I have a great Napoleon story. About 2009, My daughter, 11, had been in School of Rock in Utah for a year. She'd learned flute in school, but was learning guitar at SoR. The school did an epic Zappa show and Napoleon was a guest Professor/Artist. At that time, the school had some amazing students, many of whom are professionals now, so the show was amazing. My daughter, who'd never heard Zappa, was blown away. She was especially excited that Napoleon was a flute player. She was incredibly shy, but still wanted to talk to Nappy. So we went up and talked; well I did most of the talking. But I mentioned that my daughter also played flute, and he lit up. He started talking to her about flute playing and about guitar, and learning music. We talked so long that I was beginning to get embarrassed because other people wanted meet him. So the next time we were at the school for rehearsal, the director came up to my daughter and asked if she'd spoken to Napoleon about flute. She said that just before getting on his plane, he called her and asked about a young blond haired, blue eyed flute player. He said that he saw something in her eyes and he knew she was going to become a musician. He said he was going to send a package for her when he could. Well, we thought that was way cool, but figured, he'd probably never find the time. But about a month later, after we'd forgotten, the director gave my daughter a package. It contained a DVD of Nappy's flute playing, and a bunch of flute exercises, and a lovely note. It was so thoughtful and kind. Years later, my daughter was accepted at Berklee College of Music as a guitarist, and got a Music Production and Engineering degree. Now she's in Nashville trying to get a job amidst this COVID mess. But I honestly think Napoleon's words and encouragement were a strong motivational force that continues to drive my daughter. Florentine Pogens are cookies. :)
@@gilwood7530 Wow! It was 2 years later when I got into Zappa when I was 16 (77), but at the time was first introduced to "Apostrophe". A couple years later I was a music theory major in junior college and saw Zappa on the "Joe's Garage" tour with a friend. Seeing Vinnie Colaiuta and Steve Vai when they were basically kids is something I'll never forget. My mind was blown.
Random story, I got to know Chester Thompson when I was in Nashville and had just got out of college. I was working for an accountant who happened to be Chester’s accountant. When we first met we realized we had the same birthday and conversations grew from there. Great guy and obviously stellar drummer.
Been a Zappa fan over 40 years now and I have everything released almost, been to two concerts and the last tour he did here in Sweden, if i have to listen to only one musician for the rest of my life I would choose Zappa, easy decision.
I remember hearing somewhere that Ruth went on to become a high school music teacher; Wikipedia says she gives music lessons to kids who couldn't afford them otherwise.
great to see this, I have been a Zappa fan for 50 years, saw him & band in London, years ago. I love the live shows with Ruth Underwood on percussion. "On Ruth. On Ruth. " as a 70 year old DJ I enjoy turning people onto my musical loves, playing the 45 of Dancing Fool & watching the reactions is priceless.
I watched this video with a friend and I am pretty confident you managed to turn on one person to Frank's music. Not me though - I saw, heard, the light many many years ago :)
I started following you after you did this video, but I saw this on my feed and insta-clicked. Now I gotta search and see if you did any other Zappa tracks! He had soooooo many great tracks!
Pogen Family Bakery, in Compton CA. The Pogen's created and trademarked "Florentine Pogens" cookie, in 1971. So this was a product Frank certainly knew about. The Pogen family's business (sold in the 90's) was successful and owned several trademarks for their products. Frank is known for interesting and comical 'misuse' of words. So Florentine Pogen is a bit of a double entendre; the daughter in a wealthy family named Pogen, using the name of their cookie to symbolize her parent.
I was a meat head, sorry metal head in high school in the early 80's, when my music theory teacher gave me a copy of APOSTROPHE on quadrophonic 8-track! Changed my life forever! Thank-you FZ, and another great Italian L.Manetta (teacher).
Ruth retired in the mid 70s to raise her kids. She worked with Zappa from 1968 to 1976. Credited as Ruth Komanoff until about 1970. She played marimba on "Somewhere I've Never Traveled" by Ambrosia and "Inner Conflicts" by Billy Cobham in the late 70s. Chesters gorilla refers to a particularly large groupie Chester took back to the motel. Also the line "Take a booger home with you to read em and weep" refers to groupies as well.
the fact that the last band member you mentioned was the peerless George Duke shows just how good this band was. love your passion for frank’s music. from a fellow zappaphile
You're right, this is THE lineup. Every one of them is an elite player on their instrument. They brought out the best of Frank too, there is something 'looser' feeling about this band even though most of it is incredibly tightly composed.
Yup. Been a Zappa freak since about 1967. Listen to his music almost every day. These days it's every day. Helps to keep me sane. He puts things in perspective and is still relevant. Maybe more so today.
