YOU CALL THAT
NEWS?
(Hot Poop,
Lukewarm Poop…final poop)
(Last updated 31 January 2012)
Hot Poop
·
Hey, boys and girls – I’ve just been interviewed for
the Decibel Geek Podcast: http://dbgeekshow.blogspot.com/2012/01/andrew-greenaway-author-of-zappa-hard.html
·
This one slipped under the radar: Grand Wazoo/Ruben And The Jets’ slide
guitarist Tony Duran sadly passed
away in December. Read more here: http://www.gracegardensfh.com/sitemaker/sites/GraceG1/obit.cgi?user=539436Duran
·
Joe Satriani’s Satchurated, filmed live on ‘The Wormhole Tour’ at the
Metropolis in Montreal on 12 December 2010 (and featuring Mike Keneally on keyboards), will be the
first 3D theatrical concert film release with 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound (in the
States, at least). The film is directed by François and Pierre Lamoureux, who produced and directed the ZPZ concert film.
A physical release is due in March, although there’s no word on a UK release
yet. Check this clip out: http://youtu.be/-nlSGsQY_3o
·
Fellow ZappaCaster Mick Ekers
tweets: “Had a fantastic day today [24
January 2012] at the UMRK photographing FZ’s
guitars, amps, etc. Thanks so much to Gail, Thomas, Todd, Kurt, Joe, Ruth...”
That's Ruth fluffin’
UNDERWOOD, people, who GZ persuaded
to come along to talk to the Professor – all for his forthcoming Zappa’s Gear book. Meantime, this
Idiot boy interviewed the ever delightful Scott
Thunes for a future podcast.
·
The Magic Band
return to the UK in March - some dates in the Diary.
·
Terry Bozzio has a new
double CD (“my first in years. New Material,
handpicked by me from my 2007 solo tour”), called Live In Japan 2007. You can order it here.
·
Chad Wackerman releases his new CD, Dreams, Nightmares and Improvisations in
February. It features Allan Holdsworth, bassist Jimmy Johnson and keyboard player Jim Cox.
·
Mosae Zappa takes place on 1 & 2 June this year…keep an eye
on http://www.mosaezappa.com/ for more.
·
For the next few more days, you can hear Gail, Dweezil and Joe talking to Bob Coburn on Rockline Replay (http://www.rocklineradio.com/replay/replay.php). Gail reveals that in
2012, they plan to “revisit” Trout Mask
Replica, reissue An Evening With Wild Man Fischer and start a new series of FZ
albums – the first of which will include a track named Front Of House – like Dweezil’s own
series of albums.
·
The Grande
Mothers ReInvented - that is Napoleon Murphy Brock, Tom
Fowler, Christopher Garcia and Robbie Mangano,
with special musical guest Don Preston
– have formally announced the dates of their imminent European tour: see the Bastard’s Diary
for details.
·
Dweezil has revealed that Allan Holdsworth will be joining ZPZ on
its West Coast tour (at the Anaheim and Agoura Hills shows). “I am very excited about this. He once showed me a few
cool ideas when I was 13 and he came to our house to visit with Frank. I look
forward to continuing that conversation all these years later with a new
perspective.” In other news, Dweezil plays on
the track Gypsy Flee on all-female
Norwegian pop/folk band Katzenjammer’s
new album, A Kiss Before
You Go and has done this car ad: http://vimeo.com/couchmode/bwhsmith/videos/sort:newest/31447261.
·
1982: The Summer Of Frank, a documentary by
Salvo Cuccia which revolves around FZ’s show in
Palermo on 14 July 1982, is being shown on Italian TV on 20 January. This is
the fillum that Dweezil blogged about
last November. Here’s a short preview http://video.repubblica.it/edizione/palermo/frank-zappa-i-figli-sulle-orme-del-mito/85092/83481
·
Forty odd years ago, FZ and Cal Schenkel contributed this page to a comic book
project chronicling the 60s. It has finally been published by Abrams Comicarts in The
Someday Funnies (“129 original comic strips by
169 writers and artists from 15 countries”), edited by Michel Choquette.
·
Some of you may recall the little story I posted in
2008 by Curtis Sherwood on his first
meeting with his cousin, Motorhead. Having just seen the clip of Jim on his bike that
I linked to below, Curtis today recalls “...that's
the man I met. He came ridin' in on his big-assed
bike, Lynn on back, ridin' in to that dump in the
middle of fucking nowhere Casa Grande, Arizona, USA in the out-of-this-world
heat. It was HOT! Jim & Lynn said they had been held up in a traffic jam
somewhere in or around Phoenix. Imagine the heat. Asphalt + heat. The desert
roads aren't as hot as the city streets and highways are in that heat. I KNOW
what they must've went through - and that all to see my Mom & Dad and the
rest of us. Damn, that was surely Motor's last big road trip. I hope he enjoyed
it as much as he appeared to have done. He was all smiles but from what I can
see, that was just Motor being the way he was!”
Click on this photo (of Ivan, Jim & Chuck) to read the story. Again:
·
More news from the Z-kidz: Moon Unit is to divorce her husband of
8½ years, rhythm guitarist and former drummist for Matchbox 20, Paul Doucette; Dweezil has poured his heart out re. the
YCFOSA downloads (here); Ahmet reckons 2012 will be awesome: “I’m
gonna make some new movies, new music, new books -
and maybe even a new baby!”, he says; and Diva celebrated her father’s birthday with a nice cup of Joe (see pic). Hey, just realised something: haven’t the kids all got funny names?
·
ZappaCast
Episode 5 is now up at http://zappacast.podomatic.com/entry/2012-01-04T06_13_36-08_00. In this
special edition (dedicated with much love to Motorhead), the Fab 3 each have their say: Scott Parker talks about his books on The History And Collected Improvisations Of The Mothers Of Invention;
Mick Ekers
chats to Tommy Mars about the vocoder (the full interview can be viddied
here); and this Idiot takes a look at his favourite
music festival (no, not High Voltage, stoopid - Zappanale!) Of course,
there's loads of great live music too. So is this our White Album? Or is it more Umma Gumma? You decide.
·
Dweezil reports that Mother
People and “several other mysterious tunes from
the early days” are likely to feature in ZPZ’s repertoire this year. “I’ve also been busy assembling a new FOH CD compilation.
It will likely have over 20 songs across two discs. I focused on some of the
songs that were featured for short periods on tour - like, Suzy Creamcheese, Brown Shoes Don't Make It, The
Little House I Used To Live In, The Mammy Anthem & I’m A Beautiful Guy. There are some tour staples added in there, but overall the
collection is intended to display the depth and variety in my dad’s music and
the broad capabilities of ZPZ. With a good amount of luck it will be available
in the first quarter of the year. In other news, I’ve found myself half way through
composing an orchestral composition of my own. I hope to bring it to life on
stage before the end of 2012.”
·
UK reunion dates: http://www.ukreunion.com/
·
The Idiot understands that Warners is
advising its customers that Rykodisc has “lost the
rights to Zappa”, so the entire Ryko catalogue has
been withdrawn from sale with immediate effect. Does this mean it is about to
revert back to the family?
·
Couple of short reviews for ya:
on Dweezil’s LIVE –
‘In The Moment’; and the new Bizarre/Straight documentary.
