Posts Tagged Frank Zappa
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November 16, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Laurel Canyon: DVD
Laurel Canyon Director: Alison Ellwood Canyon Films, LLC / Madman It’s hard to see this as anything more than a boomer circle-jerk: Oooh, we had the best music didn’t we… Laurel Canyon is this near-mythical place in songs, in albums, in bands’ biographies. It is real. It was a place; a place where a large […]Archive
November 12, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 20
Little Feat, Feats Don’t Fail Me Now (1974) I arrived pretty late to Little Feat. Which is to say I knew about them from reading about music for most of my life – and I was interested. And I was particularly interested in theLowell Georgestory (probably via all my Frank Zappa listening at some stage […]Archive
November 10, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Shit That’s Good! Crap Albums I Love # 40 – Frank Zappa, “Jazz From Hell”
Frank Zappa, Jazz From Hell, 1986 Almost a trick question really – looking for the crap Frank Zappa albums that are good. His music lives in the vacuum of its cult endorsements. Ask the wives and girlfriends. Ask the bemused best friends of certain music nerds. Ask yourself. Is there an enjoyably Frank Zappa album? […]Archive
November 2, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
RNZ Feature: What’s The Buzz With Guitar Solos?
I’m usually on RNZ once a month to have a chat about some new albums. But now and then I present features on the show too. Last year I had nearly an hour to explore the music of George Harrison. I followed that up with a chat about Ringo Starr and played some of his best Beatles drum bits […]Archive
August 10, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Steve Vai: Modern Primitive
Steve Vai Modern Primitive Favored Nations Originally released last year as part of the 25th Anniversary package of Passion and Warfare this collection of outtakes and off-cuts, Modern Primitive, now receives the standalone-release treatment, perfect for Vai/guitar fans that didn’t want to fork for “just another copy of Passion and Warfare”.Archive
March 30, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Five Songs For Friday: # 10 – Remembering Old Favourite albums
I guess I do this most weeks – occupational hazard or whatever – but this week in particular I’ve been revisiting old favourites, thinking about albums I liked a lot 5 and 10 years ago, and 20 years ago…and in some cases just 2-3 years ago… I’ll also give an early mention of Goose Snow […]Archive
November 8, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Drummers You Just Can’t Beat: # 14 – Vinnie Colaiuta
I first met him (in a musical sense) with the Sting album Ten Summoner’s Tales. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – the sharp cymbal sound, the crisp snare; the fact that Colaiuta had his head around 5/4 and 7/4 time signatures – playing in 7/8 here on St Augustine In Hell. I think […]Archive
April 11, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Dweezil Zappa: Via Zammata’
Dweezil Zappa Via Zammata’ MRI/Southbound Buried deep in this brand new album by Dweezil Zappa is a song called Just The Way She Is, it’s the record’s penultimate track in fact. And it has hints of Joe Walsh about it, the way it moves from lovely and laconic pop ballad to fiery guitar workout and […]Archive
August 2, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Best Guitarist in The World # 6 – Steve Vai
No, no, hear me out – Steve Vai is one of the very few from the “Shred Shed” that transcends that silly notion. For a start, he knows when he’s being a ham. I don’t think Joe Satriani has that awareness. The movie Crossroads was so important to me growing up. Not the Britney Spears […]Archive
July 29, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Best Guitarist in The World: # 3 – Prince
I’ve just started reading a book about the making of Purple Rain (the movie and album) – and I mean just started. I’m only a handful of pages in. The author is gushing about Prince’s guitar playing. I can tell it’s gonna be a good book. But I have this thought – geez, Prince could […]Archive
April 7, 2014 by Simon Sweetman