KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Speaking of Music: Frank Zappa (1984), 1 of 2

Digital Audio

Event Type

Interview and Music

Identifier

SOM.1984.05.20.c1.A

Program Series

Speaking of Music

Program Length

134 min

Part

1 of 2

Dates

1984-08-05 | broadcast
| 1984-05-20 | created

Description

In an interview recorded on May 20, 1984, before a live audience as part of the San Francisco Exploratorium's Speaking of Music series, Charles Amirkhanian speaks with Frank Zappa about his forays into, and subsequent retreat from, the world of so called “serious” music.

Introductions are made by Frank Oppenheimer, the founding Director of the Exploratorium.

Zappa begins his remarks with the proclamation that Art in America is dead. He then lays the blame for its moribund state on schools that have ceased to educate, a mass media that only entertains but never explores, and the tendency of those who do still attend cultural events to be only interested in being seen and drinking copious amounts of white wine. During the first half of the program Zappa plays excerpts from a number of projects, including performances of his music by the London Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble InterContemporain, as well as a number of works composed on the Synclavier, one of the first digital synthesizers. The later part of the program is devoted to a reading of a hilarious play Zappa had written about the obscure 18th century Italian composer, and possible namesake, Francesco Zappa. Interspersed among the music and readings, Zappa takes rapid fire questions from the enthusiastic crowd, who are not disappointed by his sometimes outrageous answers and anecdotes, be it about faking a chamber music performance, the deceleration that tobacco is food, composing minimal music using an Echoplex and a chimpanzee, or simply talking about touring, upcoming releases, and his children’s careers. All in all it is a remarkable program that offers an opportunity to investigate aspects of Frank Zappa’s art that fans of his rock music may be unaware of but which will not fail to amuse or illuminate.

Genres

Popular music
Avant-garde

Musical Selections

[excerpts from the re-mastered album “Lumpy Gravy”] (ca.1967) (1:28) / Frank Zappa -- Mo ‘n Herbs Vacation [1st movement, remixed] (ca. 1983) (4:50) / Frank Zappa -- Love Story (ca. 1984) (0:57)) / Frank Zappa -- Naval Aviation in Art? (ca. 1984) (2:28) / Frank Zappa -- The Girl in the Magnesium Dress [excerpt] (ca. 1984) (2:46) / Frank Zappa -- Jonestown [excerpt] (ca. 1984) (5:23) / Frank Zappa -- While You Were Out (ca. 1981) (5:50) / Frank Zappa -- While You Were Art (ca. 1984) (7:13) / Frank Zappa

Performers

David Ocker, clarinet soloist (Mo)
London Symphony Orchestra (Mo)
Kent Nagano, conductor (Mo)
Barking Pumpkin Digital Gratification Consort, a.k.a. synclavier (Love ; Girl ; Jonestown)
Ensemble InterContemporain, (Naval)
Pierre Boulez, conductor, (Naval)
Frank Zappa, lead guitar (While)
Warren Cuccurullo, rhythm guitar (While)
Vinnie Colaiuta, drums (While)

Subjects

Rock music
Orchestral music
Computer music
Instrumental music

Related places

San Francisco (Calif.) (was recorded at)
Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)

Related Entities

Oppenheimer, Frank, 1912-1985
Amirkhanian, Charles
Zappa, Frank
London Symphony Orchestra
Ensemble InterContemporain
Ocker, David
Nagano, Kent, 1951-
Boulez, Pierre, 1925-2016
Cuccurullo, Warren
Colaiuta, Vinnie