I followed the promoter's car up winding canyon roads to the Zappa residence. I was goin' to do a portrait logo for his 'Off Broadway' tour
... maybe his last
.
On the roof above the front door was a white faced lawn jockey.
"Frank will be with ya in a moment", his wife said leading us to a downstair living space. My eyes took in a hanging yellow shark sculpture, a burnt stratocaster (one of Jimi's) and an array of personalized license plates from every state of the union on the walls, 'Uncle Meat' Missouri, 'Suzy Cream' Connecticut...
I made myself comfortable in a high back, purple velvet chair with a built-in ashtray and lit a cig...
"Hey man, that's Frank's chair!"