PANZERBALLETT CROWDFUNDING

a message from Panzerballett 

Dear qB fans,

our crowdfunding campaign for the Panzerballett feat. Virgil Donati live album has now been running for three weeks, and we’ve just passed the 20% mark!

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. ❤️

In less than four weeks, we’ll be heading out on tour with Virgil, and we want to professionally record these shows and turn them into an official Panzerballett live album.

But we still need your help to make it happen, and our crowdfunding campaign has only 13 days left.

Besides the digital live album and the CD, there are several rewards that are only available through this campaign. You can become part of the music yourself by joining the Ode to Joy Chaos Choir, introduce a Panzerballett song live in front of the audience as an Official Song Announcer, or get your hands on one of the strictly limited Alien Hip Hop Score Editions.

And for musicians and composers, the Private Composer’s Workshop gives you the opportunity to spend two hours with me working exclusively on your own music.

If you’ve been thinking about supporting the project, now would be a great time to join us. And if none of the rewards are for you, simply sharing the campaign with others helps us enormously as well.

https://www.startnext.com/en/panzerballett-live-album

NEEDLEPOINT - OUTSIDE THE SCREEN

• Needlepoint: Outside The Screen
      (2012, cd, --, bjk music)

If you have a weak spot for the warm, sun-drenched whimsy of late-60s Canterbury prog or the looser, exploratory boundaries of psychedelic jazz fusion, then Norway’s Needlepoint needs to be on your radar immediately.

It has been a couple of years since I've listened to Needlepoint, and it was lovely to rediscover them.

Released on the BJK Music label, this record feels less like a modern product and more like a long-lost tape found tucked away in a 1971 recording studio cupboard. It strikes a perfect balance between highly structured, melodic pieces and fluid, free-flowing instrumental jams.

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

GROS COEUR - GROS DISQUE

• Gros Coeur: Gros Disque
      (2023, cd, Belgium, jauneorange records)
      (2023, lp, Belgium, jauneorange records)

Gros Coeur is a psychedelic rock band from Belgium.
Shifting song structures, exotic flavours, high energy alternating with almost pop songs,...

The band was founded by Adrien Chapelle (former bass player for the notorious Belgian punk outfit Cocaine Piss) and three musicians from diverse musical backgrounds.

• Adrien Chapelle – Frontman, Producer
• Jimmy Geers – Guitar
• Julien Trousson – Bass
• Alexandre De Bueger – Drums

"Gros Disque" was the band's first album, released in 2023.
In the meantime, they have added another album to their discography: "Vague Célérate", released in 2025.

This is nice !

Out on Bandcamp, but also on LP and on CD.

Recommended listening !

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

THE LOVE SUBSTITUTES

Previously only available on CD, Jezus Factory Records will be re-issuing the two albums by The Love Substitutes on vinyl.

Featuring Rudy Trouvé, Craig Ward, Mauro Pawlowski and Bert Lenaerts, four musicians from one of the richest and most eccentric corners of the Belgian underground, bringing together decades of experience across dEUS, Kiss My Jazz, Evil Superstars, Dead Man Ray, Gore Slut, iH8 Camera, A Clean Kitchen Is A Happy Kitchen and a bewildering network of solo projects, collaborations and experimental groups.

-

GOOSE - 2026/08/28 RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER, MORRISON, CO

As one might have noticed, I've been listening to the concert recordings that Goose is putting on Bandcamp.
Not necessarily to the entire concert, but I like to listen to the first couple of songs and then pick out the special tracks.
For this Red Rocks show, I can recommend the stretched jam versions of 'Burn The Witch' (Radiohead) and 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head (Kylie Minogue).

TERRY BOZZIO

Flashback to April 8th 2001, when Dutch TV show 'Vrije Geluiden' featured Terry Bozzio !!

ZILBATRAR - OUTTAKES

• Zilbatrar: Outtakes
      (2021, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Montreal, Québec-based Zilbatrar released a set of demos through Bandcamp in 2021. Track 8 was an instrumental version of FZ’s ‘Wowie Zowie’.

EDDIE JOBSON - - - U.K. REVISITED TOUR DATES

From GlassOnyon PR

EDDIE JOBSON - U.K. REVISITED - 2026 U.S. DATES ANNOUNCED

Legendary musician Eddie Jobson, the co-founder of ’70s progressive-rock supergroup ‘U.K.,’ is returning to the U.S. for just three concerts in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. Performing the music of U.K. for the first time in almost a decade, he will be joined by Marc Bonilla (CTA, Keith Emerson); Alex Machacek (U.K., Brand X); and Marco Minnemann (U.K., Hans Zimmer, The Aristocrats). Jobson has stated that these could be his final ‘U.K.' concerts in North America. His son, Chris Jobson will perform a short opening set in his U.S. solo debut.

The confirmed dates are:
Oct. 5th The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood  [on sale 10am PDT Monday August 31st]
Oct. 7th Reggie's, Chicago  [on sale 12pm CDT Monday August 31st]
Oct. 10th ProgStock, Rutherford, NJ

Tickets for Los Angeles and Chicago go on sale on Monday August 31st.

Though best-known as the first violinist inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and as one of the top keyboard players in the progressive-rock genre, having played with Curved Air, King Crimson, U.K., Yes and Jethro Tull, Jobson has actually spent the majority of his career as a cross-genre composer and producer. A child prodigy violinist and young classical composer and pianist, he first came to international attention replacing Brian Eno as synthesist in the influential art-rock band Roxy Music at the age of 18; going on to becoming Frank Zappa’s keyboardist and electric violinist at the age of 21, and forming U.K. at 22 with Allan Holdsworth, John Wetton and Bill Bruford. Leaving the rock world and international arena touring at the age of 25, Jobson became a multi-award-winning composer for television and film, scoring over 100 TV dramas, working on several movies, and focusing on a diverse range of recording projects for his own international label Globe Music, before briefly reforming U.K. in 2014.

