Zappa News

Added week-ending 28 September 2025:

• Moon is celebrating her birthday on a Nordic knitting cruise with Diva.
• Andreas' dog breaks down One Size Fits All here.
• The 50th anniversary One Size Fits All set is now streaming! And also posted on YouTube is the 2025 edit of Florentine Pogen from the KCET-TV special.
• Earlier this year, short-lived Portsmouth-based band Copernicus Rice released their first album on Bandcamp. It included a cover of Willie The Pimp.
• Here's Canadian virtuoso pianist Marc-André Hamelin's recording of Frank's Ruth Is Sleeping (as arranged by Ali N. Askin).
• Banned From Utopia have now rescheduled their European tour dates for next year (see Diary for deets); the Halloween 2025 dates at the Baked Potato are going ahead as planned - with special guests mooted.
• RIP Italian-Tunisian actress Claudia Cardinale. In 1966, while in California shooting sex comedy Don’t Make Waves with Tony Curtis and Sharon Tate (tagline “Turn on! Stay loose! Make out!”), Claudia was famously photographed alongside FZ (with Carl Franzoni and Eliot Ingber - see image here) for an article that appeared in Epoca magazine; short-term Mother and wah-wah inventor Del Casher used his then new gizmo on the film's soundtrack.
• Chad Wackerman relays the story of The Black Page here. And there's more of Chad's L.A. All-Stars dates in the Diary.

Added week-ending 21 September 2025:

• Just as my series of Frank Zappa FUQ books jump from Vol. 2 to 4, so too has Hans Annellsson gone from the 1st to the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear. But fear not, kids: unlike my fuqology, Hans will plug the gap as soon as possible.
• Due to an overwhelming amount of adverse and unpredictable events that have transpired in recent weeks, Banned From Utopia have postponed their upcoming We’re Only In It For The Euros Fall tour of Europe. "We are currently working with our European promoters to reschedule the dates for late spring/early summer 2026. It is our intention to return stronger than ever and deliver shows worthy of the most loyal Zappa fans on the planet. We are as disappointed as you are by these developments and appreciate your understanding and continued unwavering support. Music Is The Best! - Scott, Ray, Chad, Robbie, Nick, and Jamie." It's obviously possible that their Halloween shows at the Baked Potato will be cancelled, too; I'll keep you posted.
• Moon Unit will be Ahmet's special guest on Rocktails this Friday.
• Due to personal circumstances, Jeff Hollie has been forced to cancel all scheduled engagements, including performances at Mosae Zappa.
• Copies of The Torchum Never Stops books up for grabs on eBay here.
• Saddened to read that Ray White's wife of many years - the love of his life - has passed. RIP Gwenda.

Added week-ending: 14 September 2025:

• Better mate than never: in 2022, drummer, composer, and rhythmic storyteller Sean Noonan digitally unleashed his surreal rock opera, Zappanation, combining elements of FZ and Varèse. Check it out here. (Thanks to Dr Geoff Wills for the tip-off.)
• Andreas' dog spills the meat on Läther.
• A tribute to Mark Volman from Scott Parker here.
• FIDO plays ZAPPA have sadly had to cancel their November dates with Robert Martin due to his ongoing health issues. The Idiot continues to pray for a full recovery in due course. Meantime, here's Robert in action with The Furious Bongos in May: Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station.
• Third preview track from the forthcoming Beat live album: Thela Hun Ginjeet.
• Check out Frank Zappa For Prepared Piano by Hans Annellsson on Bandcamp.
• Time for a new Random FUQ. Find out where Motorhead got his nickname, why Johnny 'Guitar' Watson didn't join Zappa's touring band, and a whole lot more.
• Fuzzy Cat Records has just released a various artists compilation on Bandcamp: Playin' With Beef: A Captain Beefheart Tribute.
• As a tribute to Mark Volman, Flo & Eddie's 1989 appearance on Art Fein's Poker Party has just been uploaded to YouTube.

