1970-75
Murray Roman's TV Show
February 21, 1970
KTTV Ch 11
First episode of the show. Murray Roman interviews FZ, who talks about Amougies, France and the Moon landing. He also does a sketch about world news. Nancy Sinatra reads poetry accompanied by Donovan. Hamilton Camp appears in sketch and sings a song. Linda Ronstadt (right before her appearance in Uncle Meat was filmed) sings a pair of songs. Donovan is interviewed too and he also sings a pair of songs, including "Atlantis."
I also found a couple of tv show mentions I didn't recognize—the "Louis Lomax Show" on 24 July, 1966, and "Murray Roman's TV Show" 15 Feb, 1970.
Fairly subversive ABC-TV show in the "Smothers Brothers" mold. This was produced not long after the Amougies festival appearance.
Frank appears at 16:30 and 28:33.
Also features a gorgeous Linda Ronstadt, and Donovan with words of peace, love, and eternal cosmic wisdom.
Denis Griffin, July 28, 2018
Murray Roman's TV show was broadcasted twice on KTTV Ch 11:
- Saturday February 21, 1970 @ 7pm
- Sunday February 22, 1970 @ 7pm
It was not broadcast on February 15, 1970 on KABC Ch 7
[...]
Murray Roman's TV show was a one-shot deal, a special, a pilot. It was probably produced privately and broadcast on KTTV in hopes that a large network (ABC, NBC or CBS) would buy it and make it their own. It appears that this never happened.
Larry Diestel, "Donovan To Voice Anti-Drug Message," The Register, February 21, 1970
[...] in [Murray Roman's] special variety hour on Channel 11 tonight and again on Sunday, the idol Donovan, voices a pretty strong view that teenagers should avoid all forms of drugs.
Outside of that message, the Murray Roman TV Show, airing both nights at 7 p.m., isnt anything that will be watched with pleasure by most adults. It's strictly aimed at teenagers, which perhaps may make the Donovan message more effective.
[...]
Nancy Sinatra, instead of singing, reads poetry, Hamilton Camp does his bit, comic Pat Morita has a short segment and Linda Ronstadt sings in a style that might be attractive to all ages.
There's satire from Frank Zappa, and also from the comediennes, Kathy Chang and Michele Cochran. [...]
Additional informant: Denis Griffin.
YouTube: KABC-7 1970 Murray Roman,s Tv Show & The Eye of The Storm (62:03 min.)
Was Ist Protest?—Part 2
March 17, 1970
HR TV, Germany
2 min.
Includes:
In The Sky + interview excerpt of Was Ist Protest [...]
Grugahalle
Essen, Germany
Internationale Essener Songtage 1968
Sept, 1968
[...] Excerpt of a German movie called "Was Ist Protest?", by Robert Gerhardt und Peter Hamm.
Originally broadcasted by HR television on 1970 03 17 as the second part of a three part documentary.
Un dos tres, al escondite inglés
March 23, 1970
Directed by Iván Zulueta
Informant: Javier Marcote
The Adventures Of Suzy Creamcheese
c. 1970
Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Luck And Circumstance: A Coming Of Age In Hollywood, New York, And Points Beyond, 2011, chapter 12
Let It Be, the movie, did not come out until the spring of 1970. By which time The Beatles had finally broken up.
I was in Hollywood by then. I'd been asked by MGM to make a movie based on a journal written by a groupie nicknamed Suzy Creamcheese, courtesy of Frank Zappa.
The rights to The Adventures of Suzy Creamcheese were owned by James William Guercio, one of the most enchantingly odd people I've ever met.
Switched On Symphony
1970
New Musical Express, March 1970
There was a brilliant clash of colour as Mehta, tempestuous leader of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and Anderson, boss of Jethro Tull, held their musical summit conference. [...] And so it went on as 'long-hairs' from two different worlds met to tape a TV special promoted by America's powerful Bell Telephone Company. The show may be seen in Britain later this year. They are calling it 'Switched On Symphony' after several titles like 'Pop Goes the Symphony', 'From Bach to Rock', and 'The Longhairs—Bach, Beatles and Beyond' were discarded. This latest classi-pop experiment is being put together by that brave if slightly unorthodox transplant from London, Jack Good. It was Jack who with shows like 'Six-Five Special' and American shows like 'Shindig' gave rock a national respectability on TV when Auntie BBC and others of that ilk frowned on anything more hectic than Victor Silvester. [...]
One scene in the show has the 104-strong symphony orchestra under Mehta's baton joining the Nice in a pop-concert version of 'America' from West Side Story. [...] There's nothing to stop Mehta teaming up with Credence Clearwater or the Grateful Dead or any group.
eBay seller (2008)
"Switched On Symphony" 16mm sound, color, was broadcast several years ago as part of the "Bell Telephone Hour" and subsequently distributed by the Bell Telephone Company to non-theatrical audiences as part of their library. [...] "Switched on Symphony" is the result of a collaboration of two big stars in the music entertainment business, Jazz Genius Frank Zappa and Zubin Mehta, then conductor of the San Fransisco Symphony Orchestra. This rare ground breaking, thrilling documentary has practically disappeared from film listings anywhere, very hard to find in any condition.
Uncle Meat Shooting
March 30, 1970 (five days)
Zappa House, Woodrow Wilson Dr., LA, CA
Hollywood Ranch Market, LA, CA
Mr. Pockets Billiards, LA, CA
Wadleigh Maurice edit room, LA, CA
Appears in:
Heard on:
Directed by FZ
Photography by Haskell Wexler
The action began on 30 March in Frank's basement.
Haskell Wexler [...] had offered five days of services—free.
I remember and enjoyed the shooting of Uncle Meat. I too would like to know what "I'm using a chicken to measure it" means. It was a scripted line. I had to say it over and over again. We were shooting it at a pool-hall on La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood called "Mr. Pockets Billards." I used to go there from time to time with Art Tripp and Ansley Dunbar around 1969-1970.
Mundi Dunbar Toilet Brush Drum Duo
c. March-April 1970
Zappa House, Woodrow Wilson Dr., LA, CA
Sped-up home movie of Billy Mundi and Aynsley Dunbar playing drums with toilet brushes at Zappa House.
Appears in:
Fillmore East, NYC
May 9, 1970
Fillmore East, NYC, NY
8 mm, 1 min.
backstageauctions (YouTube, May 11, 2011)
Authentic 8 mm amateur film, containing 52 seconds of Frank Zappa's May 9, 1970 performance at the legendary Fillmore East in New York. Shot from a side balcony, the film is just wide enough to frame the entire band.
8 mm amateur film, containing 52 seconds of Frank Zappa's May 9, 1970 performance at the legendary Fillmore East in New York. Shot from a side balcony, the film is just wide enough to frame the entire band. Frank himself is most visible in a blue shirt. There are several great segments of him just playing intensely, swaying slightly.
Informant: Javier Marcote
YouTube: Frank Zappa 1970 (02:56 min.)
June 18, 1970
VPRO TV
Uddel, Netherlands
Radio Bremen TV Interview
June 19, 1970
Radio Bremen TV, Bremen, Germany
87 min. (broadcast version: 4 min.)
Horst Königstein interviews FZ
Appears on:
Patrick Neve
This is a brief German TV interview with Frank, the talking head, circa June 19, 1970. They discuss new members Flo & Eddie, Jeff Simmons, George Duke, Ian, etc.
Edited portions of the interview were subsequently broadcast in August 1970 and again in December 1970 but the full length interview which runs to 86 minutes now makes its commercial debut on DVD and for Frank Zappa fans this interview will be of immense interest.
Here is the full, unedited, uncoloured, un-subtitled interview Horst Königstein (who did the translations for the two Peter Gabriel German albums) conducted with Frank in Bremen for the Beat-Club. [...] Frank is asked how he thinks people perceive him (a political rebel) and how he thinks of himself (composer). [...] Frank talks about how the Government and big businesses control TV and how it impacts on the minds of young America; he urges youths to stop demonstrating and become part of the media, military, police, etc. to bring about change from within and to reach larger numbers of people. Horst [...]. Also discussed are Bizarre Records, the GTO's, Rolling Stone magazine, film editing, MGM's censorship of Absolutely Free & WOIIFTM, the 'Berlin Survival' story, and the members of the new 'swinging' Vaudeville band that had been together just a fortnight at time of filming. Horst asks a few overly complex questions, which FZ handles good-naturedly. [...]
Additional informants: Javier Marcote, Charles Ulrich
YouTube: Frank Zappa / Interview (June 19, 1970) (3:53 min.) · Frank Zappa—Interview (German TV 1970) (3:20 min.)
UK Press Conference
June 24, 1970
UK
Press conference at Bailiffscourt Hotel Climping, Sussex.
Appears in:
Hoshika [Rumiko] wrote that the press conference took place on June 24, 1970.
See also:
Bath Festival Of Blues And Progressive Music
June 28, 1970
Shepton Mallet, UK
1 min., 8 mm., color
Jochen Laschinsky has also unearthed a minute or so of 8mm footage which contains several short clips of Canned heat, Zappa, Santana and Zeppelin. Unfortunatley, as he was shooting into the sun, the footage is extremely dark.
