FZ chronology

1981

Early 1981	Rehearsals at Joe's Garage for the aborted spring Holland Festival concert: FZ--guitar Steve Vai--guitar Richard Emmet--guitar Tommy Mars--keyboards David Ocker--clarinet Ed Mann--percussion Jeff Berlin--bass Vinnie Colaiuta--drums
April 17, 1981	*"A Tribute To Edgar Varèse"* The Palladium, NYC
May 11, 1981	Frank Zappa Tinsel Town Rebellion (2LP, Barking Pumpkin PW2 37336) Zappa Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1111) Zappa Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar Some More (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1112) Zappa Return of The Son of Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1113)
May 19, 1981	Rockline, KLOS-FM, Los Angeles, CA	That Makes Me Mad [B11]
June, 1981	UMRK Scott Thunes--bass audition	Cocaine Decisions [36]
June, 1981	UMRK FZ--piano, vocals JCB--voice	Fallin' In Love Is A Stupid Habit
June, 1981	Studio session with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
c. summer 1981	UMRK	Truck Driver Divorce No Not Now [35] [41] Tink Walks Amok [36] SEX [36] [67] We Are Not Alone [36] Stick Together [36] Viva La Rosa
c. summer 1981	UMRK Roy Estrada--vocals FZ--vocals	I Come From Nowhere [35] Cocaine Decisions [36] The Radio Is Broken [36] Luigi & The Wise Guys [36]
July, 1981	Scott Thunes joins the group
Summer 1981	Chad Wackerman joins the group
August 24, 1981	Bobby Martin joins the group
Summer 1981	Rehearsals
September 23, 1981	Zappa You Are What You Is (2LP, Barking Pumpkin PW2 37537)

September 27-December 12, 1981
US Tour

	Zappa Band: FZ--guitar, vocals Ray White--guitar, vocals Steve Vai--guitar Tommy Mars--keyboards, vocals Bobby Martin--keyboards, sax, vocals Ed Mann--percussion Scott Thunes--bass Chad Wackerman--drums
October 31, 1981	The Palladium, NYC (early show) UMRK Mobile (24-track analog) Recording engineer: Mark Pinske (The same for the rest of the tour)	Dumb All Over [51] Heavenly Bank Account [51] Suicide Chump [51] Alien Orifice (except ending) [59]
October 31, 1981	The Palladium, NYC (late show)	Society Pages [54] I'm A Beautiful Guy [54] Beauty Knows No Pain [54] Charlie's Enormous Mouth [54] Strictly Genteel [59] Stevie's Spanking [81] Easy Meat [81] The Illinois Enema Bandit [83] Black Napkins [B11] Black Page #2 [B11] The Torture Never Stops [B11]
October 31, 1981	The Palladium, NYC	NYC Halloween Audience [59] The Dub Room Special! (video) (parts) The Torture Never Stops
November 15, 1981	Painter's Mill Music Fair, Owings Mills, Maryland	Sinister Footwear II (first half) [40] What's New In Baltimore? (parts of the guitar solo) [44]
November 17, 1981	The Ritz, NYC	Drowning Witch (1st solo) [35] Truck Driver Divorce guitar solo (from Zoot Allures) [40] Stevie's Spanking (basic track, parts) [40] Clowns On Velvet (basic track) [41]
	WLIR	Drooling Midrange Accountants On Easter Hay (interview) [73]
November 21, 1981	Assembly Hall, University Of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois	What's New In Baltimore? (parts of the guitar solo) [44]
November 27, 1981	Uptown Theatre, Chicago, Illinois	Drowning Witch (FZ vocal section and first part of the 2nd solo) [35] Mōggio (basic track) [36]
November 28, 1981	Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN	Stevie's Spanking (basic track, parts) [40]
December 7, 1981	Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, Utah	Chalk Pie (Zoot Allures solo) [50] Things That Look Like Meat (City Of Tiny Lites solo) [50]
December 10, 1981	Community Theater, Berkeley, California	What's New In Baltimore (parts) [44] Too Ugly For Show Business (King Kong solo) [50]
December 11, 1981	Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California Lisa Popeil--guest vocals*	Drowning Witch (group vocal section) [35] Teen-age Prostitute* [35] Whipping Post (Allman) (1st part of the guitar solo) [40] We're Turning Again (basic track) [44] [67] Lisa's Life Story (Popeil/FZ)* [59]
December 12, 1981	Fox Theater, San Diego, California	Whipping Post (Allman) (opening verses and 2nd part of the guitar solo) [40] Sexual Harassment In The Workplace [50] Swans? What Swans? (Pound For A Brown solo) [50]
September 27-December 12, 1981	USA (unknown locations)	Drowning Witch (some parts) [35] Envelopes [35] The Dangerous Kitchen (last verse) [36]
September 27-December 12, 1981	Unknown location, USA (or Europe, May-July, 1982)	The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou (basic track?) [36] Sharleena (basic track) [40] Truck Driver Divorce (basic track) [40] Stevie's Spanking (basic track, parts) [40] I Don't Even Care (FZ/Watson) (basic track from soundcheck) [44] Alien Orifice (basic track) [44] What's New In Baltimore? (parts of the guitar solo) [44]

