Frank Zappa’s Daughter Moon Unit Reveals His Final Words to Her

Lauren Novak August 22, 12:33 pm

CIRCA 2000 Photo of Moon Unit ZAPPA and Frank ZAPPA — Ebet Roberts/Getty Images/Redferns

It can be a tough relationship between a famous rocker parent and their children. Being out on the road on tour doesn’t always translate to witnessing their children’s milestones. Rock icon Frank Zappa‘s daughter Moon Unit Zappa is now releasing a memoir about her life and her strained relationship with her late father. While he was mostly absent during her childhood, she said that they reconnected when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but it still wasn’t easy.

“He suddenly wasn’t able to tour, so he suddenly was home,” she said. “So I did get the version of the dad that was the same person as he was touring, but at home. And there was still that feeling of disconnect and isolation and not being able to have his time and his attention and just the ability to have reciprocal love and interest.”

American singer and musician Frank Zappa (1940 - 1993) during a press conference at the Royal Garden Hotel in London, UK, 5th September 1974

Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Moon remembers a particularly tough moment while helping to take care of her ailing father. She appeared on The Howard Stern Show to reassure fans that her dad was doing okay despite his cancer being public knowledge. She admitted that Stern said some inappropriate things to her. She was 25 years old at the time. Things got even more stressful when Zappa called in and said that he wished his kids would stop leeching off of him and get jobs.

Moon Zappa visits at SiriusXM Studio on June 20, 2016 in New York City

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Moon said at home, she tried to make amends with him, but he said he was too sick to talk about forgiveness and regrets. She writes in her memoir, “I am truly taken aback. I had no idea someone you love could put an end to how far a relationship could go — this is as close as we will ever be. No negotiating, no mutuality. A stranger maybe, but not a parent. Not your dad. Death is forever. Doesn’t he know you don’t get a second chance at a singular exit? But there it is. A death before a death, one he can live with and I can’t. But he’s the one with cancer, so I let it drop.”

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However, she did reveal that he wrote notes to his wife Gail and his children before he died in 1993 and hers simply said, “I love you, Moon.” She added, “I could not hope for more.” You can order Moon’s memoir on Amazon.