Ezra Klein: Friday Frank: Peaches En Regalia; SNL, 1976

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August 24, 2007

Friday Frank: Peaches En Regalia; SNL, 1976

By Deborah Newell Tornello a.k.a. litbrit

I don't know about you, but after a week of getting up at 5:30 am, packing lunches and wrestling with three boys who are loathe to give up their summer sleep-ins, I am utterly wiped-out this morning. So here's a little selfishly-motivated something to get the old blood flowing--there will be plenty of time for the relaxing stuff later today.

FZ said Peaches En Regalia was one of his favorite pieces. Mine, too. Tearing up the drums is brilliant Terry Bozzio, whose audition for Mr. Zappa was reportedly so over-the-top stunning, the remaining dummers who'd been waiting in line turned around and left. ~~I'm uncertain as to the year (and place) this was performed~~ From SNL's December 11th, 1976 episode--~~help me out~~ thanks, Darkblack and kingmob.

Bon Weekend, everyone.

(H/T MiNo20320514)

August 24, 2007 in Music | Permalink

Comments

Starting school before Labor Day should be abolished. It's just wrong for all concerned.

Wasn't Terry Bozzio the founder of "Missing Persons" quintessential 80s synth band?

Posted by: Klein's Tiny Left Nut | Aug 24, 2007 9:31:33 AM

I saw Dweezil and the Zappa Plays Zappa band last night at the Wiltern in LA and they played Peaches (along with a host of other great pieces including The Illinois Enema Bandit and G-Spot Tornado). Ray White sang and sounded great.

If you get a chance, go see ZPZ. They give the music the respect it deserves. They're damn good at it too.

Yes, Terry Bozzio founded Missing Persons along with other Zappa alumni (and wife at the time (Dale Bozzio), Warren Cuccurullo on guitar and later Patrick O'Hearn on bass.

Posted by: gonzoknife | Aug 24, 2007 10:26:11 AM

It's from 1976:

http://www.fredunzel.com/videos/SNL-76_78/

Posted by: kingmob | Aug 24, 2007 10:29:51 AM

Phish used to cover this song, too.

Dunno if this has been posted already, but Zappa (and King Crimson, and David Bowie, and Talking Heads (watch that concert!)) Adrian Belew has a blog, where he occasionally shares Zappa anecdotes.

Posted by: Elvis Elvisberg | Aug 24, 2007 10:31:52 AM

Bozzio is also a member, believe it or not, of Bozzio Levin Stevens, whose first album, Black Light Syndrome, is rather good.

Posted by: Ben | Aug 24, 2007 10:54:21 AM

I can remember when this originally aired on SNL. I was a kid on a sleepover at my friend's little lake house, and my friend's parents gave us permission to stay up and watch SNL. It was probably the first time I actually heard Zappa's music. I was kind of a geek kid who took music lessons real early and I knew a little bit about orchestral music and such, and I was really impressed that Zappa seemed to be able to make orchestral concepts work in a wacky looking rock band. Plus it was really clever and funny.

Posted by: chowchowchow | Aug 24, 2007 11:14:38 AM

It's not too late to catch the last 1/2 hour of Stephanie Miller this morning -- it's a "celebration" of 70's earworms.

Posted by: jerry | Aug 24, 2007 11:26:51 AM

gonzoknife, I posted Zappa Plays Zappa playing Zombie Woof last month, and you're right: serious chops all around. Napoleon Murphy Brock and Steve Vai are with Dweezil for that one; it's just wonderful. I hope they come to the Tampa area soon (making a mental note to check online).

chowchowchow, the classical/orchestral concepts were what first attracted me to FZ's music. We are extremely fortunate to have a wonderful cover band, called Bogus Pomp, in our area (St. Pete); they are so good, a number of musicians who played with Frank have come down and joined them for shows. They played a number of pieces from Yellow Shark with the Florida Orchestra back in 1999, with Gail Zappa's blessing. I never got to see FZ live, so this was the next best thing. Utterly memorable evening.

KTLN, I totally agree. Going to school in this heat is heinous. The reason for the early start in this state is that most, if not all, schools follow the public school calendar, and they start really early so as to squeeze in all the FCAT testing before Christmas (that's a standardized test to which teachers have to teach, sadly; it's one of Jeb Bush's legacies--thanks, Jeb! Not.) They reasoned that breaking up the testing with a two-week vacation at Christmas would mean lower scores. My sister and a number of other public school teachers I know think the tests are stressful and pointless, not to mention soul-draining and creativity-killing.

Posted by: litbrit | Aug 24, 2007 12:48:43 PM

Side note: Zappa was apparently a real domineering ass that week on SNL. He was never invited back, and the whole cast made a point to not stand near him at the end of the show.

But a brilliant if eccentric musician nonetheless.

Posted by: mike in dc | Aug 24, 2007 1:15:41 PM

Litbrit,

My younger sister teaches in Massachusetts, where they have a similar testing regimen that she too feels is a travesty.

I thoroughly enjoy the fact that in Virginia the tests are called the Standards of Learning and are universally known as the SOLs.

Posted by: Klein's Tiny Left Nut | Aug 24, 2007 1:22:27 PM

Further proof that it's possible for a room full of great musicians to play the life right out of a song.

Sorry, gang. More notes does not equal better music. Unless you're easily impressed.

Posted by: Guh? | Aug 24, 2007 2:40:22 PM

Ah, I definitely wouldn't describe Zappa fans as easily impressed, but the beauty of music in all its shapes and forms is that there's something for everyone, no?

Posted by: litbrit | Aug 24, 2007 8:26:16 PM

No, litbrit, I think Guh? has it right, and we should all stop liking this song. Too many notes. Good work, Guh?! You convinced us all.

Posted by: Elvis Elvisberg | Aug 25, 2007 7:07:52 AM

Methinks it's time to bring out the Sno-cones...

Posted by: litbrit | Aug 25, 2007 10:06:31 AM

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