1982

Early 1982	UMRK Moon Zappa--lead vocals FZ--vocals Ike Willis--vocals Ray White--vocals	Valley Girl (FZ/Moon Zappa) [35] [67]
March-April, 1982	Rehearsals
c. April 1982	UMRK Scott Thunes--bass overdubs	Valley Girl (FZ/Moon Zappa) [35] [67]
May 3, 1982	Zappa Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch (LP, Barking Pumpkin FW 38066)

May 5-July 14, 1982
European Tour

May 10, 1982	Grandmothers Looking Up Granny's Dress (LP, Rhino RNLP-804) including Deseri (Collins/Buff)
May 11, 1982	Brondbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark UMRK Mobile (24-track analog) Recording engineer: Mark Pinske (The same for the rest of the tour)	That's Not Really A Shuffle (King Kong solo) [50]
May 21, 1982	Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany	When No One Was No One (Zoot Allures solo) [50] But Who Was Fulcanelli? (Drowning Witch solo) [50] Young & Monde [B11] Sharleena [B11]
May 22, 1982	Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, Germany	Is That All There Is? (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50]
May 28, 1982	Palais des Sports, St. Etienne, France	St. Etienne (Drowning Witch solo) [47]
May 30, 1982	Les Arenes, Cap d'Agde, France	Zoot Allures (solo) [54] City Of Tiny Lites (except final part) [58]
June 1, 1982	La Patinoire, Bordeaux, France	Jim & Tammy's Upper Room (Advance Romance solo) [50] Advance Romance [58]
June 3, 1982	Palais des Sports, Dijon, France	King Kong (solo) [54]
June 10, 1982	Grugahalle, Essen, Germany	City Of Tiny Lites (post-solo first section) [58]
June 11, 1982	Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany	Move It Or Park It (Black Page solo) [50]
June 11-12, 1982	Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany	Baby, Take Your Teeth Out (basic track from soundcheck) [40] Doreen (parts) [58]
June 18, 1982	Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK	Stevie's Spanking (parts) [57]
June 19, 1982	Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK	Marque-Son's Chicken (guitar solo) [40] Do Not Pass Go (Drowning Witch 2nd solo) [50] Zomby Woof (solo) [51] King Kong (parts) [54]
June 22, 1982	Le Parc des Expositions, Metz, France	King Kong (mystery word section) [54] Church Chat [57]
June 23, 1982	Sporthalle, Boeblingen, Germany	Sinister Footwear II (guitar solo) [40]
June 24, 1982	Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland	That Ol' G Minor Thing Again (City Of Tiny Lites solo) [50]
June 26, 1982	Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany	Stevie's Spanking (basic track, parts) [40] Disco Boy [57] Teen-age Wind [57] Truck Driver Divorce (solo) [57] The Black Page #2 [58] including Which One Is It? (Black Page solo) [50] Doreen (parts) [58]
July 1, 1982	La Patinoire des Vernets, Geneva, Switzerland	The Mammy Anthem (parts) [51] Easy Meat [58] Dead Girls Of London (FZ/Shankar) [58] Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously? [58] What's New In Baltimore? (1st verse and guitar solo) [58] Mōggio [58] Dancin' Fool (except outro) [58] RDNZL (except guitar and keyboard solos) [58] Geneva Farewell [58]
July 3, 1982	Stadio Comunale, Bolzano, Italy	Them Or Us (Black Page solo) [40] Drowning Witch (parts) [54] A Pound For A Brown (On The Bus) [58] City Of Tiny Lites (post-solo last section) [58]
July 5, 1982	Stadio Ferraris, Genoa, Italy	The Mammy Nuns (guitar outro) [41] What's New In Baltimore? (2nd verse) [58]
July 7, 1982	Parco Redecesio, Milan, Italy	Do Not Try This At Home (Black Page solo) [50] Fine Girl [51] Zomby Woof (except solo) [51]
July 8, 1982	Stadio Communale, Pistoia, Italy	It Ain't Necessarily The Saint James Infirmary (Pound For A Brown solo) [50] Tell Me You Love Me [51] Sofa #2 (parts) [51] Approximate [57] The Man From Utopia (Woods/Woods) [57] Mary Lou (Jessie) [57] The Illinois Enema Bandit (parts) [59]
July 9, 1982	Ex Mattatoio do Testaccio, Rome, Italy	Sofa #2 (parts) [51] Stevie's Spanking (parts) [57] RDNZL (keyboard solo) [58]
July 14, 1982	Stadio Communale La Favorita, Palermo, Italy (soundcheck)	Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (basic track) [07]
July 14, 1982	Stadio Communale La Favorita, Palermo, Italy	The Mammy Anthem (parts) [51] Cocaine Decisions (2nd part) [54] Nig Biz [54] RDNZL (guitar solo) [58]
May 5-July 14, 1982	Europe (unknown location)	Marque-Son's Chicken (basic track except solo) [40] Stevie's Spanking (parts) [57] Dancin' Fool (outro) [58]
May 5-July 14, 1982	Unknown locations, Europe (or USA, September-December, 1981)	The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou (basic track?) [36] Sharleena (basic track) [40] Truck Driver Divorce (basic track) [40] I Don't Even Care (FZ/Watson) (basic track from soundcheck) [44] Alien Orifice (basic track) [44]

