Frank Zappa - Sinister Footwear II (live in NYC, 1981)

[@peter-ek3uh]

Ed Mann recently passed away... Great percussionist.. RIP ED😢

[@jordianme1441]

All Zappa song are original. But this one...this drive me crazy, I can listen this for hours wondering the same question over and over... How on earth can a human being compose somenthing so...incredible?

[@tarektohme2508]

horsefuckin' spot on

[@tarektohme2508]

came to reply to your great observation, found out I'd already done it

[@michaelwosslert9524]

Yes, how is it possible...🤔?

[@m13elidry]

Masterpiece and no comment...

[@TheWingus]

When Picasso started dabbling in Cubism, younger artists started trying to just jump onto that avant garde style and he would say, “Look, you need to learn composition, brush strokes, color theory etc before you start to deviate” Frank listened to and learned all manner of music before making his own style. He would throw out signals that would indicate variations for songs; like pretending he was twirling dreadlocks for reggae, had heavy balls for metal, signs for time signatures and you had to be ready to change at a glance. It’s why you never heard the same song the same way twice and why his live recordings were sometimes wildly different from the album

[@Napthalicious]

I read somewhere that Frank hired Steve Vai because he was the only guitarist he could find that could play his stuff, thus leaving him free to focus on writing and conducting. Utterly intense...

[@Napthalicious]

On that same note, Alice Cooper was once asked who the greatest guitarist he had ever seen was, and he said ' Frank Zappa'. He then described a concert he had seen as a teenager, wherein Hendrix, Clapton and Jeff Beck all performed live. Frank closed the show, and started his set by making fun of each of them.

[@Napthalicious]

And then he played his own shit..

[@Napthalicious]

These guys make Yes look like beginners.

[@cazgerald9471]

@@Napthalicious Was Alice under contract to Frank when he made that quote? Just joking, but Frank as a business man was the first to sign Alice Cooper to a recording contract on his Straight Records. Even if Frank hadn't a music career, he would have had a music business career.

[@Kohntarkosz]

Vai actually sent a demo tape and a transcription of, I believe, The Black Page, to Frank. I believe Frank actually hired Vai, originally, to do transcriptions of things that Frank had on tape that he wanted written down, things like improvised events that Frank wanted to turn into things the band could reproduce, etc. Vai also did the transcriptions that appeared in The Frank Zappa Guitar Book. The thing was, Frank didn't have a lot of confidence in his own ability to play some of the written guitar parts he had conceived, and that's why he brought Vai into the band, and that's why Vai is often times credited with "stunt guitar". So it was less a matter of "focusing on writing and conducting" so much as just wanting to the guitar parts being played the way he wanted to hear them. ANd I think it was less a matter of Steve being "the only guitarist Frank could find who could play the stuff" so much as Frank already had Vai on staff, he knew the music and could play it, etc, so he gave Steve a shot, rather than looking for someone else.

[@frankkranick3103]

I was there!! I will never forget it!!!! Frank was a genius!!!😎🤔

[@peter-ek3uh]

I was there too!!!

[@peter-ek3uh]

It took me 12 hours to learn this by ear.. Finally at 6:00am I put the needle down on the turntable and got thru it.. It would take awhile to relearn parts of it. But I could never find "real musicians"...it's like they only exist in China and they are 8 yrs old!!!!

[@peter-ek3uh]

My comments say 0s....am I being cencored again by this communist platform???

[@funkempfang]

comming from a hardcore-punk background, when I first heard this and realized the guitar,synth & percussion played in unison my decision was made to learn reading music......thank you FZ!!!

[@zolarczakl3880]

"The rehearsal schedule usually runs for roughly two months, six days a week, six to ten hours a day." That's how you get a band to play that tight!

[@fireandwater345]

Where is that quote from?

[@tixximmi1]

Zappa practiced for 4 months before his shows. And seven days was often used. When we did Waka Jawaka it was more like 6 months. But you're right, that's what is needed to be that tight!

[@perromanchado]

I wish all conductors would conduct as clearly as Frank did.

[@cazgerald9471]

Not only conductor but featured soloist XD

[@smorrow]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqXLn2mprqipnJo - good enough?

[@nylonsteel]

how they memorized this score is crazy.

[@peter-ek3uh]

I did it in 12 hours by ear. 6:am finally getting thru it without a mistake in 1985

[@peter-ek3uh]

I learned Rollo interior with a two track reel to reel. Third tablature was perfect. I had to slow it down two speeds!!!!

