"Joe's XMASage" Critique
Joe Blow
and I eagerly gave it a listen during the 3-hour drive to visit the folks.
I'd previously found Joe's Domage to be relatively disappointing, so I was
hoping for more along the lines of Joe's Corsage, with maybe even some
Beefheart thrown in.
Alas, the disk is laced with talking and thin on music. The alternate
versions of "Mr Clean" and "Why Doncha Do Me Right" are substantially weaker
than previous releases and come off as so much filler. The most distressing
offering is "The Purse," in which someone goes through a woman's purse and
comments on its contents, INCLUDING READING A LETTER ALOUD. Hit the "next
cut" button here, folks.
"Suckit Rockit"? Ditto.
Now for the high points:
#1: "The Moon Will Never Be the Same" and "Mousie's First Christmas" come
off as tributes to Edgard Varese. The latter, in particular, sounds a lot
like "Poeme Electronique." Although each is only a minute in length, they
are definitely worth having.
#2: "GTR Trio" would benefit from a chord change or two, and perhaps even a
bridge. But it does contain a few sections that reminded me of "The Ocean is
the Ultimate Solution," and is listenable for that reason alone.
#3: The 12-minute closer "The Uncle Frankie Show" provides some original
vocal material from the "Studio Z" era, plus an impromptu blues guitar solo.
Now, I'm a Zappa fanatic who owns every legitimate release, many of those on
both CD and vinyl. But regretfully, a few zeets of Conceptual Continuity is
about all you'll find here. With all due respect to Joe Travers, if this is
the best the vault has to offer, the ZFT should consider welding it shut and
throwing it in the ocean, to be discovered and opened by a 22nd-century
Geraldo.
I'm expecting better from "Imaginary Diseases." MUCH better.
Private responses or questions to ikc at tds.net
Bruce Bowman
Vaughan Smith
very short list of those few remaining FZ albums I'm yet to purchase.
"Imaginary Diseases" is on pre-order.
"Joe's Corsage" will most likely be my next purchase and then perhaps
"FZ:OZ" although the sound quality is said to lacking and the setlist is
mostly uninteresting to me.
I would much rather ZFT put out ROXY, DANCE ME THIS or the VARESE album.
.V
"Joe Blow" <ikc1N...@NOjuno.comSPAM> wrote in message
news:43b4699b$1...@newspeer2.tds.net...
ttuerff
worth something for us ultra-completists, I guess.
TT
ttuerff
exactly.
One or two other things: These are maybe the WORST liner notes ever
written for a Zappa release. One gets the idea that Gail was drunk or
half asleep. I would rather read Pete Hamill's liner notes for "Blood
on the Tracks" and the entire "Olias of Sunhillow" booklet all the way
through, TWICE, than read this drivel again.
"The Purse" is worth a single listen if only to see where the roots of
"Status Back Baby" probably came from. Not worth 11 minutes, though.
And that was CUT.
Neat Cover!
TT
Don Von Juan Lon Gone Ron Pon Won Ton Mon
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:
> I was going to critique it, but Senor Blow expressed my sentiments
> exactly.
>
> One or two other things: These are maybe the WORST liner notes ever
> written for a Zappa release. One gets the idea that Gail was drunk or
> half asleep. I would rather read Pete Hamill's liner notes for "Blood
> on the Tracks" and the entire "Olias of Sunhillow" booklet all the way
> through, TWICE, than read this drivel again.
>
Care to quote a few particularly telling excerpts? My morbid curiousity is
definitely piqued, but no way am I throwing down money for budget dreck
like this. It reminds me of the same stuff that went on with Hendrix's
catalog in the early 90s.
Knowing that my money will go to letting the facists in the Democrat party
pave the way for further injustices by the Republican party doesn't help
matters, either.
Joe Blow
news:1135903021.1...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> One other thing: You DO get to hear what Kay Zappa sounded like. That's
> worth something for us ultra-completists, I guess.
This is true...the first cut has Frank's first wife "introducing" him to
comment on the Pomona Mormon Christmas dance. This was the dance where he
was socially ostracized ["shunned" might be a better term] for smoking
during a break. I think this was from The Blackouts days.
Conceptual Continuity-wise, that was the gem on the disc (at least for me).
The only other information I have on Kay is a murky photo in TRFZB...now we
have her voice, too. Not a particularly tantalizing voice, mind you, but
it's something.
Thanks much for pointing that out.
Biffy the Elephant Shrew
>The only other information I have on Kay is a murky photo in TRFZB...