July-October, 1982	UMRK	The Man From Utopia (overdubs) [36]
August 26, 1982	Compact Video, LA	The Dub Room Special
September, 1982	UMRK Massimo Bassoli--vocals	Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (vocal track) [07]
October 31, 1982	Ritz Theater, NYC	The Dub Room Special (premiere)

1983

January 11, 1983	Barbican Centre, London, UK LSO conducted by Kent Nagano David Ocker--solo clarinet Ed Mann--percussion Chad Wackerman--drums
January 12-14, 1983	Twickenham Film Studio, London, UK Island Mobile Remote Truck (24-track digital) Recording engineer: Mark Pinske LSO conducted by Kent Nagano David Ocker--solo clarinet Ed Mann--percussion Chad Wackerman--drums	Sad Jane [38] Pedro's Dowry [38] Envelopes [38] Mo 'N Herb's Vacation [38] Bogus Pomp [48] Bob In Dacron [48] Strictly Genteel [48]
February 9, 1983	"Edgar Varèse Memorial Concert" San Francisco War Memorial Opera House FZ--conductor	Ionisation (Varèse) Intègrales (Varèse)
March 28, 1983	Zappa The Man From Utopia (LP, Barking Pumpkin FW 38403) Frank Zappa Baby Snakes (LP, Barking Pumpkin BPR 1115)
June 9, 1983	Zappa The London Symphony Orchestra Vol. 1 (LP, Barking Pumpkin FW 38820)
1983	Netherlands Netherlands Wind Ensemble	The Dog Breath Variations Uncle Meat
	UMRK	We're Only In It For The Money (overdubs) [03] [43] Lumpy Gravy (overdubs) [43 sampler] Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (overdubs) [05] [43] Flambay (overdubs) [25] Spider of Destiny (overdubs) [25] Regyptian Strut (drums overdubs) [25] [65] Time Is Money (overdubs) [25] Planet Of My Dreams (overdubs) [40]
	UMRK	The Closer You Are (Lewis/Robinson) [40] In France [40] [67] Ya Hozna [40] Frogs With Dirty Little Lips (FZ/Ahmet Zappa) [40] Them Or Us (overdubs) [40]
c. 1983	UMRK Jay Anderson--upright bass	Cruising With Ruben & The Jets (overdubs) [05] [43] The Massive Improve'lence [41] Briefcase Boogie [41]
	UMRK	Prologue [41] The Mammy Nuns [41] Harry & Rhonda [41] That Evil Prince [41] Harry-As-A-Boy [41] He's So Gay [41] [67] The Crab-Grass Baby [41] The White Boy Troubles [41] Brown Moses [41] Wistful Wit A Fist-Full [41] Drop Dead [41] Thing-Fish (overdubs and vocals) [41] Porn Wars (Thing-Fish section) [44]

