In the clip above, Crystal Zevon discusses the off beat life of her late husband, Warren Zevon, his inspirations for songs like “Mohammed’s Radio” (below), as chronicled in her book about him “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon“.
I’m not one for reading biographies, especially rock and roll biographies, yet Crystal Zevon‘s book is unique in that she lets Warren’s story to be told by those who knew him best – friends, lovers, collaborators, musicians, managers, girlfriends, groupies – who shared those “dirty life and times” with him, even those “awful ugly parts”. A must read for any Zevon fan. Frankly, most other musician’s biographies, and autobiographies, pale in comparison.
The same can be said for Moon Zappa‘s essay, “Mom Redefined” in Afterbirth: Stories You Won’t Read in a Parenting Magazine, edited by Dani Klein Modisett (St. Martin’s Press, 2009). Moon, too, is never wary of examining the “awful ugly parts” of growing up in the shadow of rock ‘n roll royalty:
. . .dad toured for nine months out of the year, cheated on my mom when he was away, but always came back to us, to sleep all day and work all night.
in addition:
As I got a little older, “Mom” was also starting to mean too overwhelmed to pay close enough attention. Or be patient or kind. It meant no time for herself, no time to sleep, and then one day “Mom” meant tolerance for the unthinkable, like the time my dad moved a groupie into the basement for several weeks and we watched Gail put up with it so we could remain a family when I wished they’d get a divorce instead.
Tenacious writers, both. It takes a brave resolve to look at the “awful ugly parts” of someone’s life and then to share them in print. In both instances, we get a deeper, more fully rounded perspective of both subjects.
I’d love to read the rest of the bit by Moon. The Barry Miles bio of FZ seemed very hostile to mne in places. The same writer never seemed hostile in his bios of Ginsberg and Burroughs. He quotes Moon in that book too. It’s impossible to make any judgements from this short excerpt, but it’s easy to dismiss Barry Miles because his dislike seems personal — like he has an axe to grind — but Moon just states the facts, and it really seems more harsh, because she seems to leave herself out of it.
Still seeing the huge pixelated icons, though.
… missed the discussion of this on the Luc Ponty thread. I guess the idea of watching a video of porn stars playing fusion isn’t my thing. As miserable as the subject is, Moon seems good at making things funny in places.
At her site, there’s a short piece on her acne (which she mentions briefly in “Mom Redefined”) in which she says, “The only people who seemed to always love me were my dad’s freaky fans and I certainly did not love them or want them to love me.” Ouch!
I wouldn’t even attempt to argue that Frank was an angel, but am I the only one miffed at the fact that Moon decides to spew all this crap about dad AFTER he’s dead? That’s real brave, huh?
She doesn’t seem to consider the fact that she’s been financially independent her whole life because of her philandering father.
What a spoiled bitch.
ich… cant get either one to work properly, as their (as always) is a page limit by how far you can browse through the book. So I’ll do what goons have been going for ages; slip in, crack the spine, sneak the peak and dump the book back where I found it…
Besides, it all sounds like sleazy gibberish…
Of interest, the aforementioned groupie who lived with them was Nigey Lennon. She wrote a memoir about Frank and claims to have done the original acoustic guitar on “Camarillo Brillo”. Sloatman refuses to comment on Nigey’s book and claims that their relationship was either distorted or exaagerated. From the mouth of babes comes the memoir verbatum.
I also hear she’s a bit of a Beefheart fan as well.
I can imagine that this whole thing is probably sticking in her Mother’s craw… considering how upset she was when Barfko Booze was to be donated to Jimmy Carl Black’s widow’s fundraising, one can only imagine what her reaction could be…
[quote comment=”6273″]Still seeing the huge pixelated icons, though.[/quote]
Try a “hard refresh”. On Safari and Firefox: hold the shift key and then hit the refresh button.
