At the time of this interview, Frank Zappa was exploring a run for President of the United States.
KPFA host Charles Amirkhanian chats with Zappa about what’s going on in world politics and culture in April 1991. Frank talks about his thoughts on the first Persian Gulf War, what he thinks about George H. W. Bush’s time in office, and the idea of having John Cage or Noam Chomsky work with him if he became president. There was also a part of the show where people could call in and ask Zappa questions about important issues.
00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:18 – Gathering Information and Media Recommendations
Frank Zappa discusses his information sources and recommends C-SPAN for unfiltered government coverage.
00:03:36 – Congressional Hearing on A-12 Aircraft
Zappa narrates a congressional hearing about the A-12 aircraft program’s controversy and financial issues.
00:05:44 – President George Bush’s Speech and The New World Order
Analyzing President Bush’s speech on the New World Order and Zappa’s interpretation of his body language.
00:06:28 – Frank Zappa’s Political Ambitions
Zappa expresses interest in running for President as a non-partisan candidate, critiquing party politics.
00:10:45 – Meeting with Václav Havel
Zappa shares his views on Václav Havel, Czechoslovakia’s president, as a reluctant political leader.
00:14:29 – Composing Music and New Projects
Discussing Zappa’s current projects, including music compositions using George Bush’s speech samples.
00:16:16 – The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life
Exploring Zappa’s new album, the disbandment of his 1988 tour group, and music arrangements.
00:18:51 – Political Aspirations and Vice Presidential Choice
Zappa humorously mentions considering his wife, Gail, for vice president in his potential political campaign.
00:21:19 – Interactive Call-in Segment
Listeners call in, discussing Zappa’s music and upcoming album releases.
00:26:09 – Military Spending and Foreign Policy
Zappa discusses national defense priorities and his stance on foreign policy and military spending.
00:30:04 – Education and Poverty
Zappa addresses education reform, religious influences on textbooks, and the issue of poverty.
00:36:47 – Zappa’s Visit to Post-Revolution Czechoslovakia
Zappa describes post-Velvet Revolution Czechoslovakia and the challenges faced by Havel’s government.
00:40:20 – The Music Industry and Eastern European Artists
Zappa addresses the struggles of Eastern European artists in the music industry, highlighting market challenges and payola issues.
00:41:39 – Zappa’s Identity and Interaction with Fans
A discussion on Zappa’s identity as an artist and his perspectives on engaging positively with the world.
00:44:02 – Social Responsibility and Diplomacy
Zappa comments on human nature, the Gulf War, and the failure of institutions like the UN in conflict prevention.
00:44:44 – The Electoral College and Presidential Politics
Zappa examines the electoral college system and contemplates the implications of a potential presidential run.
00:46:00 – Mental Health System and Pharmaceuticals
A critique of the U.S. mental health system, addressing issues like homelessness and forced medication.
00:49:49 – Zappa’s Potential Political Ambitions
Zappa discusses the feasibility of a presidential campaign and the importance of a diverse, non-political team.
00:51:30 – Upcoming Events and Acknowledgments
The program concludes with thanks to Zappa and mentions his upcoming CD release and future discussions.
Usage: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States (Creative Commons License)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/
Originally aired as “Ode To Gravity: Frank Zappa: World Affairs Commentator” on KPFA.
Air date: 1991-04-15
Source: https://archive.org/details/OTG_1991_04_15_c1
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