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Rock's Greatest Improvisers
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Dog 3000
Dog 3000
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Re: Rock's Greatest Improvisers
Dec 17, 2007, 23:56
Exactly, the "improvisor" in all that wacky Mothers stuff was Zappa-the-conductor. The other guys in the band were strictly following orders!

Zappa as "director on stage" was always part of their dynamic, most obviously on the "Ahead of Their Time" CD where he's literally directing a "play" on stage dressed like an old-time movie producer complete with megaphone.

The liner notes/libretto to "Civilization Phaze III" also describe action to be performed on stage during the music, and there is a character "FZ" who stands at the top of the stage periodically giving orders through a megaphone! Since he was dying as he composed it, apparently he intended for some actor to wear a costume as this character (I picture a "foam rubber giant nose & moustache" outfit!)

I think his basic metaphor was "composer = creator = god", since of course for him "music = the whole universe".

Definitely old school as far as his view of "composer" and "performer" roles (the guys in the band were just hired hands, easily replaced.)
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