In an interview of Ruth, when she was attending Franks early stage presentations, of which some didn't even have any or little musical content, the Mothers were playing something, then just broke out into " Oh No", and Ruth thought that was one of the most beautiful pieces of work she ever heard, and I bet she was still feeling that as she was on stage then playing it with him.
I was lucky enough to see Frank and the original Mothers of Invention in a small Greenwich Village theater in the Summer of 1967. This was before he had made a name for himself as a brilliant performer/composer. It was a bright Summer day, sometime in the afternoon, and Frank and the Mothers were standing casually on the sidewalk outside the theater chatting. I stood just a few feet away from them, before I ambled on into the ridiculously small and narrow theater and took a seat near the back, on the left side of the building. A few minutes later, in walks Frank, and he heads down the middle aisle towards the small stage. It's a memory I'll never forget. And I'll never forget when the group suddenly stopped playing, sat down on their amps or elsewhere on the stage, and just stared at the 20 or so of us in the audience. At another point, they began pelting us with grapes. Crazy ......
@@timcardona9962 Tim, believe me. It was incredible to see Frank & the Mothers just casually standing there on the sidewalk, killing time before they assembled on that dinky stage in a cheesy Greenwich Village venue to play for a couple dozen "fun seekers". I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen the genius composer/performer before he was known as such. I was visiting New York City for a few days with my mother at the time, and I just happened to be browsing through a NYC newspaper. And there, in the entertainment section was a small ad for the Mothers appearance in Greenwich Village. My mother went shopping, while I was at the show. Seeing Frank & The Mothers at such close range was a real trip!
@@davidzimmerli489 Oh man I could hear about this for hours haha...those Garrick shows are the stuff of legends! Was the summer of love in full swing at that time in the village?
@@timcardona9962 Hi Tim. I'm not sure about that. Of course, Greenwich Village has always been a refuge for those who didn't fit in with the establishment - poets, and beatniks, and eccentric artists, and individuals into alternate life styles. I'm sure the hippies considered it a place where they would be accepted and find freedom from the constrictions of "normal" society. I had a friend in high school who was one of the first guys to grow his hair long, and dress differently. He was in a rock band back then, and I used to drive him to his "gigs" once in a while. He also introduced me to marijuana. And he was probably the only person I knew who hitchhiked out to San Francisco during the summer of '67 - The Summer of Love. He slowly but surely got really messed up, not taking care of himself, and falling into an addiction to heroin .... I lost track of him for quite a few years ..... I could write endlessly about the experiences of my life, but I better cut it off here, and get some sleep. I really enjoy conversing with you ......
Yeah, they cut that short for some reason. That was an amazingly talented band. Chester Thompson on the drums was killer. The lead vocals and sax were performed by the dynamic and amazing Napoleon Murphy Brock, and let's not forget the amazingly talented George Duke on keys, a master musician, composer, arranger himself. Arf!
This is an all-star line-up by any measure: the great late George Duke (played with many jazz greats like Sonny Rollins or Miles Davis), Chester Thompson (went to play with Weather Report after leaving Frank), Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, Napoleon Murphy Brock. This band had so many brilliant moments. It's not just the virtuosity. It's their musical sense and interplay which is really awesome. Frank is not even a virtuoso guitarist. He had a lot of chops, of course, but what sets him apart is his ability to compose on the spot. Many of his solos could easily be thought as finished compositions in their own right. He was not there to vomit the same old licks every time. He was there taking musical challenges and that's why many of his solos are not perfect, but he is always interesting and often wonderful. He makes my life better.
You'll never regret seeing Zappa Plays Zappa. His son plays his music and its just the best. I saw the first tour with napoleon murphy brock on sax/vocals (just like this song). The crowd was as crazy as the show.
@@SightAfterDark I just happened to stumble across your reaction videos. Fun to see and hear your thoughts. I’m 57 turning 58 soon, and saw Frank 20+ times in concert from the 70s through the 80s. It’s an experience that’s almost indescribable. Euphoric comes to mind. I was also a musician and was only interested in playing his music. A few other artists here and there but mainly Franks stuff. Battle of the bands in High school was always interesting. Lol. But anyway,...here’s another video with a handful of songs from a NYC Halloween show. I started going to Franks concert that year but didn’t get to go to this one. Enjoy if you decide to try this one. ruclips.net/video/WU7Kjjr_uiU/видео.html
First off, yes Dope and the lyrics are relevant, even more so today. The drummer is Chester Thompson. The fill you hear him do was heard by Phil Collins, which inspired Phil Collins a lot. Phil recruited Chester to be in the Genesis band so Phil could be the singing front man. But, that fill is the genesis to Phil Collins killer drum fill in "In The Air Tonight". Chester played with Genesis and Phil Collins solo band until just a little while ago.
This is the best video of a live performance I have seen on RUclips. I saw him in concert in the mid 70's but I don't remember what songs he performed.
Much like Frank Zappa the musicians the he selected to accompany him were some of the very best, most talented, gifted players there are. Even if your at the top of the game in your field it wasn't a guarantee that you would be invited to be an integral piece of the critical Frank Zappa puzzle. I saw Zappa perform live several times with different backing musicians and they never failed to deliver! One of the best shows I was fortunate to witness was recorded and produced as a live album. It was Just Another Band From L.A. at the Forum in Inglewood, Ca with Flo and Eddie doing the lead vocals. Outstanding doesn't begin to describe that show! Check it out. You will not regret it!!
1:36 The microphone is a Sennheiser 441, and FZ seemed to favor it at this point, I haven't seen it in any other performance photos or video after 1974.
Love your guys' takes. I've checked out some of your Stevie and Steely Dan reactions prior to this. The keyboard player is George Duke and the drummer is Chester Thompson. Great jazz musicians in their own right. George later had a solo career and teamed with the great bass player Stanley Clarke. Thompson played with the fusion super group Weather Report and toured with Genesis. Serious badass musicians. I saw this band at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago in 1975. Frank played with many great musicians but I don't think he ever had as complete and as tight a band as this one. Keep up the good work! You guys obviously love music and that's roughly half of life, isn't it?
