The Dub Room Special
Encyclopedia
The Dub Room Special is a film produced by Frank Zappa
for direct-to-video release in October, 1982. The video combines footage from a performance at the KCET studios in Los Angeles
on August 27, 1974, a concert performed at The Palladium, NYC
on October 31, 1981, some clay animation by Bruce Bickford, and several interviews. The video was only available through mail-order, and thus, was unseen by many of Zappa's fans until it was made widely available on DVD
on October 17, 2005. The DVD version was trimmed slightly by Zappa to fit the space limitations of early laserdiscs. The 1974 footage was originally conceived as a TV special. In 2007 a soundtrack with the same name was released.
The following sections were deleted from the original video release:
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
for direct-to-video release in October, 1982. The video combines footage from a performance at the KCET studios in Los Angeles
KCET
KCET, channel 28, is an independent, non-commercial public television station licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. KCET's studio is located on West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is atop Mount Wilson. Al Jerome is the current CEO and President, serving since 1996.KCET was...
on August 27, 1974, a concert performed at The Palladium, NYC
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on October 31, 1981, some clay animation by Bruce Bickford, and several interviews. The video was only available through mail-order, and thus, was unseen by many of Zappa's fans until it was made widely available on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on October 17, 2005. The DVD version was trimmed slightly by Zappa to fit the space limitations of early laserdiscs. The 1974 footage was originally conceived as a TV special. In 2007 a soundtrack with the same name was released.
Track listing
- "Kim?"/The Dog Breath Variations/Uncle Meat
- Room Service
- Nig Biz
- Approximate
- Cosmik Debris
- Cocaine Decisions
- "The Massimo Bassoli Instant Italian Lesson"/Montana
- "In Case You Didn't Know"/Tengo Na Minchia Tanta
- Florentine Pogen
- Stevie's Spanking
- Stink-Foot
- Flakes
- Inca Roads
- Easy Meat
- "Huh-Huh-Huh"
The following sections were deleted from the original video release:
- Zappa talking about Compact Video (originally preceded Room Service)
- Intermission after Florentine Pogen, with title cards and Zappa talking about bad continuity
August 1974 band
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
- Guitar, vocals and percussion - George DukeGeorge DukeGeorge Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music...
- Keyboards and vocals - Ruth UnderwoodRuth UnderwoodRuth Underwood is a retired professional musician, best known for playing xylophone, marimba, vibraphone and other percussion instruments in Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention from 1967 to 1977....
- Percussion - Chester ThompsonChester ThompsonChester Cortez Thompson is an American drummer and session musician.-Biography:Thompson made his name as a session drummer, going on to play in Frank Zappa's touring band and with Weather Report...
- Drums - Tom Fowler - Bass
- Napoleon Murphy BrockNapoleon Murphy BrockNapoleon Murphy Brock is an American singer, saxophonist and flute player who is best known for his work with Frank Zappa in the 1970s, including the albums One Size Fits All, Roxy and Elsewhere, and Bongo Fury...
- Flute, saxophone and vocals
October 1981 band
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
- Lead guitar and vocals - Ray WhiteRay WhiteRay White is a soul vocalist and rock and blues guitarist, best known as a member of Frank Zappa's touring ensembles. He was drafted into Zappa's band in the fall of 1976, being featured on rhythm guitar and vocals, forming a memorable vocal harmony partnership with Ike Willis on later tours in...
- Guitar and vocals - Steve VaiSteve VaiSteven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
- Guitar and vocals - Tommy MarsTommy MarsTommy Mars is a keyboard player, best known for his work with Frank Zappa.Born in Connecticut, U.S.A., 26 October 1951 Mars began piano lessons at age eight, and later his instrument range expanded to various keyboards and synthesizers. Mars graduated in 1972 from the Hartt College of Music in...
- Keyboards and vocals - Bobby Martin - Keyboards, saxophone and vocals
- Ed MannEd MannEd Mann has been "a drummer and piano dabbler since childhood", best known for his mallet percusion recorded and live work with Frank Zappa from 1977 to the end of Zappa's career.- Career :...
- Percussion and vocals - Scott ThunesScott ThunesScott Thunes is a former bass player with Frank Zappa, Wayne Kramer, Steve Vai, Andy Prieboy, Mike Keneally, Fear, The Waterboys and others....
- Bass and vocals - Chad WackermanChad WackermanChad Wackerman is a jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer; arguably best known in the United States for his work as a drummer and percussionist in Frank Zappa's band...
- Drums