February 9, 1981
NBC
12 min.
Date disputes: 02-09-81, or: 09-03-81
Recording date: 08-28-81
Interview with Dr Demento. FZ talks about his High Times interview, white person music, Baby Snakes (including a short clip with clay animation from the movie), being cynical and living in the U.S.A.
This is as Dr. Demento (yes, this is Dr. Demento) is cutting to commercial and Frank is doing everything he can not to burst out laughing at what a goof Demento is.
Informants: Jon Naurin, Brian Lagerman, Eric Peterson
March 7, 1981
NBC
Just watched & taped an episode of SNL with Bill Murray as host, with a cool FZ reference! In a sketch which sends up the movie Altered States, called Altered Walter, it has Dan Rathers + Walter Kronkite, with Murray playing Kronkite. After coming out of a sensory deprevation tank, Walter goes down to South America to expand his mind further, and takes a hallucinagenic drug from a pot that Charles Rocket (playing a native-American) has been brewing. In a scene where Kronkite smokes some peyote, he starts to trip out & some generic 1960's footage is shown. Over about 1/4 of this footage, the MOI track Uncle Meat Variations is played, from the vocal section where Nelcy Walker sings with Ray & Roy. It was shown in Australia on 12 August 1999, & the original broadcast was March 7, 1981.
August 17, 1981
ABC TV
Stanley charmlessly cajoling Frank and testing his humanity by asking him if he ever cries.
YouTube: The Stanley Siegel Show (09:06 min.)
October 26, 1981
CNN TV
47 min.
Interview with Sandi Freeman
One of the best interviews I've seen. About 60% of the recording is of the better quality.
October 26, 1981
WNET-TV
30 min.
The New York Times
October 25, 1981, Sunday, Late City Final EditionDutch Wind Ensemble To Be Profiled on PBS
A half-hour documentary profiling the Netherlands Wind Ensemble will be shown on WNET-TV and other PBS stations tomorrow at 9:30 P.M. The group, formed in the late 50's, is composed of members of the country's 16 symphony orchestras. The documentary, narrated by David Frost, presents the group in classical music, jazz and a work by Frank Zappa, the rock star. Mr. Zappa will appear in the film, as will the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink.
Premiered October 31, 1981
Videoclip
i saw the "do you know what you are?" video last night on musique-plus. i was wondering if zappa's done other mtv- ish videos like that?
I've seen four:
- You Are What You Is ("Do you know what you are?")
- G-Spot Tornado
- Peaches en Regalia
- He's So Gay
There's also a cool little video for Fine Girl that FZ produced with a czech film team circa 1990. As I've understood, it was tacked to the end of a czech music film, called "Prager leben gut" in german.
There's even a 'claymation' version of City Of Tiny Lights (BBC'79? -Old Grey Whistle Test)
"You Are What You Is" was the only video that FZ made specifically for video channels (the only one around at that time being MTV). The other three you mentioned are from home video releases. Now, these MAY have been aired on music channels in America and abroad, but they certainly were never aired on MTV and were not intended to be aired on video channels.
All right. "Peaches en Regalia" was aired on MTV Europe; "He's So Gay" and "G-Spot Tornado" were on other European video channels.
October 31, 1981 (early & late shows)
The Palladium, NYC
November 3, 1981
Colonial Instructional Television, PA
34 min.
Interviewer: Trooper Charles Ash, Pennsylvania State Police
FZ talks about the beginning of his career, his influences, Johnny Guitar Watson, the auditions, new wave and punk, his advice to new musicians, his guitar gear, the state of rock music, all about drugs, filming, where the ideas for the songs come from, rehearsals, the orchestral stupidities article, an idea for a movie about people turning into ducks and how it is not important to be remembered. Includes images of the "You Are What You Is" video.
YouTube: Talking With . . . Frank Zappa - Part 1 (08:49 min.) · Part 2 (09:11 min.) · Part 3 (09:19 min.) · Part 4 (06:46 min.)
November 6, 1981
KCBS-TV
9 min.
c. late 1981
Unknown TV station, London
6 min.
Video Telethon from unknown date, with Talking Heads' "Once In A Lifetime" (October, 1980), The Clash's "This Is Radio Clash" (November, 1981), The Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll" (1974) and Adam And The Ants' "Antmusic" (1980) mentioned, with Bill Wyman in atendance.
YouTube: Telethon Show, London 80s (05:37 min.)
1982
116 min.