Saw him twice playing in Gothenburg, awesome, fantastic, an absolute legend with extraordinary great musicians, not least on percussion. He even played an ABBA-song in his very own way : ) Greetings /Ulf!
Went to see Zappa when I was 16, with the Mothers in1968 in L.A. at the Shine $3.50 at the door Fri. ana Sat. night, saw many other concert of his over the years and am 69 now .... (still miss Frank Zappa)
Saw him on New Years eve 74-75 and had such a great time. Unforgettable. The closest you can get to seeing him today is Zappa does Zappa . His son does a very good job playing his songs.
I haven't seen all of your reactions, but I've seen a LOT of them. This is the first time I can remember Dan didn't check how far they are into the video. Draw your own conclusion. I get your regret that you can't see Frank live, but Dweezil's Zappa Plays Zappa show has so much of what you loved here. It's fun. It's free within the constraints of having to perform complex music perfectly. The virtuosity is off the charts. Dweezil is truly an amazing player and has invested heavily to be able to recreate Frank's chops and just as importantly, tone. His guitar rig is not kid's stuff. Make the effort to see them if you can. You will not be disappointed.
I saw Zappa Plays Zappa open for Return to Forever, Sep 14 2011 at the Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie, TX. It was a completely awesome show. Both bands were just beautiful.
I hope these two can just appreciate the quality musicians he has and always did have in his bands. This performance is soo tight. The 4:20 mark always gives me chills.
Frank always worked with the best musicians. Chester Thompson on drums, Napoleon Murphy Brock on vox and sax, and George Duke on keys. Napoleon had a huge impact on my daughter. Great story that I've told elsewhere.
I'm a guitarist as well and I love Frank's playing. Personally I'm amazed that Frank never really played the same licks/phrases that everybody else does, he concentrates on the actual music/melody. I know I try to be careful of using too many licks in my playing. Along with the 10-20 common guitar licks that I've picked up from various players like Page, Hendrix or Clapton I've also developed a number of my own licks (habits ?) that I play far too often. One thing that's really helped me is when I finally understood how to play all the modes. The patterns on the neck that work in the minor (Aeolian) key don't sound right when played in Mixolydian for example. The position of the root or the 5th are located in different positions so the patterns don't line up. :D It made me think more about playing the note and not a pattern. I try to play more melodically as if I was singing or whistling and avoid the patterns on the neck I've gotten so used to over the past 30+ years. Of course I don't avoid the classic licks completely, they became classics for a reason - they are good. :D
I'm sure someone mentioned that Chester's drum Fill in more Trouble Every day was copied by Phill Collins for In the Air Tonight. When He Hired Chester, he made him show the fil because it was a favorite of his. You'll know it when you hear it.
If you didn’t know, Chester Thompson on drums also played in Genesis. George Duke on keys played with The Beatles. Napoleon Murphy Brock sometimes makes guest appearances with Dweezil Zappa’s band. These are classic Zappa tunes, thanks mystery person for suggesting this video.
I was thinking exactly that. He played Vancouver several times and I could have gone to any of his shows and I never did. I will kick my own ass every time I think of those missed opportunities.
Zappa’s mastery of the wah pedal is still unmatched as well..studio versions are worth a listen as well. Zappa wrote Orange County about Richard Nixon Trouble is about the Watts riots
The lyrics are "Son Of Orange County" about Nixon as you say but the music is The Orange County Lumber Truck which preceded this version by a few years with the original Mothers of Invention lineup. Frank was a master of re-working his original compositions. Try listening to the original "More Trouble Every Day" from Freakout compared with this. so much more of a groove on this version!
@@scotttriplett5147 I'm vonfused now, there's a studio version of " Son Of Orange County" I was only familiar With the "Roxy and Elsewhere." live album. Whats the name of the studio album I dont know?
That band had TWO drummers on full kits... Ralph Humphrey (Former drummer from Don Ellis' Jazz Orchestra) and Chester Thompson, later drummed with Genesis as Phil Collins slowly switched to vocals. Another notable was the Keyboardist, George Duke. Frank had a habit of finding musicians in their prime and/or just before they made it on their own. (Steve Vai, Adrian Bellew, Jean Luc Ponty, etc.)
Chester Thompson on drums - big Ludwig set Frank bought for him. My favorite drummer was booted for Chester - Ralph Humphrey. They played as a 2 kit band for a while, then it was just Chester for 'One Size Fits All. Frank wasn't a massive string bender, but slid into notes.
On that tour, both the solos that end those songs went on for 10 minutes or more... And this concert was recorded after this band had toured extensively and was as tight as any band Zappa had...
Background: "More Trouble Every Day" is referent to the Watt's riots that happened in 1965. "Son of Orange County" is referent to Richard Nixon. The "Roxy Live" version has Zappa saying "I am not a crook", and Nixon was indeed born in Orange County. Check out just about anything from "One Size Fits All" if you haven't. And for some almost purely guitar playing enjoyment with minimal lyric input try out "Black Napkins" from "Zoot Allures", or "Watermelon in Easter Hay" from "Joe's Garage Part 3". A couple of Zappa's tastiest just guitar pieces. And "Black Napkins" is live. Stunning stuff. Now subscribed. Enjoy exploring Zappa. Saw him five times live, once where he played little but composed and conducted for a 37 piece symphony orchestra. Royce Hall UCLA. The "Abnuceals Emukha Symphony Orchestra". Really. Treat us all to a review of one of those two songs. Guitar with serious "feels". Blessings.
FYI... This WAS one of the Roxy performances. You can get this video with a mix of performances from the series, or there's a multi-CD set that includes all of the Roxy concerts (2 a day for 3 days, IIRC)
Zappa's best lineup ever. I saw them twice. The Trouble Coming Every Day song at the end was from Zappa's first album in the 60s, and was written at the time about the Watts riots. Ruth Underwood on the vibes was always incredible.
Napoleon Murphy brock, sax and sauve, Chester Thompson behind the kit, George Duke on keys we could go on, same band concert playing inca roads, check that out unbelievable live wot a band
I suggest watching the Roxy movie. It’s this band. That will give you an idea of what it was like to see a Zappa show mid 70s. Zappa was still very much a performer. Then watch the Barcelona concert from 1988 which has another amazing band and witness him as performer/arranger/composer. Of course you can just listen to his live audio releases and there’s lots of that. But watching those two shows is wonderful.
