The Idiot Bastard curated On Broadway: Covers Of Invention CD was released by Cordelia Records in February 2013. The album celebrates the 25th anniversary of Frank Zappa’s 1988 world tour (as well as marking 20 years since his passing), focussing on The Other People’s songs that Frank ‘fucked with’ on that tour. Order several copies from The Idiot Bastard Shop or Bandcamp.

    Here’s the gen:

THE CLOSER YOU ARE

(words and music: Earl Lewis & Morgan “Bobby” Robinson)
performed by Buzzo, featuring Mark Duffield
musicians: MARK DUFFIELD (backing vocals) BUZZO LANDI (lead vocals/everything else)
It’s Monkeytronic, innit? Real futuristic.

BARTOK RAT

(music: Béla Bartók)
performed by The Todd Grubbs Group
musicians: TODD GRUBBS (guitar/keyboards) ALAN TATUM (bass) JEFF HENRY (drums)
Todd’s special arrangement of the Theme from The Bartok Piano Concerto #3.

HARD SUNSHINE

(words and music: Jack Bruce, Pete Brown & Eric Clapton)
performed by FrazKnapp Fusion Project 2012, featuring Carlo Bowry
musicians: FRAZ KNAPP (drums/brass/vibes) KIERAN WEZTAXHENNESSY (turntable/drums) CARLO BOWRY (stunt guitar) SOPHIE ROSE (vocals) ED NEWTON (bass) MARTIN GREENLEE (Moog/synth)
A typical slice of Fraz magic that uses Sunshine Of Your Love as a platform, and a former Muffin Man as stunt guitarist. Produced by Fraz & Kieran @ Audio-Arts-Recording-Studio/Devon, UK.

PURPLE HAZE

(words and music: Jimi Hendrix)
performed by douBt
musicians: MICHEL DELVILLE (guitar/guitar-synth) ALEX MAGUIRE (Rhodes/Hammond/Korg Triton synth) TONY BIANCO (drums)Michel Delville makes it another hat-trick in yet another incarnation.

I AM THE WALRUS

(words and music: John Lennon & Paul McCartney)
performed by Spanner Jazz Punks
musicians: ADAM BICKERTON (bass/vocals) BOBBY DEMERS (drums) GAVIN GRIFFITHS (lead guitar) ROBBIE KNIGHT (keyboards, vocals) GEORGE SIMMONDS (trombone/vocals) DAN SPANNER (lead vocals/acoustic guitar/tenor sax) HELEN TATE (violin) MIKE WADE (baritone sax)The world was saved as they listened to the band (featuring the Amazing Mr Bickerton and Princess Helen); I wish that I could be a Spanner-man!

NORWEGIAN JIM

(words and music: John Lennon, Paul McCartney & Frank Zappa)
performed by The Vegetarians
musicians: MARC MOLLAN (vocals) PALLE ARVIDSSON (drums) HANS ANNELLSSON (everything else)
Frank’s lyrics set to a special arrangement of the music of the Fab Two, by three time doozer Hans Annellsson.

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

(words and music: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant)
performed by Amaretto Mick Zeuner & Eikë Hägen
musicians: AMARETTO MICK ZEUNER (rhythm guitars) EIKË CHRISTÖPH HÄGEN (lead guitar)A dirty instrumental version of the most popular rock song of all time, as interpreted by two likely lads from the southern point of the Jutland Peninsula. Hummel! Hummel! Mors! Mors! Recorded 2011 in Hamburg. Mixed & edited by amz66. Mastered by Helge.

I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO

(words and music: George Cory & Douglass Cross)
performed by Alan Jenkins
musician: ALAN JENKINS (everything)
Alan’s advice to anyone attempting to impersonate Wild Man Fischer is “Stop it, you’ll hurt your throat!” His new album, The Magic City, will though heal the pain.

