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Being Frank: My Time With Frank Zappa
Author(s): Nigey Lennon (Author), Phil Stern (Author), Suzy Beal (Author)
- Publisher: California Classics Books
- Publication Date: January 1, 1995
- Edition: First Edition
- Language: English
- Print length: 154 pages
- ISBN-10: 187939555X
- ISBN-13: 9781879395558
Book Description
Since his untimely death from prostate cancer in 1993, the legend of iconoclastic musician Frank Zappa has continued to grow. The decade following his passing has seen the publication of a number of books, both sacred and profane, which examine his life and work, but the best, and only, up-close-and-personal account of the man and his music remains the original: Nigey Lennonâ s Being Frank: My Time with Frank Zappa. Musiciauthor Lennon maintained a personal and professional relationship with Zappa during the period which is generally agreed to have been the composerâ s most creative, and she invests her recollections with considerable musical and emotional insight.
â Irreplaceableâ ¦is the word to describe Being Frankâ ¦[Lennon’s] memoir is both spiky and musically literateâ ¦Lennonâ s previous books were on Mark Twain and Alfred Jarry, which indicates the kind of cultural perspective required to get a grip on Zappa: something brighter than rock-journo pedantry.â
â Ben Watson, author of Frank Zappa: The Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play
With new material by the author, a Preface by David Walley (author of No Commercial Potential: The Saga of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention), a Foreword by Greg Russo (author of Cosmik Debris: The Collected History and Improvisations of Frank Zappa), and an Introduction by Candy Zappa.
NIGEY LENNON is a composer, performer, and producer and the author of seven published books. She lives in New York.
â Irreplaceableâ ¦is the word to describe Being Frankâ ¦[Lennon’s] memoir is both spiky and musically literateâ ¦Lennonâ s previous books were on Mark Twain and Alfred Jarry, which indicates the kind of cultural perspective required to get a grip on Zappa: something brighter than rock-journo pedantry.â
â Ben Watson, author of Frank Zappa: The Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play
With new material by the author, a Preface by David Walley (author of No Commercial Potential: The Saga of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention), a Foreword by Greg Russo (author of Cosmik Debris: The Collected History and Improvisations of Frank Zappa), and an Introduction by Candy Zappa.
NIGEY LENNON is a composer, performer, and producer and the author of seven published books. She lives in New York.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
During Frank Zappa’s lengthy, provocative career, surprisingly few books were written about him. Since his death, however, a small torrent of material has appeared. Guitarist-songwriter Lennon’s personal memoir offers what might be called the private side of Zappa. Curiously revealing yet prim (e.g., she vends plenty of sex but no explicit, hydraulic descriptions; she uses blanks instead of some names), Lennon describes (all in the first four chapters) playing guitar with Zappa, being seduced by him, and sharing accommodations with him on the 200 Motels tour. Her revelation that Zappa was not the dedicated family man he was sometimes cracked up to be is hardly surprising; rather, what surprises is that it took this long for a tell-all, between-the-sheets bio of him to appear. What surprises somewhat more is that Lennon also provides genuine insight into the composition, crafting, and execution of Zappa’s intricate music. Mike Tribby
Review
Rare Frank Zappa photos compliment an expose on the rock artist’s life, written by a musician who knew Zappa personally and professionally. Enjoy a first-person biography/autobiography which presents Zappa’s character and performances like no other. — Midwest Book Review
