Before you vote comment on the Ben Thomas rendition of Inca Roads with ZPZ, I suggest you watch these two clips: the first has Mike Keneally performing Inca Roads in Swindon, UK, in October of 2008; the second clip is an acoustic cover of Inca Roads (with Brian Beller) performed at Guitar Center, Seattle, Washington, October 7th, 2002.
Before you vote on the Ben Thomas rendition of Inca Roads with ZPZ, I suggest you watch these two clips:”
Now why would I need to watch Mike Keneally singing Inca Roads
to convince me on some Voting Trend.
Society is all down hill.
It’s just so fucking ridiculous to VOTE.
I totally respect what Dweezil and his crew does. Plus his solo was totally bitchin’.
But. When you place these versions side by side, it’s plain who most approaches the music in a fresh and innovating way, rather than settling for a hypercompetent recitation. And who has the most fluid, so to speak.
I guess it’s only a natural human compulsion to make comparisons.
[quote comment=”5737″]I totally respect what Dweezil and his crew does. Plus his solo was totally bitchin’.
But. When you place these versions side by side, it’s plain who most approaches the music in a fresh and innovating way, rather than settling for a hypercompetent recitation. And who has the most fluid, so to speak.
I guess it’s only a natural human compulsion to make comparisons.[/quote]
I think Mike Keneally would be the first to say these are very stripped down arrangements. We could just as easily place this by any of FZs arrangements and the only freshness would be the fake lemon scent in pledge. Oh they are very nice performances but very minimal in the orchestral sense of what the composition is.
Mike Solo or Mike arrangement with Bryan Beller are minimalist in comparison to FZs original & ZPZs arrangements that require a level of due diligence that is beyond how many bottles of Lemon Pledge I can packaged for $5 at Costco.
Hey don’t get me wrong Mike made some interesting arrangements for some solo performances, it’s performed very well but stripped down Inca Roads is no comparison to FZs originals or how due diligent ZPZ faithfully perform it day.
Inca Roads being has always lent itself well as one of those grand compositions that also lent itself to many of FZs varied Chicken & Spider Air Sculptures. You can see DZ doing the same over several tours where the solos have drastically changed in compositional structure.
I’m just looking at how much vibrance was infused into the renditions, regardless of how elaborate the supporting arrangement might be.
There’s a nimbleness and elasticity to Mike’s treatment that really keeps the music alive. It’s great how he implants little Jazz Discharge squibs in there.
If this site gets trendmongerized and that guy at the same time complaines about this site on the other forum, I’m off.
Th.
What Keneally does in performing Inca solo is to create a kind of drama, albeit a humorous one, of himself battling the “impossibleness” of Frank’s music. So that when he doesn’t reach every note, it doesn’t read as simply a “mistake” but as a kind of inevitable defeat against the superior force of Zappa’s composition. In other words, you watch him and you notice immediately what a grasp he has of the song, and when, as happens toward the end, the melodies start to approach the speed of light, you get this sense of “He’s only one man. Can he possibly grab all those notes??” It’s not just notes now, it’s drama. And so instead of being like, “well it was good but he fucked up the end,” you think, “my God he nearly got it, and he was all by himself out there. Amazing!” It’s a great example of how imperfection can often increase, rather than detract from, one’s enjoyment of a piece of music.
@Mike Pierry: This analysis is totally fitting! It can’t be told any better. You saved my day! Good to know that there are still people out there who notice the difference. A performance like this has everything that ZpZ is lacking IMO.
Th.
P.S.: Trendmonger, go away!
To use Mike Pierry’s words: Keneally is drama here, FZ is drama anyway, ZpZ is just notes. Period.
Th.
[quote comment=”5742″]It’s a great example of how imperfection can often increase, rather than detract from, one’s enjoyment of a piece of music.[/quote]
It’s called “eyebrows”.
A thought experiment: Imagine Mike playing that with a band of ZPZ’s grandeur.
Oh right, there was Zappa’s Universe.
We are not the same – and I like it (I mean the fact, that we are not the same). I hope you do, too, so I’ll tell the way I see it:
Well (you might have guessed already): I dont really like this performance above. To me it is not a “drama”, but a hard rush after the melody – okay, not a “tragedy”, but still not a success. And I don’t really care about the tiny mistakes, but I’m talking about the whole thing. Keneally tries to play a rich textured tune with one instrument only (at a time), and it is just not enough. All of us remember the whole song, and we make it complete in our head. But when the orchestra changes totally, the arrangement sould also change totally. I think.
The mistake of Keneally (in my opinion) in this case is not the few wrong notes, but that he tries to imitate as if he had a whole band behing him, and he tries to play it mostly the same as it was played “originally”. No, there is not a band – and playing a guitar line is not enough here. Or: it should have been played more nicely. Sorry: the way he sings is still not very nice… 😉
And it (the original) is still a beautiful melody – how nice it would be to hear it in itself, on one instrument. But this way he always keeps on remembering the whole orchestra – makes US remember the whole orchestra – and meanwhile the playing is not so beautiful, its simply a rush after the tempo and a dirty way of playing it.
It goes totally the opposit direction to the version I was listenning today – the one on The Lost Episodes. Its slow, its short – its BEAUTIFUL. Each note executed perfectly… it made me a wonderful afternoon.
Keneally’s version is not about the music – but about the person who plays it (“Look, what I can do!!”).
I’m much more interested in the music itself – but that’s only my opinion. 🙂
(Next week I can tell you how I liked Ben Thomas – the tickets were just fixed today. 😉 )
Obviously I process the performance differently.
What seems rushed to you strikes me as exuberance. I would counter the impression that Mike’s rendition is about “Look at me!” by pointing out that virtually anyone who plays this song is going to be aware of the show-off factors.
Does humour belong in music? I suppose so (except if you are Mike Keneally, of course). One of the reasons I posted these two versions – besides the obvious comparison to the vocal ability of one, Ben Thomas – was to underline how much Keneally and Beller are reminiscent of Ray Collins and Frank Zappa when they performed in bars as a mock folk duo called Sin City Boys and Loeb & Leopold (not that I actually saw Loeb & Leopold), especially in terms of minimalist musical instrumentation, and overall vaudevillian approach.
For being such frank zappa fans you really are ignorant, mike keneally is one of the best musicians alive. An ex zappa alumni, come on man, if you want to hear a ¨Complete¨ version of inca roads played by mike , go to radiokeneally.com and hear a version where NMB sings and mike dose both the piano and guitar solos.
be a little open man.. dont be so uptight. its about the music right? i learned quite some time ago that music isnt about what you play it about what it transmits to the listener. to me this shows that Mike is the only one that has the balls to do such rendition. How about you doing a better one?
