It’s a while since i have spent some time with Zappa. Such a moving and talented performer. I remember the day and circumstances in 1969 the music of Frank Zappa was introduced to me. He was always there after that in the background somewhere and as soon as I played these videos I felt nostalgia in regards to how familiar that sound was.
Gary MacDonald is the greatest. See here script and audio link of Norman Gunston and Keith Moon (“I want to put him in my pocket and never let him fade away”)… (Strong Language)
I don’t remember whether this interview was the experience Zappa used to interview and induct Gunston into the Mothers of Experience but the next night at the Hordern Pavlova Gunston was brought out onto the stage to play harp with the band during the encores.
It was one of those moments you just never forget. Roy Estrada, who was the bass player in that version of the band, prior to his conviction for child molestation, had a urinal attached to the side of his bass speaker cab and at one stage he was scripted to “take a leak”, unbeknownst to Gunston, who was cracking the audience and Frank up with some priceless ad libbing front of stage; well Estrada just couldn’t hold it and he almost literally fell about laughing, his scripted leak forgotten. The band were in stiches but trying to hold it together musically, Zappa being a famously hard band leader.
The final encore ended with a cadenza with harp obligato that seemed to go on in anticipation of the second coming of christ, until Gunston threw himself up into the air, rock god style, his lamé jacket shining and flaring in the lights, and swiping the harp from his mouth came down with a huge arm flourish and bow. Dead black out!
Gunston had stolen the show! The audience blew the roof off the dump!
The song was “The Torture Never Stops” and is memorable for the inclusion of one of the pithiest images in a song noted for it’s unrelenting gloom.
Slime ‘n rot ‘n rats ‘n snot ‘n vomit on the floor
Filthy ugly soldiers, man, holdin’ spears by the iron door
Knives ‘n spikes ‘n guns ‘n the likes of every tool of pain
An’ a sinister little midget with a bucket an’ a mop
Where the blood goes down the drain.
Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle 
It’s a while since i have spent some time with Zappa. Such a moving and talented performer. I remember the day and circumstances in 1969 the music of Frank Zappa was introduced to me. He was always there after that in the background somewhere and as soon as I played these videos I felt nostalgia in regards to how familiar that sound was.
Gary MacDonald is the greatest. See here script and audio link of Norman Gunston and Keith Moon (“I want to put him in my pocket and never let him fade away”)… (Strong Language)
http://www.thewho.net/australia/Gunston.html
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I don’t remember whether this interview was the experience Zappa used to interview and induct Gunston into the Mothers of Experience but the next night at the Hordern Pavlova Gunston was brought out onto the stage to play harp with the band during the encores.
It was one of those moments you just never forget. Roy Estrada, who was the bass player in that version of the band, prior to his conviction for child molestation, had a urinal attached to the side of his bass speaker cab and at one stage he was scripted to “take a leak”, unbeknownst to Gunston, who was cracking the audience and Frank up with some priceless ad libbing front of stage; well Estrada just couldn’t hold it and he almost literally fell about laughing, his scripted leak forgotten. The band were in stiches but trying to hold it together musically, Zappa being a famously hard band leader.
The final encore ended with a cadenza with harp obligato that seemed to go on in anticipation of the second coming of christ, until Gunston threw himself up into the air, rock god style, his lamé jacket shining and flaring in the lights, and swiping the harp from his mouth came down with a huge arm flourish and bow. Dead black out!
Gunston had stolen the show! The audience blew the roof off the dump!
It was wonderful.
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The song was “The Torture Never Stops” and is memorable for the inclusion of one of the pithiest images in a song noted for it’s unrelenting gloom.
Slime ‘n rot ‘n rats ‘n snot ‘n vomit on the floor
Filthy ugly soldiers, man, holdin’ spears by the iron door
Knives ‘n spikes ‘n guns ‘n the likes of every tool of pain
An’ a sinister little midget with a bucket an’ a mop
Where the blood goes down the drain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdbtZqEyE7U if you’re interested. I think there is a recording of the night, maybe vision too but I can’t seem to locate any.
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What a response, GH ! Kudos !!!!
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Yes, f*&^in’ awesome (in the true sense of the word.)!
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Found this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okiBih2808E
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