UnZapped
October 20, 2015 11:04 AM Subscribe
On Dec 8, 9, 10 1973 Frank Zappa and the Mothers did a legendary stink at the Roxy in Hollywood Ca.
The result if these shows is one of the greatest live albums ever produced, even though the voracious tinkerer Zappa dubbed some odds and ends onto Roxy and Elsewhere LP.
(The virgin recordings were later released as Roxy by Proxy), but the holy grail of this event was a never seen video broadcast originally intended for German tv, because certainly nothing like this could ever have aired in the us in 1973.
All that changed on Oct 14th when Roxy: The Movie premiered at the Egyptian theater in Los Angeles.
It will be released on dvd/blue ray Nov. 1st, 2015
That's a very unfortunate typo in your first sentence.
posted by Fnarf at 11:11 AM on October 20, 2015 [13 favorites]
posted by Fnarf at 11:11 AM on October 20, 2015 [13 favorites]
Frank Zappa and the Mothers did a legendary stink
What did they eat before they went on stage?
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:11 AM on October 20, 2015 [6 favorites]
What did they eat before they went on stage?
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:11 AM on October 20, 2015 [6 favorites]
Excellent! Classic Mothers lineup. Nov. 1 bookmarked. Thanks for the FPP.
posted by Splunge at 11:12 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by Splunge at 11:12 AM on October 20, 2015
I know what to get my wife for Christmas now. Thanks.
posted by kozad at 11:14 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by kozad at 11:14 AM on October 20, 2015
Oh darn, Stinkfoot must have been on my mind
posted by silsurf at 11:16 AM on October 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by silsurf at 11:16 AM on October 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
puts a hurt on my nose
posted by silsurf at 11:23 AM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by silsurf at 11:23 AM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
Frank Zappa and the Mothers did a legendary stink
Shouldn't that be "raised" a legendary stink?
posted by Floydd at 11:24 AM on October 20, 2015
Shouldn't that be "raised" a legendary stink?
posted by Floydd at 11:24 AM on October 20, 2015
Make a jazz smell here.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:47 AM on October 20, 2015 [13 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:47 AM on October 20, 2015 [13 favorites]
thelonius: I'm not sure, but I hadn't heard that. I would assume she'd been instrumental in its release.
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:51 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:51 AM on October 20, 2015
Faint of Butt: What did they eat before they went on stage?
They had a stack of dimes so they could call any vegetable.
posted by dr_dank at 12:11 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
They had a stack of dimes so they could call any vegetable.
posted by dr_dank at 12:11 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
“We did it, Mom!” shouted Zappa’s son Ahmet in an emotional introduction prior to the screening
Relix
posted by silsurf at 12:15 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Relix
posted by silsurf at 12:15 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is extremely relevant to my interests.
posted by stinkfoot at 12:48 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by stinkfoot at 12:48 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
the late Gail Zappa
Yah, I wasn't sure if her passing had been marked in any way here -- no obit post -- but I wanted to note that she'd died earlier this month. Ahmet, apparently, will now head ZFT and be guardian of the family jewels.
posted by Herodios at 12:56 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yah, I wasn't sure if her passing had been marked in any way here -- no obit post -- but I wanted to note that she'd died earlier this month. Ahmet, apparently, will now head ZFT and be guardian of the family jewels.
posted by Herodios at 12:56 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
I keep wondering what else could possibly be left in Frank's archives that's releasable, mostly because I would kill to hear Zappa conducting The Ensemble Modern in some of Varese's works, which was _supposed_ to be released as "The Rage and the Fury" 20 years ago.
This is fine, though.
posted by SansPoint at 1:15 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is fine, though.
posted by SansPoint at 1:15 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm looking forward to Tipper Gore going after this one. Just for nostalgia sake.
*readies giraffe filled with whipped cream*
posted by Smedleyman at 1:35 PM on October 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
*readies giraffe filled with whipped cream*
posted by Smedleyman at 1:35 PM on October 20, 2015 [4 favorites]
I recall there was grumbling when the Zappa Family Trust had released material that some fans deemed to be of lesser value, over the years, and I had seen people blaming her for not making the Roxy film footage a higher priority. It seems to me that the wait was mostly due to technical difficulties.
posted by thelonius at 1:36 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by thelonius at 1:36 PM on October 20, 2015
The Roxy shows were almost 42 years ago. Where are they now?
-------------------------
* Member of the rarified "shares a song credit with Zappa" club
** And of course Tina Turner, the Ikettes, and members of Ruben and the Jets on studio vocal overdubs.
posted by Herodios at 1:50 PM on October 20, 2015 [10 favorites]
- Frank Zappa: deceased
- George Duke*: deceased
- Don Preston (83): active, still plays Zappa music
- Ralph Humphrey (71): active, teaches as Musicians Institute (LA)
- Napoleon Murphy Brock (70): active, still plays Zappa music
- Ruth Underwood (69): retired, probably still plays "Rollo" in her sleep
- Jeff Simmons* (66): active, occasional involvement with Zappa music
- Chester Thompson (66): active, teaches at Belmont U (Nashville), leads Chester Thompson Trio
- Bruce Fowler (65): active, still plays Zappa music
- Tom Fowler (64) active, still plays Zappa music
- Walt Fowler (60): active, last seen playing with James Taylor (The Mothers was his first pro gig!)
