Frank Zappa

[Dvder]

I'd heartily recommend searching out the Zappa plays Zappa sets by son Dweezil Zappa, as the more modern production values help make Frank's music more accessible, IMHO. Helped greatly by some of Frank's original artists in the band.

The torrent files I have date from 2015 and span 2 DVDs in VOB format. They're certainly better quality-wise than late '80s video I have from his Steve Vai (Black Napkins) period. And Dweezil ain't no slouch when it comes to complex guitar pickin' neither. I think Frank would be rather proud of his son's efforts.

[Decadence]

Originally Posted by ballyhoo

I agree 100% about Bozzio being a madman. he had a massive
drum kit with tons of cymbals. it probably took 2 hours just to set it up.

As I recall he played a "simple" double bass kit in those days.. much like Bill Ward or Nick Mason used. Nothing like the massive rig he uses today:

Originally Posted by ballyhoo

maybe he didn't watch porn, but he certainly was a fan of "devices".

Yes.. like "shrink tubing with a hair dryer" or "wrist locks, crisco"


I was probably most proud to be an FZ fan when he blasted the PMRC and the Senate Commerce Committee over the labeling of, and potential censoring of music. This came up in another thread recently, but you may recall Tipper Gore's group that had their knickers in a knot over what music, and lyrics, had become.. and took it on themselves to be crusaders over what America should be listening to.

Ever mindful of intrusive government, FZ, along with Dee Snider and John Denver put these people away. During the testimony, you can hear the gallery laughing and agreeing with his message. I loved the part where he explains to Sen. Al Gore the role of parents vs. government.

From 1985, the You Tube video of his testimony. It's about 30 minutes and it'll make you an even bigger fan.

As a side note: Not long after his appearance before the Senate Committee, FZ released his "Jazz From Hell" album. Amazingly (or not), it garnered one of the PMRC's warning labels about explicit lyrics.. even though there was not a spoken word on the entire album.

[ballyhoo]

Originally Posted by Decadence

...like "shrink tubing with a hair dryer" or "wrist locks, crisco"

101 perverted things to do with a Mud Shark!

I was probably most proud to be an FZ fan when he blasted the PMRC and the Senate Commerce Committee over the labeling of, and potential censoring of music... Tipper Gore's group...

Frank called them "the Washington wives", and other things I'll bet.

Ever mindful of intrusive government, FZ, along with Dee Snider and John Denver put these people away...

quite the group defending freedom of speech! after those hearings, Frank returned to the
studio and gave us "FZ Meets the Mothers of Prevention", with his own Warning sticker.



the song Porn Wars includes audio outakes from the hearings, and slams censorship.

...FZ released his "Jazz From Hell" album. Amazingly (or not), it garnered one of the PMRC's warning labels about explicit lyrics.. even though there was not a spoken word on the entire album.

crazy! but it also won a Grammy for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance".
anyway, I think the warning label was issued for having the word "Hell" in the
album title, and it probably had something to do with the song G-Spot Tornado.

[blondifan]

Originally Posted by Decadence

...
I was probably most proud to be an FZ fan when he blasted the PMRC and the Senate Commerce Committee over the labeling of, and potential censoring of music. This came up in another thread recently, but you may recall Tipper Gore's group that had their knickers in a knot over what music, and lyrics, had become.. and took it on themselves to be crusaders over what America should be listening to.

Ever mindful of intrusive government, FZ, along with Dee Snider and John Denver put these people away. During the testimony, you can hear the gallery laughing and agreeing with his message. I loved the part where he explains to Sen. Al Gore the role of parents vs. government.

From 1985, the You Tube video of his testimony. It's about 30 minutes and it'll make you an even bigger fan.

As a side note: Not long after his appearance before the Senate Committee, FZ released his "Jazz From Hell" album. Amazingly (or not), it garnered one of the PMRC's warning labels about explicit lyrics.. even though there was not a spoken word on the entire album.

His stance on censorship and the PMRC was perfectly understandable..

