The Zappa Thread

[Orbert]

It's so nice when Zappa fans find each other in this mindbending chaos we call life.  It truly warms the heart.   

[bout to crash]

Right? Good stuff. And we uh, did some stuff to a Zappa playlist tonight 

He should have said, "You'll love it. It's a way of life."

He totally should have. I'm going to scold him next time I see him. Or howsabout some bondage and humiliation?

[Mosh]

Roxy the Movie is out!!

Anybody watch it yet? I picked it up today but probably won't be able to watch it until tomorrow. Crazy that they've released it finally!

Packaging is pretty cool. Some liner notes by the film editor explaining why it took so long and of course a word from GZ. Comes with a soundtrack, although I'm not sure if any of the material on it is different from the original Roxy and Roxy By Proxy albums. Might be different recordings of the same songs (he recorded 4 nights) but I haven't checked yet.

[Nihil-Morari]

Roxy the Movie is out!!

Anybody watch it yet? I picked it up today but probably won't be able to watch it until tomorrow. Crazy that they've released it finally!

Packaging is pretty cool. Some liner notes by the film editor explaining why it took so long and of course a word from GZ. Comes with a soundtrack, although I'm not sure if any of the material on it is different from the original Roxy and Roxy By Proxy albums. Might be different recordings of the same songs (he recorded 4 nights) but I haven't checked yet.

I've seen bits of it, and it's great! Can't judge on the audio quality, cause I was watching on a laptop, but the video looked great! The track listing is interesting. Most of the good roxy songs have already been released, on YCDTOSA 1, Roxy and Elsewhere and Roxy By Proxy, but I believe there are some new bits. I've seen a list. No wait, that was a list of 'released so far'. I'll update when I get a full list.
Going off to buy the blu ray later today, and watch the hell out of it.

[darkshade]

Great news about The Roxy Movie.

Yet another release has been announced already!!!

Official Release #101 has been announced for December - "200 Motels: The Suites"




https://www.amazon.de/dp/B016Z4697C

Not sure why The Roxy Movie (which contains a CD) is not #101, and 200 Motels: The Suites is #102, but lots of things don't make sense in the chronological sense of Zappa's canon. Then again, the DVD/Blu-ray releases are never counted, only when it's a separate CD-only release, like Roxy By Proxy, Token of His Extreme and Dub-Room Special, etc...

[darkshade]

Also, chronologically, does Dance Me This precede, or follow up Civilization Phaze III?

[Mosh]

I think Dance Me This precedes it. It's hard to say though because he mentioned both in interviews at the same time.

On the CD, Roxy soundtrack is listed as 101.2 or something like that. I don't have the disc on hand (been playing it constantly in the car!). Very strange. There's a rumor that we're going to get yet another Roxy release with all 4 shows or something like that.

200 Motels: The Suites is going to be the 2013 Disney Hall performance.

[darkshade]

I think Dance Me This precedes it. It's hard to say though because he mentioned both in interviews at the same time.

On the CD, Roxy soundtrack is listed as 101.2 or something like that. I don't have the disc on hand (been playing it constantly in the car!). Very strange. There's a rumor that we're going to get yet another Roxy release with all 4 shows or something like that.

200 Motels: The Suites is going to be the 2013 Disney Hall performance.

OK. My guess was that he finished DMT in 1993, and the story surrounding CPIII was that he worked on it until he couldn't anymore, that it was the very last thing that he worked on, and with it also being a big project, was chosen to be released first, and then for whatever reason, the ZFT took 21 years to release DMT, apparently due to hard drive issues.

Where did you buy the Roxy Movie? I'm assuming your talking about the CD that comes with the movie, not Roxy By Proxy (which I believe is #99, I haven't bought it yet.)

Yes, it's weird that something recorded after 1993 is going to be considered an official release, though 200 Motels has not gotten a reissue like the rest of Zappa's first 62 albums, and the sound on the original album is one of Frank's worst, so maybe this is the best they can do since they don't have the rights to the album.

[Nihil-Morari]

I think Dance Me This precedes it. It's hard to say though because he mentioned both in interviews at the same time.

On the CD, Roxy soundtrack is listed as 101.2 or something like that. I don't have the disc on hand (been playing it constantly in the car!). Very strange. There's a rumor that we're going to get yet another Roxy release with all 4 shows or something like that.