·
Hey, I got a mention in this interview with J21: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=83676
·
Tributes are pooting
forth for Jim ‘Motorhead’
Sherwood, who sadly passed away on Christmas day: “He
was a good friend, and went to High School with Zappa. He had a brain tumour that couldn't be operated on. He died in his sleep
with no pain.” - Don Preston;
“His wife Lynn, and Jim's son and his wife, were
with Jim when he left. Say some healing prayers for Lynn and Jim's family -
they need them.” - Candy Zappa.
“One of a kind. We miss you already, buddy.”
- Howard Kaylan;
“He was so handsome - like a movie star.” - Pauline Butcher; “I spoke with Jim's wife, Lynn, only an hour or so before
he passed. His son Lance had driven all night on Thursday from Seattle to be
with his father. I am glad I visited him last week, and will miss him
terribly.” - Lorraine Belcher.
Here’s a couple of clips of Motorhead from Freak Out In
Cucamonga (which really needs to be finished and released one day soon) - Motor and Hell’s Angels - and a nice obit from
the Grauniad.
·
More acts just announced for next year’s Zappanale (an
impetuous stream bubbled up): former Scorpion Uli Jon Roth, the Mother Hips
featuring Scott Thunes,
and Fast N’ Bulbous featuring Gary Lucas. Stone me, the festival’s looking good, innit?
·
Another Birthday Bundle – and I thought these were gonna be every two years; guess that’s the anytime bit
covered, then. But the reason is clear – happy birthday, Frankie: http://www.zappa.com/fz/aaafnraa/2011aaafnraaaaam.html
·
The real evil comes to Bad Doberan!
Yes, Alice Cooper is special guest
at Zappanale on Sunday 5 August 2012, on the main
stage. Sunday will be a special "guitar day", with the main event
being Alice and band. Tickets and prices will be available from 15 January
2012. Festival ticketholders pay half price, while Arf-Society
members with festival tickets get in for nowt. Corks
'n safeties, pigs 'n donkeys, ALICE COOPER, baby...WAAAAH!
·
A new Rondo Hatton Report is out for Frankie’s
birthday: http://www.rhreport.net/current.html
·
As anticipated, on the first anniversary of his
passing, the ZFT is taking pre-orders for Captain
Beefheart’s
original Bat Chain Puller: http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?cp=971_54317&pc=ZPCD103
·
So here's why Dweezil “might
have to learn a few more Hendrix tunes...” (see http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/songs/203): he'll be part of
March's Experience Hendrix tour (http://www.experiencehendrixtour.com/dates.php). Says the Dweez: “I've always been a
great admirer of Jimi Hendrix. My dad told me some
great stories about playing with him. Jimi's ability
to express himself so completely with an electric guitar is very inspiring to
me. I'm honored to be invited to participate in this tour and I'm really
looking forward to playing with everyone!”
·
Fantom Records is now working on the next DZ ZPZ release: “It’s going to be epic! More amazing Front Of House sound - as an auditory experience it’s the closest
thing to actually being at a show! No fancy studio trickery, just what was
served up for the audience on the night. The new
release will feature more ZPZ performances of the fan favorites as well as the
rare stuff. There will be more Cal Schenkel art and design and we’re going all out to make
this release a ‘must have’ for all DZ, ZPZ and FZ fans!”
·
New documentary imminent: From Straight to Bizarre - Zappa, Beefheart,
Alice Cooper and LA’s Lunatic Fringe – look here http://www.chromedreams.co.uk/from-straight-to-bizarre---zappa-beefheart-alice-cooper-and-lss-lunatic-fringe-872-p.asp for more.
·
Check out what you can get for Christmas from G&S
Music: http://www.idiotbastard.com/News/G+S.pdf
·
ZPZ will be touring the US West Coast in February (with Scott Thunes
as temporary replacement for the newly departed Pete Griffin – see http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/posts/1367-february-tour-2012-update) and Australia in
April…hopefully they’ll be back in the UK before too long, with Pete’s
permanent replacement. Meantime, you can hear Dweezil chatting about his new “In The Moment” live CD on Stuart Maconie's Freakier
Zone on BBC Radio 6music this Saturday (well, from midnight Friday). Here’s
a short excerpt: http://soundcloud.com/jazzon3/dweezil-zappa-freakier-zone-1.
·
The Grande Mothers Re:Invented (with Tom
Fowler on bass) will be playing in Germany in February (http://www.scala-leverkusen.de/club/club_detail.php?id=158) ...more dates as soon
as I find them!
·
New book, Guitar
Player Presents 50 Unsung Heroes Of The Guitar,
includes a chapter on one Michael Joseph
Keneally.
·
Julie Slick is working on her second solo CD, and needs a helping
hand: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/julieslick/julie-slick-terroir-my-second-album (If you’ve not heard
it, her debut album is pretty nifty.)
·
Listen to A
December Frank Zappa Memorial Barbecue on WUSB FM (you have up until
Saturday 17 December), and hear Mr Edison and Nigey Lennon talking about (inter alia) Zappa The Hard Way and Pauline Butcher’s Freak Out! My Life With Frank Zappa.
Simply go here, and click the tiny loudspeakers next to 'Ludwig Leopold': http://www.wusb.fm/station/schedule/saturday. Here's the playlist: http://www.wusb.fm/node/12518
·
Alice Cooper, Moon Zappa,
Steve Vai
and (Zappa family friend) Beverly D’Angleo have all written letters to their 16 year old
selves in new book Dear Me from Simon
& Schuster. Other contributors include Pattie Boyd, Pee-Wee Herman, John
Waters, William Shatner, Kathleen Turner, Stephen
King and Phil Ramone.
·
“I think my Dad was an interesting man -
even if I didn't get along all that well with him. He was good at mathematics -
he wrote (and published himself) a small book on gambling probabilities,” wrote Frank in The
Real FZ Book. And now you can buy Chances:
And How To Take Them by Francis V. Zappa – from Crossfire Publications: http://www.crossfirepublications.com/chances.html Crossfire also has
Candy Zappa’s My Brother Was A Mother: Take 2.
·
Dweezil wants to know what YOU would like to hear ZPZ play
next year. Let him know, everybody: http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/groups/195 Meantime, Dweezil’s LIVE – ‘In The Moment’ CD should be hitting letterboxes this week
(and you can also let DZ know what you want on the next release at http://www.fantomrecords.com/HELP_.html). Here’s a bit of what
I saw him doing last week: http://youtu.be/CYuLjoJIMno
·
Dweezil's cousin, Stanley
Jason Zappa, heartily recommends checking out this project (to which he is
“peripherally involved”): http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/747745719/the-composer-jazz-avant-garde-film-matthew-shipp-a/posts/146789
·
Some of the bands you’ll see at Zappanale
next year: Bogus Pomp; Dead Dino Storage; Ya Hozna; Doctor Dark; The Yellow Snow
Crystals; and (surprise surprise!) Jazzprojekt Hundehagen. More at http://www.zappanale.de/zappanale/en/zappanale-23/bands.html
·
The Yellow Snow Festival in Norway next February will
feature special guests Denny Walley (playing with our very own Muffin Men) and Ike Willis.
See http://www.musikkensvennerlarvik.com/ for more.
