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pablopepper
14-11-2012, 02:53 AM
I'm an unabashed Frank Zappa fan, he is my biggest musical hero. I thought I would share a few of my favourite tracks.

Probably most well known for his off-beat humourous songs (Valley Girl, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, etc), Zappa was an extraordinary composer, lyricist, band leader and guitarist. I love a lot of his music, but it's his instrumentals that get me.

Blessed Relief: Acoustic wah solo, amazing horns, such a great track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sztCRAibvso

Black Napkins: My favourite guitar solo of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNkl1avYXRM

Sofa No. 1: Written for Michael Hedges, this blows my mind every time I hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2u55U1asx8

Almost 20 years have passed since Frank died. I would hope his music gets the recognition it deserves and lives on well in to the future.

Bass Guy
04-06-2013, 01:32 PM
Zappa was/is the pre-eminent American composer of the second half of the 20th century.

I recommend the album The Yellow Shark as evidence of this.

Bass Guy
04-06-2013, 01:35 PM
Frank Zappa - "Sleep-Napkins" (Soundcheck) 1988

via McTube for iPhone/iPad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzOPLy5sW5c

This is the soundcheck???... Yikes...

Bass Guy
04-06-2013, 02:01 PM
Frank Zappa - Watermelon In Easter Hay (Live @ Barcelona 1988) HQ

via McTube for iPhone/iPad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeF2rdWwTRo

Have some tissues on standby... Heartbreaking...

rhay
04-06-2013, 10:25 PM
I have a fairly complete collection, bar one or two of the boot legs. Delighted to see Grand Wazoo at the top of the list, but I still rate Joe's Garage as my favourite (from which Watermelons in Easter Hay is from).

One of my future projects is to make a copy of Frank's Gonzales SG, with all the on-board effects and phase shifting.

Another treat for the uninitiated is the Shut up and Play Your Guitar series.....amazing!

Bass Guy
04-06-2013, 11:31 PM
That SG would be. awesome! Do you have the schematics for the weird wiring? Care to share??

Fretworn
05-06-2013, 02:15 AM
Dweezil had a video up on the Guitar Player website where he tried to explain the SG wiring. He admitted even after years of playing it he didn't really understand what was going on with the wiring.

Fretworn
05-06-2013, 02:18 AM
Quote from pablopepper on November 13, 2012, 11:53
I'm an unabashed Frank Zappa fan, he is my biggest musical hero. I thought I would share a few of my favourite tracks.


Sofa No. 1: Written for Michael Hedges, this blows my mind every time I hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2u55U1asx8

Almost 20 years have passed since Frank died. I would hope his music gets the recognition it deserves and lives on well in to the future.

It's been 16 years since Michael Hedges died too. Man what a talent he was.

rhay
05-06-2013, 02:57 AM
Quote from Bass Guy on June 4, 2013, 08:31
That SG would be. awesome! Do you have the schematics for the weird wiring? Care to share??

So far no, which is one of the reasons I haven't built this yet. What I can tell you that EQ/Phaser cct. is anyone's guess - I am pretty sure that the only 2 people who knew that are now (sadly) dead. Maybe the Dweez will let us pull Franks original apart?

That having been said, if I ever build this I will definitely post the data.

Here's a pic of a fairly sound replica, electrically not physically that is.

http://www.phantom-guitars.de/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=115
http://pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/gj007-franks-knobs.JPG

rhay
05-06-2013, 03:05 AM
Let me know if you want more info on this Guitar and I'll start another Thread.

I am a bit of a Frank head and this project has been on the list for about 10-years. I even missed out on a genuine '71 Gonzales SG on eBay late last year..........anyway don't get me started!

pablopepper
05-06-2013, 09:41 AM
Quote from rhay on June 4, 2013, 07:25
I have a fairly complete collection, bar one or two of the boot legs.

Another treat for the uninitiated is the Shut up and Play Your Guitar series.....amazing!

I started with a collection, but have been a bit overwhelmed at the sheer number of albums the man put out. I will buy anything I see of his on the spot if I don't already have it, but I've only got about 40 albums. I remember reading somewhere his catalogue is 88 official releases. That's insane! What are you missing?

While I love the SUAPYG series, I'm not sure it's a good place to start for Zappa noobs. I always recommend Apostrophe ('). His most accessible album I reckon.

rhay
05-06-2013, 12:03 PM
Good call, that or Overnight Sensation?

However I did think that guys on a guitar Forum might handle being bumped up to the Shut Up series. ;)

I have 122 titles, and the things I haven't got are a handful of rare bootlegs (which I'm not too fussed about).

60 official releases while living (not counting overseas editions).
44 posthumous releases (including compilations) and counting.....

rhay
05-06-2013, 12:05 PM
My Partner has instructed me to tell you that I also have a Frank "Mustache" logo tattoo, on my chest, over my heart.....

But now I'm addicted to guitar kits too! Yay!!

pablopepper
05-06-2013, 08:57 PM
122!!! Whoa.

Bass Guy
07-06-2013, 07:59 AM
Ok, here's a hard one for the Zappaphiles amongst us:

Using only the people he played with, compile your ultimate Dream Zappa Band Line-Up.

Mine would be:

FZ- guitar, vocals
Tommy Mars- keys
Robert Martin- b/v, keys, sax
Ian Underwood- winds
Ruth Underwood- percussion
Ike Willis -vocals
Mike Keneally- b/v, guitar, aux keys.
Patrick O'Hearn- bass
Vinnie Colaiuta- drums

Plus maybe (as a cheat) the horn section from the '88 tour...

ps- yes, Keneally beats Vai out of this position for me. Keneally is more versatile, which counts for heaps with Zappa.

rhay
07-06-2013, 10:39 AM
This is very hard...

However I've had a crack, using a bit of licence with 2 x Drummers (although Frank did perform with 2 a number of times)

Frank - guitar, vocals
Mark Volman – vocals
Ike Willis - guitar, vocals
Ray White – guitar, vocals
George Duke – keyboards, vocals (although Tommy Mars is a very close 2nd)
Robert Martin - b/v, keys, sax
Ian Underwood - winds
Ruth Underwood - percussion
Jeff Simmons – bass
Chad Wackerman – drums
Chester Thompson – drums

But if you ask me tomorrow my answer will be different.

pablopepper
07-06-2013, 10:40 AM
I'll keep FZ, Tommy Mars, Ian and Ruth Underwood and Ike Willis, and substitute Napoleon Murphy Brock, Adrian Belew, Roy Estrada (controversy aside), and a toss up between Aynsley Dunbar and Terry Bozzio on drums.

rhay
07-06-2013, 11:30 AM
Quote from pablopepper on June 6, 2013, 19:40
I'll keep FZ, Tommy Mars, Ian and Ruth Underwood and Ike Willis, and substitute Napoleon Murphy Brock, Adrian Belew, Roy Estrada (controversy aside), and a toss up between Aynsley Dunbar and Terry Bozzio on drums.



Classic early to mid 70's line-up (although Tommy was a late-comer)!! Even with Stoopid Roy...

pablopepper
08-06-2013, 12:29 AM
This vid comes very close to being the perfect line-up for me. Plus it features the gonzales SG and one of my favourite songs. Bonus. Zappa, Belew, Bozzio, Mars, O'Hearn and I believe Peter Wolf (not 100% sure on him). From the Baby Snakes film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH-rR42jeI0

rhay
08-06-2013, 10:13 AM
Nice Pablo.