greggery peccary

I'd recommend genuine Frank Zappa, not Jr's cover band. The spirit of "Jr's Cover Band" is quite admirable. Furthermore his mission in the project (besides making a comfortable living) is to introduce a new generation of fans to his music. Some of Frank's music will be forever "dated" and therefore lack relevance to newer and younger audiences. I remember the Reagan years, Swaggart and some of the other references which permeate his final recordings. "Jr" sought to fill the band with younger players and the energy that they bring. I think that in the Spirit of all things Frank, dismissing this project is wrong. In a bonus interview Dweezil says that some tunes (which he doesn't name) are strictly off limits. He and the band could bring nothing to them. Others he aspires to tackle. He also says that he plans on making this a yearly thing for some time to come. So ZPZ will end up being the next chapter in FZ's legacy. I only have the DVD and have no interest in securing the audio recordings. I don't disagree that going to the source is essentially the way to go. However as a conduit for discovery and interest I think that ZPZ is to be applauded. Seriously, check out the DVD. Frank's groups had chops, but they have nothing on this group. Dweezil really does his father's music justice!!

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned, but for the holiday I treated myself to "Zappa Plays Zappa." All in all it think it worked on multiple levels. Once again, most aspects of Frank's music were showcased. Lesser known tunes stood there ground by those considered to be more tried and true. Steve Vai's guitar playing on Zomby Woof is 100% over the top. It is also a pleasure to see Napoleon Murphy Brock perform. He clearly enjoys this music and is, by virtue of the recorded legacy, an import part of a stellar era of Zappa. Dweezil also is a marvel. Whereas he came on the scene as a shredder, he has woodshedded and does an exceptional job of summoning his father on the guitar. The tone, phrasing, and mannerisms are all spot on. He even uses Frank's signature SG. He never resorts to imitation though, and that is very much to his credit. Great place to start as far as becoming acquainted with some of FZ's most enduring tunes.

i'd highly recommend apostrophe as the next studio album. i think of it as the flip side to "Overnite Sensation." "Tinseltown Rebellion" would also be a worthwhile port of call. It has a little of everything, comedy tunes, doo-wop, screaming guitar and intricate instrumentals. I have about 50 Zappa titles. I think that "Ship" and "Civilization" are a bit much for the Zappa novice. "Live In New York" is also a worthy consideration.