*** Frank Zappa ***

[Scott Dolan]

Probably not. But, maybe we're better for it. Too much of a good thing...

[mjzee]

Release date June 4:

Amazon

[sgcim]

I just took a glance at Howard Kaylan's new book, "Shell Shocked", a memoir of his days with the Turtles, Zappa and Flo & Eddie.

He makes the startling revelation that FZ did smoke some pot- in between orgies.

There was a little bit about Judee Sill and her husband, Bob Harris, a great jazz pianist who played with the MOI in 1971.

[Tim McG]

Best Zappa album...all-time, IMHO:

[StarThrower]

I just took a glance at Howard Kaylan's new book, "Shell Shocked", a memoir of his days with the Turtles, Zappa and Flo & Eddie.

He makes the startling revelation that FZ did smoke some pot- in between orgies.

There was a little bit about Judee Sill and her husband, Bob Harris, a great jazz pianist who played with the MOI in 1971.

Not exactly a startling revelation. Zappa always said pot made him sleepy, which is why he didn't smoke much of it.

[sgcim]

I just took a glance at Howard Kaylan's new book, "Shell Shocked", a memoir of his days with the Turtles, Zappa and Flo & Eddie.

He makes the startling revelation that FZ did smoke some pot- in between orgies.

There was a little bit about Judee Sill and her husband, Bob Harris, a great jazz pianist who played with the MOI in 1971.

Not exactly a startling revelation. Zappa always said pot made him sleepy, which is why he didn't smoke much of it.

The way HK wrote about it in the book made it seem like it was a "startling revelation". FZ always cultivated the image of being anti-drug. That's why it seemed strange to me that he hired BH(1), who was a life-long junkie.

Getting back to FZ as a person, I used to work with a drummer who went on the road with FZ as a percussionist, and he said FZ was a cheap prick, who tried to screw the band whenever he could.

[StarThrower]

But FZ probably paid better than what a lot of these unknown at the time musicians were making playing bars. And after the Zappa gig, their resumes were a lot more attractive.

I'd like my boss to pay me more too, but that's life. If you don't like the pay, start your own business and take on all of the responsibilities that go with it.

[Chalupa]

Frank Zappa would have turned 73 today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp6LT2MdaPI#t=464

[mjzee]

Popmarket has a Zappa vinyl deal today: Freak Out, Uncle Meat and Overnite Sensation for $69.99.

[7/4]

[StarThrower]

FZ was such a romantic!

[Guy Berger]

More working through the backlog - over the past few weeks I've been listening to the CDs of Grand Wazoo and Waka/Jawaka that I got about 6 years ago. Great stuff - at least, the instrumental sections.

[Thomas Jackson]

Freshmen year in college some cats invited me to a Zappa party. Didn't know who the hell Zappa was not much of him played in my hood at the time. That night I smoked more weed than anytime prior in my life. Don't know if it played a part in me digging Zappa but I did become a fan with " Over-Nite Sensation , Hot Rats and The Grand Wazoo.

word

Edited December 18, 2014 by Thomas Jackson

[Scott Dolan]

Those are three of his best albums. Good introduction.

[mjzee]

Not sure which is the "official" Zappa thread in our Artists forum, so I'll post this in both (can they be combined?):

https://www.zappa.com/news/frank-zappas-beloved-live-double-album-zappa-new-york-celebrated-suite-40th-anniversary

[sgcim]

There's a new book on Zappa's entire recorded episode called, "The Big Note" by Chas. Ulrich. I did some research for Ulrich on Bob Harris(1), a jazz pianist who played on the Live at the Fillmore East LP (1971), so I should be mentioned in it somewhere. 

http://www.newstarbooks.com/book.php?book_id=1554201462

I also did some research on Harris for the documentary film on Judee Sill coming out soon, so I should be mentioned in that, too.

My mommy always told me I'd be famous one day...

[Ken Dryden]

It is always fun to see yourself cited in a new book and/or thanked in the author's preface. 

[sgcim]

On 1/29/2019 at 4:14 PM, sgcim said:

There's a new book on Zappa's entire recorded episode called, "The Big Note" by Chas. Ulrich. I did some research for Ulrich on Bob Harris(1), a jazz pianist who played on the Live at the Fillmore East LP (1971), so I should be mentioned in it somewhere. 

http://www.newstarbooks.com/book.php?book_id=1554201462

I also did some research on Harris for the documentary film on Judee Sill coming out soon, so I should be mentioned in that, too.

My mommy always told me I'd be famous one day...

I finally got my hands on the book I mentioned above, and there is no doubt that "The Big Note" will be the definitive resource on FZ in the 21st Century. It is 740 pages of exhaustive research on every aspect of FZ's 60 commercially released albums, and even information on the 40 bootleg albums still circulating.

The central thesis of the book is FZ's contention that his entire output is interrelated, and one can listen to his last works, and still find connections to aspects of his first album "Absolutely Free", recorded in 1966. FZ called this "Project/Object"

Just reading the introduction, I learned that musicians as disparate as Don Ellis, Van Dyke Parks and Jim Fielder were involved with the early MOI. When I finally finished the 35 page Introduction, I encountered the basic outline of the whole book. Each song on each album is analyzed musically, lyrically, and historically, with FZ's incredible use of quotes from pieces such as 'Agon' and The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky, coupled with obscure 50's R&B songs, current hits, and of course, "Louie,Louie"!

Every interview with FZ is used as commentary on musical, social, historical aspects of the song, and respected musical theorists, former band members, and FZ family members are also quoted. The fact that my name is mentioned in the Acknowledgements section will firmly cement my street cred in the quickly aging (if not already dead) world of FZ groupies.