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Frank Zappa Remembered

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Patrick G. Maggiulli

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Dec 6, 1993, 1:21:50 PM12/6/93
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Frank's untimely death has dealt a serious blow to us all.
I'll miss his wit, humor, insite and, above all, his live
performances. Frank has inspired many and let us not forget him.


My fondest memory of Frank was during one of his Halloween
concerts in the late 70s at NYC's Palladium. The band featured
O'Hearn, Bozzio, someone named Vai :-), and a host of other
talented musicians. The band concluded one number and segued
to just Bozzio and O'Hearn who weaved a very driving rhythm.
Vai added with a simple chord progression. Now enter Frank:
he grabbed Hendrix's burnt Monteray (SP?) strat and walked to
the edge of the stage and layed down the most thrilling and
energized solo I've ever heard. Frank play for nearly 10 minutes
and the crowd went crazy. Never have I heard the phrasing and
sweet notes from a guitar then what Frank played that night.
It was significantly awesome!


Frank, you'll be missed by us all.


Patrick


+------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
| Patrick G. Maggiulli | att!probe!pgm | Disclaimer: |
| AT&T Bell Laboratories | p...@probe.att.com.us | My opinions are my own |
| 200 Laural Avenue. | PH: + 1 908-957-6418 | and do not necessarily |
| Middletown, NJ 07748 | FAX: + 1 908-957-7227 | reflect the opinions |
| USA | | of my family, friends |
| | | or employer. |
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Christopher A Pellegrino

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Dec 6, 1993, 4:49:17 PM12/6/93
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In article <CHMLo...@cbfsb.cb.att.com>, p...@jolt.att.com (Patrick G. Maggiulli) writes:
|>
|> Frank's untimely death has dealt a serious blow to us all.
|> I'll miss his wit, humor, insite and, above all, his live
|> performances. Frank has inspired many and let us not forget him.
|>
|>
|> My fondest memory of Frank was during one of his Halloween
|> concerts in the late 70s at NYC's Palladium. The band featured
|> O'Hearn, Bozzio, someone named Vai :-), and a host of other
|> talented musicians. The band concluded one number and segued
|> to just Bozzio and O'Hearn who weaved a very driving rhythm.
|> Vai added with a simple chord progression. Now enter Frank:
|> he grabbed Hendrix's burnt Monteray (SP?) strat and walked to
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

|> the edge of the stage and layed down the most thrilling and
|> energized solo I've ever heard. Frank play for nearly 10 minutes
|> and the crowd went crazy. Never have I heard the phrasing and
|> sweet notes from a guitar then what Frank played that night.
|> It was significantly awesome!
|>
|>
|> Frank, you'll be missed by us all.
|>
|>
|> Patrick
|>
|>
|> +------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|> | Patrick G. Maggiulli | att!probe!pgm | Disclaimer: |
|> | AT&T Bell Laboratories | p...@probe.att.com.us | My opinions are my own |
|> | 200 Laural Avenue. | PH: + 1 908-957-6418 | and do not necessarily |
|> | Middletown, NJ 07748 | FAX: + 1 908-957-7227 | reflect the opinions |
|> | USA | | of my family, friends |
|> | | | or employer. |
|> +------------------------+-----------------------+------------------------+
|>

Not to get off of a more important subject, but just to clarify a musical fact...
Hendrix threw pieces of his guitar out to the crowd after he burned and then
smashed it at Monterey. I think what was left may have been built back up - the
body was painted a very colorful paisely scheme by Jimi himself - but I'm not
sure.

I can't believe there hasn't been much news updating FZ's condition before his
passing... the surprise hits harder than anything...

I can't say anything more than anyone else has already... I just wish the best
didn't have to depart so soon... They always seem like they're just gettin'
started.

He had more logic and common sense than any other human being would even know
what to do with.

See ya Frank...

Damn.


-Chris Pellegrino
'He used to be a nice boy. He used to cut the grass...'
- Now I'm in college

--
Lucifer
msp...@iastate.edu

Joe Newman

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Dec 7, 1993, 11:02:54 AM12/7/93
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>Hendrix threw pieces of his guitar out to the crowd after he
>burned and then smashed it at Monterey. I think what was left
>may have been built back up - the body was painted a very
>colorful paisely scheme by Jimi himself - but I'm not sure.

Well, if you're not sure, why did you bother saying it? Actually,
the Hendrix strat was one that Hendrix had burned in Miami, not
Monterey. I would be amazed if the guitar smashed in Monterey was
rebuilt.

This commonly repeated inaccuracy is fairly innocuous. Another one
that was repeated in some of yesterday's press releases is a little
more annoying. It is commonly stated that Frank's arrest in Cucamonga
was for a porno film. In fact, it was an audio tape of simulated sex.
It is also rarely mentioned that, at the time, Frank was desperate
for money, and the police exploited this when they entrapped him.

-Joe Newman

Harv R Laser

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Dec 7, 1993, 3:22:54 PM12/7/93
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I only got to see Frank live twice. The first time wasn't even a concert:
he gave a talk to an enraptured group of students and others outside
a recital hall/theatre at Cal State Northridge, as we all sat on the
cold concrete ground and he stood on a table above us. After the talk,
about which I remember absolutely nothing, we filed into the hall
and Frank presented some video/film clips/snips from, what I think
was 200 Motels in progress.

