Frank Zappa - City Of Tiny Lites (live in NYC, 1981)

[buschnic61]

Uhm..that's Ray

[Quilbo]

My favourite version, Ike owns it

[MrGateseyboy]

WOW !! IMPRESSIVE !!

[probrojeffro]

On stage, in his living room, Frank is well, Frank.

[probrojeffro]

It's rock. It's jazz. It's blues. It's experimental. It's . . .. hell, it's Frank.

[probrojeffro]

I love that Frank always lets the camera guy walk around on the stage getting any shot he wants, like two inches from his guitar. Love it.

[shadowmalik009]

the thing i love the most about zappa is that all his live performances are so great i love listening 10 versions of the same song lol

[Moey1710]

Einfach nur grandios!

[bc1010101]

LIVE AT THE FILLMORE 1971 IS SUCH A CLASSIC AND AN AMAZING LIVE ALBUM!!

[musicisthebestF]

I really really do not understand Why This Song is NOT on the The Torture Never Stops DVD

It contains one of the Best Guitar Solos of Zappa from the year 1981

And the Best vocals i ever heard of Ray White

[MrFirthguy]

@musicisthebestF oh i is go to yes and but also on the dvd and go to bonus track i think it should be there....on my copy it is like that

[musicisthebestF]

@MrFirthguy

Big thanks for the friendly advice. i never looked at the Bonus Tracks : )

[MrFirthguy]

@musicisthebestF oh yeah no problem

[musicisthebestF]

@MrFirthguy

I can highly recomment to you the 2 Anyway the Wind Blows Bootlegs they have very good sound quality

and the 1980 ies Band is in Best Form

Buy them if you find them cheap on ebay or something

( i like your avatar pick by the Way )

[MrFirthguy]

@musicisthebestF okay i will try at some point thanks

[MrFirthguy]

@musicisthebestF i looked at wiki jawaka it is great thanks1

[musicisthebestF]

@MrFirthguy

It fells always good to help a fellow Zappa Fanatic

just as you helped me

I got ALL MY Zappa knowlegde from wiki jawaka

And form the Barry Miles Zappa Bio wich is 80 % of the Real Frank Zappa Book

by Frank Zappa

[JoeGarageBoc]

the best

[TheGumboVariator]

... This kicks ass but I prefer Adrian Belew on vocals ... anyway , Carlos Santana's Secret Chord Progression FTW !

[brainsareus]

if i could play like that,i'd take up smoking too. homey brotha', got a killer fucking voice, btw !

[RevGuitarzilla79]

Its a les paul custom fitted w a barrage of bartolini pickups n phase switches. Ive got a guitar mag of all his guitars n dweezil revealing all the mods frank had done. Iv got a les paul copy that is an exact replica of this one that really cooks. Ive done some mods on it myself. Frank later changed the neck on it. I love frank and also am a staunch believer in God. Hes proved himself to me thru lifechanging miracles. To close ur mind is a great disservice to oneself.

[dudemanwhoathe1st]

holy fuck. this is insane. everyone kicks so much ass in this

[SadisticMagician54]

Any cigarette-smoking conductor is awesome

[tpaquin]

Almost 30 years later, it's still ahead of its time.

[monkeylovermeat]

Zappa at his best if you ask me. Can't find stuff like this anymore.

[PlymouthVT]

Funny how all Franks songs and commentaries on life really all came true didn't they? Politics now is all about the stupidest scumbags on the planet all trying to hide behind a supposed God. There all so full of shit and are the first to pull there dicks out. It gets worse every election year. Really could use Frank these days for sure.

[edo8200]

his solos are too fast

[robtadd]

@TheBlackWhirlies We ALL miss Frank. But thx God we still have Dweezil (and friends). =P

[peepff54]

@TheBlackWhirlies Ray is great! A staple of the Mothers that is always overlooked, he had a great sense of timing and fun and was very soulful. I saw more FZ shows with him during this stretch of time than with anyone else. There was only one Frank Zappa and I miss his commentary on life. We need him now more than ever...

[spoon149]

@TheBlackWhirlies hes a better singer than jimmy hendrix

[TheGumboVariator]

Man , I fucking love the Carlos Santana secret progression !!!

[collinrox]

Zappa is to music as God is to religion.

[MarcoMinnemann]

@collinrox We know for sure Zappa is real, God is another question...

