Let's hear it for F.Z. - AP reports that Frank's gotta street named after him.
Like many musical folks/forms that originate in this country (blues, Jazz, Cheap Trick), it has to go somewhere else to be fully appreciated.
The fact that the street is in the former East Berlin and is home to a giant practice space is apt.

BERLIN (AP) _ Berlin has named a street honoring Frank Zappa.

Zappa's brother, Bobby Zappa, said the Grammy-winning rocker, who died in 1993, would have been pleased, in a letter of thanks.

Frank-Zappa-Strasse or Frank Zappa Street _ formerly Street 13 _ lies on the eastern outskirts of Berlin amid empty industrial buildings in what was communist East Germany.

The street is home to Orwo Haus, a former Communist-era film factory that now provides practice studios for more than 160 bands.

Musicians at Orwo Haus campaigned for two years to have the street's name changed. Eighteen bands, including the Frank Zappa cover band Sheik Yerbouti, celebrated the renaming this weekend with an all-night concert for more than 2,800 people.

The Orwo Haus association said it wanted Zappa's name for its street because "he was without taboo, musically versatile, provocative, and didn't allow himself to be captured by capitalistic enterprises."

"I am absolutely certain that he would be very proud to have his name as an address for so many musicians," Bobby Zappa wrote.

Nope it's not really about music, but Lyndsay Lohan does make albums and uh.. write songs.
And I'm sure if/when she comes through all of these trouble happier, healthier, sober, secure and bloated with rehab weight her next album will be a moving artistic statement of redemption and forgiveness.

Meanwhile, you gotta love Jack Cafferty for this classic moment

Yes, the Lime Spider, the first drinking establishment I walked into when I came to Akron to interview for this job is having it's final show on September 9.
Damn.
In no certain order

1) Damn fine beer selection - a very nice array of fine beers, barley wines malt beverages and cheap swill.

2) Live music - good bands from all over the world… a fine soundsystem, the upstairs patio when it's too loud.

3) Happy hour - Who doesn't like a few hours of happiness.

4) The Crab Cake Sandwhich - it was really good, crabby, flaky with a wonderful texture.

5) Did I mention I like beer?

Ah! another reunion rumor squashed
Well, according to Billboard magazine, Jeff Beck's management has stated that he will not be taking part in any Yardbirds reunion.
Too bad.

…here's some rumor and conjecture I just received from a fellow music geeks (thanks Sheppard).

According to an "insider source" of Rolling Stone's Rawstory.com there is talk that Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page will team with bassist Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty to as tour as THE YARDBIRDS.

This would of course be pretty damn cool reunion as Plant and Page were only in the the band together for a short time in the 60's.
Unless they picked David Coverdale or some other crappy hack to take the place of original singer Keith Relf's.
It's a good thing Scott Weiland's already gotta job, eh?
Axl Rose probably isn't to busy…Paul Rodgers and Pagey were in The Firm together in the 80's and Paul will (apparently) sing with anybody.

Besides, if Cream can put aside their differences and reform for a few special nights to generate a huge pile of money and have some fun before remembering why they couldn't stand to be around each other too long (even when they were all on really good drugs,) then don't the The Yardbirds deserve to gain access to those same money piles?

The Boomers are only getting older, more nostalgic and more and more willing to pay googobs of cash to revel in memories of their salad days…….

Not that Youtube needs any help from me.
But being able to share the viewing experience of these inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu, Philippines really makes me feel like I'm doing something important.
And it's just a rehearsal.

They also do Queen's Radio Ga-Ga and I Will Follow Him from Sister Act.

So there's a new book by former Rock and Roll Circus (nightlcub) owner Sam Bernett (who also worked as V.P. of Disneyland Paris) that claims Jim Morrison OD'd and died in his club's toilet and that two drug dealers then took The Lizard King back to his apartment, and dumped him in the tub where they unsuccessfully attempted to revive him.
You'll be shocked to find out that this relatively new assertion is made in his recently released book "The End: Jim Morrison."
Morrison's dead right?
Like 30 plus years dead.
Really, really dead.
His girlfriend (and fellow junkie) at the time Pamela Courson, who found his body in the bathtub and told the fuzz the official story (we went to the movies, came home listened to records, he felt bad, got in the bath and died) is also very, very dead.
Is it possible that a rock star could die in the toilet stall of a nightclub with a likely very active bathroom (it was 1971, after all) and that tiny fact not get out for 30 plus years?

Seems unlikely.
At this point does it matter exactly when and where The Lizard King shed his corporeal skin?

Nope.

SONGS OF SHAME

Music is everywhere. You can’t go into a retail store, office or restaurant without hearing some combination of songs and naturally there are not all classics.

In the history of pop music there have been plenty of terrible songs that were hits when they were released but have not aged well.

But, that doesn’t mean they don’t still get the toes tapping and the lips flapping as folks sing along.

The Beacon Journal would like to know what songs in your past or present are you less than proud to have in your collection.

Do you occasionally crank up your old Rico Suave cassette single to full volume and sing along when no one is home?

Does Yummy, Yummy Yummy(I’ve Got Love In My Tummy) make you all warm and fuzzy inside?

Do wish you could be Hangin’ Tough with New Kids on the Block without drawing the scorn of your family and friends?

Well, we can’t promise there won’t be at least a little scorn, but send us an email with your personal songs of shame here or at mabram@thebeaconjournal.com and you may discover that you’re not the only one who loves to listen to Disco Duck with the top down.

So I'm watching the Live Earth telecast on Bravo and Duran Duran just played a version of Notorious with a chunk of I Want To Take You Higher thrown in the middle.
Not so Funky.

Please come back Sly.

A friend of mine just sent me a link to a fine article in the new Vanity Fair featuring an interview with Sly Stone who is appears to really on the verge of building a comeback.
You can read it here
Good stuff.

I (and many other Sly fans) have been bitching and moaning for years about the fact that Sly's catalog had received neither the box set treatment nor the DELUXE reissue/remastered/bonus cuts treatment.

That happened this year (I think, might've been '06), but apparently no one told Sly as he claims they were made without his involvement.
Great, so maybe we'll get another batch of reissues a' la Elvis Costello whose catalog has been repackaged, reissued and deluxified at least three times (I've already got two different versions of "Blood & Chocolate").