Tag: Scott Thunes

The Scott Thunes Effect Reloaded

Ever since The Scott Thunes Effect (later known as Bass Notation), went offline, I’ve received numerous requests of people asking if I or anyone else could provide them with Thunes’ bass transcriptions for many of the ’88 band’s tunes, as they were originally listed there.

Today I’m happy to report that we’ve managed to salvage 44 pages of transcripts (with a couple more to follow). A huge thank you goes out to Stewart Cable, who had downloaded the transcripts back when they were still available. He was more than happy to email them to me, so that I could share them with you – so cheers Stewart!

Without further ado, here’s where you can now once again view and/or download these files:

Note: by putting this material online, I am not claiming any authorship and/or copyright. If not for Steve D who did the original transcripts, these files would not even exist.

And finally, as Steve noted in this AFFZ thread with regard to Scott Thunes:

… He’s a big scary man who shouts at people who displease him, so I don’t want him thinking i’m a stalker or anything…

Mr Thunes, if you’re reading this: I second that emotion…

Scott Thunes on PlanetZappa

Another Scott Thunes interview, from planetzappa.com (2001):

PZ: Is there any question you’ve never been asked that you would like to answer?
ST: Probably. Actually, there is: Do you believe that it was a mistake to work with Frank Zappa instead of staying in San Francisco and continuing to attempt to get into the Conservatory of Music as a Conducting Major, also taking composition lessons with David Sheinfeld and playing in a band with your brother, Derek? Yes.

What I have now has very little to do with my previous musical endeavors. Without getting too metaphysical about it, I didn’t meet my wife through music or anybody having anything to do with my musical life. I might have a nice career teaching music somewhere, or playing piano in a nice piano trio. I have a good bass I like to play, I have a couple of bass amplifiers that I wouldn’t have otherwise. But I would trade all that for a steady classical gig. What I ended up with from my time with FZ was a hatred of professional rock music and most rock musicians. A despising of wasting my personal time with idiots who care nothing for me as a person. At least with a straight gig, I can come home to my lovely family. In ROCK, you have to stay away from all that you love for months at a time, and have people who you didn’t choose to be with (road managers, roadies, t-shirt people and truck drivers – both of the latter groups of people who are usually MUCH nicer to hang out with than the ‘standard’ rock associates).

I’ve been told by FZ tour managers that any of FZ’s musicians can be replaced easier than roadies. You want to spend your time with these types of people that shit on you whenever they want while you’re trying to play impossible bass parts and keep your head on straight while roadies are helping the other band members fuck with your head? IT IS NOT WORTH IT!

Scott Thunes: San Francisco Free Jazz, 2010

founded in 2008, the san francisco jazz collective is a rotating group of well-seasoned musicians that record their music with no charts, no chord changes, no discussions… they simply ‘hit record’ and play. the results have been amazing… sometimes: straight-up jazz, rock, fusion, electronic, blues and even a bit of funk–but always reaching…

Featuring Scott Thunes on their 2010 release (recorded in 2009). Can be bought or listened online by the name of November.

Q&A: Scott Thunes

Above Mr Thunes talks about his audition at the Zappa at the Roundhouse event. Below: still him on a) Ike Willis, b) Valley Girl, c) Solitude. Mr Thunes is a Great Guy.

For the hardcore fans: the whole Q&A in 11 parts (!), with Gail, Dweezil, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers, Todd Yvega, Ali N Askin.

Alien Orifice: Scott Thunes’s Complete Bass Line

“In 1988, Frank gave me no direction. None! He never said no to anything I did.” In that spirit, Thunes made the ornery composition “Alien Orifice” [Make a Jazz Noise Here] his own personal showcase of what a bassist could do in Zappa’s later live setting, rocking and reharmonizing this nasty piece with almost limitless dexterity and depth throughout.

In bassplayer.com, an article by Bryan Beller. What a pity that the excellent homepage called The Scott Thunes Effect disappeared somehow*.  I wish I’d saved all those scores there.

*Update:

The Scott Thunes Effect turned into the bassnotation.com! Thanks Hugh for the info! Of course you’ll find Alien Orifice there.

Some News From The ZPZ World

Scott Thunes on his guest-appearence with ZPZ:

All in all, I had a wonderful time and I would do it again. In fact, if they come back, I’ve already asked Dweezil if I can play Echidna’s Arf with them to make up for fucking it up on Zappa’s Universe. He said that if they had it ready (in their repertoire) I’m welcome to try my hand at it.

 

 Thank you for reading this.

Dweezil about some recent changes in the lineup:

In other news we have encountered a glitch in the matrix! ZPZ has suffered the departure of Aaron Arntz. Obviously that changes the material we can readily perform and requires some shifting of duties within the band.

And now for something completely different:

– The Filthy Habits Ensemble – three FZ tunes, check them out. Good.

All of the above from the Idiot Bastard. Thanks!