Bongo Fury

Bongo Fury is a mostly live album released by Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart in 1975. The live portions were recorded on May 20 & 21, 1975 at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas. Studio tracks were recorded in January 1975 (during the sessions which produced One Size Fits All and much of Studio Tan).

The album is a notable entry in Zappa's discography because it was the last to feature a majority of his early 1970s band, which appeared on Apostrophe (') and Roxy & Elsewhere. Napoleon Murphy Brock's vocals are featured both on the sprawling "Advance Romance" as well as on the three-part harmonies of "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy". Captain Beefheart, in his only tour with Zappa's band, delivers vocals on several tracks, including his two short prose readings "Sam With the Showing Scalp Flat Top" and "Man With the Woman Head." Bongo Fury also marks the first appearance of Terry Bozzio, who would become Zappa's featured drummer between 1975 and 1978.

Track listing

All tracks performed by Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. All tracks composed by Zappa, except tracks 3 & 8 composed by Van Vliet.

Side one

1. "Debra Kadabra" (live) – 3:54
2. "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy" (live) – 5:59
3. "Sam With the Showing Scalp Flat Top" (live) – 2:51
4. "Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead" (live) – 3:03
5. "200 Years Old" – 4:32

Side two

1. "Cucamonga" – 2:24
2. "Advance Romance" (live) – 11:17
3. "Man With the Woman Head" (live) – 1:28
4. "Muffin Man" (live) – 5:34

NOTE - This is the last original Frank Zappa album on which the band name "[The] Mothers [of Invention]" is used.

Personnel

Musicians

• Frank Zappa – vocals, guitar
• Denny Walley – vocals, slide guitar
• Tom Fowler – bass, dancer
• Terry Bozzio – drums
• Chester Thompson – drums
• Captain Beefheart – vocals, saxophone, harmonica
• George Duke – keyboards, vocals
• Napoleon Murphy Brock – saxophone, vocals
• Bruce Fowler – trombone, dancer

Production staff

• Michael Braunstein – engineer
• Frank Hubach – engineer
• Kelly Kotera – engineer
• Kerry McNabb – engineer
• Davey Moire – engineer
• Cal Schenkel – design
• John Williams – photography, cover photo
• Bob Stone – engineer
• Mike Stone – engineer

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

References