Zappa News

Added week-ending 5 January 2025:

• For those with Disney+ in the UK (and elsewhere in Europe), the Summer '82: When Zappa Came To Sicily documentary has recently been added.
• Robert Martin: "Dear Zappa friends and fans. First to say thank you to Dr. Dot for stepping up to help me in this situation I've never navigated before - being in less than perfect health. It sucks! After not so much as a headache or a cold as an adult, I recently ended up in emergency surgery for an intestinal hernia. No worries, they put a fibre mesh patch in me and sewed me back together. Should be good to go for at least another 76 years! Aside from the hole in my belly, it put a bit of a hole in my immediate career path as well, so if you're of a mind to help out, I promise to keep you well supplied with delicious Zappa music for many more years to come. The QR code on the right will take you to an account called MMM/LGNAAA, which is the place you want to be to assist me in that endeavor. Thank you, more than you can imagine! Music Is The Best!" There's also a GoFundMe page if you'd prefer to donate that way.
• Great news: the text for my Frank Zappa FUQ book Vol. 2 is all done and ArtForDinosaurs is happily onboard to illustrate it again. All of the new articles have already been added to the eBook version. The paperback should be ready in a few months.
• The Idiot would like to thank all visitors to this site and wishes y'all a happy 2025. Coming up next year should be some more interesting interviews, at least one new book, and the usual news on upcoming releases and gigs. The Idiot predicts the following for next year: a Zappa/Beefheart album; Ritz 81; an OSFA anniversary box; and a Premore/DiscReet TV special set. Whatever transpires, I'm sure we're in for a good year release wise. Enjoy!
• Zappa alumni play the hits of AC/DC, Cole Porter, Gary Numan, Harry Nilsson, Post Malone, Stevie Wonder, The Kinks and more - here!

Added week-ending 29 December 2024:

• We Be What Am Is - the Zappa Early Renaissance Orchestra's greatest "hits" digital album suddenly available on Bandcamp. 100 minutes of ZERO's best material carefully curated from the band's 7 CDs on Cordelia Records. And as if that wasn't enough, there's a free listening party on 1 January 2025.
• Dweezil has uploaded a new album to his website, called Horny. It features 10 songs performed live with the Norwegian Wind Ensemble. (If you haven't heard their Brass From Utopia album, you really should!)
• Gerry Fialka's nearly ten year old interview with Steve Vai has just been posted on YouTube here.
• Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band's Trout Mask Replica has recently appeared on various streaming platforms, including an instrumental version of Dachau Blues (among other differences). Joe Travers has stated, "This has nothing to do with the Trust, it’s a corrupt illegal upload. Piece of shit."
• Some of you may recall Louise McMonagle's cello version of Republicans. Now here it is with real drums, played by Adrián Zárate.
• In the Zappanale Advent Calendar last week was a Stickmen concert recording from 2014, with a guest appearance by Don Preston. Today (23rd) it's the Grandmothers Of Invention from that same year.
• If you missed the premiere of the Treacherous Cretins feat. Robert Martin at Liverpool's Cavern Club on Saturday, it's available to watch anytime now on YouTube.

Added week-ending 22 December 2024:

• After his amazing rendition of Mo's Vacation (see 👇), here's Filip Fjellström's crack at The Black Page.
• Here's the first part of Dweezil's Making Of A Bad Idea tour diary. The live Q&A that followed it's première had to be aborted due to technical issues, but you can watch what happened here. As you will learn, the prospects for a UK tour are currently very slim.
• Do Dew Zoom Service with Gerry Fialka, Simon Prentis, Lewis Saul, Zach Tabori & Patrick Pagano celebrating FZ's 84th birthday. And talking of Mr Fialka, he's featured on Hans Annellsson's new Q&A album.
  
