Published on Dec 31, 1998
When I first started to get into Frank Zappa’s massive
You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore series, the first volume
I chose to listen to was the final one.
You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore Volume 6 (hereafter
referred to as
YCDTOSA6) seemed to have the perfect mixture of
tongue-in-cheek weirdness and solid rock that I was looking for –
that, and I wasn’t ready to tackle the pre-1970 Mothers Of
Invention period just yet.
YCDTOSA6 is a solid ending to this six-volume, twelve-CD
series, although there are moments that are strictly for the
diehard Zappa fan, and not the casual browser.
Disc one deals with a subject that was near and dear to Zappa’s
heart – sex. (Boy, can’t you imagine the fun he’d be having with
the current political situations? I mean, who isn’t having an
affair in Washington?) Starting with the impromptu “The M.O.I.
Anti-Smut Loyalty Oath”, you know you’re in for a wild time with
this first half of the disc.
If you’re easily offended, let’s be honest, you’re probably not
listening to Zappa in the first place. From Zappa’s barbs at
then-popular rock star Peter Frampton (“Is That Guy Kidding Or
What?”, “I Have Been In You”) to, aah, bizarre acts (“The Madison
Panty-Sniffing Festival”, “Lonely Person Devices,” “Ms. Pinky,”
“Make A Sex Noise”), Zappa knocks down all walls of taboo and dares
to bring into the forefront that which has always been kept behind
closed doors.
And while some of these songs seem to only touch upon the
subject in question, the first half of
YCDTOSA6 is the most solid and the most enjoyable.
Especially noteworthy for me is the cut “Shove It Right In”
(originally off the unlistenable soundtrack for
200 Motels); this possibly is the best version of this track
I’ve ever heard – which is why Zappa included it in this
collection, of course.
Disc two seems to continue the theme of sex at times (“The
Illinois Enema Bandit,” “Catholic Girls,” “Crew Slut”), but for the
most part acts as a “catch-all” for the rest of the collection,
taking in songs that just might not have seemed to fit any of the
other discs’ themes.
Problem is, some of these tracks do require some patience on the
part of the listener, such as “Thirteen” and “Lonesome Cowboy
Nando” (the latter actually is an interesting merge of tracks from
1971 and 1988). I’ve never been a big fan of the album
Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention, so it’s a
little more difficult for me to get through tracks like “We’re
Turning Again” and “Alien Orifice”. In a sense, this last disc’s
success depends on what particular flavor of Zappa’s music you like
– though there should be something for everyone on this particular
disc.
YCDTOSA6 contains the material that would have made Tipper
Gore cringe, but it also contains some of the more exciting
material in this collection – that is, the private asides that
normally might be cut from a live album. Zappa’s interaction with
his audience was what made his live shows that much more
interesting – check out “The Poodle Lecture” to see what I mean.
(In fact, go find the video Baby Snakes to see the whole lecture;
it’s much better uncut.)
This series could have easily gone more than six volumes – and,
in a way, I wish it did, if only to hear some of the on-stage magic
Zappa created that I never got to see. However,
YCDTOSA6 is a suitable replacement, and remains one of the
better volumes in this collection – as well as a fitting way for
the collection to end.