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Dweezil Zappa

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Dweezil Zappa
Zappa in 1996
Zappa in 1996
Background information
Birth nameIan Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa
Born(1969-09-05)September 5, 1969(age 55)
OriginLos Angeles,California,U.S.
Genres
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
Years active1986–present
Labels
Member of
Spouse
Lauren Knudsen
​
​
(m.2005;div.2010)​
PartnerLisa Loeb(1998–2004)
Websitedweezilzappa.com

Dweezil Zappa(bornIan Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa;September 5, 1969) is an Americanrockguitaristand occasional actor. He is the son of musical composer and performerFrank Zappa.Exposed to the music industry from an early age, Zappa developed a strong affinity for playing the guitar and producing music. Able to learn directly from guitarists such asSteve VaiandEddie Van Halen,Zappa released his first single (produced by Eddie Van Halen) at the age of 12.[1]

In addition to writing and recording his own music, Zappa has carried on the legacy of his father's music by touring with the groupZappa Plays Zappa.The band features renditions of Zappa's original material and the lineup has often included Zappa alumni such asNapoleon Murphy Brock,Steve Vai,Terry Bozzioand others.

Early life

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Dweezil Zappa was born on September 5, 1969, inLos Angeles,California, toFrank ZappaandGail Zappa.[2][3]He is the second of four siblings: his older sister,Moon,younger sisterDivaand younger brotherAhmet,and is the cousin of actressLala Sloatman.[4]Zappa's father was of Sicilian, Greek, Arab, and French descent, and his mother was of German and Portuguese ancestry.[5]

Dweezil's registered birth name wasIan Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa.[6]The nurse at thehospitalat which he was born refused to register him under the name Dweezil, to the point of arguing with Gail in the delivery room about it. Rattled at this turn of events, Frank rapidly listed the names of several musician friends, and the nurse added all of them to the birth certificate. "Dweezil" was a nickname coined by Frank for a funny-looking pinky toe of Gail's. At the age of five years, Dweezil learned that his legal name was different, and he insisted on having his nickname become his legal name. Gail and Frank hired an attorney and soon the name Dweezil was official.[3]

Career

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In the 1980s, Zappa worked as anMTVVJ and was promptly fired after badmouthing MTV onThe Howard Stern Show.He also recorded some solo albums, as well as playing for other artists. Zappa can be heard playing lead guitar onthe Fat Boys' "Wipe Out" (1987) and can be seen in the music video forDon Johnson's top 40 song, "Heartbeat". He also played co-lead guitar (along withReb Beach) onWinger's cover ofJimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze".He also had a part in thefuturisticArnold SchwarzeneggerfilmThe Running Manas Stevie ( "Don't touch that dial!" ), and gave his most famous cameo role inJohn Hughes'sBrat Packfilm,Pretty in Pink,as Andie's friend, Simon.

Since the 1990s, Zappa has been working on a piece of music named "What the Hell Was I Thinking?", a 75-minute piece featuring guitar solos by dozens of famous guitar players. The project has suffered from numerous difficulties and has been reworked several times since the '90s. Zappa said in September 2004:[7]"I started recording it on analog tape almost 13 years ago... There are probably about 35 guest guitar players on it, everybody fromBrian MaytoEddie Van Halen,Eric Johnson,AngusandMalcolm Young—it's quite a crazy project. I'm still waiting and hoping to recordJeff BeckandJimmy Pageas some of my final guests on there. "[7]

For his 1991 albumConfessions,Zappa recorded a cover ofthe Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive"which featured vocals byOzzy Osbourne.However, due to Osbourne's label refusing to allow the feature, the vocals were re-recorded byDonny Osmond,who was signed to the same label as Zappa.[8]The version with Osbourne's vocals later appeared on Osbourne's box setPrince of Darkness.

In the mid-1990s, Zappa voiced the characterAjax Duckmanon the animated seriesDuckman.He also briefly appeared in the television sitcomNormal Lifewith sisterMoon Unit Zappaand formerLaverne & ShirleystarCindy Williams.He composed and performed the theme music forThe Ben Stiller Show(the solo from Spinal Tap's "Break Like the Wind" ). In 1998, Zappa played music agent John Kaplan in theWarner Bros.family comedyJack Frost.In 1999, Dweezil, alongside his brother,Ahmet Zappa,starred in a show featuring celebrities, bands and dance troupe calledHappy Hourwhich debuted April 3, 1999, on theUSA Network.The show lasted for one season despite its success due to acopyrightdispute over the title of the show. To promote the show, he and Ahmet appeared briefly on theWorld Wrestling Federation's Rage Party, held the night prior toWrestleMania XV.

