J. Arthur Rank
J. Arthur Rank (22 December 1888 - 29 March 1972) was a British film producer, most famous for founding the J. Arthur Rank Organisation. Most of their movies were shot at Pinewood Studios. The films produced by the Rank Organisation had an iconic intro, consisting of a bare-chested man hitting a huge gong.
Frank Zappa
Arthur Rank appears in the list of influences in the sleeve of Zappa's debut album Freak Out! (1966) under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them".
In Frank Zappa. Reviled, Revered Mother Superior (1968), Chris Welch reports: "Promoter Joe Lustig was on the telephone relaying Frank's instructions for the concert. "Yes, Frank wants four tympani, a xylophone, large bass drum, ten temple blocks, orchestra bells and a J. Arthur Rank gong."
During "That Greatest Of American Holidays", Zappa asks Ruth Underwood to play the timpani and compares the sound to J. Arthur Rank.
