*** Frank Zappa ***

[7/4]

Happy Birthday Frank Zappa.

[7/4]

The lore of Southern California permeated Frank Zappa's music and self-image

A list of local place names that appear in the satirical songs of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention group would be long.

January 09, 2011|By Anthony Mostrom

It was a rare, early Hollywood television appearance for future rock music renegade Frank Zappa. Lean and hungry and unknown, the 22-year-old composer appeared on "The Steve Allen Show" in 1963.

He wore a pressed suit and thin tie, and short, well-greased hair — standard for those pre-Beatles, pre-psychedelic days. But Zappa was there to perform sounds on a bicycle with drumsticks and a bow (the bike belonged to his sister Candy).

Allen was no slouch in the world of beatnik-era hipness himself, but he couldn't help cracking one-liners during Zappa's noisy, atonal demonstration, and he kept pronouncing his guest's name "Zoppa." "Well, Mr. Zappa … I congratulate you on your farsightedness," Allen said. "As for your music, don't ever do it around here again!"

Frank Zappa was born in Baltimore — Dec. 21, 2010, would have been his 70th birthday — but his self-image and musical output from 1963 until his death in 1993 were soaked in the lore of Southern California, where he grew up.

A list of local place names that appear in the satirical songs of his avant-garde-meets-novelty-rock group, the Mothers of Invention, would be long.

more

[Rooster_Ties]

Almost the ONLY place I've encountered any of the CA place-names listed in the article, is from listening to Zappa.

[7/4]

Burbank, Downey, El Monte, Fullerton, Glendale, Hawthorne, Irwindale, Lomita, Newhall, Pacoima, Palmdale, Rolling Hills, Shadow Hills — he loved, hated and sang about all of them. In retrospect, it seems that Zappa and the Mothers played in other cities during their heyday in the late 1960s only because they had to.

Burbank is one I'd heard of outside of Zappa lore.

"beautiful downtown Burbank"

...and Fullerton is the birthplace of Fender guitars.

[mjzee]

Frank Zappa, his groupies and me

She was a strait-laced English typist. He was a sexually incontinent rock innovator. So why on earth did Pauline Butcher become Frank Zappa's secretary?

The Guardian UK

[Chalupa]

Another one of the original Mothers has passed. Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood died on Christmas day. He was 69.

Obit

Watch this

Edited December 26, 2011 by J.H. Deeley

[thedwork]

Frank Zappa, his groupies and me

She was a strait-laced English typist. He was a sexually incontinent rock innovator. So why on earth did Pauline Butcher become Frank Zappa's secretary?

The Guardian UK

that looks like it could be a good read. but this:

"My name is Raven. I brought you a present," this stranger announced, handing to Zappa a transparent bag, apparently filled with blood, before pointing a revolver at his chest.

Calmly, Zappa cajoled and manipulated Raven into walking with him, and numerous spectators, including Zappa's 24-year-old English secretary, to a nearby lake. He then persuaded everyone present to start throwing things into the water, including Raven, who threw in his gun.

... thats's kinda odd. are you all aware of this story? i've read barry miles's biography and i don't recall this being mentioned. an insanely spectacular event like this, that happens to one of the most celebrated and famous american musicians of the 20th century, with "many spectators" present, seems like it would be mentioned in that excellent biography. it seems it would also become a well-known tale. if you all could, lemme know if i just happened to miss this story for some reason or if this insane story is just out now for the first time...

[Д.Д.]

Frank Zappa, his groupies and me

She was a strait-laced English typist. He was a sexually incontinent rock innovator. So why on earth did Pauline Butcher become Frank Zappa's secretary?

The Guardian UK

that looks like it could be a good read. but this:

"My name is Raven. I brought you a present," this stranger announced, handing to Zappa a transparent bag, apparently filled with blood, before pointing a revolver at his chest.

Calmly, Zappa cajoled and manipulated Raven into walking with him, and numerous spectators, including Zappa's 24-year-old English secretary, to a nearby lake. He then persuaded everyone present to start throwing things into the water, including Raven, who threw in his gun.

