Dweezil Zappa thinks having a famous last name didn’t help his music career because his dad “was not really popular” in a “traditional” way
Dweezil Zappa believes having a famous last name didn’t affect his music career, as his father Frank was “not popular” in a traditional rockstar way, and would draw “concern from people”.
Dweezil has been working as a guitarist since the 1980s. He’s due to continue touring his Rox(Postroph)y stint in 2025 which celebrates 50 years of the classic Frank Zappa albums, Apostrophe(’) and Roxy & Elsewhere.
READ MORE: “We made a greatest hits guitar solo”: Dweezil Zappa says he recorded an unreleased Eddie Van Halen solo that incorporated all of EVH’s classic guitar moments
Speaking to Lindsey Parker in a new interview shared to YouTube, Dweezil states he “didn’t really worry” about his family name. “I just figured whatever I did was going to stand on its own based on the effort and the work that I put into it,” he says (via Ultimate Guitar). “So, I was okay with whatever that outcome would be. I just said, ‘Okay, this is what I do. This is how I do it. Like it or not, that’s it.’ And that’s how I’ve always been. So I’m not concerned.”
He adds, “It’s not as if having a famous last name in this area did a lot to open too many doors because my dad was not really popular in the way ‘traditional thoughts’ of rock stars are popular. He was kind of more a guy that drew a bit of concern from people. He had ideas that were bigger than most could handle.”
It turns out his father even warned him about their last name: “He always said the last name is what will get you in trouble. It’s not going to be something that’s going to help you,” Dweezil shares.
You can watch the full interview below:
You can catch Dweezil Zappa on tour in 2025. Tickets are available now.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