I read it here
http://books.google.com/books?id=nYSp3J-uilwC&pg=PR9&lpg=PR9&dq=moon+unit+mom+redefined&source=bl&ots=2PUjNYfMMs&sig=GmQ-JrCyWPfGl0N7agBp2LiAP5o&hl=en&ei=Sf03SqbOIYqMsgOSkdC2Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3
[quote comment=”6272″]I’d love to read the rest of the bit by Moon. The Barry Miles bio of FZ seemed very hostile to mne in places. The same writer never seemed hostile in his bios of Ginsberg and Burroughs. He quotes Moon in that book too. It’s impossible to make any judgements from this short excerpt, but it’s easy to dismiss Barry Miles because his dislike seems personal — like he has an axe to grind — but Moon just states the facts, and it really seems more harsh, because she seems to leave herself out of it.[/quote]
I agree, Birdman, Miles does often appear to interject his own feelings and sensitivities into his biographies. I’d really like to see Moon build on this essay, perhaps into a memoir of sorts. She has a valued and unique perspective as a writer 1) having seen the private side of FZ which is sadly lacking in all of his biographies, and 2) being able to account FZ as a husband, father, and flawed human being (besides the musical genius we all, of course, knew he was). Give it time. That book will be written. Moon is a writer. What an irresistible topic. Wowie Zowie, Daddy Dearest!
From Barry Miles biography of William Burroughs, it’s clear he’s a fan of WSB, but Burroughs was no great spouse or parent either. Not even a big fan of women in general. I read the FZ bio as soon as it came out, but can’t remember anymore what Miles gripe with him seemed to be — maybe that FZ seemed petty and juvenile in his lyrics and chose easy targets.
I tend to disagree that the Miles’ bio is hostile. Yes, he obviously disagrees with a lot of Zappa’s life choices, though I found he did not let his disgust obscure the work he was doing. Which is wise, as a biographer, since his work purportedly eclispes his personal life. Miles was actually quite criticial about Ginsberg’s objections with Cuban Communism, something that irked Allen about the bio.
I tend to distrust any biography, writing or journalism which does not come out with its biases. Biases are inherent and the more the writer attempts to hold back, the more they bury it within the text. This is now happening in the Green movement (on both the ‘pro’ and ‘con’ sides).
Perhaps a passionately biased rant about Frank from his loved ones would be what the doctor ordered. It would make for an enertaining read, though I cant help but wonder if the ZFT are waiting for the alumni (at least the original Mothers lineup) to die off so that they can release a Stalinized AUTHORIZED biography complete with a film tie-in and a ZPZ soundtrack. It could ravamp the franchise ala “Walk the Line” and there will be no Indians of the Group to contradict the Sloatman line NOR sue for slander.
Perhaps Oliver Stone could do a sequel film about Sloatman with “Nixon” in mind… open up on a stormy Night, she’s down in the vault drunk and listening to old tapes and ranting about how much the fans hate her and how no one understands Zappa’s legacy. Perhaps it will end with her resigning from office.
In the first paragraph, I meant to say that Miles’ doesnt let Zappa’s controversial parenting eclipse Zappa’s controversial bandleading. Which is wise since Zappa didnt let his parenting duties eclipse his bandleading duties.
…maybe she’s waiting for Pamela Z. to die…..
No wonder it was so easy for Frank to make this point on Thingfish:
“I’m too concerned with MY OWN personal health and well being to think of devoting any of MY precious time to something as boring as ‘REPRODUCTION’!”
Reproduction is pretty easy when you just conceive and pay for bills. I wonder why he even had 4 kids, if he didn’t wanna spend time with them and never take the time to show a real emotion.
because, metafunj, like Moon said, Gail was trying to keep Frank from leaving them for a groupie. Pregnant Mummies are tricky to abandon, wailing newborns are too. More kids = more responsibilities + alimony, etc.
You think she’s bad as an executor, imagine having her for an ex!
I don’t know.
To me it doesn’t feel right to make judgment on somebody’s private life, even if some stories get to be in the public domain.
