Saturday, September 09, 2006
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore!
It's a miserable Friday night
I'm so lonely
And nobody'll give me a ride
To the Grateful Dead concert...Oh rats!
If I was at the concert right now, I'd be ripped!
We were free when we were born
I could tighten my headband for an extra rush
During Jerry's guitar solo
Then I could go to a midnight show of 200 Motels!
We were born free, but now we are not free anymore!
I stole this from Frank Zappa. He was a wonder-man. I saw Leo's post on the RSS feed with the new Dylan lyrics and they were cool, but Zappa still is the man, even if he's dead. For some reason Zappa words say what are in my cynnical head. I wish I wasn't so crittical but I am. Frank was always ahead in the sarcasm department, but he made me question. I loved Zappa for that.So does the rest of the world. A small town in former East Germany holds a yearly Zappanale. Check this link: ZAPPANALE
I wonder if Pig remembers back in 66 when the Mothers played at the Fillmore and Ray Estrada from Zappa's band got crazy with Pigpen? It was like headline news. Ray was thumping verbally on Pigpen and he just blew him off. He just said like, "We play music. Whatever man. Go back to L.A. and wake up" and just let him go. Pig was cool and always kept the peace. It's funny how he was always looked at like the rowdy biker guy. But he was always the peacemaker. I remember Phil was the fight starting and argueing guy and Bobby would come in with his fist's up. Him and Kretuzman.
As much as I miss the old days I'd rather live now. I love talking about history and I love when the Pondering Pig writes about the old days. Listen to him because he's smarter than me. Some of the old days hurt too much and I don't want to let them out. I know you psych guys will get on me but that's what I feel.
Ok. Tomorrow will be new pics from Toronto this week. I live in the present.
# posted by Foghorn Leghorn @ 5:19 PM 
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Nice thoughts Fogster. I agree about Zappa and his cynicism. He was the eternal doubter, yet the most faithful father and husband. He made me question much with his attitude and yet, he was the consumate mucsician.
His music, though, wasn't for everybody. I think he wrote for himself and whoever came along for the trip, well, they were just lucky.
I recall the time, 1975, when he called me an asshole. He was playing at the Milwaukee Arena and was doing a song called "Broken Hearts are for Assholes". He went into an extended, almost Pigpenesque rap and went off on Todd Rundgren and Farrah Fawcett. I was taking photos and he shouts "And you're an asshole too!" I said, "Me?" He laughed and said, "You and all of us lovers, Bucko!"
I was glad to be there.
When I met Dweezil in St. Louis, just before Frank died, I asked him how his Dad was and he said, "Shitty, but that's what he expected." I told Dweezil that I'd be praying for him and he said, "He'll appreciate that" and I knew he meant it, even if Frank was an athiest.
Sometimes I think that the real definition of the word athiest is more accurate than we realize. Athiest literally means without God. A sad place to be, but still never necessarily doubting his existence. Just living with out.
Yeah, a sad place to be. Thankfully, only God knows our hearts and will redeem as he sees fit in the end. I doubt if Frank will be there, but who knows? Maybe many we expect won't be there either.
You never know who will show up.
His music, though, wasn't for everybody. I think he wrote for himself and whoever came along for the trip, well, they were just lucky.
I recall the time, 1975, when he called me an asshole. He was playing at the Milwaukee Arena and was doing a song called "Broken Hearts are for Assholes". He went into an extended, almost Pigpenesque rap and went off on Todd Rundgren and Farrah Fawcett. I was taking photos and he shouts "And you're an asshole too!" I said, "Me?" He laughed and said, "You and all of us lovers, Bucko!"
I was glad to be there.
When I met Dweezil in St. Louis, just before Frank died, I asked him how his Dad was and he said, "Shitty, but that's what he expected." I told Dweezil that I'd be praying for him and he said, "He'll appreciate that" and I knew he meant it, even if Frank was an athiest.
