At Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 10:14:57 Andrew wrote:

>Actually, people's reactions to things can be funny. I once had a
>couple of friends round who were stoned (I don't partake myself, but
>most of my friends do). I played them Lumpy Gravy, which I would
>regard as Zappa's most 'difficult' work (though my personal
>favourite), and they loved it. I then played them Good Vibrations, and
>they got severely freaked out when the theremin started. "Ah! It's in
>my head! Turn it off!!!"...

I was in a band with a drummer whose entire record collection consisted of 
Rush and Zappa records. Everyone knew he was going to play this stuff 
non-stop at his house parties so after a few of these endurance tests (love 
Zappa but it's not conducive to *party* mode) we insisted he play the Zappa 
material first. Once he got stoned enough (or drunk) he was easier to 
convince to leave Rush off the turntable completely. That's when the rest of 
us would go to our cars and grab the AC/DC, Max Webster or what have you 
just to add a little variety. As the party was winding down, we'd put "Tom 
Sawyer" on by Rush which was the signal for everyone to clear out.

>I think the original Mothers were probably the most sympathetic group
>of musicians Zappa ever had, although the Flo & Eddie and Roxy bands
>were incredible too. The late 70s/80s bands though, while Willis and
>Ray White were among the best vocalists he worked with, seemed to be
>full of fretwanking technical virtuosi who didn't have the same verve
>as players...

"Mudsharks"/Fillmore era Mothers with Flo & Eddie along with the solo works 
of that duo were a big influence on me. My own band Moving Targetz was named 
after one of their albums.

Saw them in 1983 at the Nags Head North (outside Toronto). One of the 
greatest live shows I've ever seen. These guys had a killer band and not 
only put on a decent tribute to The Turtles but the Zappa material as 
well.....and seeing Flo in a spandex body suit re-enacting Jennifer Beal's 
workout scene in "Flashdance" to the strains of 'Maniac' has scarred me for 
life :-)

Jaimie Vernon,
President, Bullseye Records
"Not Suing Our Customers Since 1985!!"
http://www.bullseyecanada.com
Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/