Rollo was the founder and first ruler of the Viking principality in what soon became known as Normandy.
Some Time in New York City is the third collaborative studio album, and first live album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as Plastic Ono Band, a double album, it includes backing by the American rock band Elephant's Memory. Released in June 1972 in the US and in September 1972 in the UK on Apple Records, it is Lennon's sixth album to be released under his own name, and his fourth collaboration with Ono. Like Lennon's previous solo albums, it was co-produced by Lennon, Ono and Phil Spector. The album's agitprop lyrics are politically charged compared to its predecessors, addressing political and social issues and topics such as sexism, incarceration, colonialism, and racism.
Absolutely Free is the second album by American rock band the Mothers of Invention, released on May 26, 1967, by Verve Records. Much like their 1966 debut Freak Out!, the album is a display of complex musical composition with political and social satire, whose blend of jazz, classical, avant-garde and rock idioms within multi-sectional, suite-like compositions is seen as an important and influential precursor to progressive rock. The band had been augmented since Freak Out! by the addition of woodwinds player Bunk Gardner, keyboardist Don Preston, rhythm guitarist Jim Fielder, and drummer Billy Mundi; Fielder quit the group before the album was released, and his name was removed from the album credits.
Apostrophe (') is the fifth solo album and eighteenth in total by Frank Zappa, released in March 1974 in both stereo and quadraphonic formats. An edited version of its lead-off track, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", was the first of Zappa's three Billboard Top 100 hits, ultimately peaking at number 86. The album itself became the biggest commercial success of Zappa's career, reaching number 10 on the US Billboard 200.
The Mothers of Invention were an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band called the Soul Giants, the band's first lineup comprised Ray Collins, David Coronado, Ray Hunt, Roy Estrada, and Jimmy Carl Black. Frank Zappa was asked to take over as the guitarist when a fight between Collins and Hunt led to the latter's being fired. Zappa insisted they perform his original material — a decision that resulted in Coronado's leaving because he did not agree to the change — and on Mother's Day in 1965 the band changed its name to the Mothers. Record executives demanded the name be changed again, and so, "out of necessity", Zappa later said, "We became the Mothers of Invention", referencing the proverb "Necessity is the mother of invention."
Strictly Commercial is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released in 1995, two years after his death. The album was named as part of a 2011 lawsuit by Gail Zappa towards Rykodisc, claiming the label released several vault masters without the permission of the Zappa Family Trust on this and other releases, specifically the single edits of some songs, such as the 12" disco Remix of "Dancin' Fool". The disc is currently out of print and has been replaced in Zappa's catalog by the 2016 compilation album ZAPPAtite.
Beat the Boots! is a box set by Frank Zappa. Released in 1991 through Rhino Entertainment, the set contains legal reissues of eight bootleg recordings made between 1967 and 1982 and originally distributed illegally prior to this official release. A second box set of bootleg recordings, Beat the Boots! II, was released through Rhino in June 1992.
Ruth Underwood is an American musician best known for playing xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, and other percussion instruments in Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. She collaborated with the Mothers of Invention from 1968 to 1977.
"The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" is a piece by Frank Zappa. It originally released as Greggery Peccary on the album Studio Tan in 1978. A slightly different version was also included on the 1977 Läther album but this remained officially unreleased until 1996.
Pal Recording Studio (1957–1964) was an independent recording studio that operated in Cucamonga, California, an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County that later merged with the communities of Alta Loma, and Etiwanda to form Rancho Cucamonga. The studio was started by engineer/innovator Paul Buff. It was known for its instrumental Surf music recordings such as "Wipe Out" and the original demo recording of "Pipeline." It was located first at 8020 North Archibald Avenue and later moved a few doors down to 8040.
200 Motels, the soundtrack album to Frank Zappa's film of the same name, was released by United Artists Records in 1971. The original vinyl release was a two-record set, largely containing alternating tracks of rock music performed by the Mothers of Invention and symphonic music performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Elgar Howarth, all composed and orchestrated by Zappa. The album peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard 200, though reviewers deemed it a peripheral part of Zappa's catalog. Like the film, the album involves the theme of a rock band on tour and a loose satirical storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town of Centerville and bassist Jeff quitting the group, as did his real life counterpart, Jeff Simmons, who left the group before the film began shooting and was replaced by actor Martin Lickert for the film.
"Cosmik Debris" is a song by American composer Frank Zappa, from his 1974 album Apostrophe (').
"Valley Girl" is a song by American musician Frank Zappa, released as the sole single from his 1982 album Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch and featuring his then-14-year-old daughter Moon. Though Zappa intended it to mockingly satirize San Fernando Valley teen culture, the song's success inadvertently popularized the "valley girl" stereotype and its associated mannerisms. The song was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 25th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Muffin Man" is a song recorded live by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. It appears on his 1975 mostly live album Bongo Fury made with Captain Beefheart.
One Shot Deal is an album by Frank Zappa, posthumously released in June 2008.
"Dancin' Fool" is a song by Frank Zappa from his 1979 album Sheik Yerbouti. It was the first of two singles released from the album, followed by the second single "Bobby Brown ." The song premiered on stage on the 30th of October 1977.
The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAAAM Birthday Bundle 2011 is a compilation album released as a digital download through the Zappa Family Trust on Frank Zappa's 71st Birthday, December 21, 2011. It features both recordings by Zappa himself, as well as various covers of his material.
"I Don't Wanna Get Drafted" is a 1980 single by American musician Frank Zappa. The song peaked at #103 US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and #68 on the Cash Box charts, but more successfully reached #3 in Sweden. The original single version has never been reissued on LP or CD.
"Cocaine Decisions" is a 1983 single by American musician Frank Zappa, from the album The Man from Utopia. A live version was on the album You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 (1989). It was played in concert from 1981 to 1984.
"G-Spot Tornado" is a piece of programmed Synclavier DMS music written by American musician Frank Zappa, released in 1986 on his instrumental album Jazz from Hell.