Love your reactions man, and great choices. "Prog Dudes" that don't respect Zappa's influence on music missed something serious. The Math Rock crowd for the most part can't hold a candle to the level of specific orchestration in FZ'S library, but most of them owe their style to him. Simulated chaos through specificity :)
A huge Zappa fan here 😆. My favourite albums are Overnight sensation and Hot Rats, especially Hot Rats. I only know a fraction of what he did though. Living in Helsinki, have to check what the hell was that all about. Dweezil was here a few years ago, and I really liked that gig.
Hot rats is amazing. My favorite as well. I was in a band and our bass player brought it to practice and we all listened to it and were blown away. I then got all his earlier albums and have been a fan since.
My favourite drummer was Ralph Humphrey as heard on Overnite Sensation. I caught FZ in the early 70s when he was touring with this band incl. Ralph Humphrey. Two ridiculous drummers killing it.
The apostrophe / overnight sensation album was my introduction to the world of Frank back in the mid-70s! Then around 1977 I started working with a guy that was really into Frank Zappa and got me turned onto a lot of stuff that I never heard before and I've been a massive Zappa fan ever since!! I agree that this particular band, which I was not fortunate enough to see, was probably the best band, but I did see Zappa in the late 70s early 80s with the band that had Steve Vai on guitar and Terry Bozzio on drums! I was in attendance at several of the Frank Zappa Halloween shows that he would do at the Palladium Theater in New York back in those days and I've also seen him at the Capitol Theater also in New York! Great reaction and review of this particular rendition!!
If that’s the same guitar that Dweezil uses, then I’m lucky enough to have seen it up close in person when he came down to Hawaii and performed with our jazz orchestra. Getting to perform with him (and Ike Willis) was probably the coolest experience of my life so far.
Been in to Zappa since 1974, MY good high school freind Frank, turned me on to F Z. MY Friend Frank Played Bass, especially he loved his Reichenbacker,,,coz He loved the Beatles and Paul of course played on. I saw F Z twice in the mid 70's. good smoke, good freinds and damn good music!! I Play drums ,bass,guitar and some keyboards. MY 1st love was - is DRUM... the night I saw FZ's band at the Cole field house,at the Univerity of Maryland. 2 songs in and I felt liek fuck it,Im throwing my drum sticks thru the friggin woods. the Level of Musicainship,the level at which they were playing was soo beyound, Led Zepplin,Mott the Hopple,Montrose,etc....Rush and Frank Zappa///// way ahead. saw them both. Play on Drummer Dude,Play on Zappa.
OMG!, Love this reaction so much! As a shitty drummer who loves Zappa, I am so happy to come across this video. I too Love this version of his band, Chester and Ruth are amazing (also loved Ralph), so incredible, and Nap,Tom, George, incredible group . Especially love around (your video time) 7:49, the super subtle left hand of Chester on HH after short fill, it kills me every time!! Thank You.
will you be doing other Zappa drummers?? i would love to see you break down Keep It Greasy with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. The pattern is so different and my cousin who is a drummer in marching band doesnt understand how someone could play like that. thanks
I saw Frank twice at his annual Halloween shows in NY in 77 and 78. Terry Bozzio was on the Drums. But I love Chester. I have seen him many times with Genesis. Frank was a trip and such a musical genius. He was wild to say the least. I was 5th row for the taping of Baby Snakes. At the Palladium that's like sitting on stage. I heard a Florentine Pogan was a cookie.
I love this song so much. 500 times i have listened. This version sounds like the LP version. I learned to play drums on Frank. So many combination intertwined in multiple song even albums trieste remove. Song you fell in love to be reconsituted into almost another song, happened so offen . I can't believe I came acrossed this video. Awesome!
Great job on this Mr Junk! Yep....this is the video from " a Token...." L.A. Aug 27th '74 and Helsinki ( same band) was a month later. So it wasn't '72 just sayin' ;) And....this was far and away...his best band! Apostrophe/Roxy/One size/Bongo Stunning musicianship.
I heard Ruth in an interview and she said that she quit playing after she left Frank because there was nowhere to go ( nobody could compare to Frank ) so she just quit .
(From Belgium) I remember him performing in Gent (B) in a sportsarena in 1988. His words: 'This is a hard one to play, especially in a room that sounds like this'. Enter 'The Black Page' It was great.
The Roxy concert with Ralph Humphry, Chester Thompson AND Ruth Underwood on percussion is magical. I went on a 2 year Zappa binge and it taught me so much about composition arrangements and improvisation.