It's a tie for me as to my favorite Zappa band between this one. Tom Fowler- Bass, Chester Thompson-Drums, Ruth Underwood-Percussion, the legend George Duke on Keys& Vocals, Napoleon Murphy Brock-Vocals & Sax and his band in the late 70s with Terry Bozzio on drums, Patrick O'Hearn-Bass, Adrian Belew- Guitar & Vocals, Tommy Mars-Keys
Zappa employed this great black saxophone/ vocalist with a great voice . because he was a great front man in the band he played before Zappa,and Zappa knew about his talent and watched a consert with the band this guy had and asked him soon after.F zappa did maybe not use much vibrato but he was a unique string bender, in a way that was out of this world.
Zappas music sounds complicated but its always tempered with soul and groove, blues tempos chilled, swinging and funky turns always current with the messaging.. You can still go out and see /hear the music live, you'll be surprised, so many of his lineup are touring still..
By the way they didn't have much emphasis on the Orange County song you have to listen to the album weasels Ripped My Flesh listen to that version because they've got these saxophones playing Harmony and it's just such a beautiful Melody and it was kind of underscored on this particular version I mean it was great don't get me wrong but yeah you're going to love that it's such a pretty Melody you know
there's another performance of these 2 songs live on the album Roxy and Elsewhere that is much longer because it includes a long guitar solo and stuff. It looked like this video ended right at the beginning of the good stuff.
the whole "I just can't believe you are such a fool" is addressed to John Lennon for Love is All You Need originally. This tour he made it about Richard Nixon...
You may never get to see Frank live, but if you ever get the chance, go see his son Dweezil who is out there keeping this great music alive for a new generation as well as us old farts who saw his Dad. He always fills the stage with as many players as he can that actually played the music with his Dad, including (when I saw them) Napoleon Murphy Brock, the vocalist, sax player in this video, Terry Bozzio on drums, and Steve Vai on guitar, trading licks with Dweezil who is a fine guitarist in his own right. Hey, come to think of it, there's plenty of Dweezil videos on RUclips, just sayin'.........
Chester Thompson went on to play drums with Genesis & Phil Collins. You guys should check out Dweezils Band Zappa Plays Zappa the closest you can get to seeing Frank himself. That whole concert that video is taken from is amazing as well as the Baby Snakes Movie. Amazing stuff. ✌
The first mothers album Freak Out had a list of influences in the gatefold that became a search list before computers for clues about culture. Early Mothers LPs are worth checking out. Uncle Meat is one of the best albums in history of ideas and music. Thanks.
I've got the HONOR to see Frank Zappa two times in my life - once in SCHÜTTORF - Open Air in the northwest, and once in ESSEN, Grugahalle And their are storys to be told - but I don'T wanna boring anywone here...
Just a note you two Dears - who might be bemoaning the passing of another era - the words of a great poet, Utah Philips: "The past didn't go anywhere." A fact that is not well known. He and Ani DiFranco collaborated on a music / poetry album you might like which is also entitled The Past Didn't Go Anywhere. Love
Sennheiser 441 has the capsule about 4 inches away from the mouth. This prevents . Proximity effect . Aka. DJ vocals. Boom boom. Shure SM 58 is a nightmare in this respect.
nice react... the only thing that makes me sad a bit is the sudden end of "more trouble every day"... I guess you listen to the live version "Roxy and Elsewhere " already, so you know that exactly at this point a bombastic guitar solo follows (my favourite one), but they cut it off...! when I found this version on the net the first time I was ready to start banging my head at this point, when it felt into an empty "nothing"... oh lord...! anyway, here in your clip your nice react follows and picked me up from my mental breakdown... thank you for your help... puhh... ✌️
Ah...scrolled further and see you've touched on "One Size Fits All" and reacted to "Watermelon in Easter Hay". Wonderful! Do try "Black Napkins" though. Pure guitar magic.
Napoleon Murphy Brock's not only a saxophonist with "Frontman-Quality", what Sifa correctly recognized but he also was THE ONLY MAN ON EARTH (I think so) who DANCED with Frank Zappa!!! I think Frank Zappa wasn't willing and able to dance anyway. But this "ONE-LEG-DANCE" with the great Napoleon Murphy Brock (at around 2:20) WORKED!!! Frank Zappa was a DANCER... *uhumm... sorry :o)
the drummer, chester thompson went on to have a famous career with genesis, then a jazz career. napoleon (sax/vocals) just gets it. totally gets it. george duke on keyboard became a famous jazz guy, too.
@Matty88K - The quote you mentioned "I am not a crook" is from the Roxy & Elsewhere album version of Son of Orange County and is a reference to Tricky Dicky, but the song is not about him. The lyrics to the song originally appeared on the 1970 Weasels Ripped my Flesh album in the song titled Oh No. The song lyrics are poking fun at the naive lyrics of the Beatles song All You Need is Love.
Hi people you should try "blessed relief" on the grand wazoo album, sal marquez and George Duke solos, tops. Another side of Frank. Keep well from England
@10:05 - Phrasing : FZ makes his guitar talk which indicates a complete mastery of the instrument. Thank you for the comment about the cameraman. Rock videos suck because the cameraman and the editor think they are the show. I've realized that the proper way of video taping a band is to have at minimum, 3 cameras. One to show the drummer at all times, displayed with screen inside the screen, because the drummer is the backbone on the sound. ( I realized this after having watched a bunch of Yoyoka drumming videos....recommended video: ruclips.net/video/pEBpq0K7Gog/видео.html ) And to always point one camera at the lead guitarist, or whatever instrument is playing the lead. The third camera would be a wide shot of the band. "Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" is a 6 1/2 minute Zappa tune with a 3 minute guitar solo that I recommend ruclips.net/video/FccwMLnWPls/видео.html
@@SightAfterDark It's a way for the family to keep capitalizing on his name. His vault is massive. Full of material no one has ever heard. Including at home jam sessions with some of the biggest rock stars of his time and tons of home and Concert videos. Sadly we'll probably never hear a lot of it in our lifetimes. Roxy was one of his best live recordings... imagine the money they made when they finally released the video footage?
