...that's where you come in, Gabor!

I feel much the same about Hendrix.  I really wish he hadn't died when he did. Oh man .... what if a HENDRIX / ZAPPA collaboration had happened!!!!!!!!!  I need to go and have a lie down after that thought!

steve:

...that's where you come in, Gabor!

Be serious, Steve! 

Thanks to Zappa, I lost the conception that "rock" music definitely must have a pretty melody over the ultra-tight 4/4 drumming and a chorus with that sing-along section. (Not that I don't dig it sometimes, just that I'm much more open to everything.) I'm trying to think at what artist could do the same to me, but no idea.

Hendrix is another story. He is a fantastic tool for many styles of rock music from hard rock to punk, alternative, blues, progressive and so on. I think, he is the common denominator of every style of rock music. I'm sure that Zappa was influenced by him too. But who isn't?

As for Hendrix / Zappa collaboration. Consider it as done! The Mothers was playing at the Garrick Theatre, when Zappa introduced Hendrix to the newly-invented wah-wah pedal which Hendrix soon became the acknowledged master and which he made an integral part of his sound. 

You're right about Hendrix - as guitarists we're all influenced by him at some level.  Amazing to think Zap showed Jimi the way with the wah wah!  Unreal.

I love listening to your versions of FZ's songs, Gabor.  The musicianshipand quality of the recordings are so rich.  Can you recommend any of your original compositions we should listen to, something you're really fond of yourself?

 PS  I watched Zappa's last interview on YOU TUBE.  Warning :  if you love the guy as much as I know you do then do not make my mistake and be tempted to watch it.  It broke my heart. 

steve:

You're right about Hendrix - as guitarists we're all influenced by him at some level.  Amazing to think Zap showed Jimi the way with the wah wah!  Unreal.

Zappa & Hendrix from the We're Only In It For The Money cover



FZ talks about Hendrix -> click

Anyway, what gear do you use?
I like the effects. A Bad Horsie Wah?

steve:

I love listening to your versions of FZ's songs, Gabor.  The musicianshipand quality of the recordings are so rich.  Can you recommend any of your original compositions we should listen to, something you're really fond of yourself?

I'm glad you like them. But I clearly know that I’m not a good musician. I  can play many instruments but I am not a "master" of any one. However, if someone needs me to do something I can make it work.

And I'm not good at composing as I can never finish a song or at least write a really good one. I just work on it and work on it and always get bored. I have tons of songs that are all unfinished - and I can never decide what to do with them. Actually, I hate them all. For me playing with FZ's music is more exciting than composing an original one. None the less I'll try to finish some of my stuff and post them here in the near future.

steve:

PS  I watched Zappa's last interview on YOU TUBE.  Warning :  if you love the guy as much as I know you do then do not make my mistake and be tempted to watch it.  It broke my heart.

I never saw this video before...damn, that was really hard to watch. I don't think I have the English vocabulary to tell you what I feel. This is one of the saddest things I've ever seen.

Believe me, you don't want to see this video...

I really look forward to hearing your original compositions, Gabor.  I have loads of unfinished songs, too.  They sound like great ideas for the first few days and then suddenly start sounding like crap.  So frustrating sometimes! Great call on the Bad Horsie, Gabor!!!!  That's exactly what I use!!! I also use a mixture of effects pedals I've collected over the years ( the usual BOSS pedals, along with a Line 6 Pod XT Live and a Digitech Whammy.

That Zappa video.  Oh, man.  I felt like I was intruding in a very private place.  It shook me. The same thing happened to my Dad.

Let's just remember the music and the fun. That's what he'd have wanted, and he'd have been so amazed by your site, Gabor!  It's so good to be gathered together with other FZ fans celebrating his gifts to all of us!

Steve, feel free to upload some of your unfinished songs to the new group I created. I'll upload some soon. I don't know why but sometimes I definitely love to hear unfinished or abandoned songs :)

Anyway, do you record the guitar tracks with Line 6 Pod XT Live connected directly to your computer?

Hey, Gabor!  I'll root out some of my unfinished stuff and upload it.  Some of it I wrote with a view to me singing on the tracks but my voice is so BAAAD!  I'm hoping to get a friend in next week to help me with some vocal duties.  I've also wondered if I can turn some of these 'vocal' songs into instrumental pieces and ditching the whole silly idea of me singing!