Added week-ending 7 September 2025:

• The dog, the dog, he's at it again.
• Two years after being diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, Mark 'Flo' Volman has very sadly passed away. Here's my interview with him from nearly 20 years ago, plus a Spotify playlist I put together when I reviewed his autobiography. May he rest in peace.
• Read an appreciation of Robert Martin by Scott Parker.
• A second 'preview single' from OSFA50: Something/Anything (Rough Mix).
• Friday, the fifth installment in the days-of-the-week instrumental album series by Mike Keneally and Marcelo Radulovich, is now available on Bandcamp. Mike has also unleashed his 15 year old collaborations with Marco Minnemann (Evidence of Humanity/Elements of a Manatee) on said platform too.
• As well as Banned From Utopia touring, there's also Zapparosa, Mosae Zappa and now Crank Some Frank - Celebrating Zappa happening on mainland Europe before the end of the year. Check Diary for dates.
• BFU Press Release: "Dear friends and fans of Banned From Utopia, we are very sad to announce that, due to unforeseen circumstances, our friend and brother Robert Martin will not be joining us on our upcoming European 'We're Only In It For The Euros' tour. In the spirit of "the shows must go on", we are very pleased to have the multitalented Nick Chargin stepping in on vocals and keys. Nick is the leader, founder, and musical director of the Northern California-based Stinkfoot Orchestra, and a staunch advocate of preserving the vast Frank Zappa legacy. Since 2019, Stinkfoot Orchestra has been electrifying FZ fans with their deep song list and 14-piece lineup that has featured various Zappa alumni, including BFU's own Ray White. We look forward to working with Nick, and seeing all of you in a few weeks! Music Is The Best! - Scott, Ray, Chad, Robbie, and Jamie."
• There will be a Dweezil Zappa workshop at the Guitar Summit in Mannheim, Germany later this month (see Diary).
• L. Shankar’s new 'star-studded pop-rock album', Answers, will be released on 17 October. Bass is supplied by Tony Levin.
• Robert Martin is now out of the ICU (into a Progressive Care Unit), but is far from out of the woods as his blood clot remains. Here's hoping his situation improves very soon.
• For those wondering what can be found in my latest book of FUQs, these video shorts covering Zappa alums contributions to film scores and big hit singles, plus this specially curated Spotify playlist, should provide a few clues.
• From the archives: my interview with the legendary Ike Willis.

Added week-ending 31 August 2025:

• Here Chad Wackerman talks about his time with FZ.
• Make Weird Music reviews OSFA with help from Joe Travers here.
• New eBook suddenly available: Frank Zappa FUQ Vol. 4: my latest tribute to FZ and his collaborators. Includes articles on Cynthia PlasterCaster, Kim Fowley and Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, plus random facts you didn't know you needed to know, and interviews with Ian Underwood, Ed Mann and others you won't find anywhere else.. Grab your copy here.
• The Make Weird Music guy: "To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Frank Zappa’s One Size Fits All, I learned Michael Hedges’ arrangement of Sofa No. 1." Here 'tis.
• Robert Martin had a stroke last Friday while out for a walk. Thanks to Dr Dot, he was taken to hospital in Utah, but then suffered a second stroke on Monday. Unfortunately an operation to remove a blood clot on his brain was unsuccessful, and the right side of his body is currently paralysed. But Dot says, "Robert can recover from this, and if anyone could it would be him. He’s so strong, healthy and intelligent." Here's hoping for the best.
• New interview with Mike Keneally here. Includes insights into his time with FZ and DZ, how his solo career evolved and much more. I'm an avid MK fan, but this is well worth an hour of anybody's time.
• Eddie Jobson's son Chris has his debut solo album out now. Wish You Well was recorded, arranged, mixed and produced by his dad, who also plays keyboards all over it.
• Napoleon Murphy Brock has said all is on schedule for his book about FZ's 'Roxy Family' to be published in January 2026.

Added week-ending 24 August 2025:

• You may recall the Meridian Arts Ensemble who, in March1993, visited FZ and performed their arrangements of his music for him. "The composer worked with us by critiquing the performance, making corrections in the arrangements, and giving suggestions for further interpretations," they said at the time. Well, they have just uncovered tape of a complete concert performed at UMRK in 1996, and will be "releasing this as a live concert CD on PARMA Recordings (and of course putting it on all streaming services), coming out in January. In the meantime, we will be posting short clips from the show in the coming months." If you haven't heard them, you should check out their albums Smart Went Crazy, Prime Meridian, Anxiety Of Influence and Ear Mind I for four wonderful FZ medleys - or listen to this handy Spotify playlist!
• More from Dweezil's recent-ish UK visit to Andertons here. He talks about his upbringing, composing for orchestra, his dad's music, gear and more. And here, back in the US, he demonstrates his dad's Roxy SG and Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar Les Paul.
• "As Caballero Reynaldo, I made several complete discs for the Unmatched - Spanish Zappa Tributes series, but I also participated in all the other volumes. This album remasters and compiles all those scattered versions celebrating my 63rd birthday!"

