Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: R.I.P. Gail Zappa

  1. #1
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122

    R.I.P. Gail Zappa

    Just noticed Adrian Belew's post that Gail Zappa has passed away...
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  2. #2
    Connoisseur of stuff. Obscured's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    980
    "Henry Cow always wanted to push itself, so sometimes we would write music that we couldn't actually play – I found that very encouraging." - Lindsay Cooper, 1998
    "I have nothing to do with Endless River. Phew! This is not rocket science people, get a grip." - Roger Waters, 2014
    "I'm a collector. And I've always just seemed to collect personalities." - David Bowie, 1973

  3. #3
    I vote this thread be moved to the main forum.

  4. #4
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    Gail Zappa

    January 1, 1945 - October 7, 2015

    Gail Zappa, nee Adelaide Gail Sloatman, age 70, departed this earth peacefully at her home on Wednesday, October 7, 2015, surrounded by her children.

    Married to Frank Zappa at age 22, Gail was a doe-eyed, barefooted trailblazer, giving equal value to her domestic and professional responsibilities as matriarch of the family and overseer of all Zappa enterprises. She devoted herself to partnering with her husband in the music business and raising their children, Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet and Diva.

    Gail enthusiastically executed her role as guardian of her husband’s creative life and, with his passing, strove to ensure his legacy as one of the leading American composers and musicians of the 20th century. In this and all business endeavors, Gail passionately advocated to establish clear definitions of intellectual property and copyright laws on behalf of not just her husband, but all artists. While she conducted intricate legal negotiations with corporations as grand dame of the Zappa Family Trust, she never failed to impart the sense of humor that was part and parcel of her indomitable and formidable personality. Gail, self-described as a pagan absurdist, was motivated by love in all aspects of her life, kept her authenticity intact, unbowed and, simply put, was one bad ass in the music business and political world.

    Gail will forever be identified as a key figure in the creative renaissance that is Laurel Canyon. But more than any singular accomplishment, she defined herself in her personal relationships, happiest when surrounded by loved ones and artists, often one in the same. The memories she leaves behind are indeed her own art form. Her searing intelligence, unforgettable smile, wild thicket of hair and trailing black velvets leave a blur in her wake.

    There is no further information to report. This is the only statement that will be released by the family.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  5. #5
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    42°09′30″N 71°08′43″W
    Posts
    6,263


    I remember when she'd occasionally post to affz: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt....g/BdyV9Ep14RsJ

  6. #6
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    Quote Originally Posted by veteranof1000psychicwars View Post
    I vote this thread be moved to the main forum.
    I only put it here because I recall this is the forum where these kinds of announcements are supposed to go. It doesn't matter to me since I just use 'New Posts' at the top of the page anyway, so I see all forums at once.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  7. #7
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    I suppose this explains the passing of the torch to Ahmet with regards to running the ZFT. I suspect she had been sick for a while.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  8. #8
    RIP. I didn't know she was ill.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  9. #9
    All Things Must Pass spellbound's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Eastern Sierra
    Posts
    3,114
    Rest in peace, Gail.
    We're trying to build a monument to show that we were here
    It won't be visible through the air
    And there won't be any shade to cool the monument to prove that we were here. - Gene Parsons, 1973

  10. #10
    Member zravkapt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    canada
    Posts
    280
    RIP
    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

  11. #11
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    7,765
    I'll be the first one to piss on the parade, and publicly hope ZFT pulls its collective head out of its collective ass now.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Progatron View Post
    I only put it here because I recall this is the forum where these kinds of announcements are supposed to go. It doesn't matter to me since I just use 'New Posts' at the top of the page anyway, so I see all forums at once.
    No, no, I get you...I was only saying that I thought it was important enough event to be on the "front page" of the news. That's all.

  13. #13
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    42°09′30″N 71°08′43″W
    Posts
    6,263
    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    I'll be the first one to piss on the parade, and publicly hope ZFT pulls its collective head out of its collective ass now.
    Project Object goes on tour Friday.

  14. #14
    Member rickawakeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    West of Worcester (Western Massachusetts)
    Posts
    1,034
    I'm seeing P/O on Tuesday here in town at the Iron Horse. Wonder how this may be addressed at the show...

  15. #15
    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    42°09′30″N 71°08′43″W
    Posts
    6,263
    Quote Originally Posted by rickawakeman View Post
    I'm seeing P/O on Tuesday here in town at the Iron Horse. Wonder how this may be addressed at the show...
    I'm considering hitting the Pawtucket show. It'd be wrong to skip seeing them after bugging Andre about PO at the David Torn show.

  16. #16
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    near Berkeley, Ca.
    Posts
    1,194
    Sad news. RIP Gail.

  17. #17

  18. #18
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    in a cosmic jazzy-groove around Brussels
    Posts
    6,091
    RIP
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  19. #19
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    southern Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    7,122
    Quote Originally Posted by veteranof1000psychicwars View Post
    No, no, I get you...I was only saying that I thought it was important enough event to be on the "front page" of the news. That's all.
    Oh, I agree... I was just trying to respect the rules before the junior moderators stuck their noses in and said it was in the 'wrong' forum (again, this doesn't matter to those of us who use 'New Posts'). But then, someone came along and made another one in the main forum without checking first to see if there already was one, and so we have two.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

    *** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    I'll be the first one to piss on the parade, and publicly hope ZFT pulls its collective head out of its collective ass now.
    While I don't like to speak ill of the dead, I will join in on a bit of parade pissing.

    In 2009, or there about, she tried to sue and close down (unsuccessfully, as it turned out) the great Zappanale festival in Germany. A festival loaded with talented bands from all over the world that were influenced by Frank.

    Here we have a festival, that at the time of the lawsuit was running since 1989. Started by a couple of ex East Germans, that in their youth, risked their freedom to hunt down and listen to Frank's music, because it was illegal in East Germany at the time. The festival is basically a love letter to Frank.

    She also had the habit of having her lawyers send scores of cease and desist letters to any Zappa cover band she was aware of.

    I can't imagine what her motivation could have been to shut down musicians who had nothing but love and respect for Frank, except for maybe control issues.

    For anything that she did to help keep Frank's music alive and to stand by Frank during his life and when he was sick, much respect. But I can't see any excuses for the aforementioned legal behavior.
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •