Difference between revisions of "Ko-Ko"

From Zappa Wiki Jawaka
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(6 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Ko-Ko]] was a female gorilla who was able to comunicate thru sign language with her keepers through a computer keyboard with symbols on it.
+
[[image:Ko-KoClown.jpeg|right|thumb|200px|Ko-Ko The Clown]]
 +
[[image:Ko-KoLabel.jpeg|right|thumb|200px|Ko-Ko by Duke Ellington]]
 +
[[File:Kokopenny.jpg|thumb|right|Koko signs "love" to her teacher Dr. Penny Patterson, the founder of [http://www.koko.org The Gorilla Foundation]]]
  
Zappa dedicated [[The Real Frank Zappa Book]] to his wife, children, [[Stephen Hawking]] and Ko-Ko. [[Peter Occhiogrosso]], who wrote the book together with Zappa claimed in an interview that the inclusion of Hawking and Ko-Ko might be linked due to the fact that both of them use computer keyboards to communicate with the world. Zappa himself used a computer keyboard as well: [[The Synclavier]].
+
Zappa dedicated [[The Real Frank Zappa Book]] to Gail, The Kids, [[Stephen Hawking]] and Ko-Ko.
  
A different ''"Ko-Ko"'' is referenced in [[Broken Hearts Are For Assholes]]: ''"You were dazzled by the exciting new costume of Ko-Ko."'' This could be a reference to fashion designer [[Coco Chanel]].
+
When asked, in an interview with Vladimir Sovetov, the book's co-author [[Peter Occhiogrosso]] responded:
 +
 
 +
<blockquote>VS: Who is Ko-Ko?
 +
 
 +
PO: How the fuck should I know?
 +
 
 +
VS: Heh!
 +
 
 +
PO: I didn't mean to be so flip about Ko-Ko, but Frank's spirit took possession of me. There is Ko-Ko the Klown, who was a character in the Betty Boop cartoons, which were also quite psychedelic and which West's work seems to reflect. There is also a famous Charlie Parker song called "Koko," but I'm afraid Frank wasn't into real jazz, only jazz from hell...." - <ref>[http://www.arf.ru/Misc/po_int.html Peter Occhiogrosso Internet Interview by Vladimir Sovetov] </ref></blockquote>
 +
 
 +
Occhiogrosso later surmised:
 +
<blockquote>BTW, I hadn't heard of Ko-Ko the Gorilla before, but the fact that Zappa linked the name with Stephen Hawking -- who also communicates to the world via a computer keyboard -- and that Zappa was in love with the keyboard of his computer-driven Synclavier, tends to make me think that may be the correct reference.</blockquote>
 +
 
 +
In the song [[Broken Hearts Are For Assholes]] Ko-Ko is also mentioned ''"You were dazzled by the exciting new costume of Ko-Ko."''.
 +
 
 +
Ko-Ko was also listed in the liner notes of ''[[The MOFO Project/Object (Fazedooh)|The MOFO Project/Object]]'' (2006) album.
 +
 
 +
==Notes==
 +
The gorilla was called KoKo.  The Charlie Parker piece is called [[wikipedia:Ko-Ko|Ko-Ko]] as was an earlier piece by Duke Ellington.
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
 +
<references/>
 +
 +
==External links==
  
* (http://www.arf.ru/Misc/po_int.html)
+
* [[Wikipedia:Koko (gorilla)|Wikipedia article about Koko the gorilla]]
* [[Wikipedia:Koko (gorilla)|Wikipedia article about Koko]]
+
* [[wikipedia:Ko-Ko|Wikipedia article about the Charlie Parker composition]]
 +
* [[wikipedia:Koko the Clown|Wikipedia article about KoKo The Clown]]
  
 
[[Category:Animals]]
 
[[Category:Animals]]
 
[[Category:Conceptual Continuity]]
 
[[Category:Conceptual Continuity]]
 +
[[Category:The Real Frank Zappa Book (The List)]]

Latest revision as of 01:25, 9 November 2021

Ko-Ko The Clown
Ko-Ko by Duke Ellington
Koko signs "love" to her teacher Dr. Penny Patterson, the founder of The Gorilla Foundation

Zappa dedicated The Real Frank Zappa Book to Gail, The Kids, Stephen Hawking and Ko-Ko.

When asked, in an interview with Vladimir Sovetov, the book's co-author Peter Occhiogrosso responded:

VS: Who is Ko-Ko?

PO: How the fuck should I know?

VS: Heh!

PO: I didn't mean to be so flip about Ko-Ko, but Frank's spirit took possession of me. There is Ko-Ko the Klown, who was a character in the Betty Boop cartoons, which were also quite psychedelic and which West's work seems to reflect. There is also a famous Charlie Parker song called "Koko," but I'm afraid Frank wasn't into real jazz, only jazz from hell...." - [1]

Occhiogrosso later surmised:

BTW, I hadn't heard of Ko-Ko the Gorilla before, but the fact that Zappa linked the name with Stephen Hawking -- who also communicates to the world via a computer keyboard -- and that Zappa was in love with the keyboard of his computer-driven Synclavier, tends to make me think that may be the correct reference.

In the song Broken Hearts Are For Assholes Ko-Ko is also mentioned "You were dazzled by the exciting new costume of Ko-Ko.".

Ko-Ko was also listed in the liner notes of The MOFO Project/Object (2006) album.

Notes

The gorilla was called KoKo. The Charlie Parker piece is called Ko-Ko as was an earlier piece by Duke Ellington.

Sources

External links