Jeeze, I really hit the ground running this time in Berlin. Day after I landed I was up and at em getting new US passport and a facial, next day massaging Paul McCartney's guitarist, Brian Ray , then saw the show that night (I paid 250 euro for my ticket so I wasn't after a freebie, although I was gutted Paul had no time for a massage).
Next day after Macca show (which by the way was good BUT I could have just watched the DVD I have called Back in the US , live concert footage from 2002 from Paul, which was almost EXACTLY like the show I saw here in Berlin December 3rd, 2009. I mean even the dialog was the same "this is when the band goes away and leaves me alone with YOU" etc. sigh. FUCK!!! I LOVE the Beatles and Paul but had I known the set list and dialog was an exact replica I would have stayed home and slept off a big of this jet lag I STILL have. This below is the best shot I could get from the Macca show:
You can see the set list on my blog of that show HERE
Drummer Zac – only 19 years old and already so successful. This band is going places. Seriously. Check them out:
Singer Josh is a super sweet person (also 19 years old!). This band is from London, keep your eye out: http://www.myspace.com/youmeatsix
Paramore was headlining, they are HUGE now. Heard they penned a song or two from the Twilight movie sound track so the crowd was 99.9% young screaming girls lol. The band Paramore are SO down to earth. I got along with the bassist and drummer the best. They are both very chatty and fun. Guitarist was a sweety but very quiet. He and the drummer are brothers. I love meeting young musicians who are ambitious, successful and not into drugs. They will go far, I just have a feeling about these guys. Nashville natives takin' over, yo.
The band You and Me at Six are very popular in the UK and slowly gaining respect in Europe and the USA too. Super young as well, dam I felt old around all these 19 year olds! Hello!! haha. Well I massaged for 9 hours straight apart from the dinner break I had and my fingers were sore the next day, the deep tissue massage I give out is BRUTAL. The clients love it but my fingers are not amused the next day.
Berlin is FREEZING, it is too fucking cold to even snow here. Jesus. Anyway, I am running a slight fever, rather cranky and miss my Jasmine so I will stop moaning now and get to bed
In a hurry now, off to massage a band called PARAMORE. Here is set list from last night's Paul McCartney show, it was HEAVEN!
1. Magical Mystery Tour Play Video 2. Drive My Car Play Video 3. Jet Play Video 4. Only Mama Knows Play Video 5. Flaming Pie Play Video 6. Got To Get You Into My Life Play Video 7. Let Me Roll It / Foxy Lady Play Video 8. Highway Play Video 9. The Long and Winding Road Play Video 10. (I Want to) Come Home Play Video 11. My Love Play Video 12. Blackbird Play Video 13. Here Today Play Video 14. Dance Tonight Play Video 15. And I Love Her Play Video 16. Mrs Vanderbilt Play Video 17. Eleanor Rigby Play Video 18. Band on the Run Play Video 19. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Play Video 20. Sing the Changes Play Video 21. Back in the U.S.S.R. Play Video 22. Something Play Video 23. I've Got a Feeling Play Video 24. Paperback Writer Play Video 25. A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance Play 26. Let It Be Play Video 27. Live and Let Die Play Video 28. Hey Jude Play Video 29. Encore: 29. Day Tripper Play Video 30. Lady Madonna Play Video 31. Get Back Play Video 32. Encore 2: 32. Yesterday Play Video 33. Helter Skelter Play Video 34. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Play
"I guess you never knew, Dear boy, what you had found, I guess you never knew, Dear boy, that she was just the cutest thing around. I guess you never knew what you had found, Dear boy. I stepped in, my heart was down and out, But her love came through and brought me 'round, got me up and about. I guess you never saw, Dear boy, that love was there, And maybe when you look too hard, Dear boy, you never do become aware. I guess you never did become aware, Dear Boy. When I stepped in, my heart was down and out, But her love came through and brought me 'round, got me up and about. I hope you never know, dear boy, how much you missed, And even when you fall in love, Dear boy, it won't be half as good as this I hope you never know how much you missed, dear boy. I stepped in, my heart was down and out, But her love came through and brought me 'round, got me up and about. Dear boy, how much you missed, Dear boy"
For me the Zappanale fest already started in Berlin with Project Object playing at the DOT CLUB on August 13th. It was so awesome and my buddy Joe Jackson came and stood in the audience the whole time and watched. He said he enjoyed the show, the band was good but he said, as I said, the sound could have been better. The club is HOT as FUCK and smokey too- with bad sound. NOT good. But Project Object, of course, did the best they could do and nailed it.
