GREETINGS FROM PAMPLONA

We, Zappa fans, see clues to our musical hero everywhere.

Below picture was sent in by Jeroen, taken in Pamplona. He added:
"Although the resemblance to Zappa is probably more a matter of chance than anything else."

MIKE KENEALLY / THE BANNED FROM UTOPIA

 

THE 180Gs

 The 180Gs have recorded a cappella versions of Captain Beefheart's "Trout Mask Replica", The Residents' "The Commercial Album", and The Cardiacs' "Sing To God".
Three albums that you should have checked out in the past.

The next project by The 180Gs is "Son Of Guns", their reworking of The Cardiacs' "Guns" album.

And while at Bandcamp, also give "Reverse Engineering: Remix Contest Music 2009-2012, vol. 2" a listen. David Minnick (the 180G mastermind) isolated the vocal part of some famous songs, and added new music to it, changing harmony, rhythm and temp.
Quite interesting.
On a side note: the album has 'Well' (Don Van Vliet), taken from the 180Gs "Trout Mask Replica" as a bonus track.

PAMELA DES BARRES

 A Czech version of Pamela Des Barres' "I'm With The Band" book, is being prepared.

STEPHEN STEINBRINK - UTOPIA TEASED

• Stephen Steinbrink: Utopia Teased
      (2018, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2018, cd, UK, melodic)

Stephen Steinbrink's "Utopia Teased" album arrived a couple of days ago.
As mentioned last month, the album includes a piece entitled 'Zappa Dream', written by Rosie Steffy and previously recorded by La Dee Da.

"Utopia Teased" presents low-fi pop music. The background of this album is heavy. Devastated by the tragic Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, which claimed the life of a close friend, Steinbrink processed his immense grief by isolating himself in his studio. Taking LSD daily and refusing sleep, he poured his fractured psyche directly onto tape, deliberately driving preamps to reflect how "fried" and pulverized his brain felt.

Despite the heavy blanket of trauma, the 12-track album glimmers with surprising lightness, floating somewhere between the delicate pop and the hazy, psychedelic drifts.

HIBUSHIBIRE - PHANTOM FUZZY EXOTICA

• Hibushibire: Phantom Fuzzy Exotica
      (2026, download / streaming, --, bandcamp)
      (2026, lp, --, riot season records) – purple vinyl / 300 copies

Japanese psychedelic rock trio Hibushibire's 5th studio album got released in 2026: “Phantom Fuzzy Exotica’.
It included ‘Invocation And Ritual Dance Of The Electric Nonsense’, for which the Bandcamp page added:
Hard psychedelic jazz rock. The title is a little nod to Frank Zappa.

Released as a digital download through Bandcamp, the album was also made available in different vinyl variations.

The "retail version" was on purple vinyl and limited to 300 copies. Also sold during the recent EU tour.

Bandcamp:

-- info: Philippe Lamoot

THE BANNED FROM UTOPIA

The Banned From Utopia is still touring !

Here's one of the highlights from their recent concert at De Boerderij, NL

And a fine recording from De Singer, BE

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17 HIPPIES - BIESTER

• 17 Hippies: Biester
      (2014, cd, Germany, hipster-records hip 016)
      (2014, lp, Germany, hipster-records hip 016 lp)

Fascinating: there are two different versions of the CD. It was made available in both a 3-panel digipack and in a 2-panel digipack. Same label, same reference number.
All versions included 17 Hippies' version of Frank Zappa’s ‘Peaches En Regalia”.

Here's 'Peaches En Regalia':

ALTERATIVE TV - THE IMAGE HAS CRACKED - THE ALTERNATIVE TV COLLECTION

• Alternative TV: The Image Has Cracked – The Alternative TV Collection
      (1994, cd, UK, anagram records cd punk 24)

Somehow, I had missed this 1994 re-issue of Alternative TV's 1978 album.
It's not just a re-issue as it includes 10 bonus tracks !

It included ‘Why Don’tcha Do Me Right’, originally on the 1978 album.

BEAT - - - CITY OF TINY LITES

BEAT (Belew, Vai, Levin, Bozzio): "City of Tiny Lites" (Zappa)
(10/9/2026; Santa Cruz, CA, USA)

Wow !!

Terry's drum solo

-- info: Dirk Verschaeve