[musicisthebestF]

@collinrox

Listening to Zappa is a Religion itself

And Frank himself was the Prophet

I am new to this religion myself XD Zappafan since Summer 2006 and hopefully for the Rest of my Life

Signs are Good

[blahblah2556]

@collinrox I totally agree

[fablevayne]

Zappa is a hero.

[Psych0delicShrooms]

What version of a les paul is that? with the square/rectangle inlays and amazing headstock with those cool MOP machine-head-thingys? I bet frank has made a few modifications to it but it's one of those few les paul that actually look great and I really want to know !(year, model, color etc...) Thanks!

[oglioko]

wow

[LorinTone]

@TheBlackWhirlies Ray kicks ass. 

[MightyQuinn2021]

Is this song on Joe's Garage?

[thecreepingmess]

@MightyQuinn2021 No, it's on Sheik Yerbouti.

[Zappafan1980]

@thecreepingmess

But this Version here is like 3 x better then the Sheik Yerbouti version

because Franks Guitar Solo is better and it has Ray White on Vocals and he sings A LOT better then Andrian Belew in my oppinion

but i guess thats a matter of personal taste

[Arckitekt]

Looks like the guitar thats on the cover of Shut Up...

[ripsnow55]

ca aussi!!!!!!!!



[ripsnow55]

mon dieu!!!!!!!!!



[blinginlike3p0]

@SteveJobsWorth

Flakes is the song to which you refer, i believe.

[devolve42]

@SteveJobsWorth Wanna buy some Mandies, Bob?

[misfitsfiend615]

10 people don't know the muffin man

[MadamFlipFlop]

ZAPPA IS THE BEST.....music too

[mark1007]

I love zappa, he was such a talent....wrote a massive eclectic array of music, a lot of it sounding kind of crazy, outlandish and esoteric...but i think Frank was perhaps one of the most serious guys on the planet. (Just an observation)..

[vivaAnaloger]

luv Franks vomit sound with that Paul ... the poodle does bite :)~

[MaximilianGlanz]

Frank Zappa is DOPE, sorry was - now he rests in peace! I saw the concert end of June 1982 that means I saw the same crew like in this video - and the concert was something of the best, NO it was the best I ever have seen and heard on stage! Thank You, Frank, for such great music You gave us! Peace out yours Maximilian Glanz from Switzer&land

[joemanchik]

Chad Wackerman was the drummer. ♥ ☮ ♬♪♫ ♡ ♥

[UFCfanboy7898]

i like when he had Bozzio and Belew in the band much better...genius shit

[sicilianbabe8]

This really cooks.....wow....WOW....his band is so tight. 

[wassamattaboy]

jesus everywhere you look on that stage something incredible is happening.

[miguelisdistructive]

@wassamattaboy nice i like ......very very true

[Easleytee]

Chad Wackerman is the drummer.

[FLANHALEN]

ike sings his balls off on this one

[Zappafan1980]

@FLANHALEN

Lol this isnt Ike Willis this is Ray White

They changed Ike Willis came back Later in 1980

Frank tried to build up a little rivalry between them, but it didnt work out

Frank wanted to have Ray White and Ike Willis for the 1988 Tour but Ray White didnt join them

[DavidRayT]

I didn't know Vai played for Zappa! That's sweet.

[BrianMChampion]

I used to listen to this stuff 30 years ago. I agree with his politics only about 65% of the time, but I agree with his music 100% of the time. You young cats should check the guy out. I don't know how anyone could play the stuff he did without it descending into chaos. A great artist. Dead in 1993 at age 52 of prostate cancer. RIP:

Trivia: He was born on the same day that F. Scott Fitzgerald died.

[JustinVerlander35]

You know what pisses me off? When people say Frank is a good guitar player but had no emotion in his playing. How the fuck do they know what Frank was feeling, god people are dumb

[YourArf]

@Jabarichonicles The band is listed in the infobox on all my uploads. ;)

[Jabarichonicles]

@YourArf

o, its chad...i thought so

[LAtoyboy]

@Jabarichonicles That's Chad Wackerman. Never seen such a graceful drummer.

[kirwelouis]

@Jabarichonicles

Chad Wackerman

[hankrango]

@Jabarichonicles chad wackerman.

