Pha-Q Gail Zappa with your greedy censorship PHA-Q

[LuneyTune72]

Frank made great points that altered my life and showed me the reality of the world. The truth is we are all still animals, no matter how we try to run from it. What we create is our own, you make it for nobody else. The world was not made by the decisions of society, so don't believe you must follow any part of society. It's no wonder he was so rebellious, he was blessed with a mind that couldn't be programmed. He just didn't give a damn.

[LuneyTune72]

Listen people, Frank said numerous times that he didn't care about being remembered. Also, I have no doubt in my mind that Frank instructed Gail about what was to become of his music. What you think is right about someone else's property matter nothing. No matter how much we all love it for any reason, it is not ours to decide how it is handled. Frank cared about one thing when it came to music, the MUSIC. If you cry about it not being recognized well too bad, he wouldn't have cared anyways.

[LvnAction]

Gail Zappa is hindering rather than helping to further the spread Frank's wonderful legacy. If she can lighten up, and Believe that is possible, it would aid many fans and collectors in generating interest in and sales of his catalogue. If not, well maybe she'll have enough money left over after the lawyers fuck her over to buy a nice pair of pumps. Rant!!!

[chriskirby1985]

There is a major difference between censorship and copyright. Censorship is somebody saying "we don't like what/how you are doing/saying/showing and banning or removing the so-called offensive parts. If the Zappa family trust are taking Frank's stuff off YouTube, that, as custodian's of Frank's work, IS their right. They are not censoring you, as it's not a matter moral ground or ethics or opinion or even taste. Just pure legality, as it's their legal property. Find a better fight to fight man!

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

there is tons more other zappa videos that have not been taken down

[szt1964]

there is a couple of ways to look at it and I havent decided what my favourate is. Put it that way, basically Gail just married Frank, who was the genius, however, does she have a right to follow up on musical rights? In terms of the solicitors language, yes, but I cannot see the point that she owns the right of his music naturally. she should be generous about his legacy.

[thegirl44]

Let's look a ZFT's track record, out of tens of thousands of cease and desist letters they have only brought 3 cases to court, and they have lost all three.

It seems to me that making frivolous copyright claims limiting EVERYTHING Frank, including the 1985 PMRC hearing that YOUR taxes funded and television programs that they do not own but that used a snippet of song or video as a commercial bumper, shows that they are using poorly regulated sites to throw their non existent weight around.

[fatfreddiescat]

Gail Zappa needs to get a job. (and a good enema to cure anal-retentitive personality disorder)

[229095]

I'm doing a similar "test," with the third section of Zappa's testiony on the PMRC senate hearings over on my channel....it was pulled once, but it's back now, in full. We'll see what happens.

[Dollbreaks]

Note to self: Do not buy licensed FZ merchandise or CDs.

[youvebeenthunderstru]

re: my previous comment, I'm sorry, I misunderstood the issue. I thought the issue was with private video tapes, not songs. Now, songs are a different matter, that's very lame to take the songs down. Though I don't know if Gail specifically did that or not.

[lambsylettuce]

i just bought a f zappa cd. i can find it all online free easily (they are copied and it is fairly easy to obtain free music online especially when it is old). i do not care to support idiocy. this is 2009..there is not much one can do effectively about the freedom on internet. i would recommend reconsidering it as great advertising. Whoever is doing this

is trying to make a living from someone else (*cough F. Zappa), and not their own endeavors. This is very common sadly.

[terrybrass]

You know. Gail sued somebody in Germany for making a broze statue in Frank's likeness.

Then there's the whole hording of Wildman Fisher's catalog...

[229095]

Oh, God, don't even get me started on the screwjob done to Larry Fisher. I LIKE that guy, and thank God for Barnes & Barnes.

[thegirl44]

And Alice Cooper's first 2 albums.

[kc7fys]

FPC, I don't particularly like DZ's work, but I do like his involvement with his father's work--if it was my dad, I would do the same damn thing. But you are possibly a bit of an obsessive net-head. Continue to trace his stuff privately in higher quality through the mail and by P2P--but this--you have to expect that you're going to be shut down. If you had any creative output of your own, then you might develop a bit of a proprietary sense. Lighten up.

[kc7fys]

I meant 'trade.' Sorry.

[noklarok]

zappa is dead. if i die i hope my tunes are distributed widely and respectfully. I hope my talentless wife does not spend her last days doing the wrong thing to keep my music going. These vids on utube are not great quality but stimulate interest in a dead artist and let his fans remember, mourn and enjoy zappa's music.

[kc7fys]

FP, you have to admit you may not know what you are talking about fully. There are intellectual property rights-everything isn't free. Yes, you are creative and well-spoken (and didn't need to get out the thesaurus to make a point [epigone? come on.]) You have to expect some feather-ruffling if you use musical product that belongs to someone else. You're using the word 'censor' in the wrong way--this is just someone protecting what is theirs. FZ's work isn't yours, so you are not being censored.

