Zappa.com

And I quote:

"Baltimore public arts officials have finally decided on where to place a statue of the late Baltimore-born rock musician, Frank Zappa.

The site chosen is in front of the Southeast Anchor library in Highlandtown, according to Roswell Encina, Director of Communications for the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

"One of our hurdles is to try to get new people to come into the Pratt library and we're hoping with the Frank Zappa statue, we'll attract Frank Zappa fans and people who normally wouldn't go to the library," said Encina.

The statue of Zappa was donated over a year ago by a Lithuanian Zappa fan club. Since that time, city officials have looked at various places to put the 15-foot piece of art, including Fells Point and Patterson Park.

Encina said the bust will be placed right in front of the library at Eastern and Conkling. He is not sure when the actual dedication will happen.

Encina added that he is hopeful that both locals and tourists from around the country will find it relatively easy to get to Zappa.

"If anybody was given directions how to find it, it's easier to say it's right in front of the library."

The statue is valued at around $50,000, according to reports. Zappa died in 1993 from prostate cancer at the age of 52".




The source is here:

http://wbal.com/apps/news/templates/sto ... 4&zoneid=3

and a little soundbite too:

http://wbal.com/apps/news/articlefiles/ ... encina.mp3

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

The irony has not been lost to observers here in the UK.

I would say that the Baltimore City Mothers have made an excellent choice. FZ gets a permanent gig outside the Pratt Library.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

Not to be too much of a bummer....but hopefully Frank will be a beacon of light in this godforsaken place. From a friend o' mine:

"Omigod! They're going to put it in HIGHLANDTOWN! Not being from Baltimore,
this won't mean much to you. Highlandtown is yet-another-grim-neighborhood.
Formerly one of the bastions of white supremacy, there're almost no trees.
When I think of what I call "working-class barracks" architecture, I think of
Highlandtown: 'endless' boxes of rowhomes w/ formstone fronts. Really, REALLY
crap. A truly horrible place where I pity any sensitive soul who might've been
born there. If such a person survives the total oppression of this neighborhood,
it's most likely b/c they managed to move away as quickly as possible. "

Not even a witch oughta be caught
On the bottom of America's spew-infested
Waterways, hey-hey . . .
She could get radiation all over her
She could mutate insanely . . .
She could mutate insanely . . . (that's right)
You know, she could go on the freeway and grow up to be 15 feet tall
And scary-lookin'
And then . . .
Cars could crash all over the place
As a result of people with Hawaiian shirts on . . .
Lookin' up to see her face

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'N then I might just Jump back on An' ride Like a cowboy Into the dawn to Montana

http://www.prattlibrary.org/locations/s ... logid=1554
Rock 'n roll renegade Frank Zappa is coming back home to his birthplace of Baltimore! Donated by the good members of a Zappa fan club in Vilnius, Lithuania, the countercultural icon’s bust will be placed in front of the Southeast Anchor Library, and we’re proud to have him here! According to Frank’s beloved widow Gail, he would of wanted it that way, because “That's where he went to school, in the library. The library was a really important place for him in his teen years." There has been no word yet on a date set for the unveiling ceremony, which should take place sometime next year. In the meantime, enjoy your holidays, and as Frank sang, “Don’t Eat That Yellow Snow!”
Posted on 12/22/2009 at 12:01:52 p.m. in


FYI
The headquarters for Baltimore's Science Fiction Society are in Highlandtown.

http://www.highlandtownmerchants.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Highlandtown/
http://www.dipasquales.com/

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Trendmonger's Moment Of Clarity

FZ "Read It And Weep"
April 17,1981

Frank Zappa left the ZFT in Control of his Vaults and Artistic rights.
We the fans are not in control. We have a choice to use our eyes and ears or read it and weep.

http://clipta.com/People_Are_Talking_Fr ... _nMzEzNzk5



People are talking about the Zappa statue.

It is good that the piece had between the studio and the reporter in the field a chance to be expansive about FZ and what he was. A good piece of television coming out of the states

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

thanks for posting this it was very cool

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'N then I might just Jump back on An' ride Like a cowboy Into the dawn to Montana

But still, that statue is awful.

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

This from a man who didn't like reading.

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The way I see it Barry, this should be a very dynamite show.

But Gail likes to read. It was her suggestion that the bust of FZ be placed close to a Library. If you listen to the Mary Travers 1975 interview which be found on Wolfgangs Vault, FZ made reference to several music text books which he had undoubtedly read, and gave several copies to friends. I'm sure FZ was much happier reading toward a purpose rather than the sake of reading. I like the statue/bust, its dignified and noble.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

it's certainly better than the bust in bad doberman (i'm sure that's not the name of the city, but that's the best i can do)...it's hideous.

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One two, buckle my shoe!

