Ask Arthur Barrow a Question

**colcifer** · #1 03-26-2011, 07:24 PM

I don't mean to copy ivyman but I'm interviewing Arthur Barrow and wanted to give yall a chance to submit a question if you'd like.

FretlessMainly · #2 03-26-2011, 08:55 PM

Good on you for that! From what I've read online, it seems that Arthur is probably a pretty fun/casual interview.

I realize that he might prefer questions about his more recent music (unfortunately, I'm not up to speed on that!), but ever since I read the Bass Player article on his St. Alfonsos's Pancake Breakfast audition for Zappa, I wondered about why he said that "It may have helped that I was playing a Gibson Ripper, which allowed me to use a pretty light touch."

My question would be: Is there some reason why you feel that the line would have been more difficult on your Jazz? Personally, I found the one Ripper I played to be a bit harder to be quick on relative to my Jazz. This assumes he actually had that Jazz in '78, of course.

**colcifer** · #3 03-26-2011, 10:52 PM

I'll probably ask that. To everyone else, get your questions in before midday monday.

**colcifer** · #4 03-27-2011, 02:03 PM

For those who don't know who AB is, read this: Discography

5StringBlues · #5 03-27-2011, 02:04 PM

No questions for AB off the top of my head,but big congrats on landing the interview! Alot of my fave Zappa bass parts were played by Mr.Barrow.

**colcifer** · #6 03-27-2011, 02:25 PM

The Barrow-Colaiuta rhythm section was one of the greats IMO.

**colcifer** · #7 03-27-2011, 11:46 PM

One last bump...

5StringBlues · #8 03-27-2011, 11:58 PM

Will you be posting the interview here? Looking forward to it!

**colcifer** · #9 03-28-2011, 12:04 AM

Yes, I'll be posting it here. Probably; I might just post a link to it.

5StringBlues · #10 03-28-2011, 12:05 AM

Beauty.Thanks.Eyes will be peeled.

bassobrutto · #11 03-28-2011, 01:22 PM

Hope I am not too late to the party. I would like to ask him how he reconciles the two most visibly distinct sides of Uncle Frank's music, i.e., the more poppy/rocky sophomoric humor stuff (which I don't much like) and the "modern composer refusing to die" neo-classical-neo-jazz-complex-stuff (which I adore). Is it just a case of wanting to have his cake and eat it, i.e., be taken seriously as a "modern composer" AND sell records? Or something more complex? Seems to me that Arthur was around at a time when the balance between the two sides was shifting a bit.

**colcifer** · #12 03-28-2011, 09:54 PM

Too late! We just did the interview and now I've got over an hour of material to transcribe and edit.

**colcifer** · #13 03-28-2011, 10:51 PM

Anyone care to transcribe it? Maybe you know a typist/Zappa fan? AB is a bit of a rambler (his words) so it's going to take a lot of work just to get to the editing phase. Payment is you get to hear the stuff that doesn't make the final cut (yeah, I'm cheap).

Meanwhile, I'll get started.

markanini · #14 04-12-2011, 08:52 PM

So, what happened to the transcript? Maybe I'd be willing to help out if you still need it.

FretlessMainly · #15 07-26-2011, 01:03 PM

Anything ever come of this?