Regarded by many as the consummate musician, Jobson’s live performances have received accolades worldwide for their musical power and for the band’s unparalleled virtuosity.

THE BROTHERS C. BERRY - HOT PINK !

• The Brothers C. Berry: Hot Pink ! (And Other Unlikely “Hits”)
       (2020, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Brothers John and Dave Seabury recorded "Hot Pink !" as The Brothers C. Berry.

It's rock 'n' roll, baby !!

And they included a super version of FZ's 'My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama'.

PSYCOTIC PINEAPPLE - CAN'T ESCAPE FROM THE ROCK

• Psycotic Pineapple: Can’t Escape From The Rock
      (2024, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Berkeley, California-based punk band Psycotic Pineapple started making music in the 1970's. They were considered the first punk band from the Bay Area.

February 2024, ten years since their previous release, Psycotic Pineapple released "Can't Escape From The Rock" through Bandcamp.
The album included a fine version of FZ's 'Duodenum'.

HUNT RENNO - DROPOUT BOOGIE / BEHIND THE WALL OF SLEEP

• Hunt Renno: Dropout Boogie / Behind The Wall Of Sleep
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

A Beefheart tune, a Black Sabbath one, and FZ's ‘My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama’ (F. Zappa),.

The Zappa cover was previously released on the “Wowie Zowie – A Frank Zappa Tribute" album in 2022.

PAUL ROLAND - BRIGHTON ROCK

• Paul Roland: Brighton Rock
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, --, dark companion records up 011)

I really enjoyed Paul Roland's most recent album, "Brighton Rock".
The small print said that the album is an adaptation of Graham Greene's classic 1938 book of the same name.
Despite that I have not read the book (although I may have seen the movie adaptation), I will most definitely give "Brighton Rock" another listening session.

-- info: Danny Mathys

NEW ALBUM BY BRUNO VANSINA

Belgian saxophone player Bruno Vansina has just released "No Future".

For the moment, it's a Bandcamp-only release.

TOM PENAGUIN - TOM PENAGUIN II

• Tom Penaguin: Tom Penaguin II
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, --, amarxe)

The modern torchbearer of the French Canterbury Scene explosion, Tom Penaguin, has done it again. Following his stunning 2024 debut and his archival "Beginnings" collection, "Tom Penaguin II" arrives as a massive, fully autonomous statement of creative intelligence. Conceived, composed, performed, and mixed entirely by Penaguin himself over a four-month period of isolation, this album completely bypasses digital convenience in favor of glorious, tube-warmed analog tape.

The listener is instantly submerged in a sonic world that feels entirely authentic to the early seventies. Complex rhythmic shifts, soaring organ textures, fluid, fuzz-drenched guitar lines,... It's all there.

The highlight might well be 'The Ornamental Hermit Suite'. Across these four movements, Penaguin shifts effortlessly between reflective, jazzy piano passages and explosive, high-energy progressive rock tension. The interplay between his crisp, retro drum tracking and the unmistakable grit of the Hammond and Fender Rhodes organs is nothing short of breathtaking.

"Tom Penaguin II" is more than just a nostalgic throwback; it is a vital, living piece of art that shows a multi-instrumental master operating at an absolute peak. If you love complex time signatures, warm vintage tones, and intricate melodies that stay with you long after you've enjoyed the album, do not miss this.

Essential listening.

-- info: Danny Mathys

PAUL ROLAND - LIVE AT RAINDOGS HOUSE

• Paul Roland: Live At Raindogs House
      (2025, cd, --, dark companion records up 014)

A little while ago, I mentioned "Light Of The World", the fine collaboration between Astral Magic and Paul Roland.
Thanks to a couple of digital downloads I received, I'm happy to dive into Paul Roland's discography.

Last year, Paul Roland And His Rockin Teenage Combo (yes, that's what it actually says on his bandcamp page) released a very first official live album. It's Paul Roland's 40th album !!

Cut straight to tape, this album delivers raw, punchy, and entirely authentic rock 'n' roll.
Zero overdubs, technical wizardry, or studio polish.

Next to Paul Roland (guitar & vocals), the band featured Christian Castelletti (guitar), Annie Barbazza (bass & vocals) and Alex Canella (drums).

Lovely !
Definitely worth exploring !

-- info: Danny Mathys

ARSONISTS - PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

• Arsonists: Past, Present And Future
      (2001, cdr, USA, private release)
      (2001, cdr, USA, asf records) – different artwork

Hip hop group The Arsonists sampled Frank Zappa’s ‘Po-Jama People’ in ‘Fat Laces’.
The track could already be found on a 1999 sampler entitled “Defenders Of The Underworld” and was the opening track on this “Past, Present And Future” release.

The original, limited edition release was distributed exclusively through the HipHopSite website. It carried no label and featured black and white artwork.

The later, standard edition of the album got released on the ASF Records label and had a different and full colour album cover.

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - OUT-TAKES

• Captain Beefheart: Out-Takes
      (2014, lp, --, rhino)

Browsing the Captain Beefheart section in a record shop, I came across a shrink-wrapped version of "Out- Takes", album #4 in the 2014 "Sun Zoom Spark" box set.
I don't know if this album was made available separately, but I did find it kind of strange that it was shrink-wrapped. As if it was a separate release.

Anyway, I decided it would look better on my shelves at home than stacked away in a record shop...

BLINDHEAD - REPLICATES

• Blindhead: Replicates
      (2023, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

New York City-based Blindhead (real name Bryan Pocius) released a set of cover version on his 2023 “Replicates” album.