We all have our good sides and our dark sides, we are all angels AND monsters at the same time.
Yes, they had special arrangements, tacit or not, but also they lived in special circumstances: not everybody is a rock star, not everybody is the wife of a rock star.
Life doesn’t come with an instructions manual…
All I can say is I know longer have any use for Frank’s social commentary. I’ll just continue to admire his music and ignore the messages.
Meta, you are way too judgemental. Is it rude to ask how old you are? This whole parents must cater to every fucking need/whim of their children in this day and age is way out of hand. I barely saw my father…he was out working all the time or involved in some project at home. And I love him, he’s there when I need him.
[quote comment=”6302″]I don’t know.
To me it doesn’t feel right to make judgment on somebody’s private life, even if some stories get to be in the public domain.
Life doesn’t come with an instructions manual…[/quote]
Bravo! Well said…
Well Urban, tell Crystal you want your kickback. I am going to pick it up right now.
I was so disappointed when I first found out Frank was not exactly the faithful family man as implied in his later interviews and especially in The Real Frank Zappa Book. I was shocked and appalled, and chagrined and disillusioned and all that. And it wasn’t the actual facts (such as we know them anyway) that made me angry. It wasn’t even that Frank had more or less lied by omission. It was the simple fact that the ideal image I had of Frank Zappa was tarnished forever. I know, waah waah poor me. But it was highly distraughtening at the time (I think I was about 18).
I got over it, of course, but I’m kind of glad that happened because mine was an unhealthy worship. I was utterly credulous and believed every single thing Frank said. I was probably about as close to a Fundamentalist Zappa fan as you could probably get. And that is a very silly (bordering on dangerous) thing to be.
i love moon, great humor and great writing i lover her book america the beautiful and maybe she has to deal with some issues. i think its great she lets us in some of the darker areas in zappas live. Gail i have a heart and a kiss for you anytime:) you have great kids and great grand kids keep kicking and rolling đ Sure i buy the book maybe moon will sign it if i mail it to her ? where would i mail it to ? suggestions welcome
[quote comment=”6302″]I don’t know.
To me it doesn’t feel right to make judgment on somebody’s private life, even if some stories get to be in the public domain.
.[/quote]
Dude, Frank used to pass judgment ALL THE TIME!! Then again, he did use to point at himself when he said, “You an asshole.”
It’s surprising that people thought Frank was a model of marital fidelity. Really?
What did you think Dyna-Moe Humm was about? Just a fairy tale?
[quote comment=”6317″]Dude, Frank used to pass judgment ALL THE TIME!! Then again, he did use to point at himself when he said, “You an asshole.”[/quote]
The lady ain’t no dude! đ
That aside: there’s been loads of comments on this topic — here as well as elsewhere. One remark well worth considering:
…indeed.
I’m sorry peter, maybe i’m thinking of a different frank zappa. One who didn’t pen songs that critiziced the parents of his generation as being ignorant of their childrens needs. Or was it the FZ that wrote a chapter about how yuppies have children to win awards just to make them look good. Maybe that was his way of dealing with his own conscience bothering him for not spending time with his own kids. By telling himself that parents only have sinisiter reasons for being involved in their childs lives and that he was giving them freedom.
[quote comment=”6310″]Well Urban, tell Crystal you want your kickback. I am going to pick it up right now.[/quote]
No kickbacks, Plooker, just a damn fine piece of writing. When surviving families of musicians are sometimes more concerned with their legacy than the truth, a biography like Crystal Zevon’s bio of her late ex-husband is extremely refreshing. As much as the surviving heirs might wish to do, one cannot separate the music from the man who created it. In each case, Zappa and Zevon, both were complex men who each possessed a dark side which powered the engine of their personal creativity. Both were severe control freaks. Both were addicted to the adulation that groupies (female fans) gave them: personally, emotionally, and sexually. Zevon actually videotaped his encounters (a collection his son, Jordan, destroyed upon his death). Does it surprise me that they (Moon and Jordan) have issues, now? Not at all. When you grow up in the glare of the media, and your musician father’s multitude of eccentricities, abnormal becomes normal, just like growing up with an alcoholic parent becomes normal.
