The Feuding Zappas

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jeff Kent, Apr 29, 2016.

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  1. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    ^ I think fans will "get it." Just kind of a puny, petty attorney-driven move is all.
     
  2. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
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  3. fishcane

    fishcane Dirt Farmer

    Location:
    Finger Lakes,NY

    Exactly...He should just bill his shows as "Dweezil Zappa" or "An Evening with Dweezil Zappa" something along those lines....He is a well respected player and has plenty of name recognition in his own right now, certainly anyone who knew who Frank was knows what his children were named, the names alone garnered press attention....
     
  4. Efus

    Efus Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Nah, this is the "dark side" of motherhood here, perhaps.
    Its about control over family, once the breadwinner kicks the bucket.

    I only know about Frank, Dweezil and Moon on the surface through music, and Frank's testimony in front of Congress in the mid-80's.
    I don't know anything about the family dynamics, or how Frank/Gail ran the household.
    But a lot of Gail's actions could be the result of her having to step into Frank's shoes, as a musical curator and businessperson, areas in which she maybe had no knowledge of, or expertise in, and try to retain control over all that.

    Having said all that, it does seem harsh that that fee wasn't waived for a family member.
    But I guess if she did that, then what happens if she doesn't waive it for former band members wanting to tour on Frank's music? Yep, a lawsuit most likely.
     
  5. therockman

    therockman Senior Member In Memoriam


    I agree.
     
  6. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    This is just friggin' weird.
     
  7. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    There's a HUGE difference between your own son and some guy who used to work with your deceased husband...
     
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  8. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    ...or the whole insanity of the fight with Zappanale. I'm surprised Gail didn't sue my avatar Leon Redbone over his facial hair as trademark infringement.

    If Dweezil were to stage Thingfish, there would be Grand Rights. But playing songs or an album? No, never.
     
  9. Jeff Kent

    Jeff Kent Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Mt. Kisco, NY
    Frank often said he didn't have friends, he had employees. Maybe he didn't have family either.
     
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  10. Efus

    Efus Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Well, which is why I said it seemed harsh.
    But that gets back to my original theory about control of the estate/family.
    And there we're entering into private areas of a public persona, ie what kind of family man was Frank, and when he passed, why and for what reasons did his surviving spouse act like she did.

    The sad part of this, is how this is getting aired out in public now, instead of being decided on behind closed doors.
    The surviving family members need a friend of the family to come forward (a manager/agent/record label guy, musician, whoever) and get them to mediate this.
     
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  11. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    You're right that we have no idea what kind of family dynamic existed when Frank was still alive, but from what I've been able to learn over the years, it was nothing close to the ****show that it's been since he died. Very sad.
     
  12. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    I read the Zappa book some years ago and Frank seemed to be fairly detached from his family and preferred to concentrate on his music. He claimed to spend his nights recording and slept during the day. How much interaction he had with his children is not known, but there is no doubt Gail was the one responsible for the day to day operations of keeping the household and family going.

    Undoubtedly, that role intensified after Frank's death. I have no idea what the dynamics of the kids are now, but this is a shame but not that surprising. It seems in the litigious society we live in, all things come down to money, rights, and other technicalities. However, with technology spiraling almost out of control, it's understandable, to a point, for family to keep close tabs on a legacy.
     
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  13. Malina

    Malina Forum Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    Attorneys give all the options to the client and the client must make the decision on how to proceed, therefore not attorney-driven.

    Malina, Esq. :)
     
  14. Remurmur

    Remurmur Music is THE BEST! -FZ

    Location:
    Ohio
    Maybe he needs to get a lawyer and trademark the name Dweezil Zappa before the ZFT gets busy again ...
     
  15. fishcane

    fishcane Dirt Farmer

    Location:
    Finger Lakes,NY
    not sure why this is an issue, he used the name before GZ died
     
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  16. dlokazip

    dlokazip Forum Transient

    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    Mike's a good guy. I've gotten the impression that he doesn't care for this sort of drama.

    The Vaultmeister's path is righteous, so I will trust his current direction.

    The family squabble is just that. Whether or not he has taken a side is none of my business. Obviously, he's still ZFT for business purposes, but that's independent of whatever his current relationship with Dweezil is.
     
  17. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    The Zappas should try to be more like the Van Halens :^P
     
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  18. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    Joe was quite nice. During the Kickstarter 'countdown' show, he not only seemed very close to Ahmet & Diva, but also seemed to know the heart of us fans!
    He made me happy!
     
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  19. showtaper

    showtaper Concert Hoarding Bastard

    Like politics, follow the money.........
     
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  20. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    Well it all makes sense now, though, doesn't it?
     
  21. DVEric

    DVEric Satirical Intellectual

    Location:
    New England
    Jeez, I would never have though a family rift could develope over two tiny symbols: $ or this: ©
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2016
  22. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    You're right, I did mis-characterize that with sloppy writing.

    Let's just say the attorneys are Real Pleased to be present. :)

    There's a contested will. There's a restoration project with high-visibility public funding. AND, BUT, ALSO... the house is being shown to interested deep-pockets. All with celebrity implications.

    i.e., there's money flying all over the place.

    I guess someone should be expected to come along with their butterfly net and snatch it all up.
     
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  23. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    These things can be sensitive in a family because one member of the family (Dweezil) is regarded as leveraging the family inheritance in a way that means he seems to get a differential benefit. Of course, he's also the one getting his butt out there and putting one what (from my personal experience) is a pretty great show. I guess Zappa fans are going to side with the person who's making more music, not the ones looking to wet their beaks.
     
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  24. dadonred

    dadonred Life’s done you wrong so I wrote you all this song

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Here. It's Friday:
     
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  25. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    I know it's BEFORE 'Beatle-mania', but, it LOOKS like he's wearing a 'Beatle-suit'!
     
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