[quen0cups]

By DZ To me, if you really have respect for my Father and his music you have an asinine way of showing it. By repeatedly insulting Frank's family and ignoring copyright laws you have proven the exact opposite of respect. Your obsequious fawning over "alumni" and your precious associations are embarrassingly shallow. Your attempts to draw attention to yourself fighting the good fight for Frank's music reveal what you really are - a depressing epigone starving for recognition.

Pompous ass

[flowerpunkchip]

so be it, the majority of Zappa fans believe Gail's attitude is not for the betterment of Frank Zappa's music for the younger generation to discover, but for the betterment of her heavenly bank account.

i don't care about recognition, you don't know me, it's Frank Zappa's lacking recognition as a true genius which I'm concerned about.

[homercrowley]

@quen0cups

I cannot respect the decisions to restrict Frank's music. Doing so angers us. The emotion is valid and is due us.

C&D the RIAA. We don't deserve them. How was his music distributed initially? Yes-Yes! Without the thought police, spread to others through cover bands and bootlegs and albums. Why restrict access? He is dying again-though by your own hand.

[homercrowley]

@quen0cups, oh and I forgot...fuck you too.

[willinkeywest]

I think they just don't get it. The money is only a part of his legacy. His art is the most important part. And if you don't allow future generations access to it in ways the are used to, it will die off. So the family may be able to make a buck off it for the next few years, but after that, their audience, and I am sad to say it, because I am one of them, will literaly die off. And Frank may be forgoten for centries, if not for ever.

You might want to re-think your approch, Gail.

[GreggaryPeccary]

Exactly, Gail Pha-Q!!! Pha-Q, Pha-Q, Pha-Q in your dirty old dirtbox!!!!

I like that lol

[anniegog]

there is enough zappa stuff here to keep us all happy for a long time, so why insist on irirtating the family. are you a beetles fan?

[skankspankr]

"What would Frank say knowing these videos on youtube advertise his music to a younger generation worldwide??" Knowing that Frank insisted on complete control of his music, image, etc, he'd probably be pissed. Sorry dude, not knocking you, just an honest answer to your question. Remember, Frank was the first to make it illegal to "sample" any of his stuff when that technology came out.

[thegirl44]

Yet he sampled the PMRC senate hearings for Porn Wars, which his crazy wife thinks means that she holds the copyright to those hearings.

If I sample Dr. King Jr's "I have a dream.." speech, I hold copyright to the song that contains it, not Dr. King's original speech.

Gail Zappa has gone way too far in ensuring that her children can wring every drop of blood that there is to be had out of that rock of nepotism that their father worked so hard to build.

[skankspankr]

I wouldnt put Dr King's speech in the same category, because Frank was a major part of the PMRC hearing. BUT, that hearing is public record, so I dont think she can do anything about it's use. "Porn Wars", however, was a copyrighted work by Zappa. Dont forget, songs like Living Color's "Cult of Personality" used bites from speeches by King, Kennedy, and others.

[thegirl44]

She still managed to have a copy of the PMRC hearing pulled from this site, claiming she held the copyright.

You don't think that she can do much, but when she is spending Frank's hard earned money on frivilous lawsuits, that she never wins, she can waste a lot of other people's time and money.

She's an ignorant woman, plain and simple.

No wonder Frank fucked everything with two feet and a heart beat.

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

does anybody know how many frank zappa songs are on here? MOthers of invention? tons of them. WOW!!!

I happen to have a video of POLITICALLY INCORRECT with Bill Maher. Guests were Paul Kanter & Chyna Kanter (daughter of Paul & Grace Slick) with GAil Zappa and one of her son's. It is HILARIOUS!!! they were discussing 'hippies', homelife, and raising children. It was FUNNY. Gail saying "FRANK WASNT A HIPPY! FREAK WE CAN LIVE WITH..." and her son talking about calling parents by there names...

[flowerpunkchip]

oh could you please post it on youtube for everyone to see??

pretty please?

[TEMPmichaelhansen]

i dont know it may be a violation

i haVE TO find the video first

vhs

[fzfan21]

Great post

thank you

[BushZappa]

Uh oh do I need to License my Youtube name?

In their efforts to protect the music and their rights, they are alienating new people. Music is NOTHING if it's not listened to.

[BushZappa]

but private home videos are different I guess. Still the main thing is the music licensing. Music is nothing if its not listened to.

