Project Object is still on tour and last Friday and Saturday night they played to a sold out crowd at a club called Coda (on 34th street in NYC). It isn’t adequate to say they are a Frank Zappa tribute band, they are oh so much more. Andre’ is the leader of the band, filling Frank’s shoes (well, he would never say that, but I am saying it, he took over Franks position in the band line up). Ike Willis is still singing and then there is Napoleon Murphy Brock (who is about 70 years old now) plays horns, sings and dances up a storm the whole time. Project Object is a meeting place for Franks old musicians, different musicians from Franks past line ups join when they can and well, it’s the next best thing to seeing Frank Zappa in concert. The whole crowd is full of familiar faces, old and young Zappa fans a like and then of course, hard core Project Object fans who follow them around from show to show (like I used to do for Frank).
^ Ike celebrated his 50th b-day on Sat. night!
^ Napoleon ^ Napoloen and Ike
< Andre' and I in April 2005
^ I took this shot from the stairs from behind the band (sorry, still haven’t gotten a new camera)
(Above pics) Going out on an empty stomache and pounding two margaritas = blank stare. “And here comes the water”- me after the “Wet T-shirt night” song (Ike tosses water on me as I play “Mary”). If you don’t have Zappa’s “Joe’s Garage” cd, go get it, it’s the bomb and all about the ups and downs of the world of rock and roll, from groupies to disease, titties, beer…ah, you just gotta here it to believe it.
What I really enjoyed seeing was the young fans that were up near the stage, they knew EVERY word to every ZAPPA tune. I watched them a bit and it was so great seeing them sing every song. I love it that Franks music and lyrics are being taught, handed down to each generation. If someone takes the time to get you into Zappa, it means they care about you. If you “don’t get it” then you weren’t meant to, move on.
I should have taken the wet t-shirt off right away but I didn’t, I was too busy talking to people in the crowd and I stepped outside for a few minutes to get some fresh air and I am sure that’s how I caught a tiny cold. Since Friday I have basically been down, just taking it easy, saying “NO” to going out to play (karaoke). Sunday rolled around and Rachel, my LA based Massage assistant was in town visiting friends and she and I met up, of all places, in Starbucks to chat and she massaged me for a while in Starbucks (nothing shocks folks in this area). She had my feet up in her lap and then did my shoulders as well. We get along great, and oh how I love her hands.
^ Rachel with my foot in Starbucks ^ US (getting kicked out of Starbucks)
We stayed in there so long, they were trying to close and they were like, “Ladies, get your clothes on and move it on out, we’re trying to CLOSE (aka Get a ROOM!) lol!
I am coming to a crossroad in my life, some big change may occur soon, I may move back to Europe forever, for a few years, for a few months, not sure yet. I do LOVE NYC, but there are special people in my life who need me, Jasmine being number one on that list (well, she claims she doesn’t need me but who else will do her brows and toe nails?) and Petra is really really ill. I will go to Berlin Dec 1st and stay in over there for 2 months and at the end of the 2 months I will come back to NYC and either grab the rest of my stuff and return or vice versa, it could go either way. For one thing I really want to get rid of tons of STUFF. I loathe owning things now, I want to get rid of my precious Rolling Stones album collection (almost 200 lps, all MINT condition), tons of clothes that are waaay too diva for me now, etc, I just hate having shit, it weighs you down. Maybe I will have a yard sale, if only I had a yard.