May 28, 1982
Palais des Sports, St. Etienne, France
Videotaped by Thomas Nordegg
June 22, 1982
Le Parc des Expositions, Metz, France
c. June 28, 1982
Vienna, Austria
(probably)
Rudi Dolezal interviews FZ
July 3, 1982
Stadio Comunale, Bolzano, Italy
23 min.
i got my hands on a vhs-tape with a bit of 1982-07-03 Bolzano on it it starts with the band commin on the stage (well there was a long bit of audience taped during the day in front of it wich i cut off)
1. Mammy Anthem
2. You Are What You Is
3. Mudd Club
4. The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
5. Drowning Witch (parts on YCDTOSA #3) !!!it cuts during this song!!!! what a pityits an audience shot taken from left of the stage from a high point not really close up but very nice, the sound wasnt all that so i overdubbed that (i ripped it to vcd format), its about 23 minutes.
At the end of "Mammy Anthem" until the last theme of this private video recording, we can see a cameraman on stage mainly in the shade & between FZ & SV shooting them. I think this could be Thomas Nordegg wearing shorts (see Video From Hell & 9 July 1992, Rome concert, shooting "Stevie Spanking").
July 9, 1982
Ex Mattatoio do Testaccio, Rome, Italy
Videotaped by Thomas Nordegg
July 14, 1982
Stadio Communale, Palermo, Italy
July 31, 1982
FM TV
8 min.
Documentary on FZ history.
YouTube: FM TV (07:51 min.)
1982
August, 1982
Interview with Richard Hart
Photography by P.M. Magazine
August, 1982
Compact Video, LA
c. August, 1982
7 min.
Directed by Steve Durgin
Camera: Paul Colardo
Sound: I. W. Harper
Host: Richard Hart
Featuring: FZ, Moon, Ahmet, Dweezil, Gail, and some pianists at Cal Arts (Lorna Little & Gaylord Mowrey).
He did like the piano reductions [of Pedro's Dowry] a lot though, and that was gratifying. Once he arranged to have Lorna [Little, now Lorna Eder] and Gaylord [Mowrey] read through them for him so he could get a sense of them. We did it at CalArts, because Frank didn't have two pianos in one place. To our surprise Frank showed up with this whole entourage. Dweezil was there, just to listen, and a film crew from some Bay Area TV station! They were doing a piece on Frank, and this was his latest thing, so he brought them along and filmed this reading session. He apparently felt no compunction about putting Lorna and Gaylord on the hot seat with no advance notice. A lot of it went well though. They're both really good, and had prepared some of the stuff. But the 3rd movement of Sinister Footwear simply is not sight-readable. He made them play a little bit of it, but then stopped them and said "I won't make you embarrass yourselves". Thanks a lot, Frank. But that was the session after which I got that nice phone call from Gail, so I guess things had gone well.
August 10, 1982
NBC TV
13 min.
Frank and Moon. Witty, good humored discussion of naming Frank's kids, the Valley Girl record, and Moon's career goals. Also a couple of gig stories from FZ.
YouTube: Late Night with David Letterman, August 10, 1982 - Part 1 (05:12 min.) · Part 2 (07:21 min.)
1982
Zappa Basement
October 31, 1982
CBS
32 min.
Felicia Jeter interviews FZ. My copy is 32 minutes and not complete.
October 31, 1982
Premiere at Ritz Theater, NYC
90 min.
November 1, 1982
NYC
21 min.
FZ talks about his movies and the stage hands of the Palladium. Includes some footage from The Dub Room Special! premiere and Halloween party at The Ritz, October 31, 1982. Also includes scenes from The Dub Room Special!
Interview by John A. Gallagher
Camera: Ira H. Gallen, Bill Coleman
Editor & Producer: Ira H. Gallen
YouTube: Teaser 1 (1:07 min.) · Teaser 2 (1:23 min.) · Intro (2:00 min.) · Part 1 (7:34 min.) · Part 2 (6:49 min.) · Part 3 (6:30 min.)
1980s
BBC TV
3 min.
Includes 200 Motels promo, brief comments about Royal Albert concert that was cancelled, and a short clip of King Kong. Comments are not by Frank.
This early evening nostalgia show from the BBC played rock & roll hits from a given year (one per episode) coupled with archive news clips from the featured year. Starting in 1956 with Elvis Presley's Mystery Train, we were taken on an informative, educational and entertaining journey through modern history until the series caught up with itself in the mid 1980s.
1983
52 min.
Directed by John Langley
4 FZ clips from 1983 documentary (1 min.)
Entire feature length = 52 minutes.
This in-depth and hard hitting expose tells the real story behind cocaine and cocaine abuse. The personal accounts from top celebrities such as FRANK ZAPPA and athletes reveal not only the physical and mental destruction the drug causes but also the social alienation a drug user confronts.