An article in the local press describing Zappa as "the Movie King of Cucamonga" prompted the local police to suspect that he was making pornographic films. In March 1965, Zappa was approached by a vice squad undercover officer, and accepted an offer of $100 to produce a suggestive audio tape for an alleged stag party. Zappa and a female friend recorded a faked erotic episode. When Zappa was about to hand over the tape, he was arrested, and the police stripped the studio of all recorded material. The press was tipped off beforehand, and next day's The Daily Report wrote that "Vice Squad investigators stilled the tape recorders of a free-swinging, a-go-go film and recording studio here Friday and arrested a self-styled movie producer".

Zappa was charged with "conspiracy to commit pornography". This felony charge was reduced and he was sentenced to six months in jail on a misdemeanor, with all but ten days suspended. His brief imprisonment left a permanent mark, and was central to the formation of his anti-authoritarian stance. Zappa lost several recordings made at Studio Z in the process, as the police only returned 30 out of 80 hours of tape seized. Eventually, he could no longer afford to pay the rent on the studio and was evicted. Zappa managed to recover some of his possessions before the studio was torn down in 1966

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa

[Dvder]

Originally Posted by ballyhoo

maybe he didn't watch porn, but he certainly was a fan of "devices".

... and yet I recall an interview in which he said he and Gail were open to most things but didn't use appliances (I think that's the term he used).

Having said that, his relationships with his 'groupies' may not have been so constrained.

Getting back onto the music, Jeff Beck certainly respected ex-Zappa drummers, with tracks from the Bozzio period Guitar Shop still forming part of his current live set, and later touring for several years with Vinny Colaiuta, though again only making one album together.

Vinny's Zappa audition is one of my favourite audition stories. So anyway, the kid drummer, still in his early 20s, goes to a typical 'show no mercy' Zappa audition and is tasked with playing a notoriously complex and difficult piece. Apparently, it was his ability to not only play the piece faultlessly, but also find the time to adjust his glasses and grab a bite of sushi in the midst of it that convinced Frank to give him the job.

I'd like to have seen a world where Frank might have become the US ambassador to the EU, having been sponsored by ex-Czech president Vaclav Havel. Unfortunately, James Baker and the then nascent neocons had other plans.

[longjon73]

I wish I'd had the chance to see Frank live. Though I did get to see Dweezil doing a Zappa Plays Zappa show a few years back, and the live premiere of 200 Motels. That was kind of poignant, because Gail was there, and she's no longer with us.

Frank was just a unique character. I totally get why Havel loved him.

[Adam West]

It's a shame now though that there's an ugly battle with Moon and Dweezil on one side and Ahmet and Diva on the other. Gail left the two youngest a bigger share and the court battles have torn apart this once close family.

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by Adam West

It's a shame now though that there's an ugly battle with Moon and Dweezil on one side and Ahmet and Diva on the other. Gail left the two youngest a bigger share and the court battles have torn apart this once close family.

I once dated a probate attorney who remarked that the hardest thing about the job was watching the horrible things family members did to each other fighting over money.

I was blessed to see FZ at the Berkeley Community Theater in the early 1970s, doing "Was Mothers Just Another Band from L.A." and "Billy the Mountain." Great fun and amazing music.

[ballyhoo]

Originally Posted by Dvder

... and yet I recall an interview in which he said he and Gail were open to most things but didn't use appliances (I think that's the term he used).

Having said that, his relationships with his 'groupies' may not have been so constrained....

he and Gail had an interesting "arrangement", that's for sure. at some point in time
one of his groupies was living at their house. clearly Gail was open to many things.

I'd like to have seen a world where Frank might have become the US ambassador to the EU, having been sponsored by ex-Czech president Vaclav Havel. Unfortunately, James Baker and the then nascent neocons had other plans.

I remember reading an interview with Frank in 'Spin' magazine around '91 where he
said he was looking into the feasiblity of running for president. unfortunately, he was
diagnosed with cancer soon after. I still suspect the CIA put something in his coffee!

[karloschaos]

I went to the Birmingham NEC show on the Broadway The Hardway tour. We had a slight car crash on the way to the gig & got there about 10 minutes after the show started. We had front row seats & the gig was sold out. As we scurried to our seats Frank noticed us approaching & stopped the music with one of his hand signals, asked me where we had been until now & made sure we were alright & seated comfortably then re-started the gig exactly where he'd paused it. Frank spoke to me!!!