[gangwolff]

frank fought to get rid of censorship so if gail is censoring his stuff that's just blasphemy to his name he testified in front of congress so we could have the right to enjoy his stuff............makes me sad

[skankspankr]

Frank also fought hard to retain control over all aspects of his business, and empowered Gail to make the business decisions when he died. He was bootlegged alot, and it angered him. Gail has been very shrewd and careful with the companies that have done business with the Zappa estate. Frank was an "avowed capitalist", and very much considered his creative output a "business".

[kc7fys]

Spankr has a good point well stated. FZ never had a spirit of free anything, especially the product that came from UMRK. Never. It's usually those with no creative output of their own that whine the most about their 'right' to obtain and redistribute it. Newer technology puts abilities in the hands of people--that require new regulations. When Frank left us, the creative output ended. It is their right to live as they choose from what remains.

[thegirl44]

It is not their right, however, to claim copyright on things that they do not hold copyright on, like the 1985 PMRC senate hearings. Gail has just been greedy, and stupid, in her lawsuits.

[skankspankr]

I dont know if she claims copyright on the actual senate hearings, that would be ridiculous if she did. The hearings are probably public domain. She probably does have control of "Porn Wars" the way Frank mixed it. I'll agree that Gail Z is probably a bit too zealous, and she puts his legacy in danger by not impeding access of Frank's music to younger generations. But, Frank was never a "million-seller" and I'm sure his family's welfare was formost in his mind when he left Gail in control.

[youvebeenthunderstru]

If she wants to censor videos that's her own fucking right. Just because he was "Zappa" and just because he was a "freak" doesn't mean he didn't value privacy and it certainly didn't mean he wanted various strangers bursting into his house.

[jasmincar]

yeah fuck off he's dead now let people listen to his music free

[youvebeenthunderstru]

My issue is with HOME VIDEOS. If she's censoring the music, then yeah, it's a bit weird. But private footage she has the right to censor...

[flowerpunkchip]

i did put that video back on and got an instant reply saying it was censored.... so i didn't try again in case they closed my account.... but now, i did a slight remix of it with extra sounds here and there to beat the automatic computerised censorship and i think it may have worked... so there you, waka/jawaka is back on the internet... but the sound sync is a little screwed up, nevermind, it's not that noticeable

[LeviVdBogaard]

great initiative

[exodyssey]

thank to people like you, i recently discovered many awesome zappa songs i didnt even know off.

[thegirl44]

Agreed.  Wouldn't even try to argue that.

[thegirl44]

He did the first time around :).

[thegirl44]

Well you could look at it this way, tons of cash, but ZFT won't be getting a shiny nickel from those vinyls.

[mouschnia]

YouTube is one of the few ways for music like FZ's to reach new listeners. It is not easy listening, it is not MTV material, it is not fit for commercial radio. If Mrs. Zappa wants his legacy to be forgotten, she's dead on.

[keramikk]

I think Gail is narrow-minded, or I simply don't understand her. Until now, when someone asked me about Zappa, I could say "check it out on youtube". It's good promotion and advertising for free.

[rdnzl23]

Do you happen to have the Girl in the Magnesium Dress music scanned to your computer/ready/ willing to send a craving fan??

[flowerpunkchip]

rdnzl23 (great name by the way, love that tune)

no i don't, but that can easily be done but I won't because of the ZFT and I can't risk having my account terminated :(

it's frustrating. I recently got "token of my extreme" on DVD, and would love to share that with everyone...

[TheRealDerfMan]

"King Kong" ring tone.... you know THIS guy's a fan!! =)

[Cheepn1s]

Good commercial opportunities here on youtube - to let people distribute Zappa's material. Why throw it away? Old fans buy and will always buy all kinds of stuff but new fans provide more.

kudos to you man!

[whatTheHeck34]

Gail and the Zappa Family Trust have every right in the world to protect their property. If you were a real FZ fan you would go out and buy everything Zappa you can and wouldn't rely on crappy youtube recordings, and if you really think that if Frank were alive today he would be giving away his stuff for free you are nuts. He was an artist and all artists want to get paid for their hard work.

[grant1r]

What happens when you cant purchase the stuff thats accessible via youtube?

[flowerpunkchip]

- i have every CD bar 4, tons of vinyl and some VHS videos and DVDs, so I am fan

- the stuff on youtube can't be properly copied, it's all in mono

- and the great videos that people do, advertise Zappa's music and help sales instead of jeopardize them ( i hope I'm right on this)

[zemoraes000]

I agree!

I guess "they're only in it for the money".

If Zappa was alive things would be very different.

[moebadderman]

Copyright Law, every word of it bought and paid for, is all about M0NEY and nothing else.

[pavelromul]

Ya, too bad that videos like those from MTV concert in 1981 were banned. Shame to Gail!

[Brock2097]

Hey thanks for this FPC, sorry yours and other Zappa videos got taken off.

[LucaBrasisBrother]

King Kong!