# End of Zappa Plays Zappa...



## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

By that name anyway.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/b...just-ask-frank-zappas-feuding-heirs.html?_r=2

This month, the Zappa Family Trust, which owns the rights to Mr. Zappa’s music, informed Dweezil that he did not have permission to tour as Zappa Plays Zappa — the name is a trademark owned by the trust — and that he risked copyright infringement damages of $150,000 each time he played a song without proper permission.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Sad.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Very sad. The best legacy for Frank was having his son out playing his music, keeping it alive. 

Recipe for an arsehole? Take a person and add lots of money - or at least the potential for money.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Very sad indeed and over such a ludicrous thing.


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2016)

Children ruin things. Sigh.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

Wow... that's ridiculous.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Zappa plays Zappa?

Well, someone is being played.

Peace, Mooh.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

There's certainly plenty of precedence and exceedingly sad ones at that. There were a number of news stories over the past year or so regarding these situations. The one I recall is the Martin Luther King estate.

Legal battles of Martin Luther King Jr.'s children threaten his legacy


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

And they still call that family?


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

wow...thought my family had issues...


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

He should have gone with "The Tour Formerly Known as Zappa Plays Zappa". An homage to a couple great artists there.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Dweezil plays Frank.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I guess the trick is to generate music that isn't timeless and is quickly forgotten, so that if anybody should actually play it, under any conditions, the descendants of the composer would be elated just to hear that it's being played.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Money brings out the best in people no?


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Ahmet's response to what Dweezil had to say;


An Open Letter to My Brother
By: Ahmet Zappa·Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Dweezil,

Strange to be writing this in public, but I don't know how else to respond.

After reading the article in The New York Times, I'm not sure how else to reach you. If we talk through our lawyers, it's not because I want that. It's because you've refused to talk any other way. I've been reaching out to you for months. I even tried to set up a family meeting so we could discuss all of our family issues, but you repeatedly said you couldn't fit it into your schedule, and that you weren't available to attend without your lawyers present.

Instead, you've given this incomplete, misleading story to the NYT and the media, and invited the whole world to take sides about our family business. Now, we're becoming "that family" – the spoiled brats arguing in public about who deserves what.

I understand you're hurting and angry. We all are. But the more we fight about this in the press, the worse it gets for all of us. We're not gaining anything by doing this in public.

If you're not willing to talk to me, though, I don't know what else to do. The New York Times has a story about a version of me that isn't based on facts or reality, and I don't know how else to set the record straight – or get you to talk to me – except to write this here, where people can form opinions by reading what I said for themselves.

If you want to share private facts and legal documents, we can do that too, because honestly, we both know what'll happen: it will give everyone a complete picture of what's happening. Not the distorted one that's out there now, which makes it look like this is about business crushing art, or me being a greedy asshole who wants to take away your rights.

I don't know how else to start, so I'll just respond to a few things I've read:

1. The article claims that you're no longer allowed to perform under the name Zappa Plays Zappa.
Not true, and we both know it. I have never asked you to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to use the ZPZ name. You've only been told that you can't keep using the name without agreeing to a fee of $1 per year, which you're fully aware of, but never mentioned in your interviews. I'll come back to that in a second. But just so everyone is clear:
Fact: You can absolutely keep touring under the name Zappa Plays Zappa.
You could do it tomorrow, and honestly, I hope you will. You’re a fucking guitar god and in my opinion one of the best guitar players in the world. You do an amazing job playing our father's music with total integrity. Your tours help keep Frank's name alive, just like the work Gail and I have done through the ZFT.

This isn't about your tours, or art, or even about you. This is about the way the Trust was set up ages ago: if any of us use the "Zappa Plays Zappa" name for commercial purposes, a share of the profit goes back to the ZFT, to cover the high costs involved in maintaining the business and releasing more of Frank's content for the fans. Period.

The point is: No one is stopping you from using the name, as long as you follow the exact same rules as the rest of us. And before anyone starts thinking that we're trying to screw you, let's talk about fees again.

2. The article claims that if you perform without paying the ZFT an "exorbitant fee," you'll be charged up to $150,000 for each song you play.
Again, not even close to true.

Honestly, this was the part that really hurt, because now a lot of Frank's fans think I'm some greedy dude who's just in this for the money. Can't blame them. It sounds like blackmail. Like I don't want you to be able to play Frank's music. If I read that article without knowing the rest of the facts, I'd think I was a greedy asshole too.