1984

January 9, 1984	Thèâtre de la Ville, Paris Ensemble InterContemporain Lucia Meeuwsen--Mezzo-soprano conducted by Pierre Boulez	Three Places In New England (Ives) The Perfect Stranger Naval Aviation In Art? Dupree's Paradise Vox Clamans In Deserto (Ruggles) A Mirror On Which To Dwell (Carter)
January 10-11, 1984	IRCAM, Paris Ensemble InterContemporain conducted by Pierre Boulez	The Perfect Stranger [39] Naval Aviation In Art? [39] Dupree's Paradise [39]
February-April, 1984	UMRK FZ--Synclavier	The Girl In The Magnesium Dress [39] Love Story [39] Outside Now Again [39] Jonestown [39] Francesco Zappa [42]
May 19 (1984?)	Herbst Theatre, San Francisco The Chamber Symphony Of San Francisco conducted by Jean-Louis LeRoux	Dupree's Paradise (for triple chamber orchestra)
c. May-June, 1984	Rehearsals: FZ--guitar, vocals Napoleon Murphy Brock--sax, vocals Ike Willis--guitar, vocals Ray White--guitar, vocals Bobby Martin--keyboards, vocals Brad Cole--keyboards Scott Thunes--bass Chad Wackerman--drums
c. May-June, 1984	UMRK FZ--Synclavier, vocals Napoleon Murphy Brock--vocals Ike Willis--vocals Ray White--vocals Bobby Martin--sax, vocals Brad Cole--piano Scott Thunes--bass Chad Wackerman--drums	Be In My Video [40]
c. June, 1984	Brad Cole leaves and Allan Zavod joins
June 15-16, 1984	*"A Zappa Affair"* Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley Berkeley Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano	Bob In Dacron Sad Jane Mo 'N Herb's Vacation Sinister Footwear Spontaneous Minimalist Composition Pedro's Dowry
June 20, 1984	*"A Zappa Affair"* San Jose Center for Performing Arts (cancelled)

