Barking Pumpkin – A Family Affair With Frank Zappa
By Michael Glynn
LOS ANGELES – What’s in a record company name? Plenty, if the label happens to be called Barking Pumpkin. No one would blanch at such well-known entertainment industry trademarks as CBS’ “eye,” Warner Bros, shield or RCA’s Nipper. But what of a company with a logo depicting a barking jack o’lantern and a startled cat, responding with a “holy shit” in Chinese, no less? Somehow, though, it all begins to make sense when you learn that Barking Pumpkin is a label consisting of an artist roster of one: Frank Zappa.
Formed in March of 1981, Barking Pumpkin (which is run by both Zappa and his personal manager, Bennett Glotzer) quickly entered into a pressing and distribution deal with CBS. According to Zappa, who personally fielded questions about the label when the deal was announced, the agreement “does not provide for the production of other artists, nor am I presently interested in the production of other rock acts. If the opportunity arose to produce a classical album or perhaps some chamber music, I might be interested but this would not be released on Barking Pumpkin because the mechanics of our contract with CBS do not allow for this.”
With no classical productions in sight (although Glotzer noted that the eclectic Zappa’s orchestral compositions are planned to be performed in Paris under conductor Pierre Boulez in 1984), the label concentrated on setting a release schedule for “a strong continuity of product,” both CBS-distributed and mail-order. This included the first commercial release by Barking Pumpkin through CBS, “Tinsel Town Rebellion,” followed by three albums to be marketed by mail, “Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar,” “Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar Some More,” and “Return Of The Son Of Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar.” (Barking Pumpkin representatives indicated that the three mail-order guitar LPs are presently being shipped as a boxed set.)
In September 1981, yet another album was released (via CBS), entitled “You Are What You Is,” and Zappa undertook a tour of the U.S. from Oct. 1 through Dec. 12 in support of the LP.
While all of these projects were reasonably successful for Zappa, neither he nor anyone else at the label could have foreseen the stir that a satirical song he put together with his daughter, Moon Unit Zappa, would create. “Valley Girl,” the first single from the summer 1982 release “Ship Arriving Too Late To Save a Drowning Witch,” was sent to Pasadena’s KROQ-FM week before the album was shipped and soon became the most-requested song on the Top 40 new music station.
“We thought that the song would get airplay on KROQ and that would be about it,” said Glotzer. “Then when it hit the record stores it sold out in L.A. in one day.”
National Phenomenon
The song turned into a national phenomenon in a matter of weeks, becoming the subject of newspaper stories from coast to coast (as a representative of Barking Pumpkin put it, “Every city, it seemed, had a valley or the equivalent”). Girls all over the San Fernando Valley city of Encino were claiming that they were the “Valley Girl” the song was based upon (a none-tooflattering caricature of an air-headed teenager). Slightly altered covers were turning up as far away as Hawaii (a none-too-flattering caricature of mainland females called “Haole Girls”), while take-offs cropped up throughout L.A. (i.e. “Valley Dudes” by the Straight A’s, “Marina Men” by a trio calling themselves the Valley Girls, etc.) Posters, calendars, stationery, bumper stickers, and numerous Valley Guides and other assorted books also came out.
“It was a zoo with all the different records and other products coming out at once,” said Glotzer. “Every major film company with one exception has gotten ahold of us and there’s been talk of a television series. Right now, we’ve been trying to organize some promotions with a number of amusemerit parks in the area and a few beverage companies.
“We do basically all of our own advertising and promotions ... but the CBS branches have been especially helpful ... and we owe a lot to CBS’ Paul Smith, Cal Roberts and John Birget.”
Speaking of television, Moon Zappa's acting career got off the ground as a result of “Valley Girl,” with such diverse performances as a recent episode of Chips and a debate with former Watergate figure G. Gordon Liddy, fresh from his appearances with Dr. Tim Leary. On Nov. 7, Moon is being honored as a Newsmaker of the Year by the Valley Press Club at its annual awards dinner “for bringing the San Fernando Vailey to the attention of millions.”
Barking Pumpkin representatives point out that the company is presently in the process of signing a merchandising and marketing contract with a top marketing firm for “Valley Girl.” The single has sold 300,000 copies to date and album sales, at presstime, were up to 290,000, mostly coming out of the east and west coasts.
While Moon continued to make the rounds on the talk and entertainment TV show circuit, having done Two On The Town, Late Night with David Letterman and the Merv Griffin Show, as well as recording with her brother Dweezil (“Mother Is A Space Cadet” and “Crunchy Water”), her father wrapped up a European tour. However, instead of playing his customary holiday shows in New York and Chicago on Halloween and Thanksgiving, respectively, Frank recently completed work on a video project.
Entitled “The Dub Room Special’’ (because it was put together in the dubbing room of Compact Video), it includes both past performances, such as 1975 dates featuring the Mothers of Invention with George Duke and Ruth Underwood, as well as current footage. In lieu of his N.Y.C. Halloween date, Zappa planned to show it that night (Oct. 30) atThe Ritz in Manhattan. At the same time, Warner Amex’s MTV is repeating last year’s Halloween show at the Palladium.
Feature Films
In the feature film area, Zappa’s film Baby Snakes, which was released on a limited run basis in a handful of markets some time ago, is being sent out “on a concert tour,” playing market by market, according to officials at Barking Pumpkin. Zappa is presently mastering the album. Barking Pumpkin, above all, remains largely a family-type enterprise, with more of the family becoming involved this year as recent developments have borne out. As always, though, it reflects the unique satire and musical accomplishment of its patriarch, Frank Zappa, whom Glotzer refers to as a “social commentator and humorist.” What else could you say about a label that Frank named after his wife, Gail’s, cough, saying she sounded like a Barking Pumpkin?