[@RedmanGlenn]

This really brings back memories. I was 19 and we went the Palladium to this show. I was really into the Grateful Dead at that time but seeing this musical GENIUS play his guitar and conduct the band really gave me a greater appreciation of all of his music. I was hooked on Zappa.

[@ZappaCrane]

I still am lol

[@peter-ek3uh]

I was there too. It went the other way for me. I was already a huge Zappa fan weighing in at 90 lbs!!! Now I can play a large repertoire of both on guitar!

[@peter-ek3uh]

I am the Frank n Jerry show!!!!

[@helpimarock66]

Never before has a song about Evil Shoes sounded so epic.

[@Matty88K]

The shoes were ugly, but not evil.

[@perromanchado]

Steve Vai, 21 years old. Amazing!

[@zolarczakl3880]

Lots and lots of coffee and being awake at night had Zappa's musical engine firing on all cylinders. Being able to get the band to play that stuff, however... Now that's the genius that was/is Zappa!

[@cazgerald9471]

The true genius in my mind is Zappa creating a business model that allowed him full control of his art. Self-taught composer, self-taught musician, self-taught band leader, self-taught music mogul.

[@zolarczakl3880]

@@cazgerald9471 Well put. And, as Zappa said in many an interview, there aren't many bands who have one guy paying for all of the salaries, tour expenses, etc. The record companies before Zappa went indy with Barking Pumpkin Records didn't give all the financial support Zappa required to mount his tours with the precision the members were required to play.

[@FVZCB]

​@@cazgerald9471 non ti conosco ma tra tante cose che ho sentito sul Maestro la tua è certamente una delle più veritiere

[@shred5]

This is complex musical composition at it's finest!

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

shred5 A lot of his tunes really astound me, but this one jesus christ i just about shit my pants first time i heard it. I get these chills down my spine its so godamn fantastic.

[@shred5]

I agree. This us even arguably the beat performance of It right here. I must have played it a hundred times, and it's never lost its luster for me.

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

shred5 Yeah i keep wondering if they used tracks from this performance on the Them or Us studio version. This is so well rehearsed and so well executed.

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

It feels the same way to me. Like you're hearing it for the first time, everytime. Just so timeless and masterfully crafted.

[@shred5]

***** Frank would take excepts from live recordings into studio material often too, but I'm fairly sure this performance was unrelated.

[@fabioernestotagetti5822]

Mind boggling...how can you just think of such holy shit let alone playing it!

[@sheercerebralpower]

I Fell in love with FZ when I was 14 years old…the first record of his I bought was Tinseltown Rebellion….I was hooked….then came Chunga‘s Revenge…..I was mesmerized…..then came Waka/Jawaka…..lifelong fan…. Since 4 decades…….

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

Hearing this makes my feet hurt! Zappa sure had a way of manipulating the senses!🤩

[@pedrosilvaproductions]

I can actually see a lot of Zappa's in Steve Vai's playing you notice that his playing was really influenced but frank just love them both

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

It's hard to pick a favorite bassist but I think overall, Scott Thunes takes the cake. His ability to compliment Frank was second to none.

[@grubbetuchus]

Patrick O'Hearn. I know it's not fair to pick one or another because anyone playing for Zappa deserves his due. But Patrick O'Hearn was amazing the way he propelled Zappa's thrust into fusion music into high gear. He was the closest to Jaco of any of the bass players.

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

Big Swifty Absolutely nothing like Patrick O' Hearn. Such a skilled bass player and that tone he achieved was out of this world!

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

Big Swifty His solo on The Purple Lagoon was legendary. It's impossible to pick a favorite between the Zappa Bassists. They were each so incredible in their own right.

[@renatomaffei2589]

My favorite too. Maybe cause I was introduced in Zappa by YCDTOSA 5. I like this precise and virtuous but yet punk sound

[@talastra]

Dave Hope from Kansas.

[@badazzpresidents23]

I weave in and out of Zappa's music, I need more of his CD's, but he might be the most important musician that ever lived.

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

badazzpresidents23 easily

[@TheBrainwaveHub]

this is nuts, what great musicians

[@hidroensayo]

the last 3 minutes are one of the greatest little pieces of music that i've ever heard. that's true polyrhythms.

