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Why does it feature a rather flimsy photoshopped/punched-out 1980 FZ head shot on the front, when it's actually about the 1988 tour?

I think because he looks really pissed off. Over to the Idiot for the answer.

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A Blanket in my Muesli. A Blanket in my what??

He's a CEO for Chrissakes!

No problem massagio,some of us wait for the paperback and BS about it here,while we wait. So did you gleen anything new out of it? Any insights? Just how big is Scott Thunes Dik? Was he the inspiration for Bwana Dik? I thought that song was out before Frank had Thunes in his band.It sounds like a rumor to me.....the song part,not the size of STs dong part,though that might be a tall tale to.

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I'm getting larger as I walk away.

Great read. Just when I thought I'd read enough FZ books, I couldn't resist this one. I haven't spent a whole lot of time reading the various accounts of the tour, so I found the book thoroughly entertaining.

Obviously, Bwana Dik was way before Thunes entered the picture. I was just making a joke. But you know , with conceptual continuity and all that jazz, anything is possible.

Hopefully I can get this soon.

I'm still reading it

On my book, there is picture of FZ conducting in a white sweater.

It's even signed by the author

I just finished it and wasn't all that impressed. I didn't like the way it was written with all of the, 'well I'll let him tell the story...' lines and the jumping around time wise. And is it just me or did it not really answer any of the big questions? Scott was hard to get along with...is that it? Frank was hard to get along with too, but he's Frank and Scott is just Scott.

I guess I was hoping for more.

I guess it's easier to justify putting up with a difficult personality when he's the one cutting your check.

I think Andrew is fairly clear in not reducing it all to Scott being hard to get along with. He suggests that Frank's disconnection from the band was probably a major factor. That, and the duties of tour management shifting toward the "suits" rather than the family vibe the guys were used to.

Agreed on both parts. It may have been interesting to hear from some of the 'suits' though I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have been able to shed any light on anything other than the bottom line.

I ordered the paperback edition a few weeks ago and just finished reading this the other night.

It appeared that almost every '88 band member got on each other's nerves for a variety of reasons. And Scott, despite his abrasive qualities, didn't entirely deserve the bad rap he got by most of the band. In fact, at least at the time, it seemed like most of the band didn't quite understand Scott's unconventional and ironic sense of humour, which more than likely lead to much of the turmoil within the '88 band.

I do have to admit that I was expecting more insight. But that's probably because, like most here, I already knew most of the stories. However, it is a great book but probably for hardcore fans only. And I'm very grateful for the hard work and care put into this compelling read. The extensive appendix section and comprehensive setlists (complete with secret words) are nice and so are the pics.

8 or 9 years ago, I emailed Joe Travers asking him if he knew whether or not a copy of the cancelled 3rd leg summer/fall schedule still existed. He said he hadn't come across one but it's possible it still exists. I have a pretty good idea of where the '88 band would've played later that year, but it would be interesting to find out exactly where...

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"...I'm absolutely a Libertarian on MANY issues..." ~ Frank Zappa, Rochester, NY, March 11, 1988

DB,Ya I totally agree and am halfway through it right now.It would not appeal to any non-Zappa fan,fer-sure! But it's cool reading for me,you,us Zappa Freaks.Spot on reveiw too.

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I'm getting larger as I walk away.

I have a very faint memory of seeing an ad for a summer 88 show at Blossom Music Center or one of the other sheds in Ohio, but would have to check the Columbus Dispatch archives to confirm.

Thanks, K.K!

I think my favourite part was when one of the Fowlers walked into what was referred to as Thunes' part of the bus (the back lounge), then sat down and tried to talk to him about one of their numerous issues but Scott wasn't interesting in doing so. Yet Fowler kept at it to the point where he pissed off Thunes so much that Scott got up, dropped his pants...and placed his "member" was within THREE inches of Fowler's face.



Interesting.

I remember that FZ stated on stage during either the Columbus or Cleveland show that he'd be playing Cincinnati in the summer. He probably would've played the Timberwolf Amphitheater or Taft Theater.

Also, several years ago, when I was researching old Vancouver Sun and Province newspaper articles relating to FZ concerts, I remember reading that he was tentatively booked to play the Expo Theatre. This venue is now defunct but was situated where Rogers Arena (formerly GM Place) is today.

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"...I'm absolutely a Libertarian on MANY issues..." ~ Frank Zappa, Rochester, NY, March 11, 1988

Presumably he would have done whatever shed dates he could get working his way back to Los Angeles.

I don't know if it was ever spelled out when specifically he decided to cancel the third leg of the tour, unless I missed it in Andrew's book. Keneally's diaries go up to May 2 without mentioning it.

Just got done reading it and while I knew a lot of the stuff, I still enjoyed it. Thanks to those who know who they are for providing me with a copy.

If anyone is interested, I have an extra copy of this book. PM me and i'll send it out to you.

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"Welcome to the Frank Zappa Memorial Country Club & BBQ" at wgt.com 75 members and counting.

Why doesn't it surprise me, that this is your favourite part?

Th.

P.S.: I've read the book.

And I don't know...



...and I don't care...

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"...I'm absolutely a Libertarian on MANY issues..." ~ Frank Zappa, Rochester, NY, March 11, 1988

Confessions of a grown man with the mind of a 12 years old "Boy"?

Then according to you, anyone who thinks what Scott did was funny is a grown man with the mind of a 12 year old boy? Because what Scott did was fucking hilarious. It's perfectly ok to laugh and develop a sense of humour, you know?

You can now go back to denying that you never thought FZ wasn't a Capitalist, that he didn't hate Socialism/Communism and that you're not a far lefty...

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"...I'm absolutely a Libertarian on MANY issues..." ~ Frank Zappa, Rochester, NY, March 11, 1988

I remember reading somewhere that Frank had hired Scott because of his dance band type diversity, and that he could easily adapt to Franks songs,, (although I did see him screw up during the sound check rehearsal on the "84" tour in Cincinnati, and then he made the same mistake during the show ),, and on the "88" tour, I was at the sound check rehearsal front row in Columbus, and Thunes was a complete "DICK" to everybody on that stage before Frank showed up,,,,

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if you knew suzie, like I know suzie, oh, oh, oh what a creamcheese,,,,

seems like he might have said that in Columbus, I was at that show,, but I doubt he'd of played either venue, Timberwolf is out there by King's Island where nobody goes, and the Taft isn't that gigantic,, usually it's the Gardens, where he drew a pretty big crowd in "84",,,,

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if you knew suzie, like I know suzie, oh, oh, oh what a creamcheese,,,,

1. To have or not to have a sense of humor and to be able to laugh or not to laugh about that incident is not my point. To make the description of this incident "the favourite part" of the book is what I would consider creepy.

2. One more time for YOUR world: I never said that Frank wasn't a Capitalist or that he didn't hate Socialism/Communism. And I am not a far-lefty.

You are black-and-white thinker: everyone who is not an ultra-rightwing conservative Capitalist, is automatically a far-left Socialist/Communist in your little world of understanding.

Back to the book: My "favourite part" (if it is all true) is, to learn that Frank obviously failed big time as a boss. He gave the task of Clonemeister to a young man, who was obviously overtaxed with this. The unanswered question is, why he (Frank) made this decision in the first place, why didn't he realize his mistake and why didn't he care to correct it. It is still astonishing that this ensemble was under those circumstances able to perform on such high level (though the results didn't stand the test of time for me personally).

Thinman