(Hi Federico – we are talking about MUSIC right here, not about each other. Thank you for sharing your opinion about the video – its much more interesting than calling anyone (or me… 😉 ) “ignorant” or “uptight”, just because I might have a different opinion.
I definitely will NOT make a better arrangement, of course – I’m not a musician. I just like to listen to music, and like to share my thoughs – and read other people’s thoughts. 🙂 )
My main point is – just as I’ve said above – that its REALLY good to hav so much versions and arrangements – and really good to have a place to talk about it.
Given the context of the live performance situations the two arrangements Mike Keneally fit into that context. Mike Keneally was
not touring 100 striped down versions of Zappa compositions.
That is why these comparisons and voting are so fucking lame.
I appreciate Mike Kenally for what Mike Keneally does and these
striped down versions are just what they are.
Inca Roads is a monster compositions. FZs arrangements have showed that the composition lends itself to varied arrangements that include diversity in Chicken and Spider Air Sculptures.
ZPZ has taken on Inca Roads very much in the same way that Frank
Zappa composed and performed various arrangments. I think that ZPZ/DZ give stern due diligence to the composers intent. They use that song as vehicle and it is only part of some 100 Zappa arrangements they perform.
Mike Keneally is doing what Mike Keneally does. These stripped down arrangements were done on tours that showcased stripped down arrangements. It’s not that I throw all stripped down arrangements into some dungeon. love what Mike Keneally has been doing with Steve Vai compositions for solo piano but these versions of Inca Roads are more suited for just what they were delivered as.
Pat of some solo and acoustical gigs. Do I want to see 100 stripped down Zappa songs toured as stripped down concerts for the next ten years. Not if Jimi Hendrix came back from the dead.
I think pretty much everyone here is onto something (except for the guy who says we’re all ignorant, fuck that guy). I think all the performances of Inca that we’re comparing are valid and worth listening to. I happen to enjoy Keneally’s performance most, but I’m also very much a Keneally fan, so I couldn’t say I’m unbiased. I think Balint’s opinion is perfectly legitimate as well; in fact, rarely have I heard someone justify so well an opinion I happen to disagree with. And he’s right, The Lost Episodes version is great! So are the other pre-OSFA versions of Inca that you can find on live tapes. It’s actually astonishing (and instructive) how many changes Inca Roads went through on its way to becoming the version we all know and love. Have any of you heard the original “lounge” arrangement of the vocal section? When Sal Marquez sings it, it’s like Sinatra walked in the room – probably the last thing I would’ve expected from a Zappa arrangement! (While I’m off on this side-topic, someone should really make one of those cool web “mixtapes” showing the evolution of a bunch of Zappa’s songs, including Inca, maybe Easy Meat and Dong Work For Yuda, etc.)
[quote comment=”5774″]While I’m off on this side-topic, someone should really make one of those cool web “mixtapes” showing the evolution of a bunch of Zappa’s songs, including Inca, maybe Easy Meat and Dong Work For Yuda, etc.[/quote]
There´s a guy out there – called urbangraffito – who might be interested in doing a project like this. I was never disappointed by his work.
However, I do have one bone to pick with Balint regarding Keneally’s performance. I don’t think the drama, vis a vis performance of the song, is intended to point toward Mike himself, but rather is a sincere tribute to FZ. As in, the reason Mike is trying so hard to grab every possible note, recreate everything possible on one instrument, is a tribute to Frank in its finest sense – striving to perform at the utmost, reaching to (and beyond) his highest level as a performing musician. How many times have we heard about FZ that he made his musicians do just that, both in rehearsal and live on stage? And if you hear Mike tell the tale, his audition with Frank consisted mainly of Frank calling out song titles from his catalogue and Mike quickly putting together some sort of solo rendition, out of his head, right on the spot. So the solo “Inca” performance strikes me as perhaps just a poignant continuation of their professional relationship (poignancy factor being, of course, the lack of FZ being around to command Mike or listen to the results).
Again, not something that I think necessarily would change anyone’s mind about how much they like the performance. But I don’t think it’s fair to characterize it as being for the sake of showing off.
I have been a Keneally fan since he made his NY debut with Zappa on the 88 tour. I admire everything he puts his artistic will at but with regards to Inca Roads the stripped down Keneally arrangement only exists within the context of what it is, a very talented performance for solo and acoustic Keneally & Beller shows.
God knows Mike put lots of effort into those stripped down arrangements but ZPZ shows they not only have paid due dilligence to the composers arrangements but that Dweezil has soloed with a variety of Air Sculptures very much like Frank had over the yeears.
Could Mike Keneally fit in well with the ZPZ core? Yes definitely
but to sit arround and play some American Idol Voting game
of a Mike Keneally Stripped Down Arragement and whatever one wants to pick what ZPZ has done over the last 4 years is totally fuckign prepsterouis.
Mike Keneally does what he does. If and when Miek Keneally is ever part of ZPZ I will welcome that expecting amazing things, until then I will look at what Mike Keneally does as what Mike Keneally does and what DZ/ZPZ does where that is digging deep into the composers cannon.
[quote post=”1947″]Mike Keneally does what he does. If and when Miek Keneally is ever part of ZPZ I will welcome that expecting amazing things[/quote]
Oh, how I ever so fervently wish that that could be. Those guys did do utterly amazing things together with Z. You’ve heard The Medley?
[quote comment=”5775″][quote comment=”5774″]While I’m off on this side-topic, someone should really make one of those cool web “mixtapes” showing the evolution of a bunch of Zappa’s songs, including Inca, maybe Easy Meat and Dong Work For Yuda, etc.[/quote]
There´s a guy out there – called urbangraffito – who might be interested in doing a project like this. I was never disappointed by his work.[/quote]
I hear you guys. I think I’ve got my next KUR-mixtape project here (tell me, who loves this kind of research more than a Zappa freak, huh?).
[quote comment=”5781″][quote post=”1947″]Mike Keneally does what he does. If and when Miek Keneally is ever part of ZPZ I will welcome that expecting amazing things[/quote]
Oh, how I ever so fervently wish that that could be. Those guys did do utterly amazing things together with Z. You’ve heard The Medley?[/quote]
The 70s Medley? Yes, I have. Amazing.
[quote comment=”5774″]someone should really make one of those cool web “mixtapes” showing the evolution of a bunch of Zappa’s songs, including Inca…[/quote]
Would be nice! It could also be extended with later cover versions: Ensemble Ambrosius, ZW Jam Session, Omnibus Wind Ensembe, etc.