[@bakura227]

*You definitely hear alot of Zappa's influence in Vai's solo albums.*

[@sheldoncooper8199]

@bakura227 Yeah i forgot the Names of the Album especially on his 1995 and 1999 Album.

[@talastra]

Yes, but I wish more in terms of songwriting.

[@sheercerebralpower]

Brilliant Steve Vai!!!Mucho Admiration!!!

[@matthewwalden656]

It’s difficult for me to recognize one of his bands as my favorite. But this one with Tommy Mars, I hear so many performances, just something about them.

[@GianiGighen]

Madonna, impararsi a memoria tutta sta roba dev'essere un lavorone immane !!! All kept in mind, whitout any kind of sheet, wow !!!

[@FVZCB]

FVZ❤

[@drj602]

Saw them on this tour in St Pete Fl. The “WHIPP’N POST TOUR”

[@tamiandjoseaguilar432]

Long time fan. First time viewing the video. Fuckin Awesome

[@sheldoncooper8199]

If You dont see the beauty in this music then you dont get Frank Zappa s genius its THAT Simple.

[@tixximmi1]

Many don't fathom his music. As Eddie says, "I was not impressed".

[@sheldoncooper8199]

@@tixximmi1 I know Nothing about music i cant Write it and i have no Rythem. BUT when i heard Roxy and Elsewhere from Start to Finish in 2006 7 O Clock in the morning under Headphones I KNEW this Guy was a Once in 80 Years Genius I had to Play 13 Frank Zappa Albums to my Friend Who is a music Teacher until he said he s pretty good.

[@rcjoe406]

He was very melodic in his playing nice

[@jimpalmer792]

As usual, it just does not get any better than this ! Thanks for being Frank !

[@talastra]

Drowning Witch

[@jimpalmer792]

@@talastra Well, 'you are not wrong' ! 😄

[@talastra]

@@jimpalmer792 Two of my favorite Zappa compositions :)

[@sheercerebralpower]

This is heavy and beautiful……

[@MrArtrock]

So freakin' great, mindblowing forever!!!!

[@amiramx]

you can have every day a mother day. just listen to zappa and the mothers!

[@ericpelky1246]

In my opinion some of his best work to me, but I still have not listened to all of his work. I can honestly say that this is a great composition on so many levels!

[@tixximmi1]

His best work is always the song you are currently listening too. :)

[@JonP1961]

This is so ridiculously insane, and they're pulling it off live! >shaking head in disbelief

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

JonP1961 Greatest band line up in the world. They could go out there and do anything.

[@dooberheim]

I believe the version on "Them or Us" was done live. DK

[@sonicart1808]

This was special..... Frank's solo was sublime, but all musicians here are phenomenal.. thanks for posting.

[@potchonk]

fooooookin great performance!! I almost forgot to breathe!

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

Chad Wackerman is such a beast. 2nd favorite Zappa drummer next to the one and only Terry Bozzio.

[@zolarczakl3880]

I mean, they were all monster. Aynsley Dunbar, who when introduced by Zappa would say "This is Aynsley Dunbar. He sounds like two drummers." Ralph and Chester, Vinny... Probably the least celebrated drummer was David Logeman. Not to say he wasn't up to Zappa's task, but short-lived and no folklore such as Punky's Whips, about Bozzio, Stevie's Spanking, Chester's Gorilla, Ruthie Ruthie - albeit a one-off performance, but you know what I mean. Billy Mundi didn't really have a folklore presence either, for that matter. Still, anybody up to the task to play Zappa's music were all "pretty good musicians" as noted in A Little Green Rosetta.

[@jonp4846]

@@zolarczakl3880 I saw Logeman live. He was incredible. I don't care about folklore.

[@zolarczakl3880]

@@jonp4846 I saw Logeman live as well. 1980. I always wondered, folklore aside, why he was so short-lived. March-July of '80. Vinnie came back from Oct.- Dec. '80. As I said in earlier post, any drummer hired to play Zappa's music had to be a monster. Just such a short-lived tenure.

[@jonp4846]

@@zolarczakl3880 I'm glad I got to see him/them live.

[@joesiciliano1097]

@@zolarczakl3880 he was a last minute replacement for Vinnie who wanted more money. Vinnie came back for the next

[@gavindavis1340]

The pink jump suit gig 🎉❤

[@incaroads001]

I've never seen this one. I was hypnotized.

[@FirBituga]

This is by far the best version of this song I've ever heard!