Also. You mention how tight this band is. This particular recording of this song is the one used for the album! Same with Inca roads. They took these performances and added overdubs and altered some vocals and stuff but this is what you hear on One Size Fits All (my favorite Zappa album.) ALSO if anyone is reading this and wants to hear how WILD Ruth Underwood is listen to the beginning of St Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast, or all of Inca Roads. There is some serious PLAYING in this music
Awesome man, dont know if you just started doing this (publishing more videos and more frequently) but I really hope you are. You are the only one, up to now and in my opinion, who offers real musical criticism, there are some on the rise, flooding the platform, who have almost nothing to say. Keep it up 🤘
@@datmanknow1454 yeah, I watch his videos occasionally, for me it's just pure reaction, not much of an analysis there but still entertaining. For me, as a drummer too, I find here way more interesting and helpful with my playing and musicianship. There's a channel, not about reactions, but still amazing, called the 80/20 drummer, he's got a lot of good stuff in there, leave you with this recommendation in return 🤘
Love the stuff you are doing bro keep it going. Someone has to break it down so everyone can learn right? Pass it on. Love ya and miss talking music with you.
I saw them in 73 and they did a sound check ..and Ruth hit all her percussion, ..the orchestral bass drum shook the pavilion .. I could talk for ages about that concert ..🎵didn't Chester join Phil Collins band, and in the air tonight was like the highlight, withe two drummers ...or did I just dream it ?
I dunno if someone's said this yet, but Ruth Underwood was a conservatory trained musician, like many of his musicians were. She's great, easily one of the stand-outs in Frank's unbelievably huge stable of great players. They were the Mothers for a reason. Thanks for posting this, I've been a huge Zappa fan since my dad got me a copy of Joe's Garage in middle school.
I agree with your band choice. It's my favourite period of Frank. It's more groove orientated while the later bands were more Rock. I think Frank had a certain freedom to write for Ruth because they understood classical theory but respect to G. Duke who could keep up also. Love all the Roxy recordings.
For me, *this* is *The Lineup* They actually also sound like "a band" not just Frank Puppets or another "Mothers" lineup. Btw, Frank was quite *frightened* by Mahavishnu Orchestra version 1, 1971-1973. Ruth Underwood was in the wings with Frank watching MO. See what she says.
As an introduction to Frank's music, this is not as out there as some of his other music...very funky and easy to sing to. Yes, Chester's gorilla is a private joke, but I can't recall what it was. If you ever watch the Roxy movie, you can see just how tight this group was....although there are a few musicians missing in this special, a more scaled-down version. My fave Frank group for sure.
Hey, what a great reaction to Zappa's conceptual continuity! Are we all crazy? prb. yes: I recognized myself listening to that old alien-junki-like music, smiling every 30 secs and going nuts every 45secs. of course ruth is best and knowledge is not wisdom! what else???? Thnx a load and keep smiling.
Aynsley Dunbar with Frank from 1970-72 is what it's all about. I think he had a LOT more freedom than anyone occupying his drum chair ever because he came from a classical music/composition background himself and did things Frank couldn't have worked out in advance for him. Or at least DIDN'T.
Sorry to correct you, but in 1972 Frank was still wheelchair bound, because his involuntary stagedive (being pushed by a member of the audience). Chester and Napoleon Murphy Brock joined Zappa in '73, Chester after weeks of rejecting drummers and Napoleon, after seeing him perform in Hawaii and hiring him on the spot. The Helsinki Tapes were recorded in September 1974 and the footage you are using is from a TV-special he taped on August 27 1974 at KCET in Los Angeles. This version of The Mothers, also known as "The Roxy And Elsewhere"-band is also my favourite. Actually the brief period in which both Ralph, Ruth and Chester were members is my very favourite. Side 2 of The Roxy-album, is absolutely breathtaking. Terry Bozio, which you forgot to mention, was scared beyond believe after hearing "Overnight Sensation", "Apostrophe (')" and "Roxy and Elsewhere".
Fun fact: talking about FZ bootlegs. Frank actually went out found and bought up a bunch of boots and remastered them and released them under the title "Beat the Boots" I think they may still be available on their website. By the way, (and I'm sure someone called you out on it already) you forgot to mention Bozio with his drummers ;)
The real crazy Thing about his Musik is, its almost 50 Years ago he made all that great Music with allot of Truth and Information. If I listen to him, I always ask myself how is that possible. Just how. All the Musicians play on a unbelievable High Level. Bozio is the Man to me, and don't forget the Time with Ike Willis. He was just 50 Years ahead of the most of us. And still, who can do this? There is no other, Thank you Frank for everything you did to the World of Music. I am sure, the more Time goes by, the more People wake up and find out they just get to hear ordinary Music, if they don't ask for more. It just need more Time.
It's absurd but I'd love to watch @JunkdrummerTV do a reaction to one of his solo drum videos. As I'm watching him I know what he's doing is probably insanely good, but it sounds like a cardboard box full of empty beer cans going down a set of stairs.
I cant say who my favorite Zappa drummer is but Aynsley, Chester, Terry, Vinny, and Chad are upper echelon. Maybe Ralph Humphries should be in that group. I’ll give it to Ruth overall as percussionist but Ed Mann may have been even more technically proficient. Zappas school of music birthed some of my most favorite all time musicians.