It featured FZ’s ‘My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama’ next to pieces by Jimi Hendrix, Townes Van Zandt, Willie Dixon, and even Edgard Varèse !!

"ZAPPA - THE HARD WAY" BY ANDREW GREENAWAY

Andrew Greenaway's "Zappa The Hard Way" book arrived yesterday (after I slipped Belgian customs 30 euros for handling & import fees...).

Revised and expanded edition !!
https://www.wymeruk.co.uk/webshop/books/rock/frank-zappa/zappa-the-hard-way-revised-and-expanded-2026-edition/

Recommended reading, as is the "FZ 88 - A Visual Documentary" book.

If you live on the Yuripean mainland and want to avoid customs handling, order it from Amazon.

BRAND X - THEORY OF NOTHING

• Brand X: Theory Of Nothing
      (2026)

Kicking off the day with Brand X: "Theory Of Nothing".

Recorded live in 1977.
High-energy style of instrumental jazz-rock fusion mixed with progressive rock.

I've listened to bits and pieces of Brand X in the past, but this was my first in-depth / full album listening session  and I'm blown away.
This is superb !

Released on the MoonJune Records label.

https://officialbrandx.bandcamp.com/merch/brand-x-theory-of-nothing-2cd-limited-edition-2nd-pressing-pre-order

MADLIB SAMPLED GEORGE DUKE

Madlib sampled George Duke's 'Feel' on his 'Mind Touch' track.
Released on Madlib's "Beat Konducta Vol.0 Earth Sounds" (2000).

Read all about it here:
https://insearchofmedia.com/2018/02/11/madlib-samples-8-george-duke-feel-1974-mps/

'Feel'

'Mind Touch'

GOOSE IS CATCHING UP

Goose is catching up and has released a show from ten days ago:

2026/08/18 Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC, Canada

BRIAN TARQUIN'S NEW ALBUM WILL FEATURE SOME NOTABLE GUESTS

Brian Tarquin & Heavy Friends’ “Tyranny of Tone” To Benefit Los Angeles Firefighters Out September 18

VOMIT FIST - DEEP SPAWN

Nick Didkovsky's Vomit Fist has released a 7" entitled "Deep Spawn".

“This is the new Vomit Fist record, "Deep Spawn". We think it's a huge step forward in sheer brutality and mutated mayhem, and the red splatter 7" vinyl came out GREAT! Guitar TAB is included with the digital download, as are the Guitar Pro files. Super proud of this!”

If you're familiar with Doctor Nerve, expect something quite different.

SECRET CHIEFS 3 IS LAUNCHING A KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

Secret Chiefs 3: ACT III
Ambitious waves of new music are coming. Help us make it happen right!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/secretchiefs3/secret-chiefs-3-act-iii

PETE ROTH TRIO TOUR DATES

Pete Roth Trio featuring Bill Bruford, Mike Pratt and Pete Roth - live dates.

This Saturday in Bran, Romania at Jazz at Bran Castle Festival, in a double headline bill with Soft Machine.

AUG 29 - Bran, Romania (Jazz at Bran Castle)
SEPT 25 - Walton-On-Thames, UK (Riverhouse Barn)
OCT 08 - Stuttgart, Germany (BIX Jazz Club)
OCT 09 - Rüsselheim, Germany (das Rind)
OCT 11 - Hamburg, Germany (Nica Jazz Club)
OCT 12 - Berlin, Germany (Zig Zag)
OCT 23 - Liverpool, UK (The Capstone Theatre)
OCT 24 - Durham, UK (The Sir Thomas Allen Theater)
NOV 08 - Manchester, UK (Band on the Wall)
JAN 27 - Leek, UK (Foxhole Arts Center)
JAN 28 - Sheffield, UK (Crookes Social Club)
JAN 29 - Kingston Upon Hull, UK (Wrecking Ball Music & Books)
JAN 30 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK (Gosforth Civic Theater)
FEB 04 - Verviers, Belgium (SPIRIT OF 66)
FEB 06 - Utretch, Netherlands (Tivoli Vredenburg)
FEB 08 - Copenhagen, Denmark (Hotel Cecil)
FEB 17 - Cardiff, UK (Acapela Studios)
FEB 23 - Pordenone, Italy (Capitol)
FEB 24 - Rezzato, Italy (Teatro CTM)
FEB 25 - Milano, Italy (Spazio Teatro 89)
FEB 26 - Torino, Italy (Piazza dei Mestieri)

NEW GOOSE SHOW UP ON BANDCAMP

2026/08/24 Kettlehouse Amphitheatr, Bonner, MT

SOFT MACHINE TOUR DATES

Soft Machine tour dates;