To me they both suck, Dove. If you're going to honor the man, do it right. Don't make it look like he was juiced on steroids or some kind of guffawing simpleton.

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

Which one are you saying looks like he's on Steroids?

I really like the Vilnius one, it was done by a proper Sculptor who made all kinds of work for the soviet block. The one in Bad Doberman is smiling, I don't think cast statues should be smiling, it makes you look silly.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

The Baltimore one - maybe steroids isn't the right description, but it looks like there's no softness in his face....or whatever, I'm not sure how to explain it. And what's with the spitcurl?

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

The Sculptor was working from photo's, and I reckon the 1984 video, which could be the basis for this piece of work. Frank had his hair tied back during that concert, so that accounts for the stray curl which if memory serves occurred at the pier. I saw the studio, (see my photo's elsewhere) during my trip to Lithuania at the original unveiling, and was clearly trying to do the best job he could by all the drawings and clay models of this project. Gail and the kids like it. FZ had by any accounts good bone structure and looked pretty stern when he wasn't smiling.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

Forgive me for quoting myself, but here is a glimpse of the artists work in the medieval studio.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

I think it's great that FZ is getting the publicity and the honor of this, and I still think it's better than the one - but I just think it should have been better.

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

Oh, Cal, you are such an artafficianadoskeptasaurus!

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Stay with me flagrantly and we'll have ecstasy for all eternity.

I don't have any other specifics but Saturday September 18, 2010 is the tentative date for the Zappa statue unveiling in Baltimore.

..I also found this...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryla ... 4638.story

I would love to attend again. I think I will plan a flight across the pond. Is there anyone else thinking here of attending?

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

PLANS UNDERWAY FOR ZAPPA DEDICATION AND TRIBUTE CONCERT
SEPTEMBER EVENTS TO INCLUDE FREE OUTDOOR FESTIVAL
BALTIMORE – Since last month’s confirmation of the September 19th date for Baltimore City’s dedication of a bust of Frank Zappa, community support has been growing for a concert and festival in tribute to the legendary musician, composer and social icon, whose birthplace is Baltimore. The bust, donated by a Lithuanian fan club, will be placed at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Southeastern Anchor Branch in Highlandtown, and plans now include an outdoor concert featuring Zappa Plays Zappa (fronted by Frank’s son Dweezil), and various events at the library and nearby Patterson Theatre in support of the dedication ceremony.

The date itself is especially significant as September 19th is the anniversary of Zappa’s 1985 testimony on Capitol Hill in favor of free expression by Recording Artists at the Senate hearing instigated by certain congressional wives (members of the PMRC) concerning record labeling. Frank Zappa’s widow Gail commented on the remarkable coincidence, stating, “Frank’s legacy rests in his uncompromising defense of the First Amendment and his uncompromising pursuit of excellence clearly demonstrated in the standards he set in all areas of Music and the arts and sciences associated with it. He was self-taught and self-realized. It is hard to imagine how that is possible except for the 4 cornerstones he had going for him: a talent for music, a hard-core curiosity, a keen sense of humor and access to a library. He was a cheap date for History.”

The broader scope of events, being developed by Clearpath Entertainment in collaboration with the Zappa family, the Southeastern Community Development Corporation, Enoch Pratt Free Library, and the Creative Alliance, are intended to help anchor the new Highlandtown Arts and Entertainment District and plans now include a library exhibit, symposiums, and after party in addition to the dedication and concert. Sean Brescia of Clearpath stated, “Baltimore has a rich entertainment heritage dating back to its iconic theatres and jazz ballrooms, and opportunities like this are a chance to re-capture that spirit. We wanted to build an event that was a truly fitting tribute to the Zappa legacy, but also something that can grow into a signature cornerstone event for the Highlandtown Arts and Entertainment District, and Gail [Zappa] has shared that vision from the beginning.” In the interest of what the events could mean for the community, Brescia reached out to a broad group of community organizations to help plan and raise support for the events.

Echoing that sentiment of community interests, Chris Ryer of the Southeast Community Development Corporation added, “The bust coming to Highlandtown and these events are high-profile, flagship opportunities to position the Highlandtown Arts and Entertainment District as major reasons for visitors to come to Southeast while they’re in Baltimore. We’re excited to work with Clearpath and the Zappas to leverage this year’s events as a catalyst for great things to come.”

Remarking on the concert lineup, Clearpath’s David Christensen said, “Frank Zappa’s musical genius and influence is undeniable and it has always been a must for us that Dweezil headline this show in the ultimate tribute to his father. This is going to be Zappa Plays Zappa, next to Zappa’s statue, on Zappa’s street, on Zappa’s day; it couldn’t be more fitting.”

xxx,

The Barfies

The Washington Post called FZ 'a Rock Wierdo' yesterday. This endeavour will hopefully help to eradicate this kind of nonsense.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

i'll be there

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

I always liked this Zappa statue.