Thursday, September 27, 2018

SECRET CHIEFS 3 - LIVE AT THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL

Adding data to the Secret Chiefs 3 discography.
"Live At The Great American Music Hall" got released in 2009.

From Midheaven.com :
Live at the Great American Music Hall captures Secret Chiefs 3 in concert with what many consider to be the best of their many lineups in 14 years of playing. Shot in 2007 at one of the band's favorite haunts, this DVD does justice to a group whose live energy usually exceeds the recorded medium. Renowned for their ultra-elaborate CD productions, Secret Chiefs 3 has also garnered a reputation for the power and immediacy of their live shows. Their fanbase has swelled in recent years and grown accustomed to this live incarnation (the Secret Chiefs 3 bootleg scene is thriving), and they demand an official release! Not just some audience-hand-cam and stereo-mic-job thing, this DVD boasts a pro six-camera shoot with live sound mixed by Billy Anderson, with the multi-channel outs mixed for DVD by Trey Spruance and Randall Dunn (producer of Earth, SUNNO))), Kinski, Wolves in the Throne Room, etc). And it comes with a really nice six-panel gatefold digi-pack with original artwork.

At the show, Secret Chiefs 3 performs a set of both familiar and as-yet-unreleased music. The line-up includes Ches Smith (Xiu Xiu, Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog), Shahzad Ismaili (who also plays with Graham Haynes, Laurie Anderson, and Tom Waits), Timb Harris (Estradasphere), Rich Doucette, Peijman Kouretchian, and Jai Young Kim. Live at the Great American Music Hall also has an award-winning and seriously dimensionally altered 80-minute stop-motion animation feature film directed by Tawd Dornfeld that uses Secret Chiefs 3's live show as a soundtrack.


BERT DOCKX - TRANSIT

I finally managed to get the data for Bert Dockx's "Transit" album in the Archives.
Solo guitar. And some vocals.
Superb.

Bert Dockx is the composer / guitar player for Flying Horseman and for Dans Dans. He will be touring with his most recent OTTLA project later this year.
Something to look forward to.

In the meantime, I'm happy to hear "Transit".



NEW ZAPPA BOOKS

Next to the previously mentioned libretto for "200 Motels, The Suites", there's another two Zappa books about to surface.

The French version of "Them Or Us" got released last week and should be available at the forthcoming Paris concerts.

And there's a Dutch book scheduled for release in November. Written by Peter Sijnke and entitled "Zappa - Controversieel Componist".



FRANK ZAPPA - 200 MOTELS, THE SUITES - THE LIBRETTO


Next to the very informative program booklet that was distributed during the concert, there was also a beautiful book for sale.
About 90 pages with the complete libretto in French and in English, plus some black and white pictures.
Published by T&M.



THE HEADSHAKERS - WE JAZZ WE ROCK WE FUNK

Now here's a nice surprise !!
The Headshakers released their first album in 2015. Before this album, however, the band already released two EP's.

The first one, from 2010, and in the meantime only available as a digital download, can be found here:

The second one, "We Jazz We Rock We Funk" can also be found on Bandcamp but it's also still available on compact disc.
Three funky tracks, AND a hidden track : a superb version of Frank Zappa's 'I'm The Slime'. In French. Love it.
An excellent addition to The Others Of Invention.


NEW ALBUM BY PIERRE VERVLOESEM AND ALINOVSKY


"Invisible Quality", the new album by Pierre Vervloesem and Alinovsky, is available from the Off Records label.

http://off-recordlabel.blogspot.com/2018/09/opv013-pierre-vervloesem-alinovsky.html



ALTUN GÜN RELEASES 7"


Altin Gün just released 'Cemalim / Vay Dünya' on 7" on the Les Disques Bongo Joe record label.

Very nice.



THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND UPDATE


October 19 and 20 at 'The Iridium'

ED PALERMO BIG BAND WITH NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK





KLOOT PER W AND MAURO PAWLOWSKI

On his latest release, "Inhale Slowly And Feel", Kloot Per W recorded a number of Velvet Underground tracks.
Featuring Mauro Pawlowski.



