Over three hours worth of newly-unearthed Frank Zappa receives an official release as a compilation called Funky Nothingness. Available as of today, the music is believed to have been intended for a sequel to Hot Rats, the avant-garde rocker’s 1969 solo debut.
Freshly dug out from the Zappa vault, Funky Nothingness will include 25 unreleased and rare tracks, as well as compositions, covers, and miscellaneous jams from 1970 studio sessions with Zappa’s core group: Aynsley Dunbar, Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Ian Underwood, and Max Bennett.
“Funky Nothingness delivers on all fronts, showcasing Zappa’s love for rhythm and blues, picking up where Hot Rats left off with extended instrumental workouts fusing rock, jazz, and classical elements into music that can only be described as Zappa,” reads a statement from “Zappa vaultmeister” Joe Travers, who also compiled the collection along with Zappa’s son Ahmet Zappa.
Funky Nothingness arrives just shy of a...
Freshly dug out from the Zappa vault, Funky Nothingness will include 25 unreleased and rare tracks, as well as compositions, covers, and miscellaneous jams from 1970 studio sessions with Zappa’s core group: Aynsley Dunbar, Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Ian Underwood, and Max Bennett.
“Funky Nothingness delivers on all fronts, showcasing Zappa’s love for rhythm and blues, picking up where Hot Rats left off with extended instrumental workouts fusing rock, jazz, and classical elements into music that can only be described as Zappa,” reads a statement from “Zappa vaultmeister” Joe Travers, who also compiled the collection along with Zappa’s son Ahmet Zappa.
Funky Nothingness arrives just shy of a...
- 6/30/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
The late Frank Zappa’s “vaultmeister” has unearthed 23 previously unreleased and rare recordings that Zappa may have been considering for a sequel to his beloved jazz-rock masterpiece, 1969’s Hot Rats.
The apocrypha, which totals three-and-a-half hours of music, will finally come out on June 30 via a three-disc set titled Funky Nothingness.
Zappa’s estate is previewing the set with Zappa’s interpretations of two songs from 1954 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, “Work With Me Annie/Annie Had a Baby,” with violinist Don “Sugarcane” Harris singing lead:
The recordings, cut...
The apocrypha, which totals three-and-a-half hours of music, will finally come out on June 30 via a three-disc set titled Funky Nothingness.
Zappa’s estate is previewing the set with Zappa’s interpretations of two songs from 1954 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, “Work With Me Annie/Annie Had a Baby,” with violinist Don “Sugarcane” Harris singing lead:
The recordings, cut...
- 4/21/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
With Peter Jackson’s re-cut of The Beatles: Get Back coming at the end of November, we are reminded the Beatles were cinematic stars as well as musical artists. Beyond the group’s films, John Lennon played Private Gripweed in Richard Lester’s How I Won the War, and Ringo Starr acted in quite a few films. His choices were far more in keeping with the underground and independent air of the time. Starr starred with Peter Sellars in the anti-capitalist satire The Magic Christian, as the villain in the Spaghetti Western Blindman, and the voyeuristic Mexican gardener Emmanuel in the sex farce Candy. But his most counterculture and independent nod was as Frank Zappa in the film 200 Motels (1971). A special edition of its soundtrack, Frank Zappa 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition, is coming out on Dec. 17.
Written by Zappa, who co-directed with Tony Palmer, 200 Motels is a musical...
Written by Zappa, who co-directed with Tony Palmer, 200 Motels is a musical...
- 11/17/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels is an education in musical composition, soundtrack recordings, and rock history. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Zappa Records, UMe, and MGM assembled a definitive Super Deluxe six-disc box set of the soundtrack, which drops on Nov. 19. The 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition was remastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, and includes unreleased and rare material from the Zappa music vault.
The sound quality is excellent, the separation gives the multitude of instruments and voicings enough space to hear what is going on very clearly, though the music is still very dense. The players included Ian Underwood on keyboards and woodwinds, George Duke on keyboards and trombone, drummers Aynsley Dunbar and Jimmy Carl Black, with Ruth Underwood on an orchestra drum set. Zappa plays guitar and bass, because there was a change in personnel, between bassists Jeff Simmons and Martin Lickert, partway through recording and filming.