[quote comment=”5784″][quote comment=”5774″]someone should really make one of those cool web “mixtapes” showing the evolution of a bunch of Zappa’s songs, including Inca…[/quote]
Would be nice! It could also be extended with later cover versions: Ensemble Ambrosius, ZW Jam Session, Omnibus Wind Ensembe, etc.[/quote]
How about a joint venture, Balint? I’m certainly game.
“… totally fuckign prepsterouis. …” !!!!!!!!!
FUCK OFF TRENDY!!
Someone tell me how to wipe him off this board like I can wipe his drivel off the Zappa forum, please!
I posted the Youtube clip of Mike at Swindon and I object to that ignorant turd commenting on it since he was not there.
No one wants to hear your stupid due diligence brown nosing Trendy so please go away and boil your head.
What does “montana whipping floss” really mean by this? You hurt your throat. Everyone in this blog is wearing a uniform …
they have a great zappa meat ball recipe on you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WhO_bYaMSI
i dont eat meat but for the once which do have fun!
By gosh and with a petulant frenzy: I´ve seen FZ six times live on stage and I bloody know the difference between his bands performing his music and cover bands of all kind of colours. And I am NOT a hater of FZ´s music at all – just for the record. It´s bit like “Star Trek” and “Star Trek The Next Generation” or “Dawn Of The Dead” by George Romero and “Dawn Of The Dead” by Zak Snyder. When you know the orginal, you can judge the cover …
[quote comment=”5786″]”… totally fuckign prepsterouis. …” !!!!!!!!!
FUCK OFF TRENDY!!
Someone tell me how to wipe him off this board like I can wipe his drivel off the Zappa forum, please!
I posted the Youtube clip of Mike at Swindon and I object to that ignorant turd commenting on it since he was not there.
No one wants to hear your stupid due diligence brown nosing Trendy so please go away and boil your head.[/quote]
In case you have not notice the username is Graffiti on the Wall.
Yes Trendmonger by a different name but for the purpose of this thread Graffiti on the Wall.
Well maybe you and a portion don’t like my opinion but I am going to tell it no matter what you or anyone thinks. It is my opinion that the whole listen to Mike Keneally striped down Inca Roads before voting on first impression of Ben Thomas with ZPZ is totally fucking preposterous. It’s time to separate the American Idol Ideology from Zappa The Composer. The whole pre-planned editorial of these two topics here at this domain is totally fucking preposterous.
Once again I enjoy all of what Mike Keneally does very much but stripped down arrangements of Inca Roads are Striped Down Arrangements of Inca Roads and that has nothing at all to do with anything ZPZ has done in 4 years of touring or little to nothing to do with any of FZs Inca Roads arrangemens.
For all I care anyone could love Mike Keneally’s striped down Inca Roads so much they would want it playued at their funeral. I could care less if 100,000,000 people voted that way buy spare me please Keneally’s arrangements have nothing to do with Frank Zappa’s arrangements or how Zappa used several arangements to showcase various Air Sculptures.
Keneally’s arrangements as shown in the two youtube clips remain a showpiece for solo performances and Keneally Beller Accoustic Taylor Guitar Clinics.
so whats the point ?
When it comes to Trendmongrel, there is no point, merely repetition and hot air.
… and brown nosing ZFT
… and wrting complete and utter bollocks.
Of course the arrangement is “striped down” (sic sic SIC – the word is STRIPPED Trendy, not striped) – Mike was not attempting to recreate the sound of a large band of virtuoso musicians. He was entertaining a grateful crowd, some of whom were hardcore Zappa fans, with a fantastic version of a composition by someone he hugely respected and admired, and the entire audience was entranced, ecstatic and hugely appreciative of his efforts. He was, in a word, MAGIC!
I’ve been a massive Zappa fan for decades and have seen Frank, Dweezil (with Frank, Z and ZPZ) and Mike (not Miek – idiot!) solo, with Frank, Bryan Beller and Z and have enjoyed them all, but much as I’ve loved ZPZ and hope to love them again next month despite having bought the tickets before I knew of the recent departures, ZPZ is a little sterile in the execution in comparison with the FUN of a Keneally performance.
The verbal diarrhoea by “Graffiti on the Wall” is about as welcome as graffiti on your wall and about as much use. No one cares about his due diligence and other stock phrases, repeated ad nauseum for as long as I can remember.
I’ve enjoyed the last months on the Zappa forum with all his posts automatically hidden from me. Just wish there was an ignore function for him that covered the whole net!
lets make a new zappa forum and webpage so easy 😉
[quote comment=”5798″]lets make a new zappa forum and webpage so easy ;)[/quote]
As an FYI my username was not used here as any form of
Conceptual Continuity to the one you are using or anything you have stated. As previously hinted at and I will clarify it is a sarcastic license to the forum users here who post like a down on his luck alcoholic layer.
So for anyone who is lost in some confusion.
Yes Mike Keneally’s striped down arrangements are a fun listen.
Yes Mike Keneally’s striped down arrangements seem to have been specifically developed and performed for solo and Keneally Beller Taylor Accostic Guitar Clinics which are fun events.
What is not so fun is someone taking Mike Keneally’s arrangements that have nothing at all to do with the compsoer arrangements and air sculptures and place them in some American Idol Voting context of ZPZ with Ben Thomas that very much perform with the intent of the composer. Oh before you vote on Ben wacth this. Give me a fuckign break. That ideology and the way iot waws all setup in editorial linear fashion is totally preposterous.
Mike Keneally’s arrangements are basically striped down arrangements performed in the context of solo and Keneally/Beller Taylor Acoustic Guitar Clinics. I am sure they are fun in the live setting adn are even fun to watch and listen to in AUD form but please spare me with comparing Mike Keneally with what is going on
with ZPZ today or over the last 4 years.
Anyoen who knows anything aout Miek Keneally does not need to see that youtube video to understand just how well he woudl be with ZPZ. That whole watch before yo vote is a fucking lost society mentality.
The point s watching some Youtube videos of Mikes performances before VOTING on Ben Thomas is entirely a bit too preposterous.
Alex,
Where are you, little buddy? I miss you so. You don’t write or call anymore. I know you are busy schlepping your stuff to a new dorm room, but, really, don’t forget your old pals.
Why would Keneally want to work for DZ again? Been there, done that. MK is far too talented/prolific/creative to relegate himself to the role of sideman again.
