Frank Zappa – See a Documentary by Alex Winter

  • Photo via Frank Zappa Hot Rats Anniversary Collection

  • “Zappa” documentary directed by Alex Winter
    (Streaming at Kanopy)

    Alex Winter’s Documentary Hauntingly Captures the Skewed Passion of Frank Zappa, a One-of-a-Kind Rock Legend
    The film finds an emotional through line by taking Frank Zappa as seriously as he took himself.

    Zappa and Vaclav Havel – see the photo of them, here.
    (Zappa’s visit to Prague was covered in this documentary).


  • Letter to Edgard Varese, Zappa was 16 years old

    Dear Sir:

    Perhaps you might remember me from my stupid phone call last January, if not, my name again is Frank Zappa Jr. I am 16 years old … that might explain partly my disturbing you last winter. The reason for my letter at this time is that I am visiting relatives in Baltimore and as long as I am on the East Coast I hope I can get to see you.

    It might seem strange but ever since I was 13 I have been interested in your music. The whole thing stems from the time when the keeper of this little record store sold me your album “The Complete Works of Edgard Varèse, Vol.l.” The only reason I knew it existed was that an article in either LOOK or the POST mentioned it as being noisy and unmusical and only good for trying out the sound systems in high fidelity units (referring to your “IONIZATIONS” [sic]). I don’t know how the store I got it from ever obtained it, but, after several hearings, I became curious and bought it for $5.40, which, at the time seemed awfully high and being so young, kept me broke for three weeks. Now I wouldn’t trade it for anything and I am looking around for another copy as the one I have is very worn and scratchy.

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