Added week-ending 17 August 2025:

• Watch Dweezil learn to play the blues; https://youtu.be/DLQjSPTgztI?si=8GSF02mPh6J1A10p
• Steve Vai talks about his time with FZ and more to Billy Corgan here.
• Calling all completists: the Lennons are reissuing the June 1971 live jam with the Mothers at the Fillmore East on a new deluxe box set titled Power To The People. The tracks are listed as follows: Well (Baby Please Don’t Go) / Jamrag [ Say Please / King Kong / Aawk] / Scumbag / Aü.
• Zoltan Kis has written a new book, Everything is Possible – The Unofficial Steve Vai Story, which will be published on 20 October. It will be available here on that date (no pre-orders) for the price of €25, but you can get a €5 discount with coupon code eipmin5 (valid until 30 November 2025).
• There's a new 'best of' the Zappa Early Renaissance Orchestra album now available - on Bandcamp, Spotify and other places what streams stuff. It features Ike Willis, Robert Martin and a cast of loads. Dig it.
• Check out the Lovers Of Invention's full live show from Brixton last year. Two sets, 17 songs for your viewing pleasure - here!
• Here's a short sorta preview of something in my next book of FUQs:

Added week-ending 10 August 2025:

• First track to stream from the OSFA50 set is Can't Afford No Shoes (Rough Mix). Expect a second on 5 September.
• Some older readers may recall Lucy Landymore winning the percussion round of Young Musician Of The Year in 2010 with her rendition of The Black Page. Well now Lucy's hooked-up with double bassist Valentina Ciardelli and a short video of them playing Little Umbrellas together has appeared on the Zappa Woman's socials. Exciting times: Frank's music being performed by young women. Hotcha!
• Second preview 'single' from the BEAT live album, Frame By Frame.
• Check out the fantastic SWR Symphonieorchester spanking Frank's Revised Music For Low Budget Orchestra, Put A Motor In Yourself, Night School and more here. Wowzers!
• The music round on this week's University Challenge on BBC TV featured a short soundclip from an FZ piece. You can catch it on iPlayer if you want to find out more! 
• The fab Unmatched series of (mostly Spanish) Zappa covers can now be found on Bandcamp. Starting in 1996, the series provided an outlet for the great Caballero Reynaldo & The Grand Kazoo and many others, including ZERO and our very own Spanner Jazz Punks and Muffin Men (check out this video for their contribution). Dig deep here.
• Frank's Baby Snakes SG guitar is up for auction. Bidding starts on 14 October. Go here for details.
• The Lovers Of Invention will return to Ronnie Scott's at the end of next month. Yay!

Added week-ending 3 August 2025:

• Quite a few 2026 dates in the Diary already.
• Following on from Dweezil's visit to the Marshall factory (see below), here he is testing the amps and talking about his artistry.
• Arthur Barrow just released new song, MOJO, on Bandcamp.
• With my 2017 Frank Talk book now being print-on-demand, I thought I'd re-post my interviews with Scott Thunes here on my website. These have been edited and added to, and are both insightful and hilarious. Check them out here.
• For anyone still wanting a copy of my Frank Zappa FUQ (Vol. 1) paperback book, I have just six copies left. I also have half a dozen Zappa The Hard Way paperbacks. So head on over to my store if you'd like copies of these. I will sign them unless you specifically ask me not to. (NB: Unsigned copies are incredibly rare!)
• Happy birthday (30 July) to Diva - subject of this latest Random FUQ, which includes an excerpt from my (as yet, unpublished) interview with Noel Fielding!
• John Etheridge is doing his annual stint at the PizzaExpress in Soho in September. This includes the fab Zappatistas on the 3rd. See you there?
• American crime novelist Donna Leon's recent memoir, Backstage: Stories of a Writing Life, includes an anecdote about attending Zappa's 1971 concert in Montreux. She mentions it in the context of her teaching experiences, recalling taking her students to the gig. "If I'm ever in a place that catches fire again, please let's all be drugged," she writes. And on the same subject, here's a story that's likely to appear in The Frank Zappa Fan Book.
• Frank's niece, Lala Sloatman, needs more financial help.
• I received this message from Universal re. my OSFA50 order from Recordstore UK: "the new release date is the 15th of August 2025." And yet today (1 August) Recordstore have told me it's on the way. Confusing, but great news.
• Watch Dweezil's visit to the Marshall factory in Milton Keynes here.