It's just not true.

Personally, I don't think the fee Gail asked for was exorbitant. If you want, we can share the exact terms with the public, instead of just asking them to take our word for it. But even if the price was too high, it doesn't matter anymore, because I didn't want it to be an issue for you. That's why I suggested a workaround.

So, if you're going to share family business with the whole world, I wish you'd tell them the whole story:
Fact: The "exorbitant fee" you're now being asked to pay the ZFT, to keep using Frank's name and performing his songs, is $1 per year.
That's not because the ZFT needs that money. I think we can live without an extra buck every year. It's because that token payment handles the legal requirement. Even though I thought the original fee was reasonable, I wanted to find a way to get us past this.

And again, it's not just you: it's all four of us. If I want to perform Frank's music, I'll pay $1. So will Diva and Moon. That's just the deal, and I think it's a pretty reasonable solution. One dollar, man. It doesn't seem like The New York Times knew that part.
And that's what hurts. If I was the greedy, deceitful asshole I'm reading about, I wouldn't be working this hard to find a way to make everyone happy.

3. The article suggests that this is all happening suddenly, that I'm changing the terms of your deal with the ZFT, and that you're being singled out.
Again, none of this is true.

First, this isn't sudden or new. That was always the deal Gail put in place – not just for you, but all of us. Gail's decision was always that any of us who want to use the name – you, me, Moon, Diva – can perform under that name.

But be honest: Frank Zappa's legacy isn't something we built, and "Zappa Plays Zappa" isn't a name that any one of us "owns" or has special claim to. We all got the same name at birth, and as the four beneficiaries of the ZFT, we all have an equal right to benefit from that name.

That's why Gail decided that any Zappa using the name "Zappa Plays Zappa" would pay a percentage of profits to the ZFT, where it could keep the family business going.

That rule doesn't just apply to you. It's for all four of us.

A lot of people don't seem to realize this, but when you pay that fee – not even up front, but with a share of the profits you made performing our dad's music, and selling merchandise with his picture and name – it's not like it goes into my pocket. Most of it goes to the ZFT, so we can afford to keep remastering and releasing more of Frank's music to the fans, and building the business.

I know the business side of Frank's legacy is less romantic than going out and touring with the music, but it's pretty damn important to me, and to the fans. It's also pretty damn expensive – and takes a ton of work. That's why Gail told us we have to sell the house: because she knew how much it would cost to maintain the catalog, work out deals with distributors, and get more content out to fans. Gail spent most of what we had just fighting to make sure we'd keep the rights to Frank's catalog.

And when the ZFT does have profits, we split them between the four of us. I'm getting enough heat on social media that I'm betting a lot of people don't realize that you also receive funds from the ZFT. Even when you do pay fees to use the Zappa name, and sell Zappa merchandise, you receive a portion of the profits from it.

___________

I could say more, but it still feels weird to be saying all of this in public, especially when it feels like everyone is hoping for more drama. But, if I keep seeing inaccurate and misleading articles about what's happening, I don't know what you want me to do. Pretend it's true? Can't do that. Again, if you won't talk to me about this, and want to work things out in public, we can. Privacy has always been important in our family, but that doesn't mean I have anything to hide. I just don't see how it helps anything to get the media and the public to take sides, especially when they don't have all the facts.
If you're willing to talk – and not just through a lawyer – I hope you'll call me.

Your Brother,
Ahmet


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## Guest (May 5, 2016)

Wow.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

And that, as Paul Harvey would say, is the rest of the story. Or at least the next episode of ZappaLife.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

That's a pretty impressive response IMO.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

iaresee said:


> Wow.


I will add a second "wow". Dweezil's stock just fell about 70% there.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

That letter put me straight to the other side but I still think there's more going on.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

amagras said:


> That letter put me straight to the other side but I still think there's more going on.


Yeah, not so sure about this. I found this statement a little hard to believe:

"That's why Gail decided that any Zappa using the name "Zappa Plays Zappa" would pay a percentage of profits to the ZFT, where it could keep the family business going.

That rule doesn't just apply to you. It's for all four of us."

I don't think anyone was using the name when Gail died, so why would she make such a decision, and which of the other three siblings would start a band called Zappa plays Zappa? So yeah, it just applies to Dweezil.

I wonder how much the ZFT pays Ahmet? I think he just wants a raise.


