"Zappa The Hard Way"
In 1988, Frank Zappa toured with a twelve-piece band that had rehearsed for months, learned a repertoire of over 100 songs and played an entirely different set each night. It is why, in Zappa's own words, it was "the best band you never heard in your life" - a reference to East Coast American audiences who never got the chance to see this particular touring ensemble due to the disharmony between Zappa's "clonemeister" Scott Thunes and nine of the other band members.
'Zappa The Hard Way' documents that last tour, which deteriorated as the tour progressed through America and on to Europe.
If you think touring can be fun, think again! Yes there were groupies and the usual paraphernalia associated with rock 'n' roll, but there was also bitterness and skulduggery on a scale that no one could imagine. Author Andrew Greenaway has interviewed the surviving band members and others associated with the tour to unravel the goings on behind the scenes that drove Zappa to call a halt to proceedings, despite the huge personal financial losses.
The book will be released at the Zappanale festival, but it's already available for pre-order from the Wymer UK online store :
http://www.wymeruk.co.uk/Store/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=108
Saturday, July 3, 2010
ZAPPA AT THE ROUNDHOUSE FESTIVAL
Over at http://www.idiotbastard.com/news.htm, and also on FaceBook, Andrew might have found a good reason to visit London next November:
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/frank-zappa
5 Nov 2010 - 7 Nov 2010 / Roundhouse Main Space
'Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best...' Frank Zappa
To celebrate what would have been Frank Zappa's 70th birthday, Zappa at the Roundhouse is a three day festival from 5–7 November that will celebrate the life and music of this legendary American artist. The programme includes performances from his son Dweezil Zappa, screenings of previously unseen film footage, world premieres of unheard Zappa material, Q&A sessions with members of the Zappa family and music masterclasses with various members of Zappa's backing bands. Full programme and event details to be announced soon!
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/frank-zappa
5 Nov 2010 - 7 Nov 2010 / Roundhouse Main Space
'Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best...' Frank Zappa
To celebrate what would have been Frank Zappa's 70th birthday, Zappa at the Roundhouse is a three day festival from 5–7 November that will celebrate the life and music of this legendary American artist. The programme includes performances from his son Dweezil Zappa, screenings of previously unseen film footage, world premieres of unheard Zappa material, Q&A sessions with members of the Zappa family and music masterclasses with various members of Zappa's backing bands. Full programme and event details to be announced soon!
STRICTLY FRANKLY ZAPPATIKA
Zappatika says:
"We have long planned to release a dedicated 100% Frank Zappa tribute album and have been putting this together over recent months from various live performances and some studio work....
This album will be called STRICTLY FRANKLY .
Some of the tracks on the album are COSMIK DEBRIS, I AM THE SLIME, SLEEP DIRT, TORTURE NEVER STOPS, BLACK NAPKINS, SANTANA VARIATIONS, WE ARE NOT ALONE and much, much more!
The first copies will be available after our show at ZAPPANALE so ,if you are there you can get yours first!"
"We have long planned to release a dedicated 100% Frank Zappa tribute album and have been putting this together over recent months from various live performances and some studio work....
This album will be called STRICTLY FRANKLY .
Some of the tracks on the album are COSMIK DEBRIS, I AM THE SLIME, SLEEP DIRT, TORTURE NEVER STOPS, BLACK NAPKINS, SANTANA VARIATIONS, WE ARE NOT ALONE and much, much more!
The first copies will be available after our show at ZAPPANALE so ,if you are there you can get yours first!"
KIMONO DRAGGIN' IN CONCERT
Kimono Draggin' and Chumps will be playing at 'Rudy's (372 Elm Street, New Haven, CT, usa) next Saturday 2010/07/10 !!http://www.kimonodraggin.com
THE KINGS OF BELGIUM IN CONCERT
The Kings Of Belgium will be playing a concert in Ghent later this month.
Gil Mortio on the guitar, Pierre Vervloesem on bass, and Al Battor on drums.
July 14, 2010, at El Negocito's (that's Brabantdam 121, in Ghent, Belgium).
Gil Mortio on the guitar, Pierre Vervloesem on bass, and Al Battor on drums.
July 14, 2010, at El Negocito's (that's Brabantdam 121, in Ghent, Belgium).
SUN RA ARKESTRA - LIVE AT THE PALOMINO
- sun ra arkestra: volume one - live at the palomino
( 2005, dvd, usa, transparency 0170)
"Live At The Palomino" was the first Sun Ra video release on the Transparency label.