Added week-ending 27 July 2025:

• The final volume of Freaks In A Mellow Mood by Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller, will be unleashed on Bandcamp next Friday (1 August). It will include acoustic covers of Radiohead's Paranoid Android and FZ's Inca Roads, alongside original wonderment from the duo.
• The Furious Bongos have added a limited run of La Petite Tour-ette CDs to Bandcamp. The album features Chad Wackerman on drums, Pauline Roberts on percussion, and a special guest appareance by Robbie 'Seahag' Mangano.
• The blurb for OSFA50 refers to Cal Schenkel and Vernon Simpson’s intricately designed but beautifully celestial map on the back cover. Cal has clarified: "I bought the typeface that I used on the cover and liner notes from Vernon. He didn't have any 'collaborative' involvement with the star chart or the album." And for those looking for Bathtub Man in the tracklisting for the Rotterdam concert, it's a part of Cosmik Debris.
• The next official Zappa release will be a One Size Fits All 50th anniversary set. Announcement here; full tracklist here. As per Cheaper Than Cheep, it will be released in two phases: from UMe approved stores on 1 August, then everywhere else on 26 September. The Idiot understands a 'preview' track will be issued on 8 August, and that this set will be followed by a Bongo Fury box later this year. Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!
• Chad Wackerman & The L.A. All-Stars will play an 'Impossible Rock Fusion Tour' of Europe next year. Chad will of course be in Europe with Banned From Utopia before then this October. These dates (including BFU's short Halloween stint at The Baked Potato) are all in the Diary.
• Suddenly available to rent (for 72 hours apiece), Video From Hell, The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels and more from Honker Home Video.
• Here's a short video about three members of the Grand Wazoo band who have worked with three big film composers - another random FUQ:

Added week-ending 20 July 2025:

• Here in full is Dweezil's recent UK Masterclass.
• New interview with Ahmet Zappa, about Cheaper Than Cheep and more.
• Just a reminder: the Zappa Team wants to put together an official Frank Zappa Fan Book, comprising "your words, your photos, your ticket stubs, your crumbling merch, your tattoos, your sacred relics..." Read all about it here.
• While Scott Thunes won't be at Zappanale with Robert Martin and Ray White this weekend, good to see that he will be back with them (and Chad Wackerman) in Banned From Utopia this October. Dates in the Diary.
• The act formerly known as HBH will play Mosae Zappa in November as The Jeff Hollie Trio.
• Black Sabbath For Prepared Piano by Hans Annellsson is now available from Bandcamp here.

Added week-ending 13 July 2025:

• New Stinkfoot Orchestra with Napi and Zappanale #35 dates in the Diary.
• Here's a playlist of all the Zappa Early Renaissance Orchestra tracks that feature legendary drummer Prairie Prince! ZERO is working on new tunes, with the latest addition to the ever expanding list of auxiliary members being the lovely Samuel Alves! Welcome aboard, sir! 🫡
• The current ‘We Love Zappa Tour’ (with Robert Martin and Ray White, backed by the Institute for Musical Excellence) continues without Scott Thunes, who left abruptly for personal reasons.
• Cheaper Than Cheep ZappaCast now up here.
• You can now watch over half an hour of the Cheaper Than Cheep concert film on YouTube, with Village Of The Sun and Wowie Zowie newly added. Here's a handy playlist on Vevo.
• Watch Dweezil playing Van Halen's classic guitar solo Eruption and "a Jimi Hendrix meets Edward Van Halen inspired version of our national anthem at a local neighborhood gathering," here. The audio is available to download from his website too.
• Before this year's festival, we already have names of some of the acts playing Zappanale next year! The Z3 will return, the Hilo Jazz Orchestra from Hawaii will try again (they had hoped to make it in 2019), and the Mahavishnu Project featuring drummer Gregg Bendian will perform the classic music of John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer. Great stuff!
• Here's a short video about FZ and Wembley - the latest in my Zappa's London series:

Added week-ending 6 July 2025:

• BEAT (featuring Adrian Belew and Steve Vai) are releasing a live concert fiim and album in September. Neon Heat Disease Live was taped at the band's show at the United Theater on Broadway in LA last year (yes, the one that got livestreamed). Here's the first single, Neal And Jack And Me.
• The full Cheaper Than Cheep concert film is no longer available to watch for free, but now here's Inca Roads, Apostrophe and I'm Not Satisfied. (RDNZL and Penguin In Bondage were already up on YouTube.)
• Dweezil's Eruption challenge is now on YouTube.

Added week-ending 29 June 2025:

• Ira Ingber talked to the Radar Station  about his late brother, Elliot.
• Just a reminder that you only have a few hours left to watch the Cheaper Than Cheep concert film for free on YouTube.
• Arthur Barrow has posted a new tune on his Bandcamp page. The Shift was composed, arranged, produced and performed by Arthur, and features Chad Wackerman on drums.
• Dweezil has posted the two versions of Van Halen's Eruption he performed at his recent UK Masterclass on his Instagram account. Apparently a longer video from the event will be posted on his website in due course.

Added week-ending 22 June 2025:

• For regular Zappanale attendees, it appears that they have done away with the Mystery Stage and are going for 'one stage fits all' this year. Late addition to the line-up are the ArF Duo (comprising Armin Beck and Fred Handl).
• UK Zappa tribute band Burger And The Beast are playing The Royal Oak near Bath on 18 July.
• The full Cheaper Than Cheep concert film will be up on the official FZ YouTube channel for 72 hours from 27 June.
• While on the road in April, the Treacherous Cretins threw a bunch of questions at their special guest. Check out on the bus...with Robert Martin!
• Gibby Haynes and the Thunes Institute for Musical Excellence will perform Butthole Surfers’ Classics & Other Oddities around Europe this August. Dates in the Bastard's Diary.
• Dweezil vists the Marshall Studio and talks amps, Edward Van Halen and more here.
• To celebrate Father's Day, Dweezil compiled a special treat for us: "Over the years I have played all three of my dad's signature guitar songs as a way to keep my relationship alive with my dad. In this Trifecta collection, I have shared with you some of my best renditions both musically and from a sound recreation standpoint." Avail yourself to this wonderment here.

Added week-ending 15 June 2025:

• Here's all of the audience footage from Dweezil's recent performance with the Metropole Orkest in Eindhoven, stitched together to make a film of the whole concert.
• Scott Parker of the ZappaCast now has a Substack. On Frank Zappa Research: The Continuing Adventures he aims to publish articles about whatever Frank subject strikes his fancy. Paying subscribers will get exclusive access to more, including a podcast and his archives. Check it out here.
• Frank's Baby Snakes SG and hard case are up for auction later this year. Check 'em out here. Condition: Good!
• Here's a compilation of clips from Dweezil's soundcheck with the Metropole Orkest at the start of the month. And here's some clips from his UK  Masterclass. 
• Moon's memoir has been translated into Italian ('Terra chiama luna') and will be published by Mondadori on 17 June. Find my review of the English language version here. In English.
• First band announced for Mosae Zappa in November: Orange Claw Hammer, reworking the music of Captain Beefheart!
• Andy Edwards has filleted out all of his Zappa chat with the likes of Jean-Luc Ponty, Ralph Humphrey and others in a handy bite-sized video here.

Added week-ending 8 June 2025:

