In 1980 Zappa founded Barking Pumpkin Records and secured a distribution deal with CBS. Zappa went on to take on, or try to take on, business endeavors in Russia making deals to release records, license products, be a consultant etc. His visit to Czechoslovakia in the ‘90s, where he was seen as a God, led to him being named their official Representative of Trade, Tourism and Cultural Matters. Openly insulting the U.S.A. lead to the U.S. becoming infuriated and posing an ultimatum: “Either do business with the United States or you can do business with Zappa. What’ll it be?” [Miles p. 361] He was demoted to an unofficial cultural emissary.
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