Folkwang
- Über Folkwang
- Aktuell
- Studium
- Organisation
- Personen
- Beratung & Hilfe
- Antidiskriminierung & Gleichstellung
- International
- Projekte
- Veranstaltungen
Three questions for… Napoleon Murphy Brock
StudiScout Felix Waltz had the possibility to meet the former singer, saxophonist and flutist of Frank Zappa’s “Mothers of Invention”: Napoleon Murphy Brock. He joined Folkwang for a concert with the German Zappa Tribute Band ¡Zappata!. Before the gig he answered three questions about his inspiration and vision, furthermore he handed out advice for Folkwang students.
Napoleon Murphy Brock | Foto: Anders K. Jonsson
What kind of music had the biggest influence to you as an upgrowing artist?
Broadway musicals like "Westside Story", "Guys and dolls" or "Oklahoma!". I listened to all kinds of music, classical music, rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues and so on, but a Broadway musical is the stuff I love. Even Zappa’s music is basically theater.
Why did Frank Zappa choose you as the vocalist of his “Mothers of Invention”?
Zappa saw me performing with my own band once and afterwards he told me: "You have everything I've been looking for. I've been looking for you for a long time and now I found you, you have to come with me on tour! I don't want you to change anything what you are doing, I want you to do everything I saw in the last two hours, except: Do it to my music!"
Then I met him to listen to his music and when I heard it, I realized at one point that he needed someone to interpret his complex music because the bottom line was theater. And he saw that in me, he recognized that everything I ever learned had the foundation of my knowledge and ability to interpret and perform theater.
Here at Folkwang there are many young artists, not just musicians, also actors, dancers and photographers for example. What is your advice to young people who are into arts in general?
Here is my suggestion: Familiarize yourself with Broadway musicals, because that's an expression of life. This is why they created those and this is why they are so funny and happy. They actually help to explain what life is all about. And you can find any kind of arts in there. That is what I would do, that is what got me here.
> Zur Konzertrezension ¡Zappata! feat. Napoleon Murphy Brock
Ein Beitrag im Rahmen des Projekts „Folkwang StudiScouts“.
Felix Waltz / 05. November 2018