Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.06.2006, Qupperneq 28

Classified
Accomodation
Hótel Breiðafjörður 54
Hótel Edda 49
Hótel Framnes 54
Kaldbakskot 54
Salka Guesthouse 54
Þjóðveldisbær 54
Activities
Blue Lagoon 43
Botanic Day tours 31
City Centre booking service 56
City Centre Info 6
Elding whale watching 20
Hafsúlan whale watching 46
Hallgrímskirkja church 20
Orkuveitan 33
Reykjavik Excursions 13
Spa City 44
Cafes, Bars and Restaurants
2 Fiskar 28
A. Hansen 25
Aktu Taktu 33
Bernhöftsbakarí 35
Café Roma 7
Fljótt og Gott 48
Food Taxi 21
Galbi 29
Hressó 35
Humarhúsið 42
Kaffi Karólína 37
O Sushi 36
Rósenberg 26
Segafredo 7
Shalimar 37
Sægreifinn 35
Við Tjörnina 29
Viking Village 52
Vín og Skel 14
Events
Car Exhibition 49
Museums and gallaries
Árnesingar Art Museum 54
Bananananas exhibition 31
The Culture House 40
Fold Gallery 33
Glacier Museum 49
Gljúfrasteinn Museum 31
The Settlement Exhibition 51
Shopping
66 North 5
Álafoss wool store 47
Carlsberg light 56
Cintamani 2
Englatár 29
Icewear 9
Lyng workshop 51
Lýsi 15
Nexus 52
Rammagerðin gift shop 17
Sprite Zero 11
Viking Shop 10
Vík Wool 48
Witchcraft store 31
Transportation
Air Iceland 55
Berg Car Rental 54
Budget Car Renta l54
Hertz Car Rental 55
Other services
Forex 49
Ministry of Forreign Affairs 35
Grapevine Ad Index
Only 2 hours drive from Reykjavik. Small
and friendly hotel, perfectly located in the
centre of the town, only a few minutes walk
from the beautiful harbour of Stykkishólmur.
The hotel offers a splendid view over the
harbour and Breidafjordur. If our guests
need to access Internet they can do so on a
fulltime online computer. Hotel guests can
play golf without a charge at the towns 9
holes golf course.
s. +354-433-2200
www.prinsvaliant.is
hotelbreidafjordur@prinsvaliant.is
Salka Guesthouse
Skipagata 1
600 Akureyri
tel: 461-2340
alka@nett.is
Þjóðveldisbærinn
A reconstructed viking farm from the 11´th
century. Situated in Þjórsárdalur valley,
approx. 1 1/2 hour from Reykjavík.(Take
route 1, turn off at route 30 and then again
at route 32) Opening hours every day from
10-12 and 13-18.
Tel. 488-7713
Frank Zappa is one of a select few true
legends in the music world. Just the men-
tion of his name garners so much respect
that simply being able to say that you played
with him at one time is a claim to fame and
greatness in and of itself – not least because
Frank tended not to record with anyone he
felt wasn’t up to his standard. On the 9th
of June, Iceland will be treated to a visit by
some of Zappa’s greatest band members from
the past, as well as his two sons. In anticipa-
tion of the concert, the Grapevine talked to
saxophonist, f lautist and vocalist Napoleon
Murphy Brock, a prolific entertainer and
one of the more striking members of Zappa’s
ensemble throughout the years.
/// Tell us about how you first met Frank
Zappa back in the early 70s. It was in Ha-
waii, right?
– Yeah, that’s right, at the time I was play-
ing in Hawaii a couple of times a year with
my own band. We played a lot of different
things, top-40 hits, mixed some jazz in
there, some fun TV themes and stuff – lots
of variety. Anyway, after one show Frank’s
manager approached me and told me that
he was representing a band that needed a
vocalist. I had no idea who Frank Zappa
was, though, so I refused outright. I had
heard good things about a couple of people
in his band, however, so they did manage
to persuade me to drop by and listen to the
band the next time I was in Los Angeles. As
soon as I heard them play, I knew it was my
destiny to be in that band.