Yes, that is at least a theory presented by Steve Vai. Zappa wrote music on buses, airplanes, in elevators... Once when Steve was on a flight, for the coffee they got this cookie, I'd guess a florentine, wrapped in plastic, with "Pågen" in big friendly letters. "Oh, man!" Steve thought, "that's where Frank got the idea!" pagen.com/
I used to work for a supermarket that imported a lot of stuff from other countries. One day we received a shipment of "Florentine Pogens" and I don't remember where it came from, but it was a cookie, similar to a sugar cookie.
el primer instrumento que toco Zappa fue la bateria...y siempre pienso la relacion de un director de orquesta moviendo sus manos y una batuta con las baquetas de un baterista.
Mallets of Invention ... :-) vid' dweezil and Ruth talking. Wiki says she did some session stuff and retired from music to look after two kids who are now both classical musicians etc., but she did some stuff with Frank in the last year.
I can't remember the source of this explanation, but I think "Chester's Gorilla" is a reference to Chester's hook-up with a particularly...aesthetically-challenged groupie. How the clock figures into things, I'm not sure (given the Zappa songs based on sexual exploits while on the road, the mind boggles at the possibilities).
Pågen though is a swedish bakery which made a florentine cookie called florentine pogen in its marketing in the united states as people wouldnt know how to properly pronounce the accent. So back in his youth there was literally a cookie named Florentine Pogen
I actually asked Chester about that at a drum Clinic here in Nashville in the 1980's he said it was Zappa Studio humor. There's a line in Inca roads about a booger bear George Duke said that's what they called a certain groupie from Austin TX
The 'gorilla' part was a mask that the band would put on the door of a band member who the others felt was with the ugliest groupie of the night...'a booger bear'...it was all fun and games until someone put it on Franks door one night...it disappeared-never to be heard of again...
I have a great Napoleon story. About 2009, My daughter, 11, had been in School of Rock in Utah for a year. She'd learned flute in school, but was learning guitar at SoR. The school did an epic Zappa show and Napoleon was a guest Professor/Artist. At that time, the school had some amazing students, many of whom are professionals now, so the show was amazing. My daughter, who'd never heard Zappa, was blown away. She was especially excited that Napoleon was a flute player. She was incredibly shy, but still wanted to talk to Nappy. So we went up and talked; well I did most of the talking. But I mentioned that my daughter also played flute, and he lit up. He started talking to her about flute playing and about guitar, and learning music. We talked so long that I was beginning to get embarrassed because other people wanted meet him. So the next time we were at the school for rehearsal, the director came up to my daughter and asked if she'd spoken to Napoleon about flute. She said that just before getting on his plane, he called her and asked about a young blond haired, blue eyed flute player. He said that he saw something in her eyes and he knew she was going to become a musician. He said he was going to send a package for her when he could. Well, we thought that was way cool, but figured, he'd probably never find the time. But about a month later, after we'd forgotten, the director gave my daughter a package. It contained a DVD of Nappy's flute playing, and a bunch of flute exercises, and a lovely note. It was so thoughtful and kind. Years later, my daughter was accepted at Berklee College of Music as a guitarist, and got a Music Production and Engineering degree. Now she's in Nashville trying to get a job amidst this COVID mess. But I honestly think Napoleon's words and encouragement were a strong motivational force that continues to drive my daughter. Florentine Pogens are cookies. :)
Ml
B
Ml
.this band behind Zappa is one of the best line ups ever nappy Brock is badddd. Zappa
Awesome and cute story
Every drummer over a certain age had a crush on Ruth Underwood
I am not even a drummer, or a musician for that matter. Oh, Ruth....!
I thought it was just me.
"had"? HAS !
Ruth Underwood, what a woman!
Or did someone build a place or leave a space for Chester's Thing to land..... on Ruth
I had a music of Frank Zappa class in college. We went through all the albums in a semester, it was quite the education.
No kidding? Where did you go to college? Envy you at the very least!
All 113?
Damn, I could have finally got an A in class ...He's been haunting me since i was 8 (74)...Um , THATS A LOT OF ALBUMS
@@gilwood7530 Wow! It was 2 years later when I got into Zappa when I was 16 (77), but at the time was first introduced to "Apostrophe". A couple years later I was a music theory major in junior college and saw Zappa on the "Joe's Garage" tour with a friend. Seeing Vinnie Colaiuta and Steve Vai when they were basically kids is something I'll never forget. My mind was blown.
@@Frankincensedjb123 Eric could have been to college in 1968? :-)
I think Ruth Underwood is the most impressive musician I have ever seen playing.
Until the internet came along, I thought I was the only Zappa fan there was. Always happy to discover new ones
Really really enjoy this video. Thanks and keep them coming!
I love Chester and Ruth. And here they are playing my favorite Zappa song of all time.
Thanks for bringing Frank to more listeners and your insight into the drumming.
