August 26, 2015

ZAPPATiKA + Ike Willis + Jeff Hollie + Craig Twister Steward: The Pony Suite

ZAPPATiKA main man ‎Zap Mcinnes and Ike Willis joined forces for The Pony Suite, with fellow Zappa alumni Jeff Hollie and Craig Twister Steward. McInnes toyed with the concept of a composition about Eastern European prostitutes who end up in the darkness of the red light district in Amsterdam, but never got around to finish it. Enter Ike Willis to share the burden and the presto: a full-on suite now sees the light of day.

Prostitutes, the pimp and the randy clientele all have their own voice and things get quite nasty lyrically (Tipper Gore and her ilk will hate it), but it is the music that drives home the horror behind this sorry tale. Sax player Jeff Hollie tears it up and Fred Händl provides a deceptively gentle piano part.

With its running time of 8 minutes changes for regular radio airplay are close to zero, but there's no doubt it will be embraced by the Frank Zappa community, who will be curious to hear what a couple of his former band mates are up these days. Anglo-Dutch ZAPPATiKA band stand their ground on this one, making it a true collaboration. A full album is in the works for 2016.

Ike Willis: vocals, guitar
Maarten van Zeijl: drums
Joep Oosterbaan: bass
Hieronymus Jeroen van Dam: percussion, synths, pony
Jeff Hollie: soprano sax
Coen Siersma: trumpet
Fred Händl: piano
Craig Twister Steward: harmonicas
Zap Mcinnes: vocals, guitar

The world premiere of The Pony Suite happens on September 1st on German web radio station Rockradio.de (10pm (CET) - 1pm (LA) - 4pm (NY)- 9pm (UK)

» ZAPPATiKA on Facebook
» ikewillis.com

HCTF review of "Live in Liverpool".

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