OkcPets Magazine July 2023

8 OKC Pets • July / August 2023 “T here’s the legendary Marshmoff, the black one that sits on your shoulder and drools,” said famous musician Frank Zappa in an interview. “She is now commuting between our house and somebody else’s house, and she occasionally comes over and drools all over the place. And then there’s two black-and-white cats. One’s named Spot, which is a male, and that’s one of the reasons Marshmoff isn’t here so often, because Spot’s been chasin’ her out.” Frank Vincent Zappa (1940–1993), known as the cat guy, had other felines too — including a white one, Tweezer; a gray-and-white one, Bill; a black-and-white Persian, Fightey Bitey; and a Siamese, Gor- go. Zappa and his cats were photographed together many times, even appearing on album covers. He referred to cats in at least two of his songs, Yo Cats and Alley Cat. Zappa was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 21, 1940. His father was from Sicily, and his mother had Italian and French ancestry. His father worked in the defense industry, and the family moved often, eventually settling in California. With no formal training, Zappa devel- oped an interest in all types of music and joined his high school band as a drummer. He eventually became a guitarist, composer, and bandleader. His music is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experimentation, virtuosity, and satire of American culture. In his career of more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral, and musique concrète works. He also produced most of the more than 60 albums he released with his band, the Mothers of Invention, and as a solo artist. He directed feature-length films and music videos and designed album covers. Zappa is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse musicians of his gener- ation. With his various musical influences, he created music that is sometimes difficult to categorize. Zappa was married to Kathryn J. Sherman from 1960 to 1963. In 1967, he married Adelaide Gail Sloatman. The two of them had four children and remained together for the rest of his life. Zappa died of prostate cancer in Los Angeles on December 4, 1993, shortly before his fifty-third birthday. He is buried in an unmarked grave at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He left a widespread musical legacy and is an important influence on many musicians. He also left a legacy of love for his cats, who had been a constant source of enjoyment and companionship in his life — and he didn’t even mind it when they drooled. FOCUS ON FELINES Marshmoff and her human friend, musician Frank Zappa (1940–1993), gaze intently at the camera. This picture is from a photo shoot for the cover of Zappa’s album London Symphony Orchestra Vol. II, recorded in 1983 and released in 1987. Cat Guy Kitty Companions Inspired Frank Zappa by Rowena Mills