Studio Tan

In early 1976, Zappa's relationship with manager and business partner Herb Cohen ended in litigation. Zappa and Cohen's company DiscReet Records was distributed by Warner Bros. Records. When Zappa asked for a reassignment of his contract from DiscReet to Warner in order to advance the possibility of doing special projects without Cohen's involvement, Warner agreed. This led to the 1976 release of Zoot Allures on Warner. But Warner changed its position following legal action from Cohen.

At this point Zappa was contracted to deliver 4 more albums to Warner for release on Discreet. During 1977 Zappa delivered master tapes to Warner to fulfill his contract. Zappa did not receive payment by Warner upon delivery of the tapes, which was a contract violation.

After a legal battle the material was eventually released during 1978 and 1979 on 4 individual albums: Zappa In New York, Studio Tan, Sleep Dirt and Orchestral Favorites.

Much of the material from these tapes was also compiled by Zappa in 1977 into a 4-LP box set called Läther. Zappa negotiated a distribution deal with Phonogram Inc. to release Läther as the first release on the Zappa Records label. The album was scheduled for a Halloween October 31, 1977 release date. But Warner claimed ownership of the material and threatened legal action, preventing the release of Läther and forcing Zappa to shelve the project.

As Zappa had delivered only the tapes to Warner Bros. Studio Tan was released with no musician credits.[2] Warner also commissioned sleeve art by cartoonist Gary Panter, which was not approved by Zappa.

The album was first released on CD in 1991, along with Panter's artwork. Panter would later provide additional art for the album when it was reissued in 1995. The material on Studio Tan was made available to the public again in a different form when Läther was officially released posthumously in 1996.

One session dates from 1969, but the songs were mostly recorded between 1974 and 1976. Primary recording locations included the Record Plant in Los Angeles and Caribou Ranch in Colorado. The 1978 vinyl LP had a slightly early fade out on the track "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary". The album was initially released without musician credits and included artwork by cartoonist

Studio Tan was first released on CD in October 1991 with the track "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" completely remixed. Also, the early fade out on this track was eliminated. This 1991 CD has the songs from side two in a slightly different order than on the 1978 vinyl edition.

When the CD was reissued on CD in 2012, the complete original 1978 vinyl version was used, while also eliminating the early fade out on "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary".

All four tracks were later included on the shelved Läther album which was first released in 1996. Side two of Studio Tan is mostly the same as side three of Läther, although on Läther there are brief segments of musical sound effects and dialog added between the songs.

An excerpt from an otherwise unreleased alternate version of "Revised Music for Guitar and Low-Budget Orchestra" appears on the 1987 compilation The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa, with drum overdubs by Chad Wackerman.

All songs written and composed by Frank Zappa.

• Frank Zappa – guitar (Tracks A1-B3); vocals (Tracks A1, B1); percussion (Track B2)
• Davey Moire – vocals (Track B1)
• George Duke – keyboards (Tracks A1, B2, B3)
• Eddie Jobson – keyboards & yodeling (Track B1)
• Tom Fowler – bass guitar (Tracks A1, B2)
• Max Bennett – bass guitar (Tracks B1)
• James "Bird Legs" Youman – bass guitar (Tracks B3)
• Chester Thompson – drums (Tracks A1, B2, B3)
• Paul Humphrey – drums (Track B1)
• Don Brewer – bongos (Track B1)
• Ruth Underwood – percussion & synthesizer (Track B3)
• Michael Zearott – conductor (Track B2)
• John Rotella – woodwind instruments (Track B2)
• Mike Altschul – flute (Track B2)
• Ray Reed – flute (Track B2)
• Earle Dumler – oboe (Track B2)
• Victor Morosco – saxophone (Track B2)
• JoAnn Caldwell McNab – bassoon (Track B2)
• Graham Young – trumpet (Track B2)
• Jay Daversa – trumpet (Track B2)
• Malcolm McNab – trumpet (Track B2)
• Bruce Fowler – trombone (Tracks A1, B2)
• Don Waldrop – trombone (Track B2)
• Jock Ellis – trombone (Track B2)
• Dana Hughes – bass trombone (Track B2)
• Murray Adler – violin (Track B2)
• Sheldon Sanov – violin (Track B2)
• Pamela Goldsmith – viola (Track B2)
• Jerry Kessler – cello (Track B2)
• Edward Meares – upright bass (Track B2)
• John Berkman – piano (Track B2)
• Alan Estes – percussion (Track B2)
• Emil Richards – percussion (Track B2)
• Mike D. Stone of the Record Plant – engineer