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May 8, 2008 4:28 pm US/Eastern
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Baltimore To Get Bronze Bust Of Frank Zappa
BALTIMRE (WJZ) ―
Baltimore has sculptures of war heroes and abstract public art. Now we are about to get a bronze bust of former rock star Frank Zappa.
Suzanne Collins reports the bust is in the works because Charm City is Zappa's birthplace.
Frank Zappa is most remembered for his satirical lyrics about stinky feet, valley girls and yellow snow. Now Zappa, who died of prostate cancer in 1993, will have a bust of his visage on display in Baltimore.
Diehard Zappa fans from the country of Lithuania, where he's popular, erected a bust of him there, and they've offered to donate a copy to Baltimore where he was born.
The city's Public Art Commission accepted.
"We loved it. We thought, wonderful idea. We like the work of art. We definitely accepted it. We thank them. We think it's a wonderful opportunity for all of us to learn more about Frank Zappa," said Anne Perkins, Public Arts Commission.
According to aficionados, Zappa went a lot deeper than his humorous lyrics.
"He embraced all musical styles. He was a really eclectic guitarist. He would go from more orchestral settings to more garage rock," said Juan Armero, Sound Garden Store.
Efforts to get a sculpture of Governor William Donald Schaefer at the Inner Harbor were put in limbo recently when the same art commission raised concerns about design and location.
Many hometown heroes are memorialized in sculpture in Baltimore. Outside the federal court is a sculpture of Thurgood Marshall who was the first African-American on the Supreme Court.
Now the city will receive the $50,000 Zappa bust and try to find an appropriate place to put it.
Frank Zappa named his children Moon Unit and Dweezel. His son Dweezel is now recreating his father's music and touring the country.
Zappa was born in Baltimore, and he moved to Aberdeen when he was 8-years-old.
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