T'Mershi Duween

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TD was the English FZ fanzine that started in 1988 and ran to about 2000, although new issues have been continually threatened since then (and now Gail has finally seen fit to release a few new items, some more might appear – watch this space!). Each issue of the mag (usually either 24 or 28 pages) has the latest news to hand, usually some photos and lots of stupid English views on things Zappa. Some of these early issues also contained articles about how the music worked as music (with examples!).

TD was published by Fred Tomsett.


#1 1988/06

#2 1988/08

#3 1988/10

#4 1988/12

#5 1989/01

#6 1989/03

#7 1989/06

#8 1989/08

#9 1989/10

#10 1989/11

#11 1990/02

#12 1990/04

#13 1990/06

#14 1990/08

#15 1990/09

#16 1990/12

#17 1991/03

#18 1991/04

#19 1991/05

#20 1991/07

#21 1991/09

#22 1991/10

#23 1991/12

#24 1992/03

#25 1992/06

#26 1992/09

#27 1992/10

#28 1991/11

#29 1993/02

#30 1993/03

#31 1993/06

#32 1993/08

#33 1993/09

#34 1993/12

#35 1994/01

#36 1994/02

#37 1994/03

#38 1994/05

#39 1994/07

#40 1994/08

#41 1994/10

#42 1995/01

#43 1995/03

#44 1995/06

#45 1995/09

#46 1995/09

#47 1995/12

#48 1996/01

#49 1996/03

#50 1996/04

#51 1996/05

#52 1996/07

#53 1996/08

#54 1996/10

#55 1996/11

#56 1997/02

#57 1997/03

#58 1997/05

#59 1997/07

#60 1997/09

#61 1997/10

#62 1999/01

#63 2000/03

#64 2000/03
 

Index.

The following index is compiled from former T'Mershi Duween homepage and A Printing History article (TD50).

They run to either 24 or 28 pages (issue 1 only 20 pages) depending on how much stuff we had at any given time. All issues contain a round-up of latest news, lots of reviews (everyone wanted to cover FZ songs for a while), and various fan rambles about first hearing Zappa and letters if we had any. Hey, it's a fanzine! From issue 6, there was a series of difficult articles explaining how FZ's music worked, with odd bits of music transcribed.

