Chester Thompson's Audition with Frank Zappa

Legendary drummer Chester Thompson sits down with Don Moen to talk about his audition with Frank Zappa and what it was like to play with him.
Subscribe NOW to DonMoenTV: bit.ly/1In0KIP
"Don Moen Presents" is a new series from DonMoenTV that features in-depth interviews from various musicians, authors and more.
Follow Don Moen:
Facebook: / donmoenmusic
Twitter: / donmoen
Instagram: / donmoen
KZbin: / donmoentv
DonMoenTV is the best place to find new, encouraging and uplifting videos including: new worship music playlists, interviews, devotionals, worship training as well as live worship videos from Don Moen. New videos are uploaded every week! Subscribe today so you never miss a video: bit.ly/1In0KIP
#DonMoenPresents
#ChesterThompson
#DonMoen

[@jkorshak]

Don finishes Chester Thompson's thoughts . . . just let the man speak, please - he's a legend.

[@southsideman4891]

Nah he did a good job. You let them speak.

[@Dominic5hi]

Hey Don Better you stick with making faucets!😅

[@student702]

Not just that, he's saying rude, stupid shit! Hey, algorithm -- DON'T RECOMMEND CHANNEL!

[@randysnewbiebluesrockguita7782]

I was lucky enough in my life time to see Chester play with Genesis twice, once on the Seconds out tour and once on the Duke tour and he was awesome both time's, what a drummer.

[@victorhawkins3461]

Chester's fills on TROUBLE COMIN' EVERY DAY from the ROXY & ELSEWHERE disc are beyond AWESOME...and that awesome's a word I rarely EVER use. And I got to hear him play them LIVE with Genesis in New Orleans several, several years later. Thank you Chester!!!

[@pallhe]

I'm not a drummer but Chester is definitely one of my favourite drummers in the world. The stuff he did with Zappa is out of this world. Love his feel and sound on those records.

[@bongofury5924]

My first concert at 13 years old was Zappa in 1974 with Chester and Co. at Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, CA. I then realized how far I had to go as an aspiring drummer boy.........

[@Papabude]

You Lucky man !

[@ThomasQuigley-b1b]

Ahhhaha, beautiful. Seen this guy play before = master class. Thanks for the interview, made my day.

[@aldoparrington2118]

Chester is one of my favorite drummer's with Frank Zappa!

[@AndyAction]

Interviewer interrupted Chester literally just as he was about to make the whole point of his story, just to make a comment about “how old we are.” Amateur hour.

[@Mooseman327]

Yeah, that was bad. Had to put in his two cents. Good thing they could pick up the thread right away.

[@NathanLJustice]

Yeah ruined the story.

[@marcrogers1051]

He admits to being as old as Chester & doesn't even remember that answering machines weren't around in '71.

[@wayneriley7367]

Agreed

[@s.swanky1809]

The interviewer stepped on the punchline at the very end too. Too bad. It was a funny story that I’ve seen Chester give before and the guy ruined it :/

[@cherylbielich8425]

Chester I haven’t seen you for years. I remember watching your son Sean at the lighthouse in Hermosa Beach with George Duke and Flora Purim. It was excellent. I was 19 in 1974 1975. It was a great time. And we had zappas band members over to our place in West Hollywood for spaghetti dinner. It was a time of my life I won’t ever forget. The Baked Potato with Lee Ritinhour before he was famous. Weather report and Earth Wind and Fire at the Hollywood bowl. And Charlie Parker at the Troubadour. At 19 it was all above me tho I cherished good music and good friends and good times and so much more. Thank you for a wonderful few years before we all went our separate ways.

[@Huskerguy316]

Chester really went “screw those kids I’m playing with Zappa” love it! 🤣

[@jameswilson8433]

Chester Thompson's audition for the Los Angeles School District.

[@NicleT]

Exactly. I feel _clickbaited_

[@WhiskerWhippers]

Vinnie Colaiuta mentions the fact that there weren’t any answering machines in his Zappa audition interview as well.

[@dougpeters1625]

You are correct-I just came from that Vinnie video! Amazing stories!

[@lopez6934]

Chester is one of the Greatest drummer I know.

[@tylerasweet]

didnt talk about zappa or the audition at all. video should be titled "Chester Thompson's bus driving story"

[@daddysasquatch4970]

For those complaining about this snippet, the entire interview is on youtube and it is wonderful. There is plenty of insight into Zappa, Genesis, and Weather Report. However, the most inspiring aspect is the spiritual.

[@avatacron60]

As usual, people always doing what they are best at...talking BS.

[@pennrj430]

Why all the thumbs up? The video doesn't match the title. Chester doesn't talk about his audition with Zappa or what it was like playing with him. Am I missing something?

