So who were those folks and who are they? Here you go.
AERNI, DAVE: Singer. Was “The Rotations” (Heavies) together with Paul Buff, and was also the manager of “The Tornadoes” (Bustin’ Surfboards). Released pre-Mothers of Inventions, Ron Roman recording of Frank Zappa’s “Love Of My Life.” (overdubbed on Zappa’s instrumental tracks. Credited himself and Roman as co-composers.)
ALLBERG, JERRY: Probably a misspelling of Jerry Ullberg. Recorded December or January 1958/59 in an empty classroom at Antelope Valley Junior College in Lancaster, California.
ALLEN, LEONARD: Boyhood friend of Frank Zappa.
AREL, BULENT: Another modern composer. Works include, Electronic Study No. 1, Sacred Service Prelude and Postlude, Fragment/DAVIDOVSKY: Electronic Study No. 2/USSACHEVSKY: Linear Contrasts, Metamorphosis, and Improvisation-4711
ATLER, BOBBY: Unidentified
BAEZ, JOAN: Folk singer
BAKER, DIANE: American film actress, sex symbol. Appears in “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”
BALLARD, MR.: Mr. Ballard was the high school music instructor at Antelope Valley High. He let Zappa conduct the orchestra a couple of times, let him write music on the blackboard, and had the orchestra play it.
BARBER, DICK: Mothers of Invention’s road manager. Appears in 200 Motels as the Gypsy Mutant Vacuum Cleaner.
BECK, JOHN: A member of The Leaves
BEE, MOLLY: Cute & perky hillbilly singer who was a regular on The Jimmy Dean Show on TV in the 1960s. Was a regular on Pinky Lee and Steve Allen TV shows as well.
BELLI, MELVIN: Flamboyant American defense attorney, who defended Jack Ruby in his trial for shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.
BERRY, RICHARD: Wrote the song Louie Louie.
BOKELMANS, THE: Unidentified
BOULEZ, PIERRE: French conductor/composer. Later conducted an FZ album.
BRIGHAM, SYLVIA: Perhaps an early acquaintance as she holds degrees or certificate from Pomona College (1959). She performed as soprano soloist with the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Domaine Musical of Paris, and Maggio Musicale in Florence, to mention only a few, under the batons of Pierre Boulez. Hans Werner Henze, Lukas Foss and Francesco Molinari-Pradella, among others. Her recordings range from early music through Puccini up to avant-garde works.
BROSSMAN, DR.: Sidney W. Brossman was the first Chancellor of the CA Community Colleges . He guided California’s community colleges as they separated from the Department of Education and the K-12 system to form an independent system of higher education
BROWN, CHARLES: Blues singer. Main influence of Ray Charles.
BROWN, CLARENCE GATEMOUTH: R&B singer and guitarist.
BRUCE, LENNY: Comedian/orator. Performed with the Mothers.
BUFF, PAUL: Original owner of Studio Z. Built a multi-track recorder when such a thing was unheard of.
BUNN, TEDDY: American jazz and blues guitarist of the first half 20th Century.
CAROL: Unidentified
CERVERIS, DON: Zappa’s high school English teacher.
CHEKA, MARK
Manager before Herb Cohen.
COHEN, HERB: Frank’s manager. Artists’ rep & manager a/k/a agent. Handled a number of folk acts at the same time as he handled the Mothers of Invention.
COLLINS, ALBERT: Blues guitarist/singer who at the time was best known for his blues instrumentals.
CORDY: Unidentified
CRAFT, ROBERT: As Stravinsky’s confidante, he was able to document the details of his thoughts and experiences so Igor could just compose. Conducted Varese, Stravinsky, and Webern. Recorded all of Stravinsky’s works in the 1990s with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
CROSBY, DAVID: American guitarist/singer. Member of The Byrds.
CRUMP, DADDY-O CURTIS: Unidentified
DALI, SALVADOR: Catalan surrealist painter with a big moustache.
DE CAMP, ROSEMARIE: American TV actress who played Mom on “The Adventures of Dobie Gillis” as well as Bob Cummings’ sister on “Love That Bob.” She also made TV commercials.
DE COVA, FRANK: De Kova, misspelled on the Freak Out list. Played in the TV series “The Untouchables.”
DE SANTIS, JOE: American film actor, usually played tough guys. Played in the tv series “The Untouchables.”
DE WEES, RANDY: Unidentified
DI CARL, GEORGE: Unidentified
DIAMOND, SKIP: Musician. He features as a guest vocalist on Canned Heat’s “Hallelujah” (1969) album.