• There's a new festival taking place in Gelnhausen, Germany next September: Zapparossa. Keep an eye on the website for updates.
• Don't worry about last posting dates for Xmas: the newly updated and massively expanded Frank Zappa FUQ eBook could be in your inbox within minutes. As well as answers to those Frequently Unasked Questions about Frank's family, friends, those he worked with and the significant women in his life, it now includes new articles on Läther, Artis The Spoonman, Roxy By Proxy, Allan Holdsworth and Frank's final days, plus a virtual interview with Ruth Underwood and 15 new random Zappa and related fun facts. Over 50,000 words for the ridiculously low price of £8.50 - no hidden costs. (Price will go up in New Year as I add even more - all of which will be accessible to all who already have the download link and password.) The Idiot is donating £1 for each sale to Prostate Cancer UK. Thanks in advance!
• The @freakout_bookshelf has just posted these lovely words on my Zappa The Hard Way book on Instagram.
• Tyler Bartram breaks down Andy - with help from Simon Prentis - here.
• Dweezil will première the first episode of his new docuseries on what would have been his dad's 84th birthday this Saturday. Here he tells us about it ..as well as his pre-tour panic.
• The Furious Bongos will tour North America in May, with special guests Chad Wackerman and Robert 'Bobby' Martin. Confirmed dates in the Diary - more to follow.
• At 53:14 in the latest Rocktails, Ahmet talks about the omission of Dweezil's guitar solos from The Last US Show album.
• Wolfram Klug and Yassmo' just won best funk album (Speaking To Ray) and best funk song (the album's title track) at the 42nd German Rock & Pop Awards. The album features contributions from Robert Martin and Ray White.
• My good friend Fred Händl has recently posted a couple of videos of solo piano Zappa pieces. Check out his renditions of Son Of Mr. Green Genes and How Could I Be Such a Fool.

Added week-ending 15 December 2024:

• Dweezil has a new song to download/preview on his website here. Man Your Stations is a new experimental rock anthem made on cardboard instruments! The Atmos mix will be on Apple Music with a full video of the performance also coming soon.
• Here's Gerry Fialka's 'Zappa Rant' for December 2024!
• On 27 May 2025, Cassie Kinoshi (of SEED Ensemble, who were to have performed an FZ tribute concert in 2020 until COVID struck - Cassie tells me it still might happen!🤞) will be performing with Ensemble InterContemporain at London's Barbican, celebrating Pierre Boulez’s centenary year.
• A second mention for Zappateer Moggio this week, who has just posted this version of Little House, based on the score that appeared in Downbeat magazine in 1969.
• The Grumpy Veteran examines FZ's concept of 'Fascist Theocracy' here.
• Tickets for the Treacherous Cretins feat. Robert ‘Bobby’ Martin Spring 2025 tour are now on sale! Details can be found on their spiffy new website here. And don't forget to catch the premier of ‘Treacherous Cretins Live At The Cavern’ next week on YouTube.
• The Lovers Of Invention will play PizzaExpress Live in London on 16 January.
• Hope you're still checking the Zappanale Advent Calendar: behind the doors this week were the audio from the Z3 feat. Ed Mann's set in 2015 plus the chance to win senior and camping tix for next year.
• Another date on Banned From Utopia's planned European tour next October has slipped out (see Diary for deets).
• Following the release of The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1 by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai in April, the pair have announced the formation of a new band together (SATCHVAI) and will release more new music together ahead of a European 'Surfing With The Hydra' tour next year (see Diary for dates).
• Watch the guitar tips Edward Van Halen showed Dweezil here. DZ will be playing Van Halen's Push Comes To Shove on his imminent Rox(Postroph)y tour.
• New ZappaCast with "Hi, I'm" Abby here.
• Following Dweezil and Midget's conversation about the 'lost' Zappa song, Zappateer Moggio has put together his interpretation of it here. And here's the Dweez working up his arrangement...and over here also.
• Suddenly available to stream on Prime Video in the UK: 200 Motels!
• Although there's still no word on when John K. Sloatman III (aka Dunt)'s Frankly Zappa book will be published, the website has been tweaked to emphasise that it will reveal 'what you thought you knew about Frank but didn’t'.

Added week-ending 8 December 2024:

