15 albums that have had a big impact on me.
Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums you’ve heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.

Myself, Alex and Urbangraffito ended up posting our fifteen minutes of fame albums “that have had a big impact on us”, and thought it might make for interesting blog fodder. As first in a series, here’s my list – in no particular order, and annotated for good measure.

Let me state up front that this list does not necessarily represent my all time favorite albums. They are albums which, at the time, in context (given age and circumstance), effectively had “a big impact” on me. With that out of the way, here we go:

• Roxy & Elsewhere – Frank Zappa
  Filled to the brim with wonderfully out-of-the-ordinary melodies, fantastic musicianship, crazy percussion, deliciously bizarre lyrics and an electrifying live vibe, this album is what first managed to immerse me into all things Zappa. Without it, there’s a good chance this website would not exist.
• On The Beach – Neil Young
  The final episode of Neil Young’s infamous Ditch Trilogy, preceded by Time Fades Away and Tonight’s The Night. Honestly, I could’ve picked any one of these three.
• XO – Elliott Smith
  And now for something completely different. Beautiful melodies, luscious panoramic arrangements, and Smith’s soft whispery voice would almost make you forget just how dark the topics he’s singing about are. Almost.
• Revolver – The Beatles
  Arguably not The Beatles’ best (most everyone seems to agree Abbey Road deserves that monicker) – but Revolver was the album that made me realize they were about much much more than the silliness that constituted Love Me Do and I Wanna Hold Your Hand.
• Want One/Want Two – Rufus Wainwright
  I’ve come to realize that Wainwright’s music is “an acquired taste” which, similarly to FZ, you either completely adore or hate with a passion. Yes: the songs are full of operatic pathos, yes, the arrangements are over the top throughout, yes, his vocal timbre is take it or leave it. And yes: I simply adore all that.
• Back To Black – Amy Winehouse
  I’ll be honest and admit that in retrospect, I wanted to omit this record from the list and replace it with Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited. But there you go, in the fifteen minute limit, Back To Black immediately came to mind as an album that I’ve played over and over again. Get well soon, Amy.
• Let Love Rule – Lenny Kravitz
  Lenny Kravitz? Yes, Lenny Kravitz. The man has made one exceptional album and that would be Let Love Rule. Listen (again) without prejudice.
• The Blues Brothers – The Blues Brothers
  What’s not to love here? Fantastic cameo’s from just about everybody who’s somebody in classic R&B – notably Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin.
• Purple Rain – Prince
  Great songs, funk the way god intended it, and Prince, the fabulous, forever underrated guitar player.
• Pink Moon – Nick Drake
  If Elliott Smith would’ve lived in early ’70s England, this is the kind of music he would’ve been making.
• Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars – David Bowie
  The Thin White Duke at the height of his talent (and yes, I do know about Lodger & Low).
• Blue Monday – New Order
  Why Barry, early ’80s electronic music? Why yes. My older sister brought this home in ’83 and played it 8 hours a day for months. How could this not have impacted me! See also: Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams.
• Nevermind – Nirvana
  Aaaah Nirvana, thank you ever so much for eloquently kicking the early ’90s music biz in the nuts the way you did. 70s Punk’s little brother. I’d mention the rather obscure predecessor Bleach as well, but you all would think I’m a bit of snob, wouldn’t you.
• LA Woman – The Doors
  Oh come now, this is a true classic. To this day, the casually sinister magic of Riders On The Storm captures my imagination for all its full 7+ minutes.
• What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
  For the wide range of topics Gaye touches upon, this seminal album sounds surprisingly coherent, like one long, uplifting stream of consciousness. The topics themselves are still every bit as relevant as they were then — if not more so.

I shall stop pontificating now. Feel free to discuss — or better yet: add your own list of albums that will always stick with you. That’s what comments are for!

Impact (Part One) is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

I recall the first time I ever encountered the work of Gil Scott-Heron, I was in my mid teens and I had just borrowed a load of records, among them his 1971 release, Pieces of a Man from the public library on a whim (I had never heard of him before). I did that a lot back then – borrow whole batches of vinyl records during the summer vacation and listen to albums all week long. When I got home and slipped Pieces of a Man onto the turntable for the first time, Gil Scott-Heron blew my mind, especially with spoken word and vocal jazz tracks like “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, “Home Is Where The Hatred Is” and “Lady Day & John Coltrane” (all video clips below) to name just a few.

