lennon and zappa at the fillmore east, 1971

As the decades have rolled by and the players of those eras have gradually exited their stages we have relied on CD's, DVDs, and since the turn of this century YouTube, now the home of much of rocks archive. The amateur video posted alongside pro footage has shown us events that have become legend to many of us having only dreamed of being at the venue where the magic occurred. Until the last decade or so the journo reviewers point of view was the best option, and then not always the whole story. Even now after edited video is released it may not have captured the moment best remembered by those actually there at the time.
One such moment was John Lennon onstage at the The Mothers of Invention concert at the Fillmore East, June 4, 1971. The actual footage of Lennon and Yoko with Zappa's band is documented well enough and there is some pretty raw video of those two loose cannons jamming with Zappa's highly drilled outfit. Various opinions and stories have followed over the years.
But one story which hadn't been common knowledge and certainly not captured on film, was told this week, well we hadn't heard of it before. It was supplied by commenter 'Mr Bennett Fischer' who was part of that audience and passes on a brilliant description and fascinating insight of that night 43 years ago at the Fillmore.

"Wow. I was at that show, and the coolest part of Lennon's appearance isn't captured on the video. The Mothers, after a fantastic set, left the stage to the audience's ubiquitous cries fore "More!" as the Fillmore's curtain closed.

The encore entreaties went on for a very long time without any response. Finally, a spotlight appeared on the closed curtain to the left of the stage. The audience settled down for the Mothers return, but instead heard a jagged Chuck Berry riff rip through the auditorium from off-stage. Then, into the spotlight stepped John Lennon, guitar in hand. He strutted in front of the curtain, playing (I can't remember which) Chuck Berry tune, completely solo, clearly loving it, and the audience going wild, loving it back. It was an electrifying three or four minutes.

I'm not up on my Lennon history, but as far as I know it was the first time Lennon had made a concert appearance since the breakup of the Beatles. The audience was really in shock and awe. Anyway, after Lennon's solo turn the curtain opened to reveal the Mothers at their instruments, and the rest of the encore set is captured on the video. I remember that watching Zappa lead the Mothers with his hand movements, trying to keep up with Yoko's screeches, was interesting and fun, but the real gem was Lennon's solo".

Posted on the Dangerous Minds comments page for the article when_frank_zappa_met_john_yoko_sometime_in_new_york_1971.

george duke RIP

This week shouldn't go by without notice of the sad news of George Duke's passing on August 5th. Not just a pioneer of the keyboard he was an arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music.
For rock fans he'll always be remembered for the dozen or more records he recorded with Frank Zappa throughout the 70's, Chunga's Revenge, Waka Jawaka, The Grand Wazoo, Over Nite Sensation, Apostophe and Bongo Fury are just some of the Zappa albums George featured on and went on to reach millions of listeners.
At the age of 67 there should have had many more success' before him. It's a sad loss.
Here's George taking a solo during Zappa's 'Cosmik Debris' ('Apostrophe' album, 1974).

zappa plays zappa at the roundhouse

Zappa Plays Zappa packed the Camden Roundhouse, London in November 2012. Dweezil and the six piece band is now including tracks from Frank's 'Freak Out' album amongst other classic periods. Some smart character got 5 minutes worth of the spectacle on his HD camera. A bonus for us all.

