- LeBocal has issued a mini-cd to promote their Zappa album
- Jazzmosis recorded Frank Zappa's 'Blessed Relief' on their selftitled album
- Ossi Duri  : New Live album "Gnan Gnam" - due out in december
- Wrong Object feat. Ed Mann at Cucamong Radio show has been rescheduled to jan 10, 2005
 

And last but not least...

TERRY BOZZIO

• 2005/01/07 concert ‘concertzaal’, tilburg, NL (with afternoon rehearsal), concert at 20:30 h

• 2005/01/09 concert  ‘013 popcentrum’, tilburg, NL with metropole orchestra - seated, at 15.00 h

• 2005/01/10 masterclass '013 popcentrum', tilburg, NL – small set, at 20:00 h

• 2005/01/11 lecture/dialogue 'fontys conservatoire', tilburg, NL – with students, informal, at 15:00 h

• 2005/01/12 masterclass 'hedon', zwolle, NL – small set, at 15.30 h

• 2005/01/12 concert 'hedon', zwolle, NL - standing audience, at 20.45 h

• 2005/01/13 concert 'boerderij', zoetermeer, NL - standing audience, at 20.30 h

• 2005/01/15 concert 'jazzclub paradox', tilburg, NL – small venue, informal, small set, at 21.30 h

• 2005/01/16 project "railway location project", tilburg, NL – with advanced amateurs, at 19.30 h

THE GRANDE MOTHERS RE:INVENTED
THE ITALIAN TOUR 2005

www.thegrandmothers.com

Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada and Don Preston will once again team up with Ken Rosser and Christopher Garcia to bring you the music of Frank Zappa.

January 2005, they will be touring Italy:

• 2005/01/19 concert 'rock café', catania, italy

• 2005/01/21 concert 'marabu club', napoli, italy

• 2005/01/22 concert 'flog', firenze, italy

• 2005/01/23 concert 'jailbreak', roma, italy

• 2005/01/24 concert "jazz festival", 'citta' di castello (pg), italy

• 2005/01/25 concert 'alcatraz', milano, italy  - with special guest

• 2005/01/26 concert savona, italy

• 2005/01/27 concert 'america', torino, italy

• 2005/01/28 concert 'naima', forli, italy

• 2005/01/29 concert 'magic bus', venezia (marcon), italy

• 2005/01/30 concert 'teatro rossetti', trieste, italy
   (with seminary of pfm drummer franz di cioccio and music critic riccardo bertoncelli)

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO PAUL CARMAN

-- info: Jan van Kemenade
 

STEVE VAI

RAY COLLINS

I met Ray Collins washing dishes in a restaurant in Lahaina Hawaii in the summer of 1976. My friend said "There's a guy washing dishes at Renees who says he was the Mother's original singer." So I went down there to get a job so I could meet this guy, and when I was washing I pretended I didn't know who he was and I started singing "Be a jerk go to work" and other Zappa lyrics just to goof on the guy until he figured out I knew he was Ray Collins. Then he was like, "Yeah, I'm Ray Collins, I hired Frank Zappa in our band when the guitar player quit, we brought Frank in but he wrote all these new songs and became the leader because we all thought he was a genius, I sang on the first 4 albums from Freak Out to Weasels ripped my flesh. Zappa never partied or took any drugs, he was always in the studio making music. He changed the name of the band to the Mothers but we had to add "Of Invention" for the first album because the record company thought Mothers was too risque."

He told me lots of stuff like this, it's not exact quotes, best i can remember. He was in Hawaii because his daughter was going to Maui Community College. She was 19 same as me. So Collins was like 45 then maybe. He was a very nice guy, totally friendly, and totally broke. Zappa never gave him a penny for anything. He was sleeping on the beach and I slept there too because he found the best spot on the beach where there were no cops or anything. That's where people slept in Lahaina if they had no home...on the beach. He used his dish washing money to support his daughter.

He was very nice and I washed dishes with him for 1 week and left, and I grew up to be an optometrist.

-- Morgan Wright OD
 

JOHN TRUBEE

I don't believe in hexes and curses and spells.
I believe in human agency and human responsibility for all the choices that humans make.

Attributing the actions of gods and spirits and devils to circumstances under which humans suffer is a denial of the responsibility humans must take for their lives, and it's a denial of the innately tragic circumstances of life. Sometimes we suffer and there is no reason.
It's important to come to accept that aspect of existence rather than foisting it off as the product of imaginary entities.

One of my friends here scheduled her work hours around "Touched By An Angel" and would weekly cry while watching the blatherings and antics of Della Reese. I found her behavior so ridiculous that it helped to quell any desire I had to fuck her. Besides, she was a lousy lay and exuded the"don't touch me there" mentality of a frigid housewife. I have no time or patience for that.