• Anyone interested in my Zappa The Hard Way book on FZ's final world tour, I have a few (signed, whether you like it or not!) copies available in my online store - here.
• For those still to get Cheaper Than Cheep, a second video is now here for you: Penguin In Bondage.
• Gutted to learn of the passing of Marque 'Marqueson' Coy, Frank's monitor engineer in the 80s and later manager of his Joe's Garage warehouse/rehearsal facility. He agreed to be interviewed by me some time back, but sadly it never happened. Aged just 70. May be rest in peace.
• Went to see Dweezil's UK Masterclass this week, with him demonstrating Marshall amps and Shabat guitars. All very interesting and insightful. He played bits of Van Halen (including Eruption, twice), FZ and more. I got to ask him about his plans for 'The Lost Zappa Song' - he hopes to make available an official video of last weekend's performance with the Metropole Orkest - and someone else asked if the Shampoohorn album will ever be reissued: apparently not, as he said anything made with his brother will stay in the bin. Also, he said he hopes to be able to tour here again next year, fingers crossed.
• Sad to hear that following a failed neck surgery, Vinnie Colaiuta is experincing problems playing: he can undertake studio sessions but is currently unable to perform concerts. The Idiot sincerely hopes things turn around for him soon - probably my fave of all FZ's drummers.
• Excited to be seeing Adrian Belew at the weekend - so much so that I created this Spotify playlist of some of his guest appearances, outside of his obvious work with FZ, Bowie and Crimson.
• Currently working on a third volume of my idiocratic FUQ series: did you know that one of Frank's former bodyguards was in a doo-wop group that recorded a cover of Memories Of El Monte? And what about the Plaster Caster Blues Band who dedicated a song to FZ? And which three Zappa alums were involved in hits by Mariah, Madonna and Whitney? Full deets on these and so much more will be covered. You have been warned!
• Here's 'The Lost Zappa Song' by Dweezil with the Metropole Orkest from Sunday night.
• 'Zappa Woman' Valentina Ciardelli (who will be at Zappanale again this July) is advocating for an EU-wide set of clear and fair rules for transporting musical instruments, by plane and train. Please read, then (hopefully) sign her petition.
• For those who may have missed out on the original CD version of Feeding The Monkies At Ma Maison with the two bonus tracks, copies are now back in stock at the Zappa Store.

Added week-ending 1 June 2025:

• Hopscotch - with their White Page project - have replaced Ozric Tentacles at this year's Zappanale. For those still umming and ahhing about attending, there are 40 tickets at just €190 each up for grabs. Write to newsletter@zappanale.de.
• Last week I mentioned Zach Tabori's new album, Attack Of The Clout Chasers. It is now out and features artwork by Cal Schenkel plus a guest appearance by Dweezil on the track Vanité Ou La Mort.
• I've written an article answering all of those unasked questions about Kim Fowley - yes, it's a new Random FUQ!
• Hot on the heels of Hans Annellsson's rendition of the 1st Movement from Sinister Footwear comes this piano reduction of the whole piece. This has long been one of my favourites of FZ's orchestral works:

Added week-ending 25 May 2025:

• Some footage of Zappa in Connecticut 1977 has just surfaced, synced to audience recordings and posted on YouTube.
• I have dusted off my old interview with Robert Martin, weaving in a recent Q&A about Palermo. Check it out here.
• And here's another old interview, masquerading as a new article on Scott Thunes.
• My friend Hans Annellsson has been working on a rendition of FZ's orchestral piece, Sinister Footwear. So far he's put together the 1st Movement - check out the video here, or the audio on Bandcamp over here. 2nd and 3rd Movements to follow.
• Scott Thunes just asked Arthur Barrow to demonstrate the 'Tommy Mars Horn Sound' - check it out!
• Dweezil will be in the UK for the first time since 2019 for a special guitar event, performing and demonstrating his technique and answering questions, at the Mandolay Hotel in Guildford. Tix here.
• Even though I follow the socials of both Steve Vai and Glenn Hughes, I somehow missed that a new Satch/Vai single dropped on 8 May featuring Glenn - I blame Cheaper Than Cheep for taking my eye off of the ball! Check out the official video for I Wanna Play My Guitar here.
• Zach Tabori from Dweezil's latest band has a new album Attack of the Clout Chasers out soon and will be playing a release show at Gold Diggers in LA on Saturday (24 May). His band for the show includes fellow DZ newbie Bobby Victor and Scheila Gonzalez is gonna sit in for the show too. Zach will also be joining Dweezil and the Dutch Metropole Orchestra for a special concert of FZ material previously unheard with orchestral accompaniment on 1 June.
• When will it all end?! Another Spotify playlist, this one showcasing some of Steve Vai's guest appearances.
• Check out this footage of FZ jamming with The Pretty Things at Amougies in 1969. (He appears around 4.30 in.)

