Zappa v. Germans

DUESSELDORF, Germany

Frank Zappa's widow is trying to stop a German fan club from using the Grammy-winning rocker's name for its annual "Zappanale" festival.

Gail Zappa says the German-based Arf Society's use of Zappa's name and an accompanying logo infringe on trademarks held by the Zappa Family Trust. The logo features a prominent mustache similar to that sported by the legendary musician.

The Arf Society says the trust has been aware of its use of the name since the festival was launched in 1998.

A state court in Duesseldorf began hearing the case Wednesday.

I can only imagine that the "Zappanale" features a lot of drinking and drug-taking, things of which Frank Zappa took a dim view when he still walked the earth.

Which reminds me of a time back in the late '80s at my alma mater, Hampshire College. I was friends with a guy named Sam Dylan, playing with him in the short-lived industrial Doors tribute band Crystal Shit. Sam was also the son of Bob, and greatly resembled his father circa The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.

Anyway, one weekend, one of the "mods" (student housing units) at Hampshire threw a Blonde on Blonde party, which consisted of listening to the Dylan album with the CD player on "repeat" while the students proceeded to get thoroughly trashed. Everybody must get stoned, after all. Sam showed up sometime around midnight, looked around, and appeared bemused at the scene before him. He slipped quietly away.

I can only imagine what he was thinking.