So I got a copy of the Zappa Classic Albums DVD that focuses on Apostrophe(') and Overnite Sensation, and I'm simply blown away! I wouldn't say it's the best disc in the series, and some of the releases are truly for die-hard fans only, but there is enough information in this one for people new to Zappa and even more for well-worn fans to obsess over. There is footage from SNL, the Roxy and Baby Snakes, Dweezil Zappa and Joe Travers deconstructing multi-track masters for select songs from both albums, and even a brief visit to the Zappa Family Trust's vault. Hell, Ruth Underwood even gets interviewed and plays some marimba during the session! Totally incredible stuff and thoroughly worthwhile for fans of Zappa to pick up, but the main reason I'm writing this is to share some commentary about the surviving Zappas.
It's not as though I've met the Zappas so I can't say that I know how they are in person, but I have a new-found respect for Gail Zappa and an even deeper one for Dweezil. Gail's brief appearances were honest and pleasant, showing her love and respect for Frank's legacy and want to maintain it. Dweezil's appearances show the same, although it seems he's the true force behind the continued Zappa legacy with his deep knowledge of the archives and his father's history. If you want to go deeper, one could ask why someone as talented as Dweezil would focus his time and energy on his father's legacy instead of his own, but it's clear that whatever the answer, his respect and love for his father and his works is honest. So, while I still feel the Zappa Family Trust moves rather slowly to issue new archival recordings, and who knows how long it's going to take to reissue the existing catalog now that the Ryko releases are apparently out of print, they're definitely doing their job right and you've gotta respect that. So kudos to the ZFT, keep up the good work, although I do hope you do it a little faster!
By the way, seeing the performance of Montana from the Roxy shows on the Classic Albums DVD brought one important detail to my attention, that being the reason the Roxy performances may still be delayed might primarily be related to the quality of the video, as it's aged and grainy. Of course, the audio still sounds brilliant, and many would take the video regardless of it's quality, but it's a reasonable potential explanation.
If you want more details on the DVD you can find them here and here.
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