suzannah 'thana' harris Suzannah 'Thana' Harris recorded with Frank Zappa. In 2002, she took part in the Zappanale festival in Germany, where she performed various Frank Zappa compositions, a couple of which can be found on the Arf Society album and DVD. January 11, 2012, Canadian CKCU-FM radio did broadcast an interview with Bob and Thana Harris as part of their Frank Zappa series.

random notes

     homus (homus@rof.net) sez:
thana is indeed susannah is indeed thana. i know bob and susannah and they have been together i think 18 years; and still are married, and have a son......i've never asked either of them (susannah doesn't really talk about fz, and i just let bob tell the stories when he feels like telling me) but my guess that thana's tracks were not recorded between 74-78, as bob and thana hadn't met yet, and i'm almost sure that it was bob that introduced her to frank....(though i'm not entirely sure...just a guess)....i've heard bob call susannah 'thana' in person, so this i am sure of......

     from: biffyshrew (biffyshrew@aol.com)
"spider of destiny," "time is money" and "flambay" were all written in 1972 *with* lyrics for the never-realized "hunchentoot" stage musical. ("think it over," also known as the title track of the grand wazoo, was also part of this project, and also originally had lyrics.)  the songs were all first recorded and released as instrumentals, and the vocal parts were not actually added until the early '80s.  so the versions with lyrics do represent zappa's original intentions for these songs. i'd be a lot happier with the vocal versions if fz hadn't also wiped some of ruth underwood's percussion parts and let chad wackerman add such inappropriate drum tracks (especially on "flambay") on the remixes.

     from: martin gregorie (gregorie@see.sig.for.address)
thana harris said in an interview that she was hired to sing these songs because she could imitate the style of a longtime, slightly bored singer in a nightclub / cocktail bar. 

     from: thana harris/mastahna (thana@thanaharris.com)
fz did tell me, when he handed me the cassette with the rhythm tracks and a guitar melody line which i was supposed to learn for the lead vocal, that he had tried numerous vocalists for numerous years and hadn't found the right one to sing the lyrics to those songs on sleep dirt.

     from: vladimir sovetov (sova@fobos-plus.ru)
hiya, friends, here is an info i recieved from suzannah (thana) harris. i'm sure you're gonna enjoy the great news!

vladimir sovetov | -ich bin maroon

 info about the book:
attention frank zappa and steve vai  fans and collectors!

"suzannah (thana) harris, former vocalist for frank zappa and steve vai, has written a new book about her life experiences with the late frank zappa genius: "under the same moon: life with frank zappa, steve vai, bob harris, and a community of other artistic souls"
read her first-hand, personal account of how thana, a virtually unknown vocalist, met, worked with and learned from frank zappa, steve vai, and also married one of zappa's band members, bob harris!
this intriguing story will introduce you to the lady who accomplished what former vocalists could not: the vocal performances on the frank zappa recording of "sleepdirt". read about her work with steve vai, her work and romance with bob harris, and finally, life with steve vai, bob harris, and a number of artists who lived together at the infamous "wayward inn", steve vai's house in sylmar, california."
"under the same moon": read about this never before released story which is also thana harris' debut as a literary writer. you will love her honesty, her humor, her passion for life. orders are being taken now!! send check or money order (us dollars only) in the amount of $15.95 postage paid/usa, or $18.95postage paid/canada and worldwide, to:
mastahna publishing
p.o. box 194
new castle, co 81647
usa
email: rayven@rof.net (we will add you to our mailing list)
fax: usa country code + 1-970-876-5840
credit card orders: toll free 1-877-964-8648

     from: suzannah harris (rayven@rof.net)
dear friends, brothers and sisters, my new web site is online!
it's just a click away: http://www.thanaharris.com/
i think you're gonna like it!
-thana

     from: thana harris/mastahna (thana@thanaharris.com)
hi, thana harris here (that "sleepdirt" vocalist : )   )
as you may know my new solo cd "thanatopsis" is up for pre-ordering with a release date set for may 29, 2000. some special guests on the album: steve vai, jimmy carl black, stu hamm, bob harris (#2) and more.  https://www.thanaharris.com/boutique/boutique.html

from the bignOte files:
thana harris: thanatopsis (2000, cd, usa, mastahna records ma 221)
now this is really nice: thana harris' solo album.  not just because thana (suzannah) 's name should ring your zappa-bell, or because husband bob harris or friends steve vai, stu hamm or jimmy carl black perform on this album, but mainly because it's a great album.  most of the songs were written by bob harris and thana's got a great voice.  essential listening.
-- peter van laarhoven

     from: patrick neve (splat@darkwing.uoregon.edu)
andy greenaway reviews this album at this site:

http://www.idiotbastard.supanet.com/reviews/odyframe.htm

discography:

(all credits are for vocals)

1984 frank zappa- true glove 

1984 frank zappa- them or us 

1984 vai, steve- flex-able 

1984 vai, steve- flex-able leftovers

1986 bob harris- the great nostalgia

1990 ant bee- pure electric honey (with bob harris, as "rantin' & ravin'")

frank zappa: sleep dirt (25)
   (1979, lp, usa, discreet)  ( the in 1991 released overdubs)

1993 moo, anna- making moosic 

1996 western vacation- western vacation 

1998 steve vai- flex-able leftovers (cd re-issue)

2000 thana harris- thanatopsis

2001 eyeinhand sampler vol. 1

     day by day-  broadcast

discography

• thana harris: thanatopsis
      (2000, cd, usa, mastahna records) - feat.steve vai, jimmy carl black, bob harris

discography - with frank zappa

discography - contributions

• western vacation: western vacation
      (1987, lp, usa, akashik records) - feat.steve vai, tommy mars, bob & suzannah 'thana' harris
• ant-bee: pure electric honey (1)
      (1990, lp, usa, voxx vxs 200.056) - feat.rantin'& ravin'(bob & suzanne harris)
• various artists: eyeinhand sampler volume 1
      (2001, cd, spain, vaso music vm 032) - all zappa related artists

books

• thana harris: under the same moon