The sound quality is excellent, the separation gives the multitude of instruments and voicings enough space to hear what is going on very clearly, though the music is still very dense. The players included Ian Underwood on keyboards and woodwinds, George Duke on keyboards and trombone, drummers Aynsley Dunbar and Jimmy Carl Black, with Ruth Underwood on an orchestra drum set. Zappa plays guitar and bass, because there was a change in personnel, between bassists Jeff Simmons and Martin Lickert, partway through recording and filming.
- 11/15/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
As we enter the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend during an era when the box office is struggling and more weight is being placed on streamers for new product, there are still titles making theatrical debuts amid the digital film landscape as people recover from their turkey-induced tryptophan haze. It all starts with three films spotlighting a trio of artists that made a significant impact on pop culture.
IFC Films is set to release Wednesday the Gabriel Range-directed David Bowie pic Stardust starring Johnny Flynn as the iconic glam rocker as well as Marc Maron and Jena Malone.
Written by Range and Christopher Bell, Stardust (not to be confused with the 2007 Matthew Vaughn fantasy pic) isn’t a full-blown, cradle-to-the-grave biopic. Instead, it spotlights Bowie’s life at one significant moment in his career — before he...
IFC Films is set to release Wednesday the Gabriel Range-directed David Bowie pic Stardust starring Johnny Flynn as the iconic glam rocker as well as Marc Maron and Jena Malone.
Written by Range and Christopher Bell, Stardust (not to be confused with the 2007 Matthew Vaughn fantasy pic) isn’t a full-blown, cradle-to-the-grave biopic. Instead, it spotlights Bowie’s life at one significant moment in his career — before he...
- 11/25/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Alex Winter’s musical documentary Zappa is a fun movie which frames Frank Zappa the way he should be, as a hero. While this may ring particularly true for fans of the original Mother of Invention, the film is also a must-see for anyone who plugged in a guitar, banged drums, pounded a piano, ruined their teeth on clarinet reeds, or waited for their triangle part to come up in a Julliard School of Music chamber ensemble. It is also for social justice warriors stretching to see beyond the warning labels. The feature documentary is an intimate look at an artist who defied labels, both the record industry ones which curtailed output, and the easy, cheesy, tags of pundits, critics and frightened senate committees.
“This is the beginning of your new future,” Zappa assures an appreciative audience in the archival concert footage which sets the tone. Winter begins the film in the Czech Republic,...
“This is the beginning of your new future,” Zappa assures an appreciative audience in the archival concert footage which sets the tone. Winter begins the film in the Czech Republic,...
- 11/24/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Alex Winter has had a busy year with the release of Bill and Ted Face The Music released earlier this year. Winter is an actor that kids from the 80s would best recognize as being one of the vampires in the cult hit The Lost Boys. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure came out in 1989 giving a generation of kids theirs own language. Winter had been busy behind the camera as well as being in front of it. He has directed many documentaries over the past three decades. His latest project should interest many music fans. A film about the private life and times of musician Frank Zappa is about to get released and looks really compelling. With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, Zappa explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex...
- 11/16/2020
- by Stephen Nepa
- Age of the Nerd
Magnolia Pictures has acquired the North American rights to “Zappa,” a documentary about the art-rock master Frank Zappa directed by “Bill & Ted Face the Music” star Alex Winter, the distributor announced Thursday.
“Zappa” looks at the life of the innovative artist and musician through access to the Zappa family trust and other archival footage, and Magnolia will release the documentary in theaters and on-demand Nov. 27.
Winter sits down with many of Zappa’s musical collaborators such as Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others. And the documentary also includes appearances by Zappa’s widow Gail.
Also Read: 'The Go-Go's' Film Review: Transcendent Rock Doc Examines 1980s Glass-Ceiling Shatterers
“Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary,” Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. “‘Zappa’ is an incredibly nuanced and compelling look at the visionary iconoclast...
“Zappa” looks at the life of the innovative artist and musician through access to the Zappa family trust and other archival footage, and Magnolia will release the documentary in theaters and on-demand Nov. 27.