  • TD1 (early June 1988 – 20 pp) – all my own work [FT]; initial print run: 300, I seem to think; Guitar/Stage 1 reviews; 1982 tour; mostly 1988 reviews/news.
  • TD2 (August 1988 – 24 pp) – first issue produced on the Enterprise Allowance Scheme; first issue to feature Beefheart articles; start of subscriptions; FZ and politics; more 1988 reviews; Stage 1 and Sampler review; Beefheart and FZ; Dweezil's My Guitar review; 1984 tour; crossword.
  • TD3 (October 1988 – 24 pp) – first reported sighting of the Greenaway; start of bootleg guide; FZ potted biography 1; 1982 and 1984 tour additions; Beefheart – the early years; Dweezil revealed; US Fall tour 1981; Bootleg guide part 1; various bootlegs reviewed; crossword again!
  • TD4 (December 1988 – 24 pp) – photos improve stacks! Stig Modin's first bizarre artworks; FZ potted biography 2; Stage 2 review; Fugs; FZ videos reviewed; Zapparap 1 – guys in the bands; Beefheart and Trout Mask; Bootleg guide part 2; 1980 US Fall tour; Steve Vai guide.
  • TD5 (January 1989 – 28 pp) – first G&S advert; Broadway/Baby Snakes reviews; 1980 World tour; Beefheart and Bongo Fury; Bootleg guide part 3; Zapparap 2 – the Songs; album tracks not played live 1; Adrian Belew; some new bootlegs.
  • TD6 (March 1989 – 28 pp) – first of Matt Galaher's 'incomprehensible' guitar pieces; first of Axel Wünsch's pieces on covers of Zappa stuff; Absolutely Free/Waka/Jawaka/OSFA reviews; Italian CDs; FZ covers, guests 1; Bozzio in London; album tracks not played live 2; Zapparap 3 – drugs; Bootleg guide 4; Euro tour 1979.
  • TD7 (June 1989 – 28 pp) – last issue produced on EAS; terrific Bill Lawson and Geraint Catley cartoons; Beefheart books and Project Documentation reviews; Zappa covers etc 2; early Beefheart and cartoon; TD poll results; YAWYI re-assessed; 1978 Fall tour; bootleg guide 5; Zapparap 4 – audiences.
  • TD8 (August 1989 – 28 pp) – start of David Wheeler's FZ family tree; Broadway/Bongo Fury/Trout and Decals/Real FZ Book reviews; books about FZ; Aynsley Dunbar; FZ bands 1; 1977/78 world tour; Zappa covers etc 3; bootleg guide 6; Zapparap 5 – Serious music; Beefheart – Kid and Spot.
  • TD9 (October 1989 – 28 pp) – Stuart Penney's Oz release article; Fowler Brothers/Clarke-Duke live reviews; Beefheart and Brown Star tapes; Zapparap 6 – Lascivious attitudes; Pierre Boulez and FZ interview; 1976/77 world tour; FZ bands 2; Australian FZ albums; Zappa covers etc 4; bootleg guide 7.
  • TD10 (November 1989 – 28 pp) – Stage 3/Uncle Meat and True Story video/books reviews; Beefheart and DiMartinos; FZ in Eastern Europe; World tour 1975/76; FZ bands 3; Zappa covers etc 5; Zapparap 7 – music; bootleg guide 8.
  • TD11 (February 1990 – 28 pp) – first article on Zappa's unreleased tunes; new boots reviewed; FZ at Pro-Choice rally; Beefheart and Virgin; Zapparap 8 – critics; 1975 fall tour; FZ bands 4; FZ covers etc 6; synclavier stuff; more FZ books; bootleg guide 9.
  • TD12 (April 1990 – 28 pp) – first colour cover (buff); Apostrophe/ONS/Ed Mann reviews; Broadway who's who; Conceptual Continuity; FZ covers etc 7; FZ bands 5; Beefheart final albums; Zapparap 9 – guitars; 1974 world tour; bootleg guide 10.
  • TD13 (June 1990 – 28 pp) – end of David Wheeler's family tree; Joe's G / Thing-Fish / Zoot / Chunga / Weasels / JABFLA / Tinseltown / YAWYI / Fillmore East / Video from Hell reviews; Zapparap 10 – guitar playing; unreleased FZ 2; FZ bands 6; FZ covers etc 8; 1974 US tour; new bootlegs; Conlon Nancarrow; George Duke; bootleg guide 11.