Here’s your main problem, Gary: you want FZ’s output to be carved in stone, regarded as sacrosanct, regarded as classical music to be followed strictly according to the composer’s scores and arrangements.
You want performances to be safe and within prescribed parameters.
Not gonna happen. FZ is our generation’s Ellington, and the more mutation, the better. I want surf bands to play FZ. I want death metal bands to play FZ, and klezmer bands, and jug bands, and jam bands, and solo performers. The more, the merrier.
[quote comment=”5802″]Why would Keneally want to work for DZ again? [/quote]
Hey in no way am I sitting around waiting for Mike Keneally to be part of ZPZ. Once again I really enjoy everything Mike has done since day 1 as a solo artist and that includes Tar Tapes. ZPZ is doing just fine without Mike Keneally.
Now if given the opportunity was presented you ask why would Mike want to work with ZPZ.
Oh your been there done that is thinking so small.
No Mike Keneally was never there performing as many arrangements
as ZPZ is. George Duke or any other alumni was never there either . Only Frank Zappa was there.
Plain and simple ZPZ is digging deep into more arrangements over a cannon than any Zappa band.
When Mike Keneally was in teh 88′ Zappa band that band only did specific arrangements adn Mike Keneally was only asked to pay a given part i those arrangements.
What ZPZ does is dig deep into the composers cannon.
ZPZ would give Mike the opportunity to perform so many arrangements in the composers cannon he never got to perform with the 88′ band.
And the thing with Keneally he is not that Vai Showman where Steve Vai as a guest the songs wre developed very much in a whole new show attitude fro te first tour. ZPZ has plantedthemselves firmly
in Zappa arrangements icluding many hybrid arrangements.
I just think what ZPZ is doing today Mike Keneally would adapt to quite well,. Regardless of how Mike’s stripped down Inca Roads appears as a look at me showpiece I think Mike Keneally is a well rounded musician who undersands more about coposition than having to put on a show with lights on his head to appease the guitarist wannabee culture. Not that Steve Vai did not change his outlook towards Zappa as compared to some overly produced portions of his live shows but it is of my opinion that Mike Keneally is a more well balanced performer than Steve Vai is.
Fuck it if Mike was asked he just want to do it
because he never had an opportunity to play that many Zappa arrangements with a band that played the shit out of em .
I don’t understand the “quote selected text” function. It seems counterintuitive.
“The 70s Medley? Yes, I have. Amazing.”
It goes from the ’60s through the ’90s.
“Why would Keneally want to work for DZ again? Been there, done that. MK is far too talented/prolific/creative to relegate himself to the role of sideman again.”
I think he would do it if it involved mutating the music (like Frank surely would do). I don’t think Mike would go for the robotic recitation plan.
“And the thing with Keneally he is not that Vai Showman”
I disagree. the times I’ve seen him he’s been a wonderfully inventive showman.
I remember at the Jambalaya Club back in the 90s, during those staccato guitar blurps in the middle of “Uglytown” he’d jump up, and the band would hit the chord when he landed. Then he’d stroll three steps forward and pick up the beer glass on the floor in front of him, savor a swig, put the glass down, back up, jump, land on the chord, then repeat the process. It was the funniest thing ever.
Too bad Dweezil’s solos are boring as he attempts to play as his father and himself. I agree no unified solo. Mike is the only one creating good air scultpures here. Ben is ok, be nice if they asked Ike though.
translates as:
The post really has helped me to make a very important decision. To the author additional thanks! I await new messages from you!
[quote comment=”5816″]translates as:
The post really has helped me to make a very important decision. To the author additional thanks! I await new messages from you![/quote]
Ah you mean this comment:
Spam, and now marked as such. 🙂
Dude, if criticize other people’s spelling, be extra carefull to not fuck up like this:
[quote comment=”5797″]repeated ad nauseum[/quote]
Correct would be: “repeated ad nauseam”
Your word/grammar nazi sincerely 😉
[quote comment=”5819″]if criticize other people’s spelling[/quote]
See how i fucked up myself?
Ahh, it´s so nice and quiet in here at the moment. What a treat. 😉
Why does – from a certain point onwards – the tone towards each other always become aggressive?
A note on comment Netiquette at KUR: We will not tolerate any comment that constitutes a vile, personal, gratuitous attack against any other participant. Because life as we know it is short.
During the last weeks, there were a lot of posts of cover bands at KUR. In the beginning I didn´t pay much attention to these posts, because I am not a fan of cover bands at all. But then, I listened to some bands playing and started somehow to enjoy it, b e c a u s e they didn´t play note by note a n d they created something in their own style. I enjoyed Mike Keneally performing “Inca Roads” in Swindon, UK and the acoustic cover with Brian , too. It´s like you go down to the London Underground and suddenly a busker plays “Inca Roads”. Great feel! When the version is stripped down / simplified, there´s nothing wrong with it. It ´s shows the simple beauty of these tunes, without any arrangements stealing the beauty.
Okay Bálint, I understand what you mean with: “Keneally’s version is not about the music – but about the person who plays it (”Look, what I can do!!”)” but wasn´t FZ himself a poser sometimes, too? (“Look, what my band and I can do!!”).
Listen to Michael Hedges´ “Sofa No.2” – a beauty of interpretation.
What I want to say is: I start to like covers which are n o t a one to one repetition of the original. What´s wrong, when every musician puts his spirit in these tunes?
Fair enough – but at least it was in a foreign language and a phrase I had never actually used non-verbally before! Trendmangler for years couldn’t even spell the name of the man he worked for or the name of the album he was plugging! He can’t spell his swear words, he can’t spell Mike, he can’t spell stripped even when it has been pointed out to him, he can’t write intelligible sentences, he can’t punctuate and he bores the arse of anyone who bothers to read his posts. You would lose the will to live if you had endured years of his drivel. It’s how we know it’s him, even though he’s using a different name. Now he’s on about cannons you are welcome to carry on reading – I’m going to watch some paint dry.
[quote comment=”5807″]
“And the thing with Keneally he is not that Vai Showman”
I disagree. the times I’ve seen him he’s been a wonderfully inventive showman.
I remember at the Jambalaya Club back in the 90s, during those staccato guitar blurps in the middle of “Uglytown” he’d jump up, and the band would hit the chord when he landed. Then he’d stroll three steps forward and pick up the beer glass on the floor in front of him, savor a swig, put the glass down, back up, jump, land on the chord, then repeat the process. It was the funniest thing ever.[/quote]
REgardless of my countless typind and grammar errors
kindly take Notice to the operative keywords Vai Showman.