More about the available footage of the Bath Festival here.
Additional informant (YouTube alert): Javier Marcote
YouTube: The Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music June 27—28 1970 8mm film (02:44 min.; Mothers' footage: 01:48-02:02)
Late Night Line-Up
July 3, 1970
BBC
14 min.
Includes footage from the UK Press Conference, 1970.
Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)
LATE NIGHT LINE-UP
Broadcast: July 03, 1970
BBC
Time: 14':28''
John Peel (dj) at Bailiffscourt Hotel Climping, Sussex, interviews Alan Wilson & Bob Hite (Canned Heat) & FZ in context of recent Shepton Mallet Rock Festival.
Zappa:
New line up of 'Mothers' group;
Financial problems over unreleased LPs—recording techniques of Captain Beefheart.
'Mothers' future plans.
Ext hotel : Mothers photocall includes ZAPPA sipping wine
Ext lib footage Aerial s tents at Rock Festival, Shepton Mallet.
Beat-Club #59
September 26, 1970
4 min.
Includes footage from:
Appears in:
Formerly listed as August 15, 1970
Informant: Oscar Bianco
Lieder-Liches
October 15, 1970
Radio Bremen TV, Bremen, Germany
39 min.
"Happening Im Studio mit Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention"
Directed by Michael Leckebusch
Includes:
Appears in:
Title: LIEDERLICHES Episode 5
First Broadcast Date: 1970 10 15 on German TV Station ARD
From: Jon Naurin
"Liederliches", MOI concert at The Beat Club. Appears to be a rebroadcast, since it has some interview stuff from 1970 too.
From: Peter Overton King
Last week I came into possession of an FZ videotape. It contains two very different items. FZ + the Mothers of Invention, 06.10.68 (Oct.) German TV: "Happening in Studio" Like the title says... it was a "happening" in the studio. The set opens with a loosely-coordinated rock & roll jam, interrupted by a commercial or whatever they had instead of commercials in 1968 Germany, a brief interview with FZ from 1970 or so, and then back to 1968 for the happening. This consisted of a performance with all songs segue and partial improvisation.
From Kristian Kier
Broadcasted the weekend after FZ's death in german television. At this
time the regional *third tv programm* of the northern area of germany, the
"Norddeutscher Rundfunk (N3)" with Radio Bremen have given parts of the
Beat-Club series from 1963 to 1972 in a series of ca. 40 sendings. Because
of this actual event they changed their program and decided to broadcast
the Mothers of Invention in Beat-Club way back in 1968. They recorded this
in their tv-studio with no audience.
Additional informants:
JWB, Jon Naurin, Charles Ulrich
Sunday Night Magazine Show
Fall 1970
CBC, Canada
10 min
From: rbb
Frank appeared in an interview on Canadian television (CBC) in an interview with Kay Sjarnson in the fall of 1970. It was on the Sunday night magazine show. The interview ran for about 10 minutes. It was the first time that I ever saw him on television.
Hamilton College, NY
October 17, 1970
Hamilton College, NY
8 mm, 3 min.
backstageauctions (YouTube, May 11, 2011)
The Mothers of Invention at Hamilton College, October 17, 1970
8 mm amateur film, containing 3 minutes and 38 seconds of Frank Zappa's October 17, 1970 performance at the Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.
Shot pretty close to the stage, the film shows lot of Frank Zappa playing, gesturing, talking, but also a fair amount of Flo and Eddie, sharing the front man status and acting up, including dancing, bowing in unison, announcing each other as the winners of some kind of contest. Zappa solos intensely with his cigarette in his guitar strings. There is a nice two-shot of Zappa and Ansley Dunbar flailing away on drums. Zappa frequently directs with his finger and gets the crowd to give the power (fist) salute (barely seen), then invites them to give the Nazi salute (several times, filmed well). After he did so, he yelled "What's the difference?" (thus equating the 'power to the people' movement with fascism . . . ).
Informant: Javier Marcote
YouTube: Frank Zappa 1970 (02:56 min.)
Onsdagsjournalen
December 4, 1970
Sweden TV
Appears in:
Gaumont Palace, Paris
December 15, 1970
Gaumont Palace, Paris, France
20 min. B&W, color
Appears in:
Music appears on:
Songs:
The Mothers:
FZ—guitar, vocals
Howard Kaylan—vocals
Mark Volman—vocals
George Duke—keyboards, trombone
Ian Underwood—keyboards, alto sax
Jeff Simmons—bass, vocals
Aynsley Dunbar—drums
+
Jean-Luc Ponty—violin
From: Patrick Neve
An exciting and dynamic performance. One of the last shows with Jeff Simmons. Portions of this concert appear on the officially-released title from Beat The Boots volume II, Disconnected Synapses.
Informants: Jillis Stada
German Interview
c. December 1970
I have transcribed an interview from German television circa December 1970. This interview should answer all of the questions you have about the RAT TRAP COVER, and is also a nice addition to your Weasels page. It was the first time Zappa ever saw the RAT TRAP COVER, but he knew about it.
GERMAN GUY: I just want to show you ... [shows official Weasels Ripped My Flesh cover to camera]
ZAPPA: This is before ... and after ...
GERMAN: The one .... that you saw before.
ZAPPA: Yeah ... I haven't ... no, I didn't see the other one.
GERMAN: This is the other one ... [shows RAT TRAP COVER to camera, then to Zappa]
ZAPPA: Aaawww.
GERMAN: This is German made, this record.
ZAPPA: It certainly does look like a German album cover, doesn't it.
GERMAN: You've been having trouble with the record companies ... they've been censoring your work.
ZAPPA: Well, I haven't had any problems with the present record company. [inspects the RAT TRAP COVER] This ... actually, in terms of graphics it's not bad. The thing I resent most about this album cover is that it's not the way I wanted it to come out. I wanted it to look like that one [points to official cover]. THAT ONE is ugly enough. I don't need this one.
Beat-Club #62
December 31, 1970
5 min.
Between two Emerson, Lake & Palmer segments, there are 4:43 min. of different takes of FZ with Wild Man Fischer from the 1970 VPRO shootings at FZ's home. Wild Man Fischer sings "The Wild Man Fischer Story."
Appears in:
Informant: Javier Marcote
Pop 2
January 9, 1971
ORTF, France
40 min. (FZ content: 3 min.)
Includes:
Extrait du concert de Frank ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS. L'intégralité sera diffusée à la prochaine émission.
Babel Fish Translation:
Extract in the concert of Frank ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS. Integrality will be diffused with the next emission.
YouTube: Pop 2— January 9, 1971—"Call Any Vegetable" (02:51 min.)
Anatomy Of Pop. Episode #1
January 10, 1971
BBC, UK
24 min.
Hosted by Michael Parkinson. Includes a 22 seconds excerpt of FZ talking about writing lyrics from the UK Press Conference (June 1970). Also includes interviews with Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Mike Ratledge, Bob Wyatt.
IMDb (January 25, 2009)
"Anatomy of Pop" (1971)
10 January 1971 (Season 1, Episode 1)
Cast (Episode Credited cast)
Madeline Bell ... Herself
Elton Dean ... Himself
Hugh Hopper ... Himself
Michael Parkinson ... Himself—Host
Mike Ratledge ... Himself
Robert Wyatt ... Himself
Javier Marcote (January 24, 2009)
ANATOMY OF POP—Episode 1
Title: Elements Galore
January 10, 1971
BBC
24'.14''
Pop music draws on a rich musical heritage including blues, gospel, folk and jazz. Michael Parkinson meets some of the innovate performers of the time. Featuring Alexis Korner, Frank Zappa, Soft Machine & others.
Music:
Soft Machine: "Neo Caliban Grides" ( 3')
Marmalade: " Can you help me" ( 03'.58'')
Alexis Korner: "Blues" (1':28'') & "Rock me" ( 01'.06'')
Dave Swarbrick "Folk tune" ( 30'')
From "Top of the Pops":
Rolling Stones: "Honky Tonk Women"( 32'').
Madeline Bell: "We're so much in love" (35'')
From: "Disco 2":
Fairport Convention: "Sir Patrick Spens"( 33'')-Aired: 04.04.1970
YouTube: Anatomy Of Pop '70 (10:38 min.)
Anatomy Of Pop. Episode #2
January 17, 1971
BBC, UK
12 min.
Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)
ANATOMY OF POP—Episode 2
Title: The Disc
January 17, 1971
BBC
11':57''
Interview with Muff Winwood about managers of pop groups and with Frank Zappa who talks about rock producers ( 1'.29'').
Featuring: Marmalade, Bronco, Madeline Bell, John Peel, John Hositer, Tony Macaulay.
Anatomy Of Pop. Episode #3
January 24, 1971
BBC, UK
24 min.
IMDb (September 21, 2008)
TV Series: "Anatomy of Pop" (1971)
Original Air Date: 24 January 1971 (Season 1, Episode 3)
Cast (Episode Credited cast)
John Peel ... Himself
Muff Winwood ... Himself
Frank Zappa ... Himself
Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)
ANATOMY OF POP—Episode 3-
Title: Is it all a con?