Added week-ending 18 May 2025:

• No FZ at the Proms this year, but on 13 August you can hear Varèse's Intégrales, Ravel's Boléro and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. At the Royal Albert Hall, obvs. More here.
• After some wah pedal chat, Dweezil plays Trouble Every Day here.
• The legend that is Don Preston talks Frank and more here.
• The audio for RDNZL from Cheaper Than Cheep is now on YouTube. And here's the video!
• Nice tribute to Billy James here. It's worrying that Billy has now joined the expanding list of deceased Zappa writers that includes David Walley, Nigey Lennon, Bob Zappa, Kevin Courrier, Kelly Fisher Lowe and Neil Slaven. May he (and they) rest in peace. 
• For those of you who might not know (and I only just found this out myself from Cal Schenkel): Meatball in the Cheaper Than Cheep art studio is Lynn Lascaro (aka Napoleon) who worked with Cal to create the upholstery effect for the sofa on the cover of One Size Fits All. And as if that weren't enough, Gus the goat belonged to Cal and the parrot was named Donald Duck and belonged to Cal's girlfriend, Katy.
• Det Skandaløse Orkester, who are playing Zappanale again in July, have a new album out on Friday 16 May called Masters Of The Universe. As well as some wacky TV theme tunes, it also includes the band's excellent cover of Peaches En Regalia. Check it out.
• With publication of her memoir in paperback imminent, Moon is out and about putting the boot in again. She told The Independent, "My father didn’t even make sure his children knew how day-to-day life worked. He didn’t invest in our educations or our futures. He didn’t even say, ‘How are you doing?’ to his kids!" She is now working on another book, giving fiction a try: "Because for the first time in my life, I’m able to leave the past in the past.” Huzzah.
• The Ozric Tentacles will not now be at Zappanale in a bid to aid mainman Ed Wynne's recovery from pneumonia.
• The Paul Green Rock Academy has handed sole leadership of its programme to assistant music director Scott Thunes, who will be directing the tours under the name Thunes Institute for Musical Excellence (TIME). Joining Scott as tour manager on the Zappa tour (which includes Zappanale) will be Loren Teolis.
• Cheaper Than Cheep is discussed in the latest Rocktails with Ahmet. (Starts about 19 mins in.)
• Another week, another Spotify playlist! This one highlights the work of Mike Keneally away from FZ and his stellar solo career. Features the talents of Steve Vai, Ed Palermo, Mastodon, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Devin Townsend, Panzerballet, Chris Opperman, Joe Satriani, Dweezil & Candy Zappa and many more! I Like Mike: A Keneally Kollection.
• Dweezil has finished touring for 2025 but says he'll be back out on the road next year. Meantime, he's giving an ATMOS mastercless at Blackbird Studios in Nashville on 17-18 May, where he'll be breaking down his mixes of Deep Purple's Machine Head, plus he's playing with The Metropole Orkest at the Muziekgebouw in Eindhoven on 1 June.

Added week-ending 11 May 2025:

• Another brief clip from the Cheaper Than Cheep fillum here. And here's quite a detailed breakdown of it from uDiscover Music. 
• On the latest Rocktails, Ahmet describes the CTC project as 'sort of' his swansong - wonder what that means?
• There seems to be some confusion regarding the zappa.com exclusive release of Cheaper Than Cheep: if you pre-ordered via the Zappa Store or recommended outlets (Recordstore/uDiscover/Sound Of Vinyl) your package should ship on 9 May. Anywhere else (eg. Amazon), the non-exclusive and streaming release date is 27 June.
• A second Cheaper Than Cheep teaser vid here. This one sees Joe Travers unboxing the super deluxe edition.

Added week-ending 4 May 2025:

• Here's another Spotify playlist I recently created, this time highlighting the work of Tommy Mars away from FZ. Features the talents of Warren Cuccurullo, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Vai, Arthur Barrow, Jimmy Carl Black, Ed Mann, Walt & Bruce Fowler and many more!
• Cool interview/performance video here with Chad Wackerman.
• After ten years as General Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, Kent Nagano is now moving to Madrid, where he has been appointed Artistic Director of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España.
• After Chad Wackerman played along to a drumless Mars Volta song, now Terry Bozzio plays along to a drumless Walking in L A.!
• Messrs Hepworth and Ellen have a word in the ear of Moon Zappa here. Regarding Moon's comment on the "Congress Shall Make No Law..." album, I feel sure that Gail was only joking when she said she now owned the copyright for The Ten Commandments! MZ's memoir is out in paperback this month.
• Joe Travers talks Cheaper Than Cheep (first in a series) here.
• The Idiot has created playlists to accompany the two recent volumes of his Frank Zappa FUQ, featuring songs mentioned or alluded to in the paperback books: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Read. Play. Sleep. Repeat.
• The latest in Dweezil's Down 'n Dirty video series features special guest Andy Wood:

Added week-ending 27 April 2025:

