Joe's Garage Acts I-III [Original recording remastered]

The reviewers below all hit the nail on the head with their selections of 'must hear' songs from this collection but for what it is worth there are a few other highlights I'd add to their list.

Firstly there is the middle eight to 'Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?". Its' thundering chords and vocal harmony crescendos are worth the admission price alone. Lovely lyrics here too...'I got it from the toilet seat, it jumped right up and grabbed my meat'!!!

Then you have the title track which is a real laugh for anyoine who has ever played in or been involved with a 'garage' band. The track contains some of the best lyrics on the album. "and a cheesy little amp, with a sign on the front said 'Fender Champ' and a second hand guitar, it was a Stratocaster with a whammy bar". Priceless. Then you have the verbal delights of Joe's mother in the backgroud wailing 'turn it down' and 'don't you boys know any nice songs?'. We've been there right?

One of my favourite tracks is 'Wet T Shirt Night' as it is called on my vinyl version or 'Fembot in a Wet T-shirt' as it seems to be called here. This is a marvellous piece of music to begin with, upbeat and melodic. It ends with Zappa interviewing the contestants...'oh you were the girl who was stuck to seat 37 on Phaedo 3" and 'whaddaya say fellas, nice set of jugs?'

Then you have the surprise package of 'Lucille has meesed my mind up', a laid back reggae vamp with some amazing vocal work by Ike Willis. A great song.

Then we have one of the highlights of the set. The amazing 'Keep It Greasy' is probably the funkiest song I have ever heard in my life. Vinnie Colaiuta's drumming is exceptional here (and everywhere else too). This version is far better than the watered down one that appears on 'Does Humour Belong in Music'. Just try drumming along and you'll see what I mean! "Roll it over and grease it down, I'll drive you through the heart of town".

I know the others have already mentioned 'Watermelon in Easter Hay' but it is worth repeating that this is probably Zappa's best guitar solo on record, even better than Black Napkins on Zoot Allures! Packard Goose is pretty good playing too.

You have to get this one! It is right up there in my list of essential Zappa and second in my opionion only to 'Live at the Roxy and Elsewhere'.

"Oh no, here comes that screaming sou-ind again".

Frank Zappa is not to everyone's taste. With songs entitled 'Why does it hurt when I pee?'; 'Dong Work for Yuda' and 'Crew Slut' you might think that the back of the CD would prepare you for the contents. Wrong on two counts. One - you might think that the titles are tongue in cheek and don't reflect the actual content. Secondly, you might think that the songs are somehow cheap and depend only on the dubious subject matter.

Make no mistake. The music is great. No GREAT. The instrumental break in 'Catholic Girls' is worth the money on its own in my book. Let alone the lyrics of 'Stick it Out' or the guitar work in 'Watermelon in Easter Hay'. Zappa's strengths are cracking musical themes and breaks combined with genuinely outrageous comedy and startling insights. If you don't believe me, listen to the 'Information is not knowledge' speech in Packard Goose, and gawp. There are probably many dedicated Zappa fans out there who will despise what I have said. But , tough - this album is indescribably good. Buy it, learn something and one day we may rid ourselves of people prancing on stage and miming. After all, it's not every day you buy an album from someone who has the marvellous accolade of being banned from every radio station in the world.