••• = Essential tracks.

Release Date

Frank Zappa: musical director, lead guitar and vocals; Ray Collins: lead vocals, harmonica, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin and tweezers; Jim Black (Jimmy Carl Black): drums (also sings in some foreign language); Roy Estrada: electric bass, guitarron, boy soprano; Elliot Ingber: alternate lead and rhythm guitar, with clear white light; also the Mothers Auxiliary: Gene Estes: percussion; Eugene Di Novi: piano; Neil Le Vang: guitar; John Rotella: clarinet and saxophone; Kurt Reher: cello; Raymond Kelley: cello; Paul Bergstrom: cello; Emmet Sargeant: cello; Joseph Saxon: cello; Edwin V. Beach: cello; Arthur Maebe: french horn and tuba; George Price: french horn; John Johnson: tuba?: Carol Kaye: 12-string guitar; Virgil Evans: trumpet; David Wells: trombone; Kenneth Watson: percussion; Plas Johnson: saxophone and flute; Roy Caton: copyist; Carl Franzoni: voice; Vito: voice; Kim Fowley: hypophone, and vocals on “Help, I’m a Rock”; Benjamin Barrett: contractor; David Anderle; plus Jim ‘Motorhead’ Sherwood: noises; Mac Rebennack (Dr. John): piano; Paul Butterfield: harmonica?; Les McCann: piano; Jeannie Vassoir: the voice of Suzy Creamcheese.

Produced by Tom Wilson. Director of engineering: Val Valentin. The world’s most patient engineers: Ami Hadani and Tom Hidley. Recorded at Sunset-Highland Studios of TTG on 9-12 March 1966. All songs written by Frank Zappa, except “Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder” written by Frank Zappa and Ray Collins.

The first Mothers of Invention release was a two-disc album of irreverent rock music, which must have totally confused what few of the pop-eared masses heard it in the rise of the mid-1960s Flower Power era. Those with a taste for musicial experimentation and sarcastic irreverence knew that they had found a gem. Frank Zappa remixed the album in 1987 and blessed the new masters for future rereleases in 1993. “Help, I’m A Rock” and “It Can’t Happen Here” on the end of side three became separate tracks in the new masters.