Hey Everyone

re: this event

I have to say that I agree with Gail on this one -  ARF fucked up royally, Just meeting Ahmet and having him hang with them is in no way making an agreement with ZFT (Ahmet is a notorious renegade), nor is having Napoleon sing with Sheik Yerbouti any form of tacet endorsement by ZFT and for ARF to even mention those things as some sort of defense is a sign of ARF's absolute child-like naivety, and that is the nice way to say it. If after 18 years and all they have been thru with ZFT ARF did not see this coming, they are incredibly clueless - they of all people know Gail is and thus how ZFT operates. And they should have formally contacted her first thru an attorney, just to show professionalism and respect. And they are capitalizing promoters, just like any other promoter is. The boss man (sorry his name slips my memory at this moment) is a super duper capitalist who knows how to make gazillions. Yeah he has poured money into Z-nale but he is also building an institution which someday will make him lots of money, he is a guy who understands investment and return, just like Frank did.

It is bigtime non-pro fuck-up shit like this that just makes it worse for the Zappa community at large throughout the world as it only gets Gail's ire up, it would get my ire up if I were in her shoes and this transpired such as it has w/re to this event. and I lay the blame on ARF and whomever else is involved as an organizer. ARF - Everyone - has to understand that no matter what they want with re to bigtime shit, ZFT is the final word and FZ left it that way legally upon his departure, so......

The make things even worse, most z-fans react with pre-enabled hate towards Gail and ZFT about "the fans being ripped off for ticket money because of Gail" etc...this one is not Gail, it is the promoters/ARF. They are completely non-pro but they operate in a big self created arena that is all about making money off of FZ's persona and I recognize that they love FZ to death also, I understand how FZ's work touches the post WWII German populace, it has a healing effect. But if ARF (as promoters) are are not geared up to deal with this shit (ex. refunding ticket money if that is what has to be done) then the fans should shake it out of them. But I assume (know) that ARF is geared up to deal with it. I know all this stuff about ARF anyway but concerning this event even I am dumbfounded that they did not contact Gail in a professional way long ago. Dumb All Over.

The whole thing is just stupid, it could have come off nicely, 


Ed

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Dear Ed, 



many thanks for these bright prospects, you’re wishing for Zappanales and Arf-Societies future in your email dated july 26, 2007. 



We more than hope your guess, we’ll get a return of investment in the near future comes true! This will be the safest and only base for all music- and zappainterested people, worldwide, to enjoy more sophisticated and successful Zappanalefestivals in the coming years. 



We are honoured to read, that you really compare our voluntary work with Frank Zappas professionalism and cleverness. You’re absolutely right, saying that we acted naive and really unprofessional when we first tried to make contact to Gail and the ZFT, but even we are learning  more about this year for year. 



Do you really believe a more professional behaviour would have had any influence on Gails reaction to our simple request of cooperation? I don’t! All she said in a telephonecall, oh yes we talked to her personally, the only chance for a cooperation is: 

if she gets total control about who’s allowed to play and all musicians have to subordinate their program under her creativity. 



Thanks again Ed, maybe we see you back on stage in Bad Doberan one of the next years! If all your good wishes for us come true, we should get the chance to get you financed again. 



By the way, Arf-Society never had or will have any influence on Gails behaviour. All we do is supporting her business, as allowing to sell her products at the festival through traders, who are although members of the Arf-Society, without asking any charges for this.  



All of our Zappanale-CD’s an DVD’s are officially registered by the German GEMA, to keep the composers rights and the ZFT is charged by this. 



Come on Ed, who’s got the return of investment? 



We better should tell the fanbase about this. 



Best 



Thomas Dippel 

President Arf-Society e.V. 


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Greetings Thomas,

I do absolutely mean what I wrote and yes I do believe that the building of a Brand that is what is going on, Wolfhard knows well how to invest and make money and one day Z-nale will be a money maker...any fans that choose to volunteer are unpaid workers toward this end result. Wolfhard KNOWS how to make money. In this case Z-nale, FZ is his Brand. And I do believe that in the years of problems between Gail and Z-nale, turned to Gail vs. the entire Zappa alumni (save Terry and Steve), Z-nale has played a part in making that worse and it has been going on for so long that now things are  worse than ever. Sorry to say this I do not intend to hurt anyone but this is the truth as I see it. That ARF did not see this coming (from Gail) for the upcoming street-naming event amazes me. I do believe that just before this things were in  place where the right kind of organization, professionalism and respectful pre-contact with Gail would have resulted in a positive effect.

So to be positive, take this for what it is worth, ARF would be well advised to bring their activities up to professional standards and not let unskilled volunteers be given the authority to make critical ARF decisions. The way I see it now, as a result of the street naming event and how things have transpired, and Gail's reaction to it - progress has been set back a good 5-10 years for the entire Zappa community.

I am just being honest with you.

Best wishes

Ed

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