Today I post several links about Frank Zappa. A few days ago a high school posted the news about a coming documentary authorized by the Zappa Family Trust. Sometime in 2017, this documentary will be available. A few of us kidded around using references to Zappa songs. What is interesting is that over 40 years since graduation, we have been all over the world, have mutually incompatible political views, but still agree on music.
http://www.jambase.com/Articles/125884/Zappa-Family-Gives-Access-For-New-Frank-Zappa-Documentary
In the United States Zappa received no AM radio airplay, and had a fair amount of exposure on FM Underground stations, but generally was seen as "weird" and not a seriously musician or composure. Some of us disagreed.
However, behind the Iron Curtain, smuggled-in copies of albums inspired people yearning for freedom. I would hope that the documentary will show this influence., Here are some links to Zappa's influence in the former Czechoslovakia and in Lithuania:
http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/frank-zappas-connections-to-prague The friendship with Vaclav Havel is particulary interesting.
http://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/maryland/articles/from-maryland-to-lithuania-the-global-cult-of-frank-zappa/
The image I post is from the Marzahn section of Berlin, which is in the eastern part of the city. In 2011 I had hoped to take a picture myself, but I ran out of time. After visiting the massive Museum with some friends from my Goethe Institut seminar group, we ended up at the venerable Josty's Restaurant. As one of our group was Russian, I think Frank would have appreciated it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073000690.html
Usually I do not promote what I will post later, but perhaps the time is coming to share a poem about Zappa I have had in my Drafts section for some time.
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