Kill Ugly Radio | Frank Zappa & Elsewhere: Frank Zappa news, weird links, lumpy gravy. Wanna bun?

… and you need only click here to find out why. Fear not the Viking-esque prose with funny-looking words (dixit Dr Sharl) — just click through the audio links at the right of the page. Now I must say the whole “we opted for embedded audio because we don’t want you to copy this precious stuff, instead we want you to visit our site if you want a listen because we need to show our bosses that we are actually working deal” is a bit disappointing — but hey: surely, someone with more time and skills will make this available on Uncle Beat at some time. Right? Right.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Audio/Video | 5 Comments »

Time for another lush 1988 show (if only to please The Chad Wackerman Liberation Front.) This week and the next: Helsinki, Finland, 29 April 1988. From The Planet Of My Dreams:

A very good show, but I must say that I expected more when I looked at the setlist, which indeed is great. It shows that FZ didn’t think highly of the Finns’ English comprehension - much instrumental stuff, and not less than 11 guitar solos.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Friday Boots | 18 Comments »

Remember this? Well, I just received a press-release from the Dutch TV-channel VPRO, stating (roughly translated):

Gail Zappa, widow of Frank Zappa, does not allow Holland Doc to broadcast the 2-part documentary “Frank Zappa - A pioneer of the future of music” by Frank Scheffer. (…) Instead of the aforementioned film, Holland Doc will now broadcast “In The Ocean”, another film by Scheffer, in which Frank Zappa plays a prominent role. Apart from Zappa, this film from 2001 brings together such composers as Steve Reich, Brian Eno, Philip Glass and Louis Andriessen in an attempt to portray the complexity in contemporary music of the past 35 years.

Bummer.
I think I’ll need a new category here, called “Zappa NO Audio/Video”.

Update 04/21: It appears Scheffer’s newest documentary (mentioned above) will be shown on “regular” TV; but not on the digital channel that is Holland Doc. The reason being that the 7 year old contract between the ZFT and Scheffer does not take in account distribution via digital channels. Via Marco.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Audio/Video | 31 Comments »

I’ve been scratching my chin for ten minutes now, trying to decipher this poem:

Homme petit d’homme petit, s’attend, n’avale
Homme petit d’homme petit, à degrés de bègues folles
Anal deux qui noeuds ours, anal deux qui noeuds s’y mènent
Coup d’un poux tome petit tout guetteur à gaine

“Do you recognize this passage? No? Try reading it aloud. Cognitive scientists use it to illustrate the complexity of human communications.”

Nope. Still don’t get it. Maybe I should try reading it aloud with an English accent…

Posted in Amusing, Science | 14 Comments »

Thanks Cheers SOFA!

Posted in Amusing, Randamonium | 3 Comments »

Speechless Anonymous Music.

5TFU is a radio/netlabel spreading speechless anonymous music (rights free). Everyone can submit music, and super-intelligent computer selects the tracks to play, according to the 5TFU rank given by listeners.

Warning: seizure inducing interface.
Thanks Maroual!

Posted in Music | 1 Comment »

Quoth Scott and Dr Sharleena:

— Scott: I wonder who could play Frank in a biopic?
— Dr Sharl: I say Adrien Brody!

Magic Ink, I say! Behold:

Before:

After adding in an Imperial, some hair and some eyebrow:

Et viola! Now as for who were to direct it… Scorsese?

Posted in Film, Frank Zappa, Zappa Imagery | 12 Comments »

A great find over at WFMU’s Beware Of The Blog: Da Mokettes & the Incredible Q Band perform Palolo Valley Girls.

Some Hawaiians lead by Will Moku take Frank & Moon Unit Zappa’s Valley Girl and infuse it with some local lingo and slap some local geography on it and ta-da Palolo Valley Girl.

Thanks Trig!

Posted in Frank Zappa, Pop Cult, Zappa Audio/Video | 3 Comments »

VOC #12! Featuring James Davies! You may know James as he is a loyal KUR regular. James sent in a YouTube movie because he’s not all that much into mixing and late-night basement-four-track-recording and such. I converted the movie to an audio track, entitled “Neurodegenerative Shuffle”. James says:

This is straight up, lo-fi webcam-core — no remixing or digital jiggy-wiggy to stand in the way of my nominal skills. Condemned to a dank limbo of perpetual improv by my own snotty insistence on remaining musically illiterate — & loving every minute of it. Woosh!

There’s nothing quite like this. Have a listen:

Like it? Download it.

Posted in Music, The Voice Of Cheese | 5 Comments »

From Saturday April 21 until Saturday April 28, Dutch documentary series “Holland Doc” shines the spotlight on Frank Zappa. Here’s a preview. Besides unique film material Holland Doc will also broadcast radio documentaries on its website.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Audio/Video | 3 Comments »

And now for everybody’s least favorite tour: summer/fall 1984!
Or maybe not? Check out Vienna, Austria, 4 October 1984 and feel free to share your thoughts.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Friday Boots | 45 Comments »

RIP Kurt Vonnegut.

Posted in Books, In The News | 11 Comments »

… today happens to be International Louie Louie Day!
(See also here for a bit of Conceptual Continuity)

Posted in Frank Zappa, Music, Pop Cult | 1 Comment »

As a follow up on yesterday’s post about the 256 vs 128 kbps debate, here’s a little challenge for you. Can you tell the difference? Haven’t had a chance to listen myself, but by all means: do tell us your result!

Posted in Geek, Music | 14 Comments »

Frank on record business executives, the PMRC, and sex in the eighties:

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Audio/Video | 6 Comments »