VINNIE COLAIUTA AND AYNSLEY DUNBAR


Former Zappa drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Aynsley Dunbar contributed to the "Spin The Bottle" Kiss-tribute album that got released in 2004.
The album will get a new package and a new title plus a bonus DVD and will be re-released as "Pure Fire".

1. Detroit Rock City - Dee Snider, Doug Aldrich, Marco Mendoza, John Tempesta
2. Love Gun - Tommy Shaw, Steve Lukather, Tim Bogert, Jay Schellen
3. Cold Gin - Mark Slaughter, Ryan Roxy, Robben Ford, Phil Soussan, Steve Riley
4. King Of The Night Time World - Chris Jericho, Rich Ward, Mike Inez, Fred Coury
5. I Want You - Kip Winger, Paul Gilbert, Greg Bissonette
6. God Of Thunder - Buzz Osbourne, Bruce Kulick, Blasko, Carmine Appice
7. Calling Dr. Love - Page Hamilton, Mike Porcaro, Greg Bissonette
8. Shout It Out Loud - Lemmy Kilmister, Jennifer Batten, Bob Kulick, Samantha Maloney
9. Parasite - Dug Pinnick, Bob Kulick, John Alderete, Vinnie Colaiuta
10. Strutter - Phil Lewis, Gilby Clarke, Jeff Pilson, Bobby Rock
11. Stole Your Love - Robin McAuley, C.C. DeVille, Tony Franklin, Aynsley Dunba



Wednesday, September 26, 2018

THE HEADSHAKERS - THS

The Headshakers added the rock sound to the recent symphonic concert of Frank Zappa's "200 Motels, The Suites" in Strasbourg, France. Their name had already crossed this blog as they did a short tour with Napoleon Murphy Brock in 2016, performing the music of a certain FZ.
Reason enough to take a copy of their album home.

"THS" presents an incredible funky band. The title of the second track (and of their previous EP) says it all: We Jazz We Rock We Funk.
If you're into the music of the JB Horns or Candy Dulfer, this will be right up your alley !
Funky horns and a distorted guitar... What else do you need?

If you're going to the Paris performance of "200 Motels, The Suites", be sure to buy a copy of this album !
Or check out their website or bandcamp page.


The Headshakers with Napoleon Murphy Brock, from 2016 :




LIVE STREAMING DURING THE ZAPPA WEEKEND IN PARIS

Two of the concerts of the Zappa Festival will be streamed live :

L'ENSEMBLE INTERCONTEMPORAIN JOUE ZAPPA, GANDER, ZORN, VARÈSE

https://live.philharmoniedeparis.fr/concert/1087664.html


FRANK ZAPPA. 200 MOTELS - THE SUITES : LÉO WARYNSKI, ANTOINE GINDT

https://live.philharmoniedeparis.fr/concert/1087903/



MOSAE ZAPPA #5

The fifth edition of Mosae Zappa is scheduled for November 23 and 24, 2018.
It will take place at 'De Oefenbunker' in Landgraaf, NL, close to the Belgian and the German border.

With :

  • 2000 Motels
  • De Schuldjongens
  • Lillo's Zapmospheres
  • The Wrong Object

Read more here : http://mosaezappa.com/


THE WRONG OBJECT

The Wrong Object is about to release two new albums : "Zappa Jawaka" and "Into The Herd".

"Zappa Jawaka" will be presented during the next edition of the Mosae Zappa Festival, November 23/24.

Here's the album covers (as posted by Michel Delville on Facebook) :

The Zappa tribute album, mixed by Pierre Vervloesem !!

