Frank Zappa’s ‘Apostrophe’ Celebrates 50 Years with Deluxe Box Set

Frank Zappa’s first hit album, Apostrophe (‘), is getting a special 50th-anniversary box set release on September 13. This new edition includes live recordings, outtakes, and a remastered version of the original album. The super deluxe edition features a Blu-ray with the album in 5.1 surround sound and its original quadraphonic mix.

The box set will also come as a double-vinyl set with an extra 7″ single. The LPs are pressed on white vinyl with ‘yellow-snow splatter’, a nod to the album’s lead track, Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow. There’s also a single-disc version and a digital release, writes Kory Grow.

52-page booklet
The super deluxe edition includes a 52-page booklet with unseen photos by Sam Emerson, and essays by journalist Simon Prentis and Zappa estate’s ‘vaultmeister’ Joe Travers.

50th anniversary
Travers said, “Here we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of arguably the most popular record in Frank Zappa’s epic catalog. Nobody sounded like Frank Zappa.”

^{_{Apostrophe (‘) Super Deluxe Edition Track List:}}

Disc One: Apostrophe (‘) – The Original Album – 2024 Remaster + Album Session Bonus Tracks

1. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow
2. Nanook Rubs It
3. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast
4. Father O’Blivion
5. Cosmik Debris
6. Excentrifugal Forz
7. Apostrophe’
8. Uncle Remus
9. Stink-Foot

Album Session Bonus Tracks

10. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow (Basic Tracks / Alternate Take)
11. Nanook Rubs It (Basic Tracks / Outtake)
12. Nanook Rubs It (Session Outtake)
13. Cosmik Debris (Basic Tracks – Take 3)
14. Excentrifugal Forz (Mix Outtake)
15. Apostrophe (Mix Outtake)
16. Uncle Remus (Mix Outtake)
17. Apostrophe’ (Unedited Master / 2024 Mix)
18. Uncle Remus (Piano and Vocal Mix 2024)

Disc Two: Bonus Concert 1 – Colorado Springs, CO 1974

1. Show Start / Band Intros
2. Village Of the Sun
3. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)
4. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?
5. Babbette
6. Approximate
7. Cosmik Debris
8. Pygmy Twylyte
9. The Idiot Bastard Son
10. Cheepnis
11. Montana
12. Dupree’s Paradise Intro

Disc Three: Bonus Concert 1 – Colorado Springs, CO 1974 Continued

1. Dupree’s Paradise
2. Is There Anything Good Inside You?
3. Florentine Pogen
4. Kung Fu
5. Penguin in Bondage
6. T’Mershi Duween
7. The Dog Breath Variations
8. Uncle Meat
9. RDNZL
10. Medley: King Kong / Chunga’s Revenge / Son of Mr. Green Genes

Disc Four: Early 1974 Bonus Live Track + Bonus Concert 2 – Dayton, Ohio, Hara Arena, November 20, 1974

1. Inca Roads (Salt Lake City, Utah – March 18, 1974 – Terrace Ballroom)

Bonus Concert 2 – Dayton, Ohio, Hara Arena, November 20, 1974

2. Tush Tush Tush (A Token of My Extreme)
3. Stink-Foot
4. RDNZL
5. Village of the Sun
6. Echidna’s Arf (Of You)
7. Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?
8. Penguin in Bondage
9. T’Mershi Duween
10. The Dog Breath Variations
11. Uncle Meat
12. Building a Girl

Disc Five: Bonus Concert 2 – Dayton, Ohio, Hara Arena, November 20, 1974 (Continued) + Bonus Tracks

1. Dinah-Moe Humm
2. Camarillo Brillo
3. Pygmy Twylyte
4. Room Service
5. Tush Tush Tush (End Vamp)
6. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow
7. Nanook Rubs It
8. St. Alfonso’s Pancake Breakfast
9. Father O’Blivion

Bonus Tracks

10. Apostrophe TV Ad
11. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow – Single Edit
12. Goteborg GTR
13. Approximate

Blu-ray audio: Apostrophe (‘) – The Album Dolby Atmos / Dolby TrueHD 5.1 / Dolby TrueHD 1974 Quadraphonic / 24-bit/192kHz Stereo / 24-bit/96kHz Stereo

1. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow
2. Nanook Rubs It
3. St. Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast
4. Father O’Blivion
5. Cosmik Debris
6. Excentrifugal Forz
7. Apostrophe’
8. Uncle Remus
9. Stink-Foot