What's your take on Zappa?

[Smelodies]

I don't know his stuff too well, but I do like two of his songs.

[Nikkorico_03]

Genius, very odd music to the people who listen to mainstream stuff. Just look at some transcriptions of his stuff. Amazing really, he once said something like "The stuff I write is so complex that no musicians can even play it." And he was in charge of his tours, arranging practice and rehearsals, in charge of all the $.

[merritt stone]

^That's pretty good, I'd like to see that interview.


I love Franks music. It can be a bit daunting to get into, since he has HUGE library (and to be honest, I don't care for all the weird stuff), but the good stuff is just amazing. To really get a grasp of Zappa it's good to listen to it all though, and figure out what you like. With Zappa, it's as much about both the intended and unintended effects on the listener, as it is about the music itself. Of course, this is just one humbe listener's opinion.

[Nikkorico_03]

Yeah dude. He's got 80+ albums out, there's stuff of his for basically EVERYONE.

[Nikkorico_03]

Here's more about that interview . . . Joe Pass, Tommy Tedesco and Frank Zappa

And that just makes it seem like Zappa wasn't a great musician. But just because he didn't know Jazz Standards or Giant Steps, doesn't mean anything really. Still a genius musician, not just guitarist.

[Smelodies]

Originally Posted by Nikkorico_03

Still a genius musician, not just guitarist.

I don't know, man, his solo on this one is pretty spectacular.

YouTube Video

[Smelodies]

Originally Posted by Nikkorico_03

Here's more about that interview . . . Joe Pass, Tommy Tedesco and Frank Zappa

Good stuff, here's another one, with an antagonism between Zappa and the interviewer that recalls any number of Lou Reed interviews:

Relix Magazine Nov.1979

[princeplanet]

There's nothing wrong with Zappa, it just smells a little funny.....

[the*doctor]

I've listened to every Zappa album. He's got some awesome comedy ones, but my favorites are his instrumentals. Especially waka/jawaka and the grand wazoo.

Also check out the enormous double album 'joes garage' perfect blend of instrumentals, comedy and everything really!

Roxy and elsewhere is a live album and also onemof his great ones perfectly blending awesome instrumentals with some really funny songs as well.

[Drumbler]

"Don't eat yellow snow."

Very wise words.

[cosmic gumbo]

Frank spent a fortune paying his musicians out of his own pocket whether there was money coming in or not. He did whatever it took to present his music, using commercial projects for raising funds to finance his serious art. You have to figure out which was which. I have great respect for him as an artist, he would not stay silent about his convictions. Get a taste of early Frank....

YouTube Video

[TruthHertz]

He was one of those rare humans: a really original creative mind that transcended genre. I listen to him and I hear a really serious 20th century composer using the lexicon of rock. I listen to his really raunchy stuff (with Flo and Eddie) and I hear someone who took rock where conventions of the media wouldn't let it go. He was a real professional ensemble leader who brought out the best in the best musicians and still managed to keep a sense of humour.
And he was a staunch and articulate defender of his and everyone's right to be creative.
I liked him.
David

YouTube Video

[NSJ]

Hot Rats, Burnt Weenie Sandwhich and Grand Wazoo are the best places to start, IMHO, for great instrumental Zappa.

[fep]

My favorite album is his last, "Yellow Shark". The tunes on that album are compositions for orchestral music. Here's the finale:

YouTube Video

[Aant]

I'd say listen to Hot Rats then if you don't know the genius and are into jazz, as it is a jazz-rock album (with a fairly good balance between jazz and rock).

Here are two interesting videos about Zappa imo:

- Zappa's thoughts on the decline of the music business

YouTube Video

- Steve Vai remembering his audition with the master:

YouTube Video

Unlike Sandor I enjoy and would encourage you to check Zappa's "joke songs", as the guy was pretty funny and it can't hurt to have a laugh while listening to a tune from time to time. It's very rare to see actually a musician so inclined to include humor in music.

[Sphere]

Originally Posted by Sandor

He has some interesting things, but I don't care for his joke songs. Pretty impressive amount of work he put out.

I can't remember where I read it, but I saw an interview with Joe Pass where he talked about playing with zappa one time. Apparently Joe had heard all about what a huge genius Frank was, and was REALLY nervous about meeting him. Funny thing is, Joe had not actually heard his music, so he was expecting some monster jazz player. When they did play together, Joe ended up laughing his ass off since frank didn't know any jazz tunes.

It's a story some idiot made up and someone else posted it on the internet. Never happened. Like many other stories about Zappa.
Frank was an amazing musician with integrity and vision, and a great guitar player.

[marcwhy]

Zappa was God, and I'm not biased or anything ...

Check out the "Shut up and play yer guitar" series (three albums); all instrumentals, and some of the best wah-wah playing ever.

Frank didn't consider himself a "jazz" musician, so there's really no point in discussing him as such. His autobiography is up there with Miles' autobiography as far as being entertaining and informative, so it's a must-read.

I saw him live several times, and the shows were always incredible.