My good friends Dirk and Bully came to the show too and refused to accept free tix, they wanted to support the band! Snarky, a myspace Zappa group friend of mine came all the way from Virginia to see the show (and the Zappanale too)
Dirk, Bully, Snarky McBullhorn ^
Dot at the Dot Club. I felt at home here apart from the cig smoke, cough cough, I am NO fun, innit!? I LOVE the shirt I am wearing, my friend Robin Gelberg gave it to me, I treasure it.
Oliver (in the middle) owns a bar called the Jansen Bar in Berlin and they have Frank Zappa night the first Tuesday of each month. Ike was happy to pose with Oliver and the Jansen bar bar-tender who swears he isn’t gay (inside joke). Check it out: http://www.jansenbar.de/
Rather bad quality but here is a video of one ^ of my performances at the Dot Club in Berlin
Not much time to write, just posting a few pics I took last night. The Zappanale gets better each time I come, I LOVE it (“it’s a way of life” 😉
To see the blog I wrote about the last Zappanale I went to two years ago, go to:
Bruce Bickford is here at the festival, if you don’t know who he is, you must not know the Frank Zappa film “Baby Snakes”. Google him, he is a legend- or just click link below:
All of Jimmy Carl Black’s kids are here. Met them all and his widow is here too, will post pics asap.
Project Object from behind 😉
https://vimeo.com/38247621
https://vimeo.com/38247621
CREW SLUT at the Zappanale ^ (I knew a better quality version would turn up 🙂
And I FINALLY met the famous Paul Green. We run in the same circle, never had the pleasure until tonight- wicked fun guy..
And it felt like MAGIC to be in between these two legends, Don Preston and Robert Martin (they just met for the first time tonight!)
Haven’t seen Don for two years, it is always a pleasure. Haven’t seen Robert since 1988! We had a LOT of catching up to do and he gave me 2 hours of fitness and advice about what to eat and what not to eat (he is a strict Vegan). He is 61 and is still ripped, you should see his abs. Check out his web site, you can see videos of him doing one legged squats, he is amazing!! http://www.lookgreatnakedatanyage.com/
Robert’s shoes fascinated me to no end ^ I told him if they made them for women, they could paint the toe nail part red to make them sexier. ha.
Eric Svalgard ^ and Eric Slick of Project Object
Eric Slick and Robbie “Seahag” ^ (Guitar for Project Object)
Project Object fucking RULED!! I performed as “Mary” for them during Crew Slut and Wet t-shirt night. Always an honor. Ike Willis is in top form, Don kicks ass, Andre’ gets better all the time, Eric Slick on drums, wow! Robbie Seahag on bass, Eric Svalgard the crazy blond on other keyboards and Robert Martin came out and did a few numbers like Whipping Post and NAILED IT!!! Gregg Allman would approve.
Gotta sleep, ttyl
x
ps. Here is me below as “Mary” for the Crew Slut song/performance (would love to see a video of that, it was hilarious!)
Thursday night at the Dot club and Friday night at the Zappanale I played MARY in the songs Crew Slut and Fembot in a Wet Shirt (still waiting for someone to send me some pics of that)
I was slinking around each Project Object band member during the song and in this shot ^ back to back with Robert Martin
Robert Martin again ^ and I
“Hey hey hey all you girls in these
Industrial towns
I know youre probly gettin tired
Of all the local clowns
They never give you no respect
They never treat you nice
So perhaps you oughta try
A little friendly advice
And be a crew slut
Hey, youll love it
Be a crew slut
Its a way of life
Be a crew slut
See the world
Dont make a fuss, just get on the bus
Crew slut
Add water makes its own sauce
Be a crew slut
So you dont forget, call before midnite tonite
The boys in the crew
Are just waiting for you
You never to get move around
You never go nowhere
I know yer probly gettin tired
Of all the guys out there
You always wondered what its like
To go from place to place
So, darlin, take a little ride
On the mixers face
Be a crew slut
Just follow the magic footprints
Be a crew slut
Hey, youll love it!
