Reading the 20th Century discussion

Welcome to our March 25 buddy read of Earth to Moon by Moon Unit Zappa

The saying goes that "God only gives you what you can handle." Well God didn't grow up in my atheist, Wiccan, fame-laden, oversexed, teetotalling, drug-free, cloistered, chaotic, non-communicative, workaholic, feral-feeling house.'

For Moon Unit, daughter of musician Frank Zappa and his 'manager', Gail, processing a life so unique, so punctuated by the whims of creative urges, the tastes of popular culture and the calculus of celebrity, has at times been eviscerating. But it is her deep sense of humour and unshakeable humility that keeps her - and this memoir - pinned to the ground.

A child-star at age 14 after her accidental international hit single (recorded with her father), 'Valley Girl', turned her into a reluctant celebrity, Moon Unit Zappa's life has been utterly extraordinary from her birth in 1967 into a family that was already blessed/cursed as music royalty thanks to the acknowledged genius of Frank. But what are the consequences of growing up in a family who spend most of their time naked arguing about sexual/extra-marital liaisons and practising white magic in a free-for-all state of nonconformist, virtuoso abandon?

Earth to Moon is a reckoning with self-esteem, the ghosts of the past and a mother and a father who, in the process of leaving their mark upon on the world, scarred their first daughter on home soil. Brutally self-deprecating and funny as hell, it belies a rose-tinted perspective on the 70s and 80s west coast American scene, from within the belly of the beast of the rock and roll world.

Everyone is welcome.

Thanks Susan


I have procured my copy and really looking forward to our discussion

I'll join you, I think. I just got it on Audible. I couldn't get it to stop playing.

Hurrah - see you in March Jan

I have a lot of buddy reads coming up in March for this group so have gone early on this one.


I’m a few chapters in and conflicted.

The style is annoying me but the content, specifically the insights into the unconventional family life with the Zappas, is frankly (ha) eye opening. A lot of nudity, smoking and random people coming and going. Frank and (presumably) Mum Gail too (but perhaps not), having a lot of extramarital sex.

This is written in the breathless style of an over excited, precocious toddler. I’m finding it somewhat grating.

This takes the notion of a dysfunctional family to new levels. The descriptions of child abuse and family drama are pretty shocking. Frank is absent a lot of the time, and emotionally absent all of the time. Gail is codependent. Moon desperately seeks his approval to almost total disinterest. The whole family seem narcissistic. The kids chaotic upbringing was clearly very traumatic: no boundaries, a lot of quasi mystical hippy nonsense, nudity, random strangers, pornographic magazines etc

I suspect this might be more palatable in print. Listening to an adult Moon mimicking the voice of a younger version of herself is very off-putting.

I seem to be stuck at first on line with my library reserve; at some point I may lose patience and buy it, but I have plenty to read at the moment.

I have it on Audible but I have a personal read I am finishing first, then I have to read my Detectives books. I will hopefully get to it in a couple of weeks.

Looking forward to comparing notes with you both. I suspect that I’ll start to find this more compelling as it progresses. I hope so. The content is interesting but the style is a struggle for me so far

I’m sticking with this despite continuing to find it a bit of a trial. It’s clear Moon has had many many hours of therapy. Some of her insights are credible and interesting.

The success of her Valley Girl song with Frank really brings the family dynamic into sharp focus

The young adult Moon has a more interesting and reflective tale which brings the earlier years into sharper relief. Warming to this more now

Never were Larkin’s lines about parents more apposite


It’s hard to know how much of Moon’s personality has been caused by the dysfunction of her upbringing. Either way this continues to be a mix of grim, annoying, and interesting. Overall I feel I would not have bothered with it had I known what was in store.

I’m really curious to discover what the rest of you make of it, especially as Andy Miller (of Backlisted) was so positive and enthusiastic about its merits.

I should finish it soon

And my copy is now "in transit"

Hurrah


That’s encouraging Ben

Here's my review....


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

That's unusually harsh for you, Nigeyb, especially for a music-related book!

I'm going to read it anyway, although possibly as a skim, and will let you know what I think. I was very much a Zappa fan in my teens and saw the Mothers of Invention play once.

I was suprised by how much it annoyed me Ben


I'm not a Zappa fan though so perhaps that was a factor

The majority of readers seem to find plenty to enjoy so I'm hopeful you and Susan, and anyone else, will provide a counterpoint to my reaction

I loved their albums "Freak Out" and their "Live at the Fillmore West"

I think I've heard them, albeit briefly


He/they never really did it for me. Perhaps if I'd been born a few years earlier.

I played Valley Girl earlier as I don't think I'd ever heard it before. Fun I suppose if you were there at the time living in California. Not so much for anyone else.

I'll listen to this after I finish Lucinda Williams' book, Don't Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You. Pretty dysfunctional family, too.

So, I'm not far in yet, but I feel Gail would not be comfortable in Trump's America.

To say the least

The baby with a razor blade in his mouth. Good grief!

I know

I was such a hysterical parent, always worrying they would choke on grapes or get hit by a swing. I think I would have died on the spot!