Feat. John Etheridge, Fred Thelonious Baker, Asaf Sirkis, and Theo Travis

29 Aug - Bran, Romania (Bran Castle)
10 Sep - London, UK (PizzaExpress W1)
26 Sep - Scarborough, UK (Scarborough Jazz Festival)
27 Sep - Barnoldswick, UK (Music & Arts Centre)
03 Oct - Hastings, UK (Hastings Jazz Festival)
10 Oct - Cambridge, UK (Corn Exchange)
16 Oct - Tilburg, Netherlands (Paradox)
17 Oct - Aachen, Germany (Musikbunker)
18 Oct - Hamburg, Germany (Nica Jazz Club)
20 Oct - Vienna, Austria (Porgy & Bess)
22 Oct - Budapest, Hungary (Off Kultur)
24 Oct - Munich, Germany (tbc)
25 Oct - Furth, Germany (Kofferfabrik)
27 Oct - Passau, Germany (MuseumsCafé)
30 Oct - Chur, Switzerland (Streaming Hall)
31 Oct - Wintertur, Switzeraind (Kulturzentrum Gaswerk)
01 Nov - Russelheim, Germany (das Rind)
18 Nov - Bristol, UK (The Jam Jar)
19 Nov - Worcester, UK (Huntington Hall)
20 Nov - Leek, UK (Foxhole Arts Center)
25 Nov - Stroud, UK (Subscription Rooms)
26 Nov - Bilston, UK (Robin 2)
27 Nov - Luton, UK (The Bear Club)
28 Nov - Sutton, UK (Sound Lounge)
29 Nov - Lyme Regis, UK (The Marine Hall Theatre)
03 Dec - London, UK (Cadogan Hall)
04 Dec - Hertford, UK (Corn Exchange)
02 Feb - London, UK (Jazz Café)
12 Feb - Sheffield, UK (Greystones)
14 Feb - Chelmsford, UK (HotBox)
19 Feb - Canterbury, UK (Gulbenkian Theater)
20 Feb - Fletching, UK (Trading Boundaries)
21 Feb - Portsmouth, UK (The Lens Studio at Guildhall)
25 Feb - New Milton, UK (Forest Arts Center)
26 Feb - Aldershot, UK (West End Center)
05 Mar - Hull, UK (Wrecking Ball Arts Center)
06 Mar - Otley, UK (Courthouse)
07 Mar - Milton Keynes, UK (The Stables)

MARKUS REUTER IN CONVERSATION WITH ADRIAN BELEW

“Hey, Markus here. I had the pleasure to talk to Adrian Belew about his involvement in the production of Mike Oldfield's Earth Moving album. Enjoy the interview!”

GOOSE 2026 08 22

Another Goose concert has been released on Bandcamp.

The second night at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, OR.
2026/08/22 Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, OR

 

THE MAYNARD HIGH SCHOOL SYMPHONIC AND STAGE BANDS - 1974

• Maynard Evans High School Symphonic And Stage Bands: Maynard Evans Symphonic And Stage Band 1974
      (1974, lp, USA, private release)

Another rare release arrived at the UM Headquarters recently.
As the album title explains, this record presented recordings from the Stage and Symphonic bands at Maynard Evans High School in Orlando, Florida.

It included the Stage Band’s rendition of FZ’s ‘Chunga’s Revenge’.

VARIOUS ARTISTS - SILKE ARP BRICHT SAMPLER 93

• Various Artist: Silke Arp-Bricht Sampler 93
      (1993, lp, Germany, n.ur kult releases)
      (????, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

The n.UR-Kult record label was managed by the German club / artist collective Silke Arp Bricht.
Their tenth release presented artists that were linked to the n.UR-Kult club and included a recording of Frank Zappa’s ‘Who Are The Brain Police?’ by Spector.

The LP got released in 1993.
I recently acquired a copy of the LP (at the Zappanale festival) and only discovered today that it has also been made available on Bandcamp.
Check out the excellent version of 'Who Are The Brain Police?' !

BILLY JAMES - NECESSITY IS

Billy James published his "Necessity Is..." book in 2001.
I recently got hold of the 2005 re-issue. (See the above picture)
It will look good alongside to the original edition.

Another revised re-issue that I'm looking forward to is Andrew Greenaway's "Zappa The Hard Way".
If you want to avoid additional custom handling costs, you should be able to order it locally. Or order it from a company that takes care of the IOSS import taxes.

PETER STUART - PROPELLER

• Peter Stuart: Propeller
      (2001, cd, Germany, ulftone music)
      (2001, cd, USA, loud mouse music)

You might wonder how a melodic, pop record by former Dog's Eye View frontman Peter Stuart lands on the radar here at United Mutations. The answer, as always, lies in the family tree. Flipping over the liner notes of Stuart’s 2001 solo debut, Propeller, reveals a familiar name tucked neatly into the backing vocal credits: Moon Unit Zappa.

Released a bit over twenty years ago...

VARIOUS ARTISTS - SXSW LIVE VOL. 2

• Various Artists: SXSW Live Vol. Two
      (1994, cd-promo, usa, sxsw sx002cd9)

The "SXSW Live Vol. 2" promotional CD presented live recordings from 14 different artists.

The liner notes say:

“This CD is dedicated to the memory of Frank Zappa”
(FZ had passed away a couple of months before the release of this CD)

CABALLERO REYNALDO'S NEW ALBUM INCLUDES A FRANK ZAPPA PIECE

 Caballero Reynaldo (Luis González) is celebrating his 64th birthday by releasing an album entitled "64".

Download / streaming from Bandcamp, but also out on CD.
Next to the original tunes, "64" presents 'When I'm Sixty-Four' (Lennon, McCartney) and 'Let's Make The Water Turn Black' (F. Zappa).

JUNE TYSON - SATURNIAN QUEEN OF THE SUN RA ARKESTRA

• June Tyson: Saturnian Queen Of The Sun Ra Arkestra
      (2019, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2019, cd, USA, modern harmonic mhcd-014)
      (2019, lp, USA, modern harmonic mh-8014)

It is no secret that June Tyson was the glowing, celestial heart of the Sun Ra Arkestra. While Herman Poole Blount (Sun Ra himself) and John Gilmore provided the cosmic philosophy and foundational acoustic fire, Tyson gave the Arkestra its human—and superhuman—voice. Released by the archival wizards at Modern Harmonic, "Saturnian Queen Of The Sun Ra Arkestra" is the definitive, multi-vinyl/CD retrospective that Tyson has long deserved.

For the United Mutations community (and seasoned Ra collectors), this compilation is an absolute treasure trove. It spans her incredible tenure with the Arkestra from 1968 until her passing in 1992. It is not just a best-of compilation; it is a meticulously curated testament to a vocalist who could pivot from standard big-band jazz phrasing to avant-garde space chants in the blink of an eye.