I am not saying Mike Keneally is not a showman fro I
am thankful he is not a Vai Showman.
Oh he’s been there done that too right Fire Garden……
I am not saying Mike Keneally has now showman skills
but in each and every Mike Keneally tour over the last 20 years
I never noticed Mike parade around with light house helmets to the Nth degree on top of his head during his solo shows.
Mike had a period of wearing large hats so to some extent where some show uniform was there but I never got he impression Mike Keneally is overdoing the show.
Maybe some have got that opinion with his stripped down Inca Roads arrangements but personally I don’t see it that way for those arrangements are done in the context of that particular show.
At this point those arrangements re nothing more than stripped down arrangements for some solo and acoustic Taylor Clinics.
Now the Steve Vai SHowman
On many of Steve Vai’s tours he has had excessive show elements that cater to guitar wannabe. I am thankful Mike keeps more to the music and does not overindulge in ridiculous theatrics.
And it is not that I have something against all theatrics it’s just after seeing Steve Vai and Mike Keneally each perform 50 times I am quite thankful Mike is not overindulgent in the type of showman antics
Steve Vai AT TIMES makes part of his production.
So please this is no knock on Steve Vai or Mike Keneally.
Maybe lots of fas love Steve running around with light helmets.
Personally I’d rather see another tasteful Vai ballad that brings tears to the eye.
Hi there sounds like this must be children’s week at burger king.
PLS HELP ME ONCE AND FOR ALL WHY ARE WE ALLWAYS SPECULATING
on all this help me why are we speculating if mike is playing with DZ would it not be better to send a message to DZ AND MK and ask them if we could see them play together. This way could actually enjoy the music then bashing things to pieces.
DEAR MIKE AND D ZAPPA,
COULD YOU PLS IF YOU READ THIS DO ME FAVOR I JUST GRADUATED
KINDERGARDEN AND I WAS GOING TO ASK IF THE POSSIBILTY COULD BE THAT MK AND DZ AND SV PLUS WC COULD ALL COME TO OSLO AND PLAY THE FZ GUITAR EXTRAVAGANZA ONE DAY A REAL BIG BLOW OUT WE ALL AND EVERYTHING ZAPPA FROM IKE TO MIKE TO RUTH SO GOOD , FROM MOON TO SPOON AND ALL TOGETHER TO INVITE ANYTHING AND EVEN THE KITCHEN CABINETS FROM GAILS HOUSE IF WE HAVE TO SO WE COULD HAVE THIS GIGANTIC BASH AND ON TOP PAUL DOUCETTE. SO THERE IS FINALY NO MORE MIND READING ABOUT HOW ZAPPAS ARE WITH WHOM. YOU GUYS ARE JUST SO GROWN UP YOU KNOW … PLUS BE NICE TO HAVE DIVA SHOW SOME ART WE ARE JUST SUCH A LOVLEY COMMUNITY!
LOVE FRANK 🙂 FORWARD THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE YOU KNOW .
DONT KICK ME FROM THE SITE YET 🙂
ANYWYAS IF YOU INVITE DZ,MK,SV,WC THEN YOU HAVE MOST OF THE BEST GUITAR AROUND .
[quote comment=”5821″]Why does – from a certain point onwards – the tone towards each other always become aggressive?[/quote]
I can’t recall the exact quote (what with being in the 40+ age bracket and all), but that’s just a fact of life in the net. At some point, all newgroup/forum/whathaveyou discussions converge into an assault-fest of everybody calling everybody else names and the discussion finally auto-destructing itself by somebody (heh, heh, that was me in this case) who brings up some sort of nazi reference.
KILL UGLY COMMENTS.COM ROLAND ?
[quote comment=”5828″] At some point, all newgroup/forum/whathaveyou discussions converge into an assault-fest of everybody calling everybody else names and the discussion finally auto-destructing itself by somebody (heh, heh, that was me in this case) who brings up some sort of nazi reference.[/quote]
Godwin’s Law!
I can take it and believe me I can give, too. But I learned that there is no need in beeing bitchy all the time. No comment is ugly enough to show all the ugliness in the minds of the people out there.
[quote comment=”5830″]
Godwin’s Law![/quote]
Yup, that’s the one i was referring to. Thanks for helping me fighting Al’s Hammer 😉
Mike Keneally playing with Dweezil again? Ain’t going to happen.Update: As requested by Mike Keneally, the quote as well as the link to his webpage – outlining an outdated state of relations between himself, Dweezil, Gail, and the Zappa organization – have been removed from this thread. I do leave the following link to Mike Keneally’s interview at Idiot Bastard:
http://idiotbastard.com/Interviews/MikeKeneally.htm
I endeavour to present as up-to-date information as is available. That said, I promise to update whenever facts change or new information is presented.
Sorry for the inconvenience. Most notably, to MK and DZ.
I could see MK sitting in with ZPZ at a San Diego show, like Thunes did at a California show, but that’s all.
I thought Keneally had been coaching Dweezil in preparation for the first ZpZ tour because he doesn’t read music and didn’t want to figure out everything by ear. True or false?
Th.
live as we all know is a circle and there is progress in all directions.
relation ships break and they heal, we all are learning DZ-MK myself and
hopefully all of you guys. eventually and hopefully ZTF issues with ex musicians will be resolved one day. Only a question of time 🙂 And till then we can only assume what really is going on behind the scenes.
strudel curb
I seriously doubt that any of the relationships between the former alumni and the ZFT (which primarily includes Gail and Dweezil) will ever be healed (perhaps tensions might be lessened, but any outright healing requires a level of humility that neither Gail or Dweezil have shown up until now). Just research the facts. In every case where the ZFT has had a disagreement with a former alumni (or a cover band, a fan-based weblog, a festival), it’s been their position – My Way Or The Highway. No negotiation. Keneally left the Zappa employ because (in his own words) he could no longer follow their way of doing things. So Dweezil was “incensed by the idea that [Keneally] would try to dictate policy”. This only further reveals how the ZFT views these very talented and creative musicians (in their own right) as little more than employed minions. Is it any wonder that one by one they have all abandoned the ZFT? How many times does one have to be threatened, or bullied, before one seeks their fortunes elsewhere?
Sure, the ZFT have the right to their position, though as time goes on, it seems more and more evident that their position is in the minority. I point to the success of Mike Keneally, Steve Vai, Brian Beller, Ike Willis, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Don Preston, Roy Estrada, and Zappanale.
I think the Frank Zappa legacy is pretty much assured.
Indeed UG. Succintly and briefly put (which I can never manage, LOL!!)
