Sheik Yer Replica – Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart Disc Guide by Koji Waku

Published by Music Magazine, Japan
2011
240 Pages
Paperback

Overview by Andy Bean

This is a full-colour 240-page large paperback, which is basically an illustrated Zappa/Beefheart discography. Given the relative size of their catalogues, Beefheart fans who don’t like Zappa are at a disadvantage, however.

You get:

  • 6-page photospread of Zappa in Japan in 1976
  • 10- page ‘Collections’ section, featuring pics of rare single sleeves and labels, sleeve variations (a whole page of ‘Safe as Milk’ sleeves), etc, for both Zappa and Beefheart. This section also includes the ‘Stand Up To Be Discontinued’ book/cd, and a 1982 art catalogue/book called “Conjunctions” from 1982. No other art catalogues are mentioned, for some reason, nor the Rhino art box
  • A Frank Zappa chronology with small reproductions of sleeves, listing release dates, and tours.
  • Frank Zappa discography, with records and DVDs, full details and text for each.
  • Captain Beefheart discography, with records, full details and text for each.
  • Related works (selected), with Zappa label discographys, and a selection of records featuring Zappa/Beefheart band members. It does say ‘selected’, and, for example, John French is represented by one French, Frith ,Kaiser, Thompson album and ‘City Of Refuge’, but not the Japan-only “O Solo Drumbo”!

It’s a nice little book, with the only problem being (for the non-Japanese reader) is that the text is all in Japanese.

Availability

Available through HMV Japan for about 28GBP including postage

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