![]() We watched “Brainiac” and laughed at the dessert spoons being used to eat brains.” “He used to screen them on a projector in the basement when we were kids. “My dad loved cheesy monster movies,” Dweezil Zappa tells International Business Times during an extensive interview (see extensive interview Q&A below). Of course, during Zappa Plays Zappa’s upcoming performances, fans can expect to experience a rendition of “Cheapnis,” Zappa’s tribute to old horror movies, which, as any Zappa fanatic will tell you, features the appearance of the giant poodle dog Frunobulax. “Roxy & Elsewhere” will be also reissued on vinyl on Dec.10, along with “Uncle Meat,” another revered FZ album. On this current Zappa Plays Zappa tour, the group is celebrating the 40 th anniversary of Frank Zappa and the Mothers’ “Roxy & Elsewhere,” one of the quintessential live albums released by the late Zappa (1940-1993), who often unveiled new material, and plenty of “madness” along with it, on many of his live albums. On Thursday, Zappa Plays Zappa - the tribute band led by Frank’s son Dweezil - will carry on the Zappa Halloween tradition when it performs at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The maestro’s outrageous, superbly performed concerts at the Palladium in New York City in the late ’70s and early ’80s are legendary (for sonic proof, check out the “Live in New York” CD and the DVD audio “Halloween”). Zappa fans rejoice! Let's hope this paves the way for many more Zappa DVD releases.Halloween was always an important holiday for Frank Zappa. There are some minor flaws in the film stock, but the sound is spectacular on this overdue re-release. The packaging also contains a "secret dossier"-looking folder that has many of the credits, stills from the movie, and press clippings, as well as some copy that Zappa provided about the original release. There are also extensive credits both for the original release of the film as well as for the DVD, and some artifacts like the Motion Picture Association of America's certificate of an "R" rating. The DVD adds only a few items to the full-length version of the film (running time over two and a half hours): the original film trailer, two television commercials that were prepared, and a tantalizing trailer for The Roxy Performances (curiously dated 1999). Baby Snakes does a great job of portraying the mixture of tightly rehearsed music, structured improvisation, and inspired spontaneity that made Zappa live shows such fun (and why many fans saw night after night of shows). This is the very young and very talented Sheik Yerbouti band, consisting of Patrick O'Hearn (bass), Adrian Belew (guitar), Tommy Mars (keyboards), Terry Bozzio (drums), Peter Wolf (more keyboards), and Ed Mann (percussion) in addition to Zappa on guitar and vocals. ![]() ![]() The film itself is a mix of concert and backstage footage, along with some rehearsals and lots of disturbing, surreal, and brilliant clay animation courtesy of Bruce Bickford. ![]() "A film about people who do stuff that is not normal" mostly refers to the rabid New York audience, although the bandmembers themselves and special deranged guest Roy Estrada also have their fun. Just over a decade after Frank Zappa's premature death (December 4, 1993) comes the long-awaited release of Baby Snakes on DVD. ![]()
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