[@bigduggieface]

Another one of Frank's IMPOSSIBLE songs. The band is fantastic! They must have gone through many a gruelling rehearsal to get this song so incredibly tight. FZ is the greatest composer, guitarist, bandleader ever.

[@tixximmi1]

And the other 119 songs that they performed on this tour. And often, Frank wouldn't give the set list until an hour before the show. Each night would be different.

[@HouserKat]

no one quite like him. I could say he has inspired me, but if I was that obsessed with being like him i'd probably end up in a mental institute. amazing stuff.

[@bf1973]

another classic bit of fottage i've never seen before thx for posting. Frank was certainly at the peak of his guitar playing in the early eighties.

[@brendanengland8385]

Beautiful stuff

[@garytitone853]

While all of FZs work is one continuous piece of music, in the composition Sinister Footwear, The Halloween 81' Palladium performance is a crest of the mountain. The composer chiseled away from 77'-88' on various parts of the overall composition, first writing parts of the score on paper, some movements composed live on guitar, such As The Theme From The 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear(Persona Non Grata) and a ballet for orchestra and dancing puppets. Seeing this performance live, and watching it on video. For my eyes and ears, this is the peak of mount Everest. I have sincere hopes of this arrangement being performed on the Hallogram tour.

[@Scroticus_Maximus]

Miss you Frank

[@paulironmonger301]

Love Sam’s guitar playing!

[@Alvarodick1]

The master

[@chizmo7]

What a band.....Tommy Mars!

[@pacree]

My favorite Zappa solo ever was the tear-your-head-off madness that was Sinister Footwear Pt. III off of Them or Us. Why oh why did Frank never do the whole thing live? Guess I'll have to buy it again cause my turntable died ages ago...

[@sheldoncooper8199]

Dweezil also released this on DVD the Picture and Sound quality is amazing.

[@smorrow]

What DVD is it?

[@sheldoncooper8199]

@@smorrow Its called The Torture Never Stops

[@rangerwhite5165]

How his musicians remembered a set is beyond me.

[@tixximmi1]

Zappa would practice 100+ songs for a tour. Frank often would give the musicians the "set" for that evenings concert, 30 minutes before they went up on stage. One of the reasons Vai almost 86ed himself.

[@bobule]

The best

[@TheTimananda]

damn !! I was at this show !!!!

[@DavidLanglois1]

How Frank "sold his soul" (the Crossroads thing) was he went out on stage & sold every bit of his soul to the fans who were never disappointed. Did it every night. Dominus vobiscum!

[@Mrchrispy420]

Happy Happy! Joy Joy! Frank shreds! I wonder if he lifted tracks from this performance for the the recording on Them or Us. Flawless!

[@sheldoncooper8199]

Frank Zappa was ALWAYS 10 years ahead of his Time.

[@sheldoncooper8199]

@Zolar Czakl What i also meant with my comment is that Zappa allready had the Newest Keyboards and Synths back in October 1980. When all the other Bands had them in 1983 or late 1982. Ha Ha Peaches En Regalia New Wave a song from 1969.

[@tixximmi1]

10? He was that way back in the '60s. Still ahead of his time. His music is timeless.

[@drdotislovinlife]

LOVES

[@sheldoncooper8199]

I Love how 18 Year old Steve Vai was able to Play this Ultra Complex Stuff

[@RobvanSchie]

36 years ago!!!! How bizarre 🎸🎹🎼

[@fractionstein]

Thats a good explanation... and accurate as far as I can tell.

[@NicolasMarinoDiTeana]

quelle leçon de musique !...

[@tarektohme2508]

it's from another world

[@domysajo2cool]

was at the Nov 1st show

[@klaus_niemand]

Frank is not dead, he just smells funny

[@montbob100]

brutus beefcakes on keys be like wtf? steve?Steve said it's 30 pages of memorization and it was mad.

[@ketchupisevil]

omg it's the electric sitar

[@paolamarin2677]

Love Zappa!

[@FVZCB]

Anch io

[@knoxlobster]

i have this entire gig on dvd, its called the torture never stops... well i thought it was the entire gig,it doesnt have this on it.. maybe this is a sound check or something anyhow, my fav zappa song... always interested in hearing a different arrangement of it

[@jublaim]

It's crazy, but been listening for the piece since the '80s it makes sense. Not that impossible to memorize if you got a musicians brain. But to play...