Frank Zappa, Paul Krassner, Eugene "Mercury" morris, David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams open-up and share their views... their experiences... and their nightmares on the revealing and controversial drug... cocaine. Long out of print on LIGHTNING VIDEO.
COCAINE BLUES A film co produced/written.directed by John Langley (Half of the team of Langley/Barbour of Cops!) fame. Personal accounts of use of Cocaine from FRANK ZAPPA PAUL KRASSNER Eugene "Mercury" Morris, David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams (Airplane!) and more See what made Blow the In drug of the late seventies and eighties (Zappa didnt like it!)
YouTube: Cocaine Blues - June 2, 1985 - Frank Zappa Segment (00:43 min.)
January 6, 1983
BBC2, London, UK
2 min. B&W
FZ interviewed about his image and the real Frank Zappa.
YouTube: Channel Four, BBC2, UK (01:28 min.)
January 7, 1983
BBC TV
3 min.
FZ talks about the toilet poster, the LSO recording and how he didn't give a fuck about how'd he remembered.
YouTube: Nationwide, UK, January 7, 1983 (02:55 min.)
January, 1983
Unidentified program & date, probably BBC TV
B&W, 1 min.
FZ talks about cocaine decisions.
YouTube: UK TV (01:57 min.) (only first minute)
January 10, 1983
BBC2 TV
9 min.
Report on the upcoming London Symphony Orchestra concert at the Barbican Center. FZ talks about the building, where the musicians are going to be placed on stage, the difficulty of the music to be played, how he sees no difference between "Valley Girl" and "Mo 'N Herb's Vacation," how the concert is financed. Kent Nagano compares Zappa to Ives, Boulez, Messiaen and Elliott Carter. It also includes images of FZ at home in Los Angeles and the "You Are What You Is" video.
YouTube: Newsnight, UK, January 10, 1983 (08:43 min.)
June 16, 1983
NBC TV
11 min.
FZ talks about brown lipstick in corporate suit, the LSO album, and his 1968 TV show project for NBC.
I was a guest on this show along with Frank. As the show begins with the video credits are rolling Letterman is anounced "Here he is as a guy who sleeps in his suit David Letterman". As Letterman does his monolouge he states that he had taken a test in one of this magazines that let you know how you stack up to other members of society. He says that he failed. His wardrobe does not have enough of yummy colors in it. I am a studio audience member who was written into the script as a member of society whose wardrobe was used as contrast to someone who sleeps in his suit. As the story goes I proceed to outdool Letterman 1 on 1 and get twice the level of laugter than what the skit was intended. Nedless to say Letterman does not like being showed up. Initially Letterman had stated that he was going to let me interview Frank but after being showed up he retracted. After the monolouge he proceded with the show and I went back stage for a change of clothing that his staff felt was more suitable than my attire. I was then brought back out on stage in the main guest chair. Upon being directed as a guest and sitting down in the main guest chair Letreman immidiately states that I could now go back to my seat and my chance to interview Frank obsolved. When Frank came out and was announced Letterman states that people specifically came down to see him and Frank stated that he had seen the skit and was laughing. During the interview Frank is asked about the liner notes and why he wrote of the album not being 100%. Frank stated that he had a personal relationship with his fans and that he did not mess around. He wanted to be honest with his fan base abouyt the productions lack of perfection. He specifically used me as a reference as to how he remained fair and honest to his fans. While I may have gone down as the shortes guest ever on The David Letterman show I humbly use this reference as prime example as to how Frank was honest to his work and fanbase. The fact that I could make Frank laugh is a wonderfull feeling. For all the years I have enjoyed the worlds finest optional entertainment this was one brief moment where I brought laughter to the life of Frank Zappa.
YouTube: Late Night with David Letterman, June 16, 1983 (06:46 min.)
June 17, 1983 (or June 7, 1983)
Australian TV
28 min.
Interview with FZ at home, aired on three different weeks.
Interview w/ Frank, Moon, Dweezil, and 1973 concert footage.
YouTube: Announcement/Part One (including 1973 footage) (08:05 min.) · Part One host goodbye/Part Two (03:08 min.) · Part Three (including "You Are What You Is") (06:32 min.) · Interview with Moon & Dweezil (03:48 min.)
October 31, 1983
NBC TV
5 min.
Halloween. FZ promotes a Broadway Musical project.
Shows pix of two character masks: Thingfish and his ventriloquist's dummy, Sister Abdula X. Also discusses restoration and re-release of the 35 Mothers records.
There is a stereo master that was rebroadcast on A&E in 1992.