Random story, I got to know Chester Thompson when I was in Nashville and had just got out of college. I was working for an accountant who happened to be Chester’s accountant. When we first met we realized we had the same birthday and conversations grew from there. Great guy and obviously stellar drummer.
did you meet his gorilla too?
Nope, the gorilla never made it to the office
Been a Zappa fan over 40 years now and I have everything released almost, been to two concerts and the last tour he did here in Sweden, if i have to listen to only one musician for the rest of my life I would choose Zappa, easy decision.
Yeah. If i had only one choise.
I would choose as you
Frank Zappa: a GREAT AMERICAN COMPOSER: Thank you Steven for speaking this truth
I'm not a professional musician but you sound just like me when I talk about FZ lol. Great review!
I remember hearing somewhere that Ruth went on to become a high school music teacher; Wikipedia says she gives music lessons to kids who couldn't afford them otherwise.
great to see this, I have been a Zappa fan for 50 years, saw him & band in London, years ago. I love the live shows with Ruth Underwood on percussion. "On Ruth. On Ruth. " as a 70 year old DJ I enjoy turning people onto my musical loves, playing the 45 of Dancing Fool & watching the reactions is priceless.
I'm right there with you. This lineup was by far the funkiest; and therefore the best imo lol.
And good God were they tight.
Ruth went to Juilliard. She saw the Mothers play and quit school and worked her way into the band.
Yeah she was a fan first and foremost.
I watched this video with a friend and I am pretty confident you managed to turn on one person to Frank's music. Not me though - I saw, heard, the light many many years ago :)
Then I have a done good thing on this day
"God, I love Zappa". That is enough for me. Subscribed.
Thanks, that was fun, made my day. And alone watching Mr Brock doing his thing ... as if it was all written for him!
Directly from my heart to you.......................great video, you are shining
I started following you after you did this video, but I saw this on my feed and insta-clicked. Now I gotta search and see if you did any other Zappa tracks! He had soooooo many great tracks!
Not yet. But I will be!!
@@JunkdrummerTV I wish I could like this comment more than once! Zappa had the best drummers/percussionists!
Pogen Family Bakery, in Compton CA. The Pogen's created and trademarked "Florentine Pogens" cookie, in 1971.
So this was a product Frank certainly knew about.
The Pogen family's business (sold in the 90's) was successful and owned several trademarks for their products.
Frank is known for interesting and comical 'misuse' of words. So Florentine Pogen is a bit of a double entendre; the daughter in a wealthy family named Pogen, using the name of their cookie to symbolize her parent.
I was a meat head, sorry metal head in high school in the early 80's, when my music theory teacher gave me a copy of APOSTROPHE on quadrophonic 8-track! Changed my life forever! Thank-you FZ, and another great Italian L.Manetta (teacher).
I had the reel to reel transfered to 5.1
In is nice to meet someone with so deep understandig of THE MUSIC, witch is necessary to uderstand the greatness of Mr. Frank Zappa.
Ruth retired in the mid 70s to raise her kids. She worked with Zappa from 1968 to 1976. Credited as Ruth Komanoff until about 1970.
She played marimba on "Somewhere I've Never Traveled" by Ambrosia and "Inner Conflicts" by Billy Cobham in the late 70s.
Chesters gorilla refers to a particularly large groupie Chester took back to the motel. Also the line "Take a booger home with you to read em and weep" refers to groupies as well.
I knew the comment section would come through for me. Thank you so much!!!
@@JunkdrummerTV you're welcome.
the fact that the last band member you mentioned was the peerless George Duke shows just how good this band was. love your passion for frank’s music. from a fellow zappaphile
You're right, this is THE lineup.
Every one of them is an elite player on their instrument. They brought out the best of Frank too, there is something 'looser' feeling about this band even though most of it is incredibly tightly composed.
Yup. Been a Zappa freak since about 1967. Listen to his music almost every day. These days it's every day. Helps to keep me sane. He puts things in perspective and is still relevant. Maybe more so today.
Love Frank, Love Chester... Just a perfect combination of elements!
Love your reactions man, and great choices.
"Prog Dudes" that don't respect Zappa's influence on music missed something serious. The Math Rock crowd for the most part can't hold a candle to the level of specific orchestration in FZ'S library, but most of them owe their style to him. Simulated chaos through specificity :)
Comment of the day!!
A huge Zappa fan here 😆. My favourite albums are Overnight sensation and Hot Rats, especially Hot Rats. I only know a fraction of what he did though. Living in Helsinki, have to check what the hell was that all about.
Dweezil was here a few years ago, and I really liked that gig.
Hot rats is amazing. My favorite as well. I was in a band and our bass player brought it to practice and we all listened to it and were blown away. I then got all his earlier albums and have been a fan since.
Nice reaction, Frank Zappa has always been one of those more interesting artists!
SUCH great musicians with Zappa! I love Chester. You do know he played with WEATHER REPORT before moving on to Genesis.
Oh yeah!