What makes this Modern Harmonic release essential is the inclusion of rare, unreleased takes and live recordings where Tyson’s presence is palpable. Her performance on 'Enlightenment' is a masterclass in cosmic theater, showcase-singing alongside John Gilmore with a chemistry that sounds as vibrant today as it did decades ago.

As expected from Modern Harmonic, the packaging is top-tier. It features gorgeous, rare archival photographs of June in her full, magnificent Arkestra regalia—looking every bit the Saturnian Queen. The extensive liner notes provide crucial historical context, detailing her entry into the Arkestra via Marshall Allen and her evolution into the band's wardrobe designer, choreographer, and multi-instrumentalist (her violin work on select tracks is a haunting bonus).

Saturnian Queen Of The Sun Ra Arkestra is a mandatory addition to the Sun Ra shelf. It rescues June Tyson from the margins of liner notes and rightfully places her on the throne as the matriarch of Afrofuturism.

The album was difficult to get hold of when it got released in 2019. I'm glad that I finally caught up and got hold of the CD recently.

Highly recommended. Space is still the place, and June Tyson is our guide.

EMPERICAL - LIKE LAMBS: TO THE SLAUGHTER

• Emperical: Like Lambs: To The Slaughter
      (2026, cd, --, whirlwinds recordings)

The award-winning UK jazz vanguard, Empirical, returns with a new album entitled "Like Lambs: To The Slaughter". Following the relocation of long-standing vibraphonist Lewis Wright to the US, the core trio of Nathaniel Facey (alto sax), Tom Farmer (double bass), and Shaney Forbes (drums) has adapted beautifully into a shape-shifting unit. For this expansive project, they have enlisted long-time collaborators Ivo Neame on piano and David Preston on guitar, forming a stellar quintet that navigates the album's dense textures with sheer brilliance.

The foreboding album title refers to the surrender of our individual autonomy. According to composer and drummer Shaney Forbes, the phrase "Like Lambs: To The Slaughter" represents entering a dangerous situation completely unaware, mirroring how modern society surrenders independent thought and an inner voice to the comfort of mass consensus, algorithms, and fragmented media manipulation.

Musically, the record is an uninterrupted, multi-part suite that mirrors this heavy philosophical weight. It bridges the gaps between post-bop, fiery free jazz, and contemporary classical arrangements.

-- info: Danny Mathys

NEW RELEASE BY MEN & VOLTS

• Men & Volts: At The Square Root
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Only two weeks after releasing "Tramps In Bloom", David Greenberger is making another Men & Volts album available on Bandcamp.

This time, it's a live concert from 2022 to which the liner notes add:
This is an expanded line-up of the band performing all the songs from the then newly released EP, Amber Supreme, and more.

NEW RELEASE FROM GOOSE

• Goose: 2026/08/19 WAMU Theater, Seattle, WA
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Going for the long-term jam band treatment as a remedy for the current political chaos in the world.

Another fine show by Goose.

A J. M. SMIG UPDATE

In case you've been wondering what J. M. Smig has been up to lately...

From J. M. Smig :

My laptop arrangement of John Cage's "4'33" is now available at

Sheet Music Plus: www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/4-33-23859318.html
Sheet Music Direct: www.sheetmusicdirect.com/se/ID_No/2099829/Product.aspx

TWO ALLAN HOLDSWORTH LIVE ALBUMS TO BE RELEASED IN NOVEMBER

Each album will be released as a blu-ray + 2CD set (and at least one of the two also as a 4 LP set).

The first album got recorded at Yoshi's on Friday 29/09/2006 and the second on Saturday 30/09/2006.

Featuring Allan Holdsworth plus Alan Pasqua, Jimmy Haslip, and Chad Wackerman !

NEW HARDY FOX RELEASE ANNOUNCED BY THE KLANGGALERIE LABEL

Klanggalerie on Bandcamp:

Hardy Fox was the primary composer of The Residents. He created an incredible body of work, using all kinds of names other than The Residents, amongst them Combo De Mechanio, Sonidas De La Noche, Dead Eye Dick, Charles Bobuck or Black Tar And The Cry Babies. Hardy first stopped touring with The Residents due to health issues. Soon afterwards, he left the group completely to concentrate on his solo work. After several albums as Charles Bobuck (later only Bobuck), the name given to him when still a member of The Residents, he later dropped all pseudonyms to work as Hardy Fox. His first self-titled solo recording was an album full of minimal love songs, a portrait of the young Hardy Fox. The second, "Nachtzug" was about his last days touring with The Residents. It was followed by "Rilla Contemplates Love", a concept album about the thoughts and feelings of a gorilla. A few days before his untimely passing, Hardy sent this album to us - his last ever full album (we have more material left that needs to see the light of day), Dead Creature. An absolutely essential item for all Residents and Hardy Fox fans with artwork that Hardy himself made for the CD!

FRED HÄNDL - INTIMATE OUTTAKES

• Fred Händl: Intimate Outtakes
      (2026, cdr, The Netherlands, private release)

To make the wait for his next official album a little easier, Fred Händl prepared “Intimate Outtakes”, a live recorded CD with seven tracks plus one bonus piece.
Tracks 1 – 7 were recorded live on July 9, 2026; track 8 got recorded live on June 5, 2026.
Music by Frank Zappa, arranged and performed by Fred Händl on piano.

The first batch of “Intimate Outtakes” counted 55 copies. Available from Fred.

01. Filthy Habits
02. How Could I Be Such A Fool
03. Watermelon In Easter Hay
04. The Idiot Bastard Son
05. Treacherous Cretins
06. Mom & Dad
07. Sleep Dirt
08. -untitled-

A NEW PIECE BY EIDON

'Lichtinvallen'
by Eidon

MENTAT ROUTAGE

French collective Mentat Routage performed at Zappanale last month as the Brothers Of Dimension with Médéric Collignon as special guest.

