Inspired by Frank

"You're My Li'l Puta is an audio/visual musical satire about a medical cannabis activist and his ex-girlfriend," says video artist Tony Mindcontrole of the "popumentary" DVD he's working on with the Swollen Monkeys, a local band.

"The ex-girlfriend falls into the depths of meth and sexual addiction, becoming a pathological liar and completely changing from her formerly shy and honest persona." He says one scene in the "mostly autobiographical" DVD may qualify it for an X rating.

"There's a video set to 'Latex Lady from Long Island,' a love ballad about plastic, female, full-sized hump-me dolls. The character -- not yours truly -- really does make love with her/it. The footage captures some touching, intimate moments of real latex lovemaking." Not that Mindcontrole is into porn. "I've never seen an X-rated film," he says.

Mindcontrole (real name Tony Villodas) says the film is inspired by Frank Zappa, whom he says he got to know through his "mentor," former Zappa sideman Jimmy Carl Black.

"Jimmy couldn't even use his own name for a while, due to litigation with Frank over the Mothers of Invention characters. Frank and I didn't get along at all.... One day, before the recording of Zappa's Bongo Fury LP with Captain Beefheart -- around '75, '76 -- I sparked up a doob as Frank and his band rehearsed, and he stopped the song mid-tune, spun around, aimed his guitar at me and snarled. I love his music, but it sure was hate at first sight with me and him. He hated pot, and I hate cigarettes."