Doc

Island Drive

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Wrecking Crew

Wrecking Crew

heres a link to wrecking crew
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wrecking_Crew_(music)
glen campbell/leon russell/dr. john were guitar players
hal blaine/jim gordon(who also played with zappa) were drummers
the list of hits they were part of is amazing
interesting read
thanks island drive :D
i never knew of them:eek:

Your welcome. The first time I saw the hour? long U tube Video.... I was ''amazed''. Tell your friends, it's a piece of the American pie. These guys and gals are pretty much the crust of the apple pie, just add a singer or group.
 

Tom Wirth

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Hey Doc,
I told my sister of the thin connection we now have. Many of life's paths intersect. I think music and pool have huge connections. I had aked my sister if she had ever met you knowing she had met Frank. Her answer was she had not but that she was a big fan. I forwarded to her the interview on U tube and the newspaper article, and I offered to forward a single question to you. I hope you don't mind my presumptiveness. She was very much on the inside of the rock & roll scene of the '60s and '70s.
Anyway, she wanted me to pass this on to you in hopes that you won't mind responding to one more music question from that era.

I'd ask "Enjoyed the on-line interviews a lot - answered a lot of my questions. You must have had so much fun during this time! Burnt Weeny/Uncle Meat and Weasels were my mainstays on the 8-track while traveling cross country in my old Peugeot 403. I love Frank's solos in Orange Country Lumber Truck and in the theme from Burnt Weeny. My brain still can't get used to the weird time signatures (drums) on Little House I Used to Live, yet it all seems to resolve back into 4/4 somehow. It seemed that Frank wanted to be remembered as a "legitimate" composer rather than a rock and roll songwriter - hence the distain in a lot of the lyrics. I had the pleasure of meeting him once. He asked my name and then went into this phoney FM radio jock voice ala, "Hey, it's Nan!" etc. He was wonderful.



I wish he had mentioned Holst in his liner notes when he used those few bars from Jupiter from the Planets (although I can't remember where he used it).


Best wishes from a big fan!

While we are at it and since someone brought up the "wrecking Crew" did you ever meet or work with Tommy Tedesco or Carol Kaye? They may have been doing their thing before you go out to LA.


Thanks Doc.

Tom
 
Last edited:

gulfportdoc

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... It seemed that Frank wanted to be remembered as a "legitimate" composer rather than a rock and roll songwriter - hence the distain in a lot of the lyrics. I had the pleasure of meeting him once. He asked my name and then went into this phoney FM radio jock voice ala, "Hey, it's Nan!" etc. He was wonderful.

I wish he had mentioned Holst in his liner notes when he used those few bars from Jupiter from the Planets (although I can't remember where he used it).

... While we are at it and since someone brought up the "wrecking Crew" did you ever meet or work with Tommy Tedesco or Carol Kaye? They may have been doing their thing before you go out to LA. Thanks Doc. Tom
I've been out of commission for a few days, so excuse my late response.

There is no question that Frank was a wannabe in terms of being a legitimate "serious composer". From the very start he fashioned himself at least partly after Edgar Varese. He studied his compositions, and eventually spoke with Varese just before Varese died. He was fond of quoting Varese's satement, "The present day composer refuses to die." There were many other influences, notably Villa-Lobos and Stravinsky.

I believe that Frank was comparable to Duke Ellington in terms of balancing popular appeal (making a living) against their more serious compositions.

Frank's "disdain" in his lyrics had nothing to do with his legitimate composer aspirations, but rather were an extension of his own mentality: sarcastic, insolent, slightly arrogant, supercilious, fearful, and very ill at ease around others. The vast majority of his lyrics expressed contempt couched in satire. I was myself a musical snob, so he and I related pretty well.

"The Wrecking Crew" provides insight for the common man into a world that few could imagine. The greatest musicians in the world are active studio musicians, whether in Hollywood, New York or Nashville. These are the stone cold killer instrumentalists who will almost always remain unfamiliar to the public; but you've heard them in films, records, or on TV. I was a very fine player myself, but I've met and played with guys that absolutely awed me.

All the top guys are known by the contractors. So when they get a bid on a commercial, record or film, they know who to hire. Time is money in the studios, so you can't screw around and waste 30 takes on something. That's less money in the contractor's or producer's pocket. There's usually a quick run through, then a wrap is expected in only 1 or 2 takes. If you mess up, or they don't like your playing, you're not likely to be called again soon. But if you have the right stuff the money is fabulous. Most of the top guys get triple or quadruple scale. Anyway, you get the idea.

~Doc
 

Jimmy B

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I've been out of commission for a few days, so excuse my late response.

There is no question that Frank was a wannabe in terms of being a legitimate "serious composer". From the very start he fashioned himself at least partly after Edgar Varese. He studied his compositions, and eventually spoke with Varese just before Varese died. He was fond of quoting Varese's satement, "The present day composer refuses to die." There were many other influences, notably Villa-Lobos and Stravinsky.

