JOE TRAVERS
As the Zappa Family Trust's Vaultmeister, Joe Travers has assembled nearly 40 'new' releases from the archives since 1996, including the 'Corsaga' series of discs.[i]
Travers was Dweezil's drummer for 20 years, appearing with him on the albums Shampoohorn (1993), Music For Pets (1995), Automatic (2000), Go With What You Know (2006), Zappa Plays Zappa (2008), Return Of The Son Of... (2010), Live - 'In The Moment' (2012), F.O.H. (2012) and F.O.H. III - Out Of Obscurity (2012).
He finally tired of touring with ZPZ in 2013. That year, Gail claimed he had 'saved her ass' after Frank passed away by encouraging her to listen again to her late husband's work.
Travers has also toured and recorded with Mike Keneally, who recommended him to Dweezil, and his detailed knowledge and interest in Zappa’s music landed him the dream job with the family.
I first contacted him about an interview after the trailer for ‘The Roxy Performances’ appeared at www.zappa.com in December 2000. I thought he might be able to shed some light on what the hell was going on with the new releases – at that time, the last nugget from the Vault was Everything Is Healing Nicely, over a year earlier.
I also had a few things I wanted to ask him about Dweezil and “Z”.
Sadly, in 2017 the Vaultmeister asked that our interview be consigned to the poop chute of history.
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Caricature by Antero Valério.