John Trubee
PO Box 4921
Santa Rosa, CA 95402 USA
"A junkyard dog staked to a short chain chasing himself in tight circles of sorrow and madness"
 

MAGIC BAND

-- info: Ted Alvy
 

TRUBEE QUOTES CHEKOV

Furious card-playing, gourmandising, drinking, endless conversations about the same things, futile activities and conversations taking up the best part of the day and all the best of man's forces, leaving only a stunted, wingless life, just rubbish; and to go away and escape was impossible--one might as well be in a lunatic asylum or in a prison with hard labor."

--Anton Chekov
(from the short story 'The Lady With The Toy Dog')
 

UNIVERS ZERO

New official website for Univers Zero

http://univers-zero.com/

-- info: Michael Bohn
 

THE GRANDMOTHERS RE : INVENTED

Their latest concert was on 2004/08/08 in Aschaffenburg in Germany.

For proof & pictures go to http://www.mosemoses.de

-- correction by Moses
 

REZZIE COVERS

http://www.grapefruitage.com/duckstab/,

 and listen to Mason Shelby taking on 'Constantinople', Sinister Exaggerator', 'The Booker Tease', 'Blue Rosebuds', 'Laughing Song', 'Bach Is Dead' and 'Elvis And His Boss'.

-- info: Ive Hapers
 

THE RESIDENTS

http://www.residents.com/

• Australia concerts announced
• "Animal Lover", a new album, due out on February 14 on Mute
• various Commercial DVD screenings around the globe, even in Belgium...
• Residents Radio shows in the U.S. of A. and in Japan.

-- info: Ive Hapers

MAMA MOON

ZAPPA PAINTING

• 12 inches by 13.5 inches

ADDED DATA & PICTURES

ROBERT WILLIAMS

-- info: Charles Ulrich
 

THE NASAL RETENTIVE ORCHESTRA

• nasal retentive orchestra: live
      (2004, cd, fr, pickaboo nro 004)
   
  • Album number four for the Nasal Retentive Orchestra.
    I was fortunate enought to see the band live in 2002 at the Zappanale festival. The moment where Jeff Marschalle blew up a chicken with (minor) explosives is a scene that I vividly remember. Behind all the theatrical aspects, however, the Nasal Retentive Orchestra knows how to perform Zappa's music live. It shouldn't suprise you that the band has a certain fondness for the early Mothers material. Songs like 'Absolutely Free' and 'Idiot Bastard Son' bring out the best in the NRO. Christophe Delbrouck's pieces fit in great with the Zappa ones, making this a superb album.
    An great way to start the new year...
  • Check out www.nro.fr.st, or ask your local Zappa dealer.

NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW NEW

MIKE KENEALLY AND BRYAN BELLER: PRO LINE MUSIC

• 2004/10/01 mike keneally & bryan beller  - workshop "pro line music", fairless hills, pa, usa

  • soundcheck * l'il * hello * guitar talk * live in japan * guitar talk * dee en'a * desired effect * i'm afraid * splane * potato * q&a * inca roads

MIKE KENEALLY TAYLOR GUITAR WORKSHOP

There's another fine Mike Keneally concert circulating: the "Taylor Guitars Workshop" that MK did in King Of Prussia in Philadelphia. Great gig.
The track referred to as "The Zappa Audition" is MK answering some questions from the public. One of these is about his Zappa audition. It's quite a funny story (MK knows how to tell a story), and he even plays the intro from 'What's New In Baltimore' on his acoustic guitar.

• 2004/11/19 mike keneally  - guitar workshop, 'Sam Ash Music', King of Prussia, PA, usa

  • pride is a sin * splane * 5 legs * and your bird can sing * machupicchu * father's day * the zappa audition * raining sound * rosemary girl * 1988 was a million years ago * potato * physics * performing miracles * aye-aye monster

  • a 95-minute video recording of this workshop circulates on DVDR.

ANOTHER ZAPPA DVD BOOTLEG

• frank zappa: a token of his extreme
      (2004, dvd-bootleg, ??, wow corporation wow-086)
   
  • This is the "Pixel Dust" nephew. From the same Wow Corporation...
    "A Token Of His Extreme" is the third (!!) bootleg DVD (factory pressed) with this title. Probably just done to confuse you and me. Well, this one presents the 1993/03/11 show from BBC television. Nothing really new, but a nice package, though:
     

  • king kong (from "colour me pop")

  • this town is a sealed tuna sandwich (from "200 motels)

  • cosmik debris (from "kcet-tv special")

  • city of tiny lites (from "baby snakes")

  • stink-foot (from "kcet-tv special")

  • baby snakes (bickford animation)

  • stevie's spanking (from "you are what you is")

  • inca roads (from "kcet-tv special")

  • san bernadino (from "baby snakes")

  • night school (bickford animation)

  • you are what you is (official video)

  • camarillo brillo (from "baby snakes")

  • muffin man (from "baby snakes")

  • g-spot tornado (official video)

  • montana (from "kcet-tv special")

  • black napkins (from "baby snakes")

STEVE VAI ON TOUR

THE OFFICIAL STEVE VAI NEWSLETTER: SPECIAL MAIL OUT - December 17, 2004.

STEVE VAI: REAL ILLUSIONS TOUR
SATURDAY PRE-SALES AND "EVO PREMIUM EXPERIENCE" PACKAGE!

