Jimmy Carl Black

Jimmy Carl Black, the original drummer for Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, passed over to the other side November 1, 2008 at 11 p.m. in Traunstein, Germany.

Half a Dozen Provacative Squats

• Don’t kid yourself. Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform. ••••••—Frank Zappa • It was January of 1968.  I had been on the boat only three days or so when this boot from Louisiana comes on board. I’m mostly listening to The Doors and The Byrds. He turns me on to Cream, and Frank Zappa and the Mothers …

DIVIDING THE INHERITANCE

When the crowds who came to hear Jesus teach began to include many of his bitter enemies, he explained his decision to teach in parables this way: “I will present my teaching in a parable, so that you may each take for yourself that which finds a reception in your heart.”

Baby, Take Your Teeth Out

Album covers gave musicians an opportunity to use visual art as an insightful dimension to their music. Zappa’s THEM OR US cover features the remarkable artwork of Donald Roller Wilson, which uses themes from other Wilson work starring PATRICIA, in the red smock. The Heinz ketchup bottle and nipple baby bottle are items which appear frequently in Roller’s work. It’s not surprising Zappa appreciated Wilson’s work, as they are similar in important ways.

ZAPPADAN: We’re Only In It For The Money

What’s the ugliest part of your body…
Some say your nose, some say your toes,
But I think it’s your mind

The Prodigal Son

If you have never heard this parable, or only know the second-hand account from the Bible, reflect on the fact that the Son of Man created this story, not just for the confused and confounded souls of his day, not just for all future residents of our world, but for every lost soul on each and every world of a projected ten million inhabited planets.

The Promise of Global Brotherhood

There is much hope and expectation in America that a new day has dawned, a day of justice and fairness, of true compassion and a new expression of our highest ideals. Today, we should all pray that this is true; that we are about to enter a new way of looking at our existence, at our world; a new way that eliminates the shameful neglect of the least fortunate among us.