January 24, 1971
BBC
24'. 02''
Promotion of pop music is big business. Michael Parkinson asks a number of people in the field whether promoters manipulate the public or reflect their tastes. Contributions from John Peel, Frank Zappa & others.
Includes a film of 16':12'' with Free performing "All right now" ( 1'.10''—Top of the Pops 04.06.1970) & Joe Cocker sings "Something" ( 1'.30''—Disco 2—10.01.1970).
Informant: Javier/Al Fresco
Anatomy Of Pop. Episode #4
January 31, 1971
BBC, UK
15 min.
Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)
ANATOMY OF POP—Episode 4
Title: The new tribes
January 31, 1971
BBC
15'.12''
12'.30''-13'.44'': Interview Frank Zappa about suggestibility of kids today ( 1'.14'')
Shooting of 200 Motels
January-February 1971
Pinewood Studios, UK
Appears in:
Also in:
The thing that needs to come out is the documentary which was shot while we were making it. At the point where that material is made available to the public and they can watch that and 200 Motels at the same time, people who thought they knew what they saw before are going to be in a lot of trouble.
[...] Well, the Dutch television company sent a crew up there to film us in 16 mm while we were shooting, and I have all the footage. We have interviews with various members of the cast, asking them all kinds of questions that I wasn't in on. It was all done completely and independently of my knowledge. When you see Mark and Howard (Volman and Kaylan) in the interview, and when you hear the things they have to say about the film and about the group, and find out how they talked and what kind of people they are in real life, and watch them against what's happening in the movie, and see Jimmy Carl Black talking about his role in the film, Motorhead, Don Preston, and just watch how this is all connected, and see what 200 Motels is in terms of a documentary of the most advanced nature, by taking the actual facts—statistical facts—he is this; he said that; he did this; he will do this; he has done that; later on he won't even know he's done this over here;—and they're all that way in the film—you take the facts, and then transmogrify that into a musical event with optical effects that have to pay for the day, and you stick it all together in one package, and that's what 200 Motels is.
BBC News
February 8, 1971
B&W/Color
22 min.
Miss Marion Herrod talks about the reasons to cancel the MOI show at the Royal Albert Hall.
Appears in:
Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)
BBC NEWS: ALBERT HALL OFFICIALS CANCEL ZAPPA CONCERT
February 8, 1971
22''
Shot crowd outside hall, some with posters including one "More Sugar", press photographers around (5'').
Interview Zappa: He'll try to put the concert again eventually; probably some place where they will allow to happen. There has no been official reasons given but seems that this concern of the US pop group with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was just in bad taste (14'').
Report & interviews:
Miss Marion Herrod, the letting manager
John Wilbraham, RPO principle trumpeter
Herb Cohen, the group's manager
February 11, 1971
VPRO TV
60 min.
Weekend
February 14, 1971
CBC Television, Canada
B&W, 2 min.
FZ interviewed about drugs for Canadian TV.
WEEKEND
Kay Sigurjonsson introduces a story on the culture of rock music and drugs. In b/w Ralph Thomas interviews Frank Zappa of the Mothers of Invention rock group who is vehemently opposed to drug culture. Zappa smokes for the duration of the interview.
Appears in:
Informant: Javier Marcote
RetroBites: Zappa On Drugs—1971 (02:50 min.)
Pop 2
May 8, 1971
ORTF, France
40 min. (FZ content: 7 min.)
Includes:
Interview de Jean-Luc PONTY : décrit son cheminement musical. 16 Février 1971 BT déroulant avec noms de musiciens. Interview de Ponty, BT Ponty et George Duke, Frank ZAPPA. Musique avec ZAPPA et PONTY. Suite de l'Interview sur l'engagement politique et la musique. Retour sur scène.
Babel Fish Translation:
Interview of Jean-Luc PONTY: described its musical advance. 16 February 1971 BT unrolling with names of musicians. Interview of Ponty, BT Ponty and George Duke, Frank ZAPPA. Music with ZAPPA and PONTY. Continuation of the Interview on political engagement and the music. Return on scene.
Appears in:
Fenway Theater, Boston, MA
June 30, 1971
Fenway Theater, Boston, MA
B&W
I do want to shout out to backer Dino, who was inspired by backer Bill sending us his old Super 8 FZ footage, and followed suit. He sent me this reel of black and white home movie footage of FZ live in Boston, June 30, 1971.
What's My Line?
September 23, 1971
DonNick
I remember Frank's appearance on What's My Line? Frank was the mystery guest. Soupy Sales disqualifed himself cause he knew it was Frank...I believe. I think the show was circa 1972 or something.
Charles Ulrich, October 31, 2002
According to the What's My Line? episode guide at http://www.matchgame.org/episodeguides/wml/wml4.html, this show was broadcast on September 23, 1971.
On the 10/10/71 Howard Smith show, a caller asks FZ, "Why would you condescend to appear on such a program?" FZ tells him:
"I thought it was the most absurd thing that anybody ever asked me to do. How could I pass it up?"
"Soupy Sales guessed me . . . Well, I know him. He used to come to our concerts in Los Angeles in 1967. He was one of our first show-business-type fans, when we started off in Los Angeles in those days. The other thing is that Miss Pamela from the GTO's used to go out with his son. He's named Tony; he's a bass player. I think he was working with Todd Rundgren in that Runt group."
I would classify that [producing Grand Funk Railroad] in the same way that I felt when the phone call came in to be on What's My Line. It's so absurd that you have to do it. [...] You know, I've been invited to do Hollywood Squares. I didn't do that. I was invited to do The Dating Game. I turned that one down. But I thought What's My Line would be pretty funny.
I had made Make A Face, my first feature, and they were doing publicity for me. They asked me to be on What's My Line? [...] Now because if they said my name, they would know who I was, and I wasn't famous enough to not say my name, so they decided to call me 'Miss X'. Usually they would have people on and say their name, then they would have to guess what that person did. [...] I was just 'Miss X', and Frank was the mystery guest. So I met him, but I didn't know a thing about him. I think I asked, "Oh, are you a band from San Francisco?"—that might have been the feeling I got. He had just finished 200 Motels, and he was on a publicity tour for that. I guess he asked me for my number, and I must have given it to him because he ended up in my apartment and said he wanted to play the music for 200 Motels for me.
Appears in:
The David Frost Show
October 15, 1971
USA
IMDb (September 21, 2008)
TV Series: "The David Frost Show" (1969)
Original Air Date: 15 October 1971
Genre: Talk-Show
Cast (Episode Credited cast)
Dennis Hopper ... Himself
Patti LaBelle ... Herself
Enzo Stuarti ... Himself
Frank Zappa ... Himself
Informant: Javier/Al Fresco
200 Motels Theatrical Trailer
1971
3 min.
Appears on:
November 10, 1971
98 min.
The Dick Cavett Show
November 12, 1971
ABC
Photo by Herb Wise
The music played:
Jeffrey M. Gold
I don't know why Zappa did not release Sofa until One Size Fits All, but I do remember seeing the '71 band perform Sofa on TV. It was the Dick Cavett Show, which used to be on opposite Johnny Carson in the early 70's. No one had VCR's in those days, so I suppose there is on point in asking if anyone has a tape of it. Does anyone else even remember that performance?
Doug Obrecht
Yeah, I remember it. They also did "Who are the Brain Police". But I thought it was on a show in the middle of the afternoon (in L.A.).
dave
Included a 3 minute performance of Divan, 11 minute interview with 200 motels excerpts and a 4 minute performance of Brain Police.
Jeff
Is that the interview with Phyllis Newman and the guy who played "Link"(?) from Mod Squad? That was an hysterical interview. After Brain Police (I think in German), Phyllis Newman said to Frank, "I've heard of you, but have never heard your music, and I really liked it." Frank responded with, "That's okay because I never heard of you."
Fast Frank :o{-
They played the version of "Sofa" from that era—most if not all of which was German—and the version of "Who Are the Brain Police?" from that era, sort of a snappy, upbeat tune...nothing at all like the original. I recall Dick Cavett asking Frank to translate the words to "Sofa." Frank somehow managed to plead ignorance without losing any of his cool Frankness.
Mark A. Natola
Somewhere I think I have an audio tape made from this show. The Mothers also did "Who are the Brain Police". I believe FZ is interviewed and he comments that he is amazed that he was asked to be on the show. 200 Motels was also discussed during the interview.
Peter Buxton
I remember the show well, and at one time I had an audio recording of the two songs. I still vividly remember Frank's guitar solo on "Who Are The Brain Police" and the harmony as Flo and Eddie sang.
Mike Keneally (Guitar Player, February 1999)
The Mothers of Invention with Flo and Eddie were on The Dick Cavett Show, and that was the first time I heard their music. It was in 1971 and Frank was promoting the 200 Motels movie. They played "Sofa No. 1," which is a waltz, and though they all looked so weird and scary, they played this song that was so beautiful. At the grand old age of nine, I was really struck by the dichotomy of these freaks playing this really gorgeous music.
When I was about thirteen, I saw him on The Dick Cavett Show with the Turtles playing, I think, "Who Are The Brain Police?" with an extended guitar solo. I had started playing the guitar when I was 10—you know, copying Grand Funk—and hearing this solo and seeing his fingers move, it got me.
