FROM STRAIGHT TO BIZARRE

• from straight to bizarre
  (2012, dvd, uk, chrome dreams)

Chrome Dreams made another Zappa-related release available. "From Straight To Bizarre" takes a look at Zappa's and Herb Cohen's Straight and Bizarre labels. The DVD offers interviews with participating artists and with Zappa biographers: Billy James, Ben Watson, Essra Mohawk, Pamela Des Barres, Kim Fowley, Jerry Lawson (of Persuasions fame), Jeff Simmons, John French, Bill Harkleroad, ...
And there's, of course, also a nice collections of video fragments: The Mothers, Beefheart, Wild Man, Alice Cooper, The GTO's, Essra Mohawk,...

JIMMY AGREN

I visited Jimmy Agren's website earlier today. Jimmy is offering a DVD as a free download. I just finished downloading & un'zip'ping it. Trying to burn it to a DVD as I'm writing this.


http://www.jimmyagren.com/


In the meantime, I checked his discography and added data for his latest solo album "Various Phobias".

UITEINDEN IN GRONINGEN 2011 12 30

A week ago, Lunapark, The Astronotes, and The Wrong Object played at the "Uiteinden" festival in Groningen.
Lunapark performed The Beatles, The Astronotes took on Sun Ra, and The Wrong Object performed the music of Frank Zappa.
Sounds like the place we should have been. I hope that some sort of recording turns up.

I was browsing the net for reviews (or more), but came back empty handed.
Here's a glimpse of what these bands are capable of.

The Wrong Object in Paris, with special guest Elton Dean

Joost Buis and the Astronotes at North Sea Jazz in 2007

BANDS LIKE ZAPPA DOT COM

"BandsLikeZappa.com is a music discovery podcast and blog from composer/performer Ben Sommer. Interviews with musicians and artists who's music "sounds like" Frank Zappa - the incomparable composer and guitarist."

It looks great. It has fine interviews and some excellent music samples.
Check it out:

http://bandslikezappa.com/

HUMBLE GRUMBLE IN CONCERT 2012/01/20 IN BRUSSELS

Friday, January 20, 2012, Humble Grumble will be performing at the DNA Café (Plattesteen 20) in Brussels.
(and in August, they'll be at Zappanale !!)

ZAPPACAST #5

ZappaCast is a series of podcasts on the music of Frank Zappa.
Hosts are Scott Parker, Mick Ekers and Andrew Greenaway.

Here's the excellent part five.

Andrew adds: "A special ZappaCast (dedicated with love to Motorhead), in which the Fab 3 each have their say: Sir Scott Parker talks about his books on The History And Collected Improvisations Of The Mothers Of Invention; Professor Mick Ekers chats to Tommy Mars about the vocoder; and this Idiot takes a look at Zappanale - with a little help from Amaretto Mick Zeuner, the dynamic Ike Willis and delightful Helen Tate. Of course, there's loads of great music too. So, is this our White Album? Or is it more Umma Gumma? You decide."

http://zappacast.podomatic.com/entry/2012-01-04T06_13_36-08_00

DWALMACAT 453

Go to
http://www.fmbrussel.be/programmas/dwalmacat.aspx
and click on “Luister” to enjoy

• ART BEARS – Rats and monkeys


• CARIBOU – Melody day (Fourtet remix)


• PEAKING LIGHTS – Tiger eyes (laid back) (Adrian Sherwood on u-sound remix)


• MITSOOBISHY JACSON – Mitsoobishy Jacson


• TOM WAITS – God’s away on business


• THE RESIDENTS – Would we be alive?


• THE BEACH BOYS – The elements: Fire (Mrs. O’Leary’s cow)


• THE SURFACE MUTANTS – Madly in love with Madeleine


• WIRE – No warning given


• LA LA – Do the kangaroo (dub)


• EXECUTIVE SLACKS – Sexual witchcraft


• MICHAEL NYMAN – Wheelbarrow walk


• 12 MINUTES AT THE HOT CLUB MURPHY – Aches and pains


• PETER SELLERS – Thank heaven for little girls


• QUEEN – Bicycle race


• DE DIK VOORMEKAAR SHOW – De Hugo van Kelderenshow


• UNIVERS ZERO – Complainte


• FAUST – Accroché à tes lèvres

THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA IN 212 SECONDS

FUSA MUSA PLAYS ZAPPA

posted by Gerardo Tripoli on Facebook: Fusa Musa plays Zappa's 'Uncle Meat'



and here's an original piece by Fusa Musa

GARY LUCAS UPDATE

GARY LUCAS plays his first solo concert of the new year at The Standard East Village (formerly the Cooper Square Hotel) this Tuesday Jan 10th--and it's free, as part of the Annie O Music Series.

Tuesday Jan. 10th
7 - 9pm
The Standard East Village, NYC
free admission

Sunday Jan. 15th
8pm
Sala BBK, Bilbao Spain
Gary Lucas performs his original live solo guitar score
accompanying the 1931 Spanish "Dracula" (d. George Melford)
at the annual Musiketan Festival of Bilbao
http://garylucas.com/www/dracula

Gary Lucas presents his Captain Beefheart Symposium in Liverpool Engand
over two nights at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Fri. Jan 20th and Sat. Jan. 21st
with special guests Pete Wylie, David Stubbs and more tba

Friday Jan. 27th
9pm
Galeria Ze dos Bois, Lisbon Portugal
Gary Lucas performs a solo concert
http://www.garylucas.com/solo.shtml

Saturday Jan 28th
9pm
Plano B, Porto Portugal
Gary Lucas performs a solo concert

Tuesday Jan. 31st
New Morning, Paris France
Gary Lucas performs solo with a tribute to Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley
and then a free improv set with avant-guitarist Jean-Francois Pauvros
and Orchestre National du Jazz director and bassist Daniel Yvinec