ZappaCast

Well well well now! Anybody wish they had a pair of bongos? Well, we have some right over here! In this fun and mildly crazed episode, Scott and Bill listen as Vaultmeister Joe reveals all about the creation of the 50th Anniversary Edition of BONGO FURY, an unapologetically amazing set! If your like your Dish to be Deep and your Heart to be Beef, this is a hot item for you!

Did you say you want some more? Well here's some more! In part two of our discussion of the drummers of FZ, drummers Joe and Bill school non-drummer Scott about the finer points of Frank's drumming royalty, replete with super-exciting insights and high-level geeking out. It's a good time, don't ya know!

A LONG time in the making, this one! Join drummers Joe and Bill, and non-drummer Scott, as they discuss the drummers of FZ, from the 60s to the 80s! This is a highly informative and entertaining discussion, in which the strengths of each drummer get their deserved appreciation, allowing us to chart the development of the drum position in the music of Frank Zappa! This is part one of two!

Are you ready for THE BIG ONE? In this episode, Scott and Bill chat with His Vaultmeisterness Joe about HALLOWEEN 78, the new box set! This box was a task to put together without a doubt, and Joe unpacks the process for us! This is Hotcha to a ridiculous extreme!

Are you ready for a two-fer blast of the ZappaCast? In this episode -- part one of a two part spectacular -- Joe, Bill and Scott discuss the absolutely fabulous 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe edition of Frank's 1975 masterwork ONE SIZE FITS ALL! It's a splendid conversation, replete with lasers, strobe lights and smoke machines you can't see! Part two, a discussion of the new HALLOWEEN 78 box set, coming very soon!  Arf, she said! 

Folks, more than ten years before there was the YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE series, there was THE IMPOSSIBLE CONCERT, a project put together by Frank for radio broadcast that was the prototype for the Stage series. In this hysterical, historical episode, Vaultmeister Joe takes Scott and Bill through the history of this project, we uncover some of its component pieces and speculate on others, and have a spiffnificent time! Get on down, y'all!

It’s the return of the ZappaCast!! And what an incredible treat we have for you! In this episode, we do a DEEP DISH dive into the new Frank Zappa album and film, CHEAPER THAN CHEEP! A virtually unheard of gem seeing the light of day from the Zappa Vault for the first time, Cheaper Than Cheep consists of performance material from a video shoot that Frank and the Mothers performed at for a television special that never materialized. Needless to say, this is MEGA! Vaultmeister Joe takes us behind the scenes of the making of this amazing project, wh...

Greetings to you all in this festive holiday season! In this decidedly enticing episode, Bill and Scott chat with Miss ABIGAIL DEVOE, host of YouTube's wildly popular VINYL MONDAY where she dives super deep into rock's greatest albums, including lots of brilliant Frank Zappa content! Abby shares with us her journey into the Zappaverse, and gives us some valuable insight into what it is about Frank Zappa that attracts a new generation of fans. Oh, and there's a visit from the Vaultmeister as well! Check it on out, now!

We are back, kids! In this episode, Joe, Bill and Scott talk about the various new reissues of APOSTROPHE ('), a top-tier Zappa classic! We go all Deep Dish with you on the new Super Deluxe 50th Anniversary CD reissue of the album, and the two new vinyl editions that are now available! Come and get your love!!

In this episode, the ZappaCast team takes a DEEP DISH dive into the new Frank Zappa album, Whisky A Go Go, 1968! This is a HUGE release, packed with interesting and unique events. We go inside the making of the album with Vaultmeister Joe Travers, and Joe takes some questions from you, our amazing listeners! Hoopla in every little sip!

 That’s right, you heard right, the ZappaCast team chats with THE Art Tripp! You will know Art as the percussionist for The Mothers from 1968 to 1970, and as Ed Marimba, with Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. In this incredibly special episode, we chat with Art about his life and career, and the many highlights contained therein! This is a MUST listen! Hotcha! 