I believe that Frank was comparable to Duke Ellington in terms of balancing popular appeal (making a living) against their more serious compositions.

Frank's "disdain" in his lyrics had nothing to do with his legitimate composer aspirations, but rather were an extension of his own mentality: sarcastic, insolent, slightly arrogant, supercilious, fearful, and very ill at ease around others. The vast majority of his lyrics expressed contempt couched in satire. I was myself a musical snob, so he and I related pretty well.

"The Wrecking Crew" provides insight for the common man into a world that few could imagine. The greatest musicians in the world are active studio musicians, whether in Hollywood, New York or Nashville. These are the stone cold killer instrumentalists who will almost always remain unfamiliar to the public; but you've heard them in films, records, or on TV. I was a very fine player myself, but I've met and played with guys that absolutely awed me.

All the top guys are known by the contractors. So when they get a bid on a commercial, record or film, they know who to hire. Time is money in the studios, so you can't screw around and waste 30 takes on something. That's less money in the contractor's or producer's pocket. There's usually a quick run through, then a wrap is expected in only 1 or 2 takes. If you mess up, or they don't like your playing, you're not likely to be called again soon. But if you have the right stuff the money is fabulous. Most of the top guys get triple or quadruple scale. Anyway, you get the idea.

~Doc



All these guy are available on youtube. I got Stravinsky on right now. Watching him conduct Firebird at 82. I know what you mean about Frank and his attitude. I was watching an interview with him after he had been diagnosed and was sick. He was still smoking those cigarettes and said that the cigs were how he got his veggies or something like that. He had his own beliefs and went out in his own way.
 

Tom Wirth

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All these guy are available on youtube. I got Stravinsky on right now. Watching him conduct Firebird at 82. I know what you mean about Frank and his attitude. I was watching an interview with him after he had been diagnosed and was sick. He was still smoking those cigarettes and said that the cigs were how he got his veggies or something like that. He had his own beliefs and went out in his own way.

I wish I could agree with this part of your statement Jimmy but Frank was very upset about his cancer and the misdiagnosis which happened more than once over several years.

"In an interview prior to his death, Zappa revealed he'd had urination problems for years but that the prostate cancer wasn't caught until it was inoperable. He hinted this made him extremely bitter and advised others with urination problems to get multiple opinions".

I'm not sure about this but I think Frank came out with some kind of public service announcement about getting multiple opinions. This I would consider to be more than a "hint to his bitterness".

I think he would have preferred to go out in a somewhat different manner.
RIP, Frank,

Tom
 

Jimmy B

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I wish I could agree with this part of your statement Jimmy but Frank was very upset about his cancer and the misdiagnosis which happened more than once over several years.

"In an interview prior to his death, Zappa revealed he'd had urination problems for years but that the prostate cancer wasn't caught until it was inoperable. He hinted this made him extremely bitter and advised others with urination problems to get multiple opinions".

I'm not sure about this but I think Frank came out with some kind of public service announcement about getting multiple opinions. This I would consider to be more than a "hint to his bitterness".

I think he would have preferred to go out in a somewhat different manner.
RIP, Frank,

Tom



Yes. I didn't mean it in that way. He was very upset about the failure of medical people to find out his problems. He made that clear in this same interview I was watching. I was just talking about him smoking living out his life. I know most of us would not choose to die prematurely of cancer like that. A tragedy...
 

Tom Wirth

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Yes. I didn't mean it in that way. He was very upset about the failure of medical people to find out his problems. He made that clear in this same interview I was watching. I was just talking about him smoking living out his life. I know most of us would not choose to die prematurely of cancer like that. A tragedy...

Yep Jimmy, I understand. What a loss. Where would I find the interview Jimmy? I'd like to see it.

Tom
 

Jimmy B

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Yep Jimmy, I understand. What a loss. Where would I find the interview Jimmy? I'd like to see it.

Tom



In was on youtube. I will stick it up on the vid thread in members cafe. I don't like to put up vids any other place because it can cause problems for some folks with slow pc. Theres tons of stuff on Zappa on youtube. Just page after page. I typed in zappa smoking and it came right up. He was feeling very poorly this day and answered a lot of questions with one word or one sentence answers. Quite a guy...
 

newfosgatesucks

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Doc,

Good to see one such as yourself get a good rapport!

Pool and music have bad rapports and I won't slip in any chiropractor jokes....
I know we share two loves with music and pool- which are two things the real winners are required to have a heart. Or Beefheart in your case...
 

Island Drive

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In was on youtube. I will stick it up on the vid thread in members cafe. I don't like to put up vids any other place because it can cause problems for some folks with slow pc. Theres tons of stuff on Zappa on youtube. Just page after page. I typed in zappa smoking and it came right up. He was feeling very poorly this day and answered a lot of questions with one word or one sentence answers. Quite a guy...

Saw Zappa does Zappa at the Paramount couple yrs back....Zappa Sr does remind me of a few pool players that I've run across.
 
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