·
In this interview, Denny Walley confirms that Bat Chain Puller will be released in
December (as GZ said it probably would).
·
Fireworks Ensemble’s website is now up and running,
and it appears that the works left unperformed at the time of Frank's death
that the Ensemble will premiere in its 2012-13 season are Number 6, Number 7, Number 8 and Number 9... of course, we already have #s 6 & 7 (see http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/songs/Number_7.html).
·
VaiTunes #8 is out now. Blues
For Dust was recorded live at a sound-check in
1999, and features Mike Keneally on keyboards. For more, go here.
·
Dweezil has posted an interesting ‘on the road’ report at http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/posts/1273-stolen-guitar-and-food
·
Vote for Zappanale as ‘best
small festival’ http://www.zappanale.de/zappanale/en/news/369-r-festival-awards.html
·
The paperback version of my book, Zappa The Hard Way, documenting Frank’s
fateful final tour of 1988, was published on 21 November. Featuring interviews
with the surviving band members, a Foreword by Frank’s sister Candy, and a new Afterword by his
former secretary Pauline Butcher,
who interviewed Frank during the tour, this is a
must-read not only for Zappa fans but for anyone with an interest in playground
psychology. The book can be purchased from: Amazon; Barnes &
Noble; and Wymer UK. For more details -
including excerpts, reviews and other nonsense - visit: http://www.facebook.com/ZappaTheHardWay. I thank you.
·
The ZFT is using TuneSat to
monitor TV usage of FZ’s music – read all about it here: http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=148467. Presumably Ryko gets a % of whatever is unearthed?
·
Mr Sting is touring Europe next Spring, with Vinnie Colaiuta
– see the Bastard’s
Diary for UK dates.
·
Fantom Records in the UK will imminently release Dweezil’s LIVE – ‘In The
Moment’ album. Go here to pre-order: http://www.fantomrecords.com/BUY_ALBUM.html (otherwise,
you might be able to pick up a copy
on the last few ZPZ UK dates).
·
The final part of the Vaudeville band ZappaCast is now
up at: http://zappacast.podomatic.com/player/web/2011-11-09T06_35_45-08_00. It features an
interview with Pauline Butcher (by
the gorgeous Scott Parker and meself), and a Carnegie-related
reading from Being Frank by Nigey Lennon.
·
John Wetton says “I have a busy touring year in 2012: as a solo artist;
with UK - Eddie Jobson and Terry Bozzio; and with Asia.
I will also be working with Steve
Hackett...” Hubba-hubba!
·
Steve Vai talks about his new
composition, The Middle Of Everywhere,
here: http://youtu.be/Hv7oYnWLD9I
·
For those of you who might not know, the Carnegie Hall release has been delayed
at tad (should start shipping week commencing 14 November – G&S should have it by the end of the month). And Gail
won’t tell us the track-list because she assumes we’ll all go rushing to
bootleggers instead (see GZ Sez)!
·
The Aristocrats (that is, Bryan
Beller, Guthrie
Govan and the mighty Marco Minnemann) are playing some dates
in the UK next March – see Diary for details.
·
Long-time Zappa fan Tom Brown, the guy who compiled the first two Beat The Boots sets for Rhino, has written
a book. Summer Of Love,
My Ass!, documents Tom’s attempts to avoid the draft. Visit www.summeroflovemyass.com for more info,
including a whole chapter from the book - absolutely free!
·
Dweezil goes to Sicily: http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/user_updates/8111
·
Gary Lucas will present his Captain Beefheart Symposium in the UK early next
year - at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 20 & 21 January.
·
Gail Zappa has formally granted Chris Opperman permission to release his
version of Blessed Relief (see below). Chris says he has “permission for physical and full digital downloads, no
streaming, and it has to say ‘Orchestration by Chris Opperman’,"
since the arrangement is the same as the Grand
Wazoo version but with different
instrumentation.”
·
Billy James (aka the ANT-BEE) is featured on background vocals on
a new 21-minute opus by Yes vocal legend, Jon Anderson, called Open. I’ve penned a few words on the ANT-BEE’s own Electronic
Church Muzik album, as
well as Doug Lunn’s new CD (which you can get via Audiophile Imports), Zappanale #22 - and there’s
also a review of Zappa The Hard Way (but not by moi, natch).
·
Pauline Butcher has posted this silent footage from 1969, shot in Cal Schenkel’s back yard: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=304328046246379
·
Zappanale #23 has been brought forward – it will now take place
from 1 to 4 August 2012.
·
All Tomorrow’s
Parties at Butlin’s Minehead
has been postponed until March 2012 – so The Magic Band (that is: John
French, Denny Walley
& Mark Boston, plus Eric Klerks (guitar) and Craig Bunch (drums), both from Drumbo’s band) will now play Bristol’s Thekla on 4 December
2011.
·
Listen to the Voice Of Cheese 2011: http://pamelagoodheartzarubica.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/400wordsonFrank1.wav
·
Flo & Eddie to tour with Dweezil
in 2012?…well, according to this blogger, anyway: http://musicofourheart.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/flo-eddie-to-tour-with-dweezil-zappa-in-2012/.
But what precisely did Mark say on stage just a few days before Dweezilla 2011 and the ‘one night only’ F&E ZPZ gig in Bearsville? STOP PRESS: Howard Kaylan tells me: “There isn’t one single word of truth in that entire
article.” So now you know.
·
At the revamped Dweezil Zappa World website, DZ mentions a new double CD project titled Dweezil Zappa - Live “In The Moment” (a Shut Up ‘N Play Yer
Guitar- style compilation, sporting a cover by Cal Schenkel) - plus the future streaming
of live ZPZ events and interactive ‘create your own’ CD downloads.
·
Just in case anyone attending ZPZ’s upcoming UK tour doesn’t already know,
each show has an exclusive VIP package. This provides 30 people (for £30 each)
with a VIP pass and lanyard; access to the pre-show soundcheck;
an exclusive ‘meet and greet’ session; entry to a draw for tickets to a ZPZ show
in 2012 and pre-release copies of a forthcoming DVD/CD (personally dedicated by
Dweezil).
And what dates could they be playing in 2012? Zappa At The Roundhouse II, perchance?
·
The Bunk Gardner Story, Part One from Zonic Entertainment is now available to download. This (and
part two, which follows shortly) also feature(s) Don Preston. Read all about it here: http://www.idiotbastard.com/News/PressRelease1.htm
·
Despite what it says here, Black Milk’s Zap does not
actually feature a sample from the maestro’s oeuvre – unless anyone can stand
to listen to it longer than me and can tell me otherwise.
·
The dynamic Scott
Parker has a dynamic new version of his first book, Hungry Freaks Daddy (The Recordings Of FZ 1959-1969), out soom – “thoroughly updated,
correcting all kinds of errors and issues both great and small,” he
says. There’s also an updated and expanded edition of his The Zappa Supplement: A Box Of History And The
Mud Shark Saga, co-written with Zappa historian Phil Lee. Visit www.spbpublishing.webs.com for more.