As I'm sure others have said, and you already know, Zappa's excellent guitar playing was so phenomenally noncontroversial, that Frank made it into a joke with a project entitled "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar"!
“So many countless videos …” lol. The “Son of Orange County” is quite different from the Roxy & Elsewhere version. And the guitar solo is much shorter. I feel he maybe felt it wasn’t gonna happen, and just cut it short. Or it was longer, but he edited it short, for the same reason. Anyway, I’m surprised I haven’t come across this one earlier. Great reaction, as always!
Not sure anyone’s mentioned this yet in the comments, but Richard Nixon is the actual “Son of Orange County.” The lyrics make more sense when you know that. … Also, I was lucky enough to see this tour.
@Jim Hardiman - I don't know what you mean by "back up drummer."' Chester was hired to be the touring drummer, not back up, for Genesis because Phil spent a lot of time at the front of the stage singing and not playing drums. Chester then did Phil solo tours for the same reason.
That's Napoleon Murphy Brock singing and slaying the sax! Chester Thompson could play circles around "Bonzo." FZ's guitar style often dwells on rhythmic phrasing. No vibrato necessary!
I think for live performances ya just gotta sit back .close your eyes and listen.Then review maybe..Then actually listen and watch it 1 more time. Then compare both.. I bet it would be 2 different experiences ✌️. Bigg Zappa fan it's good to seen u Folks enjoying.
Napoleon Murphy Brock was specifically chosen for his front man skills, BTW Great observations about the musicianship and Zappa's playing - nobody, and I mean *nobody* phrases guitar lines like FZ.
There's so much good Frank out there ... my advice is to go for live tracks and videos like this one. And Frank never played the same solo twice. I've been a fan for decades and I still find cuts and takes I've never heard. Try Inca Roads from the same show?
Oh man Frank spent one year of high school at antelope Valley College here 10 years before us kids and then when we reached college-age we realized he lived here and we all became obsessed with Frank Zappa Captain Beefheart also known as Dans Vanvleet also grew up here became an associate of Frank Zappa My best friend John Thomas went on to become a record producer etc. etc. et Anyway I love you guys reaction especially Miss or Mrs. graffiti I kind a like to marry her but I’m already involved with somebody Ha ha ha
If you liked this, be sure to check out our Frank Zappa podcast!
ruclips.net/video/qyOpmQ7p-DA/видео.html
Seeing Ruth playing with her marvellous smile on her face is so precious !
In an interview of Ruth, when she was attending Franks early stage presentations, of which some didn't even have any or little musical content, the Mothers were playing something, then just broke out into " Oh No", and Ruth thought that was one of the most beautiful pieces of work she ever heard, and I bet she was still feeling that as she was on stage then playing it with him.
I love Napoleon Murphy Brock. The entire line-up is stellar. And Ruth is a goddess.
The best!
I saw the new Zappa documentary last sunday.... very moving to see Ruth in that one as well sooo much love for the man and his music
Well said. As a 50+ year fan of everything Zappa, I like to see his band mates get the credit they deserve.
I was lucky enough to see Frank and the original Mothers of Invention in a small Greenwich Village theater in the Summer of 1967. This was before he had made a name for himself as a brilliant performer/composer. It was a bright Summer day, sometime in the afternoon, and Frank and the Mothers were standing casually on the sidewalk outside the theater chatting. I stood just a few feet away from them, before I ambled on into the ridiculously small and narrow theater and took a seat near the back, on the left side of the building. A few minutes later, in walks Frank, and he heads down the middle aisle towards the small stage. It's a memory I'll never forget. And I'll never forget when the group suddenly stopped playing, sat down on their amps or elsewhere on the stage, and just stared at the 20 or so of us in the audience. At another point, they began pelting us with grapes. Crazy ......
thats incredible
@@timcardona9962 Tim, believe me. It was incredible to see Frank & the Mothers just casually standing there on the sidewalk, killing time before they assembled on that dinky stage in a cheesy Greenwich Village venue to play for a couple dozen "fun seekers". I consider myself extremely lucky to have seen the genius composer/performer before he was known as such. I was visiting New York City for a few days with my mother at the time, and I just happened to be browsing through a NYC newspaper. And there, in the entertainment section was a small ad for the Mothers appearance in Greenwich Village. My mother went shopping, while I was at the show. Seeing Frank & The Mothers at such close range was a real trip!
@@davidzimmerli489 Oh man I could hear about this for hours haha...those Garrick shows are the stuff of legends!
Was the summer of love in full swing at that time in the village?
@@timcardona9962 Hi Tim. I'm not sure about that. Of course, Greenwich Village has always been a refuge for those who didn't fit in with the establishment - poets, and beatniks, and eccentric artists, and individuals into alternate life styles. I'm sure the hippies considered it a place where they would be accepted and find freedom from the constrictions of "normal" society. I had a friend in high school who was one of the first guys to grow his hair long, and dress differently. He was in a rock band back then, and I used to drive him to his "gigs" once in a while. He also introduced me to marijuana. And he was probably the only person I knew who hitchhiked out to San Francisco during the summer of '67 - The Summer of Love. He slowly but surely got really messed up, not taking care of himself, and falling into an addiction to heroin .... I lost track of him for quite a few years ..... I could write endlessly about the experiences of my life, but I better cut it off here, and get some sleep. I really enjoy conversing with you ......
Amazing! Thanks for watching David!
Yeah, they cut that short for some reason. That was an amazingly talented band. Chester Thompson on the drums was killer. The lead vocals and sax were performed by the dynamic and amazing Napoleon Murphy Brock, and let's not forget the amazingly talented George Duke on keys, a master musician, composer, arranger himself. Arf!
Amazing talent all around!
No mention of Ruth or Tom!
You forgot the immensely talented Ruth Underwood ;)
I gave you a "thumbs-up" for the "Arf!"