/// The early 70s was a creative period for
Zappa’s music. What was the level of your
involvement in the creative process?
– Well, when I joined Frank he had just
released Overnight Sensation and the reason
he needed a singer like me was to go on tour
to promote that album. I came from theatre,
you see, and Frank’s music was pure theat-
rics. I also have a background in blues, jazz,
humour and satire – so we were a good fit
and the theatrical element added a lot more
creativity than was normally part of the pro-
cess. That being said, we couldn’t improvise
much at first, as we were all trying to learn
the songs, both the new and old material.
We would maybe have certain signals that
we could give each other onstage to throw in
semi-improvised things on the f ly.
/// I understand you left for a while to pur-
sue other projects.
– Yeah, because George Stupe asked me
to come and do some vocals for him, so we
made like five records together. But then
Frank called me about Thing Fish, and the
part of the Evil Prince. That whole idea
came out of something we developed in ’76
and ’77, during ‘The Torture Never Stops’ – a
period when we were using a lot of theatrics.
We used costumes and kitsch to portray
this character called the Evil Prince, well…
originally sort of a Mad Professor type, but
it developed into this devilish character with
a fake opera voice. I fit the part of the Evil
Prince to a tee, of course. I am a devil.
/// Eh, ok. Tell me about playing with the
Zappa band these days; do you tour with
them regularly?
– I go on the road with them once in a
while, just to keep my chops up, you know?
With this kind of music you have to play it
absolutely all the time, or at least on a very
regular basis, or you just lose it. I mean, I
tour with a lot of groups, up to ten groups
a year – just to keep my chops up. I play a
mixture of so many styles, so much theatrics.
The more you practise, the more versatile you
become.
/// Speaking of versatility, you seem to do a
lot of different things for a lot of different
bands…
– I sing, play sax and do my theatrical pre-
sentations for a lot of different ensembles,
that’s right. I’m an independent contractor;
people call me up and ask me to front their
bands. If you have a good band, and you want
me to front that band, I’m probably gonna
do it.
/// Well, now you are coming to Iceland and
it’s my solemn duty as an Icelandic journal-
ist to pester you with questions about our
country. Have you ever been here before, do
you know anything about the place?
– Nah, never been before. But I heard some-
thing about you guys stealing all the prettiest
women from some place and taking them
over to Iceland and breeding with them…
/// That would be the Irish peasant women,
it was sort of a Viking thing.
– From Ireland, huh? Wow, I’m very inter-
ested in seeing how they turned out! Is it
true that Iceland is something of a tropical
paradise as well? I just love Hawaii, and I’m
hoping it’s similar.
/// Ehhh… Has anyone else from the band
ever been over here?
– Yeah, Terry was there once. Loved it, said
it was very beautiful.
/// Do you plan to check out the famously
rambunctious nightlife?
– Are there lots of women around in your
famously rambunctious nightlife?
/// Yes, I believe that’s a rather crucial ele-
ment to the overall experience.
– Well, in that case, yeah I’m gonna check
out the nightlife! I’ll be where the women
are.
/// Is there anything you’d like to tell the
people of Iceland in advance of your June
9th concert?
– Yeah, man: Get yourselves some parachutes
and seatbelts and prepare for something big,
cause we’re coming.
/// What music will you put the main em-
phasis on?
– Frank Zappa’s music.
/// Yes, but with such a large catalogue…
– We’re gonna play Frank Zappa music.
/// So, no clues on the particular era or…
– Frank Zappa music.
Aloha, Zappa Plays Zappa
Interview with Napoleon Murphy Brock
by gunnar hrafn jónsson
“Is it true that Iceland is something of a tropical para-
dise as well? I just love Hawaii, and I’m hoping it’s
similar.”
www.airiceland.is | tel 570 3030
tel 570 3030 | fax 570 3001
websales@airiceland.is | www.airiceland.is
Contact us, or any
travel agent in Iceland,
for reservations
Check out our tours
in our new 2006
brochure
It’s the journey
- not the destination
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