[Smelodies]

Originally Posted by TruthHertz

He was one of those rare humans: a really original creative mind that transcended genre. I listen to him and I hear a really serious 20th century composer using the lexicon of rock. I listen to his really raunchy stuff (with Flo and Eddie) and I hear someone who took rock where conventions of the media wouldn't let it go. He was a real professional ensemble leader who brought out the best in the best musicians and still managed to keep a sense of humour.
And he was a staunch and articulate defender of his and everyone's right to be creative.
I liked him.
David

That right there is probably the best thing Vai's ever been involved in.

But I prefer the original:

YouTube Video

[cosmic gumbo]

I chose my moniker in homage to Cosmik Debris. It defines part of the cosmic gumbo legend. Thank you, Frank.

[Smelodies]

Is there a link or a post on the Showcase section to your playing, Coz? I'm interested in hearing your sound and style.

[reventlov]

The story about Zappa and his meeting with Joe Pass and Tommy Tedesco is actually quite unpleasant, I can't see any motive for it at all other than sheer nastiness. I don't actually believe a word of it. How could Tedesco have been unaware of Zappa in 1980, when he had in fact played on one of Zappa's albums in 1968?

Zappa.com > FZ Official Discography > Lumpy Gravy (1968)

This is what Tedesco said about that recording session -

'When he went to work a late-'60s session for then-notorious rock "freak" Frank Zappa, Tedesco arrived at the studio "dressed in pajamas or something. [Zappa remembers it as a t-shirt, golf cap and scout kerchief.] It was strictly a spoof role 'cause I'd seen a picture of Frank, and he was scary-looking. He says, 'I like your costume.' I say, 'I like yours.' He says, 'You don't remember me, but I used to come when I was fourteen years old to watch you play at the West Covina bowling alley,' or something. It cracked me up. But his music was tough and great, so that set me down a peg; let's say I don't go out dressed in pajama bottoms any more – until I'm sure of myself."

Here's what Jimmy Bruno said in an article about Tommy Tedesco...

' He could also play jazz pretty good. I think that was his frustration at the end of his life—towards the end of his career anyway. He certainly didn’t need to go play any movie scores. He liked to hang out with Joe Pass and Frank Zappa. He wanted to be an improviser and he was. He was really good at it'

I tend to believe JB in this, when he says that Tommy T 'liked to hang out with Joe Pass and Frank Zappa' rather than the story referred to earlier in this thread.

[WhoisLevang]

I too think Frank was a genius. There are at least 3 interviews on this site, here is one-
http://weirdovideo.com/wv68/content/...tional-tv-1973

Cosmik Debris could have been written about a old friend of mine;

FRANK ZAPPA COSMIK DEBRIS - YouTube

[brwnhornet59]

Joe's Garage is awesome. Frank is one of those guys in a league of his own.

He Like Fripp Pioneered many of the sounds and approach's, some say they were both doing fusion before Miles went electric, that are Fusion all the way.

I never cared for Frank's silly albums, but there are some real gems in his repertoire. He was a Genius plain and simple. I have read he never did drugs. Hard to believe. What a Free Spirit.

[Aant]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

I have read he never did drugs. Hard to believe. What a Free Spirit.

Indeed, which is good, it shows you don't need to be high to make good and inspired music - even though he was heavily into cigarettes.

[brwnhornet59]

Agreed. The only reason I mentioned it is because how bizarre some of his music and thinking was.

Drugs and alcohol suck. They kill creativity as well as us.

[Smelodies]

Originally Posted by brwnhornet59

Joe's Garage is awesome.

Yeah, that's the other song I like, "Watermelon in Easter Hay."

I think, as far as how he comports himself in interviews, I would say the closest to Zappa, or the English equivalent, would be Pete Townshend. Critical of hippie culture, critical of establishment, tough on other rock stars, etc. They also both have shitted on their respective groups, The Mothers and The Who.

I have read he never did drugs. Hard to believe.

He said he smoked a total of ten joints, it just gave him a sore throat and made him sleepy; however, he was against the war on drugs. I wonder what he would have made of Ron Paul.

[Sandor]

Originally Posted by reventlov

I tend to believe JB in this, when he says that Tommy T 'liked to hang out with Joe Pass and Frank Zappa' rather than the story referred to earlier in this thread.

I can believe that. Due to the fact that my memory of the story was off, and its most likely false, I went ahead and deleted my posts related to it. I Don't wanna spread misinformation.

[patskywriter]

i first took notice of one of my now-favorite musicians, george duke, when he played with frank zappa.

[Smelodies]

Insightful interview with an ailing Zappa. Kind of reminds of me Christopher Hitchens's interviews in the past two years. Frank answers the important questions with dignity, but you can see some fear and knowledge that he was facing death.

YouTube Video

[Melissa536]

I love Franks music. It can be a bit daunting to get into, since he has HUGE library (and to be honest, I don't care for all the weird stuff), but the good stuff is just amazing. To really get a grasp of Zappa it's good to listen to it all though, and figure out what you like. With Zappa, it's as much about both the intended and unintended effects on the listener, as it is about the music itself. Of course, this is just one humbe listener's opinion.