200 Motels: The Suites is going to be the 2013 Disney Hall performance.

OK. My guess was that he finished DMT in 1993, and the story surrounding CPIII was that he worked on it until he couldn't anymore, that it was the very last thing that he worked on, and with it also being a big project, was chosen to be released first, and then for whatever reason, the ZFT took 21 years to release DMT, apparently due to hard drive issues.

Where did you buy the Roxy Movie? I'm assuming your talking about the CD that comes with the movie, not Roxy By Proxy (which I believe is #99, I haven't bought it yet.)

Yes, it's weird that something recorded after 1993 is going to be considered an official release, though 200 Motels has not gotten a reissue like the rest of Zappa's first 62 albums, and the sound on the original album is one of Frank's worst, so maybe this is the best they can do since they don't have the rights to the album.

I've actually bought both new versions of the new Roxy release. A DVD/CD package, and a BluRay, I believe they're available everywhere starting this week.

I'm not really interested in an orchestra playing arrangements made by someone of Zappa's music. I'll check it out, of course, but I don't really get it either.

Writing up Uncle Meat at the moment btw, that one's a lot better than I seem to remember it.

[Cyclopssss]

Uncle Meat´s awesome. They found their sound there, I think.

[Orbert]

I thought there was a discussion of this vid already in this thread, but I went back three pages and couldn't find it.

My Roxy the Movie arrived the other day, and I watched it.  I was not sober.  Holy crap.  I had to stop it twice and take intermissions because watching that much concentrated awesomeness was blowing my mind.

It's one thing to listen to a band like this play this incredibly difficult, intricate music, and it's another to watch them do it.  For one thing, you never know exactly what was live and what was overdubbed on a Zappa/Mothers album.  Here, watching them do it, you realize that it almost didn't matter.  They were that good anyway.

I've seen reviews saying they wish it was longer.  Well, don't we all.  But the video itself was amazing.  I liked that it wasn't just a video version of Roxy & Elsewhere, of which I literally know every note.  Starts with a track not from the album, and actually a lot of it wasn't from the album.  Good!  More to dig into.

Also interesting is noting the edits Frank made when creating the album.  Seeing/hearing the live footage was quite revealing sometimes.

[Nihil-Morari]

Yeah, I noticed some edits in his intro speeches, that was cool to notice. I love the movie, I just have to try to not watch it too often.

BTW, the 200 Motels orchestral version (release 101) is up on youtube. And although I'm still convinced that releasing something as an original release just because Zappa wrote the notes is wrong, it's a pretty cool document. The orchestra sounds amazing, and I believe (can't be sure though) that they've been very true to his compositions. It's too weird to hear Flo and Eddie being portrayed by two totally different types of vocalists though. It's a cool listen if you like Zappa's more straightforward classical work, not his synclavier stuff.

[Cyclopssss]

Great post, Orbert. The dvd is indeed awesome. And why am I always surprised that musicians I don't expect it of, like Ralph Humprheys are such bad asses? I knew Chester Thompson was a great drummer, but I had no idea HHymprey was doing a lot of the heavy lifting! And Tom Fowler with that bad ass cigar! Watching the band is a fantastic experience, you can clearly see Frank enjoying the quality of the musicianship here.   

[Nihil-Morari]

Great post, Orbert. The dvd is indeed awesome. And why am I always surprised that musicians I don't expect it of, like Ralph Humprheys are such bad asses? I knew Chester Thompson was a great drummer, but I had no idea HHymprey was doing a lot of the heavy lifting! And Tom Fowler with that bad ass cigar! Watching the band is a fantastic experience, you can clearly see Frank enjoying the quality of the musicianship here.   

And even so he referred to that band as 'clearly underrehearsed'. Which makes my jaw drop even more. If you see George Duke FLY on the Be Bop Tango, how on earth is that underrehearsed? 

[Cyclopssss]

Sure he's just fucking with us. In the liner notes of the 'Helsinki Concert' (YCDTOSA #2) he states that by the time they got to that point in the tour, the band could've probably performed the material blindfolded and at triple the speed. Under-rehearsed....with Zappa?! My ASS! 

[darkshade]

I think the Roxy movie discussion sparked in the discography thread.

I watched about half of it once, like 2 weeks ago, so I need to find a chance to watch it again.

[Orbert]

I think the Roxy movie discussion sparked in the discography thread.

