FZ Don’t Mess Around

After the recent tease of ‘The Son of Roxy’ what better salve, I thought, than the complete broadcast of Zappa’s ‘We Don’t Mess Around‘? Broadcast by Bayerischer Rundfunkt (BR) on July 1, 1980, and then 
re-broadcast on August, 1996, these three clips record some of Zappa’s rehearsals which were videotaped by BR at Circus Krone in Munich, Germany, on September 8, 1978 (footage of Frank shopping in Munich and an interview with his bodyguard were added later).

Zappa’s Rockin’ Teenage Combo:

Frank Zappa–lead guitar/vocals

Ike Willis–guitar/vocals
Denny Walley–slide guitar/vocals

Tommy Mars–keyboards/accordion/vocals
Peter Wolf–keyboards
Ed Mann–percussion/vocals

Arthur Barrow–bass/vocals
Vinnie Colaiuta–drums/seal call

Performing:

Clip One:(above)
• A Pound For A Brown (On The Bus)
• Baby Snakes
• Deathless Horsie
• Dancin’ Fool
• Easy Meat
• Honey, Don’t You Want A Man Like Me

Clip Two:
• Keep It Greasey
• Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?
• Sofa #2
• Seal Call Fusion Music
• Bobby Brown

Clip Three:
• Conehead
• Tryin’ To Grow A Chin and City Of Tiny Lites (Sheik Yerbouti versions on the background while John Smothers is interviewed)
• Dead Air
• I’m On Duty
• Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow
• St Alfonzo’s Pancake Breakfast
• Father O’Blivion
• Rollo
• Bamboozled By Love

Note: Thanks to hushhush112 at dailymotion (each clip runs approximately 20 min each).

Don’t you feel better?

Author: urbangraffito

I am a writer, editor, publisher, philosopher, and foole (not necessarily in that order). Cultural activist and self-described anarchist.

7 thoughts on “FZ Don’t Mess Around”

  1. “I’m On Duty” stands as one of Frank’s silliest performances. Same can be said for “Seal Call Fusion Music” with regards to Vinnie. Still, not a bad performance being rehearsals and all.

    Thanks for posting, ug.

  2. “I’m On Duty” may indeed be silly, Alex, yet there is some underlying truth to it, too. In 1978, FZ was one of the few american musicians who was “on duty’. Also, Frank was never afraid to look the least bit foolish. That’s why the Mother’s were such a truly amazing band. I mean, “Dead Air”? Can anybody dance?

  3. I don’t find “on duty” to be silly. I feel it is ironic. People would ask frank what he was on, i.e. drugs. His response was that he was on duty, as in the only one who was paying attention to details while everyone else was on drugs. Though you could make the argument that it does have a scatological double entendre.

  4. [quote comment=”5042″]Though you could make the argument that it does have a scatological double entendre.[/quote]
    In that case, I’m on duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-ty!

    And yes I do feel better!

  5. Why don’t the ZFT release this on on double DVD, with the second disk being the 1980 Palais des Sports gig in Paris?

  6. I love this show, what a band!. It always freaks me out how Vinnie can play so well while sitting on a milk crate (so low). Also, I never was a huge fan of Baby don’t you want a man like me, but this is my favorite version I think. How about the riff after “the band was tight line”, Frank was no liar. Thanks UG for reminding me, I think I will go dig out the snail mail forum DVD.

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