"Into The Herd"

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

FRANK ZAPPA'S "200 MOTELS, THE SUITES", LIVE IN STRASBOURG


Last Friday we happened to be in Strasbourg. Not really a coincidence as one of the main events of the Musica 2018 festival was a performance of Frank Zappa's "200 Motels, The Suites" by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Les Percussions de Strasbourg, The Headshakers, Les Métaboles, and by vocalists and performers
  • L’Animateur TV (Cowboy Burt) : Lionel Peintre
  • Janet (La Journaliste) : Marina Ruiz
  • Lucy (Donovan) : Aliénor Feix
  • Frank (Larry the Dwarf, Jeff) : Dominic Gould
  • Mark : Zachary Wilder
  • Howard : Nicholas Scott
  • La Soprano solo : Mélanie Boisvert
  • Rance (Ginger) : Nicholas Isherwood
Musical director: Léo Warynski.

Contrary to previous performances that I had attended (Holland Festival in Amsterdam, Arf Arf Arf in Antwerp, The Rest Is Noise in London), the Strasbourg event was more brought as a play, as an opera as it were. The story was 'performed' by the vocalists and it got emphasized by a big screen that made it all very visible.
Extraordinary.
The musical part was simply amazing.
Vocals in front of the mix, rock accents by The Headshakers, powerful vocals by the Les Métaboles choir, and symphonic energy by the Orchestra and the Percussion Ensemble.

Loved it.



Tomorrow on Radio France.
Audience recordings on Dime and on Zappateers.
And next weekend live in Paris !


THOMAS NORDEGG'S SUPER STRAT


Thomas Nordegg’s “Super Strat” Signed by Over 100 Guitar Gods!

Thomas Nordegg, guitar tech to the stars (Zappa, Missing Persons, Steve Vai, Dweezil, John Pettrucci, etc.) has accumulated over 100 signatures during his work with these immistakeble forces on the guitar:

Part of Steve Vai's Pledge campaign
https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/steve-vai-jamathon-2018






Monday, September 24, 2018

ZAPPA'S "THE YELLOW SHARK" TO BE PERFORMED AT THE BIENNALE DI VENEZIA

Frank Zappa's "The Yellow Shark" to be performed during the Biennale di Venezia festival.

September 28, 2018

http://www.labiennale.org/en/news/biennale-musica-2018-crossover-between-europe-and-america

Open to a “more up-to-date interpretation of the concept of contemporary”, following the thought of Director Ivan Fedele, and dedicated to the musical influences between Europe and the Americas, the 62nd International Festival of Contemporary Music, titled Crossing the Atlantic, will take place in Venice from September 28th to October 7th.

The Yellow Shark by Frank Zappa, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Keith Jarrett, María de Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla, Aliados by Sebastian Rivas, the Victor Wooten Trio are just some examples of how every type of music can be enriched by the experience of another, can absorb its lesson and return it in new form.

Performed for the first time in 1992 at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Frank Zappa’s masterpiece The Yellow Shark inaugurates the 62nd Festival in its complete version with the 26 elements of the Parco della Musica Contemporanea Ensemble conducted by Tonino Battista and the participation of David Moss, one of the most original vocalists in the world, who has previously performed Zappa's work. The Yellow Shark is considered the highest synthesis of Frank Zappa’s creative intelligence, the expression of a musical thought that ranges freely across all genres, capable of merging orchestral score and improvisation, experimental rock and academic avant-garde, performance and interpretative detail.

September 28, 2018

Here's the program :

http://www.labiennale.org/en/music/2018/biennale-musica-2018/pmce-parco-della-musica-contemporanea-ensemble-2018-09-28-20-00


Sunday, September 23, 2018

HARDY FOX'S "NACHTZUG" ALBUM AVAILABLE ON BANDCAMP

It got released on the Klanggalerie record label a little while ago and now the album has also found its way to Bandcamp,
Hardy Fox - "Night Train" :




ZAPPA WEEKEND IN PARIS

There will be lots of things happening in Paris during the Zappa Weekend on September 28, 29 and 30.



Here's the complete list of events :
https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/programming/thematic-weekends/zappa-weekend

Don't forget that you need a reservation for the symposia (Friday and Saturday) and for the Stupor Mundi screening !
It's free entrance, but you need to reserve.