Sometimes I think that the real definition of the word athiest is more accurate than we realize. Athiest literally means without God. A sad place to be, but still never necessarily doubting his existence. Just living with out.
Yeah, a sad place to be. Thankfully, only God knows our hearts and will redeem as he sees fit in the end. I doubt if Frank will be there, but who knows? Maybe many we expect won't be there either.
You never know who will show up.
Just for the record - and I write this from the America's Best Value Motel in Ritzville, Washington, so you know I care - I was at that concert at the original Fillmore Auditorium in 1966 - but I am sure (pretty sure) they were not performing with the Grateful Dead. There was another interesting and unusual band on the bill that didn't quite live up to expectations, but who were they? I am going to have to order up a deep search from my internal computer.
I remember I was disappointed in the Mothers. So much of the Susie Cream Cheese album (the only one he had out yet I think) depended on the recording studio techniques, and the live band just wasn't up to the recorded vision. Or so it seemed to me that long ago night.
An there was no fight either, to my memory. But they perfomed two nights plus an afternoon matinee - so I probably just missed that part.
Hmm - who was that other band, anyway?
I remember I was disappointed in the Mothers. So much of the Susie Cream Cheese album (the only one he had out yet I think) depended on the recording studio techniques, and the live band just wasn't up to the recorded vision. Or so it seemed to me that long ago night.
An there was no fight either, to my memory. But they perfomed two nights plus an afternoon matinee - so I probably just missed that part.
Hmm - who was that other band, anyway?
No, Pig. You are right. The dead didn't play with Zappa but Pigpen was there for one of the shows and it wasn't a fight. Estrada just pissed pigpen off and me and Veronica had to pull them apart. Lucky he wasn't drunk because as much a scrapper as Estrada was I know he'd a been a mess when Pigpen got done with him.
The mothers got better over the years playing live, that' for sure. I think they peaked in the middle 70's when Aynsley Dunbar drummed and Jean-Luc Ponty played violin with them.
I still have the postcard flyer that Graham put out for the show. May 27-29 and I'll scan it and post it soon. It's one of the only ones I still have that looks good. They played with the Velvet Underground and Nico. Man, she was kind of weird. The Velvet Underground was pretty much more outrageous than the Mothers. They were still wood shedding theirr material and probably shouldnt have been out playing yet. But I guess have to start sometime.
Off to look at your blog where I haven't been for a while. It's like around 1 and I can't sleep so I might as well have some laffs.
The mothers got better over the years playing live, that' for sure. I think they peaked in the middle 70's when Aynsley Dunbar drummed and Jean-Luc Ponty played violin with them.
I still have the postcard flyer that Graham put out for the show. May 27-29 and I'll scan it and post it soon. It's one of the only ones I still have that looks good. They played with the Velvet Underground and Nico. Man, she was kind of weird. The Velvet Underground was pretty much more outrageous than the Mothers. They were still wood shedding theirr material and probably shouldnt have been out playing yet. But I guess have to start sometime.
Off to look at your blog where I haven't been for a while. It's like around 1 and I can't sleep so I might as well have some laffs.
I'm 43. I know most of the music you (saw) heard. Those turning days in America would have been beautiful/scary to experience...
In the car the other day with my daughter, 2 nephews and a neice ( ages 12,17,23,20) I smiled as they sang along to Bohemian Rhapsody and headbanged like in that silly movie. I told them I saw Queen several times. For a moment they were all quiet.
Uncle Spoke was cooler now, except for my love of the Baroque.
In the car the other day with my daughter, 2 nephews and a neice ( ages 12,17,23,20) I smiled as they sang along to Bohemian Rhapsody and headbanged like in that silly movie. I told them I saw Queen several times. For a moment they were all quiet.
Uncle Spoke was cooler now, except for my love of the Baroque.
Anybody home? It's Nico here, blonde and strange from the Lower East Side. Just wanted to say Andy thinks the Fogster is great and wishes you would post once in a while.
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