 Well hello again, friends and neighbors! It's your old pals the ZappaCast team, ready with all the new that's fit to hear! And what do you we have ready to serve up hot and fresh? How about a DEEP DISH dive into the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of OVER-NITE SENSATION? Yes kids, the Vaultmeister himself shares his processes with all of us, taking us behind the scenes of this massively wonderful set! This is part two of two big parts, just the way we like it!

Well hello again, friends and neighbors! It's your old pals the ZappaCast team, ready with all the new that's fit to hear! And what do you we have ready to serve up hot and fresh? How about a DEEP DISH dive into the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of OVER-NITE SENSATION? Yes kids, the Vaultmeister himself shares his processes with all of us, taking us behind the scenes of this massively wonderful set! This is part one of two big parts, so be ready for it!

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, we here at ZappaCast Mobile Labs present part deux of our Deep Dish into the pleasure center that is Funky Nothingness! Scott and Bill grill Sir Joseph on the finer points (and moments) of this epic set. Worth the eartime, as we are sure you'll agree!

Well looky here! In this episode, we introduce the newest member of the ZappaCast team -- Zappa fanatic, musician and all-around good guy Bill Camarata! Bill joins Joe and Scott for a deep-dish (Chicago, what up?) dive into the extraordinary world of FUNKY NOTHINGNESS. All the geeky nitty-gritty you could ask for and more! 

Did you think we were done talking about Frank Zappa's greatest unreleased masterpiece, The History and Collected Improvisations of The Mothers Of Invention?  Yes, we know that we just finished our three episode run on this subject (check them out here). The credits rolled.  But then we thought, "If our favorite Marvel movie can have a fancy post-credits scene, then why can't we?

It's time to roll the tympani as Scott Parker, Phil Surkis, and Joe "Vaultmeister" Travers return to answer some listener questions, and maybe even make some new discoveries in...

Congratulations! You made it to the final installment in this series of three very special Zappacast episodes where Scott Parker tries to solve the mystery of Frank Zappa's greatest unreleased masterpiece: The History and Collected Improvisations of The Mothers Of Invention.

Scott is joined once again by producer Phil Surkis, and Joe "Vaultmeister" Travers. Together, they try to summon their superpowers to determine what this infamous unreleased Frank Zappa box was, and can it ever be put back together. They know it was initially planned for release as a 12 LP box in 1969. When it didn't...

Welcome to the second in a series of three special Zappacast episodes where Scott Parker takes you along on his quest to uncover the holy grail of Frank Zappa projects: The History and Collected Improvisations of The Mothers Of Invention.

Joining Scott is producer Phil Surkis, and Joe "Vaultmeister" Travers, as they investigate this infamous unreleased Frank Zappa box set. It was planned for release as a 12 LP box in 1969. When it didn't come out,  FZ kept hope alive in interviews throughout the years for a possible release of a version of this set.

This is it. This is the big one. Join host Scott Parker on his quest to uncover the holy grail of Frank Zappa projects: The History and Collected Improvisations of The Mothers Of Invention.

Scott is joined by producer Phil Surkis, and Joe "Vaultmeister" Travers, as they investigate this infamous unreleased Frank Zappa box set. It was planned for release as a 12 LP box in 1969. When it didn't come out,  FZ kept hope alive in interviews throughout the years for a possible release of a version of this set.

A few years ago, a...

Scott Parker, Joe Travers & Phil Surkis ain't messin' around, as they chat with the best Zappa drummer you never heard in your life. Yes, David Logeman, from the short lived spring/summer 1980 lineup, is on hand to celebrate the new release Zappa '80: Mudd Club/Munich.

You'll hear a first hand account from Mr. Logeman of what actually happened on the floor at the Mudd Club, the night when both Vinnie Colaiuta and Terry Bozzio were in the audience, and how he beat over 50 auditioning drummers to secure his place for the spring/summer 1980 tour.  All this, p...

Zappacast celebrates the 50th anniversary of FZ's "big band" period with a deep dive into the just released Waka Wazoo box set!
 
You'll hear from the Vaultmeister himself, Joe Travers, who assembled this comprehensive collection of recordings that show what went into the making of the classic albums, Waka Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo. 