-------------------------
* Member of the rarified "shares a song credit with Zappa" club
** And of course Tina Turner, the Ikettes, and members of Ruben and the Jets on studio vocal overdubs.
posted by Herodios at 1:50 PM on October 20, 2015 [10 favorites]
My first Zappa album!
I had no idea which Zappa to pick, but this LP was a revelation, so I guess I got lucky. But then, I have a thing for live albums from this era. You can practically smell the groovy.
posted by swift at 2:00 PM on October 20, 2015
I had no idea which Zappa to pick, but this LP was a revelation, so I guess I got lucky. But then, I have a thing for live albums from this era. You can practically smell the groovy.
posted by swift at 2:00 PM on October 20, 2015
My favorite Zappa period. The trailer is gawdaful cheezy but the few really musical moments they let slip w/o voice over look wonderful.
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 2:44 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 2:44 PM on October 20, 2015
Herodios: Ruth Underwood (69): retired, probably still plays "Rollo" in her sleep
I think this video's about 10 years old, but you're not far off.
If you can identify the "three mistakes" she makes, you're better than I.
posted by SansPoint at 3:08 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think this video's about 10 years old, but you're not far off.
If you can identify the "three mistakes" she makes, you're better than I.
posted by SansPoint at 3:08 PM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
I used to hang out at the Kibitz Room bar in LA, where I met quite a few long time rock n roll characters. One of them posted the Roxy: The Movie trailer to Facebook with "Hey, that's me at 0:43!"
posted by jjwiseman at 3:18 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by jjwiseman at 3:18 PM on October 20, 2015
I think this video's about 10 years old, but you're not far off.
I don't recall Ruth Underwood having anything to do with Star Wars.
Perhaps you're thinking of the Ruth Underwood interview from the 2007 Apostrophe (') / Over-Nite Sensation DVD.
"Three mistakes, one for each decade I've been away from the music and the instrument," she says.
That's what I'm talking about. That's a Mother.
posted by Herodios at 3:34 PM on October 20, 2015
I don't recall Ruth Underwood having anything to do with Star Wars.
Perhaps you're thinking of the Ruth Underwood interview from the 2007 Apostrophe (') / Over-Nite Sensation DVD.
"Three mistakes, one for each decade I've been away from the music and the instrument," she says.
That's what I'm talking about. That's a Mother.
posted by Herodios at 3:34 PM on October 20, 2015
Herodios Crap. That'll teach me not to check links.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmyCuU_pEo is the right one.
(Mods?)
posted by SansPoint at 4:16 PM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmyCuU_pEo is the right one.
(Mods?)
posted by SansPoint at 4:16 PM on October 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
Oh wow! Down the Zappa Rabbit Hole I go again!! It's been a while, but every time he blows me away with his Madcap Genius Antics...
posted by Philby at 5:45 PM on October 20, 2015
posted by Philby at 5:45 PM on October 20, 2015
"Arf!" she said...
This was basically the band I saw at my first Zappa show (just prior to Over-Nite Sensation's release). They played most of Apostrophe, too. Oh, yeah, and Mahavishnu opened the show doing Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire.
posted by cleroy at 7:12 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
This was basically the band I saw at my first Zappa show (just prior to Over-Nite Sensation's release). They played most of Apostrophe, too. Oh, yeah, and Mahavishnu opened the show doing Inner Mounting Flame and Birds of Fire.
posted by cleroy at 7:12 PM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
I was there for one night (Saturday?). Ended up dancing onstage for The Bebop Tango. Next spring back at TESC Matt Groening chased me down to inform me I'd made it onto the record. My tiny fragment of immortality.
posted by tspae at 7:45 PM on October 20, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by tspae at 7:45 PM on October 20, 2015 [6 favorites]
It's quite interesting to listen to "The Helsinki Concert" (released as "You can't Do That on Stage Anymore Vol.2"), as it was recorded near the end of the tour, so they all knew the material in their sleep. Ruth Underwood is utterly mindblowing there.
posted by ojemine at 12:47 AM on October 21, 2015
posted by ojemine at 12:47 AM on October 21, 2015
I wasn't sure if her passing had been marked in any way here -- no obit post --
But duly noted.
posted by three blind mice at 1:19 AM on October 21, 2015
But duly noted.
posted by three blind mice at 1:19 AM on October 21, 2015
« Older Ladies with an attitude | King of the Wild Frontier Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by thelonius at 11:10 AM on October 20, 2015