Winter sits down with many of Zappa’s musical collaborators such as Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others. And the documentary also includes appearances by Zappa’s widow Gail.
Also Read: 'The Go-Go's' Film Review: Transcendent Rock Doc Examines 1980s Glass-Ceiling Shatterers
“Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary,” Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. “‘Zappa’ is an incredibly nuanced and compelling look at the visionary iconoclast...
- 8/6/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: It won’t be absolutely free, but a new Frank Zappa movie is coming to North America. Magnolia Pictures has acquired rights to Zappa, a documentary directed by Bill & Ted’s Alex Winter that will hit theaters and VOD on Thanksgiving weekend.
Billed as an intimate and expansive look into the innovative life of the iconic — and iconoclastic — musician and artist, the pic was made with unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage. It explores the private life behind the musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time.
Zappa features appearances by the musician’s widow Gail Zappa and several of his musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.
“Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Zappa is...
Billed as an intimate and expansive look into the innovative life of the iconic — and iconoclastic — musician and artist, the pic was made with unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage. It explores the private life behind the musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time.
Zappa features appearances by the musician’s widow Gail Zappa and several of his musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.
“Alex Winter has created an amazing documentary,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Zappa is...
- 8/6/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
A few years before Roy Thomas Baker gained fame as the producer for some of the greatest albums by Queen and the Cars, he was one of several engineers to work with the ever-prolific Frank Zappa.
A new four-disc box set, The Mothers 1970, spotlights some of the work Baker did with Zappa, including a rare early mix of “Sharleena,” the track that closed out Zappa’s Chunga’s Revenge LP.
Interestingly, it’s cleaner sounding and doesn’t have as much of the mushy background guitar that creeps up in the Chunga version,...
A new four-disc box set, The Mothers 1970, spotlights some of the work Baker did with Zappa, including a rare early mix of “Sharleena,” the track that closed out Zappa’s Chunga’s Revenge LP.
Interestingly, it’s cleaner sounding and doesn’t have as much of the mushy background guitar that creeps up in the Chunga version,...
- 5/28/2020
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Unheard recordings from Frank Zappa’s short-lived but beloved 1970 lineup of the Mothers feature in the upcoming box set The Mothers 1970, a four-disc set featuring 70 unreleased studio and live tracks out of the legendary guitarist’s Vault.
The Zappa Trust announced the June 26th-bound release with the newly unearthed “Portuguese Fenders,” a searing live instrumental boasting a fiery Zappa solo; the track was discovered among other live performances Zappa recorded himself on his personal tape recorder.
The release celebrates the 50th anniversary of that Mothers (formerly “of Invention”) iteration, which...
The Zappa Trust announced the June 26th-bound release with the newly unearthed “Portuguese Fenders,” a searing live instrumental boasting a fiery Zappa solo; the track was discovered among other live performances Zappa recorded himself on his personal tape recorder.
The release celebrates the 50th anniversary of that Mothers (formerly “of Invention”) iteration, which...
- 5/8/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
A little more than four years after filmmaker Alex Winter started making a documentary about rock iconoclast and classical composer Frank Zappa’s life, the movie — simply titled Zappa — will premiere at South by Southwest. The festival will take place in Austin, Texas, between March 13th and March 22nd.
Although Zappa has been the subject of many films, Winter’s movie is unique in that it covers the artist’s entire life; he had access to the Zappa family’s vault of uncirculated and rarely seen footage. The film will include commentary from Frank,...
Although Zappa has been the subject of many films, Winter’s movie is unique in that it covers the artist’s entire life; he had access to the Zappa family’s vault of uncirculated and rarely seen footage. The film will include commentary from Frank,...
- 1/15/2020
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
A screening of “Apollo 13,” Ron Howard’s dramatization of the “successful failure” mission to the moon in 1970, doubled as a touching tribute to the film’s late composer, James Horner. The American Youth Symphony performed Horner’s entire score, live to picture, at UCLA’s Royce Hall on Saturday.