Check out Ruth playing "The Black Page" on the piano in the Zappa documentary. Utterly breathtaking.
Love your enthusiasm! If I wasn't a huge Zappa already, this video would probably have made me one! :)
This has always been one of my favorite ZAPPA songs
My favourite drummer was Ralph Humphrey as heard on Overnite Sensation. I caught FZ in the early 70s when he was touring with this band incl. Ralph Humphrey. Two ridiculous drummers killing it.
The apostrophe / overnight sensation album was my introduction to the world of Frank back in the mid-70s! Then around 1977 I started working with a guy that was really into Frank Zappa and got me turned onto a lot of stuff that I never heard before and I've been a massive Zappa fan ever since!! I agree that this particular band, which I was not fortunate enough to see, was probably the best band, but I did see Zappa in the late 70s early 80s with the band that had Steve Vai on guitar and Terry Bozzio on drums! I was in attendance at several of the Frank Zappa Halloween shows that he would do at the Palladium Theater in New York back in those days and I've also seen him at the Capitol Theater also in New York! Great reaction and review of this particular rendition!!
If that’s the same guitar that Dweezil uses, then I’m lucky enough to have seen it up close in person when he came down to Hawaii and performed with our jazz orchestra. Getting to perform with him (and Ike Willis) was probably the coolest experience of my life so far.
Been in to Zappa since 1974, MY good high school freind Frank, turned me on to F Z. MY Friend Frank Played Bass, especially he loved his Reichenbacker,,,coz He loved the Beatles and Paul of course played on. I saw F Z twice in the mid 70's. good smoke, good freinds and damn good music!! I Play drums ,bass,guitar and some keyboards. MY 1st love was - is DRUM... the night I saw FZ's band at the Cole field house,at the Univerity of Maryland. 2 songs in and I felt liek fuck it,Im throwing my drum sticks thru the friggin woods. the Level of Musicainship,the level at which they were playing was soo beyound, Led Zepplin,Mott the Hopple,Montrose,etc....Rush and Frank Zappa///// way ahead. saw them both. Play on Drummer Dude,Play on Zappa.
RIP Tom Fowler the bass player in this great band who passed away on July 2 this year.
OMG!, Love this reaction so much! As a shitty drummer who loves Zappa, I am so happy to come across this video. I too Love this version of his band, Chester and Ruth are amazing (also loved Ralph), so incredible, and Nap,Tom, George, incredible group . Especially love around (your video time) 7:49, the super subtle left hand of Chester on HH after short fill, it kills me every time!! Thank You.
Dweezil has said no, it's not Dad's SG. He plays a different one.
will you be doing other Zappa drummers?? i would love to see you break down Keep It Greasy with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums. The pattern is so different and my cousin who is a drummer in marching band doesnt understand how someone could play like that. thanks
I will be
I saw Frank twice at his annual Halloween shows in NY in 77 and 78. Terry Bozzio was on the Drums. But I love Chester. I have seen him many times with Genesis. Frank was a trip and such a musical genius. He was wild to say the least. I was 5th row for the taping of Baby Snakes. At the Palladium that's like sitting on stage. I heard a Florentine Pogan was a cookie.
I enjoyed this video SO much!
I love this song so much. 500 times i have listened. This version sounds like the LP version. I learned to play drums on Frank. So many combination intertwined in multiple song even albums trieste remove. Song you fell in love to be reconsituted into almost another song, happened so offen . I can't believe I came acrossed this video. Awesome!
This version IS the LP version. Read the linner notes.
Great job on this Mr Junk!
Yep....this is the video from " a Token...." L.A. Aug 27th '74 and Helsinki ( same band) was a month later. So it wasn't '72 just sayin' ;)
And....this was far and away...his best band!
Apostrophe/Roxy/One size/Bongo
Stunning musicianship.
I heard Ruth in an interview and she said that she quit playing after she left Frank because there was nowhere to go ( nobody could compare to Frank ) so she just quit .
(From Belgium)
I remember him performing in Gent (B) in a sportsarena in 1988.
His words: 'This is a hard one to play, especially in a room that sounds like this'.
Enter 'The Black Page'
It was great.
Ik was er ook bij. :-)
This whole concert is one of my favorites
The Roxy concert with Ralph Humphry, Chester Thompson AND Ruth Underwood on percussion is magical. I went on a 2 year Zappa binge and it taught me so much about composition arrangements and improvisation.
Also. You mention how tight this band is. This particular recording of this song is the one used for the album! Same with Inca roads. They took these performances and added overdubs and altered some vocals and stuff but this is what you hear on One Size Fits All (my favorite Zappa album.) ALSO if anyone is reading this and wants to hear how WILD Ruth Underwood is listen to the beginning of St Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast, or all of Inca Roads. There is some serious PLAYING in this music
Awesome man, dont know if you just started doing this (publishing more videos and more frequently) but I really hope you are. You are the only one, up to now and in my opinion, who offers real musical criticism, there are some on the rise, flooding the platform, who have almost nothing to say.
