Does Doo Belong In Bop? – Frank Zappa, a Memorial Barbecue

Posted on October 10, 2009 by urbangraffito

Everyone knows the soft spot I hold for Zappa Tribute Bands of all shapes, sizes and origins. This Finnish group of musicians performing the Zappa Tribute, “Does Doo Belong In Bop? – Frank Zappa, a Memorial Barbecue” Live at the Doo-Bop Club in Vasa, Finland, on December 11th, 2008, is no different. Quirky, humorous, eccentric – at most they bring a special zeal to Zappa’s compositions (which brought a definite smile to my own face), and at very least, another in a very long list of tribute bands despised by GZ and the Zappa Family Trust.
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Posted in Bizarre, Miscellany, Music, YouTubery | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Frank Zappa’s Compulsions

Posted on October 9, 2009 by urbangraffito

Frank Zappa talks about his attitude towards drugs, and Tommy Mars speaks of Zappa’s compulsions: number one of which was his work, his music.

Posted in Alumni, Frank Zappa, Interview, Miscellany, YouTubery | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Supertramp – Crisis? What Crisis?

Posted on October 7, 2009 by urbangraffito

One of the most overlooked albums of the 1970s, in my opinion, is Supertramp‘s 1975 release ‘Crisis? What Crisis?‘ which was often relegated to the bargain bins of record stores. I’ve never understood why progressive rock fans weren’t more accepting of this album. It definitely deserves more accolades than it has received.
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Posted in Miscellany, Music, Official Releases, Personal, YouTubery | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Captain Beefheart VPRO Radio Interview, 1980

Posted on October 6, 2009 by urbangraffito

beefheartcigar

During the European leg of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band‘s tour promoting ‘Doc at the Radar Station‘, Don Van Vliet was interviewed by VPRO Radio (Amsterdam) on November 1st, 1980 (no doubt prior, or just after the infamous Paradiso show during which Beefheart was heckled by a drunken patron).

Anyone interested in discovering what Beefheart fans find so appealing about Don Van Vliet need only listen to this interview. His peculiar individualism shines throughout while he playfully teases his interviewers. It’s clear that a lot of what Vliet says goes right over their heads. I suppose the same can be said about Beefheart’s music. Either you get it, or you don’t – it’s that simple.

Beefheart VPRO Interview (Part 1)
[audio:http://www.killuglyradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Captain-Beefheart-VPRO-Radio-Amsterdam-Interview-1-Nov-1980-01-Part-1.mp3]
Beefheart VPRO Interview (Part 2)
[audio:http://www.killuglyradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Captain-Beefheart-VPRO-Radio-Amsterdam-Interview-1-Nov-1980-02-Part-2.mp3]
Beefheart VPRO Interview (Part 3)
[audio:http://www.killuglyradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Captain-Beefheart-VPRO-Radio-Amsterdam-Interview-1-Nov-1980-03-Part-3.mp3]

In addition, I recently came across an interview of John ‘Drumbo’ French – interviewed in mid 2005, when French was fronting a reformed Magic Band, and touring in support of their CDs ‘Back To The Front‘, and ‘21st Century Mirror Men‘ – on the weblog, The Funky Goat:

He [Vliet] was in competition with Frank Zappa, I think that’s one of the reasons he went so far out. Frank was actually playing accessible music. Another thing was that being in Frank’s band had a sort of prestige, the instrumentalists would go on and play in other groups, they were wanted. Who was going to want a Beefheart musician? Half the public didn’t even think we knew how to play!”

A very illuminating interview for any fan of Beefheart’s music. Read the transcribed interview here.

Posted in Captain Beefheart, Interview, Miscellany, Pop Cult | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Oddest Zappa Cameo To Date?

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Frank Zappa in a 1984 production of “Faerie Tale Theatre” called “The Boy Who Left Home to Find out about the Shivers”, with Peter MacNicol:

(Thx Sterbus!)

Posted in Frank Zappa, Miscellany, YouTubery | 14 Comments

Zappa & Beefheart – The Torture Never Stops (Bongo Fury Tour 1975)

Posted on October 1, 2009 by urbangraffito

In his 1975 Bongo Fury Tour with Frank Zappa‘s band, Captain Beefheart delivers his blues-infused vocals in what I feel is the quintessential version of “The Torture Never Stops” (part one, above; part two, below). I’ve heard other vocalists sing this song, but besides the Zappa sung version, only Don Van Vliet ever truly made this song his own. I’ve always wondered why this version wasn’t released on ‘Bongo Fury‘ and then released so late (almost like an afterthought) on ‘You Can Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 4‘ and ‘Cheap Thrills‘?
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Posted in Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, Music, Official Releases, YouTubery | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Bloody QWERTY

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Barry's Imaginary Publisher

Hello boys qnd girls! Just q auick note to let you knoz Shqrl qnd I qre currently in Buenos Qires, so posting froñ us zill be light for the next zeek or so. Ze should be bqck zith our regulqr posting qfter the sixteenth of October.

Zish you zere here! Zish my keyboqrd zere here too!

Hqstq luego 🙂

Posted in Personal | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Gary Lucas on Captain Beefheart

Posted on September 29, 2009 by urbangraffito

Filmed at the Swiss Cottage Hotel, London, September 2005, from the 2006 DVD documentary “Captain Beefheart: Under Review” (Prism Productions), Gary Lucas discusses working with Captain Beefheart in the early 80s, and the making of the track “Cardboard Cutout Sundown” from the 1982 Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band album “Ice Cream for Crow”, and explains Don Van Vliet‘s “Exploding Note Theory”.
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Posted in Alumni, Captain Beefheart, Interview, Music, Official Releases, Pop Cult, YouTubery | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Matt Groening – My Wasted Life

Posted on September 26, 2009 by urbangraffito

Matt Groening – who once stated “Zappa is my Elvis” – discusses the major influences in his life and work in this 3 part documentary (part 2 focuses on Zappa’s influence on his life and work).

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Posted in Bizarre, Heh Heh, Interview, Miscellany, Pop Cult, Visual Arts, YouTubery | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

An Interview With Ron Rutherford

Posted on September 25, 2009 by urbangraffito

Back on Thursday, July 10th, 2008, I posted “Ron Rutherford — Lone Wolf (Debut Solo Album)” after discovering his music on Last.fm. Being a fan of many of the singer songwriters that came out of the 1970s – Warren Zevon, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, JD Souther, Jackson Browne, Loggins & Messina, James Taylor, Steven Stills – I found Rutherford’s mix of Country Rock, Southern Rock and Classic Rock infused with elements of Blues and Pop to be quite refreshing. That Rutherford’s CD was also self produced appealed to my “Do-It-Yourself” ethic.

In this streaming podcast interview from Radio Galactica, Rutherford speaks at length about the emerging independent music industry replacing the old boy’s club of traditional record companies and traditional radio, the meaning behind the songs on ‘Lone Wolf’, and how the internet and internet radio is changing the landscape for independent artists.

The interview is 3 hours long yet well worth the listen. It includes the entire album, ‘Lone Wolf’ for your listening pleasure. I know it was mine.

Posted in Interview, Miscellany, Music, Pop Cult | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment