Knee-Deep in Heaters

\"Knee-Deep in Heaters\" is a track by Indian-American violinist and composer Shankar (born Lakshminarayana Shankar). The piece appears as the third track on side A of the album Touch Me There, released on 1979 November 1 under Zappa Records. The album was issued as a 12\" vinyl LP and marked one of Shankar’s early collaborations with Western fusion and experimental rock artists.

The track runs for 5 minutes and 36 seconds. Shankar composed and performed the violin parts, blending elements of Carnatic classical music with funk, jazz, and rock influences. The album Touch Me There was produced by Frank Zappa, who also contributed guitar and production oversight. Additional session musicians included George Duke on keyboards and Terry Bozzio on drums, though specific instrumentation for this track remains partially undocumented.

The recording sessions for Touch Me There occurred at Utility Muffin Research Kitchen, Zappa’s private studio in Los Angeles. The album’s fusion of Indian classical motifs with Western studio techniques reflected Shankar’s cross-cultural approach during this period. \"Knee-Deep in Heaters\" exemplifies this synthesis through its rhythmic complexity and improvisational sections.

Zappa Records distributed the album in North America and Europe, with later reissues appearing on compact disc. The original vinyl pressing featured a gatefold sleeve with artwork designed by Cal Schenkel. No commercial singles were released from Touch Me There, and the track has not been widely anthologized outside the original album. Live performances of the piece by Shankar are not documented in official releases.

Critical reception of the album at the time noted its experimental nature, though specific reviews of \"Knee-Deep in Heaters\" are scarce. The track’s title and lyrical content—if any—are not explicitly detailed in the liner notes. Shankar’s work on the album preceded his later collaborations with artists such as Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, solidifying his role in global fusion music during the late 1970s and 1980s.