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## Guest (May 5, 2016)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I will add a second "wow". Dweezil's stock just fell about 70% there.


Yea. For sure.

I mean, three sides to every story, but that's a helluva second side.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Looks like the asshole award is shifting over to Gail Zappa 

Dweezil responds to Brothers open letter

Response to my brother's open letter...


My favorite piece 

_*---DZ: Let's be realistic, no one else in our family has been performing this music for the past decade. No one else in the family has achieved a knowledge of this depth about playing our father’s music. No one else in the family has any ability to play any instrument on a professional level. No one else in the family has the ability read charts or perform with the level of expertise required to execute this music commensurate with the standards our father set.*_

_*Our mother certainly wasn't capable of this task and it is misleading to present the idea that you, Moon or Diva are capable of playing our Father's music at this time or even in the foreseeable future, and therefore in need of even using the name Zappa Plays Zappa for any reason at all.*_

_*This isn't meant to be insulting to you. These are truths. If you yourself have the intention of changing your life style, learning an instrument, learning how to read his charts/scores, forming a band, booking tours and devoting the amount of time it takes to do all of this well, it would be more relevant to simply state that.*_


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I will add that I have seen ZPZ three times and the amount of work and musical ability to play those songs precisely the way they were written by Frank is a monumental undertaking. I can assure you that Dweezil himself has that talent and the bands he assembles are top notch just as Frank had. The songs are delivered true to the originals. So it's a lot of work involved.


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## Guest (May 16, 2016)

Quite a lengthy read, but, well worth it.
Tnx for posting.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

laristotle said:


> Quite a lengthy read, but, well worth it.
> Tnx for posting.


You may have been lucky to read it. I think he just took the page down.


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## Guest (May 16, 2016)

So it has.
Probably via a 'cease and desist' from Ahmet's lawyers?
or maybe he finally picked up the phone.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

laristotle said:


> So it has.
> Probably via a 'cease and desist' from Ahmet's lawyers?
> or maybe he finally picked up the phone.


Its interesting. There was some heavy hitting shit in there especially about his Mother


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## Guest (May 16, 2016)

There's a song in there somewhere.
Enough for a concept album.
'Joe's Garage has been Foreclosed'.
'Please exit via the White Zone'. lol.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Its back up under a different link, I suspect maybe some changes were made?

Response to my brother's open letter...


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

I just read it so without seeing the first posting have no way to tell if they were changes...


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## pstratman (Jan 26, 2012)

This is an interesting soap opera of a story- it sounds like Dweezil is getting screwed despite all his hard work.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Like Cyndi Lauper said: "Money changes everything".


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## Guest (May 16, 2016)

It feels pretty icky to have it all happening out in public like this.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I will add a second "wow". Dweezil's stock just fell about 70% there.


It goes to show there are always two sides to a story. It is a good reminder for me; perhaps a lot of us.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Questions, questions, questions... flooding into the mind of the concerned young person today! People are asking me, "Why this is all ZFT stuff happening?" The shortest answer is this:

There is a contract dispute that began in 2006 when the Zappa Plays Zappa tour started. My mother reneged on our tour merchandise contract, keeping 100% of the tour merch revenue for herself from 2006-2015. She failed to resolve this injustice in her lifetime. Ahmet and Diva Zappa have the ability to resolve the injustice as trustees of the ZFT. Instead of trying to make things better they have made things worse by demanding to continue to take 100% of the tour merch revenue from me and if not I am not agreeable then I am not allowed to continue touring, according to them. I can continue to tour but not as Zappa Plays Zappa. I changed my name to a perfectly legal new name Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa. Since then they have sent me misguided threats of prosecution and another CEASE and DESIST letter so and it has become quite an unfortunate situation. The odd part is I offered them a very fair opportunity to sell ZFT merch on my tour to which I would split 50/50 and they rejected it. I guess they would rather have 100% of nothing than 50% of something. Anyway that ship has sailed...

I can offer you some insight in to the questions I have myself by sharing the conclusion of my lawyer's response to the most recent Cease and Desist letter I received from the ZFT.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Putting all of the legal issues aside, none of the positions you have taken make sense from a business prospective. Dweezil is an acclaimed musician in his own right. To your own detriment, you have now stopped him from using his father’s name as a fair and accurate description of the music he intends to play. Dweezil has diligently and faithfully maintained a presence of his father’s legendary music within the worldwide public eye for a decade without any cease and desist letters from Gail Zappa. No one benefited greater from Dweezil’s efforts than Gail Zappa and the Zappa Family Trust, yet your client threatened litigation as soon as he became a trustee.