The second time was at Pauley Pavillion at UCLA - a Mothers concert
which was later committed to vinyl as the "Just Another Band from
L.A." album (with Flo & Eddie in the band at that time). I still
fondly remember that concert although it must've been over 20 years
ago, especially Frank lying on his back on stage playing his guitar
with his teeth.

"Sheik Yerbouti" is still amongst my "desert island" disks, those rare
few albums that I would take with me to an island if my choice was
limited to just a few.

Frank Zappa was truly a genius, not only as a musician and composer but
as a public speaker. He didn't take shit from anyone and he didn't
dish any out himself.

We have lost a consummately talented man who spoke the truth and left
this world a better place than he found it.

I feel a deep personal sadness and I grieve for his loving family.

Harv
ha...@cup.portal.com

Mr. M.P.Hughes

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Dec 7, 1993, 5:36:20 PM12/7/93
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In article <CHo9w...@mcc.com>, j...@gloss.mcc.com (Joe Newman) writes:
|>
|>
|> >Hendrix threw pieces of his guitar out to the crowd after he
|> >burned and then smashed it at Monterey. I think what was left
|> >may have been built back up - the body was painted a very
|> >colorful paisely scheme by Jimi himself - but I'm not sure.
|>
|> Well, if you're not sure, why did you bother saying it? Actually,
|> the Hendrix strat was one that Hendrix had burned in Miami, not
|> Monterey. I would be amazed if the guitar smashed in Monterey was
|> rebuilt.
|>

Someone IS trying to do it. They had an article on it in Guitar World a few years
back (5-6). Some guy had the electrics and about half the body, and after
studying the film was looking for some "mystery woman" who got the neck....


*** MIKEY: Michael Pycraft Hughes : MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX ***
*** mic...@solid.mda.uth.tmc.edu : "It is a France-like thing...." -Doon ***

Mark A. Natola

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Dec 8, 1993, 9:28:02 AM12/8/93
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In article <CHo9w...@mcc.com> j...@gloss.mcc.com (Joe Newman) writes:
>From: j...@gloss.mcc.com (Joe Newman)
>Subject: Re: Frank Zappa Remembered
>Date: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 16:02:54 GMT
Frank posed for the cover of Guitar Player Magazine's 10th Anniversary issue
holding the Hendrix Miami guitar. It was still all burned up. I think he
mentioned in the article that a roadie that had worked for Hendrix gave him (
FZ) the burned guitar, and Frank had it re-built. For anyone interested in
Zappa magazines, this is a great one to add to your collection!

Since everyone is telling FZ stories, I got a chance to meet Frank three
times during the 1988 tour. My mother was involved with the League of Woman
Voters at the time, and we were introduced to him along with a bunch of
people after his first show in Boston. The next night, my mother and I
interviewed him for a public access TV show (sorta Wayne's World) she was
involved in. After the interview, some girl handed him an apple pie, and we
were just about to dig into it, when his road manager came to get him to
start the show. It was fun watching all of the preshow preparation. Frank
had an espresso maker at his side the whole time. We sat around and talked
about all kinds of stuff after the interview. Ed Meese was his target for
the night. Someone had hung a sign the night before that read, "Who is Ed
Meese?" My mother asked him if he saw the sign, and he said "Yes, but that
sign should have read, Who the Fuck is Ed Meese." I brought a copy of the
1968 LIFE magazine "The New Rock", which had an article written by FZ, for
him to sign. He started thumbing throught the book, and got to the picture
of the Mothers sitting around with all of the kids on their laps, and he
started telling us about how that photo session came about. After the show,
we met again in his dressing room, to discuss his upcoming projects. He
mentioned the photo session that was in LIFE magazine later that year, with
him dressed as Uncle Sam. He told us that he was VERY serious about
running for office. He said something to the effect of "Wait until the
politions see some of the people that show up with me". Shortly
after this, Frank's manager whisked him away. As I wondered out the
doorway, I saw the song list (in Frank's handwriting) for that night
sitting on the floor, so, wanting to be sure the room was as clean as we
found it, I felt that I should pick it up and take care of it. It is now
one of my prized posessions!

Oh well, Frank was my teen idol, and meeting him was one of the greatest
experiences of my life. Although he'll live on through his music, and our
memories, to me, the world is a little colder place today.

Mark


Mark

Christopher A Pellegrino

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Dec 8, 1993, 12:29:04 AM12/8/93
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In article <CHo9w...@mcc.com>, j...@gloss.mcc.com (Joe Newman) writes:
|>
|>


Actually, I _AM_ sure that Chas Chandler (Jimi's manager) used to collect the
remains of Jimi's guitars because they didn't have the money in the beginning for
him to smash them. They would often times be pieced together. I am also sure
that the one he burned and smashed at Monterey was painted by him in a colorful
paisely scheme... I figured that bit of info i was sure of might be of interest to
some... sorry you don't seem to care.


-Chris Pellegrino
--
Lucifer
msp...@iastate.edu

David Fuller

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Dec 8, 1993, 1:28:25 PM12/8/93
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The burnt guitar was given (by FZ) to Adrian Belew, who dubbed
it "baby" and played it thru the early 80s. Then it found its way
back to Dweezil.
--
Dave Fuller All opinions expressed are my own and not
Sequent Computer Systems those of Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
dafu...@sequent.com
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