Category: Community

How To Rekindle Your Interest In Zappa?

Steven Harker has a problem. He writes:

I’ve been a long time follower of KUR. During the ZFT bruhaha I expressed the opinion that if it wasn’t for your blog my interest in all things FZ would have disappeared up my own poop chute never to be seen again. I didn’t buy the latest ZFT offering, truth be told after the luke warm stuff I did make the effort to buy recently I felt I’d be better off stocking up on petrol. It’s a sad state of affairs that my interest in Zappa is waning. So, perhaps everyone out there could recommend something that I need to do to rekindle my interest. Is there one album I should dust off and give my undivided attention to or even just one song? Should I buy a blow up doll and stick a gas mask on her? Or should I just give up and go to the Elton John concert tomorrow which is ten minutes down the road from my house? Help!

My first suggestion would be to get an account at Zappateers and act like the kid in the candy store. Anyone else have any good tips? Let’s hear it, freaks!

Turn Your Peter Green

Although I hardly ever contribute to the wiki anymore (yes, shame on me), I am still subscribed to the “Recent Changes” feed. Not only is it a delight to see the site grow at such an amazing speed (4,098 articles and counting), there’s also some highly entertaining stuff going on behind the curtains at times. Take this discussion for instance, regarding CC Clues for “In France”:

I’m behaving like an over-enthusiastic fido at the moment, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. Take the point on ‘some fans’ being unqualified. I based it on the ‘fact’ that among about 3 distinctly different social groups of people (fans) I knew at the time this album was released, all of them picked up on the notion that this was another Zappa leitmotiv- a ‘dig’ (using the phonetic of Peter Green) by the inbuilt Zappa nose that could sniff out the negatives that can result (by public elevation) from plain virtuosity appreciation to the ‘sucking dry’ or ‘ejaculations’ of repetitive stardom. Perhaps in the same vein as FZ’s ref to Clapton? e.g. Nasal Retentive Calliope Music.

Yes, I knew some Weird People then. Some of them had Short Hair.

Is this simply a shallow verse about a blow job? Why a ‘mystery’ blow job… a ref to some French glory-hole…or the setting up of the next line?

I did attempt some research. I shall do more.
–Tonefish 15:48, 18 May 2008 (PDT)

To which Duncan, ever the thorough researcher, responds:

I suspect it means what it says. Peter is a slang nickname for the penis. It was nothing more than infelicitous fellatio which turned peter green.
–Duncan 10:52, 19 May 2008 (PDT)

Newman.

Way back in November 2006, we launched The KUR World Tour Book:

Remember those scrapbooks that were passed around when you were a kid? A friend would ask you to write or draw something in his/hers and then you’d give it back. Some of the pages would turn out rather cheesy, while others would consist of really cool doodles or collages.

With positive response from you guys, Sharleena and myself went and bought a (matter-of-fact) rather cheap sketchbook, filled its first pages with some introductory doo-dah, and off it went.

KUR Tourbook Cover

From there on, what can I say, really? Things went good, until they went bad.

The book is lost.

No doubt there’s a Newman in US Postal Services sitting on this book, creaming all over it at the prospect of a quick buck on eBay. Nnnnewman…
Luckily, the last recipient of the book –our good friend SOFA– made pictures of all pages before sending it on. Have a look (flickr link) — be sure to click the “All Sizes button”!

To all of you who received the book, doodled in it, then sent it on, and made it as spectacularly good as it is: you guys rock. Some samples:

SOFA KUR Tourbook Entry

Gnarly Artly

Detonator

Evaristo

Sharleena

Newman? We need to get in touch. I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.

Baltimore Or Bust

My inbox just about exploded this morning with news that the city of Baltimore is to accept a statue of FZ as a gift to the city:

Baltimore Zappa Statue

Until they met last night, some members of the Baltimore Public Art Commission, which voted unanimously to accept the gift of the bronze sculpture – valued at about $50,000 – were also unaware of Zappa’s connection to Charm City.
However, the donors of the bust, who come from much farther afield – in fact, from a nation Zappa never visited – are well aware of his background.

That’d be Vilnius, Lithuania, of course.

Lo and behold: GS “avidly supports placing the sculpture in Baltimore, where her late husband’s quirky views of life fit with the work of such great local artists as John Waters.”…

Boys Are Back In Town

Hello and welcome to another episode of “Zappa.com Forums: The Douchebag Edition”. Idiot Bastard Son says:

I have been personally insulted at the Zappa Forum simply for commenting on the inference in DZ’s recent email about the ZPZ DVD re-release. It is actually quite clear. What he said was: “ZPZ’s goal is to capture the attention of a new audience” – not “…one of its goals…“, but “ZPZ’s goal…“. More care needs to be taken if that doesn’t mean it’s ZPZ’s sole goal (which I don’t actually believe it is). I will refrain from commenting further at the Forum: it’s a very hostile place, seemingly now populated by a couple of racist bully-boys.

There’s some cool people posting at the Z forums mind you, but the (real) idiots, it seems, are taking over. Erh… AFFZ, anyone?

Bring Out Yer (Gr)Avatar

Praise be! This weblog is now Gravatar enabled. Now you too can have one of those unique little personal images next to any comment you post here. All you have to do is sign up for an account with Gravatar, upload your image, and associate it with the email address you’d previously entered to comment here. Next thing you know, your avatar will appear next to your comments — retroactively!

So c’mon: bring out yer Gravatar…

La Grande Freak Out!

La Grande Freak Out

Next July 5 & 6 ’08. Organized by Les Fils De L’Invention.

After London & Rome, Paris welcomes the third international conference dedicated to Frank Zappa. A great weekend of debates, spectacle and concerts (special things will happen)

Will have to see if we can make it there! Oh, and I have it on good authority that Thomas Dippel of the Arf Society will be present “to discuss Gail’s actions” — wearing one of these.

While we’re in Sarko-county: props to Zappa In France webmaster Francis Hérard who was present at the first ZFT vs Arf Society hearing and wrote about it here. In French, obviously!

It’s Alive!

As if there were not enough chattering going on in the comments of this weblog, I’ve decided to open up KUR’s mailing list.

If you remember, I originally conceived this list as a one off “announcement only” thingamabob, just so I could notify you guys ‘n gals when the new version of KUR would become available. Meaning: you couldn’t post, you were a passive reader. You poor thing you.

Well… all that just changed. Sign up here, and start posting! Bring on the links, the insightful observations and the superfluous banter.

Members only I’m afraid.. 🙂

Care to sign up? Try this convenient little form:

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