Yeah . that facts are the FACTS. the History IS the history. These dozens of examples are far far away from being coincidence.
At a certain point the tireless ass-kissers and defenders who live on the ‘official’ forum are like the women who stay with their battering husbands, saying EVERYTIME : “He’s never gonna hit me again. That was the last time”
It’s the EXACT same dynamic, fascinating to watch. Making excuses EVERY time DZGZ sign off and make clear to everyone how they deal with people. I don;t know how much clearer it could get.
“I thought Keneally had been coaching Dweezil in preparation for the first ZpZ tour because he doesn’t read music and didn’t want to figure out everything by ear. True or false?”
I don’t know about the part after “because,” but Mike told me that yes, Dweezil did call him up to the house, and that he paid Mike to teach him all the Frank songs in preparation for the first ZPZ tour.
I was hoping that would presage some sort of larger-scale reconciliation/cooperation, but so far, it appears not to be.
just wonder where you guys get the information gz and dz? no telling where they would be if they had not had zappa or the zft .:) i like DZ
without kissing (!) JUst let the zappas grow i personally think that keeping a musical standard like DZ must be a great challenge.
Maybe i see him different !
“Making excuses EVERY time DZGZ sign off and make clear to everyone how they deal with people.”
Andre, I know you have some history with these folks and your experience is real.
I don’t agree with or like some of their actions, but as I’ve said before, carrying on Frank’s legacy is surely an impossibly difficult task that weighs on them greatly. Perhaps they get a bit defensive at times and it distorts their actions.
That said, Dweezil was very gracious with the fans after the show the first time I saw ZPZ.
http://crushallboxes.blogspot.com/2007/08/zpz-berkeley-2007-part-2.html
It isn’t realistic to paint Dweez as an ogre. I’m sure he has good and bad days like anyone else. In fact, I know that on at least one occasion, he was Havin’ A Bad Day.
I have seen ZPZ a number of times and have had a great time. We love the music.
But one thing is for sure, If I needed a business partner, the last person I would ever consider would be GZ/DZ. Their vindictive behavior, unyielding manner, and plain shitty business sense all contributes to a profile that few would want to deal with.
Their utter disregard for us, the fans, who buy the cds and the concert tickets, continues to astound me. Where the hell is my live cd from the Birchmere show last October, DZ? You said eight days, then gave us a host of excuses over several months, and now we hear nothing. We paid for those cds… If I go the an Umphrey’s show, I can get the cd when I leave the venue. And spare us the “I’m a perfectionist line”, that just doesn’t line up with the way ZFT has always operated.
I don’t like how Dweezil blames everyone else but himself for problems with ZPZ.
Oh, Ray fucked us!
Oh, some nameless singer fucked us!
Oh, technology just isn’t up to speed regarding your concert recording!
Oh, that brute Andre’ dared to look in my direction!
[quote comment=”5844″]”Making excuses EVERY time DZGZ sign off and make clear to everyone how they deal with people.”
Andre, I know you have some history with these folks and your experience is real.
I don’t agree with or like some of their actions, but as I’ve said before, carrying on Frank’s legacy is surely an impossibly difficult task that weighs on them greatly. Perhaps they get a bit defensive at times and it distorts their actions.
That said, Dweezil was very gracious with the fans after the show the first time I saw ZPZ.
http://crushallboxes.blogspot.com/2007/08/zpz-berkeley-2007-part-2.html
It isn’t realistic to paint Dweez as an ogre. I’m sure he has good and bad days like anyone else. In fact, I know that on at least one occasion, he was Havin’ A Bad Day.[/quote]
Kevin, good food for thought.
All good points, and for me two things come to mind, when you say:
“..carrying on Frank’s legacy is surely an impossibly difficult task that weighs on them greatly…”
1. I’m not buying that. The word is out. There are LOTS of other artists who have died, and left WORSE messes, legally and technically — and somehow people who had the rights managed to get a lot of stuff out. Hendrix is paramount in my mind, but also the great archival stuff out from The Who, Beatles Anthology and many other artists tells me that it’s doable.
What’s so impossible about it?? Let’s not feed that excuse-machine. Bullshit!! as Penn & Teller would say!. The technology is here — nad — OK — let’s call their bluff — if ABSOLUTE SONIC PERFECTION is the highest standard for GZDZ, then how do we explain good old…MP3s suddenly being for sale??
If — perfect and OFFICIALLY APPROVED liner notes and jacket info are so important and take so long — why release said MP3s with NO jpgs or PDFs of lyrics, liner notes, band info, new notes etc?
And — do I even have to SAY this?? It’s all about their um, interesting attitude towards the fans — as SO MANY people here have pointed out. If they were a bit more respectful and timely in dealing with their captive audience-Zappa fanbase, maybe when REAL delays and snafus cropped up — we’d all be a bit more patient in turn.
“..It isn’t realistic to paint Dweez as an ogre. I’m sure he has good and bad days like anyone else…”
2. Agreed. I can’t speak for others, but I for one don’t set out to paint him as an ogre. Anything I’ve ever written about him, ever, has been based on reporting the facts or questioning his and GZ’s behavior based on their own standards. If the facts make you seem like an ogre to some people, then, well, so be it.
But you get a certain amounts of strikes till you’re out — and — how many do they get?? How many inexcusable late releases, how many undelivered promises, how many screwed over fans and alumni can you excuse and say “well that’s statistically normal”
Thanks.
“But you get a certain amounts of strikes till you’re out”
I just don’t see what “out” would consist of. There’s no penalty box, and we won’t be throwing Dweez off the island. He’s going to continue playing, lots of us are going to keep enjoying and critiquing the result.
hi there, welcome to the show,
DZ rocks, lets let him keep learning and play music, DZ is also a good dad and DZ can handle responsibility he puts food on his musicians table
he can show up to show on time, he dosent drink he dosent use drugs
he is capable of operating a professional music studio, he is a very underrated guitar player, DZ knows his stuff and DZ thinks so if you can do all the same and tour the world let me know and i come to your show.
Thats all folks 🙂 bashing an end 🙁
[quote comment=”5859″]hi there, welcome to the show,
DZ rocks, lets let him keep learning and play music, DZ is also a good dad and DZ can handle responsibility he puts food on his musicians table
he can show up to show on time, he dosent drink he dosent use drugs
he is capable of operating a professional music studio, he is a very underrated guitar player, DZ knows his stuff and DZ thinks so if you can do all the same and tour the world let me know and i come to your show.