The band released one eponymous album in 2010.

• Mentat Routage: Mentat Routage
      (2010, cd, France, musea mp3099)
      - incl. ‘Zörn Mask Replica’ (Simon Dutay), = Frank Zappa / Captain Beefheart reference

Later, although I don't know exactly when, the band released a DVDR with a 2011 concert.

• Mentat Routage: Live In Sargé
      (????, dvdr, France, mentat routage private release)

Here's a sample (from YouTube):

Both the CD and the DVDR are recommended listening and viewing !

And completely different, but also fascinating, Mentat Routage's Zappanale concert (The Brothers Of Dimension feat. Médéric Collignon):

TEMUR KVITELASHVILI

'21 Guitars'
by Temur Kvitelashvili
( 1990 )

Improvisation

FIDO PLAYS ZAPPA - FEMBOT IN A WET T-SHIRT

• Fido Plays Zappa: Fembot In A Wet T-Shirt
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)

Fido Plays Zappa released a second track from their 2026 Sud Basel concert on August 18, 2026.
Is this becoming a series? Is this an announcement for a new live album?

The band featured Stef Strittmatter (guitar, vocals), Oli Friedli (keyboards), Martin Medimorec (percussion), Pascal Grünenfelder (bass, vocals), and Rémy Sträuli (drums). 

Fembot In A Wet T-Shirt (F. Zappa)

HAWKESTREL - COVER YA TRACKS

• Hawkestrel: Cover Ya Tracks
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, USA, cleopatra)

The ever-proactive former Hawkwind bassist Alan Davey is back with his Hawkwind-adjacent space rock vehicle, Hawkestrel, delivering a stellar sonic trip titled "Cover Ya Tracks".

Released via Cleopatra Records, this 11-track collection shifts the focus heavily onto cosmic cover versions and jaw-dropping archival guest performances, crafting an alternate-dimension tribute to both space rock royalty and classic rock heavyweights.

The roster of guest musicians assembled here reads like a dream lineup from the outer edges of the universe. Alan Davey masterfully weaves historic and newly arranged tracks, integrating contributions from legendary, dearly departed Hawkwind alumni alongside unexpected icons.

There is the celebration of Hawkwind with renditions of 'Hall of The Mountain Grill' and 'Brainstorm',  but where "Cover Ya Tracks" truly surprises, is in its bold reimaginings of classic rock songs.

Check it out at Bandcamp.
Also available on CD and on LP.

-- info: Danny Mathys

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE TOMMY MARS IS HANGING OUT ?

 Check this out !

-- info: Mose

NEW ALBUM BY JOHN TABACCO

"Kaleidiosonic"
by John Tabacco

John adds:
Blues, R&B, Pop Rock, Soft Quirky Ballads, Latin, Fusion and Musical Theater can be found on this collection. Very much a Clam Radio playlist. In other worlds... All over the place!

MORE GOOSE CONCERTS ON BANDCAMP

2026/08/15 Frost Amphitheater, Stanford, CA

2026/08/16 The Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV

NEW ALBUM BY ECHOES OF ZOO

Echoes Of Zoo
"Collective Intelligence"
to be released in October.

SØREN BEBE TRIO

Over the past few days, I’ve been immersing myself in the music of the Søren Bebe Trio.

Recommended by my pal Mick and I am quite impressed.

Led by Danish pianist and composer Søren Bebe, the trio produces a nice balance of sparse piano chords, smooth percussion, and a powerfully gentle double bass, resulting in quite lyrical and melancholic voyages.

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-

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-- info: Mick Zeuner

TU-NER - RENDEZVOUS RODEO

• Tu-Ner: Rendezvous Rodeo
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, USA, 7d media)

Tu-Ner’s Rendezvous Rodeo is a splendid example of hyper-disciplined avant-garde rock, capturing a high-wire live performance that blurs the line between tight structural math rock and raw, unpredictable improvisation.

Released on 7d Media, this third album from the power-trio - featuring King Crimson veterans Pat Mastelotto (drums) and Trey Gunn (Warr guitar) alongside Markus Reuter (Touch Guitar) - was recorded completely live in a single night at The Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vermont, on August 25, 2025.

I'm very happy with the download that I received over here at the United Mutations headquarters as this record delivers the exact kind of dense, boundary-pushing complexity we thrive on.
That's exactly why "Rendezvous Rodeo" demands your immediate attention.

-- info: Harald Haering

THE FUNK 'N' BLUES KITCHEN - THE FUNK 'N' BLUES KITCHEN

• The Funk ‘n’ Blues Kitchen: The Funk ‘n’ Blues Kitchen
      (2014, cd, Germany, pottpeople)

The Funk 'n' Blues Kitchen's 2014 self-titled CD is an excellent, genre-bending masterpiece that seamlessly blends real instruments with modern digital samples and loops. 

Released on the German POTTpeople label, this 13-track instrumental album is the brainchild of guitarist and composer Martin "Ludi" Ettrich.

Instead of capturing a standard live studio band, as he does with The Almost Three, Ettrich acts as a musical chef in his "kitchen," assembling a highly unique instrumental menu. He uses several distinct guitar and production techniques across the album. There's funky rhythms, a vocoder / talk box, Texas blues licks, nice jazzy octaves, ... 

For "The Funk 'n' Blues Kitchen', Ludi recruited eight of his talented bass-playing friends (including musicians associated with progressive outfits like Birth Control, Helge Schneider, and N.O.H.A.) to record independent, live bass lines, adding different flavours to each track.

Perfect party and/or road trip music (although I enjoyed it through my headphones while working on my computer).

