Author Topic: Tom Fowler and Zappa (Read 574 times)

811952 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:00:48 AM »

Hey there, Hollis! Thanks for the info. Now that you mention it, there are distinct similarities of approach between Yellow Snow and 50-50. And I never could reconcile the tone with Jack's typical tone... And my album jackets went to Purdue with an ex-girlfriend 23 years ago, never to be seen or heard from again! And now a few links:

http://www.fowlerbrothers.com/tom1.htm
http://www.united-mutations.com/f/tom_fowler.htm
http://www.gandsmusic.com/FowlerBros.htm
http://www.science.uva.nl/~robbert/zappa/albums/musicians/Tom_Fowler.html

John

mikedm · « **Reply #16 on:** June 25, 2004, 01:04:28 PM »

Geez guys, I suddenly feel Zappa-berift, One Size is the only Zappa album I own and recently at that. I told my wife that I'm in need of some more, thanks for the leads. (the kids like it, where else can you oink and arf while playing music?)
Zappa wasn't one of those bands I could listen to at home without some risk of discovery. It was bad enough finding mom and dad listening to your Cheech n Chong while you're out ofthe house, Dynamo Hum would have put mom over the top.
Saw FZ in '78 (Munich) and again in '79 (Zweibrucken). Never gave him a second thought afer returning stateside in '80. I guess it's one of those 'better shared with friends' things.
Has anyone listened to his symphonic efforts, are they worth while?

811952 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 25, 2004, 01:39:38 PM »

My older brother played lots of Zappa in his room right off the kitchen, including Dynamo Hum. Mom and Dad were strangely silent about it all. I had the symphonic album he released in '79 or '80, and I seem to recall liking it, but ultimately it went to Purdue with my then girlfriend in '82 I think, only to be lost to me forever...
John

zappahead · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2004, 08:35:55 PM »

I also like Make a Jazz Noise here, Broadway the Hardway (funny album with loads of goodies about Reagan and Bush I) and Joes Garage is an obvious classic. I think Watermelon in Easter Hay is his best guitar solo and thats saying a lot since hes probably my favorite guitar player.

Hes got a lot of good albums, its a tough thing though to project what people will like or dislike with Frank. For instance Im not a big Mothers fan and probably 90% of his fans would poke me in the eye if I said that to them.

I like his 80-90s stuff the best with Joes Garage and some of this and that of the stuff he did in the 70s. I gotta kinda agree with him that his 84-85 period has some great music. The Zappa/Vai guitar tandem to me is the best one-two punch (live)Ive listened too. Theres some good stuff from Vai/Zappa on the YCDTOSA V 1 (Disc 2) and I think its the 5th volume that has a whole side from this band.

bob · « **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2004, 02:18:09 AM »

On the orchestral side, check out The Yellow Shark, performed by Ensemble Modern. Frank himself, sadly as one of his last projects, spent a lot of time working with this group (though not playing), I believe it's all live (various venues), and in my experience everyone from young children to grandparents really like it.

I think the London Symphony stuff was a bit weak, but haven't heard that in ages. I've got a recording by the Omnibus Wind Ensemble, 'Music By Frank Zappa', which is a solid performance and beautifully recorded, but I don't pull it out very often... If you want FZ's compositions played by an orchestra, go for the shark.

And if you like the compositions, and maybe the perspective on life, but don't necessarily need the guitar playing, Civilization Phaze 3 is pretty intriguing.

On the Dynamo Hum side of things, how can you ignore the Mothers Live at the Fillmore in 71? I only listen to it every six months or so, but this one has a permanent slot in the CD changer in my car - sometimes I just need it.

We could go on (and probably will)...

son_of_magni · « **Reply #20 on:** June 26, 2004, 04:36:57 PM »

Groove, a really cool tune is called something like Concerto for a Low Budget Orchestra. I think maybe his first 'classical' attempt. The name of the album escapes me, but I know Ponty was involved...

jagerphan84 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 26, 2004, 05:17:53 PM »

I missed out on this thread! I have about 3/4 of the mentioned albums either in my car or sitting next to me on my music rack. The Real Frank Zappa Book has a home on my living room table. Tom Fowler does fantastic work on all his recorded material with Frank, my favorites being Unmitigated Audacity, Roxy & Elsewhere, and Bongo Fury (w/Captain Beefheart). And for extremely reliable credits on Zappa's work, definitely go with Hollis' link (http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/) or John's recommendation (http://www.united-mutations.com). I've spent many hours on both, and have found them to be extremely informative.

Adam

mikedm · « **Reply #22 on:** June 28, 2004, 10:28:35 AM »

thanks everyone,

Tom lays down down some really cool lines throughout One Size Fits All and I'm curious to hear some more.

Aside from that, I'd like to get into some choice Zappa. It's amazing what twenty years of not listening to someone can do for your appreciation of missed musical talent. Thanks again for great input.

Mike

811952 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 28, 2004, 12:38:23 PM »

Mike,
Amen to that! My problem is I often don't get into peoples' music until they are either dead or the band has broken up for good. I hated most Zeppelin until about 10 years ago, never listened to the GD until Jerry Garcia passed, never liked John Hartford until about a week after he died, didn't like Soundgarden until a couple of years ago and I still don't like Elvis...
John the Old and Busted One

mikedm · « **Reply #24 on:** June 28, 2004, 01:37:30 PM »

John,
I don't know why, but that seems to be the way I am most of the time. I'm not a fad minded, get-on-the-band-wagon person. I've tended to remain aloof from the mainstream. Don't think I'm a snob, after all I like Monty Python, too.

It was long ago when my best friends's older brother turned me on to Zappa, and when I moved away, there went the influence; it appears I missed a lot.

I have to agree with you on the Elvis thing. I can't understand the phenomia either...

By the same token if people don't share my tastes, I just shrug my shoulders and get on with it.

Mike

s_wood · « **Reply #25 on:** June 29, 2004, 09:18:50 PM »

Man, I can go on about Tom Fowler for days. He is an amazing and under-rated player, and he's why I play an Alembic.

Here's an in-depth Tom Fowler thread from the club http://club.alembic.com/Images/449/5999.html#POST9826

Besides One Size Fits All (on which Tom plays his Alembic) you can hear Tom on Roxy & Elsewhere (playing a P Bass, sadly). His playing on that live set is so amazingly diverse it just kills me.
Tom is also on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol 2 and Bongo Fury with his Alembic. It's the P-Bass on Overnight Sensation. Tom also did a live in the studio video with the '74 version of Zappa and the Mothers called Dub Room Special (in its official and edited version) or Token of His Extreme (in its unedited bootleg version) Great playing, and lots of tasty shots of his Series I.

In particular, I love Fowler's comping under Zappa's solos, particularly on the 2 chord vamps that last for 3 or 4 minutes - he never repeats himself, but he never gets in the way. His playing under Zappa's solo in Inca Roads is as good as it gets.