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SHALL WE TRADE OUR TAPES
SERIOUSLY?
the Frank Zappa Tape Reviewing Society files
In a foolish attempt to review every single known Frank Zappa concert tape in
circulation, a handful of international misfits joined together via the wonders of modern
technology and vowed to accomplish the impossible with the non-existence time of which
they all believed they had too much. Allowing the one who writes the most ridiculous
run-on sentences to be responsible for the actual maintainence of the site, these intrepid
explorers chose their departure point wisely, and twenty years after Frank and his Rockin'
Teenage Combo hastily crossed two continents in an effort to reach New York by Halloween,
this rag-tag team of outcasts set about reviewing their very first tour.
Below you will find the very first links to our very first pages. For a number of reasons,
we have chosen to start our series by reviewing the "Wow! What An Improvement They
Made By Halloween" Fall '78 tour, and the "Does It Really Get Any Better Than
This" Winter '78 tour. If all goes as planned, we will post a review of each show on
the anniversaries indicated below. When these two tours are complete, we will begin
working on other tours, and all news of this will be posted here.
So, thank you for your time, and we hope you enjoy the show!
***NOTE: Due to the fact that life seems to be catching up with the lot of us, the following deadlines will probably not be adhered to. But I promise you, We Will Try...
| TOUR | REVIEWS WRITTEN AND POSTED IN |
| Spring '73 | Summer of 2000 |
| Fall '73 | Fall of 1998 |
| Winter '74 | Winter of 1999 |
| Spring '74 | July 2000 |
| Fall '75 | May through November of 1999 |
| Winter '77 | Winter 2001 |
| Fall '77 | Fall of 1999 |
| Winter '78 | Fall of 1998 |
| Fall '78 | Fall of 1998 |
| 1979 | Winter/Spring of 1999 |
| 1982 | Spring of 2000 |
| 1984 (US Leg #1) | Spring and Summer of 1999. |
| 1984 (Europe Leg) | Summer and Fall of 1999. |
| 1984 (US Leg #2) | Fall of 1999 |
Actually, the Frank Zappa Tape Reviewing Society first assembled in late
January of 1998. Called together by Pat Buzby, the original line-up of misfits and
miscreants set about reviewing every available concert recording of the 1988
"Broadway the Hard Way" tour. To check out this society's first attempt at
making its mark, check out:
Pat Buzby's unbeatable '88 Tour
document
PAT BUZBY
Favorite Monster Song Performances: King Kong, '88 tour
PAT BUZBY, who spent the first 22 years of his life in Ohio but moved to Chicago in 1997,
got into Zappa's music in the mid-80's after reading good things about it in the Rolling
Stone Record Guide, of all places. He listens to live tapes at his day job while working
at night to make things happen with his band, Tautologic. For more details check his
homepage. Also, check out:
Pat Buzby's unbeatable '88 Tour
document- with reviews of all shows
Favorite Monster Song Performances: King Kong, Winter '78 tour
SEAN GAFFNEY reviewed books on the newsgroup rec.arts.drwho for over four years as 'The
Happy Guy', which kind of tells you something about his reviewing style. He is also
somewhat well-known for writing fanfiction in the universe of Japanese Animation, and has
spoken at a few conventions on that subject. He first started collecting Zappa shortly
before Frank's death in 1993, and now has a fairly good tape collection (though it is the
smallest by far compared to the other reviewers here). His favorite tour vacillates
between Fall 77/Winter 78 and Fall 81/Summer 82, depending on which he's heard more of
recently.
Check out Sean's website:
"They're serving burgers in the
back!" Sean Gaffney's personal tribute page + tape list
Favorite Monster Song Performances: Dupree's Paradise, Summer/Fall 1974
JASON GOSSARD, condemned at an early age to forever be known as Foggy thanks to some
peculiar social habits, thinks of himself first and foremost as a Deadhead. Wasting
countless hours and travelling endless miles, Jason spent many years chasing that too-rare
live musical high. Over two hundred Dead shows, and slowly approaching one hundred Phish
shows, Jason's quest for musical nirvana sadly lacked the live experience known as Frank
Zappa. Live, illegally recorded concert tapes served to fill the void, allowing Jason to
relive the many magical moments he unfortunately missed. Though he was only four at the
time, he so wishes he could have been at Golden Hall that summer night in August of '74,
when instead, he lay at home with his parents, probably listening to the Eagles, only a
short drive away across those San Diego suburbs. Nevertheless, the sight of his twenty
four-year old students dancing to "The Black Page", oblivious to the fact that
what they are doing is supposedly difficult, is an experience that will forever make his
life richer. And he thanks Frank for that.
Check out Jason's website: We're Only In It
for the Touring- my second page detailing 20 years of FZ tours
Bill is addicted to music when not doing his job of managing a website, and the
computer and electronic services deparments at a financial institution. He is 37 and still
plays guitar and bass and aspires to regain his chops some day. He's been collecting FZ
and related for around 15 years and progressive and jazz fusion for almost 25 years. He
has a website that has a few interesting, but
inanely trivial things on it. Also check out The Vault- our
wishlist to Gail, with a link to Bill's homepage
Favorite Monster Song Performances: Wild Love, Fall '77/Spring '78
JON NAURIN is from Sweden. Take that as a disclaimer, it might help explain if his usage
of the English language seems strange, or if his opinions seem biased by weird Social
Democratic views. Also, Jon is merely a kid. In his 25 years, he has tried to learn a
couple of languages, and to become a mathematician, a chemist, a teacher, a pianist, a
guitarist, a singer, and a mailman, without really succeeding with any of it. Probably
because he's always had weird hobbies that turn into fanaticism and occupy most of his
time. For the last couple of years, he's been obsessed with FZ and collecting recordings
of the man, and always becomes involved in various projects. So when his beloved pen pals
needed help with reviews, they knew immediately who to ask. Jon is a huge fan of Monster
Songs, a term Foggy so aptly invented to describe the most regularly flipped-out solo
vehicles, and the sicker they are, the better they are. If he had to pick one fave
Monster, it would be Wild Love, from its too short reign in fall/winter 1977/78.
Check out his website: Jon Naurin's
setlist page- every available setlist from every available show
Favorite Monster Song Performances: Can't I pick 10? There is a special place in my
heart for King Kong--anytime, anyplace...
SCOTT PARKER, a lifelong Connecticutian who hovers dangerously around the age of 30, was
sucked into Zappa's Universe by some longtime fans (who actually created "Mother
People" magazine) who told him Zappa might be JUST RIGHT for a person of his musical
inclinations (hmm??). He has been collecting FZ since the 80s which, of course, gives him
what Rolling Stone might call "a curiously dated vibe". STUPIDEST THING HE EVER
DID: A 17-year-old Scott met FZ at a book signing in NYC in 1989, wherein the following
exchange occured:SP: "I collect everything I can find of yours, including
bootlegs." FZ: (No response, gives SP a weary look and hands him back his book--at
least he signed it).
© 1997
turtlestew@compuserve.com