Does it alter my view of these men? I’d much rather see them as genius flawed men they were, than the sometimes sterilized, stalinized caricatures that certain media attempt to portray them to be.
I don’t think FZ was lying when he wrote The Real Frank Zappa Book. He undoubtedly saw himself as a rational, functional parent just trying to raise good kids. I’m sure he saw himself as a “family man” because he didn’t walk out on his wife and kids when he easily could have done so.
FZ was a volatile mixture of the traditional and the avant-garde. One has to remember that he was older than most of the Sixties Generation, so that he brought many of the cultural assumptions of ’50s America with him, even as he made fun of the uptight mainstream. Also, remember that some of the swingin’ folks from the ’50s generation (like FZ) thought in the ’70s that the open marriage sounded like a great idea. It almost never worked in practice, because we’re not really wired that way. FZ’s family seems to have been the ones to absorb the blows, not FZ himself.
In FZ’s case, his choice of profession probably made a “normal” family life impossible in any event. Imagine being on the road all the time with succulent young ladies throwing themselves at you. The male libido is going to have a hard time resisting that year after year. And having an “open marriage” is simply a way of rationalizing hurtful behavior in that case. “Sure, Gail, go have all the young men you want, assuming you can get away from the screaming kids for more than five minutes.”
Thanks again Urban, you’re right, I can’t put this thing down!
[quote comment=”6293″]Wowie Zowie, Daddy Dearest![/quote]
Now that’s a book with an excellent hook! “Moon, you will eat your veggies and like it! No Daddy, not the rutabaga!”
[quote comment=”6296″]Perhaps Oliver Stone could do a sequel film about Sloatman with “Nixon” in mind… open up on a stormy Night, she’s down in the vault drunk and listening to old tapes[/quote]
Yes, I can see it! And just like in “JFK”, it’s revealed that Zappa was actually killed by a . . . bullet! A magic bullet.
[quote comment=”6312″]I was probably about as close to a Fundamentalist Zappa fan as you could probably get. And that is a very silly (bordering on dangerous) thing to be.[/quote]
Mike, I know how you feel. It takes time to learn that ALL humans are with fault.
[quote comment=”6302″]Life doesn’t come with an instructions manual…[/quote]
And finally, I have to agree with the lovely, Dr. (Ms.) Sharleena. Luckily, for me there is no manual. I always lose those things.
what a thought zappa was killed ?
\soapbox:
It is sad yet interesting to read Moon’s writing. I’d like to read the whole article too.
Somewhere I either read or heard Dweezil say that his dad was very much the macho Italian father figure who everyone had to bend to his will, which sometimes meant that his sleep schedule would result in everyone having dinner in the morning because he had been up all night! I chuckled when I read that. It’s quirky, fer sure. And I’ve read literally over a hundred interviews with Frank and from those you can glean statements that back up what Moon wrote here without a doubt. He was a very sexualy active guy when on the road and he loved sex.
Fine. No surprise there. But, this is something much more than strange sleep habits, and I can easily see how this would not be a positive thing for the children to have grown up seeing and knowing about.
Moon has also been quoted as saying she had to endure hearing Gail and Frank have very loud sex quite often when growing up and that this coupled with her dad’s music did nothing to help her develop a healthy self image. I don’t have the link to this interview, so I am paraphrasing, but it is a quote that really stood out to me when I read it.
So, with all this going on, plus when Frank is not touring, he is busy working 24×7, it must not have been a very happy time for Moon, and I feel bad for her as well as Gail. At least Dweezil could talk music with his dad, and if you ask me, I’d be willing to bet he was probably so macho and so forceful in his personality that Moon might not have felt as close to him as Dweezil did. And, of course, I think we have another clue as to why Gail is so seemingly full of venom towards the very people who made the Zappa Empire a reality.
