Zappa.com

I wish him the best but sure am going to miss him!


April 2009
Hello Friends,

Here's a funny story... sort of.... So we're getting ready to leave for Japan and Australia and we've been rehearsing away like a good little teenage rocking combo. Diligently re-distributing parts and practicing our new musical responsibilities in the wake of Aaron Arntz's departure. We decide to stop for a moment and we say to ourselves where is Ray White?

He was supposed to be here today wasn't he? Yep today's the day for Ray. Let's call him. He doesn't answer any of his phones and they all say they are disconnected. Is he suddenly in the witness protection program? What has happened? We decide to look at our e-mails. I had one in my in box from Ray.

Ready for the hilarious punchline? Ray quit via e-mail with no advance "romance" notice whatsoever.

This sort of thing happened to Frank often. It never stopped him. While it is not enjoyable to deal with, it is predictable. History repeats itself.

As a band we have become even more galvanized by this odd turn of events. We have plenty of material to perform both vocally and instrumentally. We got a bit short changed on preparation time but we're professionals, we can handle this type of thing.

There has always been a plan to perform solely as the core band and now is as good a time as any. Quite frankly I'm looking forward to this experience. I have a lot of confidence in the core band. They are all exceptionally talented.

While we have enjoyed playing with our favorite alumni over the years it is time for a change. Yes folks, it's the end of a chapter for ZPZ.

The new chapter for ZPZ begins thusly...

'Twas the night before rehearsal and all through the studio every creature was stirring, clicking their mouses and searching the internet for new lead singers...

To be continued... ( We may have actually found one from a city far far away.)

In closing, here is the official word on the status of the upcoming tours and what to expect.

Zappa Plays Zappa will be performing as 6 piece band - until we find a few musical compatriots that will complement our line up . We will do what we always do - deliver our very best efforts to present the music of Frank Zappa with the utmost respect and have an excellent time in the process.

Please feel free to join us for the festivities.

See you on the road.

Regards, DZ

Ray and Napoleon have both been pretty key to the band(s) so far. Not sure how it will sound without either of them. Really disappointed to hear this. Sounds like Ray pulled some shit but at the same time Im kinda concerned there might be more going on. A band losing two guys so quickly seems odd. Could just be a coincidence I guess. I just really hope ZPZ stays around. Its the best tour going on these days and Id pay to see Dweezil and his band any day they come near the DC area.

IKE! IKE! IKE!!

_________________
Everytime we picked a booger we'd flip it on this one winduh. Every night we'd contribute, 2, 3, 4 boogers. We had to use a putty knife, man, to get them damn things off the winduh. There was some goober ones that weren't even hard...

Although both the loss of Aaron and Ray will be tough, Dweezil's guitar playing alone is still worth the price of admission.

_________________
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.

I'm glad I saw shows with Napoleon and Ray (and Aaron).
Thanks to all the players.

I have confidence ZPZ shows will continue to be great.
Thanks Dweezil for keeping us informed and for your
optimism and dedication.

April Fool?

_________________
Je suis désolé pour les roles que j'ai joué dans toutes ces videos, ce n'est pas tres valorisant pour l'humanité mais si cela peut avoir fait progresser la science, alors il y aura eu un coté positif.

Damn. At this rate, I'll be lucky to see a power trio in June (I guess Joe will be the last to quit, so a duo I will get).

_________________
"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform, and don't kid yourself" - FZ

The obvious and best choice if all involved parties would finally put aside past issues. Who would Frank hire if he were around to make this decision?

Of course, Flo and Eddie would also be cool.

.......or they could hire Mike Keneally who can do the job of three (keys, vox & guitar) as I suggested in the Aaron Arntz thread.

Well I'm glad i saw 7 shows with FZ!!!

Let's hope so... I still need to buy tickets for Amsterdam, and this far I don't much feel like going...

_________________

Join the PackardGoose forum! Send me a PM!

I have tickets for Sydney on April 14 and am a tad disappointed.

damn i hope it's april fools

_________________

Ray pulled this s*** before, quit on the verge of a New Year's Eve show with K.V.H.W. about 7 or 8 years ago.(K.V.H.W.=Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, Allen Hertz, and of course the no-show Ray White) Steve filled in with Ike Willis but Ray's presence was sorely missed as K.V.H.W. was one of (if not the best) line-ups Kimock has been able to assemble. He was really weird when we talked to him in Seattle, we put it on the fact that he said he was sick, (but he still treated us like crap).

could be an april fool. but its the 2nd of april now....and no HA HA HA. so we'll have to accept it as truth. it's a bad way for ray to go, with zero respect for his other band members. and leaves a stain on his rep with any ZPZ fan waiting to hear him sing. Oh well.... Dweezil is the man and i look forward to the 2 concerts i'm going to. Rock on dweezil!

actually on blog it says:
1 April 2009

Hello Friends,
....

_________________

If this isn't an April Fool's prank (and it's not looking likely at this point to be a farce), this is a real bummer. I liked Ray's singing with the group and it was nice to meet him at the show.

However, the idea of ZPZ playing more instrumental material in lieu of finding an immediate replacement from the roster of previous singers makes me veddy happy.

_________________
NJP

I just hope band troubles don't weaken Dweezil's resolve to keep this tour going. Ive seen 'em 4 times so far and I'm still hoping for many more.

I think Dweezil should do what Frank did...


Keep finding a 19-15 year old prodigy from out of nowhere and wow the audience...

Well, at least everyone is being professional about this.

_________________
Wanna Buy A Grunt With A Third Party Check

How could Ray quit the band if he was only a Special Guest?

q

Quitting without notice is not professional, especially in this situation given the complicated nature of the material. and the extensive schedule ahead.

He should have looked for a non-alumni vocalist a long time ago. I liked Ray, no doubt, but get some real new blood in there to wow us with some vocal 'mutherfuckery' as Scott Thunes might say.

This has got to be an April Fools joke. I would bet that Dweezil did this specifically in response to the Aaron Arntz thread. You can see the Zappa humor in the writing all the way through this.

In the spirit of typical ZPZ communications, of course we have not been notified that this was a farce and here it is afternoon already on April 2. I know Dweezil is super-busy, but a quick "gotcha" note would be appreciated. (Though I have a feeling he is truly enjoying all the frantic frenzy he stirred up with this one...)

All that said, as far as I am concerned the only band member of ZPZ I am truly worried about quitting is Dweezil himself. I don't think he will. This is a labor of love and each of the five times I have seen this band (as well as the couple of times I met him after the shows) his passion and dedication to this project shines through loud and clear. Frank's bands had a revolving door of "who's who" in the music biz and I am fans of a great many of those who revolved that door (many of them several times). It is apparent that Dweezil applies the same recruiting and auditioning methods his father did so I look forward to any and all band members he hires in the future and will follow the careers of those who leave that I really enjoyed, starting with Aaron Arntz.

I did toss out the idea of a Tommy Mars as a special guest to get the band through the immediate need (Japan and Oz), and like it (though I understand Tommy Mars has no interest in doing this). I do support the idea 100% of Dweezil recruiting another keyboard player the same way he put the band together in the first place.

All that said, if this is really true...Dweezil, please patch things up with "Uncle Ike" and your family and bring him out on the road with ZPZ. Oh yeah, I guess this additional tidbit is too late for April Fools this year, but maybe next April you could make that announcement on 4/1/10 and really see this board light up

Ask some folks in Toronto. Didn't Scheila do lead vocals one night when Napi was unable to make a gig?