On Jan 7, 2013, at 8:51 AM, VINCENT CANNATA wrote:

There’s a ‘tale’ deep in the heart of the internet that you once ‘gonked’ Jim Morrison the head with a hammer when you both were in kindergarden in Florida! I know,I know; “Too weird to be true”. But, perhaps, you can shed some truth to this weird and (IMO) funny rumor!

Your pal,
Vince Cannata

Yes – in New Mexico (another story altogether) – in a fight where he had the advantage by pulling my hair, I did use a hammer from an adjacent table top to defend myself. However, we got into more trouble together with adults than we ever did with each other – a tradition that continued well into our own adult lives, although separately.

On Jan 2, 2013, at 1:22 PM, Lloyd Zufelt wrote:

On Dec 18, 2012, at 4:31 PM, Jim, the Mailman wrote:

Hi Gail;
Firstly, thank you for all the efforts to keep Uncle Frank’s music coming. Many wonderful hours of listening have come our way!

My question concerns the Roxy by Proxy deal and the Roxy Performances DVD.
Will the DVD not be brought to fruition if you don’t get 1,000 people to sign on as licensees?
I ask because, in this digital age, it’s really hard to see 1,000 folks trying to compete with each other, as well as Barfko-Swill to sell the product, and enough units to make the venture at least break even.
I can understand your wanting to get others to take on that responsibility, owing to file-sharing and it’s sinister effects on profitability to the one who actually DOES put up the front money to sell CDs.

I don’t see the Roxy by Proxy deal happening and fear that the DVD will never see the light of day.
-Jizmo

Dear Mr. Jim the Mailman,

Have you no faith in the fans??!! Realistically, the idea of the contributors/distributors breaking even is some very tasty pie-in-the-sky. This is an appeal to help fund the The Roxy Performances – The Movie – but with a kick! We wanted to give something back to the main contributors for their effort on behalf of this film seeing the light of day/theater/tv & computer screen. A One-of-a-Kind Collector’s item, if you will. This is not really about competition but rather about community – of a Special Nature – brought to you by the people, for the people, all of whom are The Other People. I will continue to cross my fingers for FZ and maybe even extend the time frame if need be. No matter what, Roxy by Proxy will get out there.

Don’t worry, but if you must, send me your chewed up fingernails.

Thanks!

gz
“Music is the Best!”~fz

On Dec 17, 2012, at 4:52 PM, gouldson wrote:

can i buy this record from you?

t.p.

Yes – it will be available at Barfko-Swill!

On Dec 17, 2012, at 10:19 AM, Phypers, William wrote:

Hi Gail!

As I’m sure you know, Friday, 21 December is FZ”s birthday. Will there be an AAAFNRAA birthday bundle offered this year and most importantly, will it be released before or after the end of the world?

Thanks!

Bill Phypers
Brewster, NY

Yes. During.

Thanks!

gz
“Music is the Best!”~fz

On Dec 2, 2012, at 12:39 PM, Dan Cullinan wrote:

Hi Gail,

I was reading that Frank worked with Bob Dylan in 1982 and Frank’s engineer Mark Pinske recorded the session. Would there be any possible release of this session?

From Dan

Do tell:  Source of this information?

On Nov 2, 2012, at 9:04 AM, Don Firth wrote:

On the remastered cd on the spines which album is number 7 it goes from 6 to 8 thanks

Yes. We know. And that album is coming out shortly. My first obligation was to rerelease the Original Masters in distribution with Warners. But that does not change the Original Official Discography that has always been up at Zappa.com. My next obligation was to reMaster titles that were in critical condition. There are 22 of those at this time. The rest we may address as we consider HD & vinyl. In some cases, you never know, there may be 2 versions out there. But all of the information you are looking for is at zappa.com.

On Oct 28, 2012, at 5:18 PM, Darren Marshment wrote:

Hi,

Is there a plan to release FZs video catalogue?

Darren Marshment

In the overall scheme of things, yes – it would be fair to say that somewhere in the many-pocketed overalls of destiny there are lurking videos, audio recordings, movies, objets d’art, and all sorts. A mere rip in the fabric of time (or time’s denim) and they shall be delivered. But, there is not a current focus on anything in particular at this moment save Roxy and . . . uh oh, the phone is ringing. Gotta go! Thanks for your question!

gz

On Oct 10, 2012, at 8:16 AM, IAN ENTWISTLE wrote:

Hi Zappa People,

Just wondering if the new 2012 overnite sensation is to be re-mastered again with the correct stereo image,i.e.left and right channels the right way round like the last cd from 1995,Discreet Vinyl and Barfkin Old Masters Vinyl versions,in order to complete my growing collection.

The new one I’ve just recieved has been mastered the wrong way round.Ive heard people complaining about distortion.However,I’ve noticed that you invariably get distortion when the channels are reversed.I’ve got about 30, 2012 analogue transfers and there all terrific.Keep up the good work.

Look forward to hearing from you URGENTLY !!!,obviously.

Many thanks and kind regards,

Ian

Hello Ian,

A coupla things: 1. I have it on excellent authority that distortion is not a function of switching stereo channels. 2. FZ is KNOWN to have switched stereo channels at will – his, I might add – and it is not our business to interfere or “correct” the sorts of things he does. 3. the distortion of Over-Nite Sensation has always been there, perhaps a bit more prominent along with other sonic information as a result of this new remaster which, according to the Vaultmeister, “reflects the original 1973 vinyl stereo image and sonics.”

Thanks for your kind attention,

gz

On Sep 25, 2012, at 10:32 PM, Paul wrote:

Hi Gail, were the new 2012 Joe’s Garage CD’s done at normal speed mastering? I read an old interview where Frank wasn’t happy with the sound of the half-speed mastering done for Joe’s Garage and it could be assumed that the previous CD releases were the half-speed versions.

I’m off to buy some more 2012 releases tomorrow, and just wanted to know the technical info about Joe’s Garage!

thank-you,
Paul

Paul,

The answer is a resounding no. And none of our remasters (so far no vinyl except Hot Rats) are being considered for half-speed. The Vaultmeister did a little research for you: Half-Speed Mastering is a technique used when cutting a lacquer for vinyl releases only. Definition: Half-speed mastering slows the master tape and record lathe to 1/2 of their original speed to capture detail that might be missed if run at full speed. FZ’s quote from the internet:

ZAPPA: On the Joe’s Garage album, we used half-speed mastering on all three of those discs, and I’m not totally delighted with the results.
TOM MULHERN: Do you have any examples?

ZAPPA: Let me give you a very graphic one. We cut it at half-speed, and the stylus can carve very careful, perfect, little high-frequency wiggles on the record. That doesn’t mean when it’s turned into a stamper and goes onto that vinyl that those wiggles are necessarily going to be there. You may just be fooling yourself. You may hear it great coming off of a reference disc, but not off of a pressing. And that’s what I think happened with Joe’s Garage. It just didn’t carry through all the manufacturing process. Recently, I’ve cut some normal-speed refs on the Joe’s Garage album, and since the time of the original mastering there have been some advancements in normal-speed lathe technology. You can get more level on the record, and so forth. So the new refs sound fantastic. They have plenty of top end and plenty of bottom; they sound much more like the master tape than the half-speed version did.

So, according to this, the first L.P. release of Joe’s Garage in 1979 (Phonogram/Zappa Records) might have been mastered at half speed. But we think the later releases were the recut versions FZ is referring to above. On the other hand, half-speed mastering does not apply to mastering CDs, as in our current release which we advise on the package itself that the source used was the original master tapes, not half-speed mastered copies or any other copy or format for that matter.

Thanks!

gz

“Music is the Best!”~fz