Sunday Big Note – Listening Session #8

For as long as I have been a Zappa/Mother‘s freak – going four decades strong and showing no evidence of slowing down – almost every fan of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention I’ve encountered has also been a fan of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull. Odd, since in the 1970s Frank Zappa, himself, stated in the press that he didn’t care for the music of Jethro Tull. In a Montreal Mirror interview, Ian Anderson was asked about this:
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78 Years Ago Yesterday…

In a house that someone used to live in, little Donny Preston, also known as little Dom DeWilde or little Biff Debrie, was born on September 21st, 1932 in Flint, Michigan.

Happy Birthday, Don!
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Some Nostalgia For The Old Folks…

As a long time fan of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, the names of particular musicians have threaded through much of the music I have listened to and collected throughout the years. Names such as Andy Cahan, Lawrence ‘Stash’ Wagner, and Tom Leavey. Together and separately, through compositions and through associations (sometimes as members and as contributors) they formed links with such bands as Frank Zappa & The Mothers, Lowell George & The Factory, Little Feat, and Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, and Geronimo Black.
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Mothers of Invention on Vinyl

An audio treat for those Zappa and Mothers of Invention freaks who have only heard this music via digital CDs, and a bit of nostalgia for freaks like myself, who first got turned onto the incredibly warm analogue sound of the MOI that you will never get with remastered CDs. Take a listen to the following examples – “Nine Types of Industrial Pollution” and “The Dog Breath Variations” from 1969’s ‘Uncle Meat’, and “Who Are the Brain Police (1966 MONO)” from ‘Freak Out’ – and be your own judge:
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The Artisan Acetate

Arranged, compiled, edited and produced by Frank Zappa, this acetate of original live recordings, engineered by Dick Kunc, was 
recorded between October 1968 and May 1969, and mastered at Artisan Sound Recorders in Hollywood, CA., in mid 1969. It contains unique original recordings of the Mothers of Invention performing “Wipe Out”, “East L.A.”, “Weasels Ripped My Flesh”, “Kung Fu”, “Igor’s Boogie”, “Passacaglia”, “Copenhagen Night Music”, “Help, I’m A Rock”, “Chocolate Halvah”, “Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Sexually Aroused Gas Mask”, “The Cookie Jar Lecture” and “It Must Be Your Breath”. This acetate, known officially as The Artisan RS 6406 Test Pressing (acetate), was ripped by it’s owner RJ and generously donated to Zappateers for torrenting (currently seeding).
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Frank Zappa – My Guitar & Interview

In this fan-made video, Frank Zappa’s 1969 7″ Extended Version of “My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama” is combined with a Zappa interview by Bill Hewey on “What’s It All About” – recorded for the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. For Public Service (Religious) Broadcast, August 1979. Some really, really weird takes on Zappa’s point of view…

Bill Payne Interview

An exclusive 10 part series of interviews with Bill Payne of Little Feat conducted by Living Legends Music, recorded on May 1st, 2008 at The Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, FL. In part 4, above, Payne discusses 1969’s “Summer of Love”, hearing Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention‘s “Uncle Meat” for the first time, how he got introduced to Lowell George (then still a Mother), and his life and experiences with Little Feat (which included former Fraternity of Man member, Richie Hayward, as well as former Mother, Elliot Ingber).
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Beatles On The Rooftop

I’m sure you’ve all seen this before — The Beatles’ last public performance:

The live concert idea culminated with the Beatles and [Billy] Preston performing 30 January [’69] on the rooftop of the Beatles’ Apple Building at 3 Savile Row before a small audience of friends and employees. The performance was cut short by the police after complaints about noise.

What a fabulous little mini-concert, considering the drama that was taking place between them at the time. Parts two and three.

Disclaimer: I have been suffering from a rather nasty case of the flu for the better part of this week which, according to the KUR Charter of Proper Conduct, allows one to post content that is not in the least bit related to FZ.

Snif.