·
This in from ZAPPATiKA: “According to various
internet reporting services Joe's Cajun Garage is consistently our most popular FZ cover over
the last couple of years since we released the Dodo album - so we made it available as a single.” Buy it
here: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/joes-cajun-garage/id471604027?i=471604145
·
Next up from
the vault (as predicted below): Carnegie
Hall…warts and all…on Vaulternative Records…in
glorious mono. Says Gail: “We tweaked and we
tweezed and did everything possible to be certain this does not sound like a
breakfast cereal gone mad somewhere in the Van Allen Belt.
I am happy to say The Mud Shark Legend Continues.” Two complete shows by
the Vaudeville Mothers (Frank, Flo, Eddie, Ian, Don, Jim, Aynsley)
– with the Persuasions - on four CDs. Pre-order here: http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=971_51410 Should be
good if An Easy Substitute For Eternity Itself and The Subcutaneous Peril
are anything to go by.
·
Funny lickle video of Denny
Walley with the Muffin Men here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150477416439408
·
The paperback
version of my Zappa The
Hard Way book will be out on 21 November – see here: http://www.wymeruk.co.uk/Store/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1366. For those of you who may not know, the book
documents the 1988 world tour and features many quotes from new interviews I
conducted with the surviving band members and others associated with the tour.
In the run-up to publication, I will be posting quotes from the book on Facebook and Twitter.
·
New album, The Doug Lunn
Project, features Vinnie Colaiuta (and Doug, of course!) on all tracks, plus Mike Keneally
on one.
·
Read Andrew
Jacobs’ interview with Candy Zappa
here: http://www.zappa.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=516457#p516457
·
New interview
with Chester Thompson: http://magazine2.idrummag.com/issue4/page/36
·
More from Butcher At The Beeb here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00k8trw and here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15082153. And pieces
in the Grauniad, Get Bracknell and Express.
·
That infamous firm of solicitors – Flywheel, Parker, Ekers & Bastard - are back with more Vaudeville
madness. Yes, ZappaCast, Episode 4 Part Two can be
rumpled and fetished right now via: http://zappacast.podomatic.com/entry/2011-09-26T14_05_20-07_00
·
Scott Thunes has been
gigging with The Mother Hips of late
– and on 24 September they had a special guest join them for a coupla tunes at the Belly Up Tavern in San Diego: one Michael Joseph Keneally.
A few days earlier, Chick Corea joined ZPZ on stage again to dual with The Dweez on King Kong. Hear a bit here: http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/songs/137. Read about here: http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/posts/1139-i-m-grateful-for
·
Dr Paul Carr had a Zappa paper published in Contemporary Theatre Review (Volume 21, Issue 3, 2011) recently.
Titled An Autocratic Approach To Music Copyright?: The Case Of The Zappa Family Trust,
you can purchase a copy via: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10486801.2011.585644
·
In case you have three grand to spare: the UK Freak Out! master tapes.
·
Chad Wackerman is currently
touring Europe (sadly no UK dates) as a part of the Carl Verheyen Band: http://www.chadwackerman.com/dates.html
·
Here’s some footage of Gail at the official FZ Day in
Baltimore on 17 September: http://vimeo.com/29234820. As you’ll see/hear, she talks about an imminent Roxy soundtrack album with liner notes
penned by Ruth Underwood and a “four record set of a live concert from 1971”, at
which the Persuasions also played -
could this be from the October Carnegie Hall concert(s)? We'll just have to
wait and see.
·
One for all you vinyl fetishits
(sic): http://www.musiconvinyl.com/releases/Zappa,_Dweezil/Return_Of_The_Son_Of..
·
The Rondo Hatton Report: Episode VIII. Available now, in widescreen PDF. Includes a review of Pauline Butcher’s book and another
article by Pamela Zarubica.
·
Frank’s former secretary, Pauline
Butcher, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today
programme On 21 September):
you can hear an ever-so slightly edited vershum of
the interview at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9596000/9596226.stm.
·
Candy Zappa celebrated “the real”
Frank Zappa day in Sylmar, CA with family and friends, including Ike Willis and husband Nolan Porter. She also visited Frank’s
unmarked grave in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, though the proprietors
(Service Corporation International) were apparently a little obstructive. She
will write about this in the forthcoming revised edition of her book, My Brother Was A
Mother.
·
Rock Music Memorabilia has a new
website where its Zappa and Beefheart
items (and much much more) are available to see and
buy via a secure server. Check it out: www.rockmusicmemorabilia.com
·
Chris Opperman, of Vai/Keneally
arranging and Zappanale #22 fame, is working on a
project called Studio House “which will be an EP of songs by myself, Carla Bley, and Frank Zappa. Currently, Grammy award-winning
engineer Neil Citron and I are putting together the final mix on Milliways while
Inga Wohlgemuth and Louis Lagonik
are busy assembling the artwork.” The FZ track is Blessed Relief. For those of you who may not know, Studio House is
owned by the legendary Paul Green.
·
A note from Ed Seeman: “Jerry Ford and I
have formed this group on Facebook calling for the
release by the Zappa family of the 14 hours of footage I shot in collaboration with
Frank Zappa and the original Mothers Of Invention during the 1967-1968 years.
Frank purchased the film and has used it in dribs and drabs for many of his
subsequent releases. At one time Frank had the idea of running it all in
theatres and charging people by the amount of time they spent in the theatre.
This idea can be updated by posting it as ‘Video On
Demand’ and could benefit the Zappa family with huge profits. The group is
called ‘Release The Seeman/Zappa
Footage’. We are hoping to get as many names as possible to hopefully wake up
the Zappa family to releasing this vital film footage which Is part of Zappa’s
legacy and that Zappa himself participated in making and would want all his
fans to see and share this very important period in his life.” Well, um,
good luck with that.
·
Apparently comedic actor Martin
Clunes would rather take the complete works of FZ
than William Shakespeare to his desert island. (Thanks to the
numerous Radio 4 listeners who’ve contacted me regarding this – apparently the
trailer features Doreen…personally.
I’d like to take Kirsty to a desert island…)
·
Here’s my review of Freak
Out! My Life With FZ by Pauline Butcher: http://www.idiotbastard.com/reviews.htm#FreakOut
·
I knew it! The Rage And The Fury will be released on the day the world ends
(Frank’s 72nd birthday): http://www.zappa.com/gzsez/questions/the-rage-and-the-fury/
·
If a man could be two places at one time…I’d see the Trinity Laban
Wind Orchestra perform Envelopes
and The Dog Breath Variations at the Blackheath Halls, as well as the Magic Band at the Scala L Anywho,
here’s a great place to keep an eye on upcoming Z-orchestral concerts around the
world: http://www.schott-music.com/shop/persons/az/frank-zappa/performances/
· Short interview with Pauline Butcher re. her great new book here: http://radiodupree.blogspot.com/2011/09/radio-duprees-interview-with-pauline.html
·
Alice Cooper’s new Welcome 2
My Nightmare album not only features the surviving members of the original
Straight-signed Cooper band, but also Mark
Volman on backing vocals.
·
Vinnie Colaiuta is about to
go back on the road (in the US) with Mr Sting.
·
The Ed Palermo Big Band will
play three concerts with Napoleon Murphy
Brock and Mike Keneally
at the Iridium nightclub in Manhattan in October. “My band has played many
times with Napoleon, [and] when we played at the Bottom Line for nine years,
Mike would periodically grace us with his genius. Every time was pure magic.
I’m thrilled beyond words,” says Ed.
