Category: Frank Zappa

The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAA Birthday Bundle

By now you may have read about this elsewhere: the ZFT yesterday released another Birthday Bundle. It’s a digital-download compilation album featuring various artists including Macy Gray, Holland Greco and of course FZ himself. Full tracklist here, a bit more info over at the wiki and zappa.com.

Strictly Genteel (All Versions Mix)

This is a mix of four different arrangements / recordings of “Strictly Genteel,” synchronized measure for measure and then re-synchronized to the video.

It’s worth watching it in it’s original Youtube page, reading the detailed description of the amazing mix. Great, great work!

UnCovered Interview – Over-Nite Sensation by Dave McMacken

Here’s a nice – and long – article about and by graphic designer Dave McMacken, from Rock Pop Gallery (april 2010) – the following is a small part of the text:

That night I listened to a truly bizarre take of the scene that Zappa imagined. In fantastic detail, he proceeded to tell me the story of Over-Nite Sensation and that the cover painting was to be done in a formal, realistic “Dutch Master” style, with the objects in the painting to be portrayed as visual elements from the story. (…)

I took tight notes during this session – I wasn’t given a written assignment or description – and worked on this painting for 2 months, meeting many times with Frank to discuss the work in progress. I started with a pencil and it evolved as we went along, with Frank adding more as “more was always better”- it is really cool when the musical act is also the Art Director and owns the production company! (…)

When I was done with the project and my clients were happy, I looked back on the time I’d spent with everyone associated with Frank Zappa and realized that the experience would have a colossal effect on my work going forward. It indeed has lasted all of my life – I worked for Frank Zappa – there’s no need to say anything more.

Dave McMacken was the creator of the paintings on Over-Nite Sensation, 200 Motels, he made this fantastic 10 years anniversary poster (with Mr. McMacken’s comment there) – check out his own homepage for more!

Henry Rollins’ Tribute to Frank Zappa

If you notice, Fanatics, tonight is a bit of a concept show. It’s all Zappa, all night. We take this Saturday’s broadcast to do this because on 12-04-93, Frank Zappa passed away. I know, it’s not the happiest occasion to celebrate the man, his music and his considerable intellect but I wanted to do it, so here we are.

It was at the 4th of december at the KCRW radio where Henry Rollins has his own programme – the two-hour show can be listened there online (the setlist is also there!). Have fun, Fanatics!

Sunday Big Note – Listening Session #4

Anyone familiar with Frank Zappa’s 1988 band is no doubt familiar with the unique guitar and lyrical stylings of multi-instrumentalist Mike Keneally, that band’s “stunt guitarist“. It wasn’t very long after the demise of Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa‘s band ‘Z’ that Keneally formed his own recording and touring band, Mike Keneally & Beer for Dolphins. It was around this time that I seriously took an interest in the music of Mike Keneally, who some critics consider “a leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era.”
Continue reading “Sunday Big Note – Listening Session #4”

Q&A: Scott Thunes

Above Mr Thunes talks about his audition at the Zappa at the Roundhouse event. Below: still him on a) Ike Willis, b) Valley Girl, c) Solitude. Mr Thunes is a Great Guy.

For the hardcore fans: the whole Q&A in 11 parts (!), with Gail, Dweezil, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers, Todd Yvega, Ali N Askin.