Ike Willis and Bunk Gardner will participate, as will Ali N.Askin.

Check out the full (Zappologies Symposium) details here:
https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/sites/default/files/documents/npa_28_et_29-09-2018_vend_et_sam_9h30_zappologies_colloque_19764_p2_bd.pdf


HARDY FOX'S LATEST RELEASE

Released yesterday.
A 42-minute piece by Hardy Fox.


Also out on CD. Available from Klanggalerie :
http://www.klanggalerie.com/gg294


THE 180 GS PLAY THE RESIDENTS


The 180 GS recorded an a capella version of the entire Residents' "Commercial Album".
Due out later this month on the Klanggalerie record label.



HARDY FOX

In his most recent and last newsletter Hardy Fox wrote :

Hi from, me, Hardy. Yes got sick, making my pass out of this world, but it is "all" okay. I have something in my brain that will last to a brief end. I am 73 as you might know. Brains go down. But maybe here is my brain functioning as I'm almost a dead person just a bit of go yet. Doctors have put me on drugs, LOL, for right now.

Anyway. Probably the last of seeing me. Thanks for checking in.

Love you all

Hardy


Thanks for the fine music, Hardy !!


Wednesday, September 19, 2018

GOV'T MULE - DEJA VOODOO

In 2005, "Déjà Voodoo" announced the new line-up of Gov't Mule. Warren Haynes and Matt Abts were joined by Danny Louis (keyboards) and Any Hess (bass) on a permanent basis.

An excellent album.

"Déjà Voodoo" has seen a couple of different editions. The one that I have is a 2CD set with a 5-track bonus album "Live In Chicago". Beautiful.
And there's also a version that comes with a bonus EP called "Mo' Voodoo"...

Anyway, a soulful album by southern rock jam band Gov't Mule.
Give it a listen.



SHISHANI AND NAMIBIAN TALES

I caught Shishani and Namibian Tales performing "Kalahari Encounters" at the Plusetage in Baarle Nassau, NL, a couple of months ago.
Here's another snippet. This time from the Afrika Festival in Hertme, NL.




FABRIZIO CASSOL, SERGE KAKUDJI & RODRIGUEZ VANGAMA - COUP FATAL

On "Coup Fatal", Fabrizio Cassol (musical direction) added Congolese countertenor Serge Kakudji to 13 traditional musicians from Kinshasa to perform a number of baroque inspired compositions.

Interesting.
I would have loved to hear Fabrizio participate on the sax...



Tuesday, September 18, 2018

LOS VISIONARIOS


Los Visionarios released a new album : "Siquiatria Elemental".

Featuring
  • Manoel Marcia (The Visionary Of Lupa)
  • Luis G (Caballero Reynaldo)
  • Roman Garcia Albertos



200 MOTELS IN CONCERT IN STRASBOURG

Next Friday in Strasbourg, France.

Musique et texte, Frank Zappa
Direction musicale, Léo Warynski
Mise en scène, Antoine Gindt
Réalisation vidéo live, Philippe Béziat

Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
Les Métaboles
Les Percussions de Strasbourg

The HeadShakers


There are still tickets available !!

https://www.zenith-strasbourg.fr/fr/frank-zappa-21092018-2030


SPOONFISH

Spoonfish will be releasing another track from their upcoming album.
'The Hammer' is a stomping blues rock ditty that features Craig 'Twister' Steward on harmonica. You might know Twister from his contributions to Frank Zappa's "Joe's Garage" and "The Man From Utopia".

'The Hammer' got recorded at the Spoonfish Studio in Amsterdam and was mastered at SoundLAB in New Jersey, USA. It will be released through all digital platforms on September 30.



WHERE THE SHARK BUBBLES BLOW

If you want to check out the "Where The Shark Bubbles Blow" box (with various Frank Zappa concerts that have been broadcast on the radio), you should check out :

http://exystence.net/blog/2018/09/13/frank-zappa-and-the-mothers-of-invention-where-the-shark-bubbles-blow-classic-broadcasts-68-75-2018/


-- info: Jan van Kemenade

CARL KING UPDATE

Next to the CD and the digital download edition, Carl King's "Guns 'A Blazin' " has been released on 10" vinyl.