It presented the 1988/05/11 North Hollywood concert (at The Palomino), a Sun Ra and Don Cherry concert, and a TV interview with Sun Ra.
I listed the Sun Ra videos that got released by Transparency about half a year ago or so. At that time, I hadn't seen them. I just wanted to paste the info into the Sun Ra entry.
If I'm not mistaken, someone (let's call him Pete B. to make the whole scene a bit more realistic) added that the quality of the video wasn't too good, and that the release was aimed at die-hards only, or something like that.
That's certainly true for the first part of "Live At The Palomino". The recording of the Arkestra set is most probably shot from the audience, and the images are a bit blurry.
The second part, Sun Ra with Don Cherry, looks like it was recorded by a professional. Pretty impressive.
And the third chapter, the interview, looks rather good as well. It's from "New Visions" at VH-1, and the source for both the Sun Ra/Don Cherry concert, and the interview is probably a 2nd or 3rd generation copy.
"Live At The Palomino" is an enjoyable recording.
Saturnians will love this.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
VARIOUS ARTISTS - 21 BURNT WEENY SANDWICHES
- various artists: 21 burnt weeny sandwiches
(2010, cd, uk, cordelia records)
Fraz (Knapp) is to blame for all this. Here's what he said when first floating the idea: "Imagine...Burnt Weeny Sandwich (anniversary)...the entire album in one song x by 20 artists or so...each artist creatively fits in all the melody's and arrangements into a 3-4 min piece, then a choice producer compiles his choice of each piece from all of the contributions to compile his own version of the album...may sound a bit weird but I've been playing with it and it could work...ie. set out some of the grooves from the album and go about fitting the melody's etc. over the top and inbetweens?"
The result is in my CD-player right now, and I'll sure give it another set of spins the next couple of weeks.
"Burnt Weeny..." is one of my favourite albums. Not in the least because it was one of the first Zappa records that I heard. Together with "Weasels...".
It must have been around 1980 or 1981, and I've been a Zappa-head ever since.
For "21 Burnt Weeny Sandwiches", Andrew Greenaway contacted artists that were already familiar with FZ's music.
Hans Annéllsson, Lee Rosevere, Doot!, Nigey Lennon, Michel Delville, DJ Goat, Zappatika, and many more all give their impression of Zappa's BWS.
This is superb. I love the idea, and I love the result even better.
Congrats to both Andrew Greenaway and to Cordelia Records for this superb record!
Essential listening for every Zappa freak.
http://idiotbastard.com/21xBWS.htm
Available from Cordelia Records:
http://www.cordeliarecords.co.uk/
UGLY RADIO REBELLION UPDATE
Ugly Radio Rebellion performs the music of Frank Zappa with Ike Willis...
- 2010/07/07 concert Callahans, Auburn Hills, MI 48326, usa
www.atcallahans.com - 2010/07/08 concert The Intersection, Grand Rapids. MI 49503, usa
www.sectionlive.com - 2010/07/09 concert The Strutt, Kalamazoo, MI 49007-4518, usa
www.thestrutt.com - 2010/07/10 concert Reggies Live, Chicago, Illinois 60616, usa
www.reggieslive.com - 2010/07/11 concert Reggies Live, Chicago, Illinois 60616
www.reggieslive.com
THE COVERGIRLS - SHOW ME
- the covergirls: show me
(1987, lp, usa, fever / sutra records sfd 004)
Dweezil Zappa's coming to Yurrip in about a week, so it's time to get a couple of weird connections in the cd-player.
In 1987, The Covergirls released "Show Me", an album that sounds like their album cover looks: slightly outdated late eighties synthesizer disco.
And believe it or not, but Dweezil Zappa got a guitar solo in 'Love Emergency'.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - FRESH CUTS - VOL.1
- various artists: fresh cuts - vol 1
(2007, cd, usa, guitar center)
Guitar Center released this "Fresh Cuts" sampler using the slogan: "Featuring Some Of Guitar Center's Best Bands...".
To be honest, I don't have a clue as to who or what Guitar Center is. The sampler does, however, list a track by Dweezil Zappa. The track is entitled "Magic Carolina", and is in fact the Zappa Plays Zappa band (with Napoleon Murphy Brock) performing (an 11-minute plus version of) FZ's 'Magic Fingers' plus 'Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy'.
What a nice surprise!
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