I use either a Fender Strat or Gibson SG into the Line 6 Pod XT Live, and run that straight into my Yamaha AW 16G.  You can lose some of the character of the original tone of the guitar with some of the patches, but it's so versatile and you can easily create your own effects.  I also use a Line 6 Variax through it for some pretty good acoustic sounds - although the 12 string can sound a little synthetic.

I'm not very technically-minded so the easier the gear is to use the more I like it!  What guitar you use, Gabor?  I love the little fills on 'Return of Son of Nightschool'!  Like little rockets going off!!!!

steve:

What guitar you use, Gabor? I love the little fills on 'Return of Son of Nightschool'!  Like little rockets going off!!!!

2002 Gibson LP Special, Fender '72 Telecaster Custom, Alvarez AD60SC Acoustic/Electric, Hound Dog dobro guitar

Boss VG-88 with GK-2B midi pickups
for live performances:
Rocktron Xpression & Intellifex multi fx
Mesa/Boogie Studio .22+
Peavey 5150 mkII
Marshall 4x12 1960B G12T-75

The guitar riffs are played by ZW on 'Return of Son of Nightschool'  :)

would Frank have ever thought he even existed? Hume, Descartes, among others and I think Frank Zappa was a much better philosopher. In fact I think is that more than his music that has inspired me. I mean there are plenty of people that can write pretty songs but not many that can write them in that kind of context. I think the  most influential people right behind Frank must be Douglas Adams (and no I never read or saw the movie "Hitch Hikers Guide to the Universe", nor do I care too), also Pen and Teller have many views with which I find innovating.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DUfDWwWKXqQ

 

 

Halvorson:

would Frank have ever thought he even existed? Hume, Descartes, among others and I think Frank Zappa was a much better philosopher. In fact I think is that more than his music that has inspired me. I mean there are plenty of people that can write pretty songs but not many that can write them in that kind of context.

I know quite a lot about him, and I'm a huge fan of his music, but there wasn't any area of intellectual endeavor where he was really first rate. As a political philosopher he was articulate, but he had no real original ideas; he can hardly be compared to any of the real political philosophers of the 20th century (Rawls, Nozick, etc.).

To say an intellectual endeavor is to say he wrote a book about it. Which he did concerning his politics in the real Frank Zappa book or whatever it was called exactly. But, he was an open atheist, he spoke about many of his beliefs in interviews he gave. I have read at least 50 or so where this is true, but on that note as well, Frank never wanted to change your mind, he believed what he believed and if you could prove him wrong than fine, otherwise he didn't fucking care.

 His songs such as suicide chump and the Joe's Garage album (which are both great) do go into to the that arena. Sure Frank wanted to write songs that made him laugh, that was his point, but he never forgot to add that so called intellectual endeavor your so quick to dismiss.

 edit:

You say first rate man. sorry but that logic is flawed. A lot of people find the Bible to be first rate...

 So define what you mean more clearly please. I don't mean to insult I just don't understand.
 

I always do it like' what band do you like the best?'
allow me to give you a few of my fav's....in order:

1. 1982 line up!
FZ, ray white, steve vai, chad wackerman, scott thunes, ed mann, bobby martin, and tommy mars

2. 1988 Big Band
FZ, ike willis, mike keneally, chad wackerman, scott thunes, bobby martin, ed mann, walt fowler, bruce fowler, paul carman, albert wing, and kurt mcgettrick

3. 1974 (frank the only guitar!!!)
FZ, napoleon murphy brock, george duke, chester thompson, ruth underwood, and tom fowler

4. 1976
FZ, ray white, eddie jobson, patrick o'hearn, terry bozzio, ruth underwood, dave samuels, randy becker, mike brecker, lou marini, ronnie cuber and tom malone

There were various bands around in those psychedaelic 60s ...but none with the theatricality and vision of FZ...he was less focused on his image and more on his composition....I don't believe that anyone could have replaced him.....same as Jimi...they just had something special ....we can all copy them like monkeys...but we can never have the total package of FZ'z ability,humour,vision,daring,genius and discipline which makes him so special....but having seen Dweezil 3 times in concert I must admist that he has developed into an astonishing artist - but there, we go....if there was no Frank then there was also no....!

I saw this video on YOU TUBE. I turned it off before it finished, it was heartbreaking. I will just keep on listening to Frank's peerless sound recordings, video is for the MTV generation, it sucks big time.  MOOWAAH!  Luv, Magdalena. xxx