The Hot rats sessions

"Even established fans will find wading and sifting through hours of raw material somewhat of a chore, despite the riches that may justify the time. But for Zappa obsessives, and you know who you are, it's impossible to imagine a more thorough and exhaustive (maybe exhausting is a better word) examination of the artist and how his music was created-before the advent of digital technology- than this. Sit back, dig in and enjoy".

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"This box set is the type of treatment usually reserved for Beatles reissues, but because it's Zappa The Hot Rats Sessions is a more delightfully quirky. It doesn't contain everything, the way something like the Stooges' 1999 box set, 1970: The Complete Fun House Sessions, did, but because of the Zappa-esque details, it feels more comprehensive, for better or worse - there's even a wholly unnecessary 1987 remix that feels more unnaturally "Eighties" than the original mix. (You can skip it). Here, experimentalism is the star, and Zappa's adventurous spirit is why Hot Rats became an early classic for him in the first place. You won't walk away from it with any better understanding of why he was driven to be a composer or made the music he did, but you will have a better grasp on the innumerable details that made Hot Rats a classic".

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"Aside from the incredible look into the Hot Rats recording process, which has been beautifully remastered by Bob Ludwig, the packaging is also a triumph. Features incredible pictures from the studio as well as liner notes from Simpsons creator and Zappa mega-fan, Matt Groening. It even includes a Frank Zappa board game for Christ-sake! This collection was made by people who really know how to put together a box-set".

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