Original Release Date: April 1991

The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life is a double disc live album by Frank Zappa, released in 1991. The album was one of three to be recorded during the 1988 world tour, along with Broadway the Hard Way and Make a Jazz Noise Here. Each of these three accounts of the legendary '88 tour has a different focus: Broadway the Hard Way mostly showcases new compositions, Make a Jazz Noise Here features a sampler of classic instrumental Zappa tunes, and this album devotes itself to covers, some unlikely such as "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin, as well as the back catalogue. It was re-issued in 1995 along with his entire catalogue.

This two-CD set is the second of three albums of material Frank Zappa compiled from the 1988 tour. While Broadway the Hard Way (released in 1988) mostly presented the new songs performed during that tour, this set focuses on older songs (Make a Jazz Noise Here would contain mostly instrumental pieces). This is the best band you never heard in your life because the 12-piece group disintegrated after only four months of touring through the U.S. East Coast and Europe. These shows took place during the Jimmy Swaggart scandal, when the televangelist was caught with a prostitute. Thus, many of the songs' lyrics were rewritten to refer to this situation (the whole 1988 tour was strongly anti-preacher oriented). There are a lot of strong performances of old favorites and obscurities, all rearranged to include the horn section, and a few improbable covers. Highlights include Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" (hilarious), the unexpected "Who Needs the Peace Corps?," "Mr. Green Genes," and "The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue," and an extended rendition of "The Torture Never Stops" that includes the theme from the TV show Bonanza and a Swaggart version of "Lonesome Cowboy Burt." To top it all off, the group performs a very entertaining reggae version of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." This band was incredibly talented and professional, and the selection of songs spans Zappa's entire career. In short, this is one of the man's best live albums. - Franηois Couture, AMG

Amazon.com
This double live set showcases the peerless calisthenics abilities of the 1988 Zappa big band on a collection of crowd-pleasing favorites, concert staples and cover songs. Zappa's crystalline Stratocaster sound (a far cry from the "squank" of the '70s) highlights some of the most lyrical and inspired solo guitar work of his life. Highlights include an adrenaline charged version of "Zomby Woof" a thoroughly rocking turn at Ravel's Bolero, and a horn arrangement of Jimmy Page's "Stairway to Heaven" guitar solo. --Andrew Boscardin

From the Label
Yes, this is the one with "Stairway to Heaven" on it. It's the second release from the '88 tour, a double live CD originally released in 91. Also heard on MAKE A JAZZ NOISE HERE and BROADWAY THE HARD WAY, this band featured a five-piece horn section and was perhaps the most versatile and technically accomplished touring band that FZ ever had. This is demonstrated in the boggling range of material heard on this album.

The recordings are from performances and soundchecks, and feature old favorites and premiere recordings. Along with the deranged version of "Stairway" (FZ claimed he'd never heard the original version!), there's an equally deconstructed "Ring of Fire" and a live cover of "Bolero" -- yes, the Ravel one. There's also a "Jimmy Swaggart medley" including "Lonesome Cowboy Burt," "More Trouble Every Day" and "Penguin In Bondage;" with new lyrics inspired by Swaggart's sexual misadventures.

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. Heavy Duty Judy
2. Ring Of Fire
3. Cosmik Debris
4. Find Her Finer
5. Who Needs The Peace Corps?
6. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
7. Zomby Woof
8. Bolero
9. Zoot Allures
10. Mr. Green Genes
11. Florentine Pogen
12. Andy
13. Inca Roads
14. Sofa #1

Disc: 2
1. Purple Haze
2. Sunshine Of Your Love
3. Let's Move To Cleveland
4. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
5. 'Godfather Part II' Theme
6. A Few Moments With Brother A. West
7. The Torture Never Stops Part One
8. Theme From 'Bonanza'
9. Lonesome Cowboy Burt (Swaggart Version)
10. The Torture Never Stops Part Two
11. More Trouble Every Day (Swaggart Version)
12. Penguin In Bondage (Swaggart Version)
13. The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbeque
14. Stairway To Heaven

Total Length: 131:13

Musicians:
Frank Zappa – synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, vocals
Paul Carman – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone
Bruce Fowler – trombone
Walt Fowler – synthesizer, trumpet, flugelhorn
Mike Keneally – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Ed Mann – percussion, marimba, vibraphone, electronic percussion
Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Kurt McGettrick – saxophone, baritone saxophone, E flat clarinet
Scott Thunes – synthesizer, bass guitar, electric bass, vocals, Minimoog
Chad Wackerman – drums, vocals, electronic percussion
Ray White – guitar
Ike Willis – synthesizer, guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Albert Wing – tenor saxophone


File-Size: 95.37 MB (x2) + 50.25 MB @256