There is a story on my site about how I met Ike and FZ. joeconti.com

Heres another story as I remember it.

The band was rehearsing for the 1984 Them or Us Tour at Franks rehearsal space before going to Zeotrope Studios with the full PA and lights. In the band was Ike W, Ray W, Bobby M, Chad W, Scott T, Napoleon MB and Alan Zavod. Frank was rehearsing this “rock band” and at the same time getting ready for a presentation at Dorthy Chandler Pavillion of his classical chamber music, I believe it was 5 piece. Frank was coming to rehearsals for the rock band after working with the classical guys and saying ” they are just not cutting it”.

Then one day FZ showed up and had a big smirk on his face (that everyone loved to see) and he said gather round so the band and the crew convened to hear what was up. Frank said the classical concert the night before went well, although the reviews were lukewarm. ( FZ did not like music critics – listen to Packard Goose)

What mostly no one knew except for the musicians, the conductor and the sound man was that FZ instructed the group to pretend and play along with a digital tape of the recording cause they were not pulling off the very complex music. No one in the room knew – or could tell ! ! (it gets better) Then . . . .

The next morning when the reviews came out in the LA papers, Frank I believe on a radio or TV interview where he spilled the beans about the Milli Vanilli “performance” and that all the critics should look for another job cause they obviously cant tell the difference between real and recorded music!!!!

This pissed off many people. FZ was always able to do to that to those with feathers needed to be ruffled. Yes, we all laughed allot about that one!.

How did the project turn out?

Ciao and Aloha!

Joe C