Dweezil Zappa performing on the "Zappa Plays Zappa"tour in 2006

In"Weird Al" Yankovic's 2003 eleventh studio albumPoodle Hat,Zappa performs the opening guitar solo and sings on the track, "Genius in France".In 2006, Zappa organized the"Zappa Plays Zappa"tour. He assembled a band of young musicians with a view to bring the music ofFrank Zappato a younger audience. The tour also featured guest appearances bySteve Vai,Napoleon Murphy BrockandTerry Bozzio.The tour began in Europe in May with dates in the U.S. from June. After a break it continued in the U.S. on October 18, 2006. The 2007 version of the tour ran from July, finishing in Australia in early December, and featuredRay Whiteas special guest. The shows ended with the promise: "There are so many songs we want to learn to play... see y'all next year... ", and further tours have followed each year since 2007.[9]In 2009, Ray White left Zappa Plays Zappa for an undisclosed reason.[10]

Zappa lent his voice to one of the characters in one episode ofMetalocalypseonAdult Swim.

In 2016, Zappa went on tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of Frank Zappa's albumFreak Out!.The tour was titled "50 Years of Frank: Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever the F@%k He Wants – The Cease and Desist Tour".[11]The tour title was inspired by Zappa's feud with his brother Ahmet over the use of the "Zappa Plays Zappa" moniker, which resulted in Ahmet sending Zappa a cease-and-desist letter through the family trust.[12]

Personal life

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Dweezil Zappa at Bluesfest 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario

In the 1980s, Zappa dated actressesMolly RingwaldandDemi Moore,and journalistKatie Wagner.[13][14]

From 1998 to 2004, Zappa dated musicianLisa Loeb.Zappa and Loeb wrote and performed music together, and Zappa toured with Loeb's band. The couple co-hosted the cooking showDweezil & LisaonFood Networkin 2004.

Zappa married fashion stylist Lauren Knudsen on September 3, 2005, inLos Angeles.They have two daughters: Zola Frank Zappa (b. 2006) and Ceylon Indira Zappa (b. 2008).[15][16]In March 2010 Knudsen filed for divorce in L.A. County Superior Court. According to the documents, she applied to share legal custody of their two daughters.[17]In March 2012, with the divorce case still unresolved, Zappa's former lawyer made a public issue of his unpaid legal bills.[18]

Following the death of Zappa's mother, Gail, in October 2015, it was revealed that his siblings Ahmet and Diva were given control of the Zappa Family Trust with shares of 30% each, while Dweezil and his sister Moon were given smaller shares of 20% each.[12]As beneficiaries only, Moon and Dweezil will not receive any distributions from the trust until it is profitable—in 2016, it was "millions of dollars in debt"[12]—and must seek permission from Ahmet, thetrustee,to make money off of their father's music or merchandise bearing his name. Dweezil received acease and desistletter from the trust after he announced that he was being forced to perform his upcoming tour as "Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa" instead of using "Zappa Plays Zappa". In response to the trust's action, he renamed his performance series "50 Years of Frank: Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever the F@%k He Wants—the Cease and Desist Tour".[12]

In May 2018, the four siblings announced that they had reconciled.[19]But as of August 2024, Dweezil was no longer speaking with his siblings.[20]

Musical equipment

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Guitars

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  • Gibson SG– made of walnut, the main guitar on theF. O. H.album of Zappa Plays Zappa[21]
  • Gibson Les Paul– 1958 reissue, wired likeJimmy Page's.[21]Dweezil currently owns & plays the Les Paul Custom his father played between 1980-1982 and was featured on the cover ofShut Up n' Play Yer Guitar.
  • Gibson Roxy SG– a replica of a guitar played by Frank Zappa on tour and in the studio during the '60s and '70s, the original Roxy SG can be seen depicted on theRoxy and Elsewherealbum cover. Gibson produced a limited run of 400 Roxy SGs, featuring custom electronics and Maestro vibrola tail piece. Zappa has used his own Roxy during Zappa Plays Zappa tours.[22]Dweezil also owns & uses the original Roxy SG.
  • Fender Stratocaster- On previous Zappa Plays Zappa tours, Dweezil used stock FenderEric JohnsonSignature Stratocasters.[23]At one point, Dweezil owned a Strat previously used by Jimi Hendrix and given to Frank[24]
  • Shabat Lynx DZ- The Lynx DZ is Dweezil’s heavily modded Shabat Lynx model, including his body-mounted HSS configuration with a push/pull phase shift on the middle pickup, simplified single-knob layout, custom-cut 3-ply parchment/gold pickguard, and fitted with a Vega-Trem VT1 tremolo. The Shabat Lynx DZ was regularly used on his 2024 "Rox(Postroph)Y Return of the Son of..." tour.

