Frank Zappa Photography by John Gellman - Nov. 1972

"I shot this in November 1972 @Charlotte"

John Gellman: "1972 was an election year, and in early November the campaigning was in full swing. I remember it was a Saturday, and the first event of the day for me was photographing a large campaign rally in Greensboro, NC. President Richard Nixon flew in to campaign for his reelection and to support a political newcomer named Jesse Helms. Then I drove to Charlotte and shot the Zappa concert that night. Talk about culture shock !

I figure that gives me membership in a very small and exclusive club, namely people who saw Richard Nixon and Frank Zappa perform on the same day. If there are any other members out there, drop me a line and we’ll compare notes. I don’t remember a single thing Nixon said, which comes as no surprise since I couldn’t stand Nixon, but I do remember what an amazing guitarist and bandleader Zappa was."