Zappa.com

Not sure where exactly to post this so here it is:

Hey there – yes Im a zappa fan. It was in my house growing up, and while I didn’t really “get it” until latter (too late), I have never been able scrub the stuff off of me. Now, I have really lost it and believe me, my wife is subjected to way more weirdness then the average citizen. I take a little geeky pride in my extensive collection of Zappa performances, which so far have not gotten old for me (unlike allot of other music has).

I have been going to this whole ZPZ thing since the first year and since it *is* as close as I will ever get to Zappa – it goes with out saying how extremely grateful I am. After this past tour with RW (who I idolize pretty much) I was gratified when in Portland Dweezil pretty much said that it was going to be a regular thing….

If there is a chance you or people involved read this, me and some of my friends have all discussed this and feel this way:

At this point I think we can let the nostalgia go, and accept what ever is thrown at us. In other words it doesn’t matter who is or was who, how old you are, or how many obscure Zappa songs you have memorized. Everyone involved is ‘all about it’ – and if there is anything I can draw from Zappa is: in with new! What I am really trying to say is: I hope that Dweezil et al, can and will, realize that they are completely free to do whatever. Play some of his (dweezil) songs, come up with new ones, mix it all up – just play. Of course Franks songs are great but I have this feeling that people who are into it go to hear a ridiculously tight band (a rare occurrence). So anyways, either way, we will be there.

Thanks and I promise to be more obnoxious next time (at the show).

Nick

PS, I have witnessed 4 of these ZPZ shows, and I just want to say that general admission venues with a “standing floor” are much, much better experiences than the sit down ones.

I was at both Portland shows (this year and last). They were fantastic!
Uhhh, "No" to Dweezil's songs! hehe. ALL FRANK!!!! please.

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It is a FZ thing for me too, but the band has to be augmented by special guests, ticket prices for anything aren't cheap and if I am going to do this yearly, there has to be a new reason each year (or else I can get the gazillion DVDs Dweezil will release of ZPZ)

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If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little bit ugly on the side)

That's how I feel as well. DZ and band do a great job,but the special guest aspect puts ZPZ over the top. Lots of us never got to see Frank live,so seeing people like Ray White and Napoleon Murphy Brock is a big selling point for many fans including myself.

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Ain't It Funky Now...

http://www.facebook.com/lbruister
http://www.last.fm/user/LaMarr_Bruister

I saw FZ 5 times and the special guests are the determining factor on the ZPZ as an annual expense - DZ does a great job, but I ain't payin' for just his band each year.

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If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little bit ugly on the side)

I totally understand,Tweez......Same here.

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Ain't It Funky Now...

http://www.facebook.com/lbruister
http://www.last.fm/user/LaMarr_Bruister

great minds think alike

_________________
If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little bit ugly on the side)

It's obvious that the special guests sell alot of tickets. Tour #1 with Vai, Bozzio, Brock especially as Vai has a pretty large fan base outside of Zappa fans. I saw tour #1 at a sold out Warfield Theater in SF while I saw Tour #2 with Ray at about a half full House of Blues in Las Vegas (a much smaller venue). Too me each show was equally enjoyable but like I say the guests do add to the appeal and help fill seats and I don't think there are any other ex band members that would help sell more tickets than Vai. I hope this goes on for many years, special guests or not, but Dweezil might have to lower his expectations for drawing a crowd and play smaller venues without them. Hey, the Count Basie Orchestra played my town a couple of years ago and I doubt they had many, if any, original members but it's sure nice for people who want to hear the music performed professionally and honor the legacy.

I want to honor the legacy, and I take your point on the CB Orchestra, but DZ is talking an annual concert tour, I just think that you quickly trigger the law of diminishing returns without special guests.

Or themes, like a complete Freak OUt show, or Hot Rats in its entirety (you get the picture).

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If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little bit ugly on the side)

Maybe - still Im not convinced. While of course any Zappa alumni is great to watch live, Dweezil's current band is in their prime. There are some serious chops with these younger musicians. If it wasn't for them, there would be no Zappa experience now - and thats all that matters, now. So Even if there no alumni power musicians, I would pay to see the show. As a fan, I don't come to see, I come to hear....

Does that mean you think ZPZ is the ONLY band out there playing Frank Zappa's music? That's what Gail WANTS you to think! But it simply isn't true.

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Ain't It Funky Now...

http://www.facebook.com/lbruister
http://www.last.fm/user/LaMarr_Bruister

This is a problem, I do not agree with squelching all competition. Ike does good work, P/O is very good too. I think that live music is the best and I will see alternatives.

And, to be frank (no pun intended), $65 ZPZ tix are not always affordable, but a $20 P/O show may be.

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If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little bit ugly on the side)

Thats a good point. I have watched PO perform way more than ZPZ - and I cant deny that they are great. Never seen anyone else doing it though (besides random cover - Ray played Zappa songs in KVHW back in those days...)

That said - the experience Ive had at ZPZ doesn't compare.