Amplifiers

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  • Fractal Audio Axe-FX 2
  • Fractal Audio Axe-FX III

Discography

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Dweezil Zappa (2015) in Aarhus, Denmark

Solo

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With Ahmet Zappa

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With Zappa Plays Zappa

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Guest appearances

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References

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  1. ^"Dweezil Zappa World Bio".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-06-29.Retrieved2015-06-25.
  2. ^Corcelli, John (2016).Frank Zappa FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Father of Invention.Hal Leonard Corporation.ISBN978-1-61713-673-3.
  3. ^abZappa, Frank; Occhiogrosso, Peter (1990),The real Frank Zappa book,Simon & Schuster, p. 254,ISBN0-671-70572-5,Snippet view page 245
  4. ^"Lala Sloatman at IMDB".IMDb.Retrieved2014-02-09.
  5. ^Miles, Barry (2004).Zappa.Grove Press. p.124.ISBN0-8021-1783-X.
  6. ^These were the names of Frank Zappa's musicians and associatesIan Underwood,Don van Vliet,Calvin SchenkelandEuclid James "Motorhead" Sherwood;see"What are the names of Frank Zappa's kids?".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-03-25.Retrieved2007-08-06.
  7. ^abJames, Daniel (September 2004)."Dweezil Zappa: 64-bit Computing & The Frank Zappa Archive".Sound on Sound.Retrieved2008-02-20.
  8. ^"RAISE TWO VOICES".Los Angeles Times.March 29, 1991.Retrieved2022-09-27.
  9. ^"Tour Dates".Zappa Plays Zappa. 2013-08-20. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-09-02.Retrieved2013-09-02.
  10. ^"Ray White Leaves Zappa Plays Zappa".Kill Ugly Radio. 3 April 2009.Retrieved2013-09-02.
  11. ^Grant, SarahDweezil Zappa on Fight for Family Name, Reviving 'Freak Out!'Archived2018-05-20 at theWayback MachineRolling Stone.June 22, 2016
  12. ^abcdRandall Roberts (24 June 2016)."It's brother and sister against brother and sister in bitter fight over control of Frank Zappa's legacy".www.latimes.com.Retrieved2017-03-25.
  13. ^"New Again: Molly Ringwald".Interview Magazine.2012-12-04.Retrieved2023-11-04.
  14. ^Wuench, Kevin (March 24, 2015)."Can you name the 'hit' song by the Dweezil and Moon Unit Zappa".Tampa Bay Times.Retrieved2023-11-04.
  15. ^Edler, Molly Snyder (2007-06-17)."Dweezil and Frank reunite in" Zappa Plays Zappa "".Archived fromthe originalon 2008-06-15.Retrieved2008-02-20.
  16. ^Zappa, Dweezil (2008-06-06)."On the road again/Dyna Flangers".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-09-27.Retrieved2009-04-13.
  17. ^"Lauren Knudsen Leaves Dweezil Zappa: Pictures".Zimbio.com.Retrieved2013-09-03.
  18. ^"Dweezil Zappa Sued By Lawyer".Gossip.whyframe.com. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-05-18.Retrieved2013-09-03.
  19. ^"Dweezil Zappa Announces Reconciliation With His Siblings & Zappa Family Trust After Years-Long Feud".liveforlivemusic.com.17 May 2018.Retrieved2020-03-21.
  20. ^Edgers, Geoff (9 August 2024)."Frank Zappa's kids are still grappling with his legacy — and each other".Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on 9 August 2024.Retrieved9 August2024.
  21. ^abLevy, Frank (July 2012). "Dweezil Zappa".Guitar Player.pp. 42–46.
  22. ^"Gibson Roxy SG Description Page".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-06-23.Retrieved2015-06-25.
  23. ^Shadrick, Jason (January 1, 2013)."Rig Rundown - Dweezil Zappa".
  24. ^Normans Rare Guitars (2011-07-22).Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster brought in by Dweezil Zappa at Norman's Rare Guitars.Retrieved2024-09-18– via YouTube.
  25. ^"Dweezil Zappa: F.O.H. 3 – Out Of Obscurity".11345.com. 2012-11-10. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-03-23.Retrieved2013-09-02.
  26. ^NOTE: although recorded 12-23-84, the above version of "Sharleena" was first released as a 7 "flexidisc in the January 1987 issue ofGuitar Playermagazine.
  27. ^Album liner notes
  28. ^"Extreme II: Pornograffitti CD Album".Cduniverse.com.Retrieved2013-09-03.
  29. ^Conker: Live and Reloaded: Original Soundtrack from the Xbox Video GameatAllMusic
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