The next round of our exclusive Vai.com ticket pre-sales for the 2005 Real Illusions tour will begin Saturday December 18, 2004 at 12 noon in the local time for each show.

We will also begin selling our exclusive "EVO PREMIUM EXPERIENCE" package as an optional upgrade to your ticket purchase.

The following cities are going on sale Saturday, December 18 at 12 noon - local time for each show:

2005/03/01 - Phoenix, AZ
2005/03/02 - Albuquerque, NM (Note: 21+ Venue)
2005/03/08 - Memphis, TN
2005/03/25 - Hartford, CT
2005/03/30 - Sayreville, NJ
2005/03/31 - Boston, MA
2005/04/07 - Columbus, OH

ACCESS THE PRE-SALES HERE: http://www.stevevai.tickets.musictoday.com

THE EVO PREMIUM EXPERIENCE: $125 (plus ticket price)

The EVO Premium Experience is an option that you can add to your Vai.com pre-sale ticket purchase, that allows you the exciting opportunity to see Steve and the band prepare for a show; and the ability to ask Steve questions in an intimate group discussion.  Availability is VERY limited for each show - so don't miss out.  The package includes:

• Preferred seating where applicable.
• The opportunity to attend a portion of soundcheck. (Usually no less than 15 minutes.)
• An intimate pre-show group Q&A/Discussion session with Steve. (Usually no less than 15 minutes.)
• A special EVO Laminate that allows entrance to the portion of soundcheck, Q&A, as well as early entry into the venue where possible.
• An autographed "Real Illusions: Reflections" CD booklet.
• An audio CD exclusive to the tour - containing a commentary by Steve Vai on each track of "Real Illusions" along with audio snippets, plus a bonus track that does not appear on the album.
• Deluxe Tour Program
• Special Guitar Pick

As mentioned above, the "EVO Premium Experience" will be available as an "add-on" to our exclusive ticket pre-sales through Vai.com. People wishing to purchase the EVO package should choose the "EVO Premium Experience" when ordering on our online store.

Premium package items will be given to you on the evening of the show. You will receive an email with further instructions on what time to attend the "EVO Premium Experience", along with answers to other frequently asked questions as the tour draws nearer.

IMPORTANT: You must bring photo ID, and a printout of your purchase confirmation for the EVO package, with you to the show.

• NO babes in arms
• NO video cameras
• NO recording devices
• NO flash photography*  (* Cameras allowed subject to venue policy)
• All sales are final
• Passes are NOT transferrable
• Persons who appear drunk or intoxicated will not be allowed into the EVO Premium Experience.

More information on the EVO Premium Experience will be posted on the Tour Dates page.

To see all dates for the 2005 Real Illusions US Tour, visit our Tour Dates page:
http://www.vai.com/News/tourdates.html

Stay glued to Vai.com for more pre-sales in the coming days!
 

additions, corrections, ...

• Tim Buckley  (thanks to Nico Robbemont & Danny Mathys)
• Wrong Object feat. Ed Mann at Cucamong Radio show has been rescheduled to jan 10, 2005

NEW ZAPPA BOOTLEGS FROM JAPAN

• frank zappa: fillmore east,1971 unreleased tracks & trance fusion
      (2004, cd-bootleg, japan, fap 006) - including the first part of "trance fusion"
• frank zappa: two faces of zappa
      (2004, cd-bootleg, japan, ??) - including the second part of "trance fusion"

TERRY BOZZIO

• bozzio / wackerman: alternative duets - volume 1
      (2000, cd, usa, slam international)
• bozzio / wackerman: alternative duets - volume 2
      (2000, cd, usa, slam international)

-- info: Gerard Wissink
 

ZAPPANALE 15

• various artists: zappanale 15 - retrospective
      (2004, dvd, ger, the arf society)
   
  • The first of the two DVD's to emerge from the 2004 Zappanale festival is the retrospective one. The second on, due out in a couple of months, will highlight the Frogg Café, the Ensemble Creativ and the Zappa Graduates concerts.
    But, as I said, this is the retrospective one.
    Lots of nice shots & interviews. But why is the Ed Mann & Friends part so short?
    
    Anyway, if you were at the 2004 edition of Zappanale, you'll need this. It's better than a photo-album and it even comes with sound.

• various artists: zappanale # 15
      (2004, 3cd, ger, arf society)
   
  • Three days of Zappa music, on three discs, that's what this album is all about. Including numerous fabulous moments: Arf, Frogg Café, Mats/Morgan Band, Przasniczki, the Wrong Object, The Grandmothers, Ed Mann, ..., this set gives a fine idea of what Zappanale was like. Sure, it does include a bunch of non-Zappa related tracks, a couple of Tornadoes who had trouble surfing, and it does lack the Ed Mann performance from Sunday afternoon (a pity, I really liked it), but this album is still a great addition to your collection.
    Make Santa read this and tell him to check out the Arf Sociecty web page.

