Posted on 10/22/2017 4:00:46 PM PDT by Eddie01
It's soundcheck time at the Capitol Theatre, just north of New York, and Dweezil Zappa is leading his band through the songs of his father, Frank. Dweezil, 46, has been regularly performing his dad's music for a decade, but his current tour is stranger – and more tense – than any before it. Unplugging his guitar, Dweezil looks out at the empty hall. "Sometimes people in the crowd yell things out, so I talk about it onstage," he says. "I feel like people are choosing sides."
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This should be a year for honoring the legacy of Frank Zappa, who died in 1993. A new, acclaimed Zappa documentary, Eat That Question, is in theaters, and a series of deluxe reissues and archival releases just hit shelves. Dweezil's tour features songs from Frank's landmark debut, Freak Out!, released 50 years ago this summer. But instead of celebrating, the four Zappa children are locked in a drama that has bitterly divided a once-close family and exposed its quirks. "I was hoping to keep the fact that we were a Grey Gardens family a secret," says oldest daughter Moon, 48, an actress and novelist. "Oops!"
Last year, Gail Zappa – Frank's widow, who had controlled his estate since his death – was dying of lung cancer, and began to say "weird things," according to Moon. "She said, 'Do you forgive me for what I've done?' I said, 'Sure,'
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at rollingstone.com ...
The show was great I saw both him recently and his father live in the 80s.
This article saddens' me greatly.
Not sure how to react to the family turmoil.
So much of my youth was spent playing tennis, football and discovering/uncovering Franks music.
Frank was brilliant. His music was brilliant.
Don't click on "rollingstone.com", they suck. ...but if your a die hard Zappa fan like me I'm just appaulded by the family dynamics, but not surprised I guess...
I did read it. Sad. I understand how this can happen. Parents can be led to cause permanent rifts between their kids with the money. They can be fooled by one child. Or one child can cause a problem for his siblings. Inheriting estates seems to cause some to lose all morals and kindness. Forever was it and forever it will be.
Ronnie saves his numies on a window in his room
(A marvel to be seen: dysentery green)
While Kenny & his buddies had a game out in the back:
LET’S MAKE THE WATER TURN BLACK
We see them after school in a world of their own
(To some it might seem creepy what they do . . . )
The neighbors on the right sat & watched them every night
(I bet you’d do the same if they was you
Whizzing & pasting & pooting through the day . . .
(Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away!)
And all the while on a shelf in the shed:
KENNY’S LITTLE CREATURES ON DISPLAY!
I can sing that and almost anything Frank wrote accapella without a chart.
Did a vehicle
Did a vehicle
Did a vehicle
Fly along the mountains
And find a place to park itself
Park it
Se-e-e-elf
(PARK IT . . . PARK IT)
I can do this all day. :)
....what’s got into ya’?
This is so sad! Frank was a friend of mine. Not close, cuz I lived in Milwaukee. I took him around town for a few days, and we had a blast. My band, Methyl Ethyl and The Ketones was a Zappa influenced band. Whenever he played anywhere close, Gail would call and tell me there were backstage passes waiting for me. Got some fun stories! This saddens me!
right.
Before our boys were born, my wife bought a book with hundreds and hundreds of names, to help us make up our minds. I don’t recall “Dweezil” being in there, or ever considered.
It’s gotten hairier in the year since. Dweezil’s shows keep getting better though. Last time he was in town he hung out in the lobby after the show, he’s great to talk to about his dad’s music. Meanwhile the rest of the family is working on a tour with mostly alums and a hologram. I probably won’t see it, too museumy, what’s great about Dweezil’s shows is they’re living and breathing and improvised and he never plays the same song the same way twice, just like his dad’s.
Let’s face it, Weasel Zappa is the Hilary Clinton of rock music.
Exactly.Naming kids like they (he?) did indicates a profound level of mental illness...if not plain,old fashioned child abuse.
Peaches en Regalia and Son of Mr Green genes are desert island disc stuff for me
Dr. BP
That is a great story. Would love to sit down with you over a couple beers and hear about it all.
You have no idea how Frank influenced me.
Really alone in small Michigan town, my buddy’s older brother came home from college with vinyl Joe’s Garage.
From that moment I devoured all things Zappa. ...but you have to understand back then, finding a Zappa record was like trying to get your hands on a rare Led Belly album.
It wasn’t until I got to Michigan Tech and went into their music library that I found Cruisin’ with Ruben and the Jets.
“For You” was my wedding song!
Rico hit and Frank started putting it all out on CD. Explosion! Billy the Mountain. Zoot Alures... everything!
Weasle’s ripped by flesh. evertything!!
Surely the book had Moon Unit.
A lovely arpeggio...
I have never seen Dweezil, but he is doing the world a favor IMHO.
Only saw Frank once in 76.
The entire band was amazing.
Watch out where the Huskies go
Don’t you eat that yellow snow!
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