Be a crew slut
Its a way of life
I aint gonna squash it
And you dont need to wash it!” FRANK ZAPPA
https://vimeo.com/38287559
Back again with more pics from Saturday night at the Zappanale:
Project Object leader ^ and his lovely lady
OMFG, Roberts hands are AMAZING!! Wish he would do my feet 🙂
It is really hard to get good in concert shots. But I get some good in person pics. You can’t capture their music in pics anyways and my camera is too crap to make any decent videos of the shows
Eric Slick (drummer genius) on stage after his performance with Project Object ^
SUNDAY (last night of the Zappanale) below:
Was fun hanging out with Bruce again. He told many private things about himself, it was awesome to get close to such a genius mind. He is so kind and gentle; makes you want to protect him.
Ike and I have known each other for 21 years. His mind is still sharp as a whip and his sense of humor is as amazing as his voice. LOVE HIM!
Ah, to be a fly on the wall- wait, I was there. Super Fly. ha.
The Zappanale is 4 days/nights of Zappa fun, but everyone is SUPER tired by Sunday night. Terry looked so fucking fit, wow. He claims he is “getting fat” but I didn’t see any on him.
Zappa alumni Sandwich part 2 (or 3?) keep em coming..
Wolfhard is the founder of the Zappanale, started it 20 years ago. Super nice guy and he is a MASSIVE Zappa freak, he doesn’t do this festival for anything else but the love he has for Frank Zappa’s music. Thomas is the president of the Arf Society (google it, I’m too tired to write about it 😉
Wolfhard is rather shy and keeps to himself, not one to ask for pics or autographs, but he did want one with Bruce. They are both amazing people.
When I left the festival I noticed a rowdy bar still open in Bad Doberan and went in and it was PACKED with hard core Zappa fans (Zappateers). One of them, from the UK, had this hair cut goin’ on. Ha.
Will TRY to ad more text and pics soon.
Haven’t really wrote much about the music. Not much to say apart from you can never get enough Frank Zappa music. Some were bored with Terry Bozzio’s 90 min drum solo set but hey, he IS Terry Bozzio and well, RESPECT! One thing that REALLY gets on my tits about the Zappanale is you have to listen to the same fucking songs over and over and OVER again because it seems to be impossible to controll what each band plays so they ALL play Frank’s top ten hits (I am the slime, dirty love, etc etc.) Project Object did the BEST version EVER of Whipping Post with Bobby Martin and hello? Some Austrian Band (Sex without Nails) did it the very next night. Jesus, have some fucking respect will ya? Give it up. I hate that. I think all bands should pick their songs from a Zappanale lottery 6 months before the festival and NO ONE should be allowed to repeat a song!!
What about Truck Driver Divorce? Or Lucille has messed my Mind up? There are HUNDREDS of songs to choose from yet we have to endure the same fucking songs repeatedly (which is ok if you are drunk and stoned out of your Zappa loving mind) but I am NOT so it bothers me and the other few sober cunts there. FOR FUCK SAKE!!! I asked the powers that be (Thomas and Wolfhard) about this and they said they DO try to control it BUT the bands “do what they want once they get up on the stage”. How can they play repeats? Are they retarded? Don’t they know how many SONGS Frank Zappa actually has? pfft.
If you want a different view of the Zappanale, keep your eye out for Andrew Greenaways web site, he will surely cover it once he is back in the UK and sober: www.idiotbastard.com
x
Jimmy Carl Black’s lovely but very sad, widow “Moni”
This was sent to me from a friend I have named Dave:
Les Paul, whose innovations with the electric guitar and studio technology made him one of the most important figures in recorded music, has died, according to a statement from his publicists. Paul was 94.