This is an all-star line-up by any measure: the great late George Duke (played with many jazz greats like Sonny Rollins or Miles Davis), Chester Thompson (went to play with Weather Report after leaving Frank), Tom Fowler, Ruth Underwood, Napoleon Murphy Brock. This band had so many brilliant moments. It's not just the virtuosity. It's their musical sense and interplay which is really awesome. Frank is not even a virtuoso guitarist. He had a lot of chops, of course, but what sets him apart is his ability to compose on the spot. Many of his solos could easily be thought as finished compositions in their own right. He was not there to vomit the same old licks every time. He was there taking musical challenges and that's why many of his solos are not perfect, but he is always interesting and often wonderful. He makes my life better.
Very cool, thanks Carlos!
You'll never regret seeing Zappa Plays Zappa. His son plays his music and its just the best. I saw the first tour with napoleon murphy brock on sax/vocals (just like this song). The crowd was as crazy as the show.
Unfortunately, both guitar solo's were cut out for this video clip. for full length version check "Roxy and Elsewhere"
Frank was the man .. RIP Frank .. Sorely missed 🙁 Napoleon Murphy Brock is incredible too 😊
Incredible indeed!
@@SightAfterDark I just happened to stumble across your reaction videos. Fun to see and hear your thoughts. I’m 57 turning 58 soon, and saw Frank 20+ times in concert from the 70s through the 80s. It’s an experience that’s almost indescribable. Euphoric comes to mind. I was also a musician and was only interested in playing his music. A few other artists here and there but mainly Franks stuff. Battle of the bands in High school was always interesting. Lol. But anyway,...here’s another video with a handful of songs from a NYC Halloween show. I started going to Franks concert that year but didn’t get to go to this one. Enjoy if you decide to try this one. ruclips.net/video/WU7Kjjr_uiU/видео.html
First off, yes Dope and the lyrics are relevant, even more so today. The drummer is Chester Thompson. The fill you hear him do was heard by Phil Collins, which inspired Phil Collins a lot. Phil recruited Chester to be in the Genesis band so Phil could be the singing front man. But, that fill is the genesis to Phil Collins killer drum fill in "In The Air Tonight". Chester played with Genesis and Phil Collins solo band until just a little while ago.
You guys are EASILY becoming my favorite reactors with these Zappa reactions. Loving that you love my all time fav. There is SO much more to hear!
Thanks so much Thomas! Glad you're enjoying the videos!
Its gratifying as a long time fan to see others get what you like. So thanks.
Thanks for watching Mark! Glad you enjoyed :)
This is the best video of a live performance I have seen on RUclips. I saw him in concert in the mid 70's but I don't remember what songs he performed.
Much like Frank Zappa the musicians the he selected to accompany him were some of the very best, most talented, gifted players there are. Even if your at the top of the game in your field it wasn't a guarantee that you would be invited to be an integral piece of the critical Frank Zappa puzzle. I saw Zappa perform live several times with different backing musicians and they never failed to deliver! One of the best shows I was fortunate to witness was recorded and produced as a live album. It was Just Another Band From L.A. at the Forum in Inglewood, Ca with Flo and Eddie doing the lead vocals. Outstanding doesn't begin to describe that show! Check it out. You will not regret it!!
1:36 The microphone is a Sennheiser 441, and FZ seemed to favor it at this point, I haven't seen it in any other performance photos or video after 1974.
Thanks John!
Love your guys' takes. I've checked out some of your Stevie and Steely Dan reactions prior to this. The keyboard player is George Duke and the drummer is Chester Thompson. Great jazz musicians in their own right. George later had a solo career and teamed with the great bass player Stanley Clarke. Thompson played with the fusion super group Weather Report and toured with Genesis. Serious badass musicians. I saw this band at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago in 1975. Frank played with many great musicians but I don't think he ever had as complete and as tight a band as this one. Keep up the good work! You guys obviously love music and that's roughly half of life, isn't it?
You said it Thomas! Thanks for watching!
"oh no, I can't believe it" so many people relishing the genius of Zappa. This is very good
Saw him twice playing in Gothenburg, awesome, fantastic, an absolute legend with extraordinary great musicians, not least on percussion. He even played an ABBA-song in his very own way : ) Greetings /Ulf!
Went to see Zappa when I was 16, with the Mothers in1968 in L.A. at the Shine $3.50 at the door Fri. ana Sat. night, saw many other concert of his over the years and am 69 now .... (still miss Frank Zappa)
Filthy Habits is a great song and features Frank's abilities of feedback control and vibrato on guitar
Thanks Kris!
Saw him on New Years eve 74-75 and had such a great time. Unforgettable. The closest you can get to seeing him today is Zappa does Zappa . His son does a very good job playing his songs.
I have Napoleons autograph, talk with him after a show here in Sweden when they played at the jazz festival in 2003 in UMEÅ.
That’s awesome!
His finest band members I believe!!! Even better is the movie Roxy and elsewhere!!!
I haven't seen all of your reactions, but I've seen a LOT of them. This is the first time I can remember Dan didn't check how far they are into the video. Draw your own conclusion. I get your regret that you can't see Frank live, but Dweezil's Zappa Plays Zappa show has so much of what you loved here. It's fun. It's free within the constraints of having to perform complex music perfectly. The virtuosity is off the charts. Dweezil is truly an amazing player and has invested heavily to be able to recreate Frank's chops and just as importantly, tone. His guitar rig is not kid's stuff. Make the effort to see them if you can. You will not be disappointed.
I saw Zappa Plays Zappa open for Return to Forever, Sep 14 2011 at the Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie, TX. It was a completely awesome show. Both bands were just beautiful.
lmao we didn't even realize he did that so much. We definitely wish this was longer! Shoutout to Dweezil for continuing the Zappa legacy!
I hope these two can just appreciate the quality musicians he has and always did have in his bands. This performance is soo tight. The 4:20 mark always gives me chills.
Frank always worked with the best musicians. Chester Thompson on drums, Napoleon Murphy Brock on vox and sax, and George Duke on keys. Napoleon had a huge impact on my daughter. Great story that I've told elsewhere.
I'm a guitarist as well and I love Frank's playing. Personally I'm amazed that Frank never really played the same licks/phrases that everybody else does, he concentrates on the actual music/melody. I know I try to be careful of using too many licks in my playing. Along with the 10-20 common guitar licks that I've picked up from various players like Page, Hendrix or Clapton I've also developed a number of my own licks (habits ?) that I play far too often.