Hustler, August 1974
Hustler: What about the interview done by Dick Cavett?
FZ: It was pretty crummy, actually. He didn't have any good questions. He was afraid to talk to me. He was just nothing. Nothing! He didn't know anything. He had never heard me before. There was just nothing to talk about. That's the trouble with the talk shows you go on. Most of the hosts don't know anything about rock 'n roll. They have research departments and secretaries that go out and hand the host a sheet of paper that says he does this or that. But they still don't know anything. So it's never an in-depth interview.
Additional informant: Javier Al Fresco
Old Grey Whistle Test
November 16, 1971
BBC2
65 min.
Hosted by Ian Whitcomb and Richard Williams
Includes:
Appears in:
Melody Maker (September 25, 1971, p. 5)
BBC2's successor to their MM-poll-wining Disco 2 began this week. Titled The Old Grey Whistle-test, it appears every Tuesday night between 10.55 and 11.25.
Presented by Ian Whitcomb, whose hits in America included "N-N-N-Nervous" and "You Turn Me On" and the MM's Richard Williams, the show will retain the live studio group and album-tracks-with visuals from Disco 2, but will also include commentary, discussion, interviews.
Next week's programme includes the second part of a selection of clips from the films being shown in the National Film Theatre's Celluloid Rock season, plus—in the studio—Head, Hands and Feet. The following week will feature an interview with Frank Zappa, talking about this movie, 200 Motels.
Javier Marcote (January 21, 2009)
Further info:
"POP MUSIC. Filmed interview with Frank Zappa, and production footage of Richard Williams introducing the programme, for future transmission in THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST of 16.11.71. Zappa talks about what the film 200 MOTELS is about, being based on the experiences of musicians on the road together, particularly with the Mothers of Invention. He explains why it was all shot on a sound stage and not on location, which was to make it look more 'stylised'—and, of course, it was cheaper. Talks about why it was shot in Britain—in order to shoot on the British PAL 625 system and then transfer to film, the latter achieved better in this country than in the US, with Britain also being last place where Technicolor uses the dye transfer system of producing prints, which he wanted to use. Zappa then talks about any possible controversy problems, having just been banned from the Royal Albert Hall, and what sort of people buy his records [Interview footage incomplete, terminating mid-way through one of Richard Williams's questions. There is also some mute footage during the interview, between 05.25 and 05.33, with one of Williams's questions being partly lost] (6.35). Colour transmission test bars and countdown clock (8.36). Richard Williams introducing the special programme on Zappa (09.21). Blank screen and countdown clock (10.20). Shot of the studio set with large posters of Zappa in the background (12 mins 8 secs).
#OnThisDay 1971: Frank Zappa told Richard Williams about life on the road with The Mothers of Invention on The Old Grey Whistle Test, as reflected in his film 200 Motels.
[Regarding the absence of the live FZ interview.] Simple—it was very likely never recorded. The OGWT was actually broadcast live and a lot of the earliest shows between 1971 and 1975 were never recorded. In the case of the first series, only 5 shows exist complete as broadcast. The way the show was formatted was it would feature 2 acts in the studio each week . . . one would be "electric" and the other, acoustic. The electric acts would pre-record their parts earlier during the day to then be inserted into the show whilst the acoustic act would be there for the live transmission. The show had a very limited budget and that set was very small . . . an electric act would fill almost the entire space hence why they were pre-recorded to prevent clutter and technical issues on the live broadcasts. [...] Most of what exists of OGWT's first 2 or 3 years are thanks to some of the insert tapes being preserved and they were initially kept with an eye to using material from them on their end of year compilation shows.
[...] So in the instance of this FZ show as it was using a lot of inserted material they wouldn't have felt it worthy of preserving. Given the filmed interview we have here actually pre-dates OGWT by 6 months, I think it's very probable and likely was shot for use in the show that preceded it "Disco 2" as it's plain bizarre that the BBC would film an interview and then hold on to it for another 8 or 9 months to be used on a different show. AFAIK none of it was used on "Disco 2" which for the record ran for 2 series and all that's left are 2 complete shows and a handful of inserts.
Informants: Charles Ulrich, Javier Marcote
Amsterdam? Rotterdam?
c. November 27, 1971
Amsterdam?, Netherlands
5 min. B&W (no sound)
From YouTube user 'stereom':
A video from 1971 concert in Amsterdam. The song as presented in the video is incomplete. And the quality isn't very good either.
There is no known concert in Amsterdam, 1971, only one in Rotterdam, November 27, but it is the 1971 band, as Jim Pons and Don Preston are seen on the video.
YouTube: Frank Zappa & The Mothers—Call Any Vegetable (04: 36 min.)
News report: Vienna Airport, Austria
c. December 2, 1971
B&W, 1 min.
Mothers arriving in Vienna with "She Painted Up Her Face" playing on the background and a short interview with FZ.
Informants: Brian Lagerman, Noah McKelvie
YouTube: Mothers at Vienna Airport (00:39 min.)
Spotlight: Stockholm, Sweden
December 4, 1971
Swedish TV
34 min.
Includes footage from:
Music included:
- This Won't Take Long (from 200 Motels)
- "The Final Solution" (from 200 Motels)
- Centerville (from 200 Motels)
- Improvisation (1:00) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- The Air (including the Bee Gees routine, and a quote from Ligeti's Requiem) (3:54) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- Dog Breath (2:00) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- Mother People (2:27) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- You Didn't Try To Call Me (3:32) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- King Kong (0:36) (begins without Ponty) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- Who Are The Brain Police? (4:40) (from Paris, December 15, 1970)
- Sleeping In A Jar (closing titles with animation) (from Uncle Meat)
Appears in:
From: Jon Naurin
"Spotlight". The last 6 songs of the Paris concert 15-Dec 1970, and some interview.
From: Brian Lagerman
Shows FZ at home intercut w/ concert footage.
From: Oscar Bianco (July 22, 2006)
There's no clue to say where is FZ, being he always is shown in a close up. From the interview is clear that when speaking he's on tour in Europe (a seven weeks tour...).
Additional informant: Oscar Bianco
Pop 2
December 11, 1971
ORTF, France
48 min. (FZ content: 23 min.)
Includes:
- Interview with FZ at Orly Airport, Paris, talking about the fire at Montreux Casino.
- Scenes from 200 Motels (1971) (including Ringo's speech, "Magic Fingers," part of "Strictly Genteel," the motel room scene).
- Interview with FZ talking about 200 Motels (1971).
FRANK ZAPPA : Reportage sur le leader des MOTHERS OF INVENTION de passage à PARIS. Frank ZAPPA arrive à Orly puis accorde une courte interview dans un couloir de l'aéroport à Patrice BLANC FRANCARD à propos de l'incendie survenu lors de son dernier concert londonien.
Entretien de Philippe PARINGAUX avec Frank ZAPPA (trad. off) entrecoupé par des extraits de son dernier film "Two hundred motels". Il raconte le concept de ce film à sortir prochainement, "une représentation symbolique de ce qui peut vous arriver quand vous êtes en tournée", ne s'explique pas le succès du groupe "MOTHERS OF INVENTION" en Europe. Frank ZAPPA souhaite ajouter à nouveau une section de cuivres aux MOTHERS OF INVENTION afin d'effectuer des compositions "plus intéressantes". Il se dit peu préoccupé de l'interprétation faite par le public de ses shows, révèle qu'il écoute plus de musique classique, de rythm'n blues que de musique "pop" et parle plus généralement de la musique qu'il apprécie en dénigrant la mode des productions américaines qui consiste à ajouter des violons sur tous les types de musique.
Babel Fish Translation:
FRANK ZAPPA: Report on the leader of MOTHERS OF INVENTION of passage in PARIS. Frank ZAPPA arrives at Orly then grants a short interview in a corridor of the airport to WHITE Patrice FRANCARD in connection with the fire which has occurred at the time of its last London concert.
Maintenance with Philippe PARINGAUX with Frank ZAPPA (transl. off) intersected by extracts with its last film "Two hundred motels". It tells the concept of this film to be left soon, "a notation symbolic of what can arrive to you when you are in round", is not explained the success of group "MOTHERS OF INVENTION" in Europe. Frank ZAPPA wishes to again add a copper section to MOTHERS OF INVENTION in order to carry out "more interesting" compositions. It is said little concerned about the interpretation made by the public of its shows, reveals that it listens to more classical music, of rhythm' N blues that of "pop" music and more generally speaks about the music than it appreciates by disparaging the fashion of the American productions which consists in adding violins on all the types of music.
Appears in:
YouTube: Frank Zappa Interview December 1971 following the infamous Montreux Casino Fire (04:09 min.)
Frank Zappa filmt 200 Motels
December 23, 1971
VPRO TV
35 min. color
- a.k.a. Making of 200 Motels
Directed by Roelof Kiers
Photography by Peter Bos
Includes footage from:
Appears in:
Dialog heard on:
The music:
Rebroadcast:
August 18, 2000
Weerzien op 3, Netherlands 3
Jakobi-Mennen
This is a program that shows "the making of 200 motels" for some 35 minutes as filmed by Roelof Kiers, without the vacuumcleaner scene in Frank's house and Dweezil in the kitchen sink. Roelof interviews the maincharacters and you witness the shooting in the Pinewood studios.
