One Shot Deal (2008)
The Torture Never Stops (2008)
Wazoo (2007)
The Dub Room Special! (2007)
Classic Albums: Apostrophe(’)/Over-Nite Sensation (2007)
Buffalo (2007)
The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle (2006)
The MOFO Project/Object (2006)
Trance-Fusion (2006)
Imaginary Diseases (2006)
Joe’s XMASage (2005)
Joe’s Domage (2004)
QuAUDIOPHILIAc (2004)
Joe’s Corsage (2004)
Halloween (2003)
FZ:OZ (2002)
In a previous post, I made the comment, rather flippantly, that “In the final analysis, it’s not what Gail (Zappa) says that is of any real importance, it’s her actions that speak volumes.” In this post, I’ve decided to put those smug words to the test.
First, I went to my Frank Zappa collection and identified all those posthumous releases (limited, of course, to those titles actually released by Gail Zappa and the Zappa Family Trust — thus, the list above).
Of these sixteen individual releases, I asked myself, which of them are the strongest, most worthwhile recordings, whether CD or DVD? Easy choice. Live recordings, particularly the full-length, or near full-length shows: FZ:OZ, Halloween, Imaginary Diseases, Buffalo, Wazoo, and The Torture Never Stops.
Next are those long awaited releases, and the archival type releases of interest to any diehard Zappa freak: QuAUDIOPHILIAc, Trance-Fusion, The MOFO Project/Object (the 4 CD version) and Classic Albums: Apostrophe(’)/Over-Nite Sensation.
What’s left is a series of compilation CDs: Joe’s Corsage, Joe’s Domage, Joe’s XMASage, The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle, The Dub Room Special! (the 2007 CD compilation of the 1982 video) and One Shot Deal. All of which seemingly lack Frank Zappa’s genius for conceptual continuity and compiled in such a hodgepodge of styles of musical eras as to be distracting to listen to overall.
By my simple math (okay, not my best subject), the ZFT released ten winners out of a possible sixteen since they first began. That works out to be 62.5%. Okay. Room for improvement, sure. But not that bad.
August 21st, 2008 • posted by Barry's Imaginary Publisher Tags: live zappa, Zappanale, zft
In November, the plaintiffs demanded that the organizers of the Zappanale be forced to pay a €250,000 penalty or be sent to jail for two years should the festival or the related “Arf-Society” refuse to comply.
Cut to the present:
The two sides now have some six weeks to come up with an out-of-court settlement. And the Zappa Family Trust may be willing to compromise. ZFT lawyers now say that the Zappanale can use the Zappa name if they brand the festival as “Zappa music and more.“
Zappa music — and more! Them lawyers sure know how to win a case. Our credit card spending at work, ladies and gentlemen.
Any fan of The Tubes will seriously enjoy Ultimate Guitar’s interview with Roger Steen entitled, “The Tubes: Bizarre Is As Tubes Does”. Steen speaks of the band’s beginning in Pheonix, Arizona, their move to San Francisco in the early 1970s, and the band’s unique mixture of sounds and styles:
When we were first starting in the 60’s, my group of friends were not only listening to the radio, but also to original blues and jug-band recordings. We incorporated all these rootsy flavors with Motown, Hendrix, Cream, Zappa. When we all lived together in San Francisco, the influence came heavily from Beefheart, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Mile’s Bitches Brew.
For sale on eBay, opening bid US $34,995.00: the guitar that “influenced a teen Frank Zappa to move away from drums & vibes to guitar!!!”
Used and played by Wally in the Blackouts (Frank Zappa’s 1st high school band) this rare ‘1956′ Fender Strat was used regularly by Wally & members including Frank to play thru “The Blackouts” shows and “The Omen” band before Frank Zappa started “The Mothers” & “The Mothers of Invention”.
August 18th, 2008 • posted by Barry's Imaginary Publisher Tags: live zappa, zappanale 19
…and therefor I’ve removed the banner above. Since we couldn’t make it this year — we really really wanted to though! — I’m curious to see if any pictures or video’s will pop up in the coming week. If you know of any, drop a comment. In the mean time here’s an impression of Zappanale’s 14th edition:
August 17th, 2008 • posted by Barry's Imaginary Publisher Tags: avatar, identity
Back in May, I encouraged you to grab yourself an avatar and register it with Gravatar so that with every comment you make here, the image of your choice would show up along with it. Some of you did, but not nearly enough. Which is where this handy tool may be of service!
• Hand-picked intimate venues;
• Every attendee will be able to get a free MP3 concert download
within a week of performance;
• Hagstrom guitar giveaway at every show;
• Submit your song requests for each show.