Thats all folks 🙂 bashing an end :([/quote]
Amazing. Not only is Dweezil ‘Father of the Century’ but singlehandedly responsible for saving our limping economy by touring with ZPZ, yet he is also the new poster boy for Drug Abstinence, and is capable of operating a professional music studio, and can leap 18 hole golf courses at a single bound while shredding his guitar. Frankly, with these credentials, I’m surprised he does not appear to rise angelically above the stage at each and every ZPZ concert!
voice on the wall, Dweezil Zappa is far too talented a musician to need you as a mouthpiece. And, frankly, you come off as such a brown noser with his head so far up DZ ass (only figuratively speaking – I’m sure he wouldn’t want you there – only in the audience) you do not hear how utterly dense you sound.
[quote comment=”5862″]frankly, you come off as such a brown noser with his head so far up DZ ass (only figuratively speaking – I’m sure he wouldn’t want you there – only in the audience) you do not hear how utterly dense you sound.[/quote]
Urb: trolls are not to be fed! 🙂
i learned a lot about you from your response:) oh and he plays golf that is even better. Im so glad you finally gave him credit as an artist i love you for that. LIke is said the information about the zappas in this blog
is about as shallow as some people are posting. Now i finally have figured out how to take you and people who are posting here. and why not as long as he got a place for my nose and keeps his anus clean.
assholes are a very powerful part of the body are you reversed ?
love your pictures love your nails:)
Er, um, here’s something.
I just got an e-mail titled “ugly radio killage” from a certain guitar/keyboard player of some repute, who… well, let’s let him say it:
Hi Kevin!
Couldn’t help myself from checking out some of the interesting talk happening at the Kill Ugly Radio website re: Inca Roads etc. As always, thank you for your informed, intelligent enthusiasm…I do want to clarify though that I would never have claimed that I taught DZ “all” of the Zappa material for the ZPZ concerts, that must have been something you mis-inferred — we didn’t work on more than six or seven pieces together, mostly really hard ones. That was all! If you wanted to clarify/update that on the KUR forum I’d be a grateful motherfucker. (Also, those things on keneally.com about the issues between me and the Zappa family are really outdated and should probably be removed really – keneally.com is in dire need of updating on a variety of fronts – and at the moment everything between the Zappas and myself is totally peachy as far as I know.) Feel free to post this email in its entirety on the forum if you desire. Thanks my friend!
Mike
So, I need to apologize to Mike for my casual misstatement that he taught Dweezil “all” the songs. Mike didn’t say that; it was my lazy inaccuracy and I’m sorry for any trouble that I may have caused him.
By the way, I’m guest-hosting the Zen Through Zappa show on KHUM tonight, which makes it Zen Through Zappa’s Grubby Chamber. The theme is gaps and spaces. http://crushallboxes.blogspot.com/
Along with the fabulous Frankage, I’ll be playing some Mike, some Russ Steadman and one or two things off the new Ed Palermo album, plus any requests. If you don’t know who Russ is, you should check him out: http://www.russstedman.com/rev.htm He’s incredibly funny and a great musician.
Mike K. reads KUR! I’m chuffed 🙂
hahahahahahahaha lol wow the information here is really shallow and if you consider these wonderful emails why would MK play with DZ and on and on these produced mind reads and psychic advisory mostly fueled
by a guy named urban bin laden and andre. Please people get the real info if you can just ask DZ next concert iam sure he will give you an answer. Thank you so much mike for setting this weather forecasting blog straight with a nice email to the right person hope fully we will have a dream coming and a huge zappa bash. 🙂
Punctuation is overrated.
The link to Russ that I posted goes to his review page. Here’s the main page: http://www.russstedman.com/index.html
I’m sure you could figure that out but…
[quote comment=”5865″][quote comment=”5862″]frankly, you come off as such a brown noser with his head so far up DZ ass (only figuratively speaking – I’m sure he wouldn’t want you there – only in the audience) you do not hear how utterly dense you sound.[/quote]
Urb: trolls are not to be fed! :)[/quote]
Of course, Barry, you are quite right!
[quote comment=”5858″]Thanks.
“But you get a certain amounts of strikes till you’re out”
I just don’t see what “out” would consist of. There’s no penalty box, and we won’t be throwing Dweez off the island. He’s going to continue playing, lots of us are going to keep enjoying and critiquing the result.[/quote]
Um, it was a rhetorical statement.
I guess I could clarify if needed and say that “out” in this case signifies losing the earned respect of a large number of fans, of being considered bullying in your dealings with staff members, alumni, etc. Of having questionable business morals regarding promising various things to fans — not delivering on them — then being real nasty about it.
Clearly there will ALWAYS be apologists — for everything that humans do. I;m not challenging that notion. I’m simply doing my part to make sure the VERIFIABLE record is served.
Also– any objective look around will show that INDEED, GZDZ has been pissing off fans royally for some time, in other words, “striking out”.
It will be interesting when ZPZ tours the States and people start asking Dweezil face-to-face where the hell is their live concert download code he promised to deliver 9 months previous. My guess is he never will.
he sure will. his mistake is he gave you guys to much and and he is very behind with his makings. that is so nice and supportive you must be a real fan.
Concerning the first clip: MK has a ton of balls asking an audience to clap…knowing full well that any given audience can only keep a steady beat for 2.5 bars…and then asking; encouraging them to clap in 7? Well, that’s just sick. 🙂
[quote comment=”5879″]he sure will. his mistake is he gave you guys to much and and he is very behind with his makings. that is so nice and supportive you must be a real fan.[/quote]
A sad but typical case. Where stating facts becomes “bashing.” Where someone who supportively paid the insane 125.00 ticket price in part because of a “free” download enticement, is now the bad guy for being pissed off at Dweezil for failing to deliver….or even keeping anyone updated.
im sure he will get the download to you, being pissed is your choice so you sending him bad energy. maybe you have a better choice on some other level of your mind ? iam sure you will get your download.
Sending. Bad. Energy!? You are deluded, son.
But I’m really not that pissed, just embarrassed as I promptly gave my code away as a gift.
ahh that is a pity situation i got myself once in such dilemma when i was 13 with a bike i payed for a bike and the guy didn’t own it. Whom was this download for ? may i inquire about that pls.
[quote comment=”5893″]Whom was this download for ? may i inquire about that pls.[/quote]
A Demonoid seeder.
p.s. I’m hoping that English is not your first language.