• Hope you're all checking the Zappanale Advent Calendar: behind the doors this week were downloadable audio for complete concerts by The Magic Band, Ed Palermo Big Band (feat. Napi and Candy Zappa) and Jean-Luc Ponty with George Duke. Also, one lucky soul won a ticket for next year's festival.
• Treacherous Cretins has some mighty fine toons on its Bandcamp page - go grab 'em!
• I have just learned that Pamela Zarubica passed away last year following a short battle with a brain tumour. For those who may not know, Pamela lived with FZ in the mid 60s, though she maintained their relationship was platonic. In 1966, just after the release of Freak Out!, she formally introduced Frank to Gail, who he married a year later. Pamela’s voice can be heard on both We’re Only In It For The Money and Uncle Meat, and she was hired to be Suzy Creamcheese for Frank's 1967 European tour. Shortly after that, she married Howard 'H' Parker to enable her to come and live in London, where she sadly died. Her ashes were scattered on the beach in Broadstairs. Here's a video of Pamela reminiscing about The Mothers first UK gig. RIP.
• Freaks in a Mellow Mood, Vol. 2 - Live Acoustic 2003 by Mike Keneally & Bryan Beller is now available here. And here is Mike with Chanan Hanspal in Finland.
• Also on Bandcamp, A Load Of Old Toot!! by the Spanner Big Band (featuring Waka Jawaka).
• Watch Midget Sloatman teach Dweezil a lost FZ song here. I wonder if DZ will now ponder adding music to some of his father's unused lyrics?
• I have just updated and significantly expanded my Frank Zappa FUQ eBook. If you already have access, it's there waiting for you. (If you have misplaced the download link and/or password, just let me know.) The eBook now contains an extra 20,000 words (taking it above 50,000), over an additional 62 pages (making a new total of 173), with guff on Läther, David Bowie, Artis The Spoonman, Roxy By Proxy, Allan Holdsworth, the last days of FZ and more - including lots of new random Zappa & related facts and extra eyebrow-raising girl talk. For those who have the paperback book, all of this new material will be swept up in a Volume 2 sometime in New Year City! Happy Zappadan, you filthy animals.
• All hail, Z.E.R.O.'s 100th recording:  Toccata & Pygmy in D Minor. Watch the video, download the file, enjoy Zappadan!
• Painting The Horse's Nose In The Wrong Place is the new album by Alan Jenkins and The Kettering Vampires. It's a double CD in a six panel cardboard sleeve with 28 songs. It's lyrically hilarious and as bonkers as you might expect from Mr Jenkins. Check it out on Bandcamp - or add a copy to your cart at The Cordelia Record Shop.
• Adrian Belew and Jerry Harrison are bringing their Remain In Light tour to Europe next May/June. Dates in the Diary.
• Another Frequently Unasked Question answered - this time about Allan Holdsworth.
• Banned From Utopia will play next year's Zappa Union (line-up as per Zappanale last year: Chad, Robert, Scott, Ray, Robbie & Jamie, plus special guest guitarist Frode Alnæs). Tickets on sale now.

Added week-ending 1 December 2024:

• Check out the Zappanale Advent Calendar. Behind one of the doors is a chance to win tix for next year's fest.
• Dweezil: "Double Nickels is a mini concert album from the 2024 RoxPostrophy Tour. It features a free version of Inca Roads.The rest of the album is available for purchase a la carte."
• Here Dweezil explores his dad's guitars. He has also been added to a few select North American dates on the 2025 Experience Hendrix Tour next March.
• Here's an interview with Mano Divina, the creative genius behind the Divine Hand Ensemble, who recorded a Theremin-led version of Peaches en Regalia a couple of years back. There's an all-Zappa revue and album in the offing. Check out their version of Cletus Awreetus Awrightus here. And for those of you who may not know, Dave Hartl, the band's accordionist and arranger, produced his own album of all Zappa material on solo piano - check it out here.
• Steve Vai is one of a number of guests on Live At 55 by Chicago & Friends, which comes in a plethora of formats (CD, Blu-Ray, et al). He can be seen and heard playing on Poem 58 and South California Purples, as well as 25 or 6 to 4 among all the other friends.
• Check out Chato Segerer's new band Zapped performing Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance ("wiith a twisted version of the theme as intro") here.

Added week-ending 24 November 2024:

• The Zappa Early Rennaissance Orchestra (aka ZERO) is going to celebrate Zappadan this year by giving a new arrangement away as a free download. This will be the band's 100th track! Stay tuned for deets.
• In the latest Rocktails, Ahmet says he has been talking to Miss Pamela about the re-release of the GTOs' album.
• Former Robert Plant drummer Andy Edwards pontificates about Burnt Weeny Sandwich here. [Warning: contains no mention of the UK Post Office Horizon IT scandal.]
• Scheila Gonzalez will be joining "Weird Al" Yankovic's band for his North American tour next year (from 13 June to 21 September), which I guess means no Dweezil shows happening during that period.
• As well as Scott Thunes, Ray White and Robert Martin, it looks like another alum will be at Zappanale next year. The new festival poster (see either to the right or down below, depending on how you view this page) adds Don Preston. It also shows Z3, despite the Go Fund Me campaign to get them there still having to reach it's target. All in all, a very decent line-up. See you there?
• Dweezil will be performing at the BRIDGE Guitar Festival Eindhoven on Sunday 1 June 2025. He will combine iconic works by his father with his own compositions, including a special version of The Adventures of Dindoo with The Metropole Orkest.