Corné van Hooijdonk (April 20, 2007)
"The Making Of 200 Motels" by Rudolf Kiers, VPRO. Originally aired december 23rd, 1971.
Video Timeline
Draft. Timings approximate. All scenes from Pinewood Studios, January-February 1971, except where indicated.
- 00:00 - entrance
- 00:05 - groupies room; David Alexander (assistant director), Miss Janet, Miss Lucy
- 00:16 - Woodrow Wilson Dr., 1970 - FZ, shirtless with necklace, Moon, vacuum cleaner
- 00:50 - Woodrow Wilson Dr., 1970 - FZ, shirtless with necklace, tape machine, playing "Pound For A Brown," Moon
- 02:17 - Phyllis Bryn-Julson, Elgar Howarth - "What's The Name Of Your Group?"
- 02:52 - Mark Volman, Howard Kaylan, FZ, Martin Lickert - "Do You Like My New Car?"
- 05:03 - groupies room; Tony Palmer, Miss Janet, FZ, Keith Moon, Jerry Good
- 06:14 - Tony Palmer interview
- 06:44 - group stage, groupies room
- 07:05 - Jerry Good interview, FZ, Gail, Roelof Kiers
- 08:23 - control room, Tony Palmer
- 08:43 - Elgar Howarth, orchestra, David Alexander - "Dance Of The Rock & Roll Interviewers"
- 09:25 - control room, Tony Palmer
- 09:39 - orchestra, David Alexander - "Dance Of The Rock & Roll Interviewers"
- 10:09 - Tony Palmer interview
- 11:14 - motel room, Howard, Aynsley Dunbar, Ringo, Martin, Mark, George Duke, Ian Underwood - (on TV screen) - "Mystery Roach"
- 12:38 - Howard Kaylan interview, Mark
- 13:10 - motel room, Howard, Ian, Mark, George, Martin, Aynsley - (on TV screen)
- 14:06 - FZ interview
- 14:49 - Don Preston, Miss Lucy, Dick Barber (vacuum cleaner), Motorhead
- 15:54 - Jerry Good interview
- 16:23 - Elgar Howarth, orchestra, Theodore Bikel, John Williams, Ruth - "Bwana Dik"
- 17:19 - Theodore Bikel, Miss Lucy; FZ, Mark, Howard, Theodore Bikel, Ringo, Martin
- 19:06 - Theodore Bikel interview
- 19:55 - MOI, Mark, Howard, Ian, Martin, Aynsley, George, FZ, JCB, Don Preston, Ruth - "Lonesome Cowboy Burt"
- 21:36 - Redneck Eats
- 21:52 - Mark Volman interview
- 23:07 - laboratory, Don Preston, Martin Lickert
- 23:57 - FZ interview
- 24:56 - Martin Lickert interview, Mark, Gail
- 25:21 - FZ interview
- 25:40 - corridor, Martin, bass, Ian, guitar, rehearsing
- 26:41 - Martin Lickert interview, Mark, Aynsley
- 27:16 - Ringo (Larry The Dwarf), Theodore Bikel
- 27:33 - Ringo monologue
- 28:17 - Ringo, Keith Moon (nun), orchestra
- 29:02 - make-up room, Gail, Keith Moon interview, Paul Pierre (make-up artist)
- 29:47 - dressing room, Miss Lucy, Miss Janet, Miss Pamela
- 30:46 - groupies scene, Keith Moon, Miss Janet, Miss Lucy
- 31:43 - MOI, Martin, Mark, Howard, Ian, Aynsley, George, FZ, David Alexander, Gail, Motorhead, Ruth - "Magic Fingers"
- 33:11 - Howard Kaylan interview
- 34:03 - MOI, Howard, Mark, Ian, Aynsley, Martin, George, FZ - "Magic Fingers"
- 34:45 - --end--
La Mortadella (Lady Liberty)
December 1971
95/103 min.
Lady Liberty
Alternate Title: La Mortadella
Director: Mario Monicelli (Dir)
Release Date: Jun 1972
Premiere Information: Rome opening: Dec 1971; New York opening: 7 Jun 1972
Production Date: late 1971 in New York City and Cinecittà S.p.a., Rome, Italy
Duration (in mins): 95 or 103
Songs:
Original song, music by Lucio Dalla and Rosalino Cellamare, lyrics by Don Carlos Dunaway; "(I Guess) the Lord Must Be in New York City" and "The Puppy Song," music and lyrics by Harry Nilsson, performed by Harry Nillson, courtesy of RCA; "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be," music and lyrics by Jacob Brackman and Carly Simon, performed by Carly Simon, courtesy of Elektra; "Get a Little," music and lyrics by Frank Zappa, performed by Frank Zappa, courtesy of Bizarre Reprise; "Parson and His Son," music and lyrics undetermined, performed by the Wilder Brothers, courtesy of RCA-Victor; "Gabriel's Mother's Hiway," music and lyrics by Arlo Guthrie, performed by Arlo Guthrie, courtesy of Reprise; "Just Me," music and lyrics undetermined, performed by Rhinoceros, courtesy of Elektra; "4/3/1943," by Edizioni Musicali RCA "Amici del Disco s.p.a."
Informant: Javier Marcote
Zappa
1971
National Film School, UK
15 min. Color
Javier Marcote (January 21, 2009)
On tour in 1971 Frank Zappa, the rock composer and musician was knocked from the stage at the Rainbow Theatre. The film investigates the event in a semi-documentary style.
Director: Brian Huberman
Producer: Jonathan Lewis
Music: Frank Zappa
Sound: Jonathan Lewis
The Merv Griffin Show
From: DonNick
Here's another one... Frank was a guest on The Merv Griffin Show.(?) One of the other guests was Dennis Hopper. Hopper was being really obnoxious interrupting Frank when he spoke. Frank was visibly getting very irritated with him, and put him down quickly with a few choice remarks. I wish I could remember what Frank said!
[Merv Griffin] hosted the Merv Griffin Show for Westinghouse, 1965-69, CBS, 1969-72, and syndication, 1972-86.
Unidentified Interview, 1972
1972
Appears in:
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
October 27, 1972
Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
4 min.
Yves Monast (November 14, 2008)
i got a 4mm footage of uncle frank in 8mm from mtl forum 27 oct 1972 . many years ago we do the transfert of 8mm with a special box and shoot the screen with a 8mm cam not knowing what band i will see....there s still one that i can t find the name (opening for elton john in 1972 with a blonde girl on vocals) all the 8mm was shooted from the 4 th row (good connection) and some was dammaged by a flood in mtl many years ago but i transfered them all anyway the frank zappa is one of those dammaged one but i m happy to have it....it s straight on frank zappa ...
Pop 2
November 4, 1972
ORTF, France
(FZ content: 2 min.)
I recently got a torrent of an episode of the French TV show Pop2. The broadcast date was 11/4/72. On it there is about 2:20 of live Zappa featuring Flo and Eddie.
Paramount Northwest, Portland, OR
December 9, 1972
Paramount Northwest, Portland, OR
1 min., silent 8mm, color
ccvisions (YouTube user) (January 18, 2010)
Little Craigie took Super 8 movies of live Frank Zappa concert Fall 1972 in Portland, Oregon
Additional informant (YouTube alert): Javier Marcote
YouTube: Frank Zappa Live In Concert (00:50 min.)
Didja Get Any Onya
1972
Javier Marcote (January 26, 2009)
16 mm
150 Feet
1972
UK
Various images are used to interpret Frank Zappa's music.
Director & animator: Sally Abbotsmith
Production Company: ILEA
Music: Frank Zappa
Durham, NC
February 24, 1973
Cameron Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC
B&W
doctorzap (Zappateers, October 26/28, 2009)
they filmed the concert
I have been promised that someone would get the
video for me but it has never materialized
(...)
the video is known to exist
I was told the zappa is also bw
Additional informant: Javier Marcote
Winterland, San Francisco, CA
March 30-31, 1973
Winterland, San Francisco, CA
The majority of the audience really got into what Frank and the Mothers were playing. Every so often there were plaintive shouts for rock 'n roll but this was a night for Zappa's esoteric music only.
There is also something new at Winterland: a videotape machine.
Now on the screen above the back of the stage, projected in 20 foot black and white, is the action taking place on stage.
Two cameras at the sides of the stage now bring your favorite musicians to the giant silver screen.
If it's possible to sharpen up the picture a bit, this new idea will go over bigger than it was received this night. Let's hope Graham keeps it.
And since it is a tape machine, intermissions now feature previous acts that were filmed. This night a previously taped Ravi Shankar concert was shown.
Informant: Javier Marcote
WPSX-TV Interview
1973
WPSX-TV, Clearfield, PA
Appears in:
Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
May 9, 1973
Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
From: Ken Duvall (August 29, 2006)
A guy named Billy Karl had 3 minutes of silent film of the 73 band
at Passaic, NJ. It looked fairly good, and showed the band rubbing the
yellow snow...