Given that this thread started with a comparison of MK’s version of ‘Inca Roads’ to various other versions and has spiralled into nonsense, I’d like to offer some too. I saw MK and BB last week, where they closed with ‘Inca Roads’ – the show was intimate, intense, and plain ole’ awesome. Yes, his ‘Inca Roads’ is not FZ’s and, as a result, gave me a new way of hearing a song I’ve heard umpteen times (always with joy). As a longtime fan of FZ and MK, not once did I think during the show that MK was trying to be a new FZ nor was he trying to piggy-back on FZ’s legacy. MK is building his own legacy and, if any comparison is necessary, do we think that FZ’s numerous cover tunes that he performed over his career somehow usurped the credibility of those originals? Probably not. MK’s ‘Inca Roads’ was MK’s ‘Inca Roads’ just as FZ’s ‘Louie Louie’ was his own. (No, the two songs are not similar, but each informed the aesthetic of the cover artist, MK or FZ)
To that end, if it is, as the cliche goes, all about the music, what difference do the personality squabbles make?
no peter german is my main language. a demonoid seeder is that something they have on the world of warcraft ?
Let’s all join hands, form a circle and enjoy the classic strains of “Rainbow Demon” by Uriah Heep (off Demons and Wizards).
Zappa Schmappa, the Heep is good times guaranteed. How come no one ever argues about new interpretations of those musical titans?
I don’t think Mike’s performance was “Look at me” so much as it was “look at what you can do with this Taylor T3!” If he wanted to stick closer to the original he could have played the backing chords to the vocal melody instead of doubling it on guitar, which is a flashier move. These are the chords that Duke plays during the verses, you can also hear frank playing the backing chords in the Lost Episodes version. I still enjoy hearing this version its almost feels like a new composition and was totally blown away when I first heard it live about 5 years ago.
hi metafunj,
[quote comment=”5948″]this version its almost feels like a new composition.[/quote]
It’s interesting what you say about being almost a “new composition” – my complaint is mostly the case that in spite of the diffenrents instrumants at hand he plays EXACTLY the same version. Well, he’s a good musician, and this try happens to be really funny at times, but to me it’s still something that “tryes to be almost the same”.
Maybe a bit more brave version with more re-arranging would be a really nice even for me. 😉
Hurrah for Marcel! Someone finally noticed that Keneally was performing an evening ending encore! Do you think that possibly, maybe, this has a little something to do with Keneally’s choice of performing “Inca Roads” as a kind of Zappa medley for all the fans who recall his days with the 1988 band? Of all the former alumni, both Keneally and Vai are the least likely to perform Zappa compositions on a regular basis (they both have their own oeuvre from which to perform).
“Of all the former alumni, both Keneally and Vai are the least likely to perform Zappa compositions on a regular basis (they both have their own oeuvre from which to perform).”
Vai maybe, but Mike plays Frank stuff all the time.
[quote comment=”5953″]”Of all the former alumni, both Keneally and Vai are the least likely to perform Zappa compositions on a regular basis (they both have their own oeuvre from which to perform).”
Vai maybe, but Mike plays Frank stuff all the time.[/quote]
I’m speaking more in terms of actual gigs and tours performing FZ’s music (like many other alumni and cover bands) not the occasional FZ composition, Kevin. Perhaps that’s why it’s even more of a treat when they do play Frank’s stuff.
Personally, if I ever got the chance to hear Keneally perform live, I’d be much more interested in his own oeuvre. To date, his CD’s have had to suffice. I wonder, does Keneally ever ponder the thought of touring outside California? Perhaps Canada? I’m sure he has more fans that he’s fully aware.
Balint, Mike had a version of inca on his mp3 site for download a few years back, but now that part of the site is gone. I prefered that recording to this video, but anyway re doing a song on another instrument changes the nature of the composition. Frank spoke of this and how something played on a harmonica gives a totally different flavor to the same music played on a harp. My favorite part of these versions are the solos, they feel way more laid back to me than Frank’s versions even though the Inca guitar solo vamp is already pretty laid back. Bryan’s accompaniment is also much different than Tom Fowlers. So for those reasons it almost sounds like a different piece to me even though the tempo and notes during the composed parts are the same.
Urban, he has toured the east coast, I’ve seen him in Sellersville PA, but I don’t know why he doesnt’ tour more. He could be a lot more famous and making more money if he would do some world tours. Maybe touring isn’t his thing.
Oh and Vai had regularly covered “My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama” and also quotes “Dog Breath,” in one of his pieces.
I wonder what the 6 or 7 hard songs were that Mike showed Dweezil. The Black Page No 2, Inca Roads, Andy, Montana, Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing, Echidna’s Arf (of You), and maybe Zombie Woof are my guesses. They are the hardest songs from the first tour. I have a feeling DZ tought himself how to solo like Frank though and really focused on getting Frank’s picking, tone, and rediculous phrasing down.
[quote post=”1947″]I wonder, does Keneally ever ponder the thought of touring outside California? Perhaps Canada? I’m sure he has more fans that he’s fully aware.[/quote]
He doesn’t merely ponder. He was just in the Midwest for most of May doing a Taylor clinic tour with Bryan Beller. He has toured all over the U.S. and many countries in Europe. I’ve personally been to about a dozen Keneally concerts, mostly in NYC (including the somewhat famous Bottom Line show in which Ed Palermo surprised Mike with a full-band arrangement of Frang-Tang The Valentine Bear which, visibly, blew Mike’s mind).
[quote comment=”5963″][quote post=”1947″]I wonder, does Keneally ever ponder the thought of touring outside California? Perhaps Canada? I’m sure he has more fans that he’s fully aware.[/quote]
He doesn’t merely ponder. He was just in the Midwest for most of May doing a Taylor clinic tour with Bryan Beller. He has toured all over the U.S. and many countries in Europe. I’ve personally been to about a dozen Keneally concerts, mostly in NYC (including the somewhat famous Bottom Line show in which Ed Palermo surprised Mike with a full-band arrangement of Frang-Tang The Valentine Bear which, visibly, blew Mike’s mind).[/quote]
Perhaps it’s the high cost of putting on extended tours, or maybe local U.S. tours are more financially feasible (the east coast of the U.S. has more cities through which to tour than the west coat), but in my memory I don’t think Mike Keneally has ever performed widely in Canada beyond the larger Canadian cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. The trouble Canada has attracting musicians of Keneally’s calibre is that Canadian cities are so geographically separated the cost of hauling a show from city to city, even if kept to a very minimum, is still very costly for the artist. Still, if Zappa Plays Zappa and The Grande Mothers Re:Invented could play here, why not The Mike Keneally Band? I suppose there is always hope.
I guess thats why he does Taylor tours, they must pay for part of the trip. But maybe he’ll read these comments and reconsider. 😉