Added week-ending 17 November 2024:

• Saddened to learn that Emile de Jonge (aka Emile Chill) has passed away following a sudden stroke. Aside from playing guitar for ZAPPATiKA he had just completed the AI generated Zappa Galaxy movie. His band mates hope to be able to make it available in due course. May he rest in peace.
• New album by The Vegetarians reviewed here.
• Dweezil and his drummers Ryan and Zach present the Anatomy Of A Solo. 
• The Spanner Big Band's new studio album, A Load Of Old Toot!!, will feature a rendition of FZ's Waka Jawaka. Official release date is 27 November, after which it should be available via Bandcamp. If not, then send an email to spannerhq@gmail.com. Here's the band's live version of Son Of Mr. Green Genes from a few years back to give you a taste.
• Here's an article about Dweezil's daughter, Zola Frank Zappa.
• Wowie Zowie! This site has now had over 150k visitors since March of last year. That's pretty amazing. Now, if each of those individual browsers had bought just one of my Zappa books, I'd be laughing!

Added week-ending 10 November 2024:

• AIIEEE! I have copies of my Frank Zappa FUQ paperback book back in stock, for those interested in the minutiae of Zappa's universe.
• SOCK! And now, Gerry Fialka interviews Bruce Fowler!
• BIFF! More on Napoleon Murphy Brock's 'almost complete' memoir: "I am writing a book about Frank and I, and what we did together, with the other brilliant musical minds of the entire line-up on the Roxy ensemble. I lay out a precise detailed analysis of what we did, and what we were doing. How and why."
• KABLAMMO! Watch Dweezil's new band spontaneously combust in Atlanta, Georgia.
• ZONX! Later this month, Libros del Kultrum will publish Zappa - Obra Lirica Completa: the Frank Zappa songbook, featuring the complete lyrical works in a bilingual edition ("it didn't even exist in English - it took 30 years to wait..."). Edited/translated by Manuel de la Fuente.
• WHACK! After the addition of two new audio treats on Dweezil's website last week, he now says, "I'm doing video editing for the next month before rehearsals start for the January 2025 run of dates. I have a lot of performances from the 2024 Rox-Postrophy tour and previous tours that I will be processing for viewing. I'm also prepping a lot of music to add to the Silver Subscription. Since there has been a lull in additions to the Silver Plan, you can expect a good handful of FREEBIES to close out the year. Also, there will be more..."

Added week-ending 3 November 2024:

• Aristocrat Bryan Beller writes about Arthur Barrow's Zappa audition and more here.
• Diva returns as Ahmet's special guest on Rocktails...to read Tarot cards.
• Full details of the next two legs of Dweezil's North American Rox(postroph)y tour now in the Diary - here's a promo vid: they will apparently be playing 'a lost Zappa song'. Sadly, DZ sez they "don't have any European tour plans yet." Here's an interview Dweezil just did with Lyndsey Parker (who you will recall also interviewed Moon recently; this time she drinks from a Zappa mug rather than an unfeasibly large goblet, though). In the interview, DZ infers there may be changes in the future as regards Zappa releases and his potential involvement; he also says he has no intention of reading Moon's new book. And finally in this week's Dweez news: he has made available live recordings of Heavy Duty Judy and Punky's Whips from the Rox(postroph)y gig in Philadelphia in September.
• Watch Tyler Bartram rattle off a bit of Drowning Witch for Halloween. Scott Thunes commented (on Reddit): "When Frank and Artie overdubbed my impossible-to-get-correct live 16ths, they slowed down the tape for him and they recorded the notes as written. Sped up (back to normal speed) those notes became artificially transposed."
• Peter at United Mutations has written some kind words on my Frank Zappa FUQ book here. I currently have no copies of the paperback left (more on order!), but the eBook is unlimited and perpetually updated!
• John Robins talks about his Zappa obsession on BBC Radio 4 here. 
• Check out The Furious Bongos feat. Chad Wackerman powering through The Black Page and Sofa a few weeks back in Quebec - here.
• Treacherous Cretins feat. Robert Martin UK and Ireland April 2025 tour dates are now in the Diary. The band will also be playing Zappanale in 2025. And to celebrate what would have been FZ's 84th birthday, they will be premiering their 2024 concert with Robert  at the Cavern Club on YouTube on 21 December. Get notified
• BEAT (Belew-Vai-Levin-Carey) tour is coming to your house, if you want it. There will be a global livestream of the band's concert from The United Theater on Broadway in LA on Sunday 10 November. This is a one time only event that will be available for 7 days from the time of the show. Grab your ticket here.
• Another Zappa band for Zappanale next year: the eleven piece Cheap Thrills. Saw them at Mosae Zappa last year and they are most excellent!
• Went to see Moon Unit in conversation with Miki Berenyi at Rough Trade East this week. Their discussion naturally covered similar ground to recent interviews (is genius worth the collateral damage, Earth To Moon written like solving a cold case, social experiment, etc). Moon did though make a point of saying she only had three siblings, even though she couldn't imagine FZ ever stopping to slip on a condom, and also that she hoped Frank's fans wouldn't stop liking his music when they read that he wasn't a great dad.

