Zappa talks frankly about art, -politics Frank Zappa By KARLATIPTON plenty to say on many other top- "It's something that happens I discography Assistant Showcase Editor I ics as well: the censorship of rock in small towns who have people rank Zappa may be one lyrics; marriage (as a Dada eon- trying to make their point crea- cept); how his kids Moon, Dwee- tively and eventually go on to 1916 of the most famous grad- Freak Out ' uates of Antelope Valley zil, Diva and Ahmet got their find world recognition. But the . High School. But for the names; the business of making time they're there, they get no 1961 F recordings; the anthropology of a support whatmver," he pointed AbMI~lelvFree , i three years he lived in Laneas- Lumpy Gravy ter, hedidn't like it much. symphony orchestra; and the dif- out. .... "When I lived in the desert. I ficulty that comes with being a "Of course, once they do be- 19M came famous, people like brag- We're Only In It For actually didn't have s very nke musical eompwer who still hap- The Money time there," said the maverick pens to be alive. ging about them," he satd. "But Cruising with Ruben and musician-composer in a phone Which brings us back to Lan- look how much better would it he the Jets interview fmm his North Holly- caster. for them if thase neative artists 1969 woad office. "I wasn't treated Zappa had a difficult time in had been supported by the town. Mothermania vnrv."., w.11 high school because, as the son of Wouldn't the town derive more Uncle Meat Zaooa soends several oaees on one of the technical employees benefit from it now if that same Hot Rats who had flooded into the area in person stayed a resident? 1970 ' While Za a'a musical talents Burnt Weeny Sandwich the 1950s to work at Edwards Weaaler Ripwd Mv Flesh Air Force Base, he sat on a low FRANK ZAPPA, 1958 went overloo?ed in Lancaster, he Chunga's Revenge rune of the social ladder that AVHS 'Yucca' yearbook was encouraged in. the visual 1911 was topped by the sons and arts by his high school art teach- Fillmore East. June 1971 daughters of the original alfalfa ers, as well as by at least one 2w~otelrIre-releared 19861 Prem. But although the book has farmers. associated musically with dass- community organization. 1972 Through support of the Laneas- Just Anbther Band 352 pages, Zappa admitted, "I se- "We were the people from mate Don Van Vliet. an artist- Fmm L.A. riouslv did not want to do it. I 'dawn below' - a term used to eokbser who, as captain Beef. ter Woman's Club, which chose WakaIJawaka describe anyone who was not heart, went on to form thc mno- his abstract painting "Family The Grand Wazoo from the high desert area," he vatwe Magic Band (rompofed of Rwm" as first place in its local 1913 writes. "The peeking order at the local musiiians) in 1964.Hawev- art competition, his work went Over-Nile Sensation hieh school was orettv well laid er. the Black-Outs zot harassed on to win the organization's state 1914 . - AmItroPhe (') oui? bi reactionary adult2 and fellow finals. ROXYand Elsewhere But that was onlv. .oart of the students allke. aeeordlne- to Zav- At the high school, one of his 1915 problem. pa. art teachers (possibly Amy Hey- One Size Fits All According to Zappa, he got Of course, nowadays, old-tim- dom: he wasn't sure), enthuslas- Bongo Fury zero su port when it came to his ers recall Frank Zappa in the I916 ZWt Allures musieafprojeets. His first band, same laudatov tones as Judy 1918 the Black-Outs - an integrated Garland and Chuck Yeager - as Zawa in ~ew~ork musical gmup that secured a Antelope Valley residents who Studio~an place in local history by getting went on to do great things. "I'm ite photagraph in the 1957 glad people think well of me AVHS Yucca yearbook - re- there," said Zappa. hesrsed at one of the member's But the difficulties he eneoun- homes in Sun Village (inspiring tered in Laneaster in gaining Zappa's 1974 song, "Village of support for his music are paral- the Sun") and played at local ear leled today by artists throughout club dances. small-town America: "You're just 'This was the only R&B band so pissed off that you have to go in~~~ the~~ ~ entire~ Moiave Desert at someolace and do somethine." he the time," writes iappa, who also said.' GArri~in9 TOOLateTo 'I'm hoping that one day people will wake up to the save^ ~rowningwitch 1983 The Man From Utopia Baby SnakesSaundtrack fact that people who dream are a natural resource . .' Picture Disc London Svmohonv Orchestra VOI. I 1984 Boulez Conducts zappa, The Perfect Stranger Them Or Us Thing-Firh Francerco Zappa 1985 TheOld Masters. Box I FZ MeetsThe Mothers of Prevention (986 Does Humor Belong in Music? The Old Masters. Box I1 Jazz From Hell 7987 eft." Joe's Garage Acts I. I1 111 Its essence, however, has been LOndonSYmDhonv preserved forever in his home Orchestra. Vol. II video collection. The Old Masters, Box Ill 1988 For various reasons (not all YOUCan't Do That On Stage rood). Zaooa has immortalized in Anymore Samlller g&ks, lnibrvlews and on alhum Frank Zappa: Guitar covers the names of Anmtclopc YOUCan't Do That On Stase Valley Jhgh School faculty mcm- Anvmore, Vol. I bers Ernest Tosl. Jeny Mumane BrOddWa~The Hard Way You Can't Do That On Stase Wlllnam Rallard. Uon Cvrvcr.3 Anymore. Vol. II and the aforementioned Amy Heydom. But he has so little faith in the oublie schwl svstem todav lamalbums, CWaudio thatbe insists his children tak; and video casettes are the high school equivalency test available by calling (8181 pa (at right). Two saxophone olavers pictured PUMPKIN or by writing to THE ELACK-OUTS, Frank Zappa's first band as early as peaible at age 15 in Barnoswill, P.O. Box5418, when he wasa student at Antelope Valley High are unidentified. Otner members in the oana order to get khem out of Califor- North Hoil~wood,CA School, included members Johnny Franklin were Carter Frankln and brothers Freddie nia schools. 91616-5418. (Second from left). Wavne Lvles (third from and Walter Salazar (not pictured). (ID'S cour- "They don't give you enough left), Terry Wirnberlv (at keyboards) and Zap- tesy of Gary Lienhard and Jac* Sanders I See ZAPPA on Hi4 From H3 data to judge good or bad quality or right from wrong or good from evil or anything," he said. "(Schools) don't help children de- velop these skills. But while you're in school, you can learn that you will be ostracized if you don't wear a certain kind of pants. They teach ignorance, with style." So what will the next genera- tion of government leaders be like? Zappa wouldn't say, except to comment that "the term 'gov- ernment leader' is almost an oxy- moron." And artists? "If there is a next generation of artists, where are they going to work? How are we going to know they exist?" asked Zappa, 1 answering- a auestiou with a question. "The people who get all the awards in art - the Grammys, the Academy Awards - are al- ways- people who have the en- dorsement of the pop and beer companies, which doesn't neces- sarily mean it's great art," he said. "If I were a real optimist, I would say that eventually the American people will go, 'God, am I ever sick of this crap! I hate it so much, I'll run for office? " When asked if he would run for office, Zappa- - answered, "I might." No matter how important pol- itics becomes to him, his con- cerns for the artist always seem to surface. "I'm hoping that one day peo- ple will wake up to the fact that people who dream are a natural resource - and won't wony about how are we going to save this woodpecker over there or that owl or this cockroach," said Zappa. "Then they will support peo- ple with good ideas which even- tually put others to work and benefit the economy." .