[@rogerpancake6803]

The greatest keyboard player ever ..Tower of Power live and in living colour ..listen to Chester ..great man too

[@frankaidoo597]

Can't wait for the full interview...and could you please interview Tom Brooks?

[@zolarczakl3880]

This clip isn't so much about Chester's audition for Zappa as it is about how Chester very nearly became a school bus driver. Other Zappa sidemen told tales of Zappa running them through the rigors of "impossible guitar parts" and the like, only to thank Frank for taking the time and then be told, "You got the gig." Love Chester, and all of the legendary players in the Mothers throughout history, but this video description is not about the audition.

[@rachels209]

I saw that clip. It was Stevie Vai’s audition. It’s gold to watch.

[@MiguelBaptista1981]

True, but if you search for the full interview, he goes on with the story.

[@Zappafantrust]

This is more like "Chester's way to the audition with Frank Zappa"

[@craigchapman8220]

Chester!!! One of the best ever…..

[@ClichéGuevara-2814]

Just watched a vid of Colaiuta remembering his Zappa audition and he also made a ig point about no answering machines. Neat. (...when I use his full name I have the urge to sing Catholic Girls)

[@TheSWolfe]

"Where are they now? Did they all take the vow?"

[@woodysdrums8083]

Love Chester saw him live in 83 with Genisis.

[@penzman]

Had the chance to see Chester play with Genesis, Jarry Park, Montrreal. Full moon setting over the stage and planes passing in front of it.

[@HarryJoiner]

I saw Chester play the Fox Theater in Atlanta with Genesis in 1980. #BEASTMODE

[@tommypwood672]

He was no slouch with Weather Report either...one of greats

[@tomstiel7576]

saw them together

[@Mooseman327]

"I don't know how those kids got to school that day." That's so funny!

[@sammyvh11]

Franks brother worked at my first job in 73.

[@ARGBlackCloud]

Waitin for the bus bus all day !!! You sure he wasn't driving in Texas and the kid waiting was Billy Gibbons !!! Lol

[@patrickcostello4146]

Vinnie had the same dilemma; no answering machines, but he just happened to be home for the call!

[@edvanesch178]

On of the best drummers his job, is just a busdriver! Cool Chester! haha!

[@orhunolgun5039]

clickbait title

[@ShakingTwoTrees2012]

The band's drummer is the school's bus driver...and there have been few better than the incredible Chester Thompson, in my humble opinion.

[@MrAilson]

Chester is the almost drummer in the world! God bles you! Ailson from Brazil.

[@woopteedeewoopteedye]

All those kids missing school was well worth it.

[@kimmvydareny8771]

"There were no answering machines in the hood"...........Perfect!!!

[@paulrhodesquinn]

What about the the Zappa audition? I thought an interviewer asked the questions and the interviewee answered?

[@snakefinger]

Tremendous !

[@alexwastakenwastaken]

Perhaps the wrong video was uploaded. I was expecting to learn something about his audition for Zappa.

[@bigfootpegrande]

Naughty Chester. I am glad it turned that way...

[@TimHanrahan-p3d]

Chester Thomspon got a job with Frank Zappa, and the kids got a day off school. All good.

[@truthdweller3454]

"I have no idea how the kids got to school that day." LOL, great anecdote, although the title is misleading.

[@codylukethevar]

Amen Cant wait for the premier of the full interview

[@cokeandtwirl]

Yeah, no incentive to watch any more interviews by this guy. Interesting chat about answering machines though - NOT!

[@vincentbasso4903]

I read a bio of Frank. Percussion was his first foray into music

[@muggy55]

Answering machines were available but like the first VHS machines, they were probably very expensive!

[@notgivennotgiven7776]

Them poor kids are probably still waiting for the bus

[@bertilknudsen]

«…his audition with Frank Zappa and what it was like to play with him». I musta missed something.

[@jonsmith848]

Boy u just never know. I briefly drove a bus in College while majoring in Music

[@terrysinger3512]

Frank Zappa only had, recruited, the best

[@planetzebulon21]

Zappa wanted him because he had just seen Billy Cobham and wanted someone who played as forcefully in his band. At least that is what Ralph Humphrey had said. Chesters Gorilla, onRuth, onRuth!

[@Mooseman327]

Ruth Underwood tells the story that Zappa decided to change drummers at this time after watching Billy Cobham and Mahavishnu Orchestra open for his band one night. Zappa was getting booed following Mahavishnu on that tour and he knew he had to make some changes and the best place to start was the drummer. Enter Chester Thompson.

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

Who was Zappa's drummer before Chester?

[@aweso100]

Well technically Chester joined when they already had a drummer, Ralph Humphrey, also a legend. They just played together till Ralph's departure early in '74. Chester continued through mid '75. You can hear them play together on the Roxy performances and other posthumous and bootleg releases.