Added week-ending 27 October 2024:

• Dweezil talks about his Hollywood career, guitars and more here.
• Two more non-Zappa bands for Zappanale next year: Det Skandaløse Orkester and Tō Yō. And but also, Ciardelli-Drago-Strano have just been added. Yay, some FZ! Their Shake Your Duty album is fab - link on the right hand side (or down below if in mobile portrait view mode).
• New album, Reunion Live, by G3 (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson) will be released on 31 January 2025.
• Apostrophe 50 ZappaCast here. And here's a new 'official visualizer' video for Don't Eat The Yellow Snow.
• Watch the Mint Douche All-Stars performing Burnt Weeny Sandwich live here.

Added week-ending 20 October 2024:

• Finally a couple of bands that will play some Zappa at Zappanale next year: firstly The BREED (who will also play the music of Pekka Pohjola); and secondly, Paul Green's Rock Academy featuring Robert Martin, Scott Thunes and Ray White.
• Two fans talk about Apostrophe here.
• I have previously mentioned Bradley Morgan's upcoming book, Frank Zappa's America. This will be published by the Louisiana State University Press next Spring. It explores the political messaging of Zappa's music, tracing the means by which he created passionate art that challenges conservativism in its many forms. Over on the right hand side of this page, you will find the book's spiffy cover art.
• Check out Dweezil's touring guitar rig here. (P.S. Tour resumes next January.)
• Current ZappaCast host Bill Camarata has dusted off a 50 year old school project and now presents for your delectation a Cosmik Debris slide-show - here.
• Here's Moon watching an all-girl group cover Valley Girl.
• Now you can playalongascott: check out this Strictly Genteel bass transcription by Pedro Marques.
• Ahmet's cousin, Stanley Jason Zappa, is the special guest on the latest Rocktails podcast, with some interesting stories about Bob and Frank's early years.
• The London Philharmonic Orchestra will takes us on a journey through time and space, with innovative works by FZ, Bohuslav Martinů and Dinuk Wijeratne, next March. Details here.
• After last week's announcement that the Ozric Tentacles would be returning to play Zappanale next year (after a 23 year break!), the festival team has announced four more acts for 2025: Monika Roscher Bigband, Yuval Ron, The Dorf and Silas & Saski. So no Zappa bands yet, but great to have these artists confirmed before Xmas.
• The Idiot has a number of non-FZ CDs for sale - mostly old Mojo magazine cover mount discs, bundled together with a relevant doo-dad, and all going cheap. Check 'em out here.

Added week-ending 13 October 2024:

• The Zappas 'n Travers (and also some others) are pulling one off about a review of Hot Rats that marks it's 55th anniversary. The deep dive video can be found here, there's a 10-minute read transcript here, or there's a 60 second short here.
• Check out Gerry Fialka's brand new 'innerview' with Napoleon Murphy Brock here.
• UMe's October 'From The Vaults' giveaway is unsurprisingly Halloween themed. Check it out/enter here.
• Multi-instrumentalist Zach Tabori, of Dweezil's latest band, has a new live album and concert film out now via all streaming platforms. For Old TImes Sake includes original songs plus covers of classics like Queen's Keep Yourself Alive and the Allman Brothers' Whipping Post. Tabori's band features Bobby Victor, also of the new 'ZPZ'!
• First band confirmed for Zappanale #34 next year: the Ozric Tentacles! First time they've played since my first Zappanale in 2002; somewhere I have a pic of Mike Keneally gyrating to them in the audience.
• Z3 fan Georg Nilius has started a GoFundMe campaign to get the US Zappa cover band to Zappanale next year. He's hoping to raise €7500 for flights and accommodation by 30 November 2024.
• Another UK book tour date for Moon in the Diary.

Added week-ending 6 October 2024:

• Dweezil loves his knob. See him fiddle with it while playing Jimi's Freedom.
• Here Chanan Hanspal analyses The Adventures Of Greggery Peccary. Chanan incidentally was The Mike Keneally Report's special guest at their gig in Finland on 4 October.
• Another Apostrophe 50 interview with box set producers Ahmet and Joe by SDE here. And part two of their 'official' chat here.
• Health update from Ike Willis' daughter on Facebook: "Thank you very much for your continued care, support and positive vibes for my dad. He's near us now and stable, but still on a long road to recovery. We're praying and doing all we can for him and my mother. He's got to do his part now."