/soapbox.
“GIVE US HELL, Gail!!”
I wonder if in some tiny way, ZPZ is a way for Dweezil to connect with his dad in a way that wasn’t possible before. Also, I don’t think it’s necessarily wise to assume that Moon (or any of them, including Frank) have a totally unadulterated perception. We all see things through our own lenses.
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.
— “This Be the Verse”, Philip Larkin
Also, can anyone provide a link to the lyrics to Dweezil’s song, “Father Time”?
That macho, italian quote was from Ahmet: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/jul/29/familyandrelationships.family1
quote from article:
Still, he admits, the daily rhythms of the Zappa household, where the parents were married for 26 years, revolved around Frank, who worked at home in a studio. “My father would often work all night and sleep during the day, so for us, dinner might be pancakes, and breakfast might be beef stroganoff. It was all tailor-made for him, and it’s a very Italian, macho, thing to have a household run that way. He wasn’t like, ‘OK, everyone around the table, let’s have dinner.’ Food was fuel to him. It definitely was our own unique universe.”
Thanks Norske. I actually couldn’t remember if it was Ahmet or not, so thanks for setting me straight.
[quote comment=”6338″]And, of course, I think we have another clue as to why Gail is so seemingly full of venom towards the very people who made the Zappa Empire a reality.[/quote]
Yeah, it does explain a lot. Even if you don’t think of Gail’s attitude as venomous, her interest in the fan base is at best purely financial. It’s not like she’s getting the pure emotional feedback that FZ must have gotten from dealing with the fans, both in terms of fanboy worship and sexual gratification.
they where just different, i rather have a father which is a macho weirdo
then black and blue bottoms i cant see the venom in or around gail where do you guys come up with that . they are 4 kids doing well the world has enough dysfunctional examples gail and frank must have done something right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and if frank was in case such a woman freak then wow gail you sure can put up with a lot :::::: so where is the venom ……….. think pls.
[quote comment=”6312″]I was so disappointed when I first found out Frank was not exactly the faithful family man as implied in his later interviews and especially in The Real Frank Zappa Book. I was shocked and appalled, and chagrined and disillusioned and all that. And it wasn’t the actual facts (such as we know them anyway) that made me angry. It wasn’t even that Frank had more or less lied by omission. It was the simple fact that the ideal image I had of Frank Zappa was tarnished forever. I know, waah waah poor me. But it was highly distraughtening at the time (I think I was about 18).
I got over it, of course, but I’m kind of glad that happened because mine was an unhealthy worship. I was utterly credulous and believed every single thing Frank said. I was probably about as close to a Fundamentalist Zappa fan as you could probably get. And that is a very silly (bordering on dangerous) thing to be.[/quote]
Wowie Zowie that rings a few bells over here…are/were we the same person at some point? Jeezis.
I’m glad you got over it – someone earlier mentioned how FZ painted himself as a family man in TRFZB and pissed on parents with trophy children…that’s what made learning the facts a hard pill to swallow. For those of us who idolized him, it’s a little crushing to learn “Oh, he actually was human, and just as prone to base desires as the rest of us!” But then I realized that’s not the worst thing in the world to know: that these are mere mortals and ordinary humans just like the rest of us.
But chew on this: do any of you who like John Lennon like his MUSIC any less because he’d hit Cynthia, or was a constantly on-the-go pothead father who wasn’t there for Julian? You’re welcome to think he was a right bastard in person – it doesn’t help that his image to the rest of the world at the time was a squeaky clean Beatle – but does this affect how much you enjoy “In My Life,” “Girl,” “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “I’m Only Sleeping,” “A Day In The Life,” or “All You Need Is Love”?