One thing that's really helped me is when I finally understood how to play all the modes. The patterns on the neck that work in the minor (Aeolian) key don't sound right when played in Mixolydian for example. The position of the root or the 5th are located in different positions so the patterns don't line up. :D It made me think more about playing the note and not a pattern. I try to play more melodically as if I was singing or whistling and avoid the patterns on the neck I've gotten so used to over the past 30+ years. Of course I don't avoid the classic licks completely, they became classics for a reason - they are good. :D
It’s all about variety!
I'm sure someone mentioned that Chester's drum Fill in more Trouble Every day was copied by Phill Collins for In the Air Tonight. When He Hired Chester, he made him show the fil because it was a favorite of his. You'll know it when you hear it.
If you didn’t know, Chester Thompson on drums also played in Genesis. George Duke on keys played with The Beatles. Napoleon Murphy Brock sometimes makes guest appearances with Dweezil Zappa’s band. These are classic Zappa tunes, thanks mystery person for suggesting this video.
We didn’t know! Thanks for the info!
@@SightAfterDark George Duke did not play with the Beatles. That was Billy Preston.
I was thinking exactly that. He played Vancouver several times and I could have gone to any of his shows and I never did. I will kick my own ass every time I think of those missed opportunities.
The past is the past. Don't let it get to you!
Just go see Dweezil if you get the chance...
@@Peter-K I will make a point of it. I have watched Dweezil on you tube a couple of times. Great bands he has.
@@wwestern99 Says he is going back on tour next year...hopefully early in 22!
Zappa’s mastery of the wah pedal is still unmatched as well..studio versions are worth a listen as well. Zappa wrote Orange County about Richard Nixon
Trouble is about the Watts riots
The lyrics are "Son Of Orange County" about Nixon as you say but the music is The
Orange County Lumber Truck which preceded this version by a few years with the original Mothers of Invention lineup. Frank was a master of re-working his original compositions. Try listening to the original "More Trouble Every Day" from Freakout compared with this. so much more of a groove on this version!
@@ChasBeauregarde studio version had lyrics not in live versions
@@scotttriplett5147 I'm vonfused now, there's a studio version of " Son Of Orange County" I was only familiar With the "Roxy and Elsewhere." live album. Whats the name of the studio album I dont know?
@@ChasBeauregarde sorry for the ambiguity! “Trouble Comin’ Every Day, is the song I was speaking of. “Freak out” is the album…
@@scotttriplett5147 Gotcha! All good !
That band had TWO drummers on full kits... Ralph Humphrey (Former drummer from Don Ellis' Jazz Orchestra) and Chester Thompson, later drummed with Genesis as Phil Collins slowly switched to vocals. Another notable was the Keyboardist, George Duke. Frank had a habit of finding musicians in their prime and/or just before they made it on their own. (Steve Vai, Adrian Bellew, Jean Luc Ponty, etc.)
Chester Thompson on drums - big Ludwig set Frank bought for him. My favorite drummer was booted for Chester - Ralph Humphrey. They played as a 2 kit band for a while, then it was just Chester for 'One Size Fits All. Frank wasn't a massive string bender, but slid into notes.
Thanks for the info!
On that tour, both the solos that end those songs went on for 10 minutes or more... And this concert was recorded after this band had toured extensively and was as tight as any band Zappa had...
Tight as hell!
There's that chicken pecking right hand and spider left. Lovin your shows
Keep well from England
Thanks for watching!
Keep well from NYC!
Had every album they made (from day one, 1966) and wore them out. memorized every word !!
Nice
Background: "More Trouble Every Day" is referent to the Watt's riots that happened in 1965. "Son of Orange County" is referent to Richard Nixon. The "Roxy Live" version has Zappa saying "I am not a crook", and Nixon was indeed born in Orange County.
Check out just about anything from "One Size Fits All" if you haven't. And for some almost purely guitar playing enjoyment with minimal lyric input try out "Black Napkins" from "Zoot Allures", or "Watermelon in Easter Hay" from "Joe's Garage Part 3". A couple of Zappa's tastiest just guitar pieces. And "Black Napkins" is live. Stunning stuff.
Now subscribed. Enjoy exploring Zappa. Saw him five times live, once where he played little but composed and conducted for a 37 piece symphony orchestra. Royce Hall UCLA. The "Abnuceals Emukha Symphony Orchestra".
Really. Treat us all to a review of one of those two songs. Guitar with serious "feels". Blessings.
Thanks Leo! We appreciate you being here, and we appreciate you watching! Looking forward to hearing more Zappa as time goes on
FYI... This WAS one of the Roxy performances. You can get this video with a mix of performances from the series, or there's a multi-CD set that includes all of the Roxy concerts (2 a day for 3 days, IIRC)
Zappa's best lineup ever. I saw them twice. The Trouble Coming Every Day song at the end was from Zappa's first album in the 60s, and was written at the time about the Watts riots. Ruth Underwood on the vibes was always incredible.
So awesome
Best Zappa reactions on the interweb!
You're too sweet :)
THE GREAT CHESTER THOMPSON ON DRUMS . FRANKS BANDS WERE WORLD CLASS.
The complete „Roxy and elswere“ show is amazing. Maybe the best Zappa Band ever!!!
Hell yeah!
Its hard not to smile while Frank plays his guitar - even when you have decided to be serious
Napoleon Murphy brock, sax and sauve, Chester Thompson behind the kit, George Duke on keys we could go on, same band concert playing inca roads, check that out unbelievable live wot a band
I suggest watching the Roxy movie. It’s this band. That will give you an idea of what it was like to see a Zappa show mid 70s. Zappa was still very much a performer. Then watch the Barcelona concert from 1988 which has another amazing band and witness him as performer/arranger/composer. Of course you can just listen to his live audio releases and there’s lots of that. But watching those two shows is wonderful.
Sounds awesome! Thanks Barry!
the roxy movie and "baby snakes" movie. halloween. nyc. adrian belew. terry bozzio. it's nuts.
Great reaction! Great players having fun with challenging - for listeners especially, for the uninitiated - music.
Absolutely! Thanks for watching!