NEW ZAPPA SAMPLER

• frank zappa: the best of frank zappa
      (2004, cd, uk, ryko rcd10588)
   
  • It must be December...
    
    The latest Zappa sampler is called "The Best Of Frank Zappa". It almost has the same tracks as the "Strictly Commercial" album.

NEW FRANK ZAPPA BOOTLEGS

• frank zappa: payback cologne
      (2004, cd-bootleg, ger, moustache's magic music mmm 04/41-42)
   
  • "Payback Cologne" is a brand-new Zappa bootleg album, presenting the 1982/05/21 concert in Cologne, Germany. "Payback" was the name of the episode of Miami Vice that featured FZ as drugs dealer Mario Fuente, hence the cover.

• frank zappa: honey, don't you want a man like me?
      (2004, cd-bootleg, ger, moustache's magic music mmm 04/43-44)
   
  • The latest title on the Moustache's Magic Music label is called "Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me?". The digipack includes the complete October 23, 1975 concert, featuring FZ, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Andre Lewis, Terry Bozzio and Roy Estrada.

WM recordings

http://www.wmrecordings.com/index2.htm

Check it out !!

THE GEORGE DUKE BAND

LARAMIE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE WIND SYMPHONY

THE AGON ORCHESTRA

THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC

THE METROPOLIS ORCHESTRA

• 2004/12/18 The Metropolis Orchestra
  concert 'scimmie', milano, italy

WRONG OBJECT & ED MANN

Januari 10, Zjakki Willems' Cucamonga radio shows at Belgian Radio 1 will broadcast a part of this concert.

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART BOOTLEG

• captain beefheart: live from copenhagen 10.31.1975
       (????, cd-bootleg, ??, click clack records)
   
  • I don't know too much about this disc. I can only say that it's titled "Live From Copenhagen, 10.31.1975", subtitled "Beefheart The Visionary" on the booklet. It sounds like it was recorded in a big hall. Quality could have been better, but it's a nice concert, including a very fine version of 'Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead', written by Frank Zappa, and recorded by Zappa & Van Vliet for the Bongo Fury album.

LARRY GROSSMAN

http://www.retrovisions.com/

-- info: Charles Ulrich
 

MORE ON COSMOSIS PRODUCTIONS

Jordan Shapiro was kind enough to add the following info:

Jordan Shapiro: I was the musical director/guitarist/keyboardist for the production of "Joe's Garage" at University of Michigan in April 1999. There's a bunch of info about the show on the cosmosisproductions.com site, but I guess you probably already read that if you were on the site.

Basically, the show was an idea of mine starting in 1995, when I graduated from high school in Connecticut and that summer got involved in a small-scale local-community theatre production of "Pink Floyd's The Wall". I went away to college and pretty much all 4 years, I was planning on putting on a stage adaptation of "Joe's Garage" during my final year there. During the planning stages that year of '98 - '99, it snowballed and before I knew it, there were about 50 other students from
all disciplines (visual artists, dancers, actors, graphic designers, animators, set designers, technical artists/designers, etc etc.) excited about being involved with the show. It turned into a very large-scale event, all run by students aged 19 - 21.

Through a random connection, we got ahold of Ike Willis, who was thrilled about our production and our invitation to attend the production and become involved. (he sat in with the band for a bunch of songs).  To his knowledge, at that time, there had never been a stage production of "Joe's Garage". (since then, I think it has been put on by other production companies).

We had use of state-of-the-art equipment thanks to a VERY tech-savvy university, so we were able to document the show very well. The video editing process took about 3 years to complete, due to the fact that we all left the univeristy either that year or the year later and had trouble getting use of editing machines.  But it is completely edited now, with interesting additional material added in to complement the feel and overtones of the piece.

Thanks for the interest in the show.

Jordan Shapiro
www.cosmosisproductions.com

IKE WILLIS PROJECT IN CONCERT

Ike Willis Project in concert 2004/12/07 in San Francisco.

from slime.oofytv.set:

Caught this show last night at the Boomboom Room, 2nd ever gig for the Ike Willis Project , the band played mostly the same set as the last gig in May, but sounded a bit more polished/rehearsed.

1st set was ike's compositions, some great tunes, especially the opener instrumental. After about half a dozen songs, his throat took a hit - sounded just fine to me - then a new reggae dancehall number, the band can lay down a irie groove when they get  warmed up.
Threw in a couple of early Beatles tunes including ‘I'll Be Back’.

2nd set was billed as a shred guitar duel [by the evening's host, guitar player mag] between Ike & Mike O'Dell but Ike kinda rolled his eyes & disclaimed 'you do the math'.
It was an interesting duet jam rather than a duel with Ike playin rhythm & Mike experimenting on lead with a good dose of effects all 'round.

The highlight of the evening was back-to-back ‘Black Napkins’ & ‘Outside Now’. After ‘Black Napkins’, Ike says 'This song was written by a friend for me' and launches into ‘Outside Now’, Marley's ‘Runnin Away’, then ‘Filthy Habits’ & ending the set in true style with ‘Muffin Man’.