·
Alan Clayson has written a
very nice obituary for Wild Man Fischer
in the October edition of Record Collector (with “special thanks to GZ”).
·
I attended Neil Innes Night
at the BFI on Thursday 8 September. During the Q&A session with the great
man, I asked (given his one-time comment that the Bonzos were “the mothers of convention”, and his recent fronting of The Idiot Bastard Band) if FZ was an
influence: his response was “yes”, citing principally WOIIFTM. He also sang “Fuzzy dice,
bongos in the back…” and said what a great
song Peaches is. A short while after,
Danny Baker asked Neil if he
regretted the fact that the Bonzos never got to make their
WOIIFTM; surprsingly,
his answer was that the band’s contractual obligation album, Let’s Make Up And Be Friendly, was
probably the closest they came to that.
·
On 27 September, Sundazed Music releases Oxford, UK-June 6, 2005, the first of
three live Magic Band UK shows, on
CD and vinyl. This one adds half a dozen tracks not included on either Back To The Front
or 21st Century Mirror Men. Portsmouth and Penzance to follow.
·
J21 has just found some copies of the wonderful Eyeinhand Sampler CD, and will
give them away to those who ‘like’ his Facebook page
(http://www.facebook.com/j21music) up until the end of September. For those unfamiliar
with this album, it includes music from Arthur
Barrow (with Ike Willis & Ray White), Don Preston, Bunk Gardner,
Jimmy Carl Black, The Muffin Men, Thana Harris, Nigey Lennon, Scott Thunes,
the ANT-BEE, Mike Keneally, the ever youthful and
fantastic Andrew Greenaway and, of
course, J21 (aka Joseph Diaz) hisself.
·
The ANT-BEE is asked eight
questions by Gary Pig Gold here: http://www.rocksbackpagesblogs.com/2011/04/pigshit-eight-questions-for-our-ant-bee/
·
The ‘September release’ from the ZFT is Feeding The Monkies At
Ma Maison - the recently discovered Synclavier album (intended for vinyl release by Frank) that
Gail mentioned at the Roundhouse last year. The track listing is: Feeding The Monkies At Ma Maison/Buffalo Voice/Secular Humanism/Worms From
Hell/Samba Funk (the last two
being ‘bonus tracks’ added by the Trust).
·
Steve is featured on classical guitarist Sharon Isbin’s
new release Guitar Passions. For
more, check out this video http://youtu.be/8u4krJw-HjM
·
In 2008, the ZFT filed suit in the Southern District of
New York against Rykodisc for alleged copyright and
trademark infringement arising out of the label’s alleged unlawful use of
Frank’s recordings (notably, the Strictly
Commercial compilation). Ryko counterclaimed
(citing the sale of ringtones, MOFO, Lumpy Money and the vinyl version of Hot Rats by the ZFT). On 17 August 2011,
Ryko won ‘Part Judgment on Claims Of
Infringement’ - the very same day the ZFT’s claims against Zappanale
were taken to a higher court. You can read full details here: http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/1:2008cv00396/319767/111/0.pdf?1313676451 (Thanks to
Peter Brainpang for the tip-off – and Al Fresco for Googling!)
·
Robert Martin has a new website: http://multimartinmusic.com/
·
GZ sez “the new
September release” will contain previously unheard FZ compositions (here) - ooh! Meantime, she is taking her gripe against Zappanale and the Arf Society to
a higher court - boo!
·
Mike Keneally tweets: “One of the shows from the ’97 G3 tour where I guested during Fripp’s set is
downloadable - happy that it’s available!” And here it is: http://www.dgmlive.com/archive.htm?artist=14&show=917
·
Diva wants you to check out her website: http://www.divazappa.com/
·
Gail wants to clear some brown clouds: http://www.zappa.com/gzsez/questions/168/ Come on, boys and girls – time to ask her sensible,
searching questions. Respectfully.
·
For those of you on Facebook,
type ‘Freak Out! My Life With Frank Zappa by Pauline Butcher’ in the search
field, like the resultant page (natch), then read
daily teasers from Pauline on her imminent book. Really looking forward to this
one…
·
On the current Return
2 Forever VI US tour, Chick Corea has guested a couple of
times with special guests ZPZ. You can hear him trading soli with Dweezil on King Kong
right here: http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/songs/124. And how about Jean-Luc Ponty doing similar on Fifty Fifty: http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/songs/115?
·
“EU tours in the works for 2012...stay tuned for info
as it comes in,” say the Grande
Mothers ReInvented. Tom Fowler will be on bass.
·
Mike Keneally’s next album
is: “now officially
entitled Wing Beat Fantastic and
centered upon the material I've written with the lovely and talented Andy Partridge.”
·
The George Duke Quartet be playing a European tour in November – including two dates
at London’s Jazz Café. Check the full monty
at http://www.georgeduke.com/schedule.html. BTW, as well as the Frank Zappa Tribute medley, the new George Duke Band Live In Prague DVD also
features a brief reference to Echidna’s Arf (Of You) at the end of a marathon Brazilian Love Affair.
·
Wanna play a little
game? Go here http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=971_16820&sort=&page=0 and sort the vintage vinyl by best seller.
·
Adrian Belew (with the Metropole Orkest)’s e for
orchestra is now available as a studio version CD and live DVD (here).
·
Gryphon Labs (who are basically the Zappa Plays Zappa band with Rick Musallam
on guitar instead of Dweezil) are offering a free
album download here: http://gryphonlabs.bandcamp.com/ And the Aristocrats
have a little something for ya at http://the-aristocrats-band.com/news/free-download-of-sweaty-knockers/. For those who couldn’t make it, Marco Minnemann was wunderbar
at Zappanale; Eddie
Jobson’s
headline set was probably my favourite ever.
·
First part of ZappaCast: Episode VI (A New Hope) now up at: http://zappacast.podomatic.com/entry/2011-08-14T09_59_48-07_00. This episode (which comes in three bite-sized
chunks) covers the Vaudeville band period.
·
Check out this great bit of animation on YouTube: A Business Lesson with Frank Zappa.
·
New book, Surf
Beat: Rock 'N' Roll’s Forgotten Revolution by Kent Crowley, stresses the
importance of Pal Studios to the genre. Read more here: http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_18662344
·
Immediately after Zappanale, Project Object (with Ike Willis and Ray White) will be playing a one-off gig in the UK at the Half Moon
in Putney on Tuesday 23 August. Tickets on sale now – click the pic. This will be the first time the band has ever played
in this country – and it’s the first time Ike & Ray have graced a UK stage
together since 1984. See you there!
·
Just a reminder that it’s nearly that time again – yes, the one and only
Zappanale in Bad Doberan,
Germany, which this year will features performances by Eddie Jobson, Ike Willis,
Ray White, Robert Martin, Project
Object, Essra Mohawk, Gary Lucas, Colosseum,
Evil Dick, The Plastic People Of The Universe, Chris Opperman, The Vegetarians, Sandro Oliva, Co de Kloet… If you’re thinking of going and haven’t been
before, this might be helpful: http://www.idiotbastard.com/ZNLTravelGuide.htm If you’re unable to attend,
then you can still watch it via a live webstream. Oh yus.
