The holographic (well, pepper’s Ghost with bells and whistles) Frank Zappa tour is happening this May. The band in itself is pretty astonishing (Ray White, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Robert Martin, Ed Mann, and, sometimes, steve vai) so would be worth it without visuals. Whether good or cheesy, this looks like an evening well spent for Zapparians.
https://www.loudersound.com/news/frank-zappa-hologram-tour-is-coming-to-the-uk-in-may
Mike_H says
I don’t see Dweezil’s name there.
Does that mean it’s the brainchild of the Official Zappa Family Trust (i.e. Ahmet & Diva)?
Or have Dweezil and the ZFT now buried the hatchet (not in each other’s backs or heads)?
fortuneight says
Some kind of agreement was reached at the end of last year it seems.
https://mynewsla.com/business/2018/12/14/zappa-siblings-row-settled-with-pledges-to-be-more-amiable-open/
Dweezil’s not part of this as it’s a family trust backed project. I might have a go at getting a ticket.
Mike_H says
Seemingly Ed Mann and Scott Thunes no longer hate each other’s guts.
Bartleby says
Blimey. Having thought this pretty tasteless, that’s a pretty good line-up. Add Nappy and Ruth and I’d be down the front.
Mike_H says
What a band that was.
I’d love to see Ruth back playing live. A marvellous musician. The bit right at the end from 9m25s on shows just how good a player she was.
.
A shame George Duke is no longer among us too.
Bartleby says
That sounded dubbed, but I know the released version is based on a live cut.
What a band indeed. Surprised Chad W isn’t behind the drumstool. Too much to hope Terry Bozzio might join I suppose. And I’d alternate Steve Vai with Adrian Belew.
Mike_H says
Almost certainly some overdubs, particularly the harmony vocals must have been added later.
Chad Wackerman was seemingly one of the chief instigators of the collapse of the ’88 Zappa band before they completed their final tour. He and Thunes became deadly enemies on the road. A bit weird when the drummer and bassist of a band on tour seemingly hate each other’s guts. I don’t think he’s been involved in anything Zappa-related since, unlike quite a few of the others.
Mousey says
Actually I, ahem, played with Chad in 1993 at a Zappa 10th anniversary since he died gig. Chad was living in Sydney then; he’s since relocated back to the US. and mainly does clinics and teaching
Bartleby says
Wackerman always seemed v unassuming. I always thought it was Mann/Thunes that was the problem, rather than Wackerman, but my memory of that brilliant book (Zappa the Hard Way) are no doubt unreliable. It was unfortunate for him that his peak years coincided with fake-sounding electronic drums.