Keep it up 🤘
Thank you so much. That comment made my day!
Try Garrett Miller
@@datmanknow1454 yeah, I watch his videos occasionally, for me it's just pure reaction, not much of an analysis there but still entertaining.
For me, as a drummer too, I find here way more interesting and helpful with my playing and musicianship.
There's a channel, not about reactions, but still amazing, called the 80/20 drummer, he's got a lot of good stuff in there, leave you with this recommendation in return 🤘
@@PsicodeliaAlternativa Will do - thank you !
Love the stuff you are doing bro keep it going. Someone has to break it down so everyone can learn right? Pass it on. Love ya and miss talking music with you.
You're the reason that video exists
50 years of a Zappa filthy habit for me. Bozzio, O’Hearn was my favorite rythm section.
Not a shabby choice. Saw them together in “missing persons” a couple of times.
I saw them in 73 and they did a sound check ..and Ruth hit all her percussion, ..the orchestral bass drum shook the pavilion .. I could talk for ages about that concert ..🎵didn't Chester join Phil Collins band, and in the air tonight was like the highlight, withe two drummers ...or did I just dream it ?
I dunno if someone's said this yet, but Ruth Underwood was a conservatory trained musician, like many of his musicians were. She's great, easily one of the stand-outs in Frank's unbelievably huge stable of great players. They were the Mothers for a reason. Thanks for posting this, I've been a huge Zappa fan since my dad got me a copy of Joe's Garage in middle school.
Lol. A florentine pogen is a gingerbread cookie. Big in the 70s
Ruth Underwood nee Komanoff attended Ithaca College music school. Married Ian, the piano/saxophonist.
I agree with your band choice. It's my favourite period of Frank. It's more groove orientated while the later bands were more Rock. I think Frank had a certain freedom to write for Ruth because they understood classical theory but respect to G. Duke who could keep up also. Love all the Roxy recordings.
everyone in zappa's band is fantastic man
For me, *this* is *The Lineup* They actually also sound like "a band" not just Frank Puppets or another "Mothers" lineup. Btw, Frank was quite *frightened* by Mahavishnu Orchestra version 1, 1971-1973. Ruth Underwood was in the wings with Frank watching MO. See what she says.
Great video!!!
Thank ya
love this song
As an introduction to Frank's music, this is not as out there as some of his other music...very funky and easy to sing to. Yes, Chester's gorilla is a private joke, but I can't recall what it was. If you ever watch the Roxy movie, you can see just how tight this group was....although there are a few musicians missing in this special, a more scaled-down version. My fave Frank group for sure.
Outstanding!!!!!!!!!
Florentine Pogen was a high-ranking official in Florence. Italy.
I'm in love with Ruth!😁
I love your comments
The Reba jam sure reminds me of the Inca roads Jam. Ruth went to Julliard.
Exactly
Hey, what a great reaction to Zappa's conceptual continuity! Are we all crazy? prb. yes: I recognized myself listening to that old alien-junki-like music, smiling every 30 secs and going nuts every 45secs. of course ruth is best and knowledge is not wisdom!
what else???? Thnx a load and keep smiling.
Thank you. Excellent comment.
@@JunkdrummerTV Hey! Surprise. reaction to reaction to....
What about Thelonius Monk, any comment on that?
Still love you, after some more comments you made....
No mention of Aynsley Dunbar!
Frank took the piss out of everyone ;) Gotta love Zappa :)
Aynsley Dunbar with Frank from 1970-72 is what it's all about. I think he had a LOT more freedom than anyone occupying his drum chair ever because he came from a classical music/composition background himself and did things Frank couldn't have worked out in advance for him. Or at least DIDN'T.
7:17, who knew Chester was on to in the air tonight in the mid 70s 😁😁
Ray white was the Illinois bandit. Saw the show. Felt forum 3 years in a row. Halloween
Zappa Lives!
Sorry to correct you, but in 1972 Frank was still wheelchair bound, because his involuntary stagedive (being pushed by a member of the audience). Chester and Napoleon Murphy Brock joined Zappa in '73, Chester after weeks of rejecting drummers and Napoleon, after seeing him perform in Hawaii and hiring him on the spot. The Helsinki Tapes were recorded in September 1974 and the footage you are using is from a TV-special he taped on August 27 1974 at KCET in Los Angeles.
This version of The Mothers, also known as "The Roxy And Elsewhere"-band is also my favourite. Actually the brief period in which both Ralph, Ruth and Chester were members is my very favourite. Side 2 of The Roxy-album, is absolutely breathtaking. Terry Bozio, which you forgot to mention, was scared beyond believe after hearing "Overnight Sensation", "Apostrophe (')" and "Roxy and Elsewhere".