Added week-ending 29 September 2024:

• Arthur Barrow: "I am releasing a new composition! It is different from many of my other pieces. It's called A Lovely Time and has a nostalgic, calm, soothing mood to it. It is now on Bandcamp and will soon be available on YouTube, Spotify and the rest. (You can hear it on Bandcamp without having to buy it, BTW.) Hope you like it!"
• Apostrophe is back on the Billboard chart!
• A few years ago, I shared a link to an interesting article about a unique visit made by FZ and the Mothers to Westminster College, Salt Lake City in March 1974. Rick Wood, the author of said article, has recently updated it so I again urge you to check it out. It's here.
• Check out Filip Fjellström's ace live rendition of Mo's Vacation here.
• At the end of this video (of Dweezil's craziest guitar moment ever), we're told the Rox(postroph)y tour will continue in January 2025. Yippee!
• For those of you who have ordered a copy of my Frank Zappa FUQ eBook (previously titled Zappa FUQs), please be aware that since 13 May 2022 there has been a dedicated download link and password that will get you the latest version when used. I am planning to significantly expand the book at the start of 2025, so if you have a link that no longer works or have lost the details provided, let me know and I'll sort it out.
• At the weekend, the good folk of Zappacord got to quiz the ZappaCast team about Apostrophe 50. Keep an eye out for an official 'deep dish' podcast soon.

Added week-ending 22 September 2024:

• Following Jean-Luc Ponty's announcement that he is now retired from touring, he's now flogging some of his violins - including the red Barcus Berry one he played during his tenure with FZ and the Mothers. Full details of the auction can be found here.
• On 12 December, a 'new' special edition of Alex Winter's Zappa documentary will be released in Germany in dual Blu-ray/DVD format. This will include art cards, director/editor commentary and deleted scenes, as per the UK edition from 2021. The only difference seems to be the inclusion of a booklet.
• Next April, the NDR Big Band will meet the Ensemble Modern at a three-day festival in the Rolf Liebermann Studio in Hamburg. NDR will open the festival with Colin Towns' arrangaments of Zappa's music (Hot Licks (And Funny Smells)), while Zappa's "last band", EM, will complete the evening with works that have influenced FZ (by Xenakis, Webern, Varèse and Stockhausen). More details here.
• Dweezil tells Rick Beato what he learned from Eddie Van Halen...and his dad...here. Dweezil will again join the Experience Hendrix tour, starting in October. Full tour dates here, but DZ is not playing them all.
• Don Van Vliet has just been inducted into the Antelope Valley High School Hall of Fame, Class of 2024. He was nominated in the Visual and Performing Arts category. FZ was posthumously inducted in 2015 for his contributions in Music.
• After Roxy By Proxy (2014), Roxy—The Soundtrack (2015), The Roxy Performances (2018) and indeed Zappa/Erie (2022), don't expect a Roxy & Elsewhere anniversary box this year. So what will be the next release? 🙂
• Don Preston's solo piano tour dates are now finalised and in the Diary. Here's a press release.
• Domenic Priore & Dan Konoske will delve into the cultural significance of the "Freak Out! Hot Spots!" map at the Philosophical Research Society in LA on 8 December. Details here.
• Barfko-Swill is back! Yes, old stock is being made available again for those who missed out the first time around. Go here.
• The October Revolution in Jazz 60th Anniversary (ORJ 60) is a five-day interdisciplinary event celebrating the transformative power of free improvisation and collectivity taking place in California in October. Its music director is FZ's nephew Stanley J. Zappa, who will host 40+ improvisors in open rehearsals and performances. See the full programme here.
• Ahmet talks Apostrophe 50 here (to Joe Travers). And over here also (on Rocktails, although there's far more fuck, kill or marry related chat).

Added week-ending 15 September 2024:

• Frank Zappa's America by Bradley Morgan, a book that focusses on Frank's battle against the Religious Right and his prediction of their takeover of the US political system, should be published by LSU Press next Spring.
• Moon Unit will be in conversation and signing books in London, The Hague and Antwerp...and probably elsewhere. See Diary for known details so far.
• Time for a new FUQ - one about David Bowie!
• To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roxy & Elsewhere this week, I created a Spotify playlist comprising all of the unedited and 'underdubbed' basic tracks - here!
• Apparently sales of Frank's father's book, Chances: And How To Take Them, just went through the roof. Jump on the bandwagon here!
• Following my own book, Frank Talk: The Inside Stories of Zappa's Other People, which featured over 40 interviews with those who knew and worked with FZ (and of course Tony Trombo's Talking Zappa tome), brace yo'seffs for Frankly Speaking: Zappa Tales and Other Stories from the Maestro's Musicians by Basssam Habal. It is a collection of full interviews with the following Zappa alumni: Ray White, Sal Marquez, Lisa Popeil, Bruce Fowler, Jim Pons, Malcolm McNabb, Tom 'Bones' Malone, David Logeman, Robert Martin and the late Ralph Humphrey. Grab a copy here.
• Here's a video chat with Ahmet, Joe Travers and the bloke with the hands (from Classic Album Review), about the 50th anniversary edition of Apostrophe. And here's my Alternative Apostrophe playlist.
• Here's the page missing from the first print run of the UK edition of Moon's memoir:

Added week-ending 8 September 2024:

• Next week marks the 50th anniversary of Roxy & Elsewhere, the release of the 50th anniversary edition of Apostrophe('), the start of the BEAT tour and the end of Dweezil's initial Rox(postroph)y trek - which means I shall be taking my Dweezil FUQ sample page offline. If anyone is interested, the full article is included with 19 Zappa-related others in my Frank Zappa FUQ book: minutes of fun with money from every sale going to good causes. Check them out!
• On the latest episode of Rocktails, Ahmet gives a detailed account of his involvement in the family business, the split, and how ZPZ came to be. Starts 26 minutes in.
• New Don Preston and One Shot Deal dates in the Diary.
• Here Chanan Hanspal talks Zappa with Infrasteff.
• Available next year from Rufus Publications, Wire & Wood: The Guitars Of Steve Vai, a high-end photo book featuring over 100 of Steve’s most famous guitars captured in exquisite detail by Michael Mesker. Details here. And there's a promo vid too.
• Banned From Utopia (with Mike Miller back in for Seahag) will play six Halloween shows at the Baked Potato. See Diary for more.
• If you love Adrian Belew, Steve Vai and King Crimson as such as me, then you'll be as excited as I am about the BEAT tour that starts next week. Here is an interview with Adrian, which includes a few references to his time with FZ, and another with Steve about learning Fripp's parts.
• Bunch of Mike Keneally Euro dates new to the Diary (both in 2024 & 2025).
• Maximum Booking is putting together the next Banned From Utopia European tour - all being well, it will take place in October 2025.
• Good to see former Dweezil band member Adam Minkoff make a guest appearance with the 'new' band at Red Bank, NJ at the weekend. And talking of former members, ex-singer Cian Coey is now in a relationship with long-time bassist Kurt Morgan ❤️

Added week-ending 1 September 2024:

• Check out Gerry Fialka's 'Frank Zappa Rant' here.
• Ahmet's special guest on Rocktails this week is his little sister Diva.
• Tickets now on sale for a bunch of upcoming Pygmy Twylyte gigs here.
• ProgJect (featuring Mike Keneally and Pete Griffin) has had to postpone its tour of Europe in September, including one date in the UK at the 1865.
• UMe is hosting another ATMOS listening party, this time for Apostrophe 50, on 11 September. If you're 18 or older and live within 350 miles of Los Angeles, you could be there!
• Listen to The Mothers (minus FZ and the Underwoods) perform a live jam in Finland on 22 August 1973 (just before the Road Tapes, Venue #2 concerts) - here.
• Looks like Dweezil has offended someone. (FWIW I'm not convinced the red cap and 'don't tread on me' shirt signify Dweezil's support for Trump: if you remember, his cover of I'm Afraid Of Americans substituted 'Donny' for Johnny in the lyrics.)

Added week-ending 25 August 2024:

