Legendary Frank Zappa’s site, “Zappawood” has hit the market for $ 999,000. Located in the Hollywood Hills in Southern California, the 2.4-acre parcel of land can be divided into 10 separate parcels. The official listing notes that the property is “rich in history and development potential,” and describes “Zappawood” as “the ideal blank canvas for an unprecedented property in the Hollywood Hills.”
Despite the fact that the property is currently “rough”, some remains of previous constructions remain. These include faux rock caves, three separate property entrances, and “stone walkways and steps adorned with colored tiles that lead to seating nooks built into the hillside.”
THE STORY OF “ZAPPAWOOD”
The history behind the property is what makes it special for rock fans. In 1968, Zappa rented a log cabin that previously resided on the site, and moved into the residence with his family and several friends. He would later turn the basement of the house into a rehearsal studio, working there with ‘Mothers of Invention’ and composing solo material.
Some of the personalities that toured the place were; Mick Jagger, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck who were among the many acclaimed musicians who passed through the venue. Alice Cooper landed her first record deal after auditioning for Zappa at the cabin. Pauline Butcher, a former resident of the property, even recalled that ‘Motorhead’ rehearsed in the basement for a while.
Zappa’s cabin grew rapidly, fueled by the rapid growth of the Laurel Canyon music scene in the 1960s. Fans and uninvited guests began to appear on the property, desperate to catch a glimpse of their favorite rock stars. In a terrifying incident, a man threatened Zappa with a gun. The rocker eventually convinced him and urged the attacker to throw his gun into a nearby pond.
Zappa and his family left after just six months and bought a house nearby. The “Zappawood” property would continue to be a party place for various tenants throughout the 1970s. On Halloween morning 1981, the cabin mysteriously burned to the ground. Some suspected that the cause of the fire was drug related, while others insisted it was the unfortunate result of an abandoned cigarette.
More recently, the property has been rented out for film and music video shoots. Now a real estate developer, or a wealthy music fanatic, will have the opportunity to purchase the one-of-a-kind location. Compass and Westside Estate Agency are handling the sale of the property.