• New book, Everybody’s Head is Open to Sound: Writings on Tom Wilson edited by Anaïs Ngbanzo, is available now.
• Here's the formal announcement you've all been waiting for. Cheaper Than Cheep will indeed be released on 9 May. Here's the official trailer.
• Roy Thomas Baker, who engineered The Mothers' sessions at London's Trident Studios in June 1970, recently passed away. He was better known for his work with Queen, however! RIP.
• The original Alice Cooper group has belatedly recorded a follow-up album to 1973's Muscle Of Love. Bonus tracks on The Revenge Of Alice Cooper (due out on 25 July) are reworkings of Titanic Overture and Return Of The Spiders from the band's first two Straight Records albums. Here's a playlist of some of the more recent collaborations between Alice and his old bandmates.
• Mike Keneally has just been added as a special guest of the NDR Big Band when they meet Ensemble Modern in Hamburg this Friday.
• I'm guessing this is an AI generated piece of poop (lacking as it does any real substance): a forthcoming Zappa documentary on Netflix? Proceed with care.
• Wonder what's the countdown for at the Zappa Store? The Zappa cruise or Dunt's book, perhaps? (Er, no: it's the Cheaper Than Cheep 1974 special, obvs.)

Added week-ending 20 April 2025:

• This clickbait article about Kiss's Gene Simmons calling FZ a failure has casued quite a stir. For those who may not remember, Frank did not sit down and write a song with Simmons, as the article correctly clarifies; you can read about what this alludes to here.
• After the current leg of his Roxpostrophy tour, Dweezil says there will be "no more shows for at least a year" - aside from his June performance with the Metropole Orkest in Eindhoven, obviously.
• Eddie Jobson will come out of retirement to play Cruise To the Edge next March. His band will consist of Marc Bonilla, Mike Keneally and Marco Minnemann.
• Billy Corgan interviews Dale Bozzio here.
• The new Ed Palermo Big Band album, Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages, is now available to pre-order. Looks like a doozy, with Zappa references throughout and a special guest appearance by Mike Keneally. Officially out on Friday (18 April).
• Here's a cool semi-live cover of City Of Tiny Lites by Sheik Yerbouti, featuring Robert Martin.
• Late April Fool's from Joe Travers on Zappacord: "Universal pulled Cheaper Than Cheep because of the leak, all people are getting fired, and they are going after Andrew Greenaway." The real reason for the delay is of course that they want to announce details of the Zappa Cruise first 🙂 
• Scott Thunes has commended Chato on the cover of Number 2 on YouTube, while Chato has said "My band Zapped will also play an arrangement of this song at Zappanale."
• 50 years ago this week, FZ was in court in London. I made a video to mark the occasion:

Added week-ending 13 April 2025:

• Chato and co's cover of FZ's rare composition, #2, premièred on YouTube today (13 April) here.
• Nice article on Pierre Boulez and FZ here.
• Ben Watson talks Hot Rats with Andy Edwards here.
• The Zappa team wants to put together an official Frank Zappa Fan Book, comprising "your words, your photos, your ticket stubs, your crumbling merch, your tattoos, your sacred relics..." This is very reminiscent of something Ahmet tasked me with back in 2018. He mentioned such a book as possibly being included in a 'Beat The Boots' type set from Snapper Records here in the UK. I handed him a draft outline of fan items that I had compiled (see my plea here), with the working title Project Objects: A Zappa Fanthology. It obviously didn't hit the spot so here's hoping they get what they want this time around. Read all about it here.
• Chad Wackerman will not now be on next month's Furious Bongos tour with Robert Martin (he's off playing with James Taylor instead). His replacement will be sometime Banned From Utopia drummer, Joel Taylor.
• Suddenly available: Frank Zappa FUQ Vol. 2!
• The Cheaper Than Cheep footage was captured by five cameras and the multi-track audio has been spiffed-up the same guys who did the recent Waka/Wazoo, ONS and Apostrophe surround mixes (Auger and Gobel). Can. Not. Wait!
• Want to help revive a piece of Zappa gear? The Trident 80B recording console from Frank's UMRK has a new home in British Columbia. Check this out.
  
• Subscribers to the official Zappa channel on YouTube now have a Community where they can chat all things FZ. You can find it exclusively on yer smart phone under the 'Posts' tab.
• Miss Pamela Des Barres is coming back to the UK on 2 May. Join her for an intimate evening in West Hampstead.