Frank Zappa: Classic or Dud?

Is it?

Well I remember enjoying it at least

Is she Suzy Creamcheese? As heard talking on Uncle Meat: "...I was your frigid intellectual housekeeper." etc.

No, Pauline Butcher is English.

...a very straight arrow and not at all hip to what was going on around Zappa's entourage at the time, she was a hired secretary at first.

I read a little bit and it’s seemed like she disapproved of some of his behavior and tut-tutted about it but also found him interesting, a charming and raffish rogue, although she resisted his roma

…his romantic advances which was probably why she was able of work with him

Able to

/zing problems

Feel like Moon’s book might be more my speed

But maybe I can listen to the audiobook of this one if I feel the need

I highly highly highly recommend going to see Dweezil's current tour if you get the chance. Especially if you like the 70s Roxy era stuff. His band is incredible and he's playing his ass off.

I’m going to see the tour next week. Excited!

I wrote a preview, which I can't find now (prob just as well), for a date on the Zappa Plays Zappa Tour, which may have been the one that got the xpost Cease and Desist name change, or led to it, but incl. some of Frank's own cohorts, and I remember quoting Rolling Stone's citation of this orchestral venture as "The world's greatest tribute band." Good promo excerpts too.

Big Washington Post article today about all four kids, who have divided into Dweezil vs. Everyone Else. (Honestly, I forgot Kid #4, Diva, even existed.) Rough stuff.

Could some kind soul gift-link that for me?

I was just listening to a pod from a couple of months back featuring Dweezil and when the subject of Ahmet's re-issue campaign came up he was grousing about the quality control of releasing multiple concerts from the same short time period and out of tune guitars etc:

https://wapo.st/3LW8O7s
Hopefully that's a gift link. Really sad story.

https://archive.ph/rcmOU

I can't get over this part about Tipper Gore:

Gail came into her own. She invested in real estate and became such a generous donor to the Democratic Party — more than $450,000 — that she felt comfortable sending a note to Al Gore advising him to buy a new suit. Tipper, a drummer from back in her school days, would stay at the house and jam with Dweezil and Diva, her daughter Kristin singing backup on one recording.

that feels like some alternate reality shit

Here's more on all that!

https://tomtommag.com/2019/02/former-second-lady-tipper-gore-banging-the-drum-for-a-better-world/

That doesn't really surprise me at all. None of Zappa's music was called out by the Senate panel; he showed up to testify in favor of free speech generally.

XXXXP - Thank you, lord that's a sad read.

Jesus that's such a sad read, this part in particular jumped out for me:

Ahmet has a confession.

“I told Gail, I said, ‘I am begging you, for Diva’s sake, send her to college,’” he recalls.

“We all begged,” adds Moon.

“What are you talking about?” Diva asks, beginning to tear up.

“We knew you would excel,” says Ahmet. “And she’s like, ‘I’m not going to do it.’”

“Because she’d be alone,” says Moon.

yeah that's much wilder than even I knew, to some extent you have to feel some sympathy for Gail on a pure human level (left alone with these kids while her husband was almost certainly cheating on her every night) but she seems like a pretty toxic person herself.

glad to see Dweezil make it, sort of - have heard a lot of great things about those shows, tbh from what I've heard they're probably more enjoyable than actually seeing Frank himself back in the day

No doubt

I couldn't help but think about Succession after reading that.

I wonder if there were any clues in Zappa’s lyrics that there might be something amiss

I read a long time ago that Moon said that Gail drew her in closer than ever, by far, toward the end---and when Moon discovered that she (and Dweezil) were left with no control of the trust, she wondered if Gail had felt guilty about that (cynical me wonders if the final closeness was part of a set-up, at least subconsciously, also considering some of Moon's other claims).
So Gail put Diva with Ahmet--maybe, since she was the youngest/most pliable, to protect her from influence o D. and M. (who, for all I know, were/are less mature or whatever than Ahmet)
But now, if it is xpost Dweezil against all, and Moon was left vulnerable in some ways (at least he can always go play a gig), maybe Ahmet's drawn her in---but dunno if I want to read any updates---maybe---

"Of D. and M.," that should be.

glad to see Dweezil make it, sort of - have heard a lot of great things about those shows, tbh from what I've heard they're probably more enjoyable than actually seeing Frank himself back in the day

Is this a credit to Dweezil and the band, or is this more because of whatever shortcomings Frank had onstage? (I'm no expert on his live work, so I really have no idea.)