Fun fact: talking about FZ bootlegs. Frank actually went out found and bought up a bunch of boots and remastered them and released them under the title "Beat the Boots" I think they may still be available on their website. By the way, (and I'm sure someone called you out on it already) you forgot to mention Bozio with his drummers ;)
Yep. I own them
The real crazy Thing about his Musik is, its almost 50 Years ago he made all that great Music with allot of Truth and Information. If I listen to him, I always ask myself how is that possible. Just how. All the Musicians play on a unbelievable High Level. Bozio is the Man to me, and don't forget the Time with Ike Willis. He was just 50 Years ahead of the most of us. And still, who can do this? There is no other, Thank you Frank for everything you did to the World of Music. I am sure, the more Time goes by, the more People wake up and find out they just get to hear ordinary Music, if they don't ask for more. It just need more Time.
Chester , Chester,Chester .
My favorite is Terry Bozzio =)
It's absurd but I'd love to watch @JunkdrummerTV do a reaction to one of his solo drum videos. As I'm watching him I know what he's doing is probably insanely good, but it sounds like a cardboard box full of empty beer cans going down a set of stairs.
That's a rockin' teenage combo...
Dog named Bonham - you are a superstar 😅😅😅
Yes ,zappa all time
I cant say who my favorite Zappa drummer is but Aynsley, Chester, Terry, Vinny, and Chad are upper echelon. Maybe Ralph Humphries should be in that group. I’ll give it to Ruth overall as percussionist but Ed Mann may have been even more technically proficient. Zappas school of music birthed some of my most favorite all time musicians.
This!
A Florentine Pogen is a cookie.
No shit?
Yes, that is at least a theory presented by Steve Vai. Zappa wrote music on buses, airplanes, in elevators...
Once when Steve was on a flight, for the coffee they got this cookie, I'd guess a florentine, wrapped in plastic, with "Pågen" in big friendly letters. "Oh, man!" Steve thought, "that's where Frank got the idea!"
pagen.com/
penguininbondage.blogspot.com/2018/03/nar-zappa-sjong-om-pagens-i-malmo.html
I remember Florentine Pogen's like a butter cookie.
I used to work for a supermarket that imported a lot of stuff from other countries. One day we received a shipment of "Florentine Pogens" and I don't remember where it came from, but it was a cookie, similar to a sugar cookie.
el primer instrumento que toco Zappa fue la bateria...y siempre pienso la relacion de un director de orquesta moviendo sus manos y una batuta con las baquetas de un baterista.
Mallets of Invention ... :-) vid' dweezil and Ruth talking. Wiki says she did some session stuff and retired from music to look after two kids who are now both classical musicians etc., but she did some stuff with Frank in the last year.
Dog named Bonham because Moon was already taken? 😁
Thanks for this.
I can't remember the source of this explanation, but I think "Chester's Gorilla" is a reference to Chester's hook-up with a particularly...aesthetically-challenged groupie. How the clock figures into things, I'm not sure (given the Zappa songs based on sexual exploits while on the road, the mind boggles at the possibilities).
Is it the same one that Inca roads referes to?
you forgot to mention ralph humphrey (he was playng on Be-Bop Tango) and terry bozio (that was playng the black page)…….
Music is the best and Frank is the best ! RIP Frank
I agree that Helsinki band could do anything. YCDTOSA 2 is my go-to Zappa album. Astonishing what they did.
Dweezil definitely owns that guitar and if he's not playing it right now, he definitely has on past tours.
Thank you!! I thought that was the one.
It is a replica that Gibson made a few years ago in a limited edition.
ruclips.net/video/kUD5Gzd4hKo/видео.html
What about Terry Bozzio he was the only one that could play Black Napkins which was incredibly hard especially to play it live
A Florentine Pogen is an art patron from Florence Italy, maybe during the renaissance.
Pågen though is a swedish bakery which made a florentine cookie called florentine pogen in its marketing in the united states as people wouldnt know how to properly pronounce the accent. So back in his youth there was literally a cookie named Florentine Pogen
Zappa freak here (without the Zappa prefix it would sound freakish)
Chester's Gorilla: I'm going with a groupie.
Jupp. Thats is very true
I actually asked Chester about that at a drum Clinic here in Nashville in the 1980's he said it was Zappa Studio humor. There's a line in Inca roads about a booger bear George Duke said that's what they called a certain groupie from Austin TX
@@bobcorbin3294 youll find that more than half of frank's lyrics are references to inside jokes with the band
The 'gorilla' part was a mask that the band would put on the door of a band member who the others felt was with the ugliest groupie of the night...'a booger bear'...it was all fun and games until someone put it on Franks door one night...it disappeared-never to be heard of again...
Have you seen the Frank Zappa drummers on YT. Check it out if you haven't already.
This is my favorite Frank band as well. Though I have to go with Vinnie when it comes to favorite Frank drummer.