·
Dweezil has posted a
snippet of ZPZ performing Road Ladies
with a shaky sounding Flo & Eddie here:
http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/songs/72
·
Along with a major revamp of Candy
Zappa’s book, My Brother Was A Mother,
also expect a reissue of Francesco Vincente Zappa (her father)’s “small
book on gambling probabilities” in the not too distant.
·
As many of you will have read, Roy “I didn’t do it!” Estrada is currently incarcerated in Tarrant
County Jail. Roy has been on the public sex offender registry for some time,
following offences dating back to the time of Baby Snakes. In 2009, Gail Zappa alluded to earlier misdemeanors
when she threatened to “officially go on record for
what he has never taken responsibility for and remind him that we did not
report him to the police all those years ago” if he continued to
bad-mouth Frank in interviews. With three crimes against children under his
belt, I think it unlikely Roy would ever be questioned by the music press
again.
·
Dr Eugene Chandbourne
(of the Jack & Jim Show fame) plays a sole solo UK date at the Café Oto in London on 3 November.
·
Get a sneak preview of The
Aristocrats forthcoming debut album here: http://the-aristocrats-band.com/music/
·
Another batch of wonderment from Crossfire: firstly, Candy Zappa’s …To Be Perfectly Frank is now available for download (from http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/candyzappa); this version excludes all of the FZ radio spot
snippets that appear on the CD version. Also available for download are Nolan Porter (husband of Candy)’s first
two albums – with oodles of bonus tracks. The backing band for half of the
tracks on No Apologies (http://cdbaby.com/cd/nolanporter) consisted of Jimmy
Carl Black (drums), Roy Estrada
(bass) and Lowell George (guitar).
When JCB left to form Geronimo Black,
he got drummer Richie Hayward and
keyboardist Bill Payne to replace
him. A short time after writing the song Somebody’s
Gone for Nolan, Lowell left with Hayward and Payne to form Little Feat. Nolan (http://cdbaby.com/cd/nolanporter2) includes the Northern Soul classic If I Could Only Be Sure, featuring Johnny “Guitar” Watson (guitar); other
musicians on the album include Jim
Gordon and Larry Carlton.
Studio-quality versions of all three albums will soon be available directly
from Crossfire, with expansive liner notes (including exclusive interview
material), photos, credits and discographies.
·
Flo & Eddie played the
following ditties with Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa:
Accept No Substitutes© in Woodstock on 28 July: This Town Is a Sealed Tuna Sandwich, Magic Fingers, Tell Me You
Love Me, Would You Go All The Way,
Road Ladies, Do You Like My New Car?, Happy
Together and Dog Breath.
·
Ahead of their appearance at Zappanale, The Vegetarians have posted a new song
online – check it out at http://www.ubetoo.com/player.aspx?mediaid=50643
·
Some of FZ’s ditties have just been rescored for classical orchestral
instruments, tracked on Sear Sound’s custom Avalon/Sear console, produced by Susan
Del Giorno and engineered by Silas Brown. More on this when I get it.
·
Find Magic Band UK (&
ROI) tour dates in the Bastard’s
Diary.
·
Surely GZ must get sent some
sensible questions? If so, why does she insist on drawing attention to the stoopid ones: http://www.zappa.com/gzsez/category/questions/
·
Dutch artist, and Zappa fan, Dennis
Teunissen, has a special offer for anyone
interested in his painting Is this what Uncle
Frank was talking about? For more details, visit his website at http://www.zappa555.nl/
·
Sadly, the Essra Mohawk/Sandro Oliva gig at
London’s Bridgehouse in September has been cancelled
(though it may be re-scheduled for Spring next year). Found this out reading
United Mutations’ short chat with Sandro here: http://united-mutations.blogspot.com/2011/07/short-chat-with-sandro-oliva.html
·
Pamela Des Barres is about “to record I’m With the Band (unabridged) for Audible. Pretty soon
you'll be able to hear the entire book spoken by the, ahem, author!” For
those of you who may not know, Miss Pamela recorded an edited version some 16
years ago, which is pretty fine listening.
·
The George Duke Band Live In Prague
DVD (featuring a tribute to FZ) is finally available – from GD’s website. (“This NTSC disc is region free,” says he.)
Hopefully this will make up for the cancellation of the planned Cobham/Duke Band Euro tour…
·
Napi’s album is here at last: http://www.idiotbastard.com/News/PressRelease.htm ... and here’s a Press Release for J21.
·
For all you guitar freaks oot there (Master Campbell, I’m looking at you),
Hal Leonard is issuing another in its series of Zappa album transcription book
things - this time, in the shape of One
Size Fits All. It’s out next January…
·
Pay attention, your Freditor has spoken: yes, Mr Tomsett informs me of a very
new compact disc that features “a version of Uncle
Frank’s It Just Might Be a One-Shot Deal,
taken slightly slower than the old guy’s and with an even creepier vocal
performance, if that's possible.” It appears, among other goodies, on Perfavore Sing by Vincenzo Vasi & Giorgio Pacorig.
· Interesting new interview with Howard
Kaylan here. But why does the man who writes ‘Eddie’s Media Corner’ – and is not
Professor Flo - refer to
himself as the ‘Florescent Leech’?
·
Tom Fowler has a new album out; Let’s Start Over features brother Walt and
Mr Mike Miller. And also, the great
vocals of Andrea Miller.
Another former z-bassist - little Patrick
O’Hearn - also has a new single out (with album
to follow - both) called Reaching Land.
·
The ‘uncut’ version of my interview with Essra Mohawk is now here: http://idiotbastard.com/Interviews/EssraMohawk.htm
·
Don Preston has written a book “of
poems and stories”, called Listen:
A Thought, Faster Than Light. It is currently only available directly from
Don (Brain Publishing).
·
Messrs Keneally
& Thunes
checked out The Aristocrats at the Biscuits & Blues in San Francisco on 24 June. Sounds like
everyone had a right old time; sure hope to see said band one day soon meself.
·
GZ has offered some more clues re. possible ZFT
releases this year here. Based on previous utterances, I believe she refers
to Dance Me This
(“Synclavier”), Joe’s Menage A Trois (“Corsaga”),
Vaudeville band live (“Concert”), and an
exciting new deal with iTunes (“Download”).
But I could be wrong. And here’s the latest on Bat Chain Puller: http://www.zappa.com/gzsez/questions/orig-bcp-release-date/
·
This year’s BBC Proms features Ensemble Modern (playing Steve Reich), Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 3,
and a bit of Anton Webern (performed by the Israel
Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Zubin Mehta). But no Zappa.
·
Michael Kieran Harvey’s 48 Fugues For Frank
(see my review) has just won
a 2011 Art Music Award (presented by the Australasian Performing Right
Association and the Australian Music Centre) for 'Instrumental Work of the
Year'.
·
Larry ‘Wild Man’ Fischer has died - of
heart disease. A tormented soul, may he rest in peace. Dr Demento will pay tribute on his radio
show on 2 July. Meantime, you can download An
Evening With… here, and listen
to one track from it over at Zappa.com: http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/ofconsequence/wild-man-fischer/index.html
·
Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller
will be two of the ‘friends’ backing Joe
Satriani and Steve
Vai at their Benefit
For Cliff II concert at the House Of Blues in LA on Sunday 10 July; Dweezil Zappa will again be a special guest.
