Digging this Zappa Performance

[FretlessOnly]

Just thought I'd share. Great funk groove, silly, but family-friendly lyrics (well, more or less - no obscenity or crudeness), and FZ really starts to tear it up just before 2:00.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-N8uKzC03E

[cjj]

Man, I'm gonna have to look into that dental floss stuff, it might be more profitable than this wheat, barley, and alfalfa...

[goofyfoot]

Dig it. Zappa was always a happenin' soul.......one step ahead of most peeps. Didn't lose any friends over it but some of 'em couldn't see what I was gettin' outta listenin' to The Mothers. Thanks for sharing, brah.......Goofyfoot

[FretlessOnly]

Man, I'm gonna have to look into that dental floss stuff, it might be more profitable than this wheat, barley, and alfalfa...

Well your signature fits more or less pretty well with FZ's outfit, that's for sure! More profitable than wheat, barley, and alfalfa, for sure, but not what he's really meanin'.

And Goofyfoot - you've probably seen this before, but glad you dug it. I saw FZ and his band (whatever he was calling it those days) in Worcester, MA in 1983 (maybe '84?), and of the 100-odd concerts (to distinguish from "shows" in small venues) I've seen in my life, that one ranks in the top 5 easily. These musicians up there, doing insane things; playing notes that don't exist; hamming it up and hammering beautiful solos at the same time. Insanity and beauty all at the same time.

[goofyfoot]

.....And Goofyfoot - you've probably seen this before, but glad you dug it. I saw FZ and his band (whatever he was calling it those days) in Worcester, MA in 1983 (maybe '84?), and of the 100-odd concerts (to distinguish from "shows" in small venues) I've seen in my life, that one ranks in the top 5 easily. These musicians up there, doing insane things; playing notes that don't exist; hamming it up and hammering beautiful solos at the same time. Insanity and beauty all at the same time.

FretlessOnly.....Yeah, it's sort of like "Dissonance With Synergy," à la Cecil Taylor meets Ornette Coleman or Eric Dolphy meets Sun Ra. Gotta love it, bruddah. Keep on keepin' on.....G-foot.

[winston]

Ah! Frank. He was like a breath of fresh air in room full of stale bodies. I have always loved his musical artform.

Someone should have told him not to mix plaids though............. Now we have to close our eyes when we go see David Lindley thanks to Frank's influence on him.

[wayang]

I had the good fortune to be able to attend several Zappa shows over the years, beginning in 1974 at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Az. (The opening act was an unknown singer/songwriter named Tom Waits.) Frank was a true American hero whose honesty and intelligence came through in everything he did. Musically, he was the rock scene's equivalent of Edgard Varese or Charlie Parker. His death at what we nowadays think of as an early age frequently inspires peolpe to make maudlin comments like 'he was taken from us too soon', etc. I don't happen to subscribe to that kind of judgement/pronouncement, as it connotes some kind of ability on anyone's part to know how long anyone else 'should' live. I prefer to think that Frank came along just at the right time, and did as much as he could while he was here. That's my kind of role model. Here are a couple of clips of interviews he did which I think capture his intellect and wit very well...first, one of his last interviews, given as he was slowly dying of cancer, which was shown on the Today Show:

Video #2 deleted for profanity. Sorry Dane!
...and, for those who enjoy a livelier discussion than is the norm for shows like this, Frank's appearance on Crossfire in 1986:

And here's Frank playing with his band for a live 'simulcast' done by MTV and beamed via satellite around the world...a delightful instrumental piece that showcases his singular approach to the guitar, Black Napkins:

Hoping not to sound boastful, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person ever to have played the studio recording of that piece on Armed Forces Radio...

[ram]

John thanks - great memories!

Dane, I think the sentiment there is more of a selfish desire, to be further stimulated by more of the same, for longer than happened - not a presumption as to the duration of ones span.

- man would I have liked to be stimulated more here!! Zappa had a great body of work!!!

Dane - great move playing the piece on AF radio! I applaud you sir!

[goofyfoot]

Hoping not to sound boastful, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person ever to have played the studio recording of that piece on Armed Forces Radio...

Cogent points, wayang. Thanks for sharing 'em, brah. And by all means.......boast, boast, boast! This DoD brat grew up listening to Armed Forces Radio & Television Network for the first 17 years of his life (Tokyo and Okinawa). What would I have done without you cats in the booth? Thanks, again! Peace, out.....Goofyfoot.

[atomic_punk]

That sure sounds like the '73-'74 band. One of his best, for me.
I've never seen that clip before, thanks for posting it.
Those are some pretty spifficent duds Mr. Zappa has on, especially pre-grunge.
I only got to start seeing him in 1981, but saw quite a few when I had the opportunity.
A huge influence on my music and my life. Greatly missed.

Just watched that 1993 interview again. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he said "I don't care". Made me tear up a little bit because I miss that honesty that he had.
Perfect quote from him, but he will never be forgotten.

[atomic_punk]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kBQPkLuwy80&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kBQPkLuwy80&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

This is the one he closed with the last night I saw him in 1988. (the third night of 3 shows in 3 nights.) The one I always remember him by, one of my favorite solos of his.

[just_bassics]

John, thanks for sharing. That song was my best friends favorite in HS and he would sing it constantly. You gave me a good laugh this morning!

We saw Frank in 1977 (?) in Pittsburgh's Stanley Theatre. He was amazing! The only word that ever comes to mind when I hear him solo is "Blistering"... What an amazing talent taken too soon.

[squirefan01]

I have to recommend the current "Zappa Plays Zappa" tours that Frank's son Dweezil has put togehter. They are a mix or older Zappa band musicians (Steve Vai, Terry Bozio, Napolean Brock Murphy) with awesome younger musicians. I have seen the tour twice and they are very tight. Dweezil has turned into a very impressive guitar player IMO (I like his style better than Vai's) and excellent band leader.

There is a DVD out of their show. They won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance last year for "Peaches en Regalia".

I think they are touring this year again.

[atomic_punk]

Zappa Plays Zappa is very good. I've seen them twice and was impressed both times. They mixed up the material too so it was not always the same.
And yes, Dweezil has become a much better and well rounded guitarist. I highly recommend if you are a Zappa fan.

[collin]

I tried....I really did. I just couldn't make it through that whole video.


I guess Zappa is just not "my bag." I like some of the other stuff--Joe's Garage etc, but even then......he's only mildly amusing, not really amazing.