Originally published by L.S. Media. September 8th 2012.
The very name of Frank Zappa still feels like an enigma, somebody that was never really understood except through his music. When the musician passed on in 1993, the world lost one of its great musical eccentrics, most prodigious, prolific and all round good guys. With more than 60 albums to his name, whether solo recordings or with his band The Mothers of Invention, he had created music that was as diverse and difficult to categorize as any musician alive. The self- taught musician’s taste for the eclectic was marked him out as a true superstar and when he passed on, it seemed that the music may have died with him.
Fortunately his son Dweezil Zappa saw how much his father’s work meant to the fans and being quite an extraordinary guitarist himself, he took the mantle on and bought his father’s much loved music back to the fans.
Dweezil Zappa will be bringing the show, perhaps one of the highlights of the year, to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton on the 17th November but before that I was able to be able to put some questions to him ahead of the gig.
I was fortunate enough to catch your appearance at the High Voltage weekend a couple of years ago, and you always seem to go down extremely well when you are in Britain, why do you think that is?
“I think that my father’s music is quite powerful live. We do our best to present it in a way that emphasizes what makes it unique in the world of music as well. In the end, I think that the audience has a sense of respect for what it takes to execute the music. I’ve said many times before that learning to perform Frank Zappa’s music is like training for the Olympics. You have to be prepared to pull it off at your best when the audience is there to witness it.”
This show is a testament to your father’s memory, what is your favorite memory of your dad?
“There are so many great memories. I suppose one that comes to mind is the time when my dad spoke into an unsuspecting microphone on a video camera attached to a tripod during my middle school graduation. It was set up by the school’s pompous headmaster to film himself performing to a captive audience. He apparently looked at this as an open mic situation and forced all of us to endure his diabolical attempts at folk music. Graduations are bad enough but this was particularly bad. While he embarrassed himself onstage Frank stood up and walked to the camera so his voice could be heard over the top of the performance and he said, “This is an abomination” and with that we followed him out of the auditorium and went home for our own celebration. I can imagine there were other families that would have liked to have followed our family out the door at that precise moment as well.”
What is your own personal favorite song of your father’s back catalogue?
“Again, a very tough choice. Currently I’ve been listening to Strictly Genteel a lot. It was the music that my wife Megan walked down the aisle to and it’s on my list of things to learn.”
You played with your father of course on tour, and the image of him is very potent. If it was possible what song would you like to play with him one last time?
“Knowing what I know about my own playing at this point I think “Cruising For Burgers” would be a lot of fun.”
What is the strangest request you have ever had from a member of the audience?
“For the most part our audiences have always been very polite. After one show in Ohio a very drunk woman came to the front of the stage at the end of the show while I was signing a few things and she licked my hand. This was not a welcomed gesture. She then said that she wanted to perform oral sex on me right then and there. She used different terminology but it was clear what her intention was. She was not happy when I declined.”
Your own music is just as cool to listen to (‘Havin’ A Bad Day’ is excellent!) Will you be going back into the studio to record a new solo album at all?
“I have not had much time to work on my own music. I do have some things that I am currently working on and I am looking forward to finding some time to record the ideas. After that, I’m not sure what I will do with them…”
How much do you feel the music business has changed since that first solo album?
“The music industry imploded. It’s very difficult for many people to stay employed in all forms of business but the music business is particularly difficult.”
Any message for the fans coming to any of the shows on this tour?
“I have been thinking about this tour as an opportunity to learn some challenging new material. Things we have not played on any other tour. Also I would like to have it represent different decades to showcase the depth and variety within the music itself.”
Thank you sir and have a great show, really looking forward to it!
Ian D. Hall.