New Zappa book to be published in New Year

Two decades of conversations between Frank Zappa and Dutch musician, composer, producer, and radio personality and Zappa expert Co De Kloet are to be published in a brand new book, Frank And Co: Conversations With Frank Zappa 1977-1993, which is to be published by Jawbone Press on February 25.

De Kloet and Frank Zappa were friends for many years, and during that time he recorded nearly every conversation the two men had. They also corresponded frequently—about life, music, politics, and much more besides—and the new book offers a unique chronicle of their friendship, from their first meeting in 1977 to Zappa’s death in 1993.

“This book is somewhat analogous to a documentary movie for your brain,"says Zappa's son Dweezil, who has penned the foreword for the new book. "Whether my father is expressing his views of religion and politics as well his opinions of their ill-advised enmeshment or his bleak opinion about some of his former employees playing his music in public, he gives it to you straight. Well, he gave it straight to Co, and now he’s giving it to you!”

Frank And Co: Conversations With Frank Zappa 1977-1993 also includes Co’s favourite memories of Frank, as well as interviews Zappa alumni Flo & Eddie, Jimmy Carl Black, Pamela Zarubica, and Don van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart).

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.