DIXON, WILLIE: Blues producer, bass player, and writer of a great many classic blues songs (Spoonful, Little Red Rooster, Back Door Man, etc. etc.) Worked extensively with Muddy Waters.
DOBBS, FRED C.: The greedy & amoral character played by Humphrey Bogart in “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” (1948). Also a little mid 60’s Sunset Strip club (just down from Ben Franks)
DOLPHY, ERIC: American jazz saxophone/clarinet player. Performed with Charlie Mingus.
DON & DEWEY: West coast R&B duo.
DONNA #1: Unidentified
DONNA #2: Unidentified
DYLAN, BOB: American folk singer. AKA Robert Zimmerman.
ECONOMIDES, JIM: Producer for Capitol records, tried on suits in the studio while telling an engineer to put “more bass” on “Surfer Girl” by the Beach Boys while Zappa was there trying to pitch him his Studio Z recordings.
EILER, SHIRLEY: Faculty of Antelope Valley High School.
EPSTEIN, BRIAN: Manager of the Beatles and some other bands.
EVANS, BILL: Jazz pianist, harmonic innovator, composer. Member of one of Miles classic quintets.
EVY: Unidentified
FEIFFER, JULES: Cartoonist/author beloved by 60’s bohemians.
FERLINGHETTI, LAWRENCE: S.F. Poet, publisher, author, book store owner City Lights Bookstore. Important west coast bohemian. Published Howl and was therefore involved in censorship court battles.
FLOYD: Unidentified
FORSYTHE, CECIL: Forsyth misspelled on Freak Out list. British musicologist. Published a book entitled “Orchestration” in 1914.
FRANKLIN, JOHNNY: Played with Zappa in the Blackouts.
FREEMAN, ERNIE: R&B musician.
FYLLIS: Producer Tom Wilson’s secretary, Phyllis Altenhaus.
GARRET, SNUFF: Noted record producer of the 50s-70s.
GENE & EUNICE: American R&B duo of the 1950s. Recorded the original version of “This Is My Story”.
GORCZYCA, LEONARD: Unidentified
GORDON, BRUCE: Played Frank Nitti in the tv series “The Untouchables.”
GREENE, VERNON: Recorded “The Letter” with the Medallions, one of Frank Zappa”s favorite records.
GREENHOUSE, CARL: Unidentified
GUERCIO, JIM: James William Guercio. Briefly was a member of the Mothers of Invention. Made his name circa 1970 as producer of very big-selling records by Blood Sweat & Tears and Chicago Transit Authority.
GUITAR SLIM: American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter.
GUY, BUDDY: Blues guitarist/singer.
HABA, ALOIS: Composer who experimented with microtonal intervals including not only quarter tones but also fifth tones and sixth tones.
HANCOCK, HUNTER: R&B and rock DJ
HARRIS, JEFF: Unidentified
HIGGINS, CHUCK: R&B sax player.
HOWARD, JOHN TASKER: American musicologist, composer, author, first half of 20th Century.
HOWLIN’ WOLF: American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter.
HUGGY BOY: So. Cal. DJ (and later TV host).
HUSTON, JOE: Unidentified
HUXLEY, ANIMAL: LA Freak related to Aldous Huxley. Actually Aldous Huxley’s granddaughter.
HYPNOTIST, THE: Unidentified
IRWIN, LEW: LA radio newsman of the 60’s, original member of The Credibility Gap, which started as a satirical news radio troupe and mutated into a kind of Firesign Theatre-esque comedy group with Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and David Lander (the first two are two members of Spinal Tap, the last two were Lenny and Squiggy).
IVES, CHARLES: Composer from Connecticut who predicted many ideas typical to 20th century music such as serialism, polytonality, et cetera before they were “popular.”
JAMIESON, BOBBY: Bobby Jameson, an LA freak Zappa arranged both sides of his “Gotta Find My Roogalator” 45 in 1966.
JEEPERS: B-movie talk show host
JOHNSON, LYN: Could would be Lyndon B. Johnson Thirty-Sixth US President 1963-1969.
JOYCE: Unidentified
JOYCE, JAMES: Irish author of Ulysses, which was involved in a landmark censorship case.
JULIAN, DON: R&B singer with the Meadowlarks.
KAGEL, MAURICIO: Contemporary classical composer. He has written some scores that are entirely text. He also has a piece whose score is prefaced by 202 symbols, 150 of which are not in standard usage. Used prepared pianos in some of his pieces.