July 17-December 23, 1984
US, Europe & Canada Tour

	Zappa Band: FZ--guitar, vocals Napoleon Murphy Brock--sax, vocals (until August 1, 1984) Ike Willis--guitar, vocals Ray White--guitar, vocals Bobby Martin--keyboards, vocals Allan Zavod--keyboards Scott Thunes--bass Chad Wackerman--drums
August 1, 1984	Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre, Santa Fe, New Mexico Napoleon Murphy Brock leaves the band
August 11, 1984	Oscar Mayer Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin UMRK Mobile (24-track digital) Recording engineer: Mark Pinske with Thom Ehle (The same for the rest of the tour)	Variations On Sinister #3 (Easy Meat solo) [50]
August 16, 1984	Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY	Watermelon In Easter Hay [50]
August 23, 1984	Frank Zappa Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger (LP, Angel DS-38170)
August 24, 1984	Detroit, Michigan	The Closer You Are (Lewis/Robinson) (second part) [57] Johnny Darling (Staton/Staton) [57] No, No Cherry (Caesar/Gray) [57]
August 25, 1984	The Pier, NYC	Dumb All Over [67] Butter Or Canons (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [77]
August 26, 1984	The Pier, NYC	Be In My Video [51] The Deathless Horsie [51] The Dangerous Kitchen [51] Keep It Greasey (parts) [54] The Black Page (1984) (solo) [57] Dinah-Moe Humm (end) [59] Tinsel Town Rebellion [67]
August 25-26, 1984	The Pier, NYC	Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me? [54] Cosmik Debris (end) [54] He's So Gay [59]
September 25, 1984	Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK	Zoot Allures (head) [45] Trouble Every Day (solo) [45] That's Not Really Reggae (Whipping Post solo) [50]
September 24-26, 1984	Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK	The Evil Prince (solo) [57] Truck Driver Divorce (parts) [57]
October 18, 1984	Zappa Them Or Us (2LP, Barking Pumpkin SVBO-74200)
October 26, 1984	Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island	Zoot Allures (solo) [45] Diplodocus (King Kong solo) [77]
October 28, 1984	Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Amherst, Massachusetts Archie Shepp--guest tenor saxophone*	Let's Move To Cleveland (guitar solo and parts of the piano solo) [45] Let's Move To Cleveland (solos 1984)* [57]
November 2, 1984	Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada	Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? (ending) [54]
November 10, 1984	Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania	What's New In Baltimore? (vocal part) [45] Republicans (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50] Outside Now [57]
November 21, 1984	Zappa Thing-Fish (3LP, Barking Pumpkin SKCO-74201) Frank Zappa Francesco Zappa (LP, Barking Pumpkin ST-74202)
November 21, 1984	Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI	Little Girl of Mine (Levy/Cox) [57]
November 23, 1984	Bismarck Theater, Chicago, Illinois	Tinsel-Town Rebellion (1st part) [45] GOA (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50] Bamboozled By Love [54] Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up [54] Advance Romance (parts) [54] In France [54] Drowning Witch (parts) [54] Ride My Face To Chicago [54] Carol, You Fool [54] Chana In De Bushwop (FZ/Diva Zappa) [54] Joe's Garage [54] Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? (parts) [54] Cocaine Decisions (1st part) [54] Little Rubber Girl (intro) [57] Dinah-Moe Humm (parts) [59] Camarillo Brillo [59] Muffin Man [59] Black Napkins (solo) [59]
November 25, 1984	Civic Center, Atlanta, Georgia	In-A-Gadda-Stravinsky (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50] Hotel Atlanta Incidentals (Hot-Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel solo) [50] For Duane (Whipping Post solo) [50]
November 30, 1984	Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, Florida	Sunrise Redemeer (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50] Orrin Hatch On Skis (Ride My Face To Chicago solo) [50]
December 1, 1984	Bayfront Center Arena, St. Petersburg, Florida	Trouble Every Day (verses) [45] Penguin In Bondage (parts) [45] Let's Move To Cleveland (piano solo) [45] Drowning Witch (parts) [54] The Closer You Are (Lewis/Robinson) (first part) [57]
December 4, 1984	Orpheum Theater, Memphis, Tennessee	Winos Do Not March (Sharleena solo) [50] Good Lobna (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [77]
December 10, 1984	Majestic Performing Arts Center, San Antonio, Texas	Where We Ever Really Safe In San Antonio? (Drowning Witch solo) [50]
December 17, 1984	Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington	Bobby Brown Goes Down [54] Keep It Greasey (parts) [54] Drowning Witch (parts) [54] Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? (parts) [54] Cosmik Debris (parts) [54] Truck Driver Divorce (parts) [57] Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy (parts) [57] For Giuseppe Franco (Hot-Plate Heaven solo) [77] Light Is All That Matters (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [77]
December 18, 1984	Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia	Tinsel-Town Rebellion (ending) [45] Penguin In Bondage (solo and more) [45] Hot-Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel [45] Let's Move To Cleveland (drum solo) [45] Canadian Customs (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50] The Evil Prince (except solo) [57] Advance Romance (parts) [54] Stick Together [57] The Black Page (1984) (except solo) [57]
December 20, 1984	Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, Oregon	Once Again, Without The Net (Let's Move To Cleveland solo) [50] Cosmik Debris (parts) [54]
December 23, 1984	Universal Amphitheater, Universal City, CA Dweezil Zappa--guest guitar*	What's New In Baltimore? (front & solo) [45] Cock-Suckers' Ball (trad.) [45] WPLJ [45] Let's Move To Cleveland (intro & out chorus) [45] Whippin' Post (Allman) (last song)* [45] Sharleena (next-to-last song)* [54] My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama [57] Willie The Pimp [57] Montana (parts) [57] Brown Moses [57] The Illinois Enema Bandit (parts) [59]
1984	Them Or Us (The Book) (Barking Pumpkin)

facts are stupid things

live performances

touring bands

studio recordings

album or single release

This project researched & developed by Román García Albertos
http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/
WARNING: This is not a complete list of FZ concerts, as only those of special significance or which are represented in FZ's official output appear in this chronology. If you're looking for an exhaustive list of FZ concerts go to Charles Ulrich's Frank Zappa Gig List, and if you're looking for the complete known setlists go to Oscar Bianco's FZShows, v. 7.1.
Here's a list of main sources & contributions
Release dates taken from Greg Russo's book Cosmik Debris (The Son of Revised Edition)
Concert dates and venues taken from Charles Ulrich's Frank Zappa Gig List
Corrections & additions welcome
This page updated: 2011-05-20