[abdabbadoebi]

@Jabarichonicles Chad Wackerman

[MsFacciadimerda]

@Jabarichonicles chaaaaaaaaaaad wackermaaaaaaannnnnn!!!!!!

[mocthezuma]

@MsFacciadimerda Indeed. You managed to spell his name. Almost.

[Zappafan1980]

@Jabarichonicles

Chad Wakerman is the Drummer he played on most of Franks CDs from 1981 to 1988

He is the most underrated drummer, of Zappas drummers but my Favorite

[cheepnis]

@Jabarichonicles That would be Chad Wackermann on the kit.

[zannalives]

@Jabarichonicles

chad wakerman

[ShermanOaks1972]

@Jabarichonicles - Find Zappa from December of 1980 doing this song with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums...

[bozzioisgod44]

@Jabarichonicles Chad Whackerman

[Alun53]

@Jabarichonicles Chad Wackerman is the drummer and a fine player indeed!

[zootzrats]

@Jabarichonicles Chad Wackerman was the drummer!

[thedragon9999]

@Jabarichonicles  Chad Wackerman, an Aussie

[roon41]

@thedragon9999 Chad is actually American, married to an Aussie..Saw him with FZ in 84



[fleshgordon1]

@Jabarichonicles Chad Wackerman

[Suckmuffet]

@Jabarichonicles Its chad wackerman, he replaced vinnie colaiuta in spetember 81. Chad pl

ayed with him all the way to 88.

[Skywatch01]

Un excelente guitarrista , pianista , compositor , músico y actor Frank Zappa concretó una forma de ver la sociedad americana con un rasgo alto de sarcarsmo e inteligente astucia. Genial Guitarrista su segundo fué Steve Vai.

[applegooncha]

Is this on a dvd anywhere? I see so many Good quality FZ videos on youtube that I can't find on any dvd releases.

[krasnyploshad3]

zappa had spastic tweeters, guitar or no guitar,

early doors, or no early doors,

it gave off a pong regardless

[legalizethegreen]

Mr. Zappa's guitar is incessantly psychedelic

[NoelGrassy]

@legalizethegreen Yeah!  In 'Burst Les Paul jargon these are the "Clown 'Bursts". Possibly no worse a hue could've been applied. IMHO.

Save for "Dog Pecker Pink" metalflake from Big Daddy Roth's pigment hut.

[legalizethegreen]

@NoelGrassy still sounds fantastical.

[sungretsch]

I just noticed they start playing Variations on The Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression just before zappa starts soloing D:

[3star2nr]

What is he doing at 3:15 - 20? is he using power chordss? also it sounds like hes playing mixolydian? I want to learn this solo its so bad ass

[fullmoon204]

Thank You MTV circa 1981..

[TheMItchonary]

does anyone else think Zappa looks like Borat?

[voicesinmehead]

@TheMItchonary definetly when hes on crossfire

[SupernalOne]

nice Les Paul - one always wants to see a superior instrument played by a superior musician - and I'm not disappointed

[MarcBeckK]

honestly Adrian Belew sung it muuuuch better, the way he sings it is amazing. I showed it to a friend who had only heard a minimal of Zappa and his mind was blown, couldn't talk about anything else for an hour afterwards.

[lofasztaseggedbe]

why i tought that Frank Zappa sucks? :(

[therealCanablisS]

@lofasztaseggedbe wtf

[mYLan333]

MINKIA VINCE'!!! How many Times You are Bigger than rhe Bigger Hundred Times! 100 VOLTE C PLURIMI CASI C x 100 plurimi x many Casi x Chances Fortunes Times Ciao Grazie FLY0

[TheDUKEoYORK]

Gotta love this|!

[Greaterich]

For those of you who think you know music, if you don't appreciate Zappa then you don't know #%%t. Frank is and was one of the most underated guitarist of all time.

He always had the absolute best musicians on stage and was a musical perfectionist. Iv'e seen him stop the musicians in mid song to start over because it was not perfect. Absolute genius. Thanks for the video man

[fredhandl]

How can anyone, with a sane mind and an IQ over 53 not like this?

[TheTimananda]

I was at this show at the Felt Forum, if I am not mistaken. Zappa did "live" like nobody else.

[smacman68]

That drummer looks like he's 16! This ROCKS!