Monday, September 17, 2018

PHOENICIAN DRIVE

After two EP's ("Demos" and "Two Coins"), here's the band's first album !!
Brand-new release by Phoenician Drive.



FREE MARBIN SAMPLER


Marbin just released a free sampler to celebrate 200,000 likes :



MORE MULE


We are very excited to announce that Gov't Mule's annual New Year's run will return Saturday, December 29 and Monday, December 31 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, and make its return to the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, PA on Friday, December 28 with special guests Oteil & Friends.


GOV'T MULE - THE DEEP END VOLUME 1

Allen Woody, bass guitar player for The Allman Brothers Band and for Gov't Mule, passed away in 2000.
With "The Deep End Volume 1" Warren Haynes and Matt Abts paid their respect to Allen who had been Gov't Mule's bass guitar player since the start of things : they recorded several songs with bass players that Woody had admired.
Jack Bruce, Larry Graham, Mike Gordon, Flea, Mike Watt, Roger Glover, John Entwistle, Willie Weeks, Crhis Wood, Oteil Burbridge, Stefan Lessard and Bootsy Collins all contributed.
Plus guest appearances by Jerry Cantrell, John Scofiels, Gregg Allman, Derek Tucks, and many more.

Beautiful.



Saturday, September 15, 2018

SECRET CHIEFS 3 - BOOK OF SOULS : FOLIO A

Adding data for another fine album to the United Mutations Archives.

Book of Souls: Folio A is an album densely-packed with musical skyscrapers, Secret Chiefs 3's most elaborate work yet. Following the 7-band schemata laid out in Book of Horizons, Book of Souls establishes the depth of SC3's journey into otherwise lost musical possibilities. With productions based in studios in the SF Bay Area, NY, LA, Seattle, UK and France over the last 11 years, SC3 enlisted a small army of musicians -- or actually not so small, since the orchestral tasks demanded by the music seem effectively unlimited in number. On "Book of Souls: Folio A," it is evident that Secret Chiefs 3 continues to operate in blissful ignorance of current musical fashions, remaining enchanted only by what can be unlocked in modern mediums by applying a specific recipe of pre-modern (often ancient) processes to them.




DOG EAT DOG - LIVE AT DYNAMO

Dog Eat Dog recorded Frank Zappa's 'Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?' and released it as an extra track on their 1994 "If These Are Good Times" cd single.

The track got re-released on a couple of samplers, but there's also a live version available as their 1995 concert at the Dynamo Open Air Festival got released on DVD in 2005.

Here's the 1994 'If These Are Good Times' single.



SOLO ALBUM BY BERT DOCKX

Bert Dockx (Flying Horseman, Dans Dans) has a solo album out.
All coverversions.

I've only heard this one track, but I love it.

https://unday.lnk.to/transit




RESIDENTS COMPILATION ALBUM OUT ON SECRET RECORDS

Album artwork by the great Steve Cerio


A collection of songs fronted by Molly Harvey between 1994 and 2005. Includes one full length LP of studio recordings and one full length LP of live material. Take it all in and realize what an important and amazing addition Molly was to the ever morphing and mysterious Residents. 20 out of 24 of these tunes have never been on vinyl. 8 of them have never even been on CD and another 8 were only on rare, limited edition CDs. So grab this wonderful tribute to a wonderful weirdo.



ARTHUR BARROW

Arthur Barrow on FB:

I am pleased to say I have been invited to be part Steve Vai's 52 hour Jamathon charity event. I will be jamming from noon to 1pm on Saturday, 09/29/18 with Steve and other fine players at Musician's Institute in Hollywood. Should be a ball - I haven't seen Steve for years!


