Frank Zappa - 1988 "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1"

You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 is a double disc live album by Frank Zappa. It was released in 1988 (see 1988 in music) under the label Rykodisc. It was the beginning of a six-volume, 12-CD set Zappa assembled of live performances throughout his career.

Shortly before the CD release, Zappa released a two-LP sampler of the series with similar artwork to the volume 1 CD.[2] The liner notes to the second volume included some corrections to the date information of the first volume that Zappa received from fans, and further corrections and additions have come since then using available recordings.

While most of the other volumes in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series would be compiled around loose themes (whether topical or historical), this first volume contained a little of everything for everyone. The material spans most of Frank Zappa's career, from 1969 live recordings by the original Mothers of Invention (the medley "Let's Make the Water Turn Black/Harry, You're a Beast/The Orange County Lumber Truck" constitutes a highlight) up to the 1984 tour, with about every incarnation of his group in-between. The music is also quite varied, but focuses mainly on songs, with a few instrumentals and moments of live craziness thrown in for good measure. Special points of interest include "Once Upon a Time," a segment from the lost 1970-1971 "Sofa Suite," which provides important elements of conceptual continuity; a performance of "The Groupie Routine" from the same period, which when compared to the previously available version of this Flo & Eddie comedy routine (as "Do You Like My New Car?" on Fillmore East, June 1971) shows how much improvisation the singers poured in their parts; and examples of stage humor ("Ruthie-Ruthie," "Diseases of the Band"). But the real treat is the complete performance of the suite "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" from 1979, replete with audience participation (spontaneous poetry!) and the finale "Rollo," not officially released before. You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 addresses both the dedicated fan and the casual listener.

Track listing:

All songs written by Zappa unless otherwise noted.

Disc one

01.    "The Florida Airport Tape" (Kaylan, Volman, Zappa)    An airport in Florida, June 1970    1:03
02.    "Once Upon a Time"    Rainbow Theatre, December 10, 1971    4:37
03.    "Sofa #1"    Rainbow Theatre, December 10, 1971    2:53
04.    "The Mammy Anthem"    La Patinoire des Vernets, July 1, 1982
Stadio Communale, July 14, 1982    5:41
05.    "You Didn't Try to Call Me"    Olympiahalle, July 3, 1980    3:39
06.    "Diseases of the Band"    Hammersmith Odeon, February 19, 1979    2:22
07.    "Tryin' to Grow a Chin"    Hammersmith Odeon, February 18, 1979, 2nd show    3:44
08.    "Let's Make the Water Turn Black/Harry, You're a Beast/The Orange County Lumber Truck"    The Ballroom, February 16, 1969    3:27
09.    "The Groupie Routine"    Pauley Pavilion, August 7, 1971    5:41
10.    "Ruthie-Ruthie" (Berry, Brock)    Capitol Theatre, November 8, 1974    2:57
11.    "Babbette"    Capitol Theatre, November 8, 1974    3:35
12.    "I'm the Slime"    The Roxy, December 8–10, 1973    3:13
13.    "Big Swifty"    The Roxy, December 8–10, 1973    8:46
14.    "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow/Nanook Rubs It/St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast/Father O'Blivion/Rollo"    Hammersmith Odeon, February 18, 1979, 2nd show    20:16

Disc two

01.    "Plastic People" (Berry, Zappa)    The Factory, February 13, 1969    4:38
02.    "The Torture Never Stops"    Hemmerleinhalle, February 25, 1978    15:48
03.    "Fine Girl"    Parco Redecesio, July 7, 1982    2:55
04.    "Zomby Woof"    Parco Redecesio, July 7, 1982
Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK June 19, 1982; late show (guitar solo)    5:39
05.    "Sweet Leilani" (Owens)    The Ballroom, February 16, 1969    2:39
06.    "Oh No"    The Ballroom, February 16, 1969    4:34
07.    "Be in My Video"    The Pier, August 26, 1984    3:29
08.    "The Deathless Horsie"    The Pier, August 26, 1984    5:29
09.    "The Dangerous Kitchen"    The Pier, August 26, 1984    1:49
10.    "Dumb All Over"    The Palladium, October 31, 1981; early show    4:20
11.    "Heavenly Bank Account"    The Palladium, October 31, 1981; early show    4:05
12.    "Suicide Chump"    The Palladium, October 31, 1981; early show    4:55
13.    "Tell Me You Love Me"    Stadio Comunale, July 8, 1982    2:09
14.    "Sofa #2"    Stadio Comunale, July 8, 1982    3:00

Personnel:

    Frank Zappa – engineer, keyboards, vocals, producer, main performer, guitar
    Mark Volman – vocals
    Howard Kaylan – vocals
    Chad Wackerman – drums, vocals
    Ike Willis – guitar, vocals
    Lowell George – guitar, vocals
    Ray White – guitar, vocals
    Adrian Belew – guitar, vocals
    Warren Cuccurullo – guitar, organ
    Ian Underwood – wind, keyboards
    Steve Vai – guitar
    Dweezil Zappa – guitar
    Denny Walley – slide guitar, vocals
    Scott Thunes – bass guitar, synthesizer, vocals
    Jim Pons – bass guitar, vocals
    Roy Estrada – bass guitar, vocals
    Jeff Simmons – bass guitar
    Tom Fowler – bass guitar
    Patrick O'Hearn – wind, bass guitar
    Arthur Barrow – keyboards, bass guitar
    Peter Wolf – keyboards
    Allan Zavod – keyboards
    Don Preston – keyboards
    Ruth Underwood – vibraphone, percussion
    Bobby Martin – keyboards, vocals, saxophone
    Tommy Mars – keyboards, vocals
    George Duke – keyboards, vocals
    Motorhead Sherwood – baritone saxophone
    Napoleon Murphy Brock – saxophone, vocals
    Bunk Gardner – tenor saxophone, trumpet
    Bruce Fowler – trombone
    Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
    Ralph Humphrey – drums
    Art Tripp – drums
    David Logerman – drums
    Aynsley Dunbar – drums
    Terry Bozzio – drums
    Chester Thompson – drums
    Jimmy Carl Black – drums, percussion
    Ed Mann – percussion