Nassau Coliseum
May 18, 1973
Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
From: David Graham
I have seen in Melody Maker 5/1973 an interview and feature on John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the interview took place before a concert at NASAU COLISEUM Long Island 5/1973 (I think it's the 19th i need to check) and there are 2 passing mentions to things of great interest.
1# the concert was a double bill with FRANK ZAPPA
2# During the interview the he mentions a CBS film crew filming.
Australian interview (Get To Know)
June 1973
Australia
17 min. B&W
From: Chris Newman
A 2 part interview with a time-bar running along the bottom of the picture. Frank talks about St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast (the story), censorship of his LPs, Holiday Inns, a weird science fiction movie that he wanted to film, all the little in-jokes used in the cover to Overnite Sensation, & some other things. Frank has a good time throughout the interview & has a laugh often.
ID: 350527—GTK—SEGMENT—FRANK ZAPPA (PART 1 & 2)
recording date: 01-Jan-1973
duration: 11.04;5.44
location: SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA
summary: IV FRANK ZAPPA WHO IS TO TOUR AUSTRALIA WITH BAND. DISCUSSES COMEDY ROUTINE WHICH IS PART OF CONCERT,HIS MUSIC,WHAT HE LOOKS FOR IN A BAND MEMBER,FAVOURITE SINGERS,CENSORSHIP,STORIES ON ALBUMS,PREVIOUS ALBUMS,FILM PROJECTS,REUBEN & THE
shotlist: ALL B&W;16.24 CU IV ZAPPA,ZO OS REPORTER & ZAPPA;VS ZAPPA;22.55 ZO OS REPORTER & ZAPPA,ZI VS ZAPPA;PART 2:CU IV ZAPPA;28.23 VS ZAPPA, REPORTER & ZAPPA
Appears in:
Images supplied by Craig Jones; additional informant: Omair Eshkenazi
Rehearsal at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
June 1973
Hordern Pavilion, Australia
6 min. B&W
Appears in:
Music heard:
From: Chris Newman
Pro-shot footage with a time-bar along the bottom of the picture. The band runs through two verses of a instrumental version of 50-50, so that the cameras & sound can get a balance. Then the band plays what sounds like Be-Bop Tango from the Roxy & Elsewhere LP, followed by an instrumental piece. The footage is synced up with the sound up until the instrumental piece, then the familiar Australian 1970's musioc show tradition of superimposing film over an unrelated soundtrack occurs. There are points where the sound matches up with the picture, though. It looks like the film is from the stage at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney, to me.
ID: 350536—GTK—SEGMENT—FRANK ZAPPA (CONCERT)
date: 01-Jan-1973
duration: 5.19
location: SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA
summary: FRANK ZAPPA & BAND REHEARSING FOR CONCERT IN AUSTRALIA.
shotlist: ALL B&W;33.48 LA LS STAGE & MUSICIANS PLAY, ZAPPA IN FG WITH ELECTRIC GUITAR;35.18 MS MAN MEMBERS WITH INSTRUMENTS;35.22 LA LS STAGE & MUSICIANS,ZAPPA SPEAKS;VS BAND PLAYS
Yes it is "yours truly" being spoken to at 1:43, but also around 2:28 you hear me in a discussion with Frank, via the monitor speakers, about Ruth playing Marimba or vibraphone right before the trumpet vamp. My score was marked wrong, so I missed a cue. What I saw on the score was not what I was hearing. Good thing it was a reversal! I will say this; of all the musicians for whom I have mixed concerts (in my day the monitor mix and the house mix were handled by one person) Frank Zappa involved the sound mixer with a high degree of importance. As you can hear from this rehearsal video, the audio—even if it's being recorded from the monitor speaker—is well defined. You can follow the instrument of your choice. Frank's concert system was incredible, I must say. You could play it loud—plenty of power and speakers. But the close miking and absolute control the mixer had over every aspect of every single sound source could make for a clear but loud sound. It sounded so clear and detailed.
Images supplied by Craig Jones; additional informant: Omair Eshkenazi
YouTube: Frank Zappa Rehearsals Sidney 1973 Fifty Fifty Hordern Pavillion (05:17 min.)
GTK #689
c. June 1973
Australia
11 min. B&W
Includes footage from the Sydney Rehearsal (1973).
ID: 597473—GTK EPISODE 689—PROGRAM
duration: 11.00
location: SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA
summary: GTK EPISODE 689 FEATURES PERFORMANCES BY PETER QUENTIN, JIM CROCE AND FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION
personalities: PETER QUENTIN, SINGER;FRANK ZAPPA, MUSICAN, USA;THE MOTHERS OF INTERVENTION, BAND, USA;JIM CROCE, MUSICIAN
shotlist: B&W;0.00 VS QUENTIN PERFORMS 'TAKE ME DOWN TO THE RIVER';3.01 VS ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION AT REHEARSALS AT HORDEN PAVILLION, INC PONTY PLAYING VIOLIN, ZAPPA DIRECTS REHEARSAL;8.18 FF#1 VS CROCE PERFORMS 'DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM'
Additional informant: Omair Eshkenazi
The Mike Willesee Show
June 24, 1973
GTV Ch. 9, Australia
4 min.
June 24 1973
GTV Ch 9 The Mike Willesee Show
Interview and Rehearsal at Hordern Pavilion. Pop Music as an Art Form/Musicianship/High Standards/Equipment/Audiences/Drugged Audiences/Compositions. 'Dog Breath Variations' rehearsal
-4 minutes b & w
Rehearsal at Festival Hall, Melbourne
June 29, 1973
Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia
5 min. B&W
The music included
Appears in:
Musicians:
FZ
George Duke
Jean-Luc Ponty
Sal Marquez
Ian Underwood
Bruce Fowler
Ruth Underwood
Tom Fowler
Ralph Humphrey
From: Jillis Stada
RDNZL rehearsal in Melbourne, June 29th 1973 5 min. TV, B&W, A
Used in: 2 Jul 73 Monday Conference, ABC Australian TV
Additional informant: Chris West
Monday Conference: Politics In Rock Scene
July 2, 1973
ABC TV, Australia
48 min.
Includes footage from:
From: Jon Naurin
"Monday conference", nice interviews & discussions with FZ, plus a proshot RDNZL from one of the Melbourne shows.
From: JWB
I would like to add that the entire pro-shot RDNZL segment is painfully out of sync the entire time and therefore only truly enjoyable if you either close your eyes or shut off the sound. They show it in the middle of the interview, and much to my delight, FZ comments on the poor sync job after they return! He says something to the effect of "That wasn't very professional....."
From: Craig Jones
Pat, I sourced this tape for trading & I have 1st gen off the station master. The date is definitely 2 July 1973. What circulates out there is a pre-broadcast version, before the usual credit talkovers were added at the end. Also, the footage is synced correctly in places, notably part of the guitar solo (this is a problem with a lot of Australian 70's 'live' footage shot by the ABC).
ID: 145088—MONDAY CONFERENCE;FRANK ZAPPA—PROGRAM
duration: 48'05"
location: SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA
summary: ROCK MUSICIAN FRANK ZAPPA FACES A PANEL ABOUT HIS MUSIC AND THE MOTIVES BEHIND IT AND FACES OPPOSITION FROM BOB MOORE,WHO QUESTIONS HIM ABOUT THE ROLE OF ROCK MUSIC AS A POLITICAL FORCE IN CHANGING THE MINDS OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW IT.MOORE ASKS WHAT
personalities: BOB MOORE,MONDAY CONFERENCE PRESENTER;FRANK ZAPPA,MUSICIAN AND LEADER OF "THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION"
shotlist: NONE
Appears in:
Images supplied by Craig Jones; additional informant: Omair Eshkenazi
Adelaide Tonight
c. July 4, 1973
NWS Channel Nine, Australia
Appears in:
Hosted by Ernie Sigley
From Cortina Inn
I'd love to get my hands on that 1973 TV talk show appearance Frank did in Australia, the one that appears briefly in Video From Hell.
From Craig Jones
You can't get that particular show, which was from a program I believe was called 'In Adelaide Tonight with Ernie Sigley', the name of the guy seen with FZ. The only 1973 Australian TV circulating is 'Monday Conference', of which I have the 1st gen dub from the station master. I have some other (uncirculated) stuff from 1973 Australian TV, but it's on audio tape :(
From: Craig Jones
Also, about the 'conducting the audience' segment from Video From Hell, the name of the source show was (I believe) Sigley In Adelaide, a live night-time format show hosted by Ernie Sigley, broadcast in early July 1973 (between the 4-6).
DS: Yeah. That was pretty cool stuff. Particularly, conducting the audience, where did your idea of doing that . . . I know that you've been doing that for years, too. Is that just somethin' you thought up, or somethin'? How did you come about doin' that? That's my particular favorite, one of my favorite things you do.
FZ: There's a school of European composition that deals with music as texture. Like Penderecki. Some of his stuff would fall into that, where it's not about the melody and the chords. It's about, if you take a group of instruments, and you have them doing different kinds of things all at the same time, it creates something that's more than a chord. It's a texture. It's a sound that's crawling with texture and it's wiggling. And it seemed to me that when an audience applause occurs, there's like, random texture, all the different beats are going at different rates, and that makes this one big sound that's called "Applause". But if you control the rate of the clapping or the location of the clapping you could use the sound of the applause as a musical thing. So I tried it one night and the audience liked it . . .