  • TD14 (August 1990 – 24 pP) – announcement of FZ's illness; Sheik/Varèse reviews; unreleased FZ 3; Beefheart and the Magic Band; 1973/74 US tour; FZ in East Germany; Stravinsky 1; FZ covers etc 9; Lenny Bruce; bootleg guide 12; spoof Stage ad what got us in trouble!
  • TD15 (September 1990 – 28 pp) – bootleg/Beefheart reviews; 'Captain Beefheart vs the Grunt People'; unreleased FZ 4; Zapparap 11 – likes and dislikes; poll 2 results; 1973 world tour; FZ covers etc 10; Kurt Vonnegut!?; Stravinsky 2; FZ in Czechoslovakia; bootleg guide 13.
  • TD16 (December 1990 – 28 pp) – Them or Us/Wazoo/Jazz from Hell/MOP/Ed Mann reviews; Beefheart and Personal; more Vonnegut; Kent Nagano interview; Varèse 1; FZ in Lyon; FZ covers etc 11; unreleased FZ 5; 1972 fall tour; Zapparap 12 – Serious influences.
  • TD17 (March 1991 – 28 pp) – Supplement Tape/Bruce Fowler/Ike Willis/George Duke-Stan Clarke/Nancarrow reviews; FZ in panto; more new boots; Varèse part 2; Zappa covers etc 12; FZ in East Germany again; Swedish radio 1990 interview; 1972 Wazoo tour; Zapparap 12+1 – Dumb All Over; FZ in Lyon.
  • TD18 (April 1991 – 28 pp) – Bolero/Best Band/Dweezil's Confessions reviews; Beefheart and Blues 1; FZ in France 1979; Ed Mann/Tommy Mars interview part 1 + live review 1991; 1971 World Tour; Zappsteetoot interview part 1.
  • TD19 (May 1991 – 28 pp) – Dweezil live review; Beefheart and Blues 2; Zappa covers etc 13; Mann/Mars interview part 2; Zapparap 14 – You call that music?; Webern part 2; Zappsteetoot interview part 2; Zappa on video; 1970 tour; Flo and Eddie; Nicolas Slonimsky.
  • TD20 (July 1991 – 28 pp) – Stage 4/Jazz Noise/Stravinsky reviews; New Zealand 1990 interview part 1; BBC Midweek interview; Freak Out assessed; Tommy Mars interview part 1.
  • TD21 (September 1991 – 28 pp) – Tommy Mars part 2; more FZ in NZ; Webern (2); 'Torchum' Vol 2; FZ for President?; FZ and songs (2); more East German stuff
  • TD22 (October 1991 – 28 pp) – 'Dirt/Tan/Faves/Beat Boots' reviewed; Nancarrow/Ives article; Preston/Black, Dweezil interviews; 1970 shows; 'Viva Zappa' & Soc Pages
  • TD23 (December 1991 – 28 pp) – 3rd poll results; Zappa's Universe; 'BWS' (CD/ film), 'In NY' reviews; FZ's axes
  • TD24 (March 1992 – 28 pp) – Roxy' review; Beetheart on video; JCBlack interview; 'Louie Louie'; Conceptual Continuity intro; 1968/9 gigs; 'Absolutely Free' re-assessed
  • TD25 (June 1992 – 28 pp) – 'Perfect Stranger/Francesco/Amazing Bickford' reviews; Chad Wackerman interview; Brazil cover bands!; more JCB; 'Money'/1967 gigs; groupies
  • TD26 (September (?) 1992 – 28 pp) – 7 pages reviews (inc 'BTB2'/Stage 5/6); 'Yellow Shark' press conf; FZ and Hollywood; xenocrony; William Burroughs; 'Lumpy Gravy'
  • TD27 (October 1992 – 28 pp) – Fred buys computer; 'Yellow Shark' reports; Art Barrow chat; 'Playground Psychotics' review; 'Stage' readers reactions; Bozzio clinic
  • TD28 (November 1992 – 24 pp) – interview special: Dweezil, Bunk and Don, Bozzio, Barrow, Mann; some Droodles; Bozzio artwork (?)
  • TD29 (February 1993 – 28 pp) – 'Man from Utopia' review; Dweezil, JCB interviews; Charles Ives; Flo and Eddie; 'Uncle Meat; synclavier; early MOI shows