Then, in 2006, while Scott-Heron was serving an extended sentence for cocaine possession and contempt of court at New York’s Riker’s Island, Richard Russell – owner of the independent British label XL Recordings – visited him to propose a collaboration. The result was I’m New Here, Scott-Heron’s first album in thirteen years, released earlier in 2010, reflecting on Scott-Heron’s life and visions with his “trademark vocal power and insight, among Russell’s flickering, electronic soundscapes.” Their first video collaboration, a cover of Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil” (above). Let me tell you, I’ve got that very same feeling again. It takes quite an artist to really blow my mind that same way some 30 years apart.

Check out Gil Scott-Heron’s MySpace page to hear further tracks, or click here to read an interview with Scott-Heron at his website or purchase the CD.

Gil Scott-Heron – Me and the Devil (2010) is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

As a long time fan of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, the names of particular musicians have threaded through much of the music I have listened to and collected throughout the years. Names such as Andy Cahan, Lawrence ‘Stash’ Wagner, and Tom Leavey. Together and separately, through compositions and through associations (sometimes as members and as contributors) they formed links with such bands as Frank Zappa & The Mothers, Lowell George & The Factory, Little Feat, and Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, and Geronimo Black.

Listen to these clips – from 1978′s “Dance Me An Answer” (Cahan/ Wagner) above – to the 1969 track “April Fool” featuring Zappa and Geronimo Black members (Jimmy Carl Black, Bunk Gardner, Tom Leavey, Denny Walley, Tjay Contrelli, Roy Estrada, Ray Collins, Cris Prichard and Andy Cahan) and other Cahan clips:

Check out Andy Cahan’s YouTube page for other great video clips, or his website to purchase these tracks for yourself like the CD, Snarfel (30 Years Of Andy Cahan).

Some Nostalgia For The Old Folks… is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

Sometimes I am quite delighted to discover a fan-made Frank Zappa video like the one posted above. It reinforces my belief that the future of FZ’s public image is in the right hands: creative, open-minded, technology embracing hands. This is how I always envisioned Zappa’s legacy being spread.

This video also got me to thinking about FZ’s contemporary image. Who IS the REAL Frank Zappa, anyway? Is he just a Brand? A Trademark? An image or a sound to copyright? There seems to be at least three camps. The FAN camp. The ALUMNI camp. The ZFT camp. Each camp has their own and often dissenting views of who the REAL Frank Zappa happens to be, and how his image should be projected into the future. The ZFT camp has almost completely abandoned the very technology that Zappa had envisioned [i.e. the internet] and instead of embracing the technology, and FZ’s fans through it as a means mass promotion, they retreat further and further into an abyss of their own design – taking whatever recordings FZ left along with them [everyone is going to play by our rules, or not at all]. Of course, the ALUMNI CAMP saw this coming long before the FAN CAMP did; many alumni jumping the mothership unable to play by their strict perspective. There was little they could do except celebrate and play the music of the maestro on their own terms.

One recent victory in this three way conflict concerning the Zappa image was the victory of the Arf Society in the German Courts regarding their use of the Zappa image and the Zappanale festival.

The Zappa image, like his music, and his movies, is a living breathing thing – it continues to survive through new generations of listeners and the very minds that his work’s inspires now and will into the future.

Turning Zappa into a Brand controlled by one entity, one person is no different than turning Frank Zappa into the equivalent of a box of Cornflakes [NoName Cornflakes, at that], bland and tasteless. It’s my opinion that how we each experience FZ is what gives him his ultimate flavour.

I’m sure THE ALUMNI and THE FANS would agree, though the ZFT camp would no doubt have their own opinion. Too bad, since our’s is the only generation that will be able to enjoy Zappa’s and the Mother’s music with living alumni.

Once they are gone, there is only we fans and the ZFT.

Note: The above video is the second video used in the post. The first was removed by the user. This is prime example of the fear that still exists within the FAN camp of bringing unwanted attention upon oneself by posting anything Zappa related. For this reason, I edited out the prior users name and vidieo with added apologies.

Who IS The REAL Frank Zappa, Anyway? is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

Click here to listen to the mixtape.

Note: my sincerest appreciation and thanks to Andrew Greenaway and MagicFingers for their assistance in the compiling of this mixtape.

