Läther Disc 3 - Frank Zappa

10 months ago
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Zappa's relationship with manager Herb Cohen ended in May 1976. Zappa and Cohen were the co-owners of the DiscReet records label, which was distributed by Warner Bros. Records. After Cohen cashed one of Zappa's royalty checks from Warner and kept the money for himself, Zappa sued Cohen. Zappa was also upset with Cohen for signing acts he did not approve.
Cohen filed a lawsuit against Zappa in return, which froze the money Zappa and Cohen were expecting to receive from an out-of-court settlement with MGM/Verve over the rights to Zappa's early Mothers of Invention recordings. The MGM settlement was eventually finalized in mid 1977 after two years of negotiations. Legal issues also prevented Zappa having access to any of his previously recorded material during the trials. Zappa re-negotiated with Warner and had his contract re-assigned in October 1976. He delivered the album Zoot Allures directly to Warner that month, while bypassing DiscReet. Zappa had intended this as a double LP, but he was later forced to re-edit the release into a single LP at the insistence of Warner executives. Cohen countersued, claiming that the Warner release violated the terms of his Discreet contract with Zappa. So the final four albums of Zappa's recording contract were then assigned back to DiscReet.
Läther was assembled by Zappa in 1977 from a wide variety of recording sessions stretching back as far as eight years, but mostly between 1972 and 1976. The tracks utilize a constantly changing cast of backing musicians. Most of the songs on Läther are linked together with bits of musical sound effects (musique concrète) and comic dialog from Zappa band members, Terry Bozzio, Patrick O'Hearn, and Davey Moire. More of these same bits, or "grouts" as Zappa allegedly called them, appear on other albums such as Sheik Yerbouti.
Tracks
1. Filthy Habits 00:00
2. Titties 'N Beer 07:11
3. The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution 12:34
4. The Adventures Of Greggery Peccary 21:07
5. Regyptian Strut (1993) 42:05
6. Leather Goods 46:48
7. Revenge Of The Knick Knack People 52:49
8. Time Is Money 55:14

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