As a combination of their own upbringing and the times, a lot of our male idols from this era were awful womanizers…but as far as I’m concerned that matters only to those directly linked to it. It would be a little embarrassing for any of our demons to be made public and discussed in online forums and print articles, but that’s just one of the many prices of fame.
So FZ loved the groupies. Apparently not a candidate for father of the year… Does it not make sense that he whitewashed himself in interviews and in print? Republicans want gay marriage banned in the Constitution, but then one of them gets caught snorting meth off the reeking buns of a gigolo. Democrats stand accused of extramarital affairs play up the family man card before they finally come clean. Was this not the thrust (no innuendo intended) behind “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It”?
At least Frank never wrote some sappy song about having his babies on his knee and being a family man. Hell, even when Dylan went into his stay at home father phase he didn’t put it into the music – he instead did ‘John Wesley Harding.’
In spite of – maybe even because of – all this, I still love Frank Zappa’s music, lyrics, and public persona. It didn’t concern us, it doesn’t concern us, and unless we’re one of five people (his children or his widow) it never will concern us. Don’t let this keep you from appreciating his sense of musicianship or his poison-pen lyrics about hypocrisy (or if you do, don’t act like you’ve got nothing to hide) or him telling John Lofton to kiss his ass.
“Everybody got problems, buddy, I got mine” – Ray Davies
[quote comment=”6352″]
As a combination of their own upbringing and the times, a lot of our male idols from this era were awful womanizers…but as far as I’m concerned that matters only to those directly linked to it. It would be a little embarrassing for any of our demons to be made public and discussed in online forums and print articles, but that’s just one of the many prices of fame.
In spite of – maybe even because of – all this, I still love Frank Zappa’s music, lyrics, and public persona. It didn’t concern us, it doesn’t concern us, and unless we’re one of five people (his children or his widow) it never will concern us. Don’t let this keep you from appreciating his sense of musicianship or his poison-pen lyrics about hypocrisy (or if you do, don’t act like you’ve got nothing to hide) or him telling John Lofton to kiss his ass.
“Everybody got problems, buddy, I got mine” – Ray Davies[/quote]
It funny: After watching Pixar’s latest film, “UP”, I realized the one thing missing from the film…… when the old man meets his hero, some time SHOULD’VE been spent showing how awful it is to find out your hero can be a jerk! I love Pixar, but that was an odd ‘ball-drop’, IMO.
Actually, reading Moon’s piece, both Gail and Frank kinda sound like assholes. For one thing, the Italian Macho Thing suggests that you may have sex with other women, but you don’t leave your wife; I was baffled by the stuff about ‘leaving us for a groupie’ and ‘not having a roof over our heads’. Obviously, I wasn’t there, but it doesn’t sound very in character for Frank to threaten to leave his family for a groupie. He just wanted his freedom, sexually, and declined to lie about it. And I must say, insensitive selfish asshole though he probably was, a.) he made a clear distinction between sex and love, and b.) the idea that you aren’t going to have sex while you’re on tour for 9 months per year is a bit ridiculous.
I basically agree with Dr Sharl: it’s fraught to judge other people, especially other people’s marriages. But they do both sound like weirdos, at least….
[quote post=”2102″]It funny: After watching Pixarâs latest film, âUPâ, I realized the one thing missing from the filmâŚâŚ when the old man meets his hero, some time SHOULDâVE been spent showing how awful it is to find out your hero can be a jerk! I love Pixar, but that was an odd âball-dropâ, IMO.[/quote]
Good point! (Also great movie – my fiance and I were weeping at the end of the first reel, wherein we are brought from [SPOILER] their first meeting to Carl the lonely widower, for obvious reasons: world as oyster, whole life ahead of us, etc.)
They hinted towards it, just enough that those in the audience who HAVE had experiences like this in real life – like me – or with some rock star we’ll never meet – like me – can sit and say, “Oh, yeah. Been there. Sucks.” And the kids the film is primarily marketed for – it could just go over their heads and become one of those things they “get” when they re-view it at a later age.