KAYE, JESSE: Old-time producer or recording engineer for MGM and Verve. Used to do lots of soundtrack albums.
KEENE, BOB: Owner of Donna/Del-Fi Records.
KIRK, ROLAND: Unbelievable jazz woodwind musician, composer. Famed for playing multiple wind instruments at once.
KIRKMAN, TERRY: A member of The Association (“Along Comes Mary”).
KOHN, KARL: 20th Century composer. Music professor at Pomona College
KRONHAUSEN, EBERHARD: Author. Wrote THE SEXUALLY RESPONSIVE WOMAN. Art critic and filmmaker, most of whose works concern erotic art.
LABOE, ART: Owner Of Original Sound Records
LAL, CHATUR: Indian tabla player – Ravi Shankar’s accompanist until his death in 1965.
LAUREN: Lived with Zappa and participated in the party tape for which Zappa was busted.
LIGHTNIN’ SLIM: Another American bluesman.
LITTLE WALTER: One of the greats of blues harmonica. Played on many Muddy Waters records.
LOEB & LEOPOLD: Mid twentieth century “thrill killers” famed for cooly plotting unmotivated murder. Probably included for shock/dada value. Better known as Leopold & Loeb
LOVE, PRESTON: Sax player with Johnny Otis show.
LUCILLE: Unidentified
MADEO, JUNIOR: Elwood “Junior” Madeo, leader of the Ramblers, in which Zappa played.
MANN, STEVE: Guitarist who played with Zappa prior to the Mothers. Acoustic fingerpicker who was on the L.A. club scene in the mid-60s playing old blues and ballads, but checked out early thanks to an o.d. There is one album of recordings by him.
MARIO: Doorman at the Whiskey A-Go-Go.
MATTHEWS, LITTLE ARTHUR: Singer with Johnny Otis show.
MIDDLETON, CHARLES: Old-time Hollywood supporting player who, among hundreds of other roles, played “Ming the Merciless” in the “Flash Gordon” serials with Buster Crabbe.
MINGUS, CHARLES: American jazz bassist and composer.
MORTENSON, VIC: Played drums of Zappa studio tunes.
MULLICK, N. C.: Nodu C. Mullick, Indian tamboura player.
MURNANE, JERRY: Another of the Zappa high school teachers.
MacGUIRE, BARRY: Sang “Eve of Destruction,” a protest song.
McNEELY, BIG JAY: Blues Saxophonist.
NARCISO, BARB: Early fan.
NONO, LUIGI: Contemporary classical composer. Integral serialist until 1960. Member of post-Webern school. Communist sympathizer. Wrote puzzle canons. Wrote an anti-American piece called A Floresta. Pointillist.
ORNSTEIN, LEO: 20th Century Russian-American pianist & composer who among many other pieces wrote one called, I kid you not, “Impromptu: A Bit of Nostalgia, for piano.”
OTIS, JOHNNY: Important west coast R&B band leader, record producer and “talent scout”. Was considered totally authentic while being white. Father of Shuggie Otis who played on Hot Rats. Longtime Pacifica radio show host, and model for Frank’s mustache.
PEPPER: Unidentified
PERISCHETTI, VINCENT: American composer/conductor of music primarily for symphonic band.
PERRINO, JOE: Of Joe Perrino and the Mellotones, a bar band Zappa played in.
POLLY, JOE: Unidentified
PRESLEY, ELVIS: Singer.
RANK, J. ARTHUR: Movie theater mogul. Preeminent British film producer & founder of The Rank Organization, film producers & distributors. Attributed with playing his trademark gong on the Bonzos’ “The Intro and the Outro”.
RAVEL, MAURICE: Early 20th century impressionist composer. Wrote Bolero.
REARDON, LANCE: Unidentified
REED, B. MITCHELL: Famous west coast DJ. Helped innovate the underground FM radio stations in the late sixties.
REINER, BOB: Member of The Leaves.
REYES, NADINE: Friend from Lancaster, CA
RIVUELTAS, SILVESTER: Mexican 20th-century avant-garde composer. Name misspelled on the list. Should be “Revueltas”
RUDIN, HERMAN:“Untouchables” – Also appeared on “Perry Mason” and “Man From U.N.C.L.E”.
RUDOLPH, LILLIAN: Unidentified
RUTHIE: Unidentified
SABICAS: Spanish Flamenco guitar virtuoso.