zappa and beefheart - bongo fury

This years Frank Zappa's epic reissue series has reached Bongo Fury this month. The concert recorded in Austin,Texas in 1975 saw Zappa and Captain Beefheart meeting up for the first time since the monster Hot Rats album in 1969.
By 1975, Don Van Vliet (Beefheart) had managed himself into somewhat of a financial disaster by a series of appalling contractual decisions and record company screw ups. He'd actually got himself into a position where he couldn't tour and couldn't record under his own name.
Frank Zappa, an old school friend of Van Vliet's had seemed a sort of nemesis to him in many ways, maybe it was his commercial success, maybe it was the musical methods. Zappa was a methodical, rigorous and intense band leader, you needed real stamina to rehearse with his bands. Beefheart more like an inspired authoritarian with his. It's easy to see how that partnership could be highly infllamable.
But being their history was long and Zappa had seen Van Vliet's talent before, he'd produced rocks groundbreaking Trout Mask Replica back in 1969 with The Magic Band and Beefheart, Frank had wanted to see Van Vliet survive his present depression.
The two stories of exactly how the liaison actually came about are unsurprisingly conflicting but it had started just before the tour with Beefheart guesting on Zappa's 'One Size Fits All' album in June 75.
Despite the inevitable difficulties of getting Beefheart in the right frame of mind and musical discipline Zappa eventually got the balance right for the forthcoming tour. Beefheart was to do the main vocals on 6 or so numbers, plus soprano and harmonica.when needed.
The moment the tour began it was fraught. Ego, obstinacy, frustration from Zappa. Alloofness, cynisism, obstinacy from Van Vliet.
By the time the tour got to El Paso neither were talking. Zappa wouldn't have anymore to do with him, and Van Vliet was spending his time with the ever present sketch book and continually producing drawings of Frank with horns, as in the devil. A fine mess.
But they did get that recording that night in Texas. There never was a studio CD but on May 20th in Austin there was Bongo Fury
From the moment the roar of 'Debra Kadabra' starts the set off to the final voice of Zappa closing the concert at the end of 'Muffin Man' there is a sense you'll never hear anything quite like them again.
Here is Muffin Man.

zappa archive

July this year saw the release of the first of an astounding 60 remastered albums by Frank Zappa. The first dozen of his 1960's albums with the classic "Freak Out" and "Absolutely Free" coming first are now available with a further 12 being scheduled for later in 2012. The deal cut between the Zappa family and Universal Music is to release the entire back catalogue as high quality releases, both digital and physical.

This minute or so captures the heady atmosphere of the day with a Los Angeles radio station running a 1966 advert for the Mothers Of Invention latest album Absolutely Free combined with plug for a concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The opening act to The Mothers is mentioned as Tim Buckley.

whipping post

Further footage of the original Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East (1970) has come to light. The "Whipping Post" of course was their signature song written by Gregg Allman, and originally appeared on their debut release in 1969.
In 1971 the song was to feature across a whole side of the double album recorded at the same venue and gave them international recognition. A few months later, group leader Duane Allman wrapped his bike into a truck and didn't survive. The song remained though and it went on to become an icon of early 70's American progressive rock

Watch for the two drummers Butch Trucks, Jaimoe Johanson drive the band into the improvisation. A rare sight today, rock improvisation and two drummers!

"Whipping Post" became a standard a yell-out at a concert such was it's wide spread fame, even to the extent some years later Frank Zappa heard it between numbers at his gigs. Zappa never one to pass an opportunity gave them exactly what they asked for and did his own version. (Filmed in 1984).

zappa

It's Frank's birthday today!

Here's Steve Vai talking about his audition for Frank Zappa's band.

Now here from the man himself in an interview with Washington D.C. deejay Cerphe (Don Collwell) in 1985.
It was at a time when Zappa was to testify on Capitol Hill at the infamous Senate Porn Rock Hearings on record labelling. His controversial comments on the matter might just have been the reason that the interview was never shown. This is the unedited version.
Frank talks about the state of modern rock and roll, censorship, conformity, sex, consumerism, MTV. It still sounds contemporary with events today.

also see other Zappa post

zappa

Frank Zappa.. outrageous.. controversial.. hilarious.. showman.. hugely entertaining.. a prolific composer and producer. To his fans a genius.
His guitar playing has divided opinion amongst purists but Frank had what all guitar players search for - a unique and instantly recognisable technique and style. In full flow his guitar solo's could cut it with the best.
No sufferer of fools in or out of the band his groups consisted of some of the most highly drilled and skilled musicians of the 1960's to the 1990's era. His knowledge of pop and rock and roll was extensive. He was experimental and calculating at the same time. A total enigma.
When he died on 4th December 1993 it left a hole in contemporary pop and rock that has never been be filled. Frank Zappa fans had a right to feel cheated. His early death robbed them of many more years of his presence and amazing vision in music.

Here are The Mothers Of Invention. Los Angeles. August 27, 1974
with Frank is Napoleon Murphy Brock, George Duke, Tom Fowler, Chester Thompson, Ruth Underwood.