Frank Zappa explains on “The Cutting Edge” the decline and fall of the music industry and comes to a surprising conclusion that the cigar-chomping old guys was better for pushing new music that they didn’t understand than the supposedly conservative hip

Here's Frank Zappa explaining what went wrong with the music industry -- it all went sour when the clueless, cigar-chomping old guys hired hippies who "understood music" to do the picking. Where not otherwise specified, this work is licensed under a Crea

Columnist Bill Locey tells you what to know about where to go and gives his humble advice on new albums. Check out his blog >> Frank Zappa was too cool or too weird — depending. He's been gone since 1993, but his music lives on in the capable hands of hi

In 1968, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were under contract to Verve Records, but the controversial artist was unhappy. The record company was editing his albums without his permission, butchering his art with their commercial cowardice, and he

While Wee Trio’s third album is ostensibly built on the melodies of David Bowie, it’s hard not to hear the spirit of Frank Zappa throughout the 31 minutes of this set. Most obviously, vibraphonist James Westfall is reminiscent of the contributions Ruth U

The Monkees were a Beatles-inspired TV pop group consisting of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, and Mike Nesmith. For two seasons (1966-1968) the band starred in a very entertaining, creative, and ground-breaking TV series, based mainly on the Beatl

“I like to think people can’t be bothered to download things any more and now they want something they can hold,” says the man who has been in the business for 17 years. There is plenty for people to get their hands on inside the little shop in the midst

While We Trio's third album is ostensibly built on the melodies of David Bowie, it's hard not to hear the spirit of Frank Zappa throughout the 31 minutes of this set. Most obviously, vibraphonist James Westfall is reminiscent of the contributions Ruth Un

Zappa Plays Zappa is winding down the West Coast leg of their "Tour De Frank" 2012 this week, with the finale taking place Sunday (2/19) at the Canyon Club in Agora Hills, CA. Formed in 2006 by Frank Zappa's son Dweezil (lead guitar) as a way to honor hi

Questlove has been given the job of molding Blue Ivy Carter’s musical taste. He revealed that he will be making a nursery friendly iPod especially for Blue, a promise he made in a magazine article several months ago. He said: “He’s (Jay) absolutely elate

Listening to Busdriver for the first time can be a rather jarring experience. His lexicon is as wide as his speed is blistering, and the sonic palate that his music draws from is incredibly diverse. Anyone expecting hip-hop by the numbers best check thei

Zappa Plays Zappa Zappa Plays Zappa -- a band led by Dweezil Zappa, the son of legendary musician Frank Zappa -- plays at the Rio Theatre tonight. The band pays tribute to his father by adhering to his musical styles. when: 7:30 p.m. where: Rio Theatre,

Celebrity Apprentice has always had its share of Vegas. Tito Ortiz, Lil Jon, Andrew Dice Clay, Khloe Kardashian and Annie Duke have all made runs on the show. This season (No. 12, premiering Feb. 19 on NBC), though, looks like producers pulled together i

Richard Pryor originally fancied himself a singer. Starting out on the local club circuit, he used to hit the stage and mix it up, alternately singing songs and doing comedy. He began to suspect that he should narrow his focus as a performer one night wh

When Don Van Vliet died in December 2010 of complications from multiple sclerosis, he left behind one of the most fascinating bodies of work in American pop music. Recording as Captain Beefheart, he twisted and reshaped American blues into the strangest

Happy Valentine’s Day! How did reading that phrase make you feel? Did it make you all warm and fuzzy? How about sad, angry, and depressed? Perhaps you are a soul that claims to never have known love, and seeing that phrase just reminded you that you need

For nearly all of the 1970s, I served as the #2 editor at the legendary "rock culture" magazine Crawdaddy in New York City. I interviewed dozens of rock stars, from Frank Zappa to Patti Smith, attended hundreds of concerts, received thousands of records

John Lennon and George Harrison with their wives at Heathrow Airport before leaving for India. This week in rock history, the Beatles arrived in India to study meditation, the Who recorded Live at Leeds, Debbie Harry announced her first solo album, Frank

Music promoter Barry Fey's list of thank-you's was a who's who of big name acts, from the Doors to U2. But he said at his Colorado Music Hall of Fame induction today that it's the fans who deserve the most credit for turning Denver from a cowtown to a “m