Freak Out!: My Life With Frank Zappa

'The book describes a formative time in the life of an innovative musical artist, which Zappa most certainly was. But it also captures a particularly intense experience of a very brief, yet enormously influential, period in the evolution of western womanhood.' — The Guardian ' Freak Out! provides an affectionate, revelatory but clear-eyed portrayal of the peculiar dynamic at the heart of the Mother superior's inner sanctum. Zappa’s contradictory nature is deftly delineated ("he stood in judgement on almost everyone in the outside world yet I knew no other man more unassuming, humble or compassionate") and a compelling cast of minor characters drift through the narrative: an elliptical, quixotic Captain Beefheart, the luckless, rudderless Wild Man Fischer, gentlemanly multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood, visionary sleeve artist Cal Schenkel and Pauline’s eventual charges, the unruly and elemental GTOs. A vital purchase for those that love their Mothers. 4*s' Reviewed by Oregano Rathbone — Record Collector ‘Revelatory and keenly perceptive. In 1967, Zappa ordered a typist up to his London hotel room, and when Butcher arrived, they hit it off to such an extent that eventually he offered her a job as his personal secretary. She accepted, moved to Los Angeles, and was promptly thrown into madness that from the distance of time seems irresistible. With a backdrop of the chaotic late 1960s extending into 1972, Butcher battles Zappa's wife Gail, develops interesting friendships with musician Ian Underwood and album artist Cal Schenkel, wrangles the GTOs (an all-girl act produced by Zappa), and meets a variety of eccentrics and rock stars: Tiny Tim, Captain Beefheart, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, and members of Pink Floyd. Offering deeply personal glimpses of Zappa, Butcher's coming-of-age story is so captivating and vividly told that many will be surprised to discover it's her first book.' — The Austin Chronicle 'Contains lots of inside information about the true state of the grubby log cabin. Pauline's time with the Zappas was very eventful, with an assassination attempt, constant work-related squabbles with Gail (who she says 'has three speeds: slow, very slow, and stop'), and general in-house strife. But she also had many good times, getting to see moments of pure brilliance as well as witness some of Frank's more fanciful projects (the GTOs, Wild Man Fischer, etc.). This is an honest, accurate - and very well written - account of her thoughts and feelings at the time, based as it is on her diaries and letters home. Entertaining and occasionally laugh-out loud funny, too.' — Andrew Greenaway, author of Zappa the Hard Way 'Irrefutably complex, infuriatingly enigmatic Frank Zappa remained a mystery to everyone bar his inner circle. Now someone who was close to the musician throughout the turbulent 60s has broken her silence. Pauline Butcher was a quiet, shy English girl who was refreshingly free of any rock star hang ups... A fascinating insight into the life of Frank Zappa, it also stands as a wonderful fly on the wall account of a whirlwind era in the evolution of rock music. ClashMusic has gained a short extract, which includes a walk on appearance from a certain Mr M. Jagger and Miss M. Faithfull . . .' — ClashMusic --This text refers to the paperback edition. In 1967, a chance encounter with a musical legend changed Pauline Butcher's life forever. Summoned to Frank Zappa's London hotel room to transcribe the lyrics of his album, Absolutely Free, the young English secretary experienced an unlikely meeting of minds with the charismatic American rock star who subsequently invited Pauline to work for him in Los Angeles. Living at the famousxa0log cabin in the Hollywood Hills with Frank, his family and members of his eccentric entourage, Pauline spent her days and nights in the company of a succession of famous names. Drinking sessions with Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithful, visits from Eric Clapton and Captain Beefheart, and the fevered rehearsals of Zappa's band - the Mothers of Invention - were nothing out of the ordinary in a house routinely populated by freaks, drop-outs, drug casualties and dreamers. While running Zappa's fan club and managing the GTOs, an all-girl rock act supported and produced by Frank, Pauline learned to navigate the highs and lows of life behind the scenes with a rock'n'roll icon, gaining an unparalleled insight into Zappa's life and work in the process. A vivid depiction of the late sixties music industry and the sometimes stark realities behind Hollywood's perceived glamour, this memoir is also the most revealing and intimate portrait of Frank Zappa ever written. --This text refers to the paperback edition. In 1968, Frank Zappaxa0urged me to write about life with himxa0at the log cabin in Laurel Canyon where Gail Zappa, their baby daughter, Moon Unit, and eight others, in various ways, also shacked up.xa0Though I made many attempts, it was not until recently when I discovered that my mother had keptxa0in a shoe box the 20-page letters I had written home 40 years earlier, that I found I could write this book. --This text refers to the paperback edition. London-born Pauline Butcher worked in Los Angeles as Frank Zappa’s PA from 1967–1971. During this time, she ran the fan club of the Mothers of Invention, and managed the all-girl rock act the GTOs. After returning to England in the early 1970s, she studied at Cambridge University, and went on to teach A-level psychology. She now lives in Singapore with her husband. This is her first book. --This text refers to the paperback edition. Read more