It's a tie for me as to my favorite Zappa band between this one. Tom Fowler- Bass, Chester Thompson-Drums, Ruth Underwood-Percussion, the legend George Duke on Keys& Vocals, Napoleon Murphy Brock-Vocals & Sax and his band in the late 70s with Terry Bozzio on drums, Patrick O'Hearn-Bass, Adrian Belew- Guitar & Vocals, Tommy Mars-Keys
Zappa employed this great black saxophone/ vocalist with a great voice . because he was a great front man in the band he played before Zappa,and Zappa knew about his talent and watched a consert with the band this guy had and asked him soon after.F zappa did maybe not use much vibrato but he was a unique string bender, in a way that was out of this world.
Great again.
She looks totally blazed!
☺️and somehow she managed to say more than ‘woah, that was cool’
Thanks for watching!
Zappas music sounds complicated but its always tempered with soul and groove, blues tempos chilled, swinging and funky turns always current with the messaging.. You can still go out and see /hear the music live, you'll be surprised, so many of his lineup are touring still..
Will definitely have to catch them sometime. Thanks for watching!
By the way they didn't have much emphasis on the Orange County song you have to listen to the album weasels Ripped My Flesh listen to that version because they've got these saxophones playing Harmony and it's just such a beautiful Melody and it was kind of underscored on this particular version I mean it was great don't get me wrong but yeah you're going to love that it's such a pretty Melody you know
Thanks Bryan!
there's another performance of these 2 songs live on the album Roxy and Elsewhere that is much longer because it includes a long guitar solo and stuff. It looked like this video ended right at the beginning of the good stuff.
Ah ok. Thanks for watching!
You may never get to see Frank, but Dweezil is touring his music and does a great job as a legacy torchbearer!
We’ve heard he does a great job! Thanks for watching Monica!
Frank wrote that song shortly after the LA uprising in 1965
Thanks John!
Roxy the movie!!!
My favorite Frank lineup there.
They're definitely great!
the whole "I just can't believe you are such a fool" is addressed to John Lennon for Love is All You Need originally. This tour he made it about Richard Nixon...
Thanks Neh!
You may never get to see Frank live, but if you ever get the chance, go see his son Dweezil who is out there keeping this great music alive for a new generation as well as us old farts who saw his Dad. He always fills the stage with as many players as he can that actually played the music with his Dad, including (when I saw them) Napoleon Murphy Brock, the vocalist, sax player in this video, Terry Bozzio on drums, and Steve Vai on guitar, trading licks with Dweezil who is a fine guitarist in his own right. Hey, come to think of it, there's plenty of Dweezil videos on RUclips, just sayin'.........
Thanks John, we’ve heard Dweezil does a great job!
The drum lick Chester Thompson hits at 5 minutes and 15 seconds got him a job touring with Genesis for decades
haha Good for him!
Chester Thompson went on to play drums with Genesis & Phil Collins. You guys should check out Dweezils Band Zappa Plays Zappa the closest you can get to seeing Frank himself. That whole concert that video is taken from is amazing as well as the Baby Snakes Movie. Amazing stuff. ✌
Sounds awesome! Thanks for letting us know!
Hey ,, George Duke on vocals ,, Zappa on guitar Ruth Underwood on percussion,,,,hell yeah,!!!!!!
Yeahhhhh
The first mothers album Freak Out had a list of influences in the gatefold that became a search list before computers for clues about culture. Early Mothers LPs are worth checking out. Uncle Meat is one of the best albums in history of ideas and music. Thanks.
Thank you!
@@SightAfterDark wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Category:Freak_Out!_(The_List)
I've got the HONOR to see Frank Zappa two times in my life - once in SCHÜTTORF - Open Air in the northwest, and once in ESSEN, Grugahalle
And their are storys to be told - but I don'T wanna boring anywone here...
Bore us!
Just a note you two Dears - who might be bemoaning the passing of another era - the words of a great poet, Utah Philips:
"The past didn't go anywhere." A fact that is not well known.
He and Ani DiFranco collaborated on a music / poetry album you might like which is also entitled The Past Didn't Go Anywhere. Love
How beautiful and wonderful! Thanks David!
You can still see Dwezil, and his shows are a lot of fun! RIP Frank
Shoutout to Dweezil!
FRANK ZAPPA IS THE BEST!!
Sennheiser 441 has the capsule about 4 inches away from the mouth. This prevents . Proximity effect . Aka. DJ vocals. Boom boom.
Shure SM 58 is a nightmare in this respect.
Is that a mic? Yup, It's a Sennheiser MD441. Now a vintage collectorsitem.
It doesn't look like a Telefunken U47 (with leather)
@@stevedotwood you'll love it!!
That mic is freakin' huge!
nice react... the only thing that makes me sad a bit is the sudden end of "more trouble every day"... I guess you listen to the live version "Roxy and Elsewhere " already, so you know that exactly at this point a bombastic guitar solo follows (my favourite one), but they cut it off...! when I found this version on the net the first time I was ready to start banging my head at this point, when it felt into an empty "nothing"... oh lord...! anyway, here in your clip your nice react follows and picked me up from my mental breakdown... thank you for your help... puhh... ✌️
Ah...scrolled further and see you've touched on "One Size Fits All" and reacted to "Watermelon in Easter Hay". Wonderful! Do try "Black Napkins" though. Pure guitar magic.
Napoleon Murphy Brock's not only a saxophonist with "Frontman-Quality", what Sifa correctly recognized but he also was THE ONLY MAN ON EARTH (I think so) who DANCED with Frank Zappa!!!
I think Frank Zappa wasn't willing and able to dance anyway. But this "ONE-LEG-DANCE" with the great Napoleon Murphy Brock (at around 2:20) WORKED!!!
Frank Zappa was a DANCER... *uhumm... sorry :o)
🕺!
missing first part Oh No ....need to watch all
frank wrote every note for every musician. it's not an accident.
the drummer, chester thompson went on to have a famous career with genesis, then a jazz career. napoleon (sax/vocals) just gets it. totally gets it. george duke on keyboard became a famous jazz guy, too.
Those were the times...
You have tapped into a genre that will be good to you because there is so so much material.
Indeed!