THE PINK FAIRIES - NEVER NEVER LAND

• Pink Fairies: Never Never Land
      (2020, cd, --, bang records)

The Pink Fairies’ first and maybe also their most famous album, “Never Never Land”, has been re-issued several times.
One of these remastered CD versions included FZ’s ‘Trouble Coming Everyday’ as one of the bonus tracks, performed by Mick Farren who was part of the Pink Fairies for a very short time during their formation. It's the same version that Mick released on one of his solo albums.

Released on the Bang Records label in a limited edition of 500 copies.

The original 1971 LP was co-produced by Neil Slaven who would later write “Zappa, Electric Don Quixote”, a 350 page book.

WARREN HAYNES ON TRACK STAR

 

THE MALLETS OF INVENTION

 For those of you who want to know more about Frank Zappa's percussionists.

https://pas.org/publication-articles/the-mallets-of-invention-a-listening-guide-to-frank-zappas-percussionists/

And you may also enjoy The USM Percussion Ensemble, performing FZ's 'The Black Page'.

ASTRAL MAGIC & PAUL ROLAND - LIGHT OF THE WORLD

• Astral Magic & Paul Roland: Light Of The World
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, cd, --, astral magic music)

The cosmic gears are turning once again over at the Astral Magic clubhouse.
For "Light Of The World", Santtu Laakso has teamed up with England’s resident psych-pop master and gothic-folk bard, Paul Roland, for a magnificent dive into the deep space.

If you are expecting ambient noodling, you have come to the wrong sector of the galaxy. This is riff-oriented space rock.
Hawkwind-esque synthesizer arrays collide head-on with Roland's hallmark storytelling, acoustic undertones, and eerie psych-pop hooks.

-- info: Danny Mathys

SPIT - SONGS IN THE KEY OF E FLATULENCE

• Spit: Songs In The Key Of E Flatulence
      (1999, cd, USA, spit records)

Vinnie Spit is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and performer. He formed his band SPIT in 1985 and began recording and performing in Wilmington, DE and surrounding areas. He was also a member of Batz Without Flesh and Zoccola.

This one, I brought back from the Zappanale festival.

Raw and aggressive rock.
Combined with provocative imagery, song and album titles.
Fortunately, without fart noises.

His "Songs In The Key Of E Flatulence" included a piece entitled ‘Why Frank Zappa, Who Not Joe Cocker?’.

The Zappa reference is only in the title.

From another SPIT album:

SQUARES

• Squares: Squares
      (2019, cd, --, ear music)
      (2019, lp, --, ear music)

A couple of weeks ago, I read about this CD.
Early demos from Joe Satriani's pre-fame band Squares.
Dusted off and produced by John Cuniberti in 2019.
Being the curious person that I am, I ordered the CD.

Before finding international fame as an instrumental guitar virtuoso, Joe Satriani fronted the 1980s power-pop trio Squares. In 2019, Joe dug into his archives to officially release their long-lost music on a self-titled archival compilation album titled Squares.

The band was formed in December 1979 in Berkeley, California, by Joe Satriani and his brother-in-law, Neil Sheehan. Sheehan served as the band's manager and lyricist.

Despite building a dedicated local club following in the San Francisco Bay Area and opening for larger acts, they struggled to secure a major record deal because record labels found their genre-bending sound difficult to categorize. The group disbanded around 1984 when Satriani briefly joined the Greg Kihn Band before launching his solo career with his 1986 debut, "Not of This Earth".

For fans of early eighties pop music...

GOOSE ON TOUR AND ON BANDCAMP

Goose is continuing their tour and their on the west coast now.
At least as important is that they're releasing all of their concerts on Bandcamp.

Here's the San Diego concert from two days ago: 

STICK MEN TO HIT THE ROAD THIS SEPTEMBER

Stick Men tour dates.

- Tony Levin: Stick
- Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars U8 Deluxe
- Pat Mastelotto: Acoustic and Electronic Drums and Percussion

• September 8: The 13th Floor, Austin, TX
• September 13: Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC
• September 15: Star Theater, Portland, OR
• September 16: WOW Hall, Eugene, OR
• September 17: Whiteside Theatre, Corvallis, OR
• September 19: Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA
• September 20: UCSC Music Center, Santa Cruz, CA
• September 21: Mystic Theatre, Petaluma, CA
• September 22: Winters Tavern, Pacifica, CA
• September 24 and 25: Baked Potato, Studio City, CA
• September 27: California Center for Arts, Escondido, CA
• September 29: Walter Studios, Phoenix, AZ

ASTRAL MAGIC WITH VESA PARTTI - FLOATING IN SPACE

• Astral Magic With Vesa Partti: Floating In Space
      (2024, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2024, cd, --, astral magic music)

It's not easy to keep track of the musical output of Astral Magic.
"Floating In Space" is the bands 40th album !!

Astral Magic (= former Dark Sun member Santtu Laakso) joins forces with Finnish multi-instrumentalist Vesa Partti to deliver an album that perfectly balances space rock with modern psychedelic mastery.

The CD release has some bonus tracks !!

Trippy !!

-- info: Danny Mathys

R.I.P. EARLE DUMLER

Earle Dumler passed away last month.

He can be heard on The Mothers' "Grand Wazoo" album, on Zappa's "Orchestral Favorites", "Joe's Garage", and on several posthumous releases.

-- info: Jan van Kemenade

TOO NOISY FISH TO RELEASE A NEW ALBUM

Too Noisy Fish will be releasing a new album: "Tolstoy".

Too Noisy Fish = Peter Vandenberghe (piano), Kristof Roseeuw (double bass) and Teun Verbruggen (drums).

Music composed by Peter Vandenberghe.
Out on CD on the Challenge Records label.

