Being Dik

Recorded in 1970, Panna Fredda's lone work is one of the earliest pioneers of the ISP genre, one of the trailblazers of the distinct style of festive experimentation that would characterize so many great Italian bands. It's really an overlooked title in the Italian progressive rock universe. Heavy and dark with a distinct baroque twist and an emphasis on exploration, "Uno" was right there with other first wave titles from Orme, The Trip, and Osanna. The origins of Panna Fredda (translates to Cold Cream) date back to 1966 Rome and the Italian beat when members were playing in a group called I Figli Del Sole. These nightclub gigs evolved into a 6-piece funk/R and B/brass outfit called Vun Vun.

The Zappa Trust has compiled a massive box set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mothers Of Invention’s 1971 line-ups. Featured are the complete Fillmore East tapes, showcasing every note played over 2 nights in 4 shows during the closing of the famous venue in NYC, including the John Lennon and Yoko Ono encore, unedited with majority of the tracks being newly mixed from scratch by Craig Parker Adams and mastered by John Polito. Also included is the complete concert from the final show at the Rainbow Theatre in London, England where FZ was infamously pushed off the stage, resulting in injuries, the cancellation of the rest of the tour and ultimately the band. This historical Rainbow show is newly mixed by legend Eddie Kramer and mastered by Bernie Grundman. The box also features a bonus hybrid concert from Harrisburg and Scranton, PA 1971; original singles, album ads a 68-page booklet showcasing an interview with Ian Underwood by Ahmet Zappa and liner notes from Eddie Kramer, Jim Pons (FZ’s then bass player) and Vaultmeister Joe Travers.

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Beat The Boots, Vol II (1992) {Rhino R2 71017~023 rec 1968-1978}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.07 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 899 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 312 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1968-78, 1992 Rhino / FOO-EEE | R2 71017~023
Rock / Experimental Rock / Art Rock

This is the second (and final) bootleg-gone-legit box that was actually sanctioned by Frank Zappa. But rather than go to the expense and time to use better sources – which the artist presumably had access to – he simply ripped off the illicit recordings that had been doing the same to him for decades. And voila, Beat the Boots was born. Zappa enlisted Rhino Records to manufacture and distribute the anthologies – which were packaged to appear as if the contents were being sold in a low budget cardboard box. However once inside Beat the Boots!, Vol. 2 (1992), consumers were treated to a full LP jacket-sized 40-page memorabilia scrapbook, a black felt beret and a red pin/badge bearing the hammer-in-fist artwork emblazoned on it.

Limited numbered four CD box set reissue of the 1982 second album from the British new wave band. The album featured the UK hit singles "Streetplayer (Mechanik)" and "Love Shadow", as well as the tracks "Whitestuff", "Prodigal Son" and "You Only Left Your Picture", which were featured on the show Miami Vice.

Hawkwind - Doremi Fasol Latido (1972) {2010 SHM-CD Japan Mini LP TOCP-95061}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 382 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 140 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 86 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1972, 2010 Liberty / EMI Music Japan / Toshiba | TOCP-95061
Rock / Prog Rock / Space Rock / Art Rock / Hard Rock

Doremi may not be Hawkwind's most renowned album, but it carries the same type of prog rock spaciness as their first two releases. Even though the keyboard playing is trimmed down just a tad, the introduction of Ian Kilmister, otherwise known as Lemmy of Motцrhead fame, makes up for it. With Lemmy's hard-lined guitar playing and Del Dettmar's synthesizer stabs, tracks like "Space Is Deep" and "The Watcher" are infused with elaborate instrumental meanderings in perfect Hawkwind fashion. The longer tracks, both "Brainstorm" and "Time We Left This World Today," have Lemmy getting settled in the band's extraordinary milieu, but end up being the album's strongest cuts.

Overseen by the Zappa Trust and produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister, Joe Travers, The Mothers 1970 collects together more than four hours of previously unreleased performances by the heralded line-up which lasted roughly seven months: Aynsley Dunbar (drums), George Duke (piano/keys/trombone), Ian Underwood (organ/keys/guitar), Jeff Simmons (bass/vocals) and Flo & Eddie aka Howard Kaylan (vocals) and Mark Volman (vocals/percussion) of The Turtles who performed under the aliases to skirt contractual limitations of performing under their own names. This iteration of The Mothers, which likely began rehearsals fifty years ago this month, came to an end in January of 1971 when Simmons quit the band during the making of the 200 Motels movie.