Paul died in White Plains, New York, from complications of severe pneumonia, according to the statement.
Paul was a guitar and electronics mastermind whose creations — such as multitrack recording, tape delay and the solid-body guitar that bears his name, the Gibson Les Paul — helped give rise to modern popular music, including rock 'n' roll. No slouch on the guitar himself, he continued playing at clubs into his 90s despite being hampered by arthritis.
"If you only have two fingers [to work with], you have to think, how will you play that chord?" he told CNN.com in a 2002 phone interview. "So you think of how to replace that chord with several notes, and it gives the illusion of sounding like a chord."
Guitarists mourned the loss Thursday.
"Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed. He was the original guitar hero, and the kindest of souls," said Joe Satriani in a statement. "Last October I joined him onstage at the Iridium club in [New York], and he was still shredding. He was and still is an inspiration to us all."
"Les Paul was a shining example of how full one's life can be, he was so vibrant and full of positive energy," said Slash in a statement.
Lester William Polfuss was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on June 9, 1915. Even as a child he showed an aptitude for tinkering, taking apart electric appliances to see what made them tick.
In the 1930s and '40s, he played with the bandleader Fred Waring and several big band singers, including Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and the Andrews Sisters, as well as with his own Les Paul Trio. In the early 1950s, he had a handful of huge hits with his then-wife, Mary Ford, such as "How High the Moon" and "Vaya Con Dios."
His guitar style, heavily influenced by jazzman Django Reinhardt, featured lightning-quick runs and double-time rhythms. In 1948, after being involved in a severe car accident, he asked the doctor to set his arm permanently in a guitar-playing position.
Paul also credited Crosby for teaching him about timing, phrasing and preparation.
Crosby "didn't say it, he did it — one time only. Unless he blew the lyrics, he did one take."
Paul never stopped tinkering with electronics, and after Crosby gave him an early audiotape recorder, Paul went to work changing it. It eventually led to multitrack recording; on Paul and Ford's hits, he plays many of the guitar parts, and Ford harmonizes with herself. Multitrack recording is now the industry standard.
But Paul likely will be best remembered for the Gibson Les Paul, a variation on the solid-body guitar he built in the early 1940s — "The Log" — and offered to the guitar company.
"For 10 years, I was a laugh," he told CNN in an interview. "[But] kept pounding at them and pounding at them saying hey, here's where it's at. Here's where tomorrow, this is it. You can drown out anybody with it. And you can make all these different sounds that you can't do with a regular guitar."
Gibson, spurred by rival Fender, finally took Paul up on his offer and introduced the model in 1952. It has since become the go-to guitar for such performers as Jimmy Page.
"The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar, in a statement. "He would walk into a room and put a smile on anyone's face. His musical charm was extraordinary and his techniques unmatched anywhere in the world."
Paul is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Inventors Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Until recently he had a standing gig at New York's Iridium Jazz Club, where he would play with a who's-who of famed musicians.
He admired the places guitarists and engineers took his inventions, but he said there was nothing to replace good, old-fashioned elbow grease and soul.
"I learned a long time ago that one note can go a long way if it's the right one," he said in 2002, "and it will probably whip the guy with 20 notes."
Firstly, the ZFT has finally lost its battle to curb Arf-Society activities in organising the annual Zappa music and more festival in Bad Doberan. Basically, it could not prove that it owned any rights to the name ‘Zappanale’. Therefore, the 20th festival will go ahead as planned (see updated details here). This has not deterred the ZFT from issuing another ‘cease and desist’ letter, this time regarding the ‘Napoleon Murphy Brock performs Zappa with the Paul Green School Of Rock All-Stars’ tour. The letter states that “none of you possess any license, permission or authority to publicly perform the songs of Frank Zappa”. Over 3,000 fans have now signed the petition to try and stop this sort of nonsense – are you one of them?
I thought The Zappa's wanted to reach the younger generation with Frank's music?
Please email your Senators and Representatives now!