(no expert on either's live work, never seen Dweezil and haven't heard many of Frank's live recordings)

I had the same question, assumed it was due to downplaying some of the wackiness

most full show recordings I've heard of Frank have a lot of fucking around in between the great bits, shit like long comedy sketches or entirely formless jams, with Dweezil it's pretty much just the good stuff

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dweezil-zappa/2024/grand-sierra-theatre-reno-nv-ba9a92e.html

not really an expert on Frank's bands, obviously all his side men and women were very good, but Dweezil's band is super tight as well

okay they do play "Penis Dimension" but maybe they just don't wanna upset the ghost of Frank

I wonder if there are Zappa fans who complain about that? "Why is it all music? Where's the comedy? His dad's shows were funny!"

Must be some

fwiw penis dimension is lovely when shorn of the lyrics. that outro...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnzsS9Tvljk

of all the Zappa fans I know I don't know if there's a single one who actually thinks he's "funny". I think he is but only in a off-the-cuff way. when he's thinking on his feet he can be really clever and quick, when he's actually writing stuff he thinks is funny it's almost always flat. like he has no good comedy ideas. Apostrophe is supposed to be funny but the only line that makes me laugh is "this is the dog talkin now". which I am pretty sure was ad libbed.

When Frankie's in Clown.

I highly highly highly recommend going to see Dweezil's current tour if you get the chance. Especially if you like the 70s Roxy era stuff. His band is incredible and he's playing his ass off.

― kurt schwitterz, Wednesday, 7 August 2024 19:55 (one week ago) link

Roxy and Elsewhere is about where I get off, though I really love that record so I decided fuck it and got a ticket for the gig tonight in St.Paul

report back !!

I just returned from the show. Holy shit. I’ll post more when I gather my thoughts, but this was incredible.

The band was as advertised, absolutely on top of their shit, the biggest drawback with doing this era material is no George Duke and no Chester Thompson and both the drummer(s) and keyboard filled in admirably. The first hour of the set in particular it was a real treat to hear these tunes played without Frank's "Frank-ness". "Inca Roads" was like completely amazing. "Pygmy Twylyte" with interpolations of the Star Wars Cantina Band, the Imperial March & "Space Truckin'" was brilliant. The very spontaneous "Purple Rain" conjured by the band out of thin air (Dweezil didn't know the chords and seemed as surprised as the crowd) lead by a plastic duck call, was exactly the sort of absurd/funny/mind-blowing thing that hardcore fans are always claiming Zappa's music is best at, it was truly one of the greatest thing's I've ever seen, Zorn's got nuthin on Scheila Gonzalez's duck calls.

The detour into "Punky's Whips" a song I just can't stand, both musically & textually, left a bad taste in my mouth and by the time they got around the earlier Mothers material I was starting the miss Frank's "Frank-ness". Just running those songs exactly like in 1973 felt like a real miss opportunity to attempt play these songs with some teeth instead of amping up the wackiness. "More Trouble of Everyday" with "Stayin' Alive" mixed in? Ehh. At that point I really could have used a sarcastic asshole. But just my two cents, obv ymmv.

Dweezil kind of amazingly dials in the tones, even when a lot times he doesn't really play like his dad and the band is great.

I was way up in the nose-bleeds (actually the seats were find the Fitzgerald is a totally awesome venue) in an empty section except, of course for the one old guy who sat right next me, with his Weasels Ripped My Flesh t-shirt and his rundown of of every Zappa & Dweezil show eh'd ever seen. He took his shoes off the second song. Yes he was wearing white gym socks.

.. with brown shoes?

Excellent review, chr1s. I can’t imagine how much rehearsal goes into performing music this complex this tightly. Everyone in the band is a monster. Agreed, the extra-lengthy “Inca Roads” was an absolute stunner.

High points for me were the Roxy material: the “Echidna’s Arf” medley and “Cheepnis” in versions that didn’t even make me miss Ruth Underwood, and all of the spontaneous Prince tomfoolery. Also loved the trips back to “Idiot Bastard’s Son” and the “200 Motels” overture.

Lesser points: yes, “Punky’s Whips” and also what I thought was an unnecessary “Dickie’s Such an Asshole.” Neither are top-drawer FZ in my book, but again ymmv.

Dweezil’s super saturated gnat note shred fests were sometimes heard to discern for me, but he obviously takes his dad’s legacy very seriously (and comically.)

My seat was fabulous, first row of the first balcony. It’s been ages since I’ve attended a theater rock show, and I had been jonesing for one lately. The Fitzgerald and Dweezil were the way to break my drought. Perfect night, most highly recommended to anyone interested.

Ha, yes the "200 motels" overture was really not something I was expecting at all

Dweezil’s super saturated gnat note shred fests

He plays like the child of Eddie Van Halen as much (or more) than Frank Zappa and not a knock at all but he plays so early 80s guitar shred magazine style is kind of hilarious and charming, all my friends (I'm a little younger than Dweezil) of that era it was so baked into their DNA

He took his shoes off the second song. Yes he was wearing white gym socks.

superb. honestly perfect

White gym socks don’t make it