Frank Zappa You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (1988) [2cd] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (1988) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 734 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 279 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 207 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10563/64
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #52. In his contract with Ryko, Frank Zappa had to put together 12 CDs worth of live material for the series You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore. The fact that he decided to devote two of them (all of Vol. 2) to a Helsinki concert from 1974 illustrates how good and representative he thought it was – and he was right. This two-CD set features the 1973-1974 band (Napoleon Murphy Brock, George Duke, Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler, Chester Thompson) near the end of their tour, in a concert in faraway Finland on September 22, 1974 (there were actually two concerts performed that day and, as usual, Zappa edited the best moments together).

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 (1988) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 916 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 328 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 239 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10561/62
Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #51. 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.

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1992) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 941 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 328 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 312 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10571/72
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #59. The last volume of the series You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore is one of the strongest, especially for those who prefer Frank Zappa's sex-oriented songs. There is not much complex material or instrumental pieces in this collection, but catchy humorous songs abound, along with more of that stage craziness the series tried to capture. Live incarnations of Zappa's band from 1970 up to 1988 are represented (the original Mothers had a whole disc devoted to them on Vol. 5).

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 (1992) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 917 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 336 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 263 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10569/70
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #58. For the fifth volume in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series, Frank Zappa prepared two unrelated discs. Disc one features the original Mothers of Invention in unreleased live and studio recordings mainly from 1969 (but also one from 1965 and a couple from 1967-1968). Disc two documents the 1982 European tour. There is something wicked – almost obscene – in this pairing, and it surely was intentional. Throughout the 1980s, fans of the early Mothers had attacked Zappa's integrity in the case of the re-recorded CD reissues of We're Only in It for the Money and Cruising with Ruben & the Jets, and often despised the scatological antics and straightforward rock stylings of his latter bands.

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 (1989) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 952 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 323 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 233 Mb | 5% repair rar | Rykodisc Zappa catalog
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10565/66
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #54. Most of You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is devoted the 1984 band which, at the time of this set's release, had not been properly documented (the live Does Humor Belong in Music? was made commercially available in the U.S. in 1995 only). Most of the material comes from late-'70s/early-'80s albums like Sheik Yerbouti, Joe's Garage, and You Are What You Is. Disc one is 1984 only (excerpt for a few edits in "Drowning Witch") and lacks interest.

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 (1991) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 888 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 320 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 223 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10567/68
Rock / Jazz Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

Official Release #56. Like the first volume of the series, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 was put together without a specific theme in mind. It has a little of everything, from straight rock songs to more complex numbers, from stage antics to guitar solos. All eras of Frank Zappa's career are visited (including tracks from the 1988 tour), but the '80s provided the majority of the material.

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore. Vol. 1 (1988) [2CD] {2012 UMe Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 917 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 316 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 22 Mb
© 2012 UMe / ZFT | ZR 3877
Rock / Experimental Rock

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.

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore. Vol. 1-6 [Purple Box] (1995) {Rykodisc}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC+CUE+LOG -> 5.40 Gb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 186 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10561~72
Rock / Experimental Rock

To simplify my life considerably, I'm going to combine the "reviews" of all six Stage releases into a single entry, even though they were released individually. Also, to save a lot of time and effort, I'm not going to give complete track listings of the twelve discs, or do song-by-song reviews (hey, we're talking over 800 minutes of music here, give me a break). If you need to know the track listings, they're probably available through an on-line music sales site like CDNow, or an information site like the All Music Guide. There's probably a few other Zappa sites that list them as well. Maybe one day when I have the time, I'll come back and expand this section to really cover all twelve discs in detail. Until then, I'll just give some general facts and opinions, focusing on highlights and material unique to the Stage series.

Frank Zappa - London Symphony Orchestra Vol. 1 & 2 (1983) [2CD] {1995 Ryko Remaster Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 569 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 228 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 264 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1995 Rykodisc / The Zappa Family Trust | RCD 10540/41
Classical / Avant-Garde

LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA VOL. 1 & 2 features instrumental pieces arranged by Zappa for an orchestra. To the uninitiated, Frank Zappa was known primarily as an unpredictable, hard-to-categorize, twisted rock genius. But to his loyal legion of fans worldwide, he is much more. Not many realize that Zappa was a talented composer and arranger of symphonic music as well, as evidenced on such releases as 1979's ORCHESTRAL FAVORITES, and especially LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA VOL. 1 & 2.

Frank Zappa - You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert (1988) [2CD] {2012 UMe Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 734 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 269 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 20 Mb
© 2012 UMe / ZFT | ZR 3878
Rock / Experimental Rock

This two-CD set features the 1973-1974 band (Napoleon Murphy Brock, George Duke, Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler, Chester Thompson) near the end of their tour, in a concert in faraway Finland on September 22, 1974 (there were actually two concerts performed that day and, as usual, Zappa edited the best moments together). The set list comes mostly from the Roxy & Elsewhere repertoire, except that here the songs are taken at a faster tempo and free of the overdubs found on the original album.