  • TD30 (March 1993 – 28 pp) – 'Ahead of Time/hat' reviews; Mats Öberg chat; Zappa in comics; FZ on vinyl; Zappa's Universe; Roller Wilson review; 2000 Tour; 'Ruben'
  • TD31 (June 1993 – 24 pp) – FZ and cancer; new CB vids; Motorhead, Billy James interviews; Jack and Jim shows; 'Shampoohorn/FZ In Own Words' reviews
  • TD32 (August 1993 – 24 pp) – Sheik Yerbouti, Keneally interviews; Dweezil, Jack & Jim live; 'Mothermania/Hot Rats'; Den Simms autobiography
  • TD33 (September 1993 – 28 pp) Muffin Men, Tom Cernotto interviews; Dr Fruno is back!; Grandmothers; 'Uncle Meat vid, Miles' book reviews; 'Burnt Weeny'
  • TD34 (December 1993 – 24 pp) – FZ off on final tour; 'Shark/Zappa's Universe' reviews; Vai/Muffin Men live; Martin Lickert interview; 'Weasels'; 'Uncle Meat' vid (again)
  • TD35 (January 1994 – 24 pp) – special obituary issue (sob) (the hardest TD of all to put together)
  • TD36 (February 1994 – 28 pp) – Cuccurullo, Gail Z interviews; 4th poll results; interview discs; 'Zappa's Universe' vid review; 'Chunga's Revenge'
  • TD37 (March 1994 – 24 pp) – 1970 FZ interview; old Mothers and current activities; '200 Motels' ; FZ on ex-muzos; silly Willis cartoon
  • TD38 (May 1994 – 24 pp) – Watson book review; 1969 FZ interview (part 1); Grandmothers, Flo & Eddie live; Zappa plays Cage; 'Fillmore East', 'JABFLA' examined
  • TD39 (July 1994 – 24 pp) – 1969 FZ interview (part 2); Ben Watson's bloody book; Waka/Jawaka'; FZ and Grandmothers
  • TD40 (August 1994 – 28 pp) – Belew interview; start of tape-lists; brilliant Watson piss-take; FZ and the kids; 'The Grand Wazoo'
  • TD41 (October (?) 1994 – 24 pp) – FZ and improvisation; Amougies 1969 & Holland 1970; Warren live; 'Over-Nite Sensation', 'Phaze III'; latest boots
  • TD42 (January 1995 – 24 pp) – start of tape reviews; Santana interview; unplayed 1988 songs; 'Apostrophe'; lots of trivia/nonsense
  • TD43 (March 1995 – 28 pp) – 'CP3' reviews; Zappa and RnR Hall of Fame; FZ & songs (3), live covers reviews; 'Roxy & Elsewhere'; Ryko rip-off?
  • TD44 (June 1995 – 24 pp) – more Watson; Frank McZappa interview; FZ and 'The Tempest'; 'One Size Fits All'; meeting FZ
  • TD45 (September 1995 – 24 pp) – Utopia/Mainieri/Composers Ensemble live reviews; Ryko CD amendments; Ryko and the shops; tapelist part 6 and reviews part 4; 1995 poll results; Bongo Fury bounced fiercely; Landplage interview.
  • TD46 (September 1995 – 24 pp) – Strictly Commercial/LSO 1&2/Omnibus/Meridian reviews; Beefheart latest news; Jimmy Page?; tapelist part 7 and reviews part 5; Zoot Allures zipped; Vai interview; FZ on the internet; Duckman.
  • TD47 (December 1995 – 28 pp) – Simon Steensland/Wagga Jawaka live reviews; Ryko interview (Jill Christiansen); more Zoot; CP3 stuff; Zappa in New York/Läther; FZ songs (A-B); tapelist part 8 and reviews part 6; FZ and the lottery.
  • TD48 (January 1996 – 28 pp) – Mistakes/Utopia live reviews; tapelist part 9 and reviews part 7; Zapparap and Old Masters; FZ songs (more Bs); Studio Tan sent tiddling; Ryko and the shops (again); Ryko promo CDs; loads of page-filling trivia.
  • TD49 (March 1996 – 24 pp) – Mats-Morgan/Tom Lang/Chadbourne-Black reviews; Yellow Shark in London; FZ songs (C); FZ's (non) headstone; Sleep Dirt screwed down; FZ and Warners.