My copy is still in transit. Must be on the 156 bus!

I am not far in, Ben. I am enjoying the audio version though - I know that Nigeyb found her style a little annoying.

I did indeed, though that reduced as it went along

Quite understandable. The narrator is SO important.

It is hard to know, in memoirs, whether the author is being disingenuous at times or misremembering things. I am at the part where Moon and her brother have gone to NY with Frank. He, of course, has picked up a willing companion. It is hard to know what Moon understood as she grew up which is not to say she is necessarily not telling the complete truth, but it is difficult to recall these things as a younger person as you grow up.

Is anyone reading this a fan of Frank Zappa, because I don't know his music. I was interested in Moon's trip to London and Europe, her surprise appearance on a song which became a hit. Gail seems to have an odd relationship with her daughter, almost competitive.

Susan wrote:


"Is anyone reading this a fan of Frank Zappa?"

Not me Susan

Ben is a fan (see above). His copy is still in transit last we heard

I'm not sure his music will age well and would guess it won't endure

Even though Moon adored him, he emerges as a deeply flawed and incredibly selfish and self absorbed person. Often the way with driven artists.



"Gail seems to have an odd relationship with her daughter, almost competitive."

Wait til you get further in

She was a very messed up individual and not suited to parenthood

It often seems as though people use being artistic as an excuse for the most terrible behaviour.

Gail is definitely not a great mother!

I was a fan 50 years ago but I've rarely listened to him since.

What would you suggest to listen to as sort of representative of his music, Ben?

I'm only familiar with his music up to a certain point. I don't know his music after the early 70's. My favourites, which may not be representative of his work as a whole, were his live album at the Fillmore East (a famous concert venue in Greenwich Village) and an early album Freak Out. Kind of weird. Perfect music for my adolescent self!

I see that the Motion Picture soundtrack of the film Zappa has a broad selection of his music, including some of the early pieces I knew and liked and some later works. It's available on Spotify.

Thanks, Ben. I don't really have a sense of him and, looking at his photographs, I can't understand why women are throwing themselves at him! I can only imagine he had a certain charisma.

The power of celebrity Susan


He was well known in credible cultural circles

Oh my goodness. Poor Moon. Loved this - I want to just adopt her!

There are some great music books out lately. Two great new Beatles books out later this year, one by Stuart Maconie. I posted in the Beatles books thread.

She certainly had a raw deal and drew the short straw when it came to her parents

My copy has arrived finally. I'll pick it up Monday. Looking forward to reading it and sharing my comments.

Great news Ben

One thing Frank was "famous" for was refusing to play at his concerts if he wasn't completely satisfied with the crowd's attention. When I saw him in 1973 or 1974, he spent ten minutes on stage tying his shoe, waiting for the crowd of 15,000 to be quiet enough for him.

Ben wrote: "One thing Frank was "famous" for was refusing to play at his concerts if he wasn't completely satisfied with the crowd's attention. When I saw him in 1973 or 1974, he spent ten minutes on stage tyi..."

Ben wrote: "One thing Frank was "famous" for was refusing to play at his concerts if he wasn't completely satisfied with the crowd's attention. When I saw

I wonder if that happened today, what would social media have to say about it?

him in 1973 or 1974, he spent ten minutes on stage tyi..."

I recall reading about one singer (Neil Young?) telling an audience to stop clapping as they were out of time?

I remember being lucky enough to see George Harrison at the Royal Albert Hall - his only UK concert for years and years and he did the first two songs with his back to the audience and said he didn't think anyone would want to come and see him! Yes, they did!

I've started now . She won't win awards for her writing, but I'm enjoying what she reveals. I remember the GTOs well and their main song, Circular Circulation, is on YouTube. Very much of an era.

For some reason I conflate Cynthia Plaster Caster and the GTOs. Was there a connection?

I know one GTO married John Cale and another got hitched to Shuggie Otis

My extensive research, a quick google, reveals that…


Cynthia appears on the GTO album talking with Rodney Bingenheimer so seems they were all part of the same circle

I'm 75% through. Frank has just died.

I'm still not enjoying her writing, but I'm used to it now, and the book feels more fluid. My chief complaint other than the writing is that other than recognising her overwhelming need to please others, she hasn't gone very far below the surface. Perhaps there will be better introspection in the last part of the book.

I would have liked to see a better understanding of her father and her relationship with him, but perhaps that lack of understanding and the distance of the relationship is all she is able to convey.

The relationship with her mother is a horror story.

I did enjoy reading about the making of "Valley Girl", the effect it had on her life and then listening to it for the first time. It's funny that it was Frank Zappa's biggest hit.

I'm glad I didn't grow up a Zappa. And that neither my family nor I have been in the celebrity business.

Susan wrote: "It is hard to know, in memoirs, whether the author is being disingenuous at times or misremembering things. ... it is difficult to recall these things as a younger person as you grow up...."

I don't think she does a very good job of explaining her early life -- but it is a difficult thing to do. Hard to compete with James Joyce and Marcel Proust, isn't it.