ZAPPA

pwhole

pwhole

Well-known member
For those of a musical persuasion, and with the benefit of foresight, a heads-up that Alex Winter's spectacular documentary about Frank Zappa will be broadcast on BBC4 on Friday night at 21.00. I had hoped to see this at a cinema first, but hey-ho - I have a good hifi. If you're not familiar with his work, and appreciate humour, complexity and massive talent, I strongly recommend you watch this. If you are familiar with his work, then nuff said. Essential viewing, really.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010rl8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4F0rT0F6OQ
 
AR

AR

Well-known member
Thank you for making me aware of this Phil, two hours of my life very well spent! (y)
 
pwhole

pwhole

Well-known member
I was genuinely impressed, and I've seen every documentary out there - it spent far more time investigating his life a a composer, rather than an incredible guitarist, which was welcome, good though he was. And the archive footage, especially the early stuff, was just sublime. I even asked my parents to watch it, if only to understand why I kept playing those strange records until I (thankfully) moved out - I hope they enjoyed it :)

YouTube thankfully has one of those rare live orchestral recordings that (so far) has never been released - by the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra no less, but he considered it a poor performance. I think it's pretty good, but then I wasn't paying for them. And amazing to think that the root of this entire piece is a one-off guitar solo that he got Steve Vai to transcribe - now that's paid work. Then he got Vai to double his original solo onto a totally new version with a different backing, and Ed Mann tripling it on percussion. All worth a listen :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT0GSsllWYg&t=15s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUFFTWse7Wo

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

 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
You might be amused at the way I was introduced to the Mothers of Invention.  My father's old art teacher (who cannot have been much older than him) who my father remained friendly with right into the 70's told him he really ought to listen to the Mothers of Invention. My father was into opera and classical mainly although I did take him to see Pink Floyd performing Atom Heart Mother once. Anyway We're Only In It For The Money arrived (the one with the Sergeant Pepper spoof sleeve) and I think he played it once - then gave it to me. I still have it more than 50 years later but the next Zappa album I actually  bought was Hot Rats - superb. A bunch of people from the year below me at school actually went to see the Mothers performing at the Colston Hall. For some years I had the signature of one of the band members on a fag packet that they brought back. Some of his compositions make hard listening but some are sublime and his satirical stuff is hilarious. Try and find his parody of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds!
 
pwhole

pwhole

Well-known member
Hahah - but they will have to swot up on Jimmys Swaggart and Bakker to get the full effect, not forgetting the lovely Tammy Faye. The term 'pounding his pug' may be a new one for many.

My only live experiences were on the 1982 tour with Steve Vai, at Hammersmith Odeon - saw two of the three nights he played, with almost completely different set lists - the idea being that if you went to all three nights, you'd probably get about half of his catalogue! Also saw Jimmy Carl Black and Eugene Chadbourne a couple of times - got to chat to Jimmy when they played the Hallamshire Hotel in Sheffield :)

Oh, and saw Dweezil with 'Zappa Plays Zappa' at the Royal Albert Hall in 2006 - again with Steve Vai. They finally got to play the mighty and majestic pipe organ - with permission. They played 'Peaches En Regalia', complete with pipe organ solo. I have the entire gig on three CDs in stunning quality...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfsHUmpuTSs
 
O

owd git

Active member
mrodoc said:
You might be amused at the way I was introduced to the Mothers of Invention.  My father's old art teacher (who cannot have been much older than him) who my father remained friendly with right into the 70's told him he really ought to listen to the Mothers of Invention. My father was into opera and classical mainly although I did take him to see Pink Floyd performing Atom Heart Mother once. Anyway We're Only In It For The Money arrived (the one with the Sergeant Pepper spoof sleeve) and I think he played it once - then gave it to me. I still have it more than 50 years later but the next Zappa album I actually  bought was Hot Rats - superb. A bunch of people from the year below me at school actually went to see the Mothers performing at the Colston Hall. For some years I had the signature of one of the band members on a fag packet that they brought back. Some of his compositions make hard listening but some are sublime and his satirical stuff is hilarious. Try and find his parody of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds!
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Joe's Garage. (best quote; Whack his pee pee!)  (y)
a fool and a genius indeed. O.G.
 
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