Eat Those Questions:  Host Scott Parker and Phil Surkis are on hand to grill Joe about all things conceptual continuity, including:  How did Frank's sound change with Kerry McNabb in the studio? Do the new Dolby Atmos releases follow FZ's original quad...

The Zappacast crew celebrates the new release, Zappa '75: Zagrab/Ljubljana!  Joe "Vaultmeister" returns to take Scott Parker and Phil Surkis on a guided tour of this rare band playing in a rare location!

Why did FZ fly the band to Yugoslavia in the midst of his fall tour? Why is this the only multitrack recording of this band? Why did FZ strip down his band after the success of the '74 tours? Scott and Phil grill Joe for answers!

AND, this podcast may contain the birth of a possible future release!

For a...

He was the voice of Billy the Mountain. He was the voice of Jeff Simmons'  bad conscience. Heck, he was even the voice of god! It's safe to say that Frank Zappa trusted Jim Pons voice.

Scott Parker and Phil Surkis were honored and thrilled to chat with The Leaves/Turtles/Mothers legend, Jim Pons.  Jim did not disappoint with amazing stories from his brief, yet bright time with the vaudeville edition of The Mothers.

Jim shares intimate details about the ill-fated Montreux and Rainbow shows of 1971. Did you know that Mr. Pons created one of...

What is it about Erie, PA? Is there something in the wooder? Scott Parker and Phil Surkis chat  with Joe Travers about his latest passion project: Zappa: Erie, a 6CD box set featuring three unbelievably fantastic shows made in and around his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania - Edinboro College (5/8/74), Gannon University (11/12/74), and The Erie County Fieldhouse (11/12/ 76).

Plus, Joe reveals the origin of how the Vaultmeister came to be, and tells us about The Zappa Band's current east coast tour!

The 'Zappa/Erie' box comes out on June 17, and you can pre-order here: http://frankzappa.lnk.t...

No, Eddie, we are not kidding: Scott Parker and Phil Surkis welcome back Joe "Vaultmeister" Travers for an in-depth exploration of the soon to be released 8 CD box set, The Mothers 1971! The new set will include all four June 1971 shows from the Fillmore East, as well as the historic, and ultimately tragic show from The Rainbow Theater. The set will also include a "hybrid" concert that was compiled from the best recordings from Franks then brand new 4-track recorder. Plus, the inside scoop on how and why the new set will feature a pristine remix of the famous Fillmore...

Scott Parker, Phil Surkis, and the world's most polite drummer, Joe Travers, welcome critically acclaimed author and indisputable queen of the groupies, Pamela Des Barres. Saint Valentine meets St. Alfonzo in this especially lovely edition of the ZappaCast!

For all things Frank Zappa, including pre-ordering The Mothers 1971 box set, visit The Official Frank Zappa website.

Keep the conversation going on Twitter and Instagram.

ZappaCast is:

Created & Hosted by Scott Parker

Produced by Phil Surkis

Special thanks to Joe Travers

Made in cooperation with The Zappa...

Joe “Vaultmeister” Travers takes Scott Parker, Phil Surkis, and you, the listener, on a very special guided tour of the soon to be released 200 Motels 50th Anniversary box set. If you thought you knew 200 Motels, think again! 

Plus, previews of upcoming ZappaCast shows featuring Pamela Des Barres and Jim Pons!

For all things Frank Zappa, including pre-ordering The 200 Motels 50th Anniversary editions, visit The Official Frank Zappa website.

Keep the conversation going on Twitter and Instagram.

ZappaCast is:

Created & Hosted by Scott Parker

Produced by Phil Surkis

...

Scott Parker, Phil Surkis and Joe ”Vaultmeister” Travers are joined by Frank Zappa’s longest tenured drummer, the legendary Chad Wackerman. Wackerman shares about FZ projects that almost came to be, and recounts the evening that’s now preserved on the new release: Zappa ‘88: The Last U.S. Show. Plus, a sneak peek into Chad Wackerman’s “Drum Room”. Warning/Guarantee: This podcast is not just for drummers!

For all things Frank Zappa, including the new release, Zappa ‘88: The Last U.S. Show, visit The Official Frank Zappa website.

Keep the c...