All for the nominal service charge of 10 bucks, plus guitar player mag people were handing out free copies of this month's & last month's [article on Keneally & Mike Stern in Jan '05] issue.
Ike's now living in s.f. & says he'll be performing around town with some regularity.
 

MARC GODFROID &  RONY VERBIEST

-- info: Ive Hapers

I saw them in Antwerp about half a year ago, and they really kicked ass. Hope to see you in Sint-Jozef Rijkevorsel.

• 2004/12/29 Marc Godfroid & Rony Verbiest  - concert 'zaal alma', sint-jozef rijkevorsel, belgium
   

WEIRDO NAFFN

Live, they have been performing other Zappa compositions as well: 'Outside Now', 'Bamboozled By Love'.
 

KLIMPEREI

1. Their fab website is at: http://klimperei.free.fr

2. The Klimperei cover of a Residents tune is not on their first k7 release, but on a compilation on Underground Productions, called "Hommage To The Residents". (More news soon)
 

ZOMBY WOOF

-- info: Mauro Porzi
 

MAGIC BAND DVD

www.subdiva.com
 

MIX VAN DAT ALLES

-- info: Aad Hoogesteger
 

STUMUK

I know Stumuk;
I worked on the Lester Chambers thing.
It's the same guy...he's a really, really cool guy. Still has the big white beard.
 

ZAPPA BOOTLEG DVD: PIXEL DUST

• frank zappa: pixel dust
      (2004, dvd-bootleg, ??, wow corperation wow-087)
   
  • I received a DVDR copy called "Pixel Dust" a couple of months ago. Excellent material.
    And now, I know why it was called Pixel Dust... The source is a very impressive factory pressed bootleg DVD. Just take a look at the cover.
    The disc presents recordings from "The Bitter End", "Colour Me Pop" and the complete "Beat Club" show.

THE CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER BAND

MAIS UM TRIBUTO AO MESTRE FRANK ZAPPA !

 Desta vez na cidade de São Carlos, interior de São Paulo

 A The Central Scrutinizer Band vai tocar dia 9 de dezembro, quinta feira...no Sesc de São Carlos!

 Você, do interior de São Paulo, viaje e venha ouvir grandes obras do mestre Frank Zappa...

Não haverá arrependimentos

 Dia 9 de dezembro - quinta feira - às 20h30 horas -  Sesc São Carlos

R. Com. Alfredo Massei, 700 - 16 - 272 7555

 www.scrutinizer.com.br

• 2004/12/09 the central scrutinizer band, concert São Carlos, brasil

ZAPPAFEST IN MILWAUKEE

Announcing the 5th annual Zappafest where local bands get together and perform nothing but Frank Zappa tunes. This year's line up includes "Dr. Chow's Love Medicine", "Dog Feud" and "Dupree's Paradise".

Shank Hall is at 1431 N. Farwell. Cover is only $7.00 and it starts at 9:00 pm.

More info from Fly, after I asked him:

I don't know what to tell you besides that once a year, we gather together to play tribute to Zappa.

These bands don't play him much, or at all, the rest of the year. The band I play guitar with is "Dr. Chow's Love Medicine".  Others this year include "Dupree's Paradise" and "Dog Feud".  Also playing will be Mark Shurilla and "Wowie Zowie".  Mark usually plays the music of Buddy Holly and Roy Orberson during the summer to make money and also performs as "McTavish" doing Irish Rock.  He is also in "The Electric Assholes", or "the Blackholes" when they have to censor their name, doing polka punk.  I do not think any of us has a web site.  I am not the organizer but have played every year with Dr. Chow.  The guy who does put it together is Jeff Platt.

But, as I said, one night a year, next Saturday the 11th, we will be only doing Zappa.

• 2004/12/11 Zappafest at the Shank Hall in Milwaukee.

Almost 40 years ago...

CKUA

check out

http://www.ckua.org/

 they are starting a Z series today

that you can enjoy online.

look for alpha beta zappa

-- info: mick & theo

FAST 'N BULBOUS - THE CAPTAIN BEEFHEART PROJECT

Well, after a silence of a couple of years, it looks like their debut album will be released on Cuneiform next January.

-- info: Danny Mathys
 

CHRIS OPPERMAN MAILING LIST - 2004/12/06

Brought to you by www.oppymusic.com.
To order go to www.oppymusic.com/order.html or www.cdbaby.com/opperman
or call toll-free 1-877-MAD-PHAT (for ordering purposes only, please).

Well, yesterday we had a nice rainy Sunday afternoon.  Johnny D. and I shot some interview footage of myself here at Oppy Central yesterday morning, followed by a lovely in-depth interview with Kat Parsons at her place for the forthcoming Special Opps: Live @ Level One DVD.  She even performed a brand new song for us called "I'll Make You Happy," which, well, made us happy.  Okay!  The exciting news! 

* Andre LaFosse/Jettson/Chris Opperman show TOMORROW NIGHT!
* *** Album #4 - Made-up Songs - STREET DATE 12/21! ***
* Oppy Music Still on Sale!