Dweezil has done more than anyone in the family, including Frank’s widow, to promote Frank Zappa as a musician/composer, as a brand and a cultural and musical icon. He has done so with humility and the utmost integrity. Your client has continuously tried to stop him, all the while ignoring the many musicians and bands across the globe who actually infringe on Frank Zappa’s name and likeness. What are you and your client really trying to achieve?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My final thoughts:

When there is an injustice what do you often see people do? They rally together, make signs and shout in the streets so that people can hear about the injustice they are suffering.

Since the efforts to deal with this ZFT matter privately have been met with threats I have been put into the position to have to share the story publicly and stand up for myself by figuratively walking the picket line with a sign that says ZFT Don't Tread On Me!

The last thing I want is for any of this drama to overshadow my Father's music. His commitment to excellence and his integrity have always been a guiding light for me.

I understand there may be some public confusion about all of this. Multiple name changes etc. I also understand that this drama may be a turn off to people.

At the end of the day I believe my father's music deserves to be heard not silenced. I will now be playing it with an even stronger resolve than ever before under the name my father gave me:

DWEEZIL ZAPPA

I would like to thank everyone for their support . Because of the absurdity of it all I have named our upcoming tour the CEASE AND DESIST TOUR 2016.

We are still celebrating 50 Years Of Frank Zappa Music!










Come and join us on the road this Summer and this Fall!


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

Marc Maron recently had Dweezil on as a guest on his WTF Podcast. It's a great listen for guitar nerds and music nerds alike. He talks at length about his dad's work ethic, the strange characters coming and going from the house when he was a kid and how he spent hour upon hour trying to learn Frank's music note-for-note for the Zappa Does Zappa shows. What struck me as odd, however, was that Dweezil never referred to his dad as "dad"--he just referred to him as Frank. Seemed a little cold or business-like. It's a fantastic listen though. Here's the link:

Episode 688 - Dweezil Zappa


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

JethroTech said:


> What struck me as odd, however, was that Dweezil never referred to his dad as "dad"--he just referred to him as Frank. Seemed a little cold or business-like.


I have a vague memory that Frank wanted it that way... I may have just made that up though... wouldn't be the first time.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2016)

When I was a teenager, I worked with my dad during a summer.
He insisted that I call him by his name because it seemed weird on the job site in front of others to call him 'dad'.
I tell my nieces and nephews not to use the term 'uncle' when addressing me.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

I grew up calling my father and mother by their first names. That's what everyone else called them so that's what I learned to do!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

JethroTech said:


> Marc Maron recently had Dweezil on as a guest on his WTF Podcast. It's a great listen for guitar nerds and music nerds alike. He talks at length about his dad's work ethic, the strange characters coming and going from the house when he was a kid and how he spent hour upon hour trying to learn Frank's music note-for-note for the Zappa Does Zappa shows. What struck me as odd, however, was that Dweezil never referred to his dad as "dad"--he just referred to him as Frank. Seemed a little cold or business-like. It's a fantastic listen though. Here's the link:
> 
> Episode 688 - Dweezil Zappa


I was listening to Episode 718 last night, where Dweezil returns to discuss his current "situation". http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-718-deon-cole-dweezil-zappa It sounds like Gail Zappa kinda went off the deep end towards the end of her life and was expressing some sort of passive-aggressive resentment. Dweezil gets pretty choked up in places (e.g., discussing how Gail essentially blocked Frank's brother from having any contact with Frank towards the end of his life). I don't see this ending well. The best one could hope for is that it doesn't end as badly as it could.

Maron's podcasts are often fascinating conversations. Small wonder that Pres. Obama agreed to do one. http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_613_-_president_barack_obama Many of the episodes can be downloaded, but that one can't be.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2016)

That Maron interview with Obama was amazing. His podcast is a staple in my commute podcast rotation.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Appreciate the post. I checked out the podcasts. Some good stuff. I have added it to my list.


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

Zappa is still playing Zappa

Whatever anyone thinks of the situation and individuals involved, at least Frank's music is still getting out there.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Did Frank have a favourite? Or did he love them all? Was there no love in the family? Now and then, money and music might seem like super important things, but... etc, etc.


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