Zappa.com

I've often wondered if Frank had ever listened to King Crimson, they shared some muso's of course but I always thought Filthy Habits had a bit of a KC feel...any thoughts?

I have a Zappa interview, on vinyl, in which the interviewer asks Franks opinion on a number of guitarists. When asked about Robert Fripp, FZ said that he hadn't heard him.

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You're probably wondering why I'm here
(not that it makes a heck of a lot of a difference to ya)

I find that hard to believe. I remember reading an FZ interview from the '70s where he said he had never heard Led Zeppelin. I have a hard time believing no one, especially in the band, didn't introduce the first album or one of the Wetton/Bruford lineup albums to Frank. By the time Belew joined in '81 he definitely had to have heard something. Probably a good question for Gail.

I have the interview on vinyl lp not bootleg tho "baktabak talking pictures interview picture disc limited edition" made in england bought it around 1988 H.M.V £5.99 the interview from 1984.

interviewer
Jimmy Page

FZ
I don't know anything about Jimmy Page.

interviewer
Robert Fripp

FZ
I've never heard a Robert fripp record.

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Arf you out of your fucking mind.

In the Freak Out Book by Pauline Butcher she mentions several times that neither Frank or anyone in his posse watched TV, listen to the radio, went to the movies, read books, read newspapers, magazines, and only listened to music in his personal collection...and she could never figure out how they kept up on current events, and their music always seemed to reference timely topics…

Sounds like she is talking about the Clampett's
Weird by the end of the 80s They had they own TV programs,regular radio spots,made Movies,wrought Books,Wrought Magazine Articles About the only thing that didn't change was the Newspapers though FZ seemed too be up too date with current affairs.

My bullshit sensor is going beep.

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Arf you out of your fucking mind.

The book is pretty straight forward you should read it, she ask rehetorically at one point, where did they get their information...

Frank himself explained on several occasions how he kept in touch with current affairs. At the very least he dedicated a certain amount of time to watching various news channels and maybe he wanted to do that without being interrupted and hence when he was alone. I'm sure he wouldn't have liked having any one person in his life monitoring his every move.

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The way I see it Barry, this should be a very dynamite show.

You know when I read that in her book all I could think about was Billy The Mountian since the whole song is based on Los Angelas TV and commercials from the late 60's and very early 70's, when I hear that song it's a blast from the past for me, I think you must be right he must of somehow been taking time alone to keep up with current events. One part of the book that stands out was her mentioning that it was such a big deal at the house when they broke out the portable black & white TV to watch the Moon landing and how it was such a special event.

I wouldn't piss on it if it was on fire

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Arf you out of your fucking mind.

I wouldn't put you out with a spade if you were on fire

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"drums are too noisy, 'n you've got no corners to hide in"

Mongol talk

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Arf you out of your fucking mind.

I find it strange for Frank to say in '84 that he hadn't heard of Jimmy Page
Isn't that Frank playing the 'Whole Lotta Love' riff in 'Leather Goods' ?(or somebody else?)
Maybe he'd heard of Led Zeppelin but not Jimmy Page

It's a shame Frank never listened to Crimso, it might've triggered something like Mahavishnu did
You'd think Frank would've come across different bands during concert tours, but maybe he just
headed straight back to the motel to rewrite the music for next night's set!

Frank was full of shit.

Really!

I've always had a problem with some of his statements like he'd never heard Stairway to Heaven before the '88 band performed it. Give me a fuckin' break!

Frank had no problem distorting the truth to perpetuate whatever image he was trying to convey to his public at any particular time.

Prior to the Yellow shark there was an interview with german magazine Der Spiegel, probably in '91. They asked him, when he had bought his last pop-album. He answered Her satanic majestic request by the stones in '68. I couldn't believe, but who knows...?

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It is not unlikely that Frank had some kind of Asperger Syndrom. I remember an interview were he himself presumed that his creativity and productivity might be caused by some disease.

"Thindrom"

That would be the best reason I can think of to stop buying pop albums.
It is quite normal for people to really stop getting into new music once they've reached the age of roughly 25.

I believe Zappa and Asperger have been discussed elsewhere. Since the big A got into fashion, many many people have unjustly been diagnosed with this. Of all the people I know with it, the only person who really has it, is the one that was diagnosed with it at least a decade before it became the next big thing. I can assure you, if FZ had some sort of mental disorder, it was definitely not the same thing as that Other Person has. You would have to know Other Person to understand, and I sincerely recommend neither one of you tries to get to know him.

Also: considering how hard it is to make such a diagnosis even with a live person on the shrink sofa, it is better not to speculate about anybody's potential mental illness when they're dead. There's no way you could be correct and it just taints the memory of the defenseless subject.

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If u understand the language that god speaks, whenever it is heavy business, u can find the interview here: http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-9283921.html. It was accompanied by this article: http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-9283908.html. I also remember a feature in the radio, where they spoke with the guys that did the interview. They said that they got together with FZ into a car and the first thing that happened was FZ telling the driver to switch the radio off. This asperger thing is pure speculation. The answer is probably very easy: a person that works so much hours making music has not much time left to listen to music. In the interview he also mentions his fond of folk music.

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