DS: Working it around the room and such and getting the stereo out of it.
FZ: Yeah. I think the first time I did that was '72 or '73.
4-Corners
July 1973
Australian TV
40 min. B&W
Includes footage from:
From: Chris Newman
Investigates payola & kickbacks in the music industry, at the time when Clive Davis of CBS was sacked for supposedly embezzling money. Frank appears for about 4 minutes, first seen rehearsing St. Alphonsos Pancake Breakfast on stage, then in 2 short interviews where he talks about drugs being used as payment in the industry, and then gives his theory that Clive Davis was fired because of the heat that CBS was putting on Watergate.
Images supplied by Craig Jones
Unidentified c. 1973 Airport Footage
c. June-August 1973
Appears in:
MOI Rehearsal, 1973
c. July-August 1973
FZ's rehearsal studio, LA
2 min.
Appears in:
Music:
Mothers:
FZ—guitar
Jean-Luc Ponty—violin
George Duke—keyboards
Bruce Fowler—trombone
Ian Underwood—bass clarinet
Ruth Underwood—percussion
Tom Fowler—bass
Ralph Humphrey—drums
My theory is that the video comes from [Zurich, September 2, 1973]. Well, my theory got started when I read this quote drdork post:
(...) 8/21/73 Stockholm [thirty-five years ago today!] and 9/2/73 Zurich are the only circulating recordings on which the Mothers performed JTMAEMS and Farther Oblivion without the rest of the Yellow Snow suite. Both times, you can hear FZ giving the band special instructions—because this wasn't just Farther Oblivion.
Well, I saw the video on YouTube and Zappa says the words "Join The March And Eat My Starch" which launches the band into the tune. Well, IINK says the footage is from the European part of the tour. If that is true, it would have to be Zurich because the Yellow Snow Suite wasn't performed live on that part of the tour and we already know what the Stockholm footage looks like.
Could be possible. I have not compared the video to the Zurich tape to see if it is a match. The other possibilities could be:
8/19 Gothenburg
8/23 Helsinki
9/06 Cologne
9/09 Amsterdam
All confirmed shows that we have no tapes of.
I compared the Europe '73 video in the Australian interview to the audience recording of 9/2/73 Zurich. The fills in Penguin In Bondage don't seem to match. Most obviously, FZ plays a guitar fill after "when the battery fail" on the video, but not on the Zurich tape.
So it must be from a show we don't have. Which makes at least three European shows where they played JTMAEMS + Farther Oblivion.
Charles Ulrich, October 29, 2009
As Overnitefreak points out, it may be from a confirmed concert that we have no tape of. On the other hand, since it was broadcast on Italian television, perhaps it is from an *un*confirmed Italian concert that we have no tape of, such as 8/29/73 Milan or 9/1/73 Verona.
My theory is that this unknown footage doesn't belong to a concert in Europe, but it comes from this rehearsal at FZ studio in LA just before touring on August 18, 1973 in Copenhagen.
There is at least three cameras who film it, well produced. No evidence of audience. The clothes of the band members are very similar to the both photo sessions by Ginny Winn though reddish due to the red spotlights in the footage.
Javier Marcote, July 28, 2019
Ginny told me that the photo was taken at Frank's home studio.
YouTube: Frank Zappa live 1973—Penguin In Bondage (02:39 min.)
August 21, 1973
Solliden, Skansen, Stockholm, Sweden
75 min.
TV2
August 28, 1973
TV2, Finland
5 min.
- aka Ajannohtainen Kakkonen?
From: Brian Lagerman
Interview with Time column.
From: Jon Naurin
One of the worst interviews I've seen.
TV2
September 11, 1973
TV2, Finland
7 min.
From: Jon Naurin
From a press conference and interview.
From: Brian Lagerman
"The Silliest Thing I Ever Heard Of". Interview with Time column.
Available at Elävä arkisto (6:49 min.)
December 8-10, 1973
Roxy, Los Angeles, CA
4 hours
Kennedy And Company
c. 1973
ABC-TV, Chicago
Hosted by Bob Kennedy
Hustler, August 1974
Hustler: What were your impressions of the interview that you did on Kennedy and Company? It seemed like Kennedy was bringing out the commercial end of things, rather than talking about your music.
FZ: Well, you know, he chose the questions that he thought would be interesting to the audience he felt he had. It was just a punky TV show.
Paramount Recording Studios?—c. 1973-1974
Paramount Recording Studios?
c. 1973-1974
Kerry McNabb at the soundboard, probably in Paramount Recording Studios, c. 1973-1974..
Appears in:
March 18, 1974—Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, UT
Terrace Ballroom, Salt Lake City, UT
March 18, 1974
I definitely observed that FZ had a film crew in place with cameras operating at the sound check and concert. It would be wonderful to see that footage, if it survived—especially if the sound synchronization issues experienced at the Roxy had been corrected by March 1974.
Apostrophe
1974
TV Promo
43 s.
Design: Cal Schenkel
Animation: C. Schenkel & M. Kausler
Appears in:
Soundtrack appears on
From: Brian Lagerman
Animation promo reel for the album, from Cal Schenkel's Reel.
From: Charles Ulrich
Has anyone seen Cal Schenkel's TV commercial for Apostrophe? Can you describe it? Is it 30 seconds or 60 seconds? Was there one or more than one commercial?
From: Glenn
Yow, it moves fast. Hosted by a mod 1974 dog/DJ type screaming F Z's Apostrophe & naming Nanook Rubs it, Dont Eat the Yellow Snow, Cosmik Debris all with appropriate music & cartoons depicting the songs. "That's right you heard right" is utilized & a quick FZ saying great googly moogly. It ends with "and many more" with 3 musicians jammin on a rolling wagon to the instr part of St. Alfonzo. Finally, a gym sock still damp pobably is shown to the sound of STINKFOOT! The last few secs are a still Please don't ask me to describe the Ludens ad! :^) Glenn
From: Charles Ulrich
Is it animated?
From: Bill Lantz
Yes, some of Cal's best stuff..if you've seen the Ryko promo Snow Globe, you've seen the Eskimo that's in it.
From: Charles Ulrich
Black and white line drawings? Colored? Collage cut-outs?
From: Bill Lantz
Colored, moving animation. It was also part of a three piece animation film Cal put together called "Reel". I don't think it was ever released. Another piece was Dental Hygiene Dilemma from 200 Motels. The last piece was an excerpt from The Naked Ape.
From: Charles Ulrich
Does the announcer appear in live-action footage?
From: Bill Lantz
Only in the guise of a talking dog.
Cal Schenkel's Reel
1971-74
11 min.
Includes:
Informant: Jon Naurin
WIZZ TV, Chicago
May 1974
WIZZ TV, Chicago
15 min.
An audio tape is in circulation that is 15 min in length.
Speakeasy
May 25, 1974 (rebroadcast July 6, September 7)
KNBC-4, LA; WNBC-4, NYC
c. 60 min.
Hosted by Chip Monck
Clive Davis To Guest on 'Speak Easy'
LOS ANGELES—"Speak Easy," a new syndicated TV series showcassing music industry executives and performers, has snared Clive Davis, former Columbia Records president, to guest on one of the segments.
Davis along with Frank Zappa and Richard Perry, taped their one-hour segment last week at KTTV with host Chip Monck.
The show, sold in a reported 120 markets, is produced by J. Walter Thompson with Michael White the producer. Several NBC owned and operated stations, including New York and Los Angeles have bought the show for Saturday night airing at 1 a.m.
Guests discuss music with some performance. The first program airs May 11 with Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Jim Stafford. Stafford performs three numbers on the show.
The pilot featured James Taylor, Dr. John and Grace Slick and was shown in two markets, New York and locally. The series will be on the air for 13 weeks with 13 repeats.
Saturday May 25, 1974, TV Schedule, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 1974
Television Schedule, The New York Times, May 25, 1974
1:30
(4) Speakeasy: Chip Monck, host. Clive Davis, Richard Perry, Frank Zappa, Tom Waite
Television Schedule, The New York Times, July 6, 1974
1:30
(4) Speak Easy: Frank Zappa, Richard Perry, Clive David
Saturday, September 7, 1974; Television This Week, The New York Times, September 1, 1974
2:00
(4) Speakeasy: Clive Davis, Richard Perry, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits (R)
David Graham
There is also a 13 part music/interview series shown on NBC TV in New York between may > october 1974 (it was shown 2 times during the 6 months).
Denis Griffin, November 4, 2012
FZ was on show #3 of the series.
Ken Walter
I definitely saw FZ on a late night rock talk show in the NYC area called "Speakeasy" that was on briefly circa 1974. The host was a guy named Chip Monck (also emcee at Woodstock) and he'd have various guests. Frank was on with Tom Waits (whom he introduced), perhaps Bill Wyman, and definitely Clive Davis.
At one point I recall Clive Davis asking the other guests who were the most important or influential musicians in rock. Frank said something like, "The Beatles, the Stones, Lightning Slim, Johnny Guitar Watson, and Willie Mae Thornton." I think old Clive was pretty surprised by the answer.