... thats's kinda odd. are you all aware of this story? i've read barry miles's biography and i don't recall this being mentioned. an insanely spectacular event like this, that happens to one of the most celebrated and famous american musicians of the 20th century, with "many spectators" present, seems like it would be mentioned in that excellent biography. it seems it would also become a well-known tale. if you all could, lemme know if i just happened to miss this story for some reason or if this insane story is just out now for the first time...

This was mentioned in Zappa's own Real Frank Zappa Book.

[thedwork]

Frank Zappa, his groupies and me

She was a strait-laced English typist. He was a sexually incontinent rock innovator. So why on earth did Pauline Butcher become Frank Zappa's secretary?

The Guardian UK

that looks like it could be a good read. but this:

"My name is Raven. I brought you a present," this stranger announced, handing to Zappa a transparent bag, apparently filled with blood, before pointing a revolver at his chest.

Calmly, Zappa cajoled and manipulated Raven into walking with him, and numerous spectators, including Zappa's 24-year-old English secretary, to a nearby lake. He then persuaded everyone present to start throwing things into the water, including Raven, who threw in his gun.

... thats's kinda odd. are you all aware of this story? i've read barry miles's biography and i don't recall this being mentioned. an insanely spectacular event like this, that happens to one of the most celebrated and famous american musicians of the 20th century, with "many spectators" present, seems like it would be mentioned in that excellent biography. it seems it would also become a well-known tale. if you all could, lemme know if i just happened to miss this story for some reason or if this insane story is just out now for the first time...

This was mentioned in Zappa's own Real Frank Zappa Book.

thanks "organissimo member w/ symbol thingie i can't type."

while i haven't read that "autobiography," i've heard it's not very reliable. and since that seems to be the only other source, i'm still skeptical.

[Д.Д.]

Frank Zappa, his groupies and me

She was a strait-laced English typist. He was a sexually incontinent rock innovator. So why on earth did Pauline Butcher become Frank Zappa's secretary?

The Guardian UK

that looks like it could be a good read. but this:

"My name is Raven. I brought you a present," this stranger announced, handing to Zappa a transparent bag, apparently filled with blood, before pointing a revolver at his chest.

Calmly, Zappa cajoled and manipulated Raven into walking with him, and numerous spectators, including Zappa's 24-year-old English secretary, to a nearby lake. He then persuaded everyone present to start throwing things into the water, including Raven, who threw in his gun.

... thats's kinda odd. are you all aware of this story? i've read barry miles's biography and i don't recall this being mentioned. an insanely spectacular event like this, that happens to one of the most celebrated and famous american musicians of the 20th century, with "many spectators" present, seems like it would be mentioned in that excellent biography. it seems it would also become a well-known tale. if you all could, lemme know if i just happened to miss this story for some reason or if this insane story is just out now for the first time...

This was mentioned in Zappa's own Real Frank Zappa Book.

thanks "organissimo member w/ symbol thingie i can't type."

while i haven't read that "autobiography," i've heard it's not very reliable. and since that seems to be the only other source, i'm still skeptical.

What's the point for Butcher to repeat imaginary stories already mentioned elsewhere (and already known by nearly everybody who would ever read her book)? No novelty factor, won't help her sell the book. Her mentioning this story at all actually corroborates its credence, in my opinion. And the anecdote does not seem out of ordinary to me. Have you seen the movie about John Lennon's recording of "Imagine" with footage of a drugged deranged fan walking into his estate?

[thedwork]

What's the point for Butcher to repeat imaginary stories already mentioned elsewhere (and already known by nearly everybody who would ever read her book)? No novelty factor, won't help her sell the book. Her mentioning this story at all actually corroborates its credence, in my opinion. And the anecdote does not seem out of ordinary to me. Have you seen the movie about John Lennon's recording of "Imagine" with footage of a drugged deranged fan walking into his estate?

thanks again. if you say this story is "...already known by nearly everybody who would ever read her book," then i take your word for it.

and if that anecdote doesn't seem out of the ordinary to you, you've got an awesomely exciting life going! be careful out there

and yeah, i've seen that Lennon footage.

[Д.Д.]

