The saga of the Zappa family continues as Dweezil Zappa’s tribute to his father Frank’s music, the band formerly known as Zappa plays Zappa, is once again undergoing a name change. After supposedly being forced to change the name to Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa due to disagreements with the Zappa Family Trust, the musician has apparently been again forced to change the name to the more simple Dweezil Zappa.
The second name change comes in the midst of a drawn-out public spat between Zappa and his brother Ahmet, who penned an open letter to Dweezil refuting his claims that the ZFT was trying to stop him from playing their father’s music.
Now, in another statement on his website, Zappa has attempted to explain the issue, which he says started in 2006 when Gail Zappa, who was then head of the trust, began taking all of the merchandise profits from the Zappa Plays Zappa tours, a practice that Ahmet continued when he took over.
“The odd part is I offered them a very fair and generous opportunity to sell ZFT merch on my tour to which I would split 50/50. I didn’t have to do that. Surprisingly, they rejected it,” Zappa writes. “I guess they would rather have 100% of nothing than 50% of something. Anyway that ship has sailed…”
Zappa also includes a letter from his lawyer responding to the most recent Cease and Desist (which is what Zappa is calling his upcoming tour). The letter expresses confusion at what the trust is trying to gain by hindering Zappa’s attempts to share his father’s music:
Dweezil has done more than anyone in the family, including Frank’s widow, to promote Frank Zappa as a musician/composer, as a brand and a cultural and musical icon. He has done so with humility and the utmost integrity. Your client has continuously tried to stop him, all the while ignoring the many musicians and bands across the globe who actually infringe on Frank Zappa’s name and likeness. What are you and your client really trying to achieve?
Zappa ends the note by announcing the Cease and Desist Tour and claiming that he never wanted any of this to happen:
The last thing I want is for any of this drama to overshadow my Father’s music. His commitment to excellence and his integrity have always been a guiding light for me.
…
At the end of the day I believe my father’s music deserves to be heard not silenced. I will now be playing it with an even stronger resolve than ever before under the name my father gave me.
Read the full statement here.
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