On Wednesday, George Bush went on TV to sweet-talk Americans into letting him steal $700 billion of our tax dollars - $2,333 for every man, woman, and child - to bail out his greedy rich friends on Wall Street. Worst of all, it's another massive fraud. Bush lied to our faces when he promised to buy toxic securities "at their current low prices... and we expect that much, if not all, of the tax dollars we invest will be paid back." Bull. This is the same administration that promised the invasion of Iraq would pay for itself through lower oil prices. The cost of that disaster is now $3 trillion and climbing, not to mention millions dead, maimed, or exiled...Call your Senators and Representative right now to say "No $700 Billion Bailout for Wall Street" - dial the Capitol switchboard at 800-473-6711 or 202-224-3121 or dial direct using the instant phone lookup available here. And if you have not emailed your Senators and Representative, please do it now.
I find myself writing over things in the wrong order, but it's the best I can do. I am so busy, it's pathetic. I have been in Berlin 8 days and haven't even unpacked. In fact, I just stayed packed and flew last Thursday to Cologne to stay at the Grand Hyatt ("in a hotel over looking the Rhein" Roger Waters). Incubus, a touring band that has been together for 17 years ( I was shocked when they told me that) has been using my massage team for AGES. The guitarist Michael is a self proclaimed "massage junkie" who was using my LA team for a year before I even knew he was in a band. He is so low key and cool, my team LOVES HIM!
Anyways, my Dortmond based massage assistant, Lissy was so eager to work at ROCK am RING I decided to pull some big strings and offer Incubus free massages for bringing Lissy and I to the festival with them. I am now sure they would have gladly paid, but I wanted to show my gratitude to them for being such amazing clients over the years.
So I flew to Cologne and Lissy met me at the airport. It was our first time meeting and I was amazed at how much better she looks in person than she does in pictures, not that it matters at all, but you know how some just look better in person and then there are some who look better in pictures.. she is the kind that looks breathtaking in person but the pics don't do her justice. I guess that is a spiritual kind of thing, the 'you have to be there in the moment with me' kind of thing her persona radiates.
Lissy and I got cleaned up for dinner with the Incubus guys and some of Rage against the Machine that were staying in the same hotel. It was super fun. Incubus singer Brandon could do stand up comedy he is so fucking witty. The whole band is super cool, very tight family vibe. Tom of Rage against he machine is fun to talk to. When I asked him about Frank Zappa, he admitted "Oh, Frank is WAY over my head". Of course he is darling. He went on to say he LOVES Steve Vai; that Steve is his guitar idol.
I have LOADS more pictures and stuff to write, but haven't the time right now, I have to go massage Joe Jackson. Will try to update later..
x
Incubus singer Brandon Boyd with Lissy ^
Brandon is hilarious and very down to earth.
Michael is a massage WHORE. He gets more massages than any other client of ours. We LOVE people like Michael. No matter what country, state, city he is in, he always wants a massage. Michael was actually getting massages from my team for a whole year before I even found out he was in a rock band. Very low key. Super sweet and plays a mean guitar (Incubus Guitarist).
Some call this cutie ^ The English Eminem because they are both white and rap. His music is different though, sometimes there's a tad of techno or reggae sound.. he is super energetic on stage and his band rocks. Their guitarist and I talk about our love for Jimi Hendrix for ages.
It was great seeing Gavin again, who used to front the band BUSH but is now doing great with his solo band. I am sure he was missing Gwen (Stefani) and his baby boy. Wonder when the Gwen will give birth to their second child..(should be any day now)
Two things about these Gene pics you should know (1) Those are not gray hairs around his face, he had just washed off his KISS face makeup and missed some of the white paint. Perhaps he may have some gray hair, but that is not gray, it's white from the paint
(2) He is holding the itinerary for the next day. Each band gets a newsletter/update shoved under their door, or wedged in their door each night from their tour manger to (a) remind them where the fuck they are (b) to tell them what their plan is for the following day.
Wanted to clarify those things as I have received a few comments on myspace about both things..
You can see the set list on my blog of that show HERE 