* Andre LaFosse/Jettson/Chris Opperman show TOMORROW NIGHT!

This Tuesday, December 7th, will be my last show of the year @ Level One (6311 Wilshire).  Andre LaFosse will be opening @ 9:00, followed by Jettson @ 9:30 after which I will be doing a short solo set.  It'll be a really fun night and I hope to see you there.

* Album #4 - Made-up Songs - STREET DATE 12/21!

Thanks to a new program at DiscMakers that lets me custom create up to 500 CD's with a 2-business day turnaround, I'm extremely pleased to announce that my fourth album (and first live album) will be in your mailboxes by Christmas Day!  Pre-orders will begin Monday after Scott Chatfield and I finish mastering the album.  The purchase price is $20 (which includes FREE Priority Mail shipping in the Continental U.S.!  Overseas customers, please e-mail me and we'll figure out how much Global Priority Shipping costs to get to your country) and all orders will be shipped on Saturday, December 18th. 

I put together a "final" track listing this weekend and listened to it and that got me very excited about it!  It's also the longest album I've ever done, with 19 brand-new songs!  I think it will all fit on one CD, but I might have to lose a song if it doesn't.

• Special Opps 1. Lestat's Soundcheck
  (Lestat's, San Diego, 2004)

• Special Opps 2. Sad Teenager Wars
  (Acoustic Playhouse, W. Hollywood, 2003)

• Chris Opperman/Andre LaFosse 3. Miles Behind
  (Crooked Bar, W. Hollywood, 2002)

• Special Opps 4. Reap the Whirlwind
  (Lestat's, San Diego, 2004)

• Chris Opperman & Friends 5. ARRRby's
  (Un-Urban, Santa Monica, CA, 2003)

• Chris Opperman 6. Balanchine
  (Crooked Bar, W. Hollywood, 2002)

• Chris Opperman/Andre LaFosse 7. In Sophia's Silent Dream
  (Oppy Central, Los Angeles, 2001)

• Special Opps 8. Grey Areas
  (Lestat's, San Diego, 2004)

• Chris Opperman & Friends 9. Taro Lucious I
  (Un-Urban, Santa Monica, CA 2003)

• Chris Opperman & Friends 10. Taro Lucious II
  (Un-Urban, Santa Monica, CA 2003)

• Chris Opperman 11. Theme from "Failure"
  (Crooked Bar, W. Hollywood, 2002)

• Special Opps 12. Hitchhiker (Prototype)
  (Acoustic Playhouse, W. Hollywood, 2003)

• Special Opps 13. The Walls are Coming Down
  (Lestat's, San Diego, 2004)

• Chris Opperman 14. Reminisce (When I Was a Baby Universe)
  (Crooked Bar, W. Hollywood, 2002)

• Special Opps 15. Build a Funky Loop
  (Lestat's, San Diego, 2004)

• Special Opps 16. Don't Forget About Dre
  (Lestat's, San Diego, 2004)

• Chris Opperman 17. Thank You for Not Stopping the Tape While I'm Improvising
  (Acoustic Playhouse, W. Hollywood, 2003)

• Special Opps feat. Kat Parsons 18. Someone to Watch Over Me/To Return to You
  (Acoustic Playhouse, W. Hollywood, 2003)

• Chris Opperman/Andre LaFosse 19. Film Projector (Out of Focus)
  (Oppy Central, Los Angeles, 2001)

* Oppy Music on Sale Through Christmas!

My entire (current) catalog is still on sale for the special sale price of $30 (plus shipping), which includes Oppy Music I, Klavierstucke, and Concepts of Non-linear Time, so it's basically buy 2 and get 1 free. 

Here is the link to order!  They make great stocking stuffers!  (You will need to copy this entire link into your browser...if you need any help, just e-mail me or call 1-877-MAD-PHAT).

http://www.madphat.com/cgi-bin/sc/order.cgi?storeid=*1eb18c95ca0023947870e496d99f6fba0b&dbname=products&itemnum=876&function=add

That's all for now!  Music is the best.

Chris Opperman
 

ZAPPANALE GRAPEVINE

• The brand-new triple CD set with highlights from Zappanale 15 is out;
   
• Two DVD's will be published as well: one is ready to be shipped, the other one will be ready soon;
   
• There's a draft version of the Zappanale 16 line-up circulating. It includes two of my favourite bands: Doctor Dark, as well as Corrie (van Binsbergen) en de Grote Brokken... Hope they can make it.
   
• Other names mentioned are: Weirdo Naffn, The Grand Wazoo, Final Virus, the Paul Green School of Rock, Guru Guru, Alamall, Yahozna, WSTEP, Metropolis Orchestra, the Zappin Buzz Band, the Short Budget Orchestra, the NDR Radio Big Band, Discus and Bogus Pomp (!!!)
   