Ah, I think you're right.

[Mosh]

BTW, the 200 Motels orchestral version (release 101) is up on youtube. And although I'm still convinced that releasing something as an original release just because Zappa wrote the notes is wrong, it's a pretty cool document.

I agree, but given the cirumstances I think it's ok to give this release a pass, as long as releasing official albums made after Frank's death doesn't become a regular thing.

[Nihil-Morari]

BTW, the 200 Motels orchestral version (release 101) is up on youtube. And although I'm still convinced that releasing something as an original release just because Zappa wrote the notes is wrong, it's a pretty cool document.

I agree, but given the cirumstances I think it's ok to give this release a pass, as long as releasing official albums made after Frank's death doesn't become a regular thing.

Yeah, that's true. We'll see what the next couple of things will be.

[darkshade]

BTW, the 200 Motels orchestral version (release 101) is up on youtube. And although I'm still convinced that releasing something as an original release just because Zappa wrote the notes is wrong, it's a pretty cool document.

I agree, but given the cirumstances I think it's ok to give this release a pass, as long as releasing official albums made after Frank's death doesn't become a regular thing.

.

Yeah, that's true. We'll see what the next couple of things will be.

I believe part of it is due to the fact that the ZFT can't get the rights to 200 Motels for some reason. I don't believe they ran out of material to release

[darkshade]

For the third year in a row, Thanksgiving brings immense cravings for Zappa music. From here til some time in January, the season just seems like a perfect time to brush up on some Frank. Listening to a mix of things right now, as I'm holding off on some albums for the discography thread. This time of year is also generally considered the Zappadan, a time of celebrating the life and work of Frank Zappa, specifically Dec 4 to Dec 21, but it's really the whole holiday season.

Anyone else get like this during this time of year?

[Mosh]

Zappa is mostly fall/winter listening for me definitely. Probably because that's the time of year it was when I started really getting into him. My first time hearing Overnite was the day after christmas one year and it blew my mind.

[Nihil-Morari]

For me it's more of a happy music, so more like spring and summer for me. In winter I tend to listen to darker music.

[Pragmaticcircus]

Any love for Bogus Pomp? the symphonic extraordinaire   

[Pragmaticcircus]

Great news about The Roxy Movie.

Yet another release has been announced already!!!

Official Release #101 has been announced for December - "200 Motels: The Suites"




https://www.amazon.de/dp/B016Z4697C

Not sure why The Roxy Movie (which contains a CD) is not #101, and 200 Motels: The Suites is #102, but lots of things don't make sense in the chronological sense of Zappa's canon. Then again, the DVD/Blu-ray releases are never counted, only when it's a separate CD-only release, like Roxy By Proxy, Token of His Extreme and Dub-Room Special, etc...

I guess I know what I'm getting for Christmas! 

[darkshade]

RIP Frank. 22 years now.

We miss you, and need you in this political/terrorist climate more than ever.

[Orbert]

I was driving home last night, and some song came on the radio that I'd never heard before.  Sounded kinda like Stevie Ray Vaughn, but I wasn't sure.  My car stereo has a text display that can show up to 13 characters, and it says

WILLIE THE WI

and the first thing I think of is "WILLIE THE WIMP" because it rhymes with "WILLIE THE PIMP" from Hot Rats.  I chuckle to myself.  I'm so clever.  Obviously that's not the name of the song, because that would be a stupid name.  It was just kinda funny to think that someone would write a song called "WILLIE THE WIMP".

If the name of the song is longer than 13 characters, it scrolls after a few seconds.  An "M" appears, then a "P", then spaces until it's all gone.  Then it repeats.  Seriously?  The song is "Willie the Wimp"?

It was. The song is a tribute to Willie Stokes, a Chicago mobster, alias "Willie the Wimp".

The track I heard is from Stevie Ray Vaughn's album Live Alive.

So I was right about it being SRV, and right about the song title, even though it was a guess and I was sure it couldn't possibly be right.  So either Frank had heard of Willie the Wimp and decided to write a song called "Willie the Pimp", or possibly it's just a coincidence.  Willie Stokes was born in 1937 and died in 1986, so he had the nickname before the song, but the song may have been inspired by the guy.

The world may never know.