  • TD50 (April 1996 – 36 pp) – Lost Episodes/Humor/Cuccurullo reviews; FZ in Sweden; Zappa band members' gigs; tapelist part 10 and reviews part 8; the real Bongo Fury and 205 Motels; Zappa Songs (D); Lost Episodes nonsense; Sheik Yerbouti shakes; full TD printing history (TD1-50); letters page (a rare event).
  • TD51 (May 1996 – 24 pp) – Vai/Keneally reviews; 1975 tour; FZ and PCness; Zappa songs E-F; Cynthia Plastercaster; Grandmother Roland St.Germain interview part 1 'Orchestral Favorites'; FZ cartoon.
  • TD52 (July 1996 – 28 pp) – Grandmother interview part 2; Zappa songs G-H; Robert Martin interview part 1; Johnny 'Guitar' Watson; 1976 tour; 'Joe's Garage Act 1' assessed; Zapparap about religion.
  • TD53 (August 1996 – 28 pp) – FZ books, cover band reviews; Bobby Martin interview 2; 'Joe's Garage Acts 2 &3' annihilated; 1976 tour stuff again; Zappa songs H and I.
  • TD54 (October 1996 – 28 pp) – Z/Vai reviews; Zappa songs J to K; 'Tinseltown Rebellion' treated; Ike Willis interviews; 1976-77 tour tracks and reviews.
  • TD55 (November 1996 – 28 pp) – Muffins review; 'Läther'; Zapparap about 'Joe's Garage'; Bruce Fowler interview; more 1977 tour tracks and reviews; Zappa songs L; 'Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar' thrashed.
  • TD56 (February 1997 – 28 pp) – FZ's Signature Guitar Compositions/books reviewed; 'Trance-Fusion' previewed (whatever happened to this?); Zappa songs M; Muffin Men on tour; YAWYI perused; 1977 tour tracks and reviews; Bruce Fowler interview 2.
  • TD57 (March 1997 – 28 pp) – 'Have I Offended Someone?'/Belew reviews; 'Ship Arriving' examined; 1977/78 tour tracks and reviews; Michael Brecker interview; Zappa songs M to O; Bruce Fowler interview 3; The Lost Lost Episodes; Francesco Zappa skit.
  • TD58 (May 1997 – 28 pp) – MAE/Vai with Keneally/Muffins reviews; 1978 tour tracks; Fulcanelli exposed; 'The Man from Utopia' indulged; Mike Keneally interview; more Lost Lost Episodes; Zappa songs N-Lite to P; The Simpsons; FZ in Michigan 1966!; lots of trivia and letters.
  • TD59 (July 1997 – 28 pp) – 'Strictly Genteel'/G3/books reviewed; 1978 US tour tracks and reviews; David Gates on Beefheart; Zappa at the Proms (a disgrace); yet more Lost Lost Episodes; Steve Vai interviews (one with Keneally); Zappa songs P; FZ & the Bible in 'YAWYI'; promo CDs.
  • TD60 (September 1997, in memoriam Conlon Nancarrow – 28 pp) – FZ at Proms/Muffins reviews; Mike Keneally interview; 1979 tour tracks and reviews; 'Baby Snakes' pic disc portrayed; 'Them or Us' (the book) summarised; David Walley interview part 1; Muffin Men in the UK; Zappa songs Q to R.
  • TD61 (October 1997 – 24 pp) – '200 Motels' review; David Walley interview 2; Tommy Mars interview; LSO 1 and The Perfect Stranger peeled; 1979 Euro tour tracks.
  • TD62 (January 1999, in memoriam Tom Cora – 28 pp) – The Mystery Disc/Keneally/Cuccurullo/JCB/Catholic Girls/Muffins etc reviews; Ed Mann interview; Zappa songs S (part 1); 1979 Euro tour tracks, reviews; even more Lost Lost Episodes.
  • TD63 (March 2000; double issue with TD64 below – 28 pp) – Vai/Beefheart/books reviews; great Zappa poem; 1980 US tour tracks; Zappa songs S part 2; 'The Ark' date; Albert Wing interview.
  • TD64 (March 2000; double issue with TD63 above – 24 pp) – 'Everything Is Healing Nicely'/Grow Fins/Vai/Thana Harris book reviews; Tom Fowler interviews; Zappa songs S part 3; 'The Mystery Tape' (Money 1967); 1980 US tour tracks; 'The World's Greatest Sinner' assessed.