[janeirush]

a los que no les gusto chingan su madre

[CRAMERR69]

Terry Bozzio is a monster! How old is he here; 16-17?

[DarthKazi]

@CRAMERR69 That's Chad Wackerman. Terry left the band in 1979 to do Missing Persons. Terry was born in 1950, so he's over 60 now. He was only 10 years younger than Frank. How weird is that?!

[CRAMERR69]

@DarthKazi

Yes, I forgot about him. Sorry, brainfart. However, did you ever see the Zappa Plays Zappa Concert tour?

FANTASTIC. The year I went, 2006, Bozzio and Vai were with him. the best show I've ever seen.

Frank is one of my favorite guitarists, and Dweezil is ALMOST better than his dad was.

[DarthKazi]

@DarthKazi Dweez is definitely talented, a chip off the old block. But he spent more time on guitar than Frank did. Frank was more obsessed with drawing "dots on paper" as he admits in his book, than being a "virtuoso" at an instrument. Frank was visceral and drew from pure emotion when he played.... but he couldn't pull off half the stuff he wrote, so he hired Vai and all those badasses over the years. I saw ZPZ with Bozzio/Vai and it was mind-blowing. But, I miss the man himself...

[asibenoo]

やばっ、初めて聴いたけどカッコよすぎ。。やられたは。。

[pb999999999]

I love how he just plays the solo and then sits it out

[missinformationage]

7 people got the squints

[JM13121]

Zappa was an original, there will never be another musician like him.

[midifromhell]

This is fantastic! I can't even imagine how he trained his band to do all that stuff.

But I keep wondering what the hell he's singing about.

[429cuinTbird]

57 yr old and I owe everything I do in music to the influence of this guy....may he rest in peace knowing how much he meant to me...

[h0merg0mez]

Tiny little tears, smaller than adult tears

[psftrules]

Ray white could sing like a bastard. what a voice. Darleene on you are what you is!

[fiftypl1]

 Steve Vai sounds like a typewriter!

[Ransacker65]

Vai kicks all of your asses at guitar so shut the hell up. Become better than him and then make your judgment, course you would still look like a tool then as well.

[collinrox]

I love you Frank Zappa



[bongojim420]

When Zappa plays the guitar like this I yell out like those sport

guys do for a touchdown! HAHA. ZAPPA is AWESOME!

[FolkHouseOmaha]

@ tropics1020 - Fair enough if you're talking pure technical skills, but even somebody as sloppy as Neil Young is still a great guitar player. IMHO anyway...

[tropics1020]

@FolkHouseOmaha I haven't listened to a whole lot of Neil Youngs guitar playing, rythymically he's pretty good . The only time i have heard him play a solo was on "southern man" and i didn't like it very much. I'm not a fan of guys that have a tendency to meander around the fretboard or play a lot of sour notes. I like guys who can play concise melodies over the chord changes. Hendrix wasn't technical at all, yet his solos on songs like Little wing and Bleeding heart were great.

[madeku]

@tropics1020 i know what you mean.. it's called WANKAGE.. gets on my nerves when a solo wanders without much direction (Neil Young is a good example,).. .. or doesn't really fit the song.....give him credit tho, Frank could could play/write some pretty melodic stuff. Watermelon in Easter Hay for example... even Willie the Pimp has some structure to it.

[sungretsch]

@tropics1020

What the hell man, so you don't like Zappa's solos for being "Sloppy" but you like Jimi's? Besides, this solo is great.

You people have to understand what it's soloing and what is following the scales up and down. This man, Frank Zappa, knew what he was doing melodically. He wasn't a tecnic master, but that's why he had Vai in the band. As he called him "Stunt Guitarist". And let me please underline "Stunt". Which is basically what people do on solo's these days. Fuckin circus

[tropics1020]

@sungretsch Zappa did play some great solos in his day, but this one wasn't good, that's all i'm saying.

[sungretsch]

@tropics1020

Well I like it! ^^

[tropics1020]

terrible solo

[FolkHouseOmaha]

@tropics1020 is deaf. 

[tropics1020]

@FolkHouseOmaha C'mon man, I am a Zappa fan and he was a great musician. But a lot of his solos sucked ass. Sloppy as fuck. Go check out the youtube account kokiat, and watch his version of the Bark at the Moon solo. Now THAT'S a good solo.

