(2010, download, - , crossfire publications)

(2011, flash-drive, usa, crossfire publications)

various artists

paul buff presents the pal and original sound studio archives, vol.20
    - feat.contributions by frank zappa

re-releases
    (2011, flash-drive, usa, crossfire publications) = the complete 35 album series, with bonus liner notes on pdf and 56 extra tracks

various tracks recorded by Paul Buff

1. the tornadoes: malaguena (dark eyes)

2. the masters: t bone (undubbed mono mix)

3. big brother featuring ernie joseph: e.s.p. (second single version)

4. strawberry sac (aka crystal circus): the difference between us

5. the bongo teens: baja bongos (mono lp version)

6. the hollywood persuaders: yes, i want to dance (single version)

7. the masters: sunday blues (outtake 1)

8. the buff organization: tarzan

9. the hollywood persuaders: sunset strip (alternate version)

10. the buff organization: windows (paul/allison buff vocals)

11. the hollywood persuaders: tijuana (original stereo mix)

12. the buff organization: the parrot goose song

13. the hollywood persuaders: drums (single version)

14. the hollywood persuaders: agua caliente (hot water) (demo)

15. the buff organization: studio 'a' (stereo mix)

16. the buff organization: upside down world (stereo mix)

17. the masters: toothpick boogie (mono mix)

18. sonny wilson: my proudest possession (demo)

19. the hollywood persuaders: drums a-go-go (demo)

20. the rotations: like surf (fragment)

21. frank zappa: frank zappa interview

22. the pal studio band: never on sunday (1963 version)

liner notes by Greg Russo

Welcome to Volume 20 of Paul Buff's 20-volume series of recordings from Pal Studios and Original Sound Studios! Pal Records was a record company run by his mother Olivia and stepfather Ward Allen. After Paul Buff was honorably discharged from the military, he finished putting together Pal Studios in December 1957. The studio costs were $12.50/hour for mono recording and $15/hour for stereo. Local musicians booked the studio to make recordings of their rehearsals and repertoire. When Pal Records wound itself down in mid-1959, Paul Buff created his first record label - Emmy. Other labels (Plaza, Yukon and Vigah!) would follow shortly thereafter. The music presented on this series was released on extremely rare records that would literally cost thousands if you can find them. In addition, there are many unreleased tracks spanning from 1960 to 1969. Paul Buff is now making them available again for everyone to appreciate.

The Tornadoes kick off our last volume with their incorporation of the songs "Malaguena" and "Dark Eyes" into one nice package. It was engineered at Pal by Frank Zappa. The Masters are represented by the undubbed mono mix of "T Bone," the first outtake of "Sunday Blues" and a mono mix of "Toothpick Boogie."

More power! Here is the second mix of Giant Crab's "E.S.P." that was credited to Big Brother Featuring Ernie Joseph. Loads of phasing going on here, and the band preferred this mix when it was included on their All-American album "Confusion." This mix is the same as the LP and the second All-American release of the 45, and it's also longer than before. Just as potent is Strawberry SAC's "The Difference Between Us." Sung by Greg Munford, this track wouldn't be out of place on Cream's "Disraeli Gears." "The Difference Between Us" came from the same All-American test pressing LP (credited to Crystal Circus) that featured their single "In Relation"/ "Merry-Go-Round" (both on Volume 19). Enjoy!

We have lots of alternate versions on this volume from The Bongo Teens (the mono LP version of "Baja Bongos"), The Hollywood Persuaders (the single version of "Yes, I Want To Dance," an alternate version of "Sunset Strip," the original stereo mix of "Tijuana," the demo and single versions of "Drums" and "Drums A-Go-Go," and the demo of "Agua Caliente"), The Buff Organization ("Windows" with Paul and Allison Buff's vocals, and the stereo mixes of "Studio 'A'" and "Upside Down World"), and Sonny Wilson (an unreleased demo version of "My Proudest Possession").

The Buff Organization's "Tarzan" is definitely one of the most unusual tracks that Paul and Allison Buff did. Their Tarzan was just as clumsy as "George Of The Jungle"! Equally unusual is "The Parrot Goose Song." Check it out! The only existing fragment of The Rotations' "Like Surf" (with Paul Buff and Mike Dineri) has been included. Why can't the whole thing be released? Well, we're missing a large piece of the acetate that has the only version of the song!