Barking Pumpkin Records is an American record label founded by
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...
in 1981. Zappa named the label after
his wife's smoker's cough when she tried to quit the habit. Barking Pumpkin was initially distributed by
CBS Records.
History
Zappa had founded the
Zappa Records
Zappa Records is an American record label based in Los Angeles which was founded by Frank Zappa in 1977. It was mostly inactive during the 1980s and 1990s, but was revived in 2006 by the Zappa Family Trust.
History
In May 1976, Zappa ended his r ...
label in 1977, and formed a deal with
Phonogram Inc., to distribute the label in the United States and Canada.
[ Its first releases were the (mostly) live album '' Sheik Yerbouti'', followed by the dystopian rock opera '']Joe's Garage
''Joe's Garage'' is a three-part rock opera released by American musician Frank Zappa in September and November 1979. Originally released as two separate albums on Zappa Records, the project was later remastered and reissued as a triple album ...
''.I Don't Wanna Get Drafted
"I Don't Wanna Get Drafted" is a 1980 single by American musician Frank Zappa. The song peaked at #103 US '' Billboard'' Bubbling Under Hot 100 and #68 on the ''Cash Box'' charts, but more successfully reached #3 in Sweden. The original single ve ...
'' in the US, though they did distribute it in Canada. The song's lyrics criticized president Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
's reintroduction of the military draft.[ Zappa later released the single independently in the US in early 1980.
After spending most of 1980 on the road, Zappa founded Barking Pumpkin and released the album '' Tinsel Town Rebellion'' in 1981.][Lowe, 2006, ''The Words and Music of Frank Zappa'', p. 161.] Also in 1981 the label released three individual volumes in the '' Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar'' series which were initially sold only in the United States by mail order.
In 1984 Zappa intended to move Barking Pumpkin distribution to MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...
. '' Thing-Fish'' was produced as a test pressing
A white label record is a vinyl record with white labels attached. There are several variations each with a different purpose. Variations include test pressings, white label promos, and plain white labels.
Test pressings
Test pressings, usua ...
by MCA.[ A deal was then made with EMI, which allowed '' Them or Us'' and ''Thing-Fish'' to be distributed by ]Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
in the United States.[
In response to the conflict with MCA, Zappa created a sarcastic " Warning/Guarantee" notice which appeared on these albums, as well as '' Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention''. The warning said that the album "contains content which a truly free society would neither fear nor suppress", and the guarantee claimed that the lyrics would "not cause eternal torment in the place where the guy with the horns and pointed stick conducts his business".][
]Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa (born Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa, September 5, 1969) is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor. He is the son of musical composer and performer Frank Zappa. Exposed to the music industry from an early age, Zappa develo ...
released his debut album '' Havin' a Bad Day'' on Barking Pumpkin in 1986. After an album on another label, he released '' Confessions'' on Barking Pumpkin in 1991, and formed the group Z, with Ahmet Zappa
Ahmet Emuukha Rodan Zappa (born May 15, 1974) is an American musician, writer, actor and trustee of the Zappa Family Trust.
Early life
Ahmet Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the third of four children born to musician Frank Zappa and ...
, releasing '' Shampoohorn'' on Barking Pumpkin.
Two more albums, '' Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute'' and '' Quaudiophiliac'', were released posthumously by Barking Pumpkin in 1996 and 2004, along with the previously unreleased album '' Everything Is Healing Nicely'' in 1999.
In 2012, the Zappa Family Trust regained control of Frank Zappa's recorded music catalog and made a distribution arrangement with Universal Music Enterprises
Universal Music Enterprises (UME, stylized as UMe) is the catalogue division of Universal Music Group. It includes Hip-O Records, Universal Chronicles, and UM3 or UMC (which is the international division of the company). Under various divisions, ...
to reissue the Zappa catalog on the Zappa and Barking Pumpkin labels.
Artists
; Former
References
External links
The official Frank Zappa website
*
{{Authority control
American record labels
Record labels established in 1980
Frank Zappa