Jeff, alt.fan.frank-zappa, May 13, 1998
I saw Frank on a roundtable styled talk show called "SpeakEasy" in the early seventies hosted by Chip Monk—same guy who was at Woodstock, anyway I think Chuck Berry was actually there with Frank and Chip asked Frank who was the most influential force in rock and roll and Frank answered Chuck Berry, amongst a few others. Frank was sleeping during most of the interview and opened his eyes to answer questions posed at him, then closed his eyes again.
Ttuerf, alt.fan.frank-zappa, October 24, 2010
Does anybody remember Chip Monck's "Speakeasy" show where he interviewed FZ and at some point in the show they cut away for a pre-recorded musical interlude from Waits? It cuts back to Monck saying to Frank something about the two of them having the same agent and Zappa dryly saying, "Yeah, we've done a couple of gigs with Tom," and I think that's all he wanted to say about it.
US television talk show (WNBC-4, New York). September 7, 1974 (show nr. 3). Hosted by Chip Monck. Interview with Frank Zappa, with Waits performing "Ol' '55" and "Ghosts Of Saturday Night" (on tape?). Guests: Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Clive Davis and Richard Perry
08 06 1974 Frank Zappa, record producer Richard Perry and former record company executive Clive Davis offer insights into the music industry.
ZAPPED AGAIN!—Host Chip Monck meets with his guests on "SpeakEasy," the rock-talk show that presents the people who make music. In this segment, musician Frank Zappa discusses the making of an album with Clive Davis (former president of Columbia Records), Chip, and Richard Perry (the noted record producer for such stars as Ringo Starr and Barbra Streisand).
I've been in touch with someone at research video recently. I noticed they represented a couple TV programs FZ & MOI were in in 1966 & 1968, so I inquired what they had in their archives. [...]
They Do have 40 minutes of FZ on Speakeasy.
Informants: Javier Marcote, Denis Griffin, Charles Ulrich
June 21, 1974
DiscReet Rehearsal Studio, Los Angeles, CA
August 27, 1974
KCET Sound Stage B, Los Angeles, CA
Rome
September 6, 1974
Rome, Italy
Al Fresco ( Javier): September, 14 2007:
According to Angel Casas (Spanish journalist of Vibraciones magazine) two film cameras took some shots of the rehearsal at this first gig in Rome before to have an exclusive interview with FZ at the beginning of the European tour. (I suppose those could be RAI tv).
TV2
October 3, 1974
TV2, Finland
9 min, NTSC, B+/B
From: Jon Naurin
"Why did the Mothers get fired?", interview. But doesn't it look like 1980 rather than 1974?
From: Brian Lagerman
Interview with Time column.
Available at Elävä arkisto (8:52 min.)
Barcelona Airport, 1974
October 4, 1974
Spanish TV, Barcelona Airport
B&W
Filmed for Spanish TV show, Mundo Pop.
Appears in:
Badalona, 1974
October 4, 1974
Nuevo Pabellón del Club Juventud de Badalona
Javier Marcote (August 28, 2010)
FZ let Spanish TV show Mundo Pop film the first song of the concert "Stink-Foot".
Felt Forum, NYC
October 31, 1974
Felt Forum, NYC, NY
8 mm; silent
Alex Winter & Joe Travers, "Dispatch from the Vault, Dec. 2016," YouTube, December 15, 2016
Indianapolis Cable TV
c. 1974
Appears in:
The Ashman File
August 29, 1975
KTTV-TV
25 min.
honyak45 (Zappateers, April 8, 2007)
1975-08-29 KTTV-TV The Ashman File interviewed by Chuck Ashman
(Reel 7 1/2 ips)
8. intro
9. shock value / Steve Allen Show / instruments in band
10. name of orchestra / why are rock concert fans so devout
11. rebellion / conformity / drugs
12. groupies / money earned / royalties
13. music FZ listens to / lust of sleep / I like what I do
14. what's next / Royce Hall concerts / payola / names of groups
15. outro
Additional informant: Charles Ulrich
Norman Gunston Show
c. August-September 1975 (aired January 1976)
ABC TV, Australia
4 min.
Norman Gunston interviews FZ at his studio in LA. FZ's reference to seven singers on his group points to the seven piece band that rehearsed in the summer of 1975 but never toured.
Aug—Sept 1975
ABC Ch 2
The Norman Gunston Show
interview at Frank's L.A studio with acoustic jam.
ID: 143110—THE NORMAN GUNSTON SHOW;EPISODE 17—PROGRAM
duration: 38.27
location: USA;AUSTRALIA
summary: OPENS WITH NORMAN SINGING "THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR ME" AS HE SURVEYS THE SOUVENIRS OF HIS SHOWS.THIS IS THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE SECOND SERIES.FIRST GUEST IS ASTROLOGER MARC DE PASCALE,WHO PONDERS NORMAN'S FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF
personalities: GARRY MCDONALD,COMEDIAN;EDITH HEAD,US FILM COSTUME DESIGNER;FRANK ZAPPA,MUSICIAN;MARC DE PASCALE,ASTROLOGER
shotlist: NONE
From: Brian Lagerman
Frank plays acoustic guitar while Norman plays harmonica.
From: Bil Hansen
NG was a character, running a tv talk show that was broadcast nationally in Aus, famous for his irreverent humour and satirising the lounge-act talk shows then fashionable. NG was noted for asking guests, including visiting performers, hard questions probing trendy gossip.
FZ accepted the invitation to appear on NG's show in 76. At the end of the interview, NG pulled out his harmonica and offered to jam with FZ. FZ, seemingly thinking that NG was a lightweight, obliged and was then taken aback when the two of them pulled off a respectable musical moment or two.
From: Zank Frappa (January 24, 2002)
You obviously know more about this subject than I do, but I do have to take issue with this comment. I have a video snippet of this performance, and NG comes across as a fool. FZ comes across as thinking he's a fool, and the musical performance is rather lame. Still an amusing bit of history though...
From: Bil Hansen (January 24, 2002)
That, ie coming across as a fool, was NG's act. The NG character was based on being the antithesis of a suave, sophisticated, all-knowing, well-briefed tv-show host. Hence the pieces of toilet paper, permanently applied to NG's face to staunch the blood from his razor cuts. Hence the ill-fitting and unsightly jacket etc.
As for the musical performance being lame, you could be right. I do remember, at the time of the original broadcast, thinking that NG had surprised FZ with NG's musical ability and that both of them had acquitted themselves reasonably well for something that was unscripted, unrehearsed and, at least for FZ, unexpected.
From: cool Zeek on the corner (January 25, 2002)
I'd like to know what the small musical joke was that Gunston threw in at the end of the that little jelly (oh sorry you guys call it a jam over there don't you?). I think it was some very official trumpet playing which is or was used in full military ceremonies in Australia. Probably such as when the queen comes to town. As the interview seemed to have been prerecorded Zappa wasn't aware of the laughter. Gunston was "taking the piss" out of Zappa by making a reference he was oblivious to. Your own medicine tastes wierd.
From: Tony Furze (June 5, 2005)
re:cool zeek in the corner's question about the meaning of the last bit of the harmonica/guitar duet between Norman Gunston & FZ, Gunston threw in the the theme from the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ie public TV/radio)'s nightly TV news. I remember rolling around on the floor. Why is such incongruity so funny? Probably something to do with lifting the ordinary into the realms of the banal being one of the cores of comic effectiveness.
From Bil Hansen (June 2, 2006)
The musical reference that Gunston (aka Garry MacDonald) uses to close his harmonica jelly with FZ is 'Majestic Fanfare' written in 1935 by the British composer Charles Williams (1893-1978).
CW is perhaps better remembered for his 'Dream of Owen', but 20th century Australians knew 'Majestic Fanfare' as the theme music for radio and television news programs on the government funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC, formerly the Australian Broadcasting Commission).
The ABC paid Richard Mills to 're-orchestrate' its news theme and started using the new theme (which still refers to 'Majestic Fanfare' in 2000.
Norman Gunston was a satirical character created by the Australian comic actor Garry McDonald.
Dubbed "the little Aussie bleeder" he first appeared on the TV comedy The Aunty Jack Show in 1973 as a gormless TV reporter from Woolongong. He later satirised parochial Australian culture, media "personalities", egocentric talk show hosts and sycophantic "all-round entertainers" in Woolongong The Brave (1974) and the award-winning Norman Gunston Show (first broadcast in 1975).
Norman Gunston later appeared on stage with the Mothers, as heard on FZ:OZ.
YouTube: Norman Gunston Show (04:16 min.) · The Norman Gunston Show (04:01 min.)
Additional informants: Javier Marcote, Omair Eshkenazi
Calendar
September 14, 1975
KTLA-TV
10 min.
honyak45 (Zappateers, April 10, 2007)
1975-09-14 KTLA-TV Calendar interview by Mark Elliot (Reel 7 1/2 ips)
1. intro / top 40 radio / politics
2. it's easier to make someone mad / sense of humor
3. concert at Royce Hall / outro
Additional informant: Charles Ulrich
Maintained by Román García Albertos
http://www.donlope.net/fz/
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This dog last modified: 2024-12-21
