Trivia / London Symphony Orchestra

• Creator Backlash: Zappa was less than enthusiastic about this album, feeling that the performances were poor and that he'd wasted money on getting a bunch of "hired hacks" to "grind" their way through music they didn't like, as opposed to the dedication he was used to getting from members of his own band. It's true that some of the longer works are not the kind of thing that even dedicated Zappa-lovers listen to more than once or twice, but some of the shorter pieces are a lot better than Zappa claimed.
• Troubled Production: Zappa did not enjoy the recording process, feeling that the musicians didn't think much of his music and played with less than full commitment: many edits had to be made to "Strictly Genteel" to cover up fluffs from the brass section, after they had had a few drinks in between takes. It also seems to have been at these sessions that Zappa began to develop his dislike of unions, after a fine take was ruined by an orchestral shop steward shouting "Time!" ten seconds before the end of the piece.