KUR’s 2nd Annual Virtual Zappanale Mix is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

As the night progresses we will find opportunities to pair Zappa tunes with a selection of world-class wines that pair with the different period and themes of Frank’s career. The wine focus of this educational and entertaining night will be Zinfandel, a truly original American wine with its roots in the Old World, but a product of the hard work of immigrants, just as Zappa created a truly unique and original sound from his humble beginnings.

Cute, though I’d personally prefer a beer themed venue: a nice Duvel to kick things off with Titties ‘n Beer, a lovely Grimbergen to go with Cruisin’ For Burgers perhaps — oh the possibilities!

Zappa & Zin is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

Let’s Make The Water Turn Black! is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

Warning: You’re about to enter a zone heavy with nostalgia. Take with a very large grain of salt.

In the late 70s and early 80s (yes, when Dinosaurs roamed the city streets wearing Walkmans and eating veggieburgers) – when a Zappa tour was an almost regular (if not annual) occurrence, and a Zappa fan might expect sometimes multiple releases from the maestro, and my own rabid obsession with the Mothers of Invention (and all things Zappa) was at least at a somewhat manageable level – myself and my fellow freaks had devised a method of determining the level of freakdom of a given Zappa fan by what albums they had in their collection.

The newbie Zappa/Mothers fan usually only had ‘Overnite Sensation’ and ‘Apostrophe’ in their record collection, drawn to such novelty songs as “Dinah-Moe Humm” and “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow”. As one’s level of freakdom increased, so did the number of albums, and which albums in particular. While a Zappa/Mothers fan might possess ‘Freak Out’, ‘We’re Only In It For The Money’, ‘Absolutely Free’ – a Zappa/Mothers freak would also possess ‘Uncle Meat’, ‘Burnt Weeny Sandwich’, and ‘Weasels Ripped My Flesh’. To me, Zappa and the Mothers reached some of their absolute creative best in those latter albums. “Little House I Used To Live In” from ‘Burnt Weeny Sandwich’ still blows my mind. And some may argue with me, but ‘Uncle Meat’, it’s original vinyl mix, is still a masterpiece of the Mothers music. Certainly, by this point, the obsession and addiction are well-entrenched, and the rest of Zappa’s albums follow in short order, filling out any collection: ‘Hot Rats’, ‘Grand Wazoo’, ‘Waka/Jawaka’, etc. Usually the jazz freaks one knew only possessed a single copy of ‘Hot Rats’. The method didn’t always work, but it was a gauge, nonetheless; useful in social circles often quite hostile to Zappa‘s eclectic musical vision.

Now, let’s leap to the present. It’s been 17 years since FZ left on his final tour. There are plenty of Zappa cover bands to chose from for your optional entertainment, why pick the Grande Mothers Re:Invented?

Simple. Not only were three members of GMSRI alumni of FZ’s bands, they were a creative part of those early Mothers bands, too. They didn’t just reiterate FZ‘s notes. In many cases, given the improvisational nature of the early Mothers bands, it was a creative collusion that has gone unheralded to this very day. To hear them play is to bring the music back to a state many remember so very well (hear clip, above, of “Pound for a Brown (On The Bus)” on August 17th, 2009, from Zappanale 20, Main Stage).

Don’t take just my word, though:

from SIGNAL TO NOISE:

“This outfit was road-tested (their 66th gig), as precise as any of Zappa’s bands and able to burn brightly on a wide range of Zappa selections on Friday (the set list was completely different Saturday). With Brock’s powerful vocals, physical shtick and ability to double expertly on flute and tenor sax coupled with Preston’s electronic salvos, the evening contained a lot of the contradictory eclectic, serious and circusy flavors of a Zappa show.

Indeed, in some cases, the Grande Mothers were able to go deeper into the material, rather than merely parroting Zappa’s notoriously tricky composed lines. “The Idiot Bastard Son,” for example, revealed some lovely harmonic ideas only hinted at on the original Mothers recording.”

from VARIETY

“This isn’t just another comeback by some old rock fogies, this is the reincarnation of the “Mothers”! The Grande Mothers Re:Invented let it all hang out. It was clear to see that they were having great fun. Once again the Zappa jazz-rock big band sound of the 70s and 80s rang out. The amazing virtuoso caliber displayed by the Grand old men must have surprised everyone. Hats off!”

