…recent father of a newborn child [who] behaves like an old man.
– bernard
Whatever.
Just wanted to announce I’ve had a Twitter account for some time now, where I post tweets: tiny messages with a 140 characters limit. Provided you signed up for a Twitter account, this service enables you to subscribe (”follow” is the term they use) and reply to these updates via most mobile devices as well as various desktop or web-based applications. Give it a go, it’s a lot easier than my explanation is making it out to be here.
I plan to use this Twitter gizmo for fast little updates on anything FZ related, announcements of new blog posts and such — but do expect the odd completely non-FZ-related banter every so often though.
Oh, and for my next “tweet”, I had this in mind:
@bernard: I twit, you twat.
Unfortunately, Bernard doesn’t have a Twitter account.
In 1985, Tipper Gore’s PMRC released a list they called the “Filthy Fifteen,” detailing what they believed to be the fifteen most objectionable songs of the time, and the reason they felt each song should be censored…
Just one video that fills me with ’80s nostalgia: The Mary Jane Girls (a Prince vehicle if memory serves) - In My House:
Just a casual update from Balint on the ZPZ Grammy post:
No official confirmation for this at all, but here’s what z dot com forum user Gregory had to say as an addendum to his review of ZPZ’s December 12 ‘08 show at the Roxy:
I almost forgot! DZ announced at the top of the show that he has transferred the footage from his dad’s concert at the Roxy, 35 years ago to hi-def, and will finally be releasing it on DVD!
Yes: it’s hear-say, but (if this is really) coming from DZ I tend to give it a slight bit more credibility than most anything GZ sends out into the world…
January 3rd, 2009 • Posted by Barry's Imaginary Publisher Tags: Lancaster, zappa fans
I may have already posted something about The Annual Day in the Desert with Frank: an “intimate gathering of Zappa fans and musicians” in the Lancaster, CA garage of Lou Allred, who has amassed an incredible amount of memorabilia. However, now there’s video:
As you may have heard, Zappa Plays Zappa has been nominated for a Grammy! We’re in the Best Rock Instrumental category for our live performance of “Peaches En Regalia.” Seeing as how I’ve always felt this song was three and half minutes of compositional genius, and that we painstakingly dissected the original recording to reproduce it live, I think we may have a decent chance of winning (over David Gilmour, Nine Inch Nails, Rush, and Metallica).
Update, from the ZPZ forums:
DZ announced at the top of the show that he has transferred the footage from his dad’s concert at the Roxy, 35 years ago to hi-def, and will finally be releasing it on DVD!!!!!
Just kidding. You didn’t really think I was going to do a “year in review”, did you? Some interesting data from my last.fm account however that I thought I’d share.
Top Artists in the last 12 months:
Frank Zappa: 619 plays
Neil Young: 468 plays
Bob Dylan: 350 plays
Elliott Smith: 325 plays
Ween: 281 plays
Rufus Wainwright: 277 plays
The Beatles: 257 plays
Nick Drake: 200 plays
David Bowie: 176 plays
Flip Kowlier: 166 plays
Well… no real surprises there.
Nay, the revelation lies in the Top Tracks for the last 12 months:
Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone: 15 plays
Bob Dylan – Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues: 14 plays
Bob Dylan – Ballad of a Thin Man: 14 plays
Bob Dylan – It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry: 13 plays
Rufus Wainwright – I Dont Know What It Is: 13 plays
Bob Dylan – Desolation Row: 12 plays
Nick Drake – Pink Moon: 12 plays
Rufus Wainwright – Oh What a World: 12 plays
David Bowie – Life On Mars: 12 plays
Rufus Wainwright – Vicious World: 11 plays
I have officially become a Bob Dylan junkie!
Of course, this list says more about the limited amount of Bobness I have in my possession than it does about my overall listening patterns — the chances of Peaches En Regalia playing 15 times on shuffle are slim, seeing as how I own pretty much the entire FZ catalogue — but still: this year’s revelation, for me, appears to have been Mr Zimmerman.
Take in account also that Sharleena’s iTunes is playing around here half the time, something which would certainly distort the above results (Eels! Flaming Lips! Ween! Sufjan Stevens! Barenaked Ladies! Spinvis!).
I just stumbled upon this wonderful documentary on Nick Drake, early 70s singer-songwriter of near mythical fame. We’re big fans here at Barry Towers. Be sure to check out the man’s small but fabulous body of work (if you hadn’t already, of course).
Part two is here; from there use the right sidebar to get to the other parts.
