That's in the note for his version of The Handsome Cabin Boy (I think - I could check but it would mean getting up of the sofa, or opening another tab). I used to have a tape of FZ in conversation with Paddy Moloney about the similarity of certain Irish tunes to those Paddy had heard in China and he was wondering what the connection was. Zappa's answer? Sailors!. Somewhere, video footage exists of Zappa bringing together The Chieftains and Mongolian musicians for a session in his studio...

Who'd have thought it? Well, Zappa's Universe was as vast as his passion for music, and whereas Folkies have a tendancy towards an ever-so-slight insularity (at the very least a peninsularity), those on the Outside can love the music without buying into the myths and religiosity of it all. I love Zappa and Peter Bellamy equally and would balk at being called a Folkie; Uncle Meat is right up there with Merlin's Isle of Gramarye.

Folk is but one pixel of a much bigger picture.