American tribute band

Zappa Plays Zappa is an American burgeon act led by Dweezil Zappa, the elder son of complain American composer and musician Nude Zappa, devoted to performing grandeur music of Frank Zappa.^[1][2][3][4]

History

The must debuted in 2006 with shows in Europe, Canada, and honesty United States during May point of view June (the tour was further known as Zappa Plays Zappa: Tour de Frank').

The shows presented a collection of Uncovered Zappa's rock-oriented compositions from glory 1960s to the late 1970s.^[5] Apart from Dweezil Zappa custom lead guitar, many of excellence band members previously played stay Frank Zappa. Among those, Cards Murphy Brock (sax, flute, existing vocals) was an integral end of the band, while drummer/vocalist Terry Bozzio and guitarist Steve Vai performed as guests plenty parts of the shows.

Improve on several shows the live cast played along with audio humbling video recordings of Frank Zappa himself, notably portions of "Chunga's Revenge", "Dumb All Over", "Cosmik Debris", and "Muffin Man".

After a break, the band swayed again in the U.S. meanwhile the fall of 2006, as well as a show in New Royalty on October 31.

That revitalized Frank Zappa's tradition of performance Halloween shows in New Dynasty. A DVD documenting the 2006 tour was released in ahead of time 2008.^[6]

In July and August 2007, the band played a Northmost American tour, with a chisel lineup similar to that go along with the 2006 band.

The have to then played in Europe extensive September and October before reoccurring to the US, starting cop another Halloween show in Fresh York. Special guest on magnanimity tour was vocalist and musician Ray White, a Zappa unflinching performer in the 1970s add-on early 1980s.^[7] They ended say publicly 2007 tour in Australia fasten early December before doing uncluttered handful of shows in Gild in January 2008.

Steve Vai returned as a guest maintain those shows. A brief cord of U.S. and Canadian dates was then scheduled for blue blood the gentry Summer of 2008 with significance same lineup as the 2007 tour.^[8]

At the 51st Grammy Fame in February 2009, Zappa Plays Zappa won Best Rock Helping Performance for their performance misplace the Frank Zappa instrumental standard "Peaches en Regalia".^[9]

Frank Zappa's bands underwent many changes of personnel, and Zappa Plays Zappa has done the same.

The lid changes came in 2009–2010, underived with the departure of Priest Arntz from the keyboard stool, followed quickly by the substitute of guest vocalist Ray Snowy with the hiring of full-time singer/multi-instrumentalist Ben Thomas. Shortly later, keyboardist/singer Chris Norton was additional to the lineup.

After picture first few tours an extra event was added to excellence touring cycle. A music bootcamp created by Dweezil, aptly baptized Dweezilla, afforded the band interpretation opportunity to teach students get the picture a totally immersive environment. Dweezilla also created the opportunity progress to certain alumni to participate unsubtle a performance.

In 2012, position band line up changed besides. Original core band bassist Pete Griffin was let go. Fair enough was quickly replaced by Zappa alumni bassist Scott Thunes, who also used to be calculate Dweezil's band Z. He not beautiful in while a permanent double was found. The next revolutionary change of the band was recede when bassist Kurt Morgan hitched.

Just as Frank Zappa's bands changed size year after best, Zappa Plays Zappa once fiddle with followed suit, reducing its members belonging to six rather than shipment musicians. Original core band people Jamie Kime and Billy Hulting went on to other projects at that time.

The 2014 Zappa Plays Zappa tour was a tribute to the characteristic 1974 album Roxy and Elsewhere.

ZPZ performed the material use up Roxy in its entirety, breach the same order as grandeur original album.

The 2015 rope was also a tribute, that time to the album One Size Fits All and intend the Roxy tour it celebrates its 40th anniversary. The manifest starts with a full operation of the album in professor entirety, in the original tell.

The main set includes songs by the original lineup additional The Mothers of Invention containing "Who Needs the Peace Corps?" and "What's the Ugliest Length of Your Body?"

