Zappathon ’06 Post Scriptum

Posted on Tuesday, 04/25/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

For those of you who missed out on last Sunday’s wusb.fm’s ’06 Zappathon, a stream of the entire show is available here. Alternatively, you can sign up for the snailmail vine over at the Uncle Beat Forum. Oh, and by popular request, the pledge soundbite Dr Sharl and I made for the show can be heard right over here.

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

ZPZ Video Clips

Posted on Tuesday, 04/25/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Flat Top Sam (no really) sent in links to video clips of Zappa Plays Zappa during rehearsal. They’re short but sweet, have a look: Florentine Pogen (one, two) and The Black Page.

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

Zappa Over The Phone

Posted on Tuesday, 04/25/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Duncan alerts me to the fact that Bill Camarata over at Box of Sound included a 1988 phone interview with Frank Zappa in one of his podcasts. Being the swell guy that he is, Duncan has clipped out the relevant bit and put it online for your listening pleasure.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Audio/Video | Comments Off on Zappa Over The Phone

Dark Side Of The Wizard

Posted on Tuesday, 04/25/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

I had never heard about this but apparently, several years ago a rumor began to circulate about a strange connection between Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (1973) and the MGM classic The Wizard of Oz (1939). Synchronize the film and the album, a number of coincidental events occur.

“The Great Gig in the Sky” begins as the tornado approaches Dorothy’s farm, builds as the storm worsens, and slows when Dorothy is knocked unconscious; “Brain Damage” plays as the Scarecrow sings “If I Only Had a Brain”; and the album concludes with the sound of a heartbeat as Dorothy puts her hand on the Tin Woodsman’s chest.

Want to see for yourself? YouTube has the entire synchronized version. (via)

Posted in Film, Music, Pop Cult | 15 Comments

Cha Cha!

Posted on Monday, 04/24/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Sexy vintage album covers. My favorite has to be this one:

Cha Cha Billy

An obese barefooted elderly man dressed like a mid-70s Barry Manilow, holding a stray dog and throwing around confetti while contemplating a possibly sexual relationship with a goodlooking yet otherwise blissfully ignorant chick. Cha Cha!

Posted in Music, Pop Cult, Sex, Silly | 1 Comment

200 Motels Promotional Pictures

Posted on Saturday, 04/22/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Some time ago, I obtained original prints of promotional pictures taken during the production of Zappa’s 200 Motels. Don’t ask how I got them — let’s just call it good karma. And since good karma begets good karma, I figured why not scan and put them online for you. So here they are. Enjoy!

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Imagery | Comments Off on 200 Motels Promotional Pictures

This Sunday: Zappathon ’06

Posted on Saturday, 04/22/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Hey kids, just a reminder: WUSB’s Zappathon ’06 airs tomorrow, starting at noon and going til midnight (EST). Co-hosted by John Tabacco and Nigey Lennon it’ll be nothing short of a Zapfest featuring interviews and rare recordings. On top of that our friend SOFA is scheduled to appear on the show (as he did last year). Oh, and you might just hear Dr Sharl and I say a couple of words…

Tune in!
Dial-up stream: mp3 • wma • real
Broadband stream: mp3 • wma • real

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

ZPZ At The Jammy’s

Posted on Friday, 04/21/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Last night was Zappa Plays Zappa’s official opening at the Jammy’s. Judging from this review authored by one Trendmonger at the zappa.com forums, we are in for a treat. A Big Treat:

Chick Corea came out for the Fender Rhodes and Moog solos in Inca Roads and it was plain to see that this band is a tour de force as one listened to Inca Roads & Florentine Pogen with a sound believe it or not that was Thicker and had More Balls than any live Zappa performance I have ever seen and heard. When the band left the stage one could not stop and realize that this Zappa Plays Zappa band had all the right ingredients.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Zappa Audio/Video, Zappa News, Zappa Plays Zappa | 12 Comments

37 Cello’s

Posted on Friday, 04/21/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Very cool: video of musician Ethan Winer playing a song composed entirely of 37 cello parts. He even plays the percussion parts on his cello. It was recorded on 23 tracks using 37 plug-in effects.

(Here’s the youTube link in case the above doesn’t show)

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Zürich ’79 (2)

Posted on Friday, 04/21/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

This morning I said to myself, “Self”, I said, “you posted part one of Zürich ’79, wouldn’t it be a swell idea to post part two?”
“Self,” I responded, “excellent thinking“.
Whereupon Self and I had some more coffee, enjoying the warm coziness of Dr Spitzenbaum’s leather couch.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Friday Boots | 19 Comments

Pan flutes! Orchestra hits! James Brown Grunts!

Posted on Thursday, 04/20/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

“Famous sounds“: sounds that have been created or used by somebody, liked and then copied by many others, and thus earned a “classic” status.

I’d like to open this section of Synth Mania utilizing as a starting point portions of an article appeared in the October 1995 issue of Keyboard magazine, titled “20 Sounds That Must Die”, in which the author David Battino analyzes many sounds that have, over the years, been used, re-used and abused again.

Posted in Amusing, Music, Pop Cult | 1 Comment

I Am The Eggman

Posted on Thursday, 04/20/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

I am me and Rummy’s he, Iraq is free and we are all together.
(Related: RollingStone — The Worst President In History?)

Posted in In The News, Music, Politics | 3 Comments

Another Zappa Book

Posted on Thursday, 04/20/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Yet another book on Zappa is hitting the shelves: The Words and Music of Frank Zappa by one Kelly Fisher Lowe. And just to make this post a bit more interesting: on the cover, the typeface used is the same one I applied to the very first layout of KUR. Fascinating stuff, eh?

Posted in Books, Frank Zappa | 3 Comments

UH, REALLY COOL

Posted on Wednesday, 04/19/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

I THINK THAT, UH, FRANK ZAPPA’S FACIAL HAIR IS REALLY COOL TO LOOK AT AND, UH, I AM ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT GETTING IT TATTOOED ON MY BODY.

(myspace.com: where braincells go to die.)

Posted in Frank Zappa, Silly | 10 Comments

The Effect Of Pr0n

Posted on Wednesday, 04/19/06 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

A scientific study into the effect of pr0n on male fertility, at last!
“Gentleman, would you like to know how to improve the potency of your semen? Do you need a good excuse to give your significant other when she catches you browsing porn sites? Do you want another excuse to sneer at those pompous business types who flaunt their fancy cell phones? Here’s the study for you.“

Posted in Science, Sex | Comments Off on The Effect Of Pr0n