Frank Zappa and Me
In 1967, a conservative English secretary had a life-changing encounter in a London hotel with the charismatic American musician, Frank Zappa. By Matt Broughton.
In 1967 Pauline Butcher, a conventional English secretary, was sent to a London hotel on a typing assignment. The client turned out to be avant-garde American musician Frank Zappa. Frank asked Pauline to type out the lyrics of his album, Absolutely Free, a task she found extremely baffling. Out of this chance encounter, and unlikely meeting of minds, a friendship quickly grew, and Pauline was invited to go and work for Frank in Los Angeles, where the regular visitors to his log cabin in the Hollywood Hills included Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Captain Beefheart. It was the height of the Summer of Love which would soon come to a violent end when Charles Manson soured the hippie dream. But it would be the rise of the Women's Liberation Movement that finally led Pauline to follow her own path.
Adapted by Matt Broughton from Pauline's memoir 'Freak Out - My Life with Frank Zappa.'
Directed by Kate McAll
A 大象传媒 Cymru Wales Production.
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Freak Out! The Frank Zappa Story
Germaine Greer presents a profile of eccentric 1970s rock icon Frank Zappa.
Pauline Butcher tells us about Frank Zappa, the Manson murders and feminism.
Clip
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"Mr Zappa? I'm afraid I only speak English"
Duration: 02:00
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Frank Zappa | Ronan Summers |
Young Pauline | Lucy Briggs-Owen |
Older Pauline | Richenda Carey |
Herb Cohen | Simon Lee Phillips |
Christine | Samantha Dakin |
Eric Clapton | Gareth Pierce |
Director | Kate McAll |
Adaptor | Matthew Broughton |
Author | Pauline Butcher |
Broadcast
- Tue 6 May 2014 14:15大象传媒 Radio 4