Friday, September 14, 2018

SECRET CHIEFS 3 - SATELLITE SUPERSONIC VOL 1

Listening to experimental collective Secret Chiefs 3 always is an adventure. Led by Trey Spruance (Mr Bungle, Faith No More), the band records an tours with different line-ups and even under different names.
The 2010 album "Satellite Supersonic Vol 1" is sort of a compilation. It collects material from different Secret Chiefs 3 ensembles (satellites) that had only been released on 7" vinyl. The exceptions: one different version, one unreleased track, and one track that had only been released on a sampler.

The band will be in Ghent on November 9, 2018, to celebrate "John Zorn 65".
Next to Trey Spruance, the SC3 septet will feature a.o. Eyvind Kang on violin and Ches Smith on drums



APPETIZER FOR THE NEW FREAK KITCHEN ALBUM


Take a look at Mattias' t-shirt  !!!


Here's one of my favorite videos :
Mattias explains how he uses Konnakol for all his crazy rhythms.



Wednesday, September 12, 2018

MATS / MORGAN - LIVE WITH NORRLANDSOPERAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

I have been enjoying the digital download of this album (the audio version) for quite some time but that hadn't prepared me for the beautiful package and the excellent DVD that's part of it.

Beautiful.
The album of the year can now also be enjoyed visually.
Out on the Morgan Records record label.

DVD of the concert
CD with the audio of the concert
CD Through The Eyes Of A Morgestra (studio version)



FREE SALAMANDER EXHIBIT - UNDESTROYED

Free Salamander Exhibit continues where the Sleepytime Gorilla Museum left off.

Experimental rock. Released on the Web Of Mimicry record label.
Excellent stuff.
Try it.



Tuesday, September 11, 2018

PHISH PLAYS LITTLE FEAT


In a fine tradition, on Halloween - October 31, 2010, Phish performed the entire Little Feat "Waiting For Columbus" album in concert.
Released on CD as part of their "LivePhishDownloads" series, but you can also give it a listen on youtube :


-- info: Danny Mathys

TROUVE - BLIJWEERT - PAWLOWSKI - NAGELS


SCREEN​/​Crossroads Soundtrack
by Rudy Trouvé, Elko Blijweert, Mauro Pawlowkski and Gunter Nagels




GENERATION AXE


The Guitars that Destroyed the World
Generation Axe is Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Tosin Abasi.

https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/generation-axe


STEVE VAI TO HOST 52-HOUR 'JAMATHON'


The Big Mama-Jama Jamathon

STEVE VAI TO HOST 52-HOUR ‘JAMATHON' FOR EXTRAORDINARY FAMILIES FOSTER CARE

https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/steve-vai-jamathon-2018

Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai will host and serve as the musical director for “The Big Mama-Jama Jamathon," a 52-hour long open musical event that takes place Sept. 28-30 at Musician’s Institute’s new venue LiveHouse in Los Angeles. Order exclusive merchandise, CDs, vinyl, unique artwork and more to support this worthy cause! Check out details and purchase tickets for the event at jamathon.org


Sunday, September 9, 2018

INTIGE TALUURE HAVE A NEW ALBUM OUT

Previously known as Phlitman and Kang, Intige Taluure have released a new album.
Actually, it's their first one and it's called "Tiger! Tiger! Steer Clear Of Heaven!'.

Fun !!
Recommended listening !!


https://intigetaluure.bandcamp.com/album/tiger-tiger-steer-clear-of-heaven

"After a few records and cassettes as Phlitman and Kang we decided to change our bandname to Intige Taluure, which is Scandinavian for something. Influences range from Beatles, Zappa, Residents and Shangri-Las to This Heat, WhaHaHa, Velvet Underground and B-52's. Home-made dadaist pop with lots of freedom and an adventurous spirit. It' s pop, jazz, rock, experimental...you name it. "




DEEP ENERGY ORCHESTRA


"Playing With Fire" is the debut live recording by Deep Energy Orchestra.

