Month: June 2007

Hope I Die Before I — Uh Never Mind

The classic American midlife crisis has found a new outlet: garage-band rock ’n’ roll. Baby boomers across the US — mostly middle-aged dads who never quite outgrew an obsession with the music of their youth — are cranking up their amps and living their rock ’n’ roll fantasies.

“We recommend ‘Mustang Sally’ as a good starter song,” Mr. Lamond said. “A bad starter song is anything by Steely Dan, or Frank Zappa. Or Yes.”

The Voice Of Cheese: Mikko Muranen

VOC #20 comes to us from a One Man Band called Low Budget Orchestra. The track is called “Less Beautiful“. Mikko says:

Greetings from frosty Finland! The music is instrumental progressive rock/metal. Although it may not be overtly obvious, the music is very strongly influenced by Frank. Just dig those programmed drums. :) Thanks for listening.

Having had a listen, Dr Sharl recognized a definite post-Zappa Vai vibe. Check it out:

[audio:020_Less_Beautiful-Low_Budget_Orchestra.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

Turn It Up To 11!

Music recordings these days are becoming entirely TOO LOUD. Peter Mew, senior mastering engineer at Abbey Road studios:

“Record companies are competing in an arms race to make their album sound the ‘loudest’. The quieter parts are becoming louder and the loudest parts are just becoming a buzz.” Mr Mew, who joined Abbey Road in 1965 and mastered David Bowie’s classic 1970s albums, warned that modern albums now induced nausea.

Via Esoteric Trivia

The Inauguration Of Frank-Zappa-Strasse

For those of you who are a bit bummed out by the fact that Napoleon Murphy Brock won’t be playing any of the ZPZ shows, here’s some good news (if you can make it to Berlin). From a press release I received:

Frank Zappa band alumnus Napoleon Murphy Brock will perform at the dedication of Frank-Zappa-Strasse in Berlin on July 28, appearing with German Zappa tribute band Sheik Yerbouti. They will join 17 other musical acts paying tribute to the rock and roll legend. The dedication ceremony will take place at the ORWOhaus, a former photographic film plant that is now home to a musicians’ collective. It will be the first street in Germany named for a rock musician, and the first street in a world capital named for Frank Zappa.

Nappy will also appear at this year’s Zappanale:

Thomas Dippel, president of Arf-Society, said, “Napoleon Murphy Brock joining us is just one more reason why the Zappanale will be the world’s premiere Zappa experience this summer. Fans will be able to see four Zappa alumni who have their own musical ventures and also choose to honor Frank’s legacy with their presence.” This year’s festival headliner is renowned former Zappa drummer Chad Wackerman. Former Mother of Invention Don Preston will appear with his Akashic Ensemble, and long-time Zappa front-man Ike Willis will perform with his protégés Project/Object.

It Was 36 Years Ago Today

… John Lennon and Yoko Ono joined Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention on stage at the Fillmore East where they performed three songs – “Well (Baby Please Don’t Go)”, “Scumbag”, and “Au”. Yoko arranged for the event to be filmed and audio of the songs were later released on John Lennon’s album, “Some Time in New York City“. Just in case the Sgt. Pepper album’s 40th anniversary hype has been getting on your nerves, here’s a clip of the rather infamous “Scumbag“. More, as ever, on YouTube.

Gingerism

Redheads, and how they suffer. Photographer Charlotte Rushton has been chronicling the UK’s redheads for a book, Ginger Snaps. Of the 300 she snapped, only two have been spared bullying because of their hair:

“I was on the Tube, pregnant, and I was really humiliated by this drunk yob. He was shouting ‘do the cuffs and the collars match?’ He got right up into my face. You don’t do that to other people.” She believes the phenomenon is long-standing and uniquely British in its most virulent form.