This version of "Orange County" is a shortened version of "Son of Orange County", which is about Richard Nixon, hence the "I am not a crook" line.
Makes sense! Thanks for the comment!
@Matty88K - The quote you mentioned "I am not a crook" is from the Roxy & Elsewhere album version of Son of Orange County and is a reference to Tricky Dicky, but the song is not about him. The lyrics to the song originally appeared on the 1970 Weasels Ripped my Flesh album in the song titled Oh No. The song lyrics are poking fun at the naive lyrics of the Beatles song All You Need is Love.
Hi people you should try "blessed relief" on the grand wazoo album, sal marquez and George Duke solos, tops.
Another side of Frank.
Keep well from England
Thank you! Keep well from NYC!
Napoleon still play in NYC all the time with the Ed Palermo big band
@10:05 - Phrasing : FZ makes his guitar talk which indicates a complete mastery of the instrument.
Thank you for the comment about the cameraman. Rock videos suck because the cameraman and the editor think they are the show.
I've realized that the proper way of video taping a band is to have at minimum, 3 cameras.
One to show the drummer at all times, displayed with screen inside the screen, because the drummer is the backbone on the sound.
( I realized this after having watched a bunch of Yoyoka drumming videos....recommended video: ruclips.net/video/pEBpq0K7Gog/видео.html )
And to always point one camera at the lead guitarist, or whatever instrument is playing the lead. The third camera would be a wide shot of the band.
"Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown" is a 6 1/2 minute Zappa tune with a 3 minute guitar solo that I recommend ruclips.net/video/FccwMLnWPls/видео.html
Haha that's true, they do think they're the show! Thanks for the links, and thanks for watching!
The Roxy and Elsewhere album was 🔥. They recently released the video footage after nearly 50 years in the vault
Daaaamn 50 years? That’s a long time to keep in the vault!
@@SightAfterDark It's a way for the family to keep capitalizing on his name. His vault is massive. Full of material no one has ever heard. Including at home jam sessions with some of the biggest rock stars of his time and tons of home and Concert videos. Sadly we'll probably never hear a lot of it in our lifetimes. Roxy was one of his best live recordings... imagine the money they made when they finally released the video footage?
Liston to the original Trouble Every Day from the Freak Out album. It's the first rap song.
Interesting! We’ll have to check it out. Thanks Rance!
She was digging it in the beginning.... then she got confused...!
my dear, welcome to the unusual world of Frank Zappa.. a true genius.
Haha Zappa is the best!
Frank Zappa and the Mothers are the jazziest rock band ever.
You should go and see Dweezil Zappa's band next time they tour, they are amazing live. Frank's music lives on
We’ve heard he does a great job!
As I'm sure others have said, and you already know, Zappa's excellent guitar playing was so phenomenally noncontroversial, that Frank made it into a joke with a project entitled "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar"!
Gotta love it!
“So many countless videos …” lol. The “Son of Orange County” is quite different from the Roxy & Elsewhere version. And the guitar solo is much shorter. I feel he maybe felt it wasn’t gonna happen, and just cut it short. Or it was longer, but he edited it short, for the same reason. Anyway, I’m surprised I haven’t come across this one earlier. Great reaction, as always!
Not sure anyone’s mentioned this yet in the comments, but Richard Nixon is the actual “Son of Orange County.” The lyrics make more sense when you know that. … Also, I was lucky enough to see this tour.
Nice! Must’ve been a great show!
FZ's guitar phrasing (drums and other compositional devices) are based on SPEECH PATTERNS... he says as much in interview or his autobiography
We can definitely hear it!
Son Of Orange County is about Nixon. More Trouble Every Day was written during the Watts Riots. Thanks for sharing these.
Thanks for watching Jeff!
Chester Thompson on drums was later hired by Phil Collins to be his back up drummer in Genesis and solo concerts.
Nice!
@Jim Hardiman - I don't know what you mean by "back up drummer."' Chester was hired to be the touring drummer, not back up, for Genesis because Phil spent a lot of time at the front of the stage singing and not playing drums. Chester then did Phil solo tours for the same reason.
@@Frunobulax74 whatever you say tough guy
@@jimhardiman3836 Hahahahaha, somebody is sensitive to correction.
Two words, as far as I'm concerned: George. Duke.
Rest easy, Dukey. Miss ya.
That's Napoleon Murphy Brock singing and slaying the sax! Chester Thompson could play circles around "Bonzo." FZ's guitar style often dwells on rhythmic phrasing. No vibrato necessary!
Napoleon Murphy Brock is the greatest entertainer I witnessed in 50 years of concert going.
Great reaction! Take a look at Inca Roads or Florentine Pogen live with the same lineup.
Thanks Tim! Appreciate you!
I think for live performances ya just gotta sit back .close your eyes and listen.Then review maybe..Then actually listen and watch it 1 more time. Then compare both.. I bet it would be 2 different experiences ✌️. Bigg Zappa fan it's good to seen u Folks enjoying.
Thanks Korny! We've definitely listed more since making this video, and we appreciate it more and more each time :)
Napoleon Murphy Brock was specifically chosen for his front man skills, BTW
Great observations about the musicianship and Zappa's playing - nobody, and I mean *nobody* phrases guitar lines like FZ.
Seriously! That has to be some of the most unique phrasing we've ever heard
Here's the saxophon, sigried!
There's so much good Frank out there ... my advice is to go for live tracks and videos like this one. And Frank never played the same solo twice. I've been a fan for decades and I still find cuts and takes I've never heard. Try Inca Roads from the same show?
Thanks for watching Bill. We love Frank. We can only react to what our patrons suggest, however. We know we'll see more of his music down the line!
Music is the best
Indeed
Oh man Frank spent one year of high school at antelope Valley College here 10 years before us kids and then when we reached college-age we realized he lived here and we all became obsessed with Frank Zappa
Captain Beefheart also known as Dans Vanvleet also grew up here became an associate of Frank Zappa
My best friend John Thomas went on to become a record producer etc. etc. et
Anyway I love you guys reaction especially Miss or Mrs. graffiti I kind a like to marry her but I’m already involved with
somebody
Ha ha ha
she is adorable, isn't she
Thanks for watching Steven! We appreciate your kind words!