Apparently Warner (current owner of Rykodisc) has confirmed that they do not own the rights to Zappa material anymore, and that all the Ryko FZ CDs are effectively OOP. This is sad - Ryko has done a remarkable job in keeping the whole catalog (even the most esoteric titles) continuously in print and widely available at very affordable prices since '95. From what I know, Ryko has never really recouped the investment they made in the FZ catalog. Gail has been pouring so much shit on Ryko for handling the Zappa legacy, I wonder what alternative she will be able to offer now.

[GregK]

so who does own the rights then?

[mjzee]

More on Pauline Butcher's book: look at the first customer review:

Amazon

[7/4]

More on Pauline Butcher's book: look at the first customer review:

Amazon

He'll help you with your back problems.....for a price.

[Д.Д.]

With the expiration of the FZ/Ryko deal the whole catalog is to be reissued on Universal this year. Some titles are to be remastered, I am anxiously waiting for the first batch because Hot Rats and Uncle Meat badly need it.

http://www.msopr.com/press-releases/zappa-family-trust-regains-control-of-iconic-musicians-extensive-catalog-global-licensedistribution-deal-signed-with-universal-music-enterprises/

[Big Wheel]

What are the odds that we'll actually see the original mix of Cruisin' With Ruben and The Jets rather than the horrendous 1980s mix with overdubbed bass and drums? Had Zappa already wrecked it before he issued it on Barking Pumpkin, or was that done for some later version?

While this is far from Zappa's best or most original work, this is still his most inexplicable decision to me by far. It would be like if Shakespeare went back and, say, "fixed" The Merry Wives of Windsor by deciding that Falstaff definitely needed to be shadowed in every act by his doppelganger Fartstaff, Ye Olde Walking Fart Joke.

As an aside, I happened to be on a road trip through the Southern California desert 3 years ago and had a chance to do a bit of poking around in Palmdale and Lancaster, where Zappa went to high school. The whole valley that contains both towns is one weird place, unadulterated desert (on multiple levels). Even in LA you sometimes get the sense that people were not meant to live in this area, but the feeling is about 10x as strong in the Antelope Valley.

Today there are lots of random junkyards and stuff around; it's one of the places Hollywood stores its props for blockbusters and where retired airplanes go to die. In Frank's day it must have been almost 100% families affiliated in some way with Edwards Air Force Base, and until you got old enough to know someone with a car who could drive you over the mountains through Santa Clarita to LA, it must have felt like living on a different, barren planet.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Big Wheel

[Д.Д.]

What are the odds that we'll actually see the original mix of Cruisin' With Ruben and The Jets rather than the horrendous 1980s mix with overdubbed bass and drums? Had Zappa already wrecked it before he issued it on Barking Pumpkin, or was that done for some later version?

While this is far from Zappa's best or most original work, this is still his most inexplicable decision to me by far. It would be like if Shakespeare went back and, say, "fixed" The Merry Wives of Windsor by deciding that Falstaff definitely needed to be shadowed in every act by his doppelganger Fartstaff, Ye Olde Walking Fart Joke.

Get "Greasy Love Songs" : http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Greasy_Love_Songs.html

[Big Wheel]

Wow, thanks, hadn't heard of that issue. Kind of shocked that Gail greenlighted that.

[7/4]

http://harmonicsdb.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/frank-zappa-and-barking-pumpkin-are-back/

[jostber]

Zappa wiki:

http://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Main_Page

http://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Ship_Arriving_Too_Late_To_Save_A_Drowning_Witch

[Д.Д.]

The first batch of reissues is available for preorder on amazon. I will order Hot Rats and Uncle Meat - probably two albums most butchered by the old remastering.

[Quincy]

The first batch of reissues is available for preorder on amazon. I will order Hot Rats and Uncle Meat - probably two albums most butchered by the old remastering.

I'm not brave enough to preorder as the info from Gail & Co. has been puzzling as usual, but I'm crossing my fingers and tuning in for reviews.

[7/4]

Uncle Meat may be the only one from the first 12 that I'm interested in.

I never bought Hot Rats on CD, maybe it's time to get a copy.

[mjzee]

Will these be the original recordings, or the '80's remixes?