FWIW, there are a couple of much better pictures of Kay--still a little
blurry, but at least you can tell what she looked like--in Candy
Zappa's book.
Your pal,
Biffy the Elephant Shrew
Still waiting for Xmasage to arrive
Charles Ulrich
"Joe Blow" <ikc1N...@NOjuno.comSPAM> wrote:
There are two (considerably less murky) photos of Kay Sherman in Candy
Zappa's book My Brother Was A Mother (pp. 58-59). Also a couple of pages
of anecdotes (pp. 48-52).
--Charles
Joe Blow
Here you go:
"What you have here is yet another clue in the plan for the extensive
long-range conceptual landscape modification that we now appreciate as the
primordial aspect of the Project/Object. Yes, we are in the WHEN of Ever. We
are happy to introduce to you your personal road map. Take your assigned
seat (conceptual) and keep your hands and other extremities inside the
containment area for the duration. Dancing is permitted. Prisoners are not."
Just more of the same masturbatory drivel that litters the "News" section of
zappa.com.
Mower B. Yard
> Just more of the same masturbatory drivel that litters the "News" section of
> zappa.com.
See, now that's where you lose me. Masturbation is sex with the person
I love the most.
It's sort of like invoking Hitler, when you throw out masturbatory it
turns to farce. Not that I dislike farce. May the farce be with you.
Marston Moor
recipience" in nyc, here is hiz responzo, just for yu:
|||||||||||||
OK, now that I've read all this crapiola, I am more resolute than ever
in my opinion that other people's opinions are meaningless and
irrelevant, at best. Dim-witted, self-congratulatory, and smug (to put
it nicely). Who cares what they think? Why even take the time to write
it out? Total wank-offishness. Feh.
For what it's worth (zip) - I loved every second of it. YOU GET TO HEAR
KAY'S VOICE fer godsakes!
That's not archival enough fer ya, y'arrogant bastids? Loaded with CC
clues, great acoustic playing, audio of people we've only read about
(like Al Surratt), and a demo version of WDYDMR! "It doesn't sound as
good as the single, whine, snivel..." IT'S A DEMO! What demo sounds as
good as the final version? Arrrgh! Oh, and the liner notes are typical
Gail liner notes. Don't like her? T.S. , elliot!
She's the widow and there's nothing you can do about it. Get over it.
Live your lives. WHATEVER comes out of the vault is fine by me. Petite
Wazoo in a matter of days! How long have we waited?
Joe is doing a bang-up job, period. If they don't like it they should
stop buying the releases, stop listining to them, and most (best) of
all, stop posting to fanwank sites and trying to impress everyone with
how "above it all" they are.
End of rant. (pant, pant)
By the way, I'll e-mail her liner notes to you later, so you can make
what you will of them.
|||||||||||||||||||
End of transgression.
Mike Espinoza
> Thanks for your critique Joe Blow. I'm putting "Xmasage" on the bottom of a
> very short list of those few remaining FZ albums I'm yet to purchase.
>
> "Imaginary Diseases" is on pre-order.
>
> "Joe's Corsage" will most likely be my next purchase and then perhaps
> "FZ:OZ" although the sound quality is said to lacking and the setlist is
> mostly uninteresting to me.
> I would much rather ZFT put out ROXY, DANCE ME THIS or the VARESE album.
I decided a long time ago not to be a completist and this is a good
illustration of why. I am all for the ZFT putting out whatever they
want, but it doesn't mean that I have a use for it. It doesn't make me
less of a fan. There is no other artist that I even have 25 albums of,
much less over 50.
I know that others will find value in "XMasage" and that's great.
That's why it's there. There is know need for this talk of welding the
vault shut. That's just lunacy. More choices is always a good thing.
Imaginary Diseases should be closer to what I would like to see
released. I'm with you in that I would prefer the Roxy DVD, Dance Me
This, or the Varese album.
The sound quality of FZ:OZ is fine, but the setlist does leave
something to be desired, IMO. I can the number of times that I've
listened to it on one hand.
--
Mike E.
Steve Brooks
<snip>
> The sound quality of FZ:OZ is fine, but the setlist does leave
> something to be desired, IMO. I can the number of times that I've
> listened to it on one hand.
But.. but.. What about that Chunga's?
I like OZ. Though I wish it came in a converntional box so it would fit in
my CD rack.
--
SB
Mike Espinoza
Steve Brooks wrote:
> Mike Espinoza wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> > The sound quality of FZ:OZ is fine, but the setlist does leave
> > something to be desired, IMO. I can the number of times that I've
> > listened to it on one hand.
