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2013: The Year I listen to Zappa


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I've known of the name Frank Zappa since I can remember.  My uncle was born in '54 and my mom  in '56.  My uncle has always been a huge music fan and an indirect influence on everything I listen to.  

 

It took me until i was about 19 to really GET the beatles.  I was too angsty and unhappy to appreciate them for what they were.

 

Well, this is the year I delve into Frank Zappa.  I spent the last year or two listening to every beatles song I could, learning their styles and meticulously picking apart their compositions (in my own esoteric self taught way).  

 

The Mothers of Invention's first album Freak Out! somehow got itself downloaded onto my computer within the past couple weeks and i've been in love.  I owned "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" for the last year or so but maybe that was a bad place to start because i really couldn't get into it.  "Freak Out!" is slaying me, though.

 

Tell me your favorite zappa album!  From what I've always understood is that everyone has a different opinion on Zappa, down to every fan!  I'll be updating this thread periodically as I listen to the albums sequentially.  Please feel free to let me know lore, repeats, post humous release notes, etc.

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We're only in it for the money is my fav Mothers album

And I really like all of his stuff from the seventies, Hot Rats, Zoot Allures, Roxy&Elsewhere, One Size Fits All, Waka Jawaka, Studio Tan, Overnite Sensation, Apostrophe

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bieke wrote:

 

 

And I really like all of his stuff from the seventies, Hot Rats, Zoot Allures, Roxy&Elsewhere, One Size Fits All, Waka Jawaka, Studio Tan, Overnite Sensation, Apostrophe

 

This... plus Sheik Yerbouti and the Baby Snakes soundtrack for Adrian Belew content... lots of great live stuff too!

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Thru the years i guess one could say that i was very interested in Frank as a Person. I have read a few articles and magazines about Frank and two large books about the man.

Frank is a very interesting and entertaining man indeed. For me as a life long guitarist I really liked looking into what Frank created with his vision. Not so much as "the music". But the GEAR'and studios etc.

I like shut up and play yer guitar, but my musical exposure to FrAnk is lacking for whatever reason?

I really like the band Missing Persons and they are all ZappA alumnus.

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In reponse to bieke & awallace:

I have to agree here - especially the 1973-74 band with Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Napolean Murphy Brock, Chester Thompson, etc.  Really incredible musicians, arrangements, and just an amazing band.   The live album "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol 2." (the Helsenki concert) is awesome, as is Roxy & Elsewhere.

So much of Zappa is good, but that's my favorite, and has the added benefit of being a bit less offensive to those who are turned off by FZ's later lyrical content.  Not that it's ever stopped me..  :catwink:

 

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There's the essential "Money," "Freak Out," and "Hot Rats," as well as the equally important "Absolutely Free" (sooo many bands ripped off the concepts off that very album; you could see how they were thinking "it 's okay to be weird now.")
As a jazz geek, I'm partial to "Waka-Jawaka" and "Grand Wazoo." After that, "Inca Roads" off "One Size Fits All" is stellar.
It was really from Frank that I realized it's not necessarily the guitar amp, but the way it's recorded that's important. He liked the Pignose, and as he rightly pointed out, some of those awful '80s metal bands with racks full of gear didn't sound much better. And I quote: "Some of those guys, you turn around and say 'hey, that sounds like a Pignose!'"

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I'm a big Frank Zappa fan, I think I listened to most of his 60+ albums. I like the 70's era the best, from Waka Jawaka untill Joe's Garage. My favourite FZ albums are: 

-Roxy and Elsewhere: great playing, great band and a great live atmosphere.

-Joe's Garage: just sounds amazing; amazing production, some of his best guitar tones.

Also recommended: 

-The Grand Wazoo

-Best Band You Never Heard In You Life

-Zoot Allures

-Apostrophe

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