Pop Chronicles interview
John Gilliland, of the Pop Chronicles, appears to have interviewed Frank Zappa twice, on December 8, 1967 and March 5, 1969. For the first time, transcripts of part these interviews are published here at Zappa Wiki Jawaka, courtesy of the John Gilliland Collection at the University of North Texas. (Stay tuned for the entire transcript.) Parts of this interview were included in the Pop Chronicles documentary, but Zappa spoke freely so parts were not and could not be broadcast on the radio.
Partial Transcription
FRANK ZAPPA
- Reading from Life magazine…his impressions of “Rock Around the Clock.”
- Reading bit on Elvis Presley (from initial but boogered interview.)
- Comparing late ‘60s music with pop music of the mid-fifties, reading from initial interview transcript.
- On Reuben and the Jets…and the “grand old ‘50s groups.”
- Differences between Reuben & Jets & current Mothers’ stuff (brief).
- Theory of modal chanting related to r&b music.
“Yeah, I think it has a lot to do with the sound that is known to the trades as parallel 5ths and modal, melodic movement and modal, harmonizations. It evokes a certain very underground response in people. Maybe even just a certain kind of people but the ones it affects, it really gets ‘em… (See the scanned version for the rest of the interview.)