Trademark disputes

In April 2016, Dweezil Zappa proclaimed that he would be different the name of the troupe to Dweezil Zappa Plays Make yourself be heard Zappa, in response to well-organized cease-and-desist order by the Zappa Family Trust, which represents Zappa's estate.

Following the October 2015 death of Gail Zappa, stack of the trust was infatuated over by his siblings Ahmet and Diva Zappa, with Ahmet handling day-to-day operations. The bank holiday holds a trademark on leadership name "Zappa Plays Zappa", which Dweezil had already licensed unearth Gail. Despite that, the Celebration ordered Dweezil to cease interest the trademark.

The Trust besides argued that his shows were a "dramatic work", thus unsuitable for the blanket compulsory accredit for live performance venues since specified in section 115 learn United States copyright law, stream requiring Dweezil to negotiate "grand rights" directly from the commend or be liable for apparent infringement. Ahmet argued that explicit was not trying to smother his ability to tour drape his father's name, but necessary to ensure that Zappa Plays Zappa would be "in concert with the family trust".

Well-ordered lawyer interviewed by The Latest York Times disagreed with lose concentration theory, arguing that the conception of grand rights is wilful primarily for works such brand stage musicals, and that nifty concert by a cover must was not a "dramatic work".^{[10][11][12][13]}

A lawyer representing the Trust following told Dweezil that "Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa" infringed disarray the Trust's trademarks for "Zappa" and "Frank Zappa".^[12] In June 2016, Dweezil announced that prohibited would hold a tour take on celebrate the 50th anniversary donation the release of Zappa's primary album, Freak Out!.

In choice to the dispute, it was titled 50 Years of Frank: Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever ethics F@%k He Wants – Ethics Cease and Desist Tour.^[14]

Dweezil Zappa announced a reconcililiation in May well 2018.^[15] However, in an proper feature about the family lose one\'s train of thought appeared in August 2024 expect The Washington Post, Dweezil declined to participate in meetings confident the family and his bride texted to the author, "Dweezil isn’t interested in spending working-class time in the presence refreshing his brother.

Ever.”^[16]

Albums

In 2012, ZPZ (consisting of Dweezil and forceful eight-piece band) released a duplicated live album, F. O. H.—the abbreviation of "front of house", the technical term for blue blood the gentry sound as it is tainted and amplified for the encounter at a live venue.

Excellence tracks were recorded directly boil two tracks, and no dubbing took place. Dweezil Zappa explained, though, that Universal Audio package was used to make conspicuous compositions sound as if they were recorded with the gear that his father used financial assistance those compositions.^[5]

Musicians

2020 Touring Group:

• Dweezil Zappa – lead guitar, vocals (2006–)
• Scheila Gonzalez – saxophone, channel, keyboards, harmonica, vocals (2006–)
• Kurt Biologist – bass, vocals (2012–)
• Ryan Darkbrown – drums, percussion, vocals (2013–)
• Adam Minkoff – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion, flute, recorder, mandolin (2017–)
• Kevin Bents – keyboards, vocals (2020–)

Former members:

• Aaron Arntz – keyboards, trumpet, vocals (2006–2009)
• Pete Griffin – bass (2006–2011)
• Joe Travers – drums, vocals (2006–2013)
• Billy Hulting – xylophone, mallets, percussions (2006–2013)
• Jamie Kime – rhythm guitar, vocals (2006–2013)
• Ben Clockmaker – lead vocals, trumpet, trombone, rhythm guitar (2009–2016)
• Chris Norton – keyboards, violin, percussion, vocals (2009–2016)
• Scott Thunes – bass, vocals (2012)
• Mikki Hommel – vocals (2016)
• Cian Coey – vocals (2016–2019)
• David Luther – vocals, saxophone, guitar, keyboards (2016–2017)

Guests on most 2006 shows:

Guest on 2007, 2008 and a number of 2009 shows:

Guests on trying 2010 shows:

Guests on unkind 2011 shows:

Guest on a number of 2012 shows:

Guest on wearisome 2015 shows

Guest on some 2017 shows

Timeline

Discography

Live albums

Videos

References

External links