Cliff (Cultreri) is the A&R executive who
discovered both Satch and Steve, and is suffering
from Auto-Immune & Connective-Tissue disorders.
·
Do Ensemble Modern risk
incurring the (*cough*) rage and fury
of the ZFT with this new CD, Kontinent Varèse? They also
have a new companion piece to their Nancarrow Studies CD, As Fast As
Possible.
·
The Magic Band will play
London’s Scala on 30 November - Gad, haven’t been
there since a Marx Brothers all-nighter in the 80s! In the meanwhile, GZ now saying the original Bat
Chain Puller will be out “later this year”.
·
The latest (and best so far, IMHO) ZappaCast
is here: http://zappacast.podomatic.com/player/web/2011-05-31T13_43_40-07_00 It covers Frank’s early years and includes a big bunch
of rare music, as well as some wondrous special guests. Check it out.
·
Another live Keneally CD/DVD (sort of) will be out soon: Joe Satriani’s Live In Montreal is in the mastering phase. Take a sneaky peek: http://youtu.be/yv5k2HP204M
·
Candy Zappa’s …To Be
Perfectly Frank CD is available now from: http://www.cafepress.co.uk/ZappaPorterMusic.543909140
·
Jeff Simmons tells me he has been catching up with some old
friends: he met Janet “Gabby Furggy” Ferguson (in LA) and Ray Collins (in Claremont); caught George Duke in rehearsals; and spoke to Aynsley Dunbar and Bruce Fowler
ont’phone. More details as soon as.
·
English fashion designer Paul
Smith’s Winter 2011 Collection is
dedicated to Captain Beefheart,
Frank Zappa and ‘all other space
eccentrics that have made the world a more interesting place’. Says Smith “When I started working on the collection, I was
interested in exploring Frank Zappa, the Yardbirds and Captain Beefheart — I just really loved that posh rock era and that
whole disjointed sound — the randomness of it. There wasn’t any fashion then;
it was you just threw on these huge hairy jackets with these skinny trousers
and off you’d go. And then, when Captain Beefheart
died, it seemed like an awfully dreary subject for a show. Then I remembered
that Zappa named his daughter Moon Unit.
And the whole interest in the space program dates to the same era, and I
figured that was a pretty random thought so that’s where I went.” Now
look here: http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/collections/men/paul-smith-autumn-winter-11/autumn-winter-11/ Oh, and that reminds me: Diva’s London art show – Bruce – ended ahead of schedule. So
loblolly on you if you missed it.
·
Want to see Doctor Nerve at
this year’s Zappanale? You can help them here: http://kck.st/jZXwPK
·
Scott Parker is busily editing together our next ZappaCast, which promises to be a goodie
– a lot of interesting folk involved in this one. Meantime, if you haven’t
already checked out the first couple of episodes, they’re here: http://zappacast.podomatic.com/
·
Dale Bozzio and Warren Cuccurullo
are reforming Missing Persons
(again) for a US reunion tour in June celebrating the 30th anniversary of Spring Session M. No Terry Ted, Patrick
or Chuck this time, but the great Doug Lunn will be on bass.
·
Arriba, riba! Mike Keneally has recorded “keyboards on four tunes for the next Chickenfoot record”. Chickenfoot is of course the American super-group
comprising former Van Halen members Sammy
Hagar and Michael Anthony, Red
Chili Pepper Chad Smith and Joe Satriani.
·
Candy Zappa has some t-shirts that were designed by her friend
Larry Rogak, and they look pretty spiffy: http://shop.cafepress.com/zappa-porter
·
Let’s hear it for another great Italian: Essra Mohawk’s band at Zappanale
22 will include former Grandmothers’ guitarist, Sandro Oliva.
·
Following on from the Jukebox,
Roots Of... and Classical Selection CDs comes a download-only package: The
Blueprints Of Frank Zappa - The Original Recordings By The Original Artists adds four tracks not included on the afore-mentioned
(St. James Infirmary by Louis Amstrong; Sweet Leilani by Les Paul; Little Girl Of Mine by The Cleftones; and
Mary Lou by Buddy Knox).
·
Some ho-ho stuff from the Muffin Men and Professor Walley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6bM5beTHro (and there’s
more new wonderment over at www.muffinmen.co.uk).
·
Slightly off topic, but I attended the launch of Glenn Hughes’ new book, Deep Purple and Beyond: Scenes From The Life
of a Rock Star, on 12 May and who else should be there? None other than
fellow Z author, Neil Slaven (Electric
Don Quixote). Neil produced Trapeze
(Glenn’s first band) way back when. Also in attendance was the inspiration for The Mud
Shark, Mr Richard
Cole.
·
You've got to hand it to [REDACTED]; we can grumble and
gripe all we want about what the [REDACTED] should and should not release from
the vault - and in what format - but [REDACTED] consistently surprises us with
stuff we didn't know we wanted. Laddies and inverted
genital-peeps, it’s: Penguin In Bondage and The Little Known History Of The Mothers Of
Invention (Frank talkin’ Buff to AbFree), a download-only EP “recorded at Auditorium Theater,
Chicago, Illinois at the stroke of midnight on one of the Mothers Day Concerts,
10/11/12 May 1974.” Tasty.
·
The Muffin Men have posted, for your delectation, their excellent
rendition of the Captain’s Suction Prints
(featuring Feelers Reebo) at: http://www.muffinmen.co.uk/muffinz/euro_tour_2011.html. And Gary Lucas has posted his great song
with Essra Mohawk here.
·
Gosh darn it: Kill Ugly
Radio has decided
to call it a day. Now where will I go to steal news stories? Guess this means PvL (of United Mutations) and me must have a stare-off to the death. It’s the
end of the world as we know it L
·
Check out this radio interview with Billy Hulting, Cal Schenkel and Howard
Kaylan (who confirms he has been busy recording a
“rocking teenage album” with Jeff Simmons, and says that Flo & Eddie will be playing more
dates with ZPZ “later in the year”).
·
Ahead of their Preserving
and Protecting the Frank Zappa Archives presentation
at the 45th Annual Association For Recorded Sound Collections in Los
Angeles on 12 May, Gail and Joe spoke to Kevin Ferguson: http://www.scpr.org/programs/offramp/2011/04/30/gail-zappa-joe-travers-talk-frank-zappas-archives/ Meantime, GZ
(ever the provocateur) seeks to preserve the fanbase
here: http://www.zappa.com/gzsez/questions/106/
·
Zappa loving guitarist J21's Beyond The Holographic Veil (the album
that features the first collaboration between Scott Thunes and Ed Mann since 1988, as well as contributions from Reeves Gabrels,
Geoff Tyson, Robert Martin, Don Preston,
Marco Minnemann,
Mike Garson and (*cough*) andrew greenaway) will be
issued on CD by Floating World records in June (along with a re-release of
Joseph’s Yellow Mind:Blue Mind, that also featured Mr Mann). Both can currently be obtained as digital
downloads from: http://app.artists-first.net/J21/shop.action and http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/yellow-mind-blue-mind/id288674793
·
ZPZ US and Canada dates have now been added at http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/events. Flo &
Eddie are special guests for one night only at the Bearsville
Theater in NY on 28 July. The 10 August to 24 September dates are all in
support of Return to Forever 4 (with
the exception of the Telluride Blues Festival, where they open for The Flaming Lips).