STOLEN MOMENTS

(music: Oliver Nelson & Frank Zappa)
performed by Chato Segerer & Lukas Kollroß
musicians: LUKAS KOLLROß (left channel guitar/1st solo) CHATO SEGERER (right channel guitar/2nd solo)
Last minute dot com duelling banjos pay Moon’s camel a brief visit – hotcha! Special thanks to Simon Froschauer.

MURDER BY NUMBERS (MATA POR ORDEN)

(words and music: Sting & Andy Summers)
performed by oZcar McCuenca, featuring Caballero Reynaldo on vocals
musicians: CABALLERO REYNALDO (vocals) OZCAR McCUENCA (everything else)
Mr Sting may have written the fuckin’ song. But Romàn Garcia Albertos translated his lyrics into Spanish, alright?

BONANZAFATHER

(music: Nino Rota, Ray Evans & Jay Livingstone)
performed by The Intergalactic Dootchestra
musician: PETE BRUNELLI (bass/Animoog)
A medley loosely based on a variety of iconic themes from film and TV, including The Godfather: Part II and Bonanza.

THE RING OF FIRE SECRET CHORD PROGRESSION

(words and music: Igor Stravinsky, Merle Kilgore, June Carter & Maurice Ravel)
performed by Low Budget Research Kitchen
musicians: ICA ROADS (voice) MR E. GUEST (voice) ANTONIO TORRES PINTO (everything else)
A mash-up of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire Du Soldat, Cash’s Ring Of Fire and Ravel’s Bolero.

INCA LOVE

(words and music: Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Eric Clapton & Frank Zappa)
performed by J21
musician: JOSEPH DIAZ (guitar/bass/synth/programming)
The man who reunited Scott Thunes with Ed Mann now works his magic on ? and Sunshine Of Your Love.

TWELVE SCENES FROM A CONCERTO

(as viewed through a meat grinder)
Freely based on the Allegrettofrom Béla Bartók’s 3rd piano concerto; Deconstructed, arranged, produced, conducted, edited, mixed & further mutilated by Martin Herraiz
performed by the SP Digital Hell Ensemble, with guest musicians: LEONARDO BERTOLINI LABRADA (percussion) LILIANA BERTOLINI (flute) ADRIANA NORAT (acoustic bass) ELISSA CASSINI (violin) DANIEL MENDES (cavaquinho/acoustic guitar) RODOLFO VALENTE (mandolin) WALTER EGEA (clarinet) TICO d’GODOY (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones) GABRIEL COSTA (electric bass) FRED BARLEY (drums) MICHELLE AGNES (prepared piano) MARTIN HERRAIZ (electric guitar)
Yet another brilliant Brazilian opus. Recorded at SP Digital Inferno Facilities, Espaço Serralheria, Studio PANaroma...and elsewhere. Martin would like to thank: Leo, Liliana, Dri, Elissa, Daniel, Rodolfo, Walter, Tico, Gabriel, Fred and Michelle, for their unique musicality and dedication; Flo, Tiago, and Daniel at PANaroma; Juliana and Pawel at Serralheria; and Andrew, for bearing with his endless delays!

DRAGONMASTER

(words and music: Frank Zappa & Dweezil Zappa)
performed by Acid Queen
musicians: KURT “SPURT” EISENBERG (all stringed savagery/wails) ROLF “BURN SCENT” EISENBERG (backing barks) ROBERT “THROB ROY” CUTLER (percussion concussion)
Frank’s lyrics, as performed at a soundcheck before the 1 May 1988 concert in Stockholm, with all music and arrangements here by the mysterious Eisenberg brothers and “Throb Roy” Cutler. Recorded July 2012.

 

Cover by Michelle Greenaway.

Liner notes by Scott Thunes.

Kindle and paperback versions of Andrew Greenaway’s book about the 1988 tour, Zappa The Hard Way, are readily available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones and Wymer UK. And signed softcover versions of FZ88 can be procured from The Idiot Bastard Shop.

For those who care, the Idiot Bastard and all the artists involved do not make one penny from these CDs. But Cordelia Records think that, after manufacturing costs and mechanical royalties, they might be able to break even. Within twenty or so years.