BOOK: Zapzapzappa – Das Buch der Mothers Of Invention 1968

Zapzapzappa – Das Buch der Mothers Of Invention 1968

Kinder der Geburtstagpresse, Köln Germany

Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser

58 pages, paperback,

Cover photo – Mothers coming to airport terminal to Internationale Essener Song Tage 68 is taken by Jens Hagen.

Book layout is by Reinhard Hippen.

German/English

Zapzapzappa – Das Buch der Mothers Of Invention 1968

Kaiser released many books on rock music between 1968 and 1972 for the German marketplace and Zapzapzappa is most likely the first book ever committed to Frank Zappa. The Zappa quotes (some in English, some in German) are taken from an interview Kaiser did at Zappa's home. Elements of the identical interview are published in Das Buch der neuen Pop-Musik and Konkret,Nr 11, 1968.

Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser's first curiosity focused on folk music, and he joined the staff of the magazine Song. In 1967 he released a book on the global folk scene presenting interviews with Pete Seeger, Joan Baez among others. He was among the organisers of the September 1968 Internationalen Essener Songtage, which showcased bands and music artists like Amon Düül, Floh de Cologne, Guru Guru, Tangerine Dream, Franz Josef Degenhardt, The Fugs, Peter Brötzmann, Julie Felix, Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger and Zappa, it was  the first time in Germany for him.

Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser  was in several ways the man who offered as catalyst for the "krautrock" revolution. A music journalist and promoter he established OHR Music Productions along with the OHR Record label that introduced the first albums by German "experimental" rock and folk musicians. He and his long time soulmate, fashion designer Gerlinde"Gille" Lettmann, later on grew to become named The Cosmic Couriers and made a sensation on the German rock scene until eventually the two simply vanished from the scene.