FRANK ZAPPA - EAT THAT QUESTION - Film Forum 6/24/16 New York City

Being a video archivist of All Things Zappa for many years and having seen the trailer for this film prior to viewing I assumed I had (pardon the expression) "Seen It All" or at least most of it but this left me filled with awe at the amount I had not.

I Love this film.

Pete Townshend, Bob Fripp, Bill Bruford and Frank Zappa are my "go to" guys for interviews in the Music world and this film consists of musings from the late great Mr. Zappa many of which this Video Archivist had not seen.

Damn, I missed the Q & A but had no idea as I purchased my tickets earlier than this was announced.

Marquee Selfie.

Eat That Easel.

The GrandMothers Of Invention - The Iridium 5/4/12 New York City

SHIT,.... This Band Smokes!!! and its not such a Wunderkind as this is Zappakind.



Don Preston on Synth, Vocals, iPhone and Vile Foamy Liquids.



Napoleon "He Be Burnin' Them Beans Up" Murphy Brock.



Tom Fowler on the Bass.



Robbie "Seahag" Mangano Tearing It Up.



A ticket to tonight's performance was thirty five dollars but we were offered to pay the table minimum which was around twenty to twenty five dollars a person if we chose to stay for the second show which Jamie, Max, Bill and myself certainly did and pictured here are some of the drinks imbibed since food would have been way too messy and probably distracting to the performing musicians at such close proximity.

Drinx - (top to bottom) Diet Coke (Jamie's), Pinot Noir (Spike's), Coca-Cola (Spike's) and a Rose' (Jamie's but inherited by Spike).



If the McDonalds Quarter Pounder is anything it certainly is NOT mighty or even meaty. Jamie's ninety nine cent Double Cheeseburger had much more to offer. Oh Yes.

The Drummers of Frank Zappa DVD

Submitted to Amazon.com which explains the "consumer/advertisement" slant of this entry.

A Fascinating and Insightful discussion between five of Frank Zappa's most well known drummers. Terry Bozzio, Chester Thompson, Chad Wackerman, Ralph Humphrey and the charming Ruth Underwood reminisce on the experience they each had in various ensemble's serving under Maestro Zappa's baton. Conversations of the Black Page, Frank's conducting style, Mahavishnu Orchestra/Billy Cobham and details of the individual auditions each of these extremely gifted players underwent getting into Frank's band are enthusiastically and humbly told. If you are a Drummer, Zappa fan or just someone with an interest in music you will certainly enjoy this film. Incidentally the running time for the discussion is 106 minutes as opposed to the 60 minutes in the DVD specifications listed above.

For The Drummers and persons who enjoy music made with four drumkits (unfortunately Ruth Underwood was not part of the proceedings) The drumming portion runs 42 minutes in length and is nothing short of revelatory noodling. Fantastic to see these four improvise (assuming this was improvised) a piece of drumming music while giving it texture and dynamics. Gazing at the DW and Yamaha drumkits is no eyesore neither. No best drummer here they work so impressively as a mini-zappa gamelan quintet.

There is no official Frank Zappa music or archival clips in the film and it really is just a "discussion" about the whole challenging and rewarding experience. One wonders whether or not the producer's at Drum Channel approached the Zappa Family Trust at all for permission to use clips & music which seem appropriate at certain times during conversation but it doesnt sorely need it and most watching this specialty DVD will probably be very familiar with the music in question.