PART 2…. PART 1 = The full track is 20.25 secs. From the “Actuel Festival”, 25 October 1969. The Actuel festival was organized by the publication of the same name (who, under different editorship, went on to become a prime mover of the French counterculture in the early to mid-70s) in collaboration with the fledgling BYG label. It was originally going to take place in or near Paris, but French authorities forbid it and the marquee was eventually set up a few miles outside the French border, on Belgian soil. It took place over 5 nights, entertaining an audience of 15-20000 to a unique mixture of progressive pop, free jazz and contemporary music. Frank Zappa was present at the festival (well, the first four days, it seems) in a twofold capacity. First, as Captain Beefheart’s road manager; secondly, as MC, assisting Pierre Lattes, a famous radio/TV presenter at the time (and the pop music editor for Actuel magazine). The latter task proved problematic given FZ’s very limited mastery of French, the prevailing language among the audience, who themselves didn’t seem to understand much English. Instead, FZ relinquished his MC job for one of occasional guest guitarist. A couple of films, directed by Jerome Laperrousaz and Jean-Noel Roy, came out in 1970 but were instantly banned because of objections from various bands (most notably Pink Floyd) whose permission hadn’t been properly secured. The whereabouts of the master tapes for the festival, if any exist, are ……