SABU: Indian actor who performed in the 1940s films of “The Thief of Bagdad” and “The Jungle Book.”
SACCO & VANZETTI: Labor organizers executed for murder, believed as a left wing cause to have been a frame up. Coupling with the above adds to shock/dada value. Italian-immigrant U.S. factory workers, arrested for the murder of a paymaster, identified as “anarchists” and convicted of the murder, and executed in the 1920s.
SCHOENBERG, ARNOLD: 20th century Austrian composer who popularised serialism. Taught at UCLA.
SCHWANEKAMP, SANDY: A classsmate at Antelope Valley School in Lancaster, California
SESSIONS, ROGER HUNTINGTON: American composer & musical educator – said to have been revered by his fellow composers even as most of his music went unheard by the public.
SHANKAR, RAVI: Sitar virtuoso.
SHECKLEY, ROBERT: Science fiction writer and mystery author.
SHERMAN, KAYE: Zappa’s first wife.
SHERWOOD, JIM: Played saxaphone in the Mothers. AKA “Mototrhead.”
SIMMS, FRANKIE LEE: Texan blues singer. Sims is misspelled on Freak Out list.
SLIM HARPO: American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter.
SMITH, CORDWAINER: Cordwainer Smith–Was the pseudonym that Dr. Paul Linebarger used to write science fiction.
SPECTOR, PHIL: American record producer, noted for using a lot of instruments. This technique is called the “wall of sound.”
STEFFE: Unidentified
STEWART, ALICE: Another misspelling. Alice Stuart was a guitarist with blues influences. Was briefly a member of The Mothers of Invention. Alice played good finger-style guitar, but she couldn’t play “Louie Louie”, so they fired her.
STOCKHAUSEN, KARLHEINZ: Avant-garde 20th century composer. Known for his use of complex rhythms.
STOKER, BRAM: Author of Dracula.
STRAVINSKY, IGOR: Russian composer. Wrote the Rite of Spring.
STULLA, BILL: Host of So. Cal. children’s show, Engineer Bill.
STURGEON, THEODORE: Great SF author and critic. Author of “Sturgeon’s Law”
SULLIVAN, TIM: Unidentified
TANGUY, YVES: French surrealist
TANZINI, PHIL: Co-owner of the Whiskey.
TAYLOR, CECIL: Modern jazz pianist, composer, writer. Inspired a section of “Monster Magnet”.
THORNTON, WILLIE MAE: Blues songstress, wrote “Ball and Chain” . Wrote “Hound Dog.”
TILLAR, JACK: Misspelling of Jack K Tillar a television and film music composer/editor from 1950’s to 1990’s.
TINY TIM: Ukelele virtuoso. “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.”
TOSI, ERNIE: Vice principal of Antelope Valley High School.
TUFTS, SONNY: Character actor or lead or second lead in a lot of bad movies.
UNCLE ED: Unidentified
VALENTINE, ELMER: Owner of the Whisky-a-go-go in LA.
VARESE, EDGARD: Franco-American composer. Developed musique concrete.
VENET, NICK: Record producer at Capitol.
VESTINE, HENRY: Guitarist of Canned Heat, blues record collector/revivalist. Was contracted as a member of the Mothers at one time; don’t know why it didn’t pan out
VLIET, DON: AKA Captain Beefheart.
WATERS, MUDDY: Preeminent Mississippi Delta-to-Chicago bluesman.
WATSON, JOHNNY GUITAR
American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter.
WAYNE, JOHN
AKA The Duke. American actor
WEBERN, ANTON: Austrian composer. Student of Arnold Schoenberg.
WILLIAMSON, SONNY BOY: Great blues harmonica players/singer.
WILSON, TOM: Record Producer. For a few years in the 60’s the “hot guy” with his name on Mothers, Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel etc. records. A&R man, or staff producer, for MGM/Verve. Produced Freak Out and Absolutely Free, executive-produced We’re Only In It For The Money. African-American.
WIMBERLY, TERRY: Played with Zappa in the Blackouts.
WOLFMAN JACK: Preeminent American disc jockey”
WOODS, DONALD: Leader of the Bel-Aires and author of “The Man From Utopia”.
ZAGON, LEE: Unidentified
ZARUBICA, PAMELA: a.k.a. Suzy Creamcheese.
ZEIGER, HAL: Hal Zeiger (one of the first big promoters of rock entertainment during the 50’s)
ZILDJIAN, AVEDIS: Turkish cymbal maker. His company has been in business over 375 years.
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