The composer died in a plane crash in 2015 at the age of 61 and never had a public memorial. This concert, which was followed by a dinner, served as a belated and fitting one, as well as a family reunion. His wife, daughter, 96-year-old mother and brothers were all there — as were members of his work family: longtime music editor Jim Henrikson, synth programmer Ian Underwood and mixer Simon Rhodes.
Sara Horner, accepting an award on her husband’s behalf, acknowledged the outsized role that the team played in his career.
“I can say without any hesitation that each and every...
The composer died in a plane crash in 2015 at the age of 61 and never had a public memorial. This concert, which was followed by a dinner, served as a belated and fitting one, as well as a family reunion. His wife, daughter, 96-year-old mother and brothers were all there — as were members of his work family: longtime music editor Jim Henrikson, synth programmer Ian Underwood and mixer Simon Rhodes.
Sara Horner, accepting an award on her husband’s behalf, acknowledged the outsized role that the team played in his career.
“I can say without any hesitation that each and every...
- 11/26/2019
- by Tim Greiving
- Variety Film + TV
With vinyl being a hot music commodity and back in vogue, it would seem inevitable that one of the music giants of the vinyl era would get remastered and re-released. Frank Zappa remains one of the those musical geniuses where his impact was missed by a deservedly larger fanbase while he roamed planet Earth. With a must-see documentary -- Eat That Question: Frank Zappa In His Own Words (Sony Pictures Classic) -- currently in theaters and on demand, hopefully some of his genius will be discovered by a new generation of fans. Certainly the above-titled masterpiece Hot Rats, reissued by Zappa Records in August on 180gram vinyl cut directly from the original analog master tapes by Bernie Grundman, remains one of his cornerstone releases in his immense and musically varied catalog.
Which brings us to the album itself... an album that I've purchased a few years after its initial vinyl...
Which brings us to the album itself... an album that I've purchased a few years after its initial vinyl...
- 12/5/2016
- by Dusty Wright
- www.culturecatch.com
Sorry Suzy Creamcheese but I am really not a huge fan of Frank Zappa – although I do admit that I admire and respect his talent. However, I do make one specific exception for Zappa’s 1966 debut (with the Mothers of Invention) Freak Out! which is one of my favorite albums of that seminal year in music history that also witnessed the release of… The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds The Beatles – Revolver James Brown – (too many albums to list) Tim Buckley – Tim Buckley Miles Davis – Miles Smiles Donovan – Sunshine Superman Bob Dylan – Blonde on Blonde Tim Hardin – 1 The Incredible String Band – The Incredible String Band The Kinks – Face to Face Love – Love The Monkees – The Monkees The Monks – Black Monk Time Otis Redding – The Soul Album The Rolling Stones – Aftermath Nancy Sinatra – Boots The Seeds – The Seeds Small Faces – Small Faces The Sonics – Boom The 13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sounds...
- 6/1/2010
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Sexy Intellectual and Mvd Visual will release the DVD Frank Zappa "The Freak Out List", April 20, 2010.
"...When an artist, regardless of his significance, lists his favorite musicians and performers it is usually met with little fanfare, as over time the names mentioned are almost certainly going to change. But when Frank Zappa did likewise, and actually published a record of his most important influences on the inside cover of his debut album, it became a road map to the music he was to make over the following forty years. Even in the early 1990s, when asked about his most-loved composer's, musicians and artists, he would repeat names from this, by then legendary, index..."
"The Freak Out List" puts Zappa under the microscope, featuring rare footage of Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, plus archive film and exclusive interviews with The Mothers Of Invention's Ian Underwood, Don Preston and George Duke,...
"...When an artist, regardless of his significance, lists his favorite musicians and performers it is usually met with little fanfare, as over time the names mentioned are almost certainly going to change. But when Frank Zappa did likewise, and actually published a record of his most important influences on the inside cover of his debut album, it became a road map to the music he was to make over the following forty years. Even in the early 1990s, when asked about his most-loved composer's, musicians and artists, he would repeat names from this, by then legendary, index..."
"The Freak Out List" puts Zappa under the microscope, featuring rare footage of Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, plus archive film and exclusive interviews with The Mothers Of Invention's Ian Underwood, Don Preston and George Duke,...
- 2/25/2010
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
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