I've never seen P/O, only ZPZ (three times) and it was incredible. The Baltimore show was rockin'! I don't pretend to know tons about Frank; I'm not a snob when it comes to his music; all I know is that I love it, it makes me happy, and the ZPZ shows made me very happy.

I agree with Broken Hearts, the standup venues are better than sit downs. I was nervous and distracted at the Warner Theatre in D.C. The sound was not good, too loud and jumbled and I couldn't see the whole stage...not to mention the price $75.00. The $30-35 tickets for clubs are what I like.

Now that I'm back in the groove listening to more Zappa, I'll look out for any other shows P/O, etc that I can see.

Being together with so many "freaks" is a great feeling![/quote]

In July of '07 I had the great fortune to catch the opening show of the latest ZPZ tour in Winnipeg, Canada. All I can say is WOW! The band was incredibly tight, Dweezil's playing was red-hot, and Ray White was magic. The set-list was incredible as well, but Frank did create a seemingly bottomless well of great material, didn't he? The interplay between Dweezil and Frank's video incarnation on blistering solos gave me goosebumps. One could sense Frank's ghostly presence in the building.
I've attended many great concerts in my time, starting with Rare Earth and Santana in the early '70s, and the ZPZ show rates with the best of them. I'm sure that whatever Dweezil, etal decide to do in the future will be awesome. I just received delivery of the dvd set from the previous tour and look forward to being blown away later tonight when I screen it. Thanks again Dweezil!

I agree that the ZPZ experience has been fabulous, and I will attend future shows at every opportunity. Since this thread has included several opinions on how best to proceed, I saw no harm in sharing my humble and - hopefully - equally valid 2 cents.

If it's going to stay ZPZ, then guest stars are a plus, the setlist should remain exclusively Frank's music, and the shows should be sit down theaters as has been done thus far.

If Dweezil were to start injecting his own compositions into the setlist (no offense meant at all to that music!) then we'd be a short hop to a supercharged "Ringo's all-starr big band", where the guys and gals are taking turns playing lead fiddle. While that would no doubt be an entertaining experience, it would seriously detract from the mission of carrying FZ's music to the younger masses. Or are we assuming that since "everyone is pretty much onboard with the whole ZPZ thing" by now, that the audiences are now fixed entities?? I intend to bring new "uninitiates" with me to the shows. I won't be selling it as "let's go see a super-tight, fabulous young band." Rather, it will be "don't miss this all-but-lost opportunity to see some of the best music composed in the last 40 years as performed by the only band that has any claim to this legacy!" We don't want to get them in the door and then change the rules.

Perhaps DZ and some of would consider doing their own thing as an opening act, kind of like the Steve Morse Band opening for the Dixie Dregs or Deep Purple. Talk about a selling point for the guest stars... You get paid, you pay respect to a mentor, you spread the word about FZ's music, AND (if you are interested) you get to introduce some new faces to what you've been up to lately. Seems like a winner to me...

Whatever DZ chooses to do or not to do, I for one will be at the shows, seated and enjoying the music!

ZPZ is the best touring show of last year and will probably be this year too.

Not a bad moment in the whole 3+ hours!

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Why does it hurt when I sneeze?

P/O suck. They are hacks.

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Make your checks payable to QUENTIN ROBERT DeNAMELAND, Greatest Living Philostopher Known to Mankind.

What the fuck is your problem? It should be P/O sucks, as there are more than one member!

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You gotta give the people something good to read, on a Sunday

so fucking stoopid. makes me wonder if jaypfunk is tyrone. probably.

Hello all. Terrific site (let me try that again: TERRIFIC SITE!!!). But I'm sure almost all would agree with me etc. Thats not why I'm posting tho. So let me get to the point/not waste anymore of your time.

I live in central florida. About a 7 hour drive to Atlanta/the variety playhouse. I would 'love' to check out the ZpZ show on June 12..but in these high-gas price days, if I had to go by myself I don't think I could swing it. I have a nice fuel-efficent Kia Sportage, but nonetheless it would be so much pleasureable if I had some other fans to accompany me. Or if others are looking for 1 more fan, in the central florida area for the road trip.
I've looked up and down the forums- looked at the topics and this was the only one I've noticed with a reference to ZpZ. So hence my post.

ANYONE WANT TO GO? (the pumpkin goes Arf). I've been to the Variety Playhouse before- its an optimal (almost too small?) place to see a very tight band.
Like I said before, with this website I'm a neophite. So hopefully my post will get some exposure. Hearing this band is such a treat, so I'm into catching it while I can.
msg/respond/email anytime. We can at least discuss it. Myself, I'm a 42 year old native NY'er who back in the 80s saw the FZ band 3 times.

jesus christ, if that doesn't prove my point I don't know what..

Small minds think alike.

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"If Frank Zappa cut a fart and mixed it to stereo, I'd buy it!" - jimmie d

I personally think Johnny looks like an alright fellow. Jimmie? That's another story...

.....however, the ugliest part of his body, I think, is his mind.

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"If Frank Zappa cut a fart and mixed it to stereo, I'd buy it!" - jimmie d