RevieweDVD! Frank Zappa - A Token of His Extreme

Frank Zappa

A Token of His Extreme

Eagle Vision

Frank Zappa worshippers rejoice, for you can finally stop scouring the back pages of Google search results and seedy internet message boards to find A Token Of His Extreme, Zappa’s long out of print quirk-fest that’s as rare as it is seminal.

A Token Of His Extreme is Zappa and the Mothers of Invention ripping through an hours’ worth of material on a television special produced by the madman himself. Filmed at KCET Studios in Los Angeles, A Token Of His Extreme, while hampered some its primitive editing style, showcases Zappa in all his idiosyncratic glory on tracks like “Pygmy Twylyte,” Oh No/Son Of Orange County,” “Montana” and “Room Service.” “Florentine Pogen” and “Inca Roads” serve as two highlight performances, though the Mothers’ rendition of “More Trouble Everyday” nearly steals the show.

As if A Token Of His Extreme itself isn’t enough of a DVD on its own, this DVD release also features one of the better collection of bonus content Earle Vision has ever offered up, including Zappa’s incredibly rare promotional appearance on the Mike Douglas Show in 1976 in which he promoted the special. And if that’s not enough, we also get a performance of “Black Napkins” from Zoot Allures (1976).

So, in summation, Zappa revelers, at long last your search is over. Go ahead and grab yourself a copy of A Token of His Extreme, you’ve earned it.

Grade: B