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Won't miss Ray White at all... but have a hard time imagining ZPZ without all the keyboard parts AA played.
If DZ's version of RW's departure is true it's a sad way of leaving.
But nevertheless... the role he played within ZPZ was a minor one and he is not the part of the FZ/ZPZ sound i'm dreading to miss when we finally get to see ZPZ again on the 23rd of May.

Yea Im glad I got to see Ray White play with the band, but the core band will always get my $. Dweezil has done so well putting this band together that I have complete trust that he will figure it all out.

I think it is important ZPZ have at least one alumni member.

Let's face it, it is Frank's music they are playing, and Ray was a member of Frank's band and a true voice for his music.

The thought of seeing ZPZ without him, or any other player that actually played with FZ is not that appealing...

It was very special listening to the perfect voice... like hearing Adrian Belew sing City Of Tiny Lites although without background music... that just was so right... or hearing Napi singing Florentine Pogen... DZ spent a fortune trying to recreate that "special FZ sound", but the right guitar sound is not nearly as important in recreating as the voice is. I mean, it IS the first thing you listen to, the singing.

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Join the PackardGoose forum! Send me a PM!

Where's Trendmonger when you need him? He could have explained how this was just perfect timing and the natural way to further perfect perfection.

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

I won't miss him because I already saw Ray with the band once and do not plan to support ZPZ any longer. Personally, the only reason why I paid to see them for a third time was because I wanted to hear Ray sing with the band (which I loved and had a great time). When they came around playing on the small stage for over a $100 a ticket, I boycotted them out of principle because I felt that ticket price was outrageous.

I'm saving my money and will return to Bad Doberan for Zappanale 20 this summer. Looking forward to enjoying three full day's worth of music and the camaraderie of thousands of true Zappa fans from around the globe! Honestly, there is nothing quite like the experience and for all of Europeans that do not have to fly over the pond to get there...there is no excuse not to go.

Hope to see you there!
xo
Daisy
----------------------------->Zappateers Rule!<-------------------------------------------

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"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible"- Frank Zappa

I will support Dweezil in his his efforts until
he's stripped-down to a ukelele and his ugly
striped pants.

All you folks should do the same to honor his
father's legacy.

There, no more bitchy from me.

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If you've been there too let
me see your thumb...

ZPZ may be the only "official" band that honors Frank's legacy but thankfully they are not the only band that accomplishes that goal.

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"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible"- Frank Zappa

The reason for my staunch support is that
DZ came to my town.

Something that none of the other bands supporting
FZ music have done.

He's obviously not in it for the money, look at those
pants again.

Go spend your $ in europe. I'll get a closer seat.

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If you've been there too let
me see your thumb...

Dweezil will do what he did with Billy the Mountain. Claim the original vocalists are unimportant and then go on to MIMIC the voices down to every tic.

Not that I really give a shit.

So, to play devil's advocate, you won't spend 100 dollars to see ZPZ, but you'll spend hundreds to fly to Europe for a festival? I know, it's an all-things Zappa festival for 3 days. I'm just curious what the difference is. (Thinking I already know the answer).

i've already spend _HUNDREDS_ of dollars seeing ZPZ over the years including participating in the ticketbastard auction so i could sit in the second row and jam out first class (saw the sound check and got my warner theatre poster which i promptly framed).
i saw the first tour with napi, terry and steve...then i saw them with just napi...then i saw them with ray. so i guess you could say i've been there and done that?

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"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible"- Frank Zappa

hi all

hello from an unseasonably sunny Ireland!
Long time fan, first time poster.

Absolutely thrilled that ZPZ are coming to Dublin this summer. Really can't tell ya how happy I am.
Getting a bit worried by all the quitting/call offs/whatever, I must admit.

So, for those of you who know more about Dweevil than I do - are the core band pretty certain to stick together, whatever else happens? Will I still hear The Torture Never Stops?

Hoping to get into some interesting chats with you all when my apprenticeship is complete!

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It sounds like Dweezil is getting another lead singer so they should be able to play most songs they have been playing. I think if he hires another singer that losing Aaron would affect the set lists more than losing Ray would. Dweezil has played torture with and without Ray, that song is not going anywhere. Not a guarantee that you will see it, but I've seen it 2 out of 4 times so its in the regular rotation.

NEWS FLASH.... IT HAS JUST BEEN REPORTED BY RELIABLE SOURCES THAT RAY WHITE HAS JUST BEEN APPOINTED BY OBAMA TO BE A SPECIAL ENVOY TO KENYA! MORE TO FOLLOW....

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WE ARE RIGHT......THEY ARE WRONG.....END OF STORY

This just in: Diesel Dummy is still an asshole...

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I'm petulant, and I'm having a frenzy...

ZPZ will be fine. The core band has stuck together longer than any of Franks Bands. I disagree that you need FZ alumni to keep this going. I've enjoyed all incarnations of ZPZ and will continue to do so.

Thanks very much, guys.

I was only lucky enough to see Frank play live once, at the Glasgow Apollo waaaaay back in the 70's. That gig will never leave me!

Booked my tix for ZPZ as soon as they were announced. By a happy coincidence, Sky Arts ( a satellite TV station) showed an hour of the ZPZ DVD about 2 weeks later! So you can imagine, I'm really pumped for the upcoming gig.

But on reading about all the personnel sh*t that's being going down, and especially with only 1 gig here in Ireland (with all the extra cost that brings) I suppose I let paranoia get the better of me, and started to wonder if Dweevil would say "f*ck it, this is just too much trouble".
I'm reassured by the fact you guys are still so positive! I can live without special guests, Dweevil & the core band playing some of Franks' best music is more than enough to make me happy. Bring it on!

I definitely enjoyed hearing Ray sing, but most of the time he's not singing (not just instrumentals, but vocal songs often have more instrumental parts than vocals per second of the song). Are you saying you only enjoyed the moments of the show when Ray was singing?

No, I'm saying I want think having alumni in the band is better than just doing it themselves.

Ray thx for all yer hard work
Sorry to see you go. Good luck in the futum.

the more i watch the ZPZ dvd.... the more i love dweezils playing, and its what i fast forward to, and repeat most often. as long as dweezil is there, so will I.

Dweezil is a good guitar player , but he is not his dad on guitar, listening to his solos on shut up and play your guitar should convince anyone, Vai blows him (Dweezil) away (after all, Frank had Steve teach Dweezil!) That said, I enjoy seeing ZPZ, hopefully they will continue but at cheaper ticket prices.I for one will def. NOT pay what I have paid to see him with alumni.