Patrick McDonnell
Patrick McDonnell (March 17, 1956) is an American comic artist, best-known for his long-running newspaper gag comic Mutts (1994-...), about an anthropomorphic dog, Earl, and cat, Mooch. Many gags revolve around the animals and their owners, but also the animals in their own neighborhood.
Frank Zappa
McDonnell discovered Frank Zappa at age 13, after being intrigued by Cal Schenkel's cover for Cruising With Ruben & The Jets. He credits Schenkel's dog-nose drawing style as an inspiration for his own dog characters. The second Zappa album McDonnell ever listened to was Hot Rats, which he still calls his favorite. He likes Zappa's originality and versatility as a musician, but prefers the earlier albums. [1]
McDonnell also became a fan of Captain Beefheart. Together with his older brother, McDonnell played crazy songs in their own band, Steel Tips, inspired by Zappa and Beefheart.
One day, walking back from the Metropolitan Art Museum, McDonnell and a friend walked into a drum store, where, to his shock, Frank Zappa was checking out instruments. McDonnell's friend pushed him to make contact with Zappa. They talked and McDonnell said that he made paintings, whereupon Zappa gave him the telephone number of his manager, who invited McDonnell to a dress rehearsal at the Madison Square Garden, where Zappa and the band prepared for a concert. After seeing their set, he talked with McDonnell for an hour. [2]
In 1979, McDonnell met Zappa after a concert and gave him the first single by his band Steel Tips, Jersey City, which Zappa played the next day as guest DJ during a radio broadcast on WPIX, New York (27 November 1979). [3]
In several episodes and book covers of Mutts, McDonnell references cover imagery or lyrics by Zappa and Beefheart. [4] [5]
On 24 October 2025, McDonnell was interviewed by Christopher Gossett, Kris Simon and David Hyde in the podcast Superfan about his love for Frank Zappa. [6]
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_AZXbngyKY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_AZXbngyKY
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_AZXbngyKY
- ↑ https://www.united-mutations.com/m/patrick_mcdonnell.htm
- ↑ https://www.donlope.net/fz/notes/Cruising_With_Ruben_and_The_Jets.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_AZXbngyKY