This super-group showcases prog-phenom Trey Gunn (King Crimson) and Indian percussion master Selvaganesh (Shakti, John McLaughlin, Jonas Helborg) teaming up with composer Jason Everett (Mister E), 7-string electric violinist Radhika Iyer and a Seattle-based classical string ensemble.

The official release date is October 16.



COATI MUNDI - OH! THAT LOVE DECISION

In 1983, Coati Mundi (of Kid Creole and the Coconuts) released his first solo album, "The  Former 12 Year Old Genius". The last track on the second side was a mambo version of Don Van Vlliet's 'Tropical Hot Dog Night'.

The same year, Virgin released a couple of singles from that album, one of which was "Oh! That Love Decision". The b-side of the 12"-version had an extended version of 'Tropical Hot Dog Night'.

Data has been added to the United Mutations Archives.
Here's the album version :



THE EX - AT BIMHUIS

  • the ex: at bimhuis
        (2015, 2cd, nl, ex records / bimhuis bim 011) - incl. 'suction print' (don van vliet)
Here's an album that I discovered only recently and I'm very glad that I did.

The Ex are a Dutch underground band that consists of Terrie Ex, Andy Moor, Katherina Ex and Arnold de Boer. Former memebers Luc Ex played the bass from 1983 until 2002 and GW Sok did the vocals from 1979 until 2009.
The Ex started out as a punk band but evolved into an experimental / improvised music ensemble. Over the years, they have worked and performed with Mats Gustafsson, Han Bennink, Jaap Blonk, Han Buhrs, Tom Cora and Joost Buis, to name just a few.

On a side note, Luc Ex (Luc Klaasen) started Rubatong after he had left The Ex.
(Luc Ex, René van Barneveld, Zlaya Hadzic, Tatiana Koleva and Han Buhrs). They released one superb album (in 2011).

The "At Bimhuis" 2 CD set collects live material from performances at the 'Bimhuis' jazz club in Amsterdam, NL with material from 1991 to 2015.
This is sublime.

Disc two presents the Ex Orkest performing Don Van Vliet / Captain Beefheart's 'Suction Prints'. From a 2002 concert.
It proves (again) that one can encounter some great music while searching for bands performing the music of Captain Beefheart !!



Saturday, September 8, 2018

JOHN TABACCO & NIGEY LENNON - THE MISEDUCATION OF WILLIE THE HILL

"This miniature rock musical was inspired by Frank Zappa’s original work,"Billy The Mountain". It follows Billy's (Willie) exploits after 1972.
The premise of this musical was concocted by Eric Weaver and Nigey Lennon.


The actual music was written to be performed by the Ed Palermo Big Band. That never happened, although Ed told us personally he thought the whole enchilada was great."

An excellent tribute to Frank Zappa's 'Billy The Mountain' by John Tabacco and the late Nigey Lennon.
Featuring Candy Zappa, Ed Palermo (and a part of his Big Band) and Ike Willis.
Check it out.



LIVE PHISH VOLUME 13

Shame on me !
The Phish 1994 Halloween concert (of which the second set was the Beatles tribute) has been officially released by the band as "Live Phish Volume 13".

I mentioned the "Unsurpassed White Album" bootleg yesterday.
Didn't know that it was released by the band as well.
"Excellent news that is, dear Padewan."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Phish_Volume_13


-- info: Danny Mathys

THE RESIDENTS - I AM A RESIDENT

  • the residents: i am a resident
        (2018, 2cd, uk, cherry red records cdbred727)
There's the one-disc-version that got released as part of the pledge campaign for "I Am A Resident" : 7 tracks / mash-ups of Residents songs.
Then there's the 2 CD version. The regular version. This one got released about two weeks ago. CD 1 has the mash-up versions, CD 2 has the fan-versions that were used to make the mash-ups.
Nice.

And I  haven't even mentioned the vinyl version that has yet another set of the fan-produced versions...