>
> But.. but.. What about that Chunga's?
Good point. I should go back and find the few tracks a do like and rip
them onto my new MP3 player. ;)
> I like OZ. Though I wish it came in a converntional box so it would fit in
> my CD rack.
I don't keep my FZ CDs in a rack. After Yellow Shark, Lost Episodes,
CP3, and EIHN, I gave up. I use bookends.
--
Mike E.
Bill
"Mike Espinoza" <espi...@yahoo.com> wrote:
I recommend that one should think of Joe's Corsaga series like I think
most would think of the Beatles Christmas albums - for some fanatics
interesting to have, but not part of the primary catalog.
I find them amusing and interesting from the insight they reveal to the
evolution of some of the musical, lyrical and sociological themes of
Frank's later, intentional releases.
Frunobulax
Apostrophe, and that one with Valley Girl on it, anyway - right?
= P
NP: Caught Between - Brian Eno
Joe Blow
shoot you down for posting your opinion while doing the same thing himself.
If you really believe what you say, you would live it; instead of exposing
yourself as the biggest fanwanker here.
Jeezus, if we're not allowed to post opinions, then what the f**k is this
newsgroup for?
As for me, I have preordered and am looking forward to Imaginary Diseases
(and possibly Trance-Fusion) next year.
"Marston Moor" <RS...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:15746-43...@storefull-3336.bay.webtv.net...
mysteryroach
> I like OZ. Though I wish it came in a converntional box so it would fit in
> my CD rack.
My original copy (signed by nappy, and with my name in the liner notes)
resides in my safe deposit box. A burned copy, in a regular jewel case,
is on my rack.
Marston Moor
don't shoot the messenger.
Mower B. Yard
For me I'd rather hear a negative opinion than some guy complaining
about a negative opinion. I think we can make up our own minds, thank
you very much.
Charles Ulrich
"Mower B. Yard" <b...@tvbaby.com> wrote:
> For me I'd rather hear a negative opinion than some guy complaining
> about a negative opinion.
Which was yes--to destroy Russia or number two?
--Charles
Mower B. Yard
The answer is two, guys from NYC who complain about negative opinions
should keep their negative opinions to their self. Guys from everywhere
else, OK.
regards,
BAM
Don Von Juan Lon Gone Ron Pon Won Ton Mon
news:1135920183.2...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:
> Joe Blow wrote:
>> Just more of the same masturbatory drivel that litters the "News"
>> section of zappa.com.
>
> See, now that's where you lose me. Masturbation is sex with the person
> I love the most.
>
Here is where you lose me.
mas·tur·ba·to·ry
1. Of or relating to masturbation.
2. Excessively self-indulgent or self-involved: "[The play's] star...
paces around his cell, smoking and snarling in a masturbatory rant" (Sam
Whiting).
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language,
Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
For further reference, "masturbatory" is not a suggestion of what one
might do if and when confronted. We do not say "Gail had a masturbatory
body circa the 1960s". To do so would reek of the buffoon who tries his
earnest best to work the Reader's Digest Word of the Day into his casual
conversation, oftimes for reasons of spiritual gain.
Rather, the term is used to connote how we feel about a person
masturbating - it's fine, a wodnerful thing to do, keeps the endorphins
flowing, keeps us primates on top of the food chain, but honestly, we
don't want to see that. Ew. No. Put that thing away. Especially at the
dinner table. It's awkward to be around.
So the typical reaction to a masturbatory work is a bit of shame on
behalf of whomever is performing said work. Cue up a Jim Morrison CD,
preferably one with lots of Lizard Poetry, and pay close attention to
how it makes you feel.
Don Von Juan Lon Gone Ron Pon Won Ton Mon
Jesus.
...Jesus.
What's the word for "one who's spent a lot of time around the joke, and
even knows how to mimic said joke, but yet obviously doesn't quite
'get' said joke"?
Because...
Wow.
It reads like one of those stoner burnout manifestos that litters the
web.
Mower B. Yard
I clearly should have consulted Number Two. Thanks for the
clarification.
Regards,
BAM
Charles Ulrich
"Joe Blow" <ikc1N...@NOjuno.comSPAM> wrote:
> The most distressing offering is "The Purse," in which someone goes
> through a woman's purse and comments on its contents, INCLUDING
> READING A LETTER ALOUD.
Ooh! Conceptual continuity with Hermann's Wallet...
