Wherein Barry Copyrights His Facial Hair

Posted on April 14, 2008 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

That’s right, you heard right: any and all of my facial hair varieties are hereby copyrighted! You see, being the type of original artist whose legacy is to be protected by my wife upon my biting the big one, I can easily imagine a scenario whereby some East-German lowlife scumbag rips off one of my iconic facial hair designs for a logo concept, thereby confusing fans across the globe.

Copyrighted Facial Hairone, two, three, four, five, six
Click the above image to view all of my Copyrighted Facial Hair Designs (hovering your mouse over the pictures will allow you to navigate back and forth). Any of you so much as think about copying these Facial Hair Designs, I’ll have my Burger Kuhnt scumbag lawyers all over you faster than you can say the words “Accept No Substitute”!

Word to the wise…

Posted in Frank Zappa, Miscellany | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

Today’s Headline: ZFT vs Arf Society

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Der Spiegel, on the day of the ZFT vs Arf Society/Zappanale trial:
Mother Of Intervention: Zappa Festival Defends Itself from… Zappa.

Quoth Goil Zeepee:

“One of the reasons you file a trademark is to protect the works of a person,” Gail Zappa told SPIEGEL ONLINE in a telephone interview. “I felt we were getting into territory where we were putting the audience at risk in terms of who Frank was. You become concerned.”

Thomas Dippel:

Dippel says that the Zappanale has long tried to get the kind of official rubber stamp that Gail Zappa insists is available. He claims that letters have been sent and that Zappanale people even met with Gail in Amsterdam at the beginning of the 1990s. He also says that he invited the Zappa family — including Gail, Dweezil and Moon — to an unveiling of a Zappa statue that now graces Bad Doberan.

Gail — who refers to the statue as an “impish creature” that “doesn’t look like Frank Zappa unless you argue that putting a moustache on any face looks like Frank Zappa” — says that very little communication has taken place with the Zappanale.

I guess you know where our sympathies lie, right?

Posted in Community, Frank Zappa, Music | Tagged , , , , , | 59 Comments

Bat Chain Puller

Posted on April 9, 2008 by urbangraffito

Barry and I had a very interesting discussion the other day concerning why some Zappa fans also become big Captain Beefheart fans, while some do not. The crux of the biscuit, so to speak, comes down to Beefheart’s appeal, lyrically, since both Frank Zappa and Don Van Vliet are appealing musically. For example, I offer the following live version of Bat Chain Puller from the French Chorus TV show in 1980 (I suggest you turn it up loud, too):

Posted in Captain Beefheart, Community, Music, YouTubery | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Bylyder: Frank Zappa

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Balint

Når Kringkastingsorkestret stiller opp i konsertserien “Bylyder” tar de med seg musikk av blant andre Frank Zappa.

Fredag 11. april kl. 19.30
Lindemansalen, Norges musikkhøgskole (Oslo)

  • Giovanni B. Pergolesi: Musikk brukt av Stravinsky i Pulcinella
  • Igor Stravinskky: Pulcinella, suite
  • Frank Zappa: G-spot Tornado
  • Frank Zappa: Dog Breath Variations
  • Frank Zappa: Revised Music for Low Budget Symphony Orchestra
  • Jon Øivind Ness: Fierce Kentucky Mothers of Doom: konsert for to tromboner og to ensembler
Posted in Frank Zappa, Music | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Wagner & Schubert Have Intercourse

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

David Ocker is set to release a “big piece of music entitled Poof, You’re A Pimp” in April or perhaps May. Meanwhile, he writes:

suppose you just wanted to simply hear my piece Wagner and Schubert Have Intercourse and not read all the upcoming palaver. Just scroll to the end of this post for the download link. It’s easy. Or click HERE to skip down. Even easier. Yep.

More of David’s music can be found here.

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

FZ On Nightmatch

Posted on April 7, 2008 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Recorded August 25, 1985, here’s yet another classic Zappa TV appearance that takes us back to the days of the PMRC and “porn rock”. Part one consists mostly of introductory stuff, so let’s skip right to part two:

…part three, part four (yes, there are four parts!)

Posted in Frank Zappa, Music, Politics, YouTubery | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Three Little Words

Posted on April 6, 2008 by urbangraffito

My thoughts lately have been occupied by the meaning of these three little words: Kill Ugly Radio. Exactly what do they mean, philosophically speaking? We know the definition of the individual words, but does knowing these components help us? We can guess as to why they were initially uttered. Why did Barry choose these three particular words, beyond their FZ reference, that is? What do these words mean to you? To me? To them? To anyone? The PHILOSTOPHER’s door is open. Speak your piece.

Posted in Miscellany | 5 Comments

Big Swifty — Up To Old Tricks

Posted on April 4, 2008 by urbangraffito

I was surfing the info highway when I came upon another fine example of what’s up with Berger Kahn, who hires them, and the sort of services that they provide their most important clients. Click here for more.

Posted in Miscellany | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Zappanale #19: The Line-Up

Posted on April 3, 2008 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Thomas, aka Head Honcho of Zappanale, just confirmed the following bands for this year’s edition:

  • Anti Agressive Action Band aka “Underground Sensation”, USA, feat. members of Voice of Cheeze, Ugly Radio Rebellion Band, DOOT
  • Low Budget Research Kitchen, Portugal
  • Wrong Object, Belgium
  • Finnish Zappa Tribute Band, Finnland
  • Paul Green School of Rock plays Zappa and YES, USA
  • Electric Orange, Germany
  • Panzerballett, Germany
  • Delicious Band Research Kitchen, France
  • INDUKTI, Poland
  • Alamaailman Vasarat, Finnland
  • Zappa Circus, Hungary
  • UZVA, Finnland
  • Jazzproject Hundehagen, Germany
  • Fattore Zeta, Italy
  • Bogus Pomp Semi Acoustic Orchestra, USA

Special guests:

  • Denny Walley
  • Napoleon Murphy Brock
  • Stanley Jason Zappa

Muchos kudos to Thomas for gathering such an eclectic slash exquisite mix of bands — especially in view of the upcoming ZFT vs Zappanale trial (April 9).

We’re with you bud. Music Is The Best.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Music | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Je Suis Dans Ta Vie! (Todeloo Doot)

Posted on April 2, 2008 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

We interrupt this program for a bit of nostalgia for the old European folk (preferably of the French persuasion).

Over the weekend Sharl and I watched Podium — wait, let me rephrase that. Over the weekend I gently persuaded Sharl to join me in watching Podium. Now before you get any weird ideas, Podium is a comedy about a Claude François imitator whose main character is played by Benoît Poelvoorde of Man Bites Dog fame.

Now who is this Claude François character, I hear you ask. Well, behold:

That’s CloClo performing the classic Alexandrie/Alexandra for you, somewhere back in the late 70s. Pretty shocking for those Young Sophisticates among you, I imagine. Yet I need only hear the beginning notes of that tune and BOOM — there I am: barely 10 years old, fresh out of the bath, hair neatly combed, gushing over those background dansers also known as Les Claudettes. Everything, needless to say, was much better in the seventies. Yes? (No? Discuss.)

Anyway, back on topic: imagine our surprise when during the end credits of Podium, this pops up:

To be fair, it was Sharl who spotted this. It was I who freeze-framed the screen and took the picture. But hey, see that? In their “thank you” list, they actually include Frank Zappa! One can’t but wonder why…

Moving on, here’s another tune that you may actually be familiar with:

Pfeh, a My Way cover, you shrug? Quite the opposite.

Posted in Frank Zappa, Movies, Music, Pop Cult, YouTubery | Tagged , , , , , , | 30 Comments