• Special guests for Zappanale 16: Napoleon Murphy Brock, Ike Willis, Frank Goos

ZAPPA 1971 TOUR BOOK

ZAPPA BOOTLEG: TEARS BEGAN TO FALL

• frank zappa & the mothers of invention: tears began to fall
      (????, cd-bootleg, italy, alegra records)
   

  • I don't have too much info on this cd-bootleg, but as I added the title to the bootleg listing, I thought I'd share the picture with you.

December 7, 2004
Keneally does his promo thing, and a couple of updates
 

THE KENEALLIST: December 2, 2004

THE KENEALLIST: December 2, 2004

Another San Diego show to announce --- please bring everyone you've ever met to this:

AN EVENING WITH MIKE KENEALLY AND THE ELECTRIC NOTEBOOK
Mike Keneally: guitar, keyboards, vocals
Rick Musallam: guitar, vocals
Wes Wehmiller: bass
Joe Travers: drums
8:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 15, 2004
BELLY UP TAVERN - 143 South Cedros Avenue - Solana Beach, CA 92075 (just north of San Diego) - 858-481-8140
$15 at the door

This was going to be a Mike Keneally Band gig, but Beller and Nick were unavailable, so I got in touch with two of the most frightening musicians known to man, Joe Travers and Wes Wehmiller.  Those of you who attended our Baked Potato show with Joe a few weeks ago can attest to his unbelievableness (tracks from the show can be requested at http://www.radiokeneally.com so you can hear the magic for yourself).  Joe, of course, has been tremendously busy as the Zappas' Vaultmeister for the past several years, and has worked on all of the recent, wonderful Zappa archive audio and video releases (he is the "Joe" of "Joe's Corsage" and "Joe's Domage").  But never forget that this jewel of a man is first and foremost a beast of a drummer, who did a lot of superb damage on stage with Beer For Dolphins in the mid-nineties.  Wes Wehmiller is a long time member of our musical family - he attended Berklee way back when with Travers and Beller, took part in Bryan Beller's "View" album and live performance, engineered my recording of "No God's A Man" for the Gentle Giant tribute CD, toured for years with Joe Travers in Duran Duran etc. etc. - he's been around for many a year, but this marks his first performance playing Keneally music, and all of us are seriously jazzed to hear this.

We want a lot of people at this show, please!  We'd love to play bigger shows in my hometown more often, so drag whomsoever you can, by the scruff of the neck, over to the Belly-Up on Dec. 15.  Remember, that's capital "B," followed by "elly Up."   

Thank you to those among you who made it to last night's Lestat's acoustic gig - Rick Musallam and I had a good time very severely.  The two-acoustic guitar format is rare for us and a lot of fun to do.  The weirdest thing about Lestat's is that the stage lights are REALLY bright, so even though the audience is RIGHT THERE you still can't see anyone from the stage (I was only just about able to see Bob Tedde's face, and he was about a foot and a half away from me in the front row).  And the audience was so attentive (thank you) that they hardly ever made a sound - so it kind of felt like Rick and I were just playing away in some remote ball of light.  It actually worked real well, we had a nice show. 

Uh-oh!  Watch out for ----

E X C I T I N G   G I F T S   F O R   T H E   H O L I D A Y   S E A S O N F R O M    M O O S E M A R T . C O M

(Sing along now)

Deck the walls with EXOWAX Recordings
(My, oh my, oh hey, just listen to that)
Shower your loved ones with CDs aplenty
(Fa la la, that's right, you heard me sucka)
Grandma gets a large DOG T-shirt
(Nonkertompf, Dancing, DOG, Wooo-den Smoooke)
Order now and you'll be happy
(Ra do da de daaaa, Da Doo Run Runnnnn)

(humming continues)

Available now for pre-order at Moosemart!  http://www.moosemart.com
Mike Keneally's solo piano recordings of the music of Steve Vai in the luxurious "VAI PIANO REDUCTIONS VOL.1"!  Delivery begins the moment smudge-free copies exist and are delivered to us (a printing error in the artwork doomed the first run of CDs, unfortunately).  Only copies ordered from Moosemart will have a gen-yoo-wine Mark Keneally autograph (sorry, I mean Mike) rendered in lovely golden rendering. 

Available now for immediate purchase at Moosemart! 
DOG Special Edition - CD/DVD set, numbered and autographed by me!  
Wooden Smoke Special Edition - not many left of these signed 2-CD sets, I say!
The Universe Will Provide/Parallel Universe double CD extravagazna - only $20 brings you orchestral fulfillment!

Plus the marvelously black DOG/PLAY LOUD shirt, the beauteous UNIVERSE WILL PROVIDE shirt in both standard shirty-shirt and comely ladies' T, and many other items you can shake a stick at, if you choose!

So that's MOOSEMART......this HOLIDAY....for YOU!!!!

(Stridently):
FA LA LA LA LAAA, and HIIIIII DEEEEEEE HOOOOOOOOO.

Thanks everyone!  Good night!  Drive safely!
Mike

Honk!  Honk!  Why, it's Wobbles, the goose!