PULNOC WITH ELLIOTT SHARP AND GARY LUCAS - LIVE IN NEW YORK

Milan Hlavsa was part of Czech cult band Plastic People Of The Universe.
Later, Milan started his Pulnoc project. April 25, 1989, Milan took Pulnoc to New York City where they performed with special guests Eliott Sharp and Gary Lucas.
The concert got released on CD by the Globus International record label. (That's the same label that released Zappa albums on CD and on vinyl in the Czech Republic in the early ninetees !)

Data has been added to the Gary Lucas discography over at the United Mutations Archives.



IKE WILLIS & ZAPPATIKA - 2018 FALL TOUR - CONFIRMED DATES


IKE WILLIS and ZAPPATiKA performing music by Frank Zappa
2018 FALL TOUR TOUR (UK and The Netherlands)

  • Fri. 9th Nov.- LONDON (Camden) - The Black Heart
  • Sat.10th Nov. - (TBC)
  • Sun.11th Nov. - PLYMOUTH - The Junction
  • Mon.12th Nov. - PORTH (Wales) - The Rhondda Hotel
  • Tue.13th Nov. - SOUTHAMPTON - The 1865
  • Wed.14th Nov.- GRIMSBY - The Yardbirds Rock
  • Thu. 15th Nov. - EDINBURGH - Bannermans Bar
  • Fri. 16th Nov. - LIVERPOOL - The Zanzibar Club
  • Sat. 17th Nov. - OXFORD (Witney) - Fat Lil's
  • Sun. 18th Nov. - BREDA (Netherlands) - Sound Dog **Early show**8pm





HELIOCENTRIC COUNTERBLAST - PLANETARY TUNES

Composer, music teacher and saxophone player Kathrin Lemke was one of the driving forces behind Heliocentric Counterblast, a band that paid tribute to the great Sun Ra.
Unfortunately, Kathrin passed away in 2016. She did leave behind two beautiful albums by Heliocentric Counterblast : the 2012 "A Tribute To Sun Ra" album, and the amazing "Planetary Tunes" album from 2014.
Next to a fine selection of Sun Ra classics (including 'Saturn'), the octet also recorded a number of compositions by Kathrin Lemke : 'Mars', 'Pluto', 'Uranus' and 'Neptune'.
You can imagine where Kathrin got the inspiration for this.

Here's 'Discipline 27 II'.  Goosebumps !!


-- info: Danny Mathys


Friday, September 7, 2018

PHISH - UNSURPASSED WHITE ALBUM

Jamband Phish has the habit of celebrating Halloween in a rather particular way. They don't dress up. They  just pretend to be another band.
Phish has done their Halloween version of Pink Floyd, The Who, Talking Heads, and more. They even thought about doing Frank Zappa's 'Joe's Garage' but for some reason that didn't happen.

October 31, 1994, Phish performed an entire set of Beatles classics. It got released on a 2 CD bootleg set shortly thereafter called "Unsurpassed White Album".
Great stuff. Both for Beatles and for jam band fans.

I'm still hoping they'll do an entire set of Zappa tunes somewhere in the future. Meanwhile, "Unsurpassed White Album" will do.

As it happens, the wonderful world of Youtube can give you a taste of this 1994 Beatles tribute :



Sunday, September 2, 2018

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - ELECTRICITY 1967 - 1968



Part two in Greyscale's re-edition of the "Grow Fins" box : "Electricity 1967 - 1968", which is an exact copy of disc two of the 4 CD Grow Fins set.

More info from Beefheart dot com :
http://www.beefheart.com/electricity-1967-1968/


CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN

Corrie van Binsbergen's website got a make-over.
Check it out : https://corrievanbinsbergen.com/



CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - JUST GOT BACK FROM THE CITY



Last year, Greyscale released "Just Got Back From The City" by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. The album presents material from 1966 and 1967 !!

Pretty impressive, but...
If I'm not mistaken, Greyscale is some sort of division of Gonzo Multimedia. A rather obscure division.
A quick visit to www.beefheart.com revealed that "Just Got Back From The City" is in fact a re-release of the first disc of the"Grow Fins" box set.