from LEIPZIG -ALMANACH

“They did an excellent job handling complex pieces somewhere between the Vienna School, avantgarde rock and improvised music. ….the program featured almost exclusively songs from Frank Zappa, including gems such as “Montana”, “Hungry Freaks, Daddy”, “The Black Page Part 1″, and “Village of the Sun”. The Grande Mothers did everything perfectly in their concert……The band answered the call for several encores”

from VOLGTLAND -ANZEIGER

“Rare are the musicians who can even play Zappa’s music, let alone make it live and breathe. So Thank the Lord for the Grande Mothers. The people who loved their music last year ranged in age from 16 to 60, and it’s safe to say that a fine time was had by all.” Dugg Simpson, Artistic Director for the Vancouver Folk Festival

“These days Roy Estrada, along with Don Preston, and Napoleon Murphy Brock from Zappa’s mid to late 70′s Mothers, are touring the world as the Grande Mothers and keeping Zappa’s music alive. They were here at the Folk Festival last year and due to public demand are returning. Believe me, if you ever dug Zappa you don’t want to miss these guys. They’re fun and fuuuuunnnny. They’re wicked musicians and they blew a few minds last summer there on Jericho Beach…”

Grande Mothers Re:Invented EU Tour Schedule:

Tuesday/July 13
Zurich, Switzerland
Exil

Thursday/July 15
Reichenbach (Germany) Bergkeller

Friday/July 16
July 16th Folkest Capodistria (Slovenia)

Saturday/July 17
Roma parco degli Acquedotti Rock City

Sunday/July 18
Afragola (Napoli)  Afraka festival villa Comunale

Thursday/22 BADALUCCO (IM)

Friday/July 23
July23 Firenze Fortezza da Basso Live On festival

Saturday/July 24
FIUMARETTA DI AMELIA – TRA FIUME E MARE FESTIVAL

Thursday/July 29
Trento (venue tba)

Saturday/July 31
Trieste Piazza Marinai d’Italia
 Summer Rock festival

Programma 2010 | folkest
Folkest Festival 2010 – 5 Luglio / 3 Agosto 2010 Tutti gli spettacoli iniziano alle ore 21,15 salvo diverse indicazioni Anteprima Folkest – Sabato 3 Luglio

BOOKINGS:

BOOKING CANADA
todd@paquinentertainment.com

BOOKING EUROPE
daina.ventura@libero.it

BOOKING NORTH AMERICA
Chris@LiraPROductions.com

BOOKING SOUTH AMERICA
herbert@lucasshows.com.br

FAN LETTERS TO THE GMSRI
GrandeMothers@gmail.com

Grande Mothers Re:Invented are:

Napoleon Murphy Brock (with FZ  1974 – 1984) – vocals, tenor  saxophone, flute, suavenicity, dancing(!)

Roy Estrada (with FZ  1964 – 1984) – bass, pachuco falsettos, and operatic madness

Don Preston (with FZ  1966 – 1974) – piano, keyboard  synthesizers,  electronics, vocals

with

Robbie “SEAHAG” Mangano – electric guitar

Christopher Garcia – drumset, percussion, marimba, vocals

Grande Mothers Re:Invented Embark On EU Tour is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

In Chanan Hanspal’s missive to KUR, he announces the upload of his brand new website:

…it is primarily to showcase my music, which some of it is very much influenced by Frank Zappa. However, there is a lot more to the site than immediately meets the eye… my first installment of my monthly guitar column which this month is Frank Zappa… featuring my renditions of Sinister Footwear II and Moggio.

In the Analyses section, I have also included my pitch class analysis of the Be-Bop Tango which shows some interesting musical cellular utilisation, the kind of thing Zappa talked about when listening to Stravinsky in the documentary Peefeeyatko.

Chanan Hanspal’s essay and analysis of Frank Zappa’s compositions is just the sort of academic work I have been awaiting for a very long time. Disposing of the jibber-jabber of so much Zappa-speak which passes itself off as the study of Zappa and his music – Chanan Hanspal concentrates on the essentials: the notes themselves and their place in musical history.

Bravo, Brother, Bravo.

And if that weren’t sweet enough, take a listen to selected excerpts from Chanan Hanspal’s jazz metal project, Mad Jazz Guitar.

Who are the jazz police? Hmmmmm. Sweet, indeed.

Chanan Hanspal Plays Zappa is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.

Click here to listen to the mixtape. Enjoy!

Note: In the tradition of leaving the best for last, the fifth and final installment of the Immaculate Voodoo Butter Mix will arrive on July 15th, 2010.

Immaculate Voodoo Butter Mix – Part IV is a blogpost from killuglyradio.com.