·
Suddenly available: Napoleon
Murphy Brock’s This Is What Frank
Zappa Heard: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/napoleonmurphybrock
·
Here’s Denny Walley with the Muffin Men and Suction Prints: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NaIf6TwyW0
·
Gibson has put together a list of songs that feature mistakes that have
been incorporated into their iconic sound. Amongst the list is Frankie boy’s We’re Turning Again. You can read the
full list here: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/bloopers-0412-2011/
·
Ladies, put your legs together as “Dave McMann
presents: Pre-High Voltage Festival Evening, Friday 22 July at 7PM,
Bridgehouse2, East London. Two great bands: That Legendary Wooden Lion (who headlined our Concert For Jimmy) and Slam. One great cause: Celia Hammond Animal Trust. Tickets 5 pounds
by guest list only. Contact dmcmann321@gmail.com to be added to the list, then pay on the door. This not for profit fundraiser is not
in any way associated with HV/MAMA Group.”
·
Mike Keneally writes on
Twitter that he just spent a “long weekend
writing/recording music with Mick Mars & Terry Bozzio. Me on
bass and synth, probably some guitar later. Pretty damned awesome!” His new live CD/DVD will be
titled bakin' @ the potato! Mike will be doing
another live studio webcast (The Mike Keneally Show - In The Studio at
Chatfield Manor) on Thursday 14 April at 12 noon Pacific time.
·
Now available, VaiTunes #7 - and really nice it is, too. It’s called The Bodhi Tree and features Steve experimenting
with his Eventide H300 Harmonizer some 20 odd years ago, for a little over 9
minutes. Check it out via: http://vai.com/vaitunes/index.html
·
May the fourth be with you...then you can go
see Ensemble Modern (conducted by Franck Ollu)
performing Varèse’s Octandre, Stravinsky’s L'Histoire du soldat and
Webern’s Op. 6. In
Athens.
·
This Idiot was interviewed by Nigey Lennon for
the above-mentioned Zappathon
– be sure to miss it. Please!
·
Chad Wackerman will travel
outside the US on James Taylor’s
current tour – check the Bastard’s
Diary for details.
·
Pauline Butcher’s memoir of
what happened to her while working for FZ (1968-1972) will be published by
Plexus in October, titled Freak Out! My
Life With Frank Zappa.
·
Grand Funk’s Mark Farner tells an interesting story 'bout gun-toting
Frankie here: http://www.southbendtribune.com/entertainment/inthebend/sbt-farner-still-plays-energy-music-20110403,0,7526839.story
·
Sandy is here at last…yes, Essra Mohawk (the
real Uncle Meat) is the latest addition to the line-up for this year’s Zappanale. Hear her ‘duet’ with Frank here.
·
You can now listen to Scott Parker’s entire second ZappaCast
(it’s a monster in two parts) at PodOmatic or on iTunes. Episode 2
takes a close look at the 1988 Broadway The Hard Way tour, and includes rare rehearsal and live
material, a tribute to the tour by The
Vegetarians, an exclusive airing of excerpts from my interview with Ike Willis, the guest spots from Mats & Morgan and Dweezil, and FZ
giving his thoughts on the end of the tour.
·
Evil Dick & The Banned
Members, under the leadership of English composer and
musician Dr Richard Hemmings,
will perform at this year’s Zappanale in Germany.
Evil Dick’s backwards version of The
Idiot Bastard Son is on the album 20
Extraordinary Renditions, and their arrangement, Fraudulent Free Jazz Extrapolations On White Port And
Lemon Deuce, is on the CD 21 Burnt Weeny Sandwiches. But you knew that, right?
·
Dweezil: “I’ve been in the middle of an emotionally challenging
protracted divorce for nearly a full year now. With any luck we will be able to
come to a resolution in a few months time...I mention this because I am going
to list a few guitars on the site tomorrow that unfortunately I need to sell
rather quickly.” http://www.dweezilzappaworld.com/posts/828-guitars
·
The Muffin Men have updated their website – check her oot: http://www.muffinmen.co.uk/
·
On 14 March, the Alice
Cooper Group was inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame by Rob Zombie,
and reunited to perform live on stage. Zombie gave FZ a big plug for his part
in Alice’s rise to fame. On The Tonight
Show with Jay Leno on 18 March,
Alice performed School’s Out with Dweezil on
guitar - check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQWPrwTkd80
·
The Vegetarians, under the
leadership of Swedish composer and musician Hans Annellsson, will perform at this
year’s Zappanale in Germany. They will perform a
mixture of rarely heard Frank Zappa songs, together with other progressive
covers and some original material. The Vegetarians’ latest release, Remustered &
Remixed Salad, features a
lot of prog rock classics as well as two FZ covers.
The Vegetarians version of The Idiot
Bastard Son is on the album 20
Extraordinary Renditions and Hans Annellsson's
arrangement, Igor’s Holiday In The Little House By The Sea, is on the CD 21 Burnt Weeny
Sandwiches.
·
Here’s an update on Dr Carr’s Zappa And The And… tome: http://paulcarrmusings.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/zappa-and-the-and-book-progress/
·
ZPZ are to play a UK tour this winter – see the Bastard’s
Diary for details.
·
Candy Zappa: “I am in the process of
re-publishing my book My Brother Was A Mother: A Zappa Family Album, originally released in
2003. I was given a great idea of using pictures of Frank and his fans. If you
have a picture of you and Frank and would like to include them in my book,
please email me and I will put
them in - with an honorable mention, of course!”
·
John ‘Drumbo’ French has been
blogging. He talks about a “final Magic Band tour” of the UK this
November, which might also take in Dublin. He advises that Sundazed
Records will finally release three live Magic Band shows in 2011 (from
Portsmouth, Oxford and Penzance 2005). And finally:
he informs us that Bat Chain Puller
will also come out this year; “Gail Zappa has
assured me that it will after one project that is already in the works is
finished.” Wonder what that other project is?
·
Ed Mann, who performed G-Spot
Tornado as guest percussionist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra on 21
January, will also guest with the Orchestra for its Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow - The ESO Plays Zappa symphony special on
15 March - together with Ike Willis!
More info: http://www.edmontonsymphony.com/symphony-specials/2010-11-symphony-specials/dont-eat-the-yellow-snow-the-eso-plays-zappa/
·
Onion bass-boy Bryan Beller is about to release an album (and also an DVD) featuring Mike
Keneally and Joe
Travers, (both) called Wednesday
Night Live. Mr Mike is also currently mixing a
live sister (or should that be brother?) ‘they’re-both-the-same-band’
album/DVD for issue a little later on - but you can pre-order Bryan’s stuff right this very minute. Go on!
·
First the bassist from Metallica covered The Torture Never Stops, now former Megadeth
lead guitarist, Glen Drover, has
taken a stab at The Purple Lagoon and
Filthy Habits (and some Jean-Luc Ponty and Al Di Meola too) -
check it out: http://www.magnacarta.net/glendrover/
· The Guildhall Ubu Ensemble (conducted by Simon Wills and Ben Gernon) will perform FZ’s The Dog Breath Variations, Dog Meat, The Girl In The Magnesium Dress,