[@amiramx]

folks, you want to hear FZ with completely new ears? get the CD from the ambrosius ensemble. a group who is specialized in baroque music. simply amazing. i discovered a new depth to the music of FZ.

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

One slight correction: Steve Vai is not playing a sitar here, but a sitar-guitar, which is a guitar with a buzz bridge and sympathetic strings, it still feels and plays just like a guitar but mimics the sound of a sitar. A sitar is a whole different animal in a great many ways.

[@evank6738]

I saw them on this tour in Chicago. Can’t remember the venue. Maybe Crush All Boxes tour.

[@rogelio958]

Cagüendiós, qué bonito. Barrock. Music is the best

[@smorrow]

Maybe his best piece.

[@jimvoit2678]

What a shame that this isn't on the Torture Never Stops DVD...makes no sense! :-/

[@ludofuzz3012]

Not on the dvd bonus the torture never stop ?

[@ListenToManicAntenna]

​@@ludofuzz3012 - No...big mistake by the Zappa Family Trust. They should have just included the entire concert!

[@Marie-qv6on]

How the hell did he solo over that? This is so beyond belief

[@TheRudySchwartzProject]

He's soloing over different chord changes than in later versions of this tune.

[@musicisthebestF]

Well i wouldnt say he was the most important musician that ever lived But i WOULD say he the most important musician between 1967-1989 i mean the man was the First to mix Classic & Rock and Jazz & Rock And he influenced over 4 of my Favorite guitarists Like Vai, Mattias Eklundh Mike Keneally, Christophe Godin, Bumblefoot

[@ThreeLeggedMongoose]

this song is like zoot allures+inca roads+ the torture never stops

[@ThomasAtzinger]

@YourArf yes, specifically a Coral electric sitar

[@unimobunka]

This was originally orchestral composition, for the people playing from the paper. Hell, these guys don't even need any paper.

[@smorrow]

Steve Vai learned these kind of through-composed Zappa tunes by sleeping with the tape playing

[@shakehandswithbeef5298]

Steve Vai on Guitar, vocals and light blue hair.

[@unclejoeoakland]

dick chanclor its not that he requires grooming...

[@DavidLanglois1]

On stunt guitar.

[@michaelbrown2220]

How come this tune is not included in the DVD, “The Torture Never Stops”?

[@Amysvinylexperience]

John Spirit brought me here ✨

[@komitaskomitaskomitas]

1:10 thank you

[@Kohntarkosz]

ANyone notice Frank is conducting in 3/4 time here? I had a friend who said he saw Frank in concert and everytime he conducted the band, regardless of what the band was playing, he appeared to be conducting in 3/4 or 4/4 time, which suggested to him that Frank wasn't really conducting at all.

[@nicolafiorillo4048]

Well, this piece is in 3/4, isn't it?

[@RustyTonesJr]

Best 13tuplet in the business.

[@benedictusmaladaptus2712]

Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman

[@melechgadol]

I need to learn the C instrument or interlude whatever you may call it, it's so utterly beautiful.

[@reinodjanghardt8604]

Steve starts playing a Coral sitar.

[@SkeeterMcBeater]

I can understand how perhaps one would name their song Sinister Footwear. But lord in heaven why is there a sequel?

[@diebydeath]

Sinister Footwear is a ballet in three movements. This is the second movement, and was released on Them or Us with the title "Sinister Footwear II." The movement itself doesn't seem to have a subtitle, but each movement has many subsections that have titles like "Sometimes They Make You Walk Funny" and "Then You Put Them Back On Because You Think They Look So Good On You."

[@jonescrusher1]

Christ man! You must have the ears of Zappa himself!

[@ari1234a]

I LOVE You Tube.

[@Kohntarkosz]

This has a killer guitar solo, but I like the version on Them Or Us.

[@DayBeforeTomorrow]

Frank was a genius arranger no doubt, but his music started getting a little overwrought and silly in the late 70's and the 80's. Parts of Joe's Garage absolutely blew me away, but other parts I skipped over after listening to them once! Just because its avant-garde doesn't mean its good music! Still, he was an American treasure!

[@vivalapsych]

Many well dressed people

[@afterdarktruestories]

Zappa's Vault. Unreleased due to Gale Zappa. Private arrangers will do it for about $300 and up. I have already asked Veteran Arrangers how much they would charge for such an intricate piece.

[@jeffreycoy]

Wow, that Greg "Opie" Hughes really can drum.

[@jeffreycoy]

@God In The Glass He coulda been a model!