Her famous dad may not have played the renowned festival, but Moon Unit Zappa certainly was a hit when she ventured to Woodstock to discuss Earth to Moon (Deyst/William Morrow Books), her acclaimed memoir of growing up in the unconventional household of her iconic musician dad, Frank Zappa.
The October 12 event was sponsored by The Golden Notebook, Woodstock’s premiere independent bookshop since 1978. The shop’s co-owners, Jacqueline Kellachan and James Conrad, have brought many outstanding writers to town for lively readings, including notable musicians like Blondie’s Chris Stein and Steve Earle. To accommodate the 100 attendees, the event was moved from The Golden Notebook’s cozy location on Tinker Street to the larger Mountain View Studios.
With wit, humor, and humility, Moon addressed the cost of being raised by her largely absent genius father (who she idolizes above all others) and controlling mother – a woman whose anger arose, in no small part, due to her father’s constant philandering. Moon also discussed her much-varied career as an MTV and VH-1 VJ, an actress, author and the founder of an upscale food concern, Moon Unit® Tea. She also conversed on her spiritual quest to rise above the challenges of her youth and become a better parent to her daughter, Mathilda. And, of course, there was plenty about her time in the spotlight helping to create what would become her father’s biggest hit, “Valley Girl.” For a more in-depth look, read our earlier review of the book here.
In true Zappa tradition, the event kicked off with an unannounced surprise. It was a high-energy performance of “Valley Girl” by Mona Freaka, a quintet of teenage girls from Woodstock who truly captured the punky and snarky spirit of Moon and Frank’s original recording.
Martha Frankel, the Executive Director of the annual Woodstock Bookfest, moderated the discussion with insight and humor that matched the tenor of Moon’s wonderfully rich memoir. Frankel began by saying that the Zappa household was “truly the epicenter of lax parenting.” She added what would’ve been her advice to Moon’s parents if she had known them – “If you’re going to be doing bad shit, you probably shouldn’t let your kids have diaries!” Moon credits her lifelong interest in writing to her parents in the book, who gave her a new leather-bound diary every year. These diaries provided much of the source material for her memoir.
In the Q&A with Frankel, Moon discussed the many challenges she faced in writing the book. It was a process that took place over four and a half years and several drafts. Due to the well-publicized squabbles between Moon and her three siblings generated by her mother’s uneven distribution of control of her father’s legacy in her will, she mentioned how her first go at the book was “a f*ck you draft that I ultimately decided to throw out.” Another thing she first left out of the early drafts of the book was the chapter on the whirlwind created by the unlikely success of “Valley Girl.” Unfortunately, this sudden fame came to her during her “awkward teenage phase.” The fact that this novelty tune was the massively productive Frank’s most significant commercial success was something he greeted with chagrin.
Midway through the event, Moon Zappa teared up reading the chapter where she and her brother Dweezil are invited into Frank’s most sacred space – the rehearsal hall. They each got their turn at the mic, as their father conducted the band with a wide smile.
Moon also shared some humorous and heartbreaking facts not covered in the book. These included her unlikely teenage crushes: the stern ABC newsman Sam Donaldson, humorist Spalding Gray and comedian Sam Kinison and how, though she was hugely impressed with it, she was “mortified by my father’s music … largely because it wasn’t lady friendly.” She also mentioned her idea of pursuing a documentary where she would interview the many women her father had affairs with over the years. She also observed that she and her siblings are all “serial monogamists” and very attentive parents, an oppositional reaction to their experiences with their parents.
Like the book itself, Moon’s discussions of her life with her parents are anything but a bitch fest. Even with their many faults, Moon’s love and admiration for both came through. Moderator Frankel would comment more than once during the event that Moon was “probably the most forgiving person on the planet.”
To hear more, check out the extensive interview with Moon on my podcast, “Reading Is Funktamental.”
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