The tattoo that FZ mentions, was administered to David by Pee Wee Herman who was an earlier guest on the show.
YouTube: Late Night with David Letterman -- October 31, 1983 (05:36 min.)
1984
1984
Unknwon place and date
7 min.
Grace Slick interviews FZ in a disco environment.
YouTube: Grace Slick interviews FZ (06:33 min.)
February 28, 1984
CBS TV
10 min
Great interview with Frank by Charlie Rose . . . wonderfully iconoclastic commentary on Michael Jackson, the music biz, grammies, etc.
Rose mentions " . . . this is the year of Michael Jackson." and they play a video clip of "Billy Jean," making FZ smirk.
March 30, 1984
11 min.
Hosted by Alan Thicke. FZ talks about his appearances on Make Me Laugh and Dance Fever, the direction music is taking (it's "going to the bank"), his next appearance in Ohio, at the annual conference of the American Society of University Composers (April, 1984), and shows a short clip of "Punky's Whips" from Baby Snakes. Other guests are Don Felder and Casey Kasem.
I saw the March 30, 1984 Thicke Of The Night--interview (TV) and have taken away one classic moment from this. Frank asked at one point, "Why do they wear brown lipstick in the corporate suite?" The way I remember it there was some nervous laughter among the guests and the studio audience and the subject was quickly changed. Leave it to Frank to cut through the crap.
YouTube: Thicke Of The Night, 1984 (08:37 min.)
May 20, 1984
Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
KRON-TV
Hosted by Charles Amirkhanian and Calvin Ahlgren
June 15, 1984
Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley, CA
Berkeley Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano
The orchesteral piece was performed by the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra in 1984. The piece has 3 movements, but I believe 26 parts. The piece was performed as a ballet, but Zappa could not afford a ballet troupe, so they used lifesize marionettes instead. I wish this performance would be released on video (Gail, hear my pleas). I can't remember the details of the story, but I believe it has a monster in it, with some interesting reproductive organs. I have the storyline on tape, if their is interest I can transcribe it.
The music is in three movements. The ballet (which is danced to the music) has the sections you listed and is danced to the three movements. The score has considerably more description of the action of the ballet. That performance (the **only** performance) was broadcast live over KPFA with Frank's permission. It was also video-taped against Frank's wishes. It was just a single camera at the back of the hall. When he found out about the video-taping he was FURIOUS! and demanded that the video be destroyed. Whether it was destroyed or not I don't know - but I, for one, certainly hope it wasn't - those puppets were pretty amazing. They were 'puppets' in the same sense that "Big Bird" was a puppet - i.e. they had dancers inside them. I do remember that they had to be destroyed because of storage space problems. I don't remember the name of the man who designed them but I do remember that he died soon afterwards. So, if the video doesn't exist - does anyone have still photos of some of the puppets? I'd love to see some of them again.
I remember seeing part of the performance (or rehearsal) on (of all places) Entertainment Tonight.
August 12, 1984
Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
WEWS, Cleveland, Ohio
Interview by Dave Tarbert
c. August, 1984
WNEW, NYC
Interview by Pablo Guzman
August 25-26, 1984
The Pier, NYC, NY
135 min. (August 25, Audience Shot)
126 min. (August 26, Audience Shot)
Audience shot. At times, a huge screen to the right of the stage is filmed, where you can see the pro-shot pictures. Sound and picture are decent.
Zoot Allures, City Of Tiny Lights, You Are What You Is, Mudd Club, The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing, Carolina Hardcore Ecstacy, Advance Romance, Trouble Every Day, Penguin In Bondage, Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel, Dumb All Over (Have I Offended Someone?), The Tape-Changing Fart-Around (improvisations, q: New York New York, My Sharona), He's So Gay, Bobby Brown intro/He's So Gay ending, Honey Don't You Want A Man Like Me?, Carol You Fool, Chana In De Bushwop, Let's Move To Cleveland (q: Isn't It Romantic?) (incl. Butter Or Canons, Trance-Fusion), The Closer You Are, No No Cherry, Cosmik Debris, Sharleena, The Illinois Enema Bandit
Zoot Allures, Tinseltown Rebellion (Have I Offended Someone?), Trouble Every Day, Penguin In Bondage, Goblin Girl, The Black Page (solo on YCDTOSA4), Be In My Video (YCDTOSA1), The Deathless Horsie (YCDTOSA1), The Dangerous Kitchen (YCDTOSA1), He's So Gay, Bobby Brown, Keep It Greasey (parts on YCDTOSA3), Honey Don't You Want A Man Like Me?, Carol You Fool, Chana In De Bushwop, Let's Move To Cleveland, Crew Slut, Dinah-Moe Humm (parts on YCDTOSA6), Cosmik Debris, Camarillo Brillo, Muffin Man, Ride My Face To Chicago, Dancin' Fool, Whipping Post
September 16, 1984
Ahoy Hall, Rotterdam, Netherlands
c. September 17, 1984
Unidentified French TV
20 min.