[matthewmatt]

I was driving home last night, and some song came on the radio that I'd never heard before.  Sounded kinda like Stevie Ray Vaughn, but I wasn't sure.  My car stereo has a text display that can show up to 13 characters, and it says

WILLIE THE WI

and the first thing I think of is "WILLIE THE WIMP" because it rhymes with "WILLIE THE PIMP" from Hot Rats.  I chuckle to myself.  I'm so clever.  Obviously that's not the name of the song, because that would be a stupid name.  It was just kinda funny to think that someone would write a song called "WILLIE THE WIMP".

If the name of the song is longer than 13 characters, it scrolls after a few seconds.  An "M" appears, then a "P", then spaces until it's all gone.  Then it repeats.  Seriously?  The song is "Willie the Wimp"?

It was. The song is a tribute to Willie Stokes, a Chicago mobster, alias "Willie the Wimp".

The track I heard is from Stevie Ray Vaughn's album Live Alive.

So I was right about it being SRV, and right about the song title, even though it was a guess and I was sure it couldn't possibly be right.  So either Frank had heard of Willie the Wimp and decided to write a song called "Willie the Pimp", or possibly it's just a coincidence.  Willie Stokes was born in 1937 and died in 1986, so he had the nickname before the song, but the song may have been inspired by the guy.

The world may never know.

Zappa being... well, Zappa, I am 99 % sure it was intentional.

[Orbert]

If Frank had heard of him, then yeah, it was definitely intentional.  Would Frank have even heard of some obscure black mobster from Chicago?  That's the only thing that makes me wonder.  Obviously it's not impossible or anything.  If he happened to hear something about Willie the Wimp, then it makes perfect sense that he'd write a song called "Willie the Pimp".

[matthewmatt]

I get it, but since he was never really afraid of obscure references (Eddie, Are You Kidding?), I'm simply more willing to believe this is one of them... until proven otherwise, that is. 

[Orbert]

Ah, that's true.  All those references to local places around Southern California on those early albums.

[bout to crash]

That's kind of funny. I'm sure it was intentional knowing him.

I forgot to tell you guys I got to see Dweezil and his band open for Umphrey's at Red Rocks recently and it was amazing. Unfortunately, due to all of this stupid bullshit fighting in the family (they didn't outright say this, but it's the only explanation) they spent about 1/4 of their set playing other bands' music. A 20-minute medley covering everything from Rush to Duran Duran to really any 70s or 80s classic you can think of. For five minutes it was cool. When we reached the 10-minute mark I was like "Okay that was cute. Now where's the rest of the Zappa music?" At 15 my friend and I were like "WTF?!" and then after about 20 it ended. They are such an incredible and tight band and they did it very well. But if this is a thing they are now going to have to do at every show to avoid a fight with Ahmet, I won't be quite as eager to see them anymore. Bummer and very lame.

BUT the rest of the set was pretty badass, at least. Their rendition of Keep it Greasey totally killed me. Such a blast dancing around to that.

[Orbert]

Wow, I haven't heard anything about this.  This was Zappa Plays Zappa?  But Ahmet's being a dick about something?

[Mosh]

That's kind of funny. I'm sure it was intentional knowing him.

I forgot to tell you guys I got to see Dweezil and his band open for Umphrey's at Red Rocks recently and it was amazing. Unfortunately, due to all of this stupid bullshit fighting in the family (they didn't outright say this, but it's the only explanation) they spent about 1/4 of their set playing other bands' music. A 20-minute medley covering everything from Rush to Duran Duran to really any 70s or 80s classic you can think of. For five minutes it was cool. When we reached the 10-minute mark I was like "Okay that was cute. Now where's the rest of the Zappa music?" At 15 my friend and I were like "WTF?!" and then after about 20 it ended. They are such an incredible and tight band and they did it very well. But if this is a thing they are now going to have to do at every show to avoid a fight with Ahmet, I won't be quite as eager to see them anymore. Bummer and very lame.

BUT the rest of the set was pretty badass, at least. Their rendition of Keep it Greasey totally killed me. Such a blast dancing around to that.

Wow. I wanted to go to that but had work, now I'm glad I didn't.

[Cyclopssss]

There's legal infighting going on in the family, basically, Ahmet restricting Dweezil the use of the family name (get this, Dweezil being the ONLY familymember being able to perform his father's music) for want of a part of the winnings on the performed material during the tour.  Check Dweezil's site for all the 'Poop'. Appearantly, there's so much poop these days, it's not funny anymore.