*

COSMOSIS PRODUCTIONS

from: Cosmosis Productions

The world premiere of the live stage adapatation of "Joe's Garage" was put on by Cosmosis Productions in Ann Arbor, MI in April 1999 at the University of Michigan by 50+ students, w/ sp. guest Ike Willis. The show featured a 7-piece band, 6 modern dancers, a full cast of 10, a larger-than-life Scrutinizer, projections featuring character and digital animation, and quadraphonic sound design. Shot with 6 DV cameras, the show has been edited and put on DVD.

A FREE screening will take place in Brooklyn, NY at Galapagos in Williamsburg on Sat. Dec. 4. at 11PM http://www.galapagosartspace.com

http://www.cosmosisproductions.com (download scenes from the show)

Come earlier at 9PM for a free concert by THE PLUTONIC FORMS performing music from the 2001 off-Broadway 'media melt rock odyssey' "Fortune Cookie Dreams"... (featuring members of Project/Object)
 

TWO NEW ZAPPA BOOTLEGS

Two brand-new Zappa bootleg CD's have surfaced. Both on the Moustache's Magic Music label. More info soon.

• frank zappa: payback cologne

2 cd digipak - mmm-04 41/42 - 1982/05/21 concert

frank zappa, steve vai, bobby martin, tommy mars, scott thunes, chad wackerman

disc one
1. soundcheck; 2. zoot allures; 3. band introduction; 4. sofa; 5. fine girl; 6. easy meat; 7. dead girls of london; 8. something special to fritz rau ("spargelsong"); 9. shall we take ourselves seriously?; 10. what's new in baltimore*; 11, moggio; 12. drowning witch; 13. envelopes; 14. bamboozled by love; 15. let's move to cleveland (beg.)
disc two
1. drowning witch (end); 2. let's move to cleveland; 3. tinseltown rebellion; 4. approximate; 5. cosmik debris; 6. doreen; 7. goblin girl; 8. the black page #2; 9. sharleena; 10. intro (first encore); 11. strictly genteel; 12. intro (second encore); 13. no, no cherry; 14. the man from utopia; 15. mary lou; 16. intro (third encore); 17. whippin' post.

• frank zappa: honey, don't you want a man like me

2 cd digipak - mmm-04 43/44 - 1975/10/23 concert boston

frank zappa, napoleon murphy brock, andre lewis, terry bozzio, roy estrada

disc one
1. overture; 2. stage announcer; 3. intro; 4. blues jam; 5. band introduction; 6. stinkfoot; 7. dirty love; 8. how could i be such a fool; 9. i ain't got no heart; 10. i'm not satisfied; 11. black napkins; 12. honey, don't you want a man like me; 13. the illinois enema bandit; 14. advance romance; 15. carolina hard-core ecstasy; 16. lonely little girl
disc two
1. take your clothes of when you dance; 2. what's the ugliest part of your body?; 3. chunga's revenge; 4. drum solo; 5. zoot allures; 6. variations (any downers parts); 7. swallow my pride; 8. camarillo brillo; 9. muffin man; 10. i'm the slime; 11. san ber'dino

ZAPPA BOOTLEG: PIQUENTIQUE - SYDNEY 1973

• frank zappa & the mothers: piquantique - sydney 1973
      (????, 2cd-bootleg, ??, killing floor kf 99039/40)
   

  • This factory pressed bootleg album dates from a couple of years ago. It presents the entire 1973/07/08 concert from Sydney, Australia, with one of my favourite line-ups: Frank Zappa, Ian Underwood, Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Bruce Fowler, Tom Fowler, Jean-Luc Ponty and Ralph Humphrey plus Barry Leef as special guest on 'Road Ladies'.
    Tough one to find.
    
     

THE RESIDENTS

THE RESIDENTS
BRAND NEW ALBUM RELEASE
ANIMAL LOVERS - OUT 14th FEBRUARY 2005

"Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate in their object-relations." - Sigmund Freud

The Residents have announced details of a brand new album, their first for Mute, to be released on Valentine's Day 2005. "Animal Lovers" follows the 25th Anniversary re-release of the Commercial Album in the Autumn of 2004.

When Charles Darwin first proposed in the late 1800's that homo sapiens had evolved from and were in fact a species of animal, many humans were horrified. Humans had an unusual need to feel superior, something their fellow animal associates had never quite understood. When Sigmund Freud, a few years later, destroyed the accepted opposition between sanity and madness by locating "normality" on a sliding scale, the poor humans were even more shocked. Taking a step beyond Darwin, Freud believed that the human was an animal in conflict, and informing the human of that very simple concept seemed to only increase the conflict.

In The Residents' "Animal Lover", the creatures who don't really mind if they are animals take an existential look at the upright animal whose normality is sliding toward the wrong end of the spectrum. The human beasts live in a world of primal darkness, their heads forever stuck in the ground like frightened ostriches living in a constant murky dream state.

In creating this picture book of animal tales, The Residents wanted to include a soundtrack that related directly to "animal love." The result is an imaginative CD whose rhythm tracks are based entirely on animal noise mating patterns generated primarily by cicadas and frogs. Also the actual sounds o