Dweezil Zappa To Record Original Music For New Solo Album

Today, guitarist Dweezil Zappa has announced that he’s about to start recording a solo album filled with original music for the first time in nearly 10 years. Dweezil had been focusing on Zappa Plays Zappa since the band’s formation in 2006, the same year he released Go With What You Know -an album that contains original tunes with the exception of a cover of “Peaches En Regalia.”

The guitarist has launched a PledgeMusic campaign to raise funds for the production of the new album. Dweezil is teaming with recording engineer/producer Joe Barresi (Queens Of The Stone Age, Tool) to record the LP and he’s enlisted his Zappa Plays Zappa band mates Scheila Gonzales, Kurt Morgan, Ryan Brown, Ben Thomas and Chris Norton to perform on the album. One of the songs on the record is “Dragon Master,” the only song Dweezil ever wrote with his father Frank.

Read Dweezil’s letter introducing the PledgeMusic campaign:

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my PledgeMusic Page. For the first time in 10 years I’m about to start recording a new album of original music. I’m very excited to share the recording process with all of you. For the first time ever, I can invite you into the studio with me and my band to see how we get sounds and make creative decisions.

For this new album, I want to create a hybrid sound for my music, utilizing the best of new technology accented with the rich harmonic sounds of old analog tape and eclectic analog circuits. In order to fully explore this idea I’m teaming up with recording engineer/producer Joe Barresi (Queens Of The Stone Age, Tool.)

My music has extensively evolved over the years and my guitar style has become more diverse. The gauntlet has been thrown down and alongside my band which includes Scheila Gonzales, Kurt Morgan, Ryan Brown, Ben Thomas and Chris Norton, we are prepared to creatively and sonically navigate our way through this new territory.

Thanks to my friends at PledgeMusic we are able to offer a pre-order for the new album. By pre-ordering the album, you will get it before it’s available anywhere else. Additionally, each pre-order gives you a “virtual” backstage pass to exclusive behind-the-scenes content. I’ll be posting videos from the studio featuring new songs, guitar parts, recording techniques, demos, and other insider action!

This is much more than just a pre-order. For a limited time, I’m offering the chance to own gear used on the album, a full Fractal Axe Effects preset library of my signature sounds, signed CDs, personalized lyrics, have your name included in the liner notes and even the opportunity for you and your own band to have full day in a Los Angeles studio to cut a demo with me.

Thank you for all of your support. I’m looking forward to sharing this recording process with you!

Sincerely, Dweezil