[teague67]

@tropics1020 you mean you didn't like zappa when he was "jazz" perhaps?

[maxliedtke]

@tropics1020

lmao, post a video doing better.

[tropics1020]

@maxliedtke Pfft...I can play a solo that is better than this, no problem. I just got a phone with a good camera on it , but i have to learn how to upload the video onto youtube cause i have never done it before and i am a tech noob. I will do it though, and you will be amazed that even a lowly youtuber like me can solo better the Zappa.

[lordpookus]

@tropics1020 post a video then

[dudemanwhoathe1st]

@tropics1020 there is no way. you can't match zappa.. guaranteed.

[misledto]

Stevie Vai is very over rated! Ray White is still performing w/ Zappa Plays Zappa and is in fine form. Anyone who gets the chance should see them. Not the same as seeing Frank w/ his various bands but still worth it.

Check out Chad Wackerman... the drumming machine and crazy Terry Ted Bozzio the wild man! God, I sure miss you Frank.

[speedwagon1213]

Vai is such a EVH wannabe.

[cjk9013]

@speedwagon1213 Why hate? Both are world class guitarists. There are those who would say that EVH is a Alan Holdsworth wannabe. Why can't you just appreciate great playing? You sound like a 14 year old. 

[billyzoom1]

@speedwagon1213 He better develop a quick addiction or two so he can lose his friends, family, teeth and tongue. Otherwise he's no Eddie. Eddie was a fantastic guitarist but is quite the failure as a person. Very sad.

[oofak07]

6 people shouldnt be alive.

[dronespace]

awesome

[moralreef]

ray white has a fantastic voice

[fellephant]

The Greatest!

[billyzoom1]

Ridiculous....that is the coolest thing I've ever seen. Never saw Zappa footage or heard his music, sadly. This is badass...

[FightTheElite]

@billyzoom1 Congratulations on discovering the awesomeness of Zappa! It must indeed not be easy to discover it if no one you know knows it. Look on the bright side though, you've still got a couple of years ahead of you listening to brand new Zappa stuff. I'd recommend: The Grand Wazoo (whole record) Titties and Beer The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing Joe's Garage Watermelon in Easter Hay Zoot Allures Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk and his film '200 Motels' is equally epic

[dudemanwhoathe1st]

@FightTheElite fuck yes. finally someone recommends the grand wazoo. no one ever talks about it, but its my personal favorite.

[FightTheElite]

@dudemanwhoathe1st

The music on the Grand Wazoo album is very nice, I think it is amongst the best stuff Zappa wrote... and the story of it, written by Frank for the inside of the album cover, is very funny.

[Ricksteady8]

@billyzoom1 this is just the start for you then epic footage but there is shit out there that will literally blind you from how he just puts other guitar players to shame nobody can do what he does; the intricacy and dexterity is just so damn unappreciated, take for example the 7 dislikes i bet they seen dudes in drag and hit dislike then moved on =(

[therealCanablisS]

@billyzoom1 gota fuck love new discoveries of this nature eh ,,,,,,,i know i live for something that makes me go wow and gives me gooseboops

[UncleIrv]

I love this tune, but I HATE this arrangement that this later lineup did, where he has the band do a lame Reggae vamp during the solo, instead of the HEAVY, TWO-POWER-CHORD CRUNCH of the original arrangement, where Terry Bozzio's goes insane on the drums.

[HighFidelityRob]

who are these 6 dislikes??? my mind is fucking blown.

[motorhead1995able]

AND A NOOB QUASTION. HOW DID HE DIE?

[prgvidiot]

@motorhead1995able

prostate cancer

[cojon5055]

zappa us president

[EdSpyk]

zappa the best!

[matbel94]

ma sta anche 'è uno più mostro dell'altro wooooooooo

[MjXllcommando]

why didnt he let Vai take a solo on this one?

[1963Pure]

@MjXllcommando Because Frank runs the show, Vai was just on the pay roll.

[ginna8]

@1963Pure And Chuck Norris was the roadie

[bobano666]

ty vole , zappa, kds jsi byl. když jsme bojovali proti bolševikovi\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\­\\va fan,culo\\\\,

[hyggahar]

Happy Halloween

[Zappa2324]

@hyggahar you too!

[killalavilla]

Wow! The Joe tone is strong in this one.

[rollagiovanni]

5 people are tiny.