FZ (probably at the backstage of the Ahoy, in Rotterdam) talks about his new albums, The Perfect Stranger, Them Or Us, Thing-Fish and Francesco. He also talks about live and recorded music, rock & roll audiences, music and images, the live group, the composers he likes, optional entertainment and the origin of the song "In France," explaining the whole lyrics. Includes some footage from Rotterdam, September 16, 1984.
Google Video: Frank Zappa - French TV 84 (20:29 min.)
c. September, 1984
Unidentified
3 min.
Backstage interview and some live footage, including parts of "Chunga's Revenge" and the beginning of "Teen-age Wind," probably from the Drammenhallen, September 13, 1984. FZ talks about cocaine and his job on stage.
YouTube: Swedish TV (02:34 min.)
September 17, 1984
Showtime
September 17, 1984
Palais Omnisports de Bercy, Paris, France
100 min., audience recording
FZ--lead guitar, vocals
Ray White--guitar, vocals
Ike Willis--guitar, vocals
Bobby Martin--keyboards, sax,
vocals
Allan Zavod--keyboards
Scott Thunes--bass, vocals
Chad Wackerman--drums
Intro, City of Tiny Lites, You Are What You Is, Mudd Club, The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing, Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy, Advance Romance, I'm The Slime, Joe's Garage, Why Does it Hurt When I Pee, In France, Trouble Every Day, Penguin in Bondage, Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel, Sharleena, Lets Move to Cleveland, The Closer You Are, No No Cherry, Cosmik Debris, He's so Gay, Bobby Brown, Illinois Enema Bandit.
Primary informant: Chris Rigas
YouTube: Penguin In Bondage (03:09 min.) · Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel (03:49 min.)
September 19, 1984
TV3, Barcelona, Spain
September 18, 1984 TV3 (Catalan TV): FZ interviewed by Ángel Casas (journalist) with fragments of footage of the show in Barcelona performed next day September 19.
September 24, 1984
BBC1 TV
3 min.
FZ talks about his four new albums, the keyboard he uses to compose at hotel rooms, his disappointment with the classical music world and how he never cared about shocking the public.
YouTube: London Plus, 1984 (03:18 min.)
1984
UK TV
9 min.
Interview
YouTube: Frank Zappa - Music Box (1984) (09:22 min.)
October 4, 1984
Vienna, Austria
12 min.
Interview with FZ, with parts overdubbed in German. FZ talks about why he's touring Europe again, record contracts and promoters, religious fanatics, Francesco Zappa & Mozart in candies. Includes footage from the beginning of "Zoot Allures" at the Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria, October 4, 1984. FZ says:
Tonight during the first two songs you'll be entertained by Austrian television and Hungarian television as they scurry around the stage trying to figure out what the fuck we're going to do in the first two songs.
Also includes "He's So Gay" from The Pier, NYC, August, 1984.
Additional Informant: Noah McKelvie
October 4, 1984
Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
37 min., aud. rec.
Audience shot. Sound is really good and the picture is pretty enjoyable as long as the camera is stable. ? Zoot Allures, Tinseltown Rebellion, More Trouble Every Day, Penguin In Bondage, Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel, The Evil Prince, Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up, Drowning Witch
October 8, 1984
Palazzo dello Sport, San Siro, Milan, Italy
RAI TV
B&W, 2 min.
Report on Zappa concert in Milan. Music heard: "More Trouble Every Day" & "Penguin In Bondage."
YouTube: Italian TV 1984 (01:43 min.)
c. October 8, 1984
Italian TV, Milan
9 min. (a.k.a. "Zappa Flip" B&W)
FZ gives a neck massagio with salami to Kay Rush, while talking about Milan, pop stars with only one glove, and Thing-Fish.
YouTube: Kay Rush Interviews Frank Zappa on DeeJay Television (09:11 min.); Zappa Flip (Italian overdubbed B&W version) (08:41)
October 30, 1984
USA
TV Series: "Livewire" (1982)
Original Air Date: 30 October 1984
Genre: Talk-ShowAfrika Bambaataa ... Himself
R.E.M. ... Band
Adam Yauch ... Himself
Frank Zappa ... HimselfFred Newman ... Himself / Host