18 June 2006

Somewhere in Nebraska

Yes indeed, here we are!

Driving through Nebraska on our way to Denver on our way to Vegas where we'll be playing at the House of Blues on Tuesday. There's a little more elbow room on the bus right now. Since we're making a long drive and we have a few days off, some of the guys flew home or elsewhere to visit relatives and loved ones.

It's been great being back in the states. The audiences have been AMAZING and I'm really looking forward to playing out on the West coast. I can't wait to share this amazing music, great show and moving experience with my friends and family. It's been great to see friends of mine at the shows in Belgium, London, New York and Chicago. Mike, Vanina, Deb, Kristy, Jami, Helen, Dimitri and Johnnaaaaay it was so great seeing you all and I'm really glad you were able to come out and catch the concert!

I am really looking forward to the next few shows, but unfortunately it signals the end of this tour....and THAT makes me sad.

HOWEVER...

The thing that keeps me from crying my eyes out after every show is the fact that we will be in rehearsals again soon enough! We already have two weeks of shows booked for the fall and will be starting rehearsals in September to add a few more songs to our repertoire.

Personally I have become a fan of the music from the inside out. I really wasn't familiar with the music of Frank Zappa prior to auditioning for this band. I had heard a couple of songs about 16 years ago. In college I was in a jazz combo with a guitar player who is a HUGE Zappa fan. We had a rehearsal at his place one day and he played us a few songs--I couldn't even tell you what songs they were, though. I just thought they sounded interesting. About 7 or 8 years ago I was played Joe's Garage while driving to a gig in San Jose, CA from L.A. I laughed my ass off and couldn't believe what I was hearing! Still, I didn't investigate any further until the call came in May of 2005 to audition. I had three days to learn/transcribe Inca Roads and Peaches En Regalia. From the first time I heard Inca Roads I have never been the same. I completely fell in love with the melody. It haunted me--not only because I was eating, sleeping and breathing it trying to learn it, but because it is soooooo beautiful - especially the way George Duke sang it. I couldn't get enough and I also couldn't believe all of the complexities of the song. I had had never been challeneged to sing such a gorgeous and difficult melody either. I was hooked. The vocal section coming out of the guitar solo really gets me every time. So now, on the shows, every time we start Inca Roads it takes me right back to those few days of my life that transformed me into a Frank Zappa fan and I smile.

As exciting as the prospect of doing this tour was, I never imagined just how profoundly life altering it would be. Dweezil presents his father's music with such love and honesty. And I am so moved by the fact that he is on a mission to reveal Frank's wonderful music to generations to come. I just love these guys so much. These are beautiful human beings that I get to share this experience with. I'm so thrilled and honored to be sharing the stage not only with brilliant musicians, but with the guys that were around to first make the magic with Frank. There's nothing like it. I don't have the words. It's such a blessing to be able to do this. Every night on stage is a new creation, every bus ride a new adventure...it's all one in the same. The hang in between shows only serves to enhance what happens on stage. It's too much! The beauty of it is that everyone in the band AND the crew realizes this. In one form or another EVERYONE has expressed similar sentiments.

Right now it's about 4am and Joe, Terry, Napoleon, Mikey and I are sitting in the front lounge listening to the 1974 KCET recording of Oh No, Son of Orange County and More Trouble Everyday(thanks for the specifics, Mr. Vaultmeister!). This is really something else. It is moments like this that reveal the profound respect and gratitude that Napi and Terry (and Steve too, of course, but he's not on the bus at the moment) have for Frank and his music. The laughs and the stories they share with us now are priceless.

Wow, someone pinch me. Do I really get to be a part of this???

Love,
Scheila

POSTED BY SCHEILA GONZALEZ AT 2006-06-18 23:26:05