--Charles
Mower B. Yard
>
>
> ...Jesus.
>
> What's the word for "one who's spent a lot of time around the joke, and
> even knows how to mimic said joke, but yet obviously doesn't quite
> 'get' said joke"?
>
I dunno, "you" maybe?
> Because...
>
> Wow.
>
>
> It reads like one of those stoner burnout manifestos that litters the
> web.
I see you've captured the essence of Zappa's self-righteous holier than
thou attitude without any of the humor. Thanks for the update on how
everyone else isn't quite as together as you are. The internet's full
of people like that.
Don Von Juan Lon Gone Ron Pon Won Ton Mon
@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>> Jesus.
>>
>>
>> ...Jesus.
>>
>> What's the word for "one who's spent a lot of time around the joke,
and
>> even knows how to mimic said joke, but yet obviously doesn't quite
>> 'get' said joke"?
>>
>
> I dunno, "you" maybe?
Wow, someone must have spent a lot of time in high school.
>
>> Because...
>>
>> Wow.
>>
>>
>> It reads like one of those stoner burnout manifestos that litters the
>> web.
>
> I see you've captured the essence of Zappa's self-righteous holier
than
> thou attitude without any of the humor. Thanks for the update on how
> everyone else isn't quite as together as you are. The internet's full
> of people like that.
It's not about "together", but good job leaping to that illogical
conclusion - keep building that stairway to heaven, bucko.
>
>
Mower B. Yard
Oh shit, I baited the resident troll! Sorry, carry on.
Don Von Juan Lon Gone Ron Pon Won Ton Mon
@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>> Wow, someone must have spent a lot of time in high school.
>> keep building that stairway to heaven, bucko.
>
> Oh shit, I baited the resident troll! Sorry, carry on.
>
>
So basically what you mean is that you're shutting the fuck up now?
Thanks for the peek into your worldview, btw. Sorry that not everyone here
sees things the same way, but keep pretending you're the mainstream, maybe
someday it will come to pass.
Don Von Juan Lon Gone Ron Pon Won Ton Mon
@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>> Wow, someone must have spent a lot of time in high school.
>> keep building that stairway to heaven, bucko.
>
> Oh shit, I baited the resident troll! Sorry, carry on.
>
>
So basically anyone with opinions is a troll in your eyes?
Frank Zappa was a fucking troll. You should really spend some time out in
the real world.
Mower B. Yard
>
I'm hardly the sharpest knife in the drawer, I'm the first to admit.
But who is? Frank was. Few others, very few inf act. And clearly not
you.
Aside from some inane sports related misreading of "rockies" for
"rookies" on easily one of the most forgettable Zappa recordings of all
time, you haven't posted anything on topic. Instead you have engaged in
multiple arrogant put-downs of large sections of the population. That's
certainly an "opinion", I'll grant you that, one you share with lots of
trolls.
Hey, my first flame war after about 6 or 7 years on here. You started
right in on it from the get go however. Unless you're the resident
troll under a new name.
- BAM
Mower B. Yard
>
I'm hardly the sharpest knife in the drawer, I'm the first to admit.
But who is? Frank was. Few others, very few in fact. And clearly not
you. The difference is you loudly proclaim the opposite.
Aside from a sports related mishap transposing "rockies" for "rookies"
on one of the most forgettable Zappa recordings ever released (IMHO -
and yes, I'm actually pretty humble, and self-deprecating as well, as
you would have noticed if you hadn't misread my first post in the
original thread), you haven't posted *anything* on topic. Instead you
have engaged in multiple smug put-downs of pretty much everyone except
yourself. That's certainly an opinion, I'll grant you that, one you
share with lots of trolls.
Zappa was a troll? No, sorry. He was funny, and most important, correct
in his criticisms. You have so far displayed neither trait.
Hey, my first all out flame war after about 6 or 7 years on here. You
started right in on it from the get go. Unless you're the resident
troll under a new name. Don Juan Yawn. You shut up. No you shut up.
Etc.
- BAM
Mike Espinoza
> Mike Espinoza wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> > The sound quality of FZ:OZ is fine, but the setlist does leave
> > something to be desired, IMO. I can the number of times that I've
> > listened to it on one hand.
>
> But.. but.. What about that Chunga's?
Okay, I must admit that OZ has a great version of Chunga's. I, also,
like Filthy Habits, Black Napkins, Carnard Toujours, and the songs from
WOIIFTM. Kaiser Rolls is okay.
IMO, the rest of it has songs that are better represented elsewhere.
--
Mike E.