• Jean-Luc Ponty: "I am now 81 years old and I decided to stop touring and do a rare concert once in a while, work on album remastering/reissues (those which I own and control), doing master classes and perhaps a few more recording collaborations. These rare concerts, remasters/reissues, master classes and recordings will be announced when confirmed, first on my website."
• Mike Keneally will release a live album with Bryan Beller called Freaks In A Mellow Mood, Volume One on Bandcamp on 6 September. It consists of recordings from November 2003, when the pair were "rampaging from music store to music store, playing and singing and talking acoustically on behalf of Taylor Guitars."
• A third Apostrophe 50 teaser track: Penguin In Bondage (live in Colorado Springs).
• Phish's Trey Anastasio talks about how FZ blew his mind here.
• Moon has been back on Rocktails with Ahmet, talking about her new book. (At the time, AZ was only part-way through reading it.) Check it out here. Interesting choice of song to end with!
• The Miserable Husos' set from this year's Zappanale is now available to buy and download from Bandcamp. For those who might not know, the Husos add their own lyrics to FZ's songs - sometimes in German, sometimes Hessian, and oftentimes giving the songs a whole new meaning. Great fun, even if you don't speak German or Hessian.
• Dr Dot has made a video about how she met FZ and how he 'crowned' her.
• Moon has written this bespoke piece for Newsweek, of which she is "so proud".
• The official Zappa YouTube channel has posted a behind the scenes Father O'Blivion short. Hopefully this is a tease for a bigger chunk of unseen footage from the Bolic sessions to coincide with the Apostrophe box. In the meanwhile, I'll take this peek inside the new Vault.
• Lyndsey Parker (who completed Miss Mercy's autobiography after she passed) interviews Moon. This chat reveals where the original title of Moon's book (I Hope You Die...) came from and why the book was dedicated to FZ and not GZ. For those getting the audio version, it seems there's going to be a short delay in it's release.
• Whisky a Go Go 1968 ZappaCast here.
• Tony Levin is about to hit the road with Messrs Belew and Vai in BEAT, and his imminent solo album - Bringing It Down To The Bass - will feature Vinnie Colaiuta and L. Shankar, among many other luminaries.

Added week-ending 18 August 2024:

• Thanks to all those who have already bought a copy of my latest book, Frank Zappa FUQ. I had a 100 cheesy little home-made paperbacks printed - primarily to sell to friends at Zappanale - but still have a few left. And I am now working on a second volume!
• The Zappa Fun Night - with London Zappa Collective, MindFooD and The AMM All Stars feat. Mint Douche - at Springfield Acton Bowls Club has been moved to 19 October.
• Here's the live Washington Post chat with Moon. Shedloads of written pieces have appeared in daily newspapers about Moon's memoir, with The Guardian and the LA Times both publishing two different ones each. Tubular.
• There will a Zappa Night at Festspielhaus Baden-Baden on 7 June 2025, featuring Members of the SWR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer. Deets here.
• Not only will Ray White be playing with the Stinkfoot Orchestra at the Lodge Room Highland Park on 23 August, but they will once again be joined by Bruce Fowler, Arthur Barrow and Lisa Popeil.
• Frank Sidebottom's Little Box Of Bobbins - Frank's Fantastic Anthology 1985-1993, a recently released 3CD set, includes covers of Captain Beefheart's Mirror Man/Gimme That Harp Boy and Electricity.
• Sort of an update on the long-promised official Zappa biography by Alan Clayson: its title seems to have been slighty modified to Mother Superior: Frank Zappa In His Time, and it could be in the shops late next Spring. So let's keep everything crossed 🤞
• Don Preston: "When I turn 92 in September, I'm going to tour Europe with a 'Solo Piano Tour'." One date in the Diary already.
• Just an observation, but the news page at zappa.com has yet to mention the 50th anniversary edition of Apostrophe. Yes, there are links to pre-order it, but not the usual press release.
• Here's Moon on Marc Maron's WTF podcast. She enters after 18½ minutes.
• Some interesting comments have appeared on social media surrounding Dweezil's Rox(postroph)y tour. Firstly, Napoleon Murphy Brock said, "Just because you can afford to buy a Maserati, doesn't mean you know how to drive it! Where are the genes?" Oof. Then when asked if he had Scott on bass, Dweezil replied with, "No it is Kurt Morgan a fantastic bassist and human. I would never work with Scott Thunes again." Ouch.
• All this talk of Moon's imminent memoir ⬆️⬇️ makes me wonder if we'll ever see John Klein Sloatman III's unauthorised biography (Frankly Zappa), which promises to include stories about "Moon's constant starlet attitude".

Added week-ending 11 August 2024:

• In the Washington Post article mentioned below, Moon and Diva talk about a 'zine' they put together to confront Gail when she showed signs of becoming a hoarder. Moon has now posted some of its pages on Instagram.
• More Moon in The Sunday Times. This article includes a short excerpt from her book, regarding The GTOs.
• Dweezil posted this clip of his duel with Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X during a live performance of Apostrophe on his current Rox(postroph)y tour.
• In this article in The Washington Post, Dweezil's wife is quoted as saying her husband "isn’t interested in spending any time in the presence of his brother. Ever." It will be interesting to see if Moon's memoir goes any way to reconciling the family - here's hoping. Meantime, the Z kids should think twice before being hoodwinked by jokers like the WP again. (Article paywalled for you? Try here.)
• Arthur Barrow has unleashed a fun new ditty on Bandcamp, called To Live.
• Grauniad review of Moon's memoir here. Mine here. Compare and contrast.