Too Noisy Fish first made its mark in the Belgian jazz landscape in 2011, when the rhythm section of the Flat Earth Society Orchestra decided to start pushing boundaries as a trio too. They created four albums, including ‘Too Many Fish: 10 Years Too Noisy Fish’, a record celebrating the ten year anniversary of the trio by inviting musician and artist friends to join them in the studio and on stage. With their upcoming album, they are once again establishing themselves as a singular trio.

AN UPDATE FROM THE RESIDENTS

Hi there,

We hope this finds you well and thriving. Another missive from your pals The Residents is here - you're in the right place!

You may have heard that the rescheduled Eskimo tour has been announced since we last spoke - as ever, all the details can be found at residents.com/tourdates. For the first time ever the Freaky Foursome will be heading to Hawaii in September, then to Tokyo for some shows for their beloved Japanese fans, before an extensive US trip through October and November. We hear dates further afield are also imminent. As ever, watch this space...

And of course there's the new 'Eskimo Folk Tales' 10" EP due this September - you can pre-order a copy and find out all about it RIGHT HERE. A Teaser track, ' A Tale Of Two Tupilaqs' will also be released into the wild on August 28th.

Meanwhile, the guys have finished recording their next surefire hit album, and eagerly await the final mixes before they declare it a done deal and get to thinking about artwork and all of that stuff they love. The demos ('Almost Alien', 'Strange Insect' and so on) have been.... interesting, and as things stand you can expect a fresh copy of this new record around February 2027.

Meanwhile, The Residents are busy, as they always are, on several other projects. At any given moment you might find one Resident over here working on a theatre piece with an old friend, whilst another is over there editing a proposed book of screenplays and scripts. There's a Record Store Day album in the works too, and one lucky Resident has been tasked with going through everything they recorded during the Randy, Chuck & Bob era, with a view to producing an extended CD release based on this year's fantastic 'Randy, Chuck & Bob In The Studio' LP.

Yep - as ever there's a lot to take onboard, but it's all gold. So all that remains is a little something to say thanks for reading this far. A particularly interesting curio, actually - whilst exploring the tapes for the group's classic 'The Residents Play The Beatles....' single recently, a dutiful New Ralph employee noticed two previously overlooked pieces labelled 'Polar 1' and 'Polar 2' right in the middle of the session (dated early 1977). The rhythm track was co-opted into 'Walter Westinghouse', but as far as we can tell the recordings themselves were experiments related to the ongoing 'Eskimo' sessions. They're fairly basic and didn't really go anywhere, but The Residents figured you might like to hear them anyway, so they've edited together a concentrate for your listening pleasure. You can find RIGHT HERE - enjoy!
​
And that really is all for now.
If we haven't done what we could've done, we've tried.
Your Pals @ NRT

AGITATION FREE - LIVE IN BERLIN

• Agitation Free: Live In Berlin
      (2026, 2cd, Germany, mig)

Agitation Free’s "Live in Berlin" got released last month. Around the same time that the band performed at the Zappanale festival.
"Live In Berlin" is out on MIG Music and it's a spectacular testament to the enduring power of Krautrock.
Captured on December 1, 2025, at Berlin’s Kesselhaus, this new double-live album proves that the band’s mastery of hypnotic, open-ended sonic exploration remains fully intact more than 50 years after their debut.

While original keyboardist Michael Hoenig has stepped back from the stage to serve as the group's off-stage spiritual leader, founding members Lutz “Lüül” Graf-Ulbrich (guitar) and Burghard Rausch (drums) continue to guide the ship. They are joined by Axel Heilhecker on lead guitar, Tim Sund on keys, and Daniel Cordes on bass. Together, they bridge the gap between their cosmic 1970s roots and modern live experimentation.

An excellent album !!

Here's the entire Zappanale concert, in SBD quality:

-- info: Danny Mathys

SOME STUPID WITH A FLARE GUN

Ritchie Blackmore joined Deep Purple on stage yesterday.
Guess what song they played.

Jump to 4:45 if you don't want the previous song.

 https://alanpaul.substack.com/p/ritchie-blackmore-reunites-with-deep

SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA - SUPERSONIC JAZZ (EXPANDED EDITION)

• Sun Ra And His Arkestra: Supersonic Jazz (21st Century Expanded Edition)
      (2025, 2cd, USA, cosmic myth records cmr-009)

Cosmic Myth Records is continuing their excellent work, re-issuing classic Sun Ra albums with loads of additional material.
"Supersonic Jazz" was Sun Ra's second album, released in 1957.
It has been re-issued quite a number of times. This re-issue, however, is essential listening for every Sun Ra fan.

Official expanded 2xCD edition features 14 tracks of alternate versions and studio takes, and an additional four bonus tracks. Liner notes by avid Sun Ra fan Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo, and additional essay from longtime Ra blogger Rodger Coleman (NUVOID Sun Ra Sundays).

AVALANCHES

A cup of coffee and Avalanches.
An excellent way to start the day.

The French band Avalanches from Nantes is an instrumental trio that creates a powerful math / progressive rock.

The band released one mini album in 2023, "Megalithe" and first full album, "Fragile", earlier this year.

-

PUNKY MEADOWS

so Punky Meadows was on stage during a FZ show?

From Wiki:
"The band's glam rock image was said to be the antithesis of Kiss,[2] and Meadows became the most strongly associated with the persona, so much so that Frank Zappa satirized his trademark pout and hair in the song "Punky's Whips". The song was first released in 1977 on Zappa In New York, but was deleted from most early copies due to a dispute between Zappa and Warner Bros., his record distributor. Meadows, however, was a fan of Zappa and was "flattered" by the song. Meadows eventually appeared onstage at a Zappa concert in his Angel costume."

source:
https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/258930/angel-on-his-shoulder/

-- info: Jan van Kemenade