Difference between revisions of "Herb Cohen"

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[[Image:Herbcohen.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Herb Cohen]]  
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[[Image:Cohen-FZ-TW.jpeg|right|thumb|400px|Herb Cohen Frank Zappa Tom Wilson]]  
  
'''Herb'''ert '''Cohen''' (December 30, 1932 – March 16, 2010) was the manager of Frank Zappa and The Mothers from 1965 to 1976 having been introduced to them by their erstwhile manager [[Mark Cheka]].  Cohen persuaded record producer [[Tom Wilson]] to see them perform thus securing their first record deal. He was the joint owner of the [[Straight Records|Straight]], [[Bizarre Records|Bizarra]], and [[DiscReet Records|DiscReet]] record labels with Zappa.  Often seen as an abrasive character Cohen's relationship with Zappa imploded in 1977, when Zappa claimed that Cohen and his lawyer brother [[Martin (Mutt) Cohen|Mutt] were skimming off his earnings and helping themselves to holidays with the profits which inspired  the piece [[Mo 'n Herb's Vacation]] Zappa then sued Cohen and the distributor Warner Bros for $10m. Cohen countersued, claiming that Zappa had bypassed their new label, DiscReet, and taken his album [[Zoot Allures]] straight to Warners.
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'''Herb'''ert '''Cohen''' (December 30, 1932 – March 16, 2010) was the manager of Frank Zappa and The Mothers from 1965 to 1976 having been introduced to them by their erstwhile manager [[Mark Cheka]].  Cohen persuaded record producer [[Tom Wilson]] to see them perform thus securing their first record deal. He was the joint owner of the [[Straight Records|Straight]], [[Bizarre Records|Bizarra]], and [[DiscReet Records|DiscReet]] record labels with Zappa.  Often seen as an abrasive character Cohen's relationship with Zappa imploded in 1977, when Zappa claimed that Cohen and his lawyer brother [[Martin Cohen|Martin]] were skimming off his earnings and helping themselves to holidays with the profits which inspired  the piece [[Mo 'n Herb's Vacation]]. Zappa then sued Cohen and the distributor Warner Bros for $10m. Cohen countersued, claiming that Zappa had bypassed their new label, DiscReet, and taken his album [[Zoot Allures]] straight to Warners.
  
  

Revision as of 01:08, 28 August 2021

Herb Cohen Frank Zappa Tom Wilson

Herbert Cohen (December 30, 1932 – March 16, 2010) was the manager of Frank Zappa and The Mothers from 1965 to 1976 having been introduced to them by their erstwhile manager Mark Cheka. Cohen persuaded record producer Tom Wilson to see them perform thus securing their first record deal. He was the joint owner of the Straight, Bizarra, and DiscReet record labels with Zappa. Often seen as an abrasive character Cohen's relationship with Zappa imploded in 1977, when Zappa claimed that Cohen and his lawyer brother Martin were skimming off his earnings and helping themselves to holidays with the profits which inspired the piece Mo 'n Herb's Vacation. Zappa then sued Cohen and the distributor Warner Bros for $10m. Cohen countersued, claiming that Zappa had bypassed their new label, DiscReet, and taken his album Zoot Allures straight to Warners.


Cohen is attributed the quote "What the h--- you gonna do with all those drums at 1:00 in the morning?"on the cover of "Freak Out!" under the heading "More Relevant Quotes".

Herb Cohen ran coffee bars and folk clubs such as The Unicorn and Cosmo Alley during the late 1950's and early 1960's. He managed a number of folk acts but is best known as the manager of Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention, as well as Screamin' Jay Hawkins, George Duke, Alice Cooper, Tim Buckley, Lenny Bruce, & Theodore Bikel.

He co-owned the Bizarre/Straight & DiscReet record labels with Zappa.

After a ten year association Zappa dismissed him as manager in May 1976.

He provided "cash register noises" for Absolutely Free.

He was married with his wife Dee and had a daughter, Lisa Cohen, who appeared on the cover of We're Only In It For The Money.

Conceptual Continuity:

Notes