisation: Episode II (Part 1)   Side 3 1. Whisky Improvisation: Episode II (Part 2) 2. Status Back Baby 3. Memories Of El Monte 4. Oh, In The Sky 5. Valerie   Side 4 1. “Fun & Merriment” 2. Hungry Freaks, Daddy 3. King Kong – Part 1   Side 5 1. King Kong – Part 2  2. Octandre 3. Whisky Improvisation: Episode III 4. Meow 5. God Bless America 6. Presentation Of Wings 7. Plastic People   Side 6 1. Della’s Preamble 2. The Duke – Take 1 3. The Duke – Take 2 4. Khaki Sack   Side 7 1. The Whip 2. Whisky Chouflée   Side 8 1. Brown Shoes Don’t Make It 2. Brown Shoes Shuffle   Side 9 – Bonus Vintage Mixes 1. The Whip (FZ Mix) 2. Hungry Freaks, Daddy (FZ Mono Mix) Side 10 No Music – “Mothers” Silkscreen Image 2LP – WHISKY A GO GO 1968 HIGHLIGHTS Side 1 1. Help, I’m A Rock / Transylvania Boogie 2. My Boyfriend’s Back 3. Bust His Head 4. Tiny Sick Tears Jam   Side 2 1. “Fun & Merriment” 2. Hungry Freaks, Daddy 3. King Kong   Side 3 1. “The Purpose Of This Evening…” 2. The Duke – Take 2 3. Khaki Sack   Side 4 1. The Whip (FZ Mix) 2. Brown Shoes Don’t Make It # # #