[@aweso100]

Moreover, hearing two drummers play on Roxy/Elsewhere inspired Phil Collins to do drum duet stuff on tour with Genesis after Peter Gabriel left. First, they hired Bill Bruford, formerly of Yes and King Crimson. But he got bored and left, so they brought in none other than... CHESTER.

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

@@aweso100 Thanks dude. Roxy and Elsewhere is my favourite all time zappa album...loved it for 30 years. You think I'd bother to read the personnel listing sometime wouldn't you?

[@HeidiLandRover]

@@aweso100 Yeah - you can imagine Bruford getting bored with all that straightforward Genesis stuff :-D

[@godbluffvdgg]

We did have answering machines in 1971...But they cost 800 bucks and were like The early Beta machines...We had a driving school in philly...I think we got it at Radio shack...

[@sethwexler6910]

Please stop the interviewer!

[@rodrigosoares7126]

Don keeps asking silly questions... and never stops.

[@sheldoncooper8199]

Chester: Thankfully i knew Who he was in 1971. I thought Everybody knew Frank Zappa in 1971 wasnt he as Big as the Beatles between 1969 and 1971 ?

[@DingbatToast]

Audition?

[@fleetman5492]

Um....hello? What about his audition?

[@borgullet3376]

it's funny, if you're a Good Person, when people try to jam you up on purpose they just end up Blessing you

[@fortnitegameplay7461]

Bless the lord he is always here and faithful 😘❤️

[@TimNelson]

Stop with your interruptions. Jeez.

[@johnkonstantine9115]

Don= "uh Zappa?...hmm let's hear more about that bus route"

[@kultofstinkor5792]

Chester's thing... on Ruth!

[@johnm3152]

Chester's Bluebird bus

[@southsideman4891]

HAHAHA!!!!

[@fredrictengstrom9522]

LOvely Some busdrivers r philosophical philanderers musically wise Sf botanistlike DrT

[@zoundsic]

just ask your passengers the route, worked for me.

[@fords_nothere_100]

Love Chester but that was not a Zappa audition story - wasn't even a complete story. Def thumbs down and a "Don't bother".

[@matijakrunic7498]

Weakkk. Where is the rest of this.. seems abruptly cut off wtf.

[@nilanperera4774]

Uh...audition? This was about cell phones and school buses

[@DavidAllenby-y5f]

There's'nothing wrong with being a school bus driver, but this interviewer seems to think so , what a tool

[@terebrate]

bullshit clickbait. thumb-down for the channel, not for Chester

[@axisboldaslove5726]

The Horrible thing here is: Nothing about the Actual Audition...Not a Thing...

[@victormashatt2521]

Not as interesting as Steve Via or Vinnie

[@bennievargas2673]

Chesters playing is more interesting

[@michaelledford4751]

Just imagine the millennial generation who weren't taught to read maps in school trying ro navigate a vehicle without GPS ,its frightening how fast technology has changed,im old enough to remember when not 1 person me or my family knew had a tv set ,my father was on the cutting edge of in home technology so we had enormous JBL speakers that weighed about 300 lbs each in all 4 corners of our finished basememt family room and a JBL Paragon speaker dead center of the room,all powered by a series of 6 high power "50 watt lol " state of the art Mcintosh Tube amps,now keep in mind this was the 1950s when a years salary was about $2,500 a year for middle class and $5,000 a year for upper middle class like my family,around 1955 when i was 10 or so yrs old i remember going to the electronics store with my father to buy our 1st tv and him having a cow over the prices,now remember that thie man had well over $25,000 worth of extremely high end 5 channel hifi equipment in his home that would fetch an easy quarter million today ,yet he was shocked at whatever the price a color tv was & bought a $189 black & white tv with a massive oak cabinet amd a tiny screem around 12 inches ,i can also remember our 1st telephone which was a party line 5 familys shared,our phone number was " Cedar 900 60 ,how many here can tell how to dial Cedar 900 60 or a number like Monico 5000 & 9 ?

[@Flantomas]

ok boomer

[@michaelledford4751]

@@Flantomas Yup im a boomer and every experience ive had in life has been 1st hand outside of my parents house ,graduated high school ,went to war ,raised a family,built a business ,paid off our winter house & built our summer cabin on 22.5 acres ,earned Journeyman cards in 2 different trades and earned a crane operators license ,retired from my career & built the family business up to employ over 40 full time employees earning a middle class wage ,have traveled the country on touring bikes & saw all but 8 of our 50 states , now im teaching my grandchildren how to become Journeymen bldg tradesmen and still find time to be politically active. What have you accomplished in life Millennial ?

[@trashandcheese3636]

Answering machines existed in 1970 - just ask Chas Chandler! - Chester just didn't have one