Entertainment For Lively Minds
Frank Zappa … where to start?
Posted by Brookster on 1 December 2011 - 3:02pm.
Somehow I've managed to live my life in complete ignorance of Frank Zappa, even though I suspect I'd like his stuff. Never heard a single thing.
So where should I dip my toe into the Zappa water?
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Roxy & Elsewhere
Classic band, classic set, can't go wrong.
I first heard
Sheik Yerbouti, which lead me to investigate further, but I wish I had listened from the start, beginning at 'Freak Out' and moving onwards at leisure. My favourites are 'Only In It For The Money', 'Lumpy Gravy' & 'Lather'.
The beauty of the FZ catalogue is that there is something there for almost all musical tastes, from musique concrete to doo-wop; it's a universe all of it's own.
Enjoy the trip.
Everything
prior to Sheik Yerbouti is worth having.
Roxy & Elsewhere was where I started
One of my favourite albums of all time. I'd also recommend Apostrophe and Hot Rats. And Filmore East '71.
One Size Fits All ...
... came highly recommended (I think on this blog) - it's very good. I only own 3 other CDs but I like them all - Freak Out, We're Only In It For The Money and Hot Rats.
One Size Fits All
One Size Fits All is reckoned to be the perfect Zappa album for a beginner to start with. It ticks all the boxes and contains all the elements that make Zappa's music so good:
1) Great songs
2) Insanely technical playing
3) Plenty of really funny moments
4) By Frank's standards the music is easily accessible
The same could also be said of Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe.
Hot Rats is a great guitar fest, but firmly in an orthodox jazz rock setting. It contains nothing too far out.
Just Another Band From LA and Fillmore East, the live Flo and Eddie comedy albums are a laugh a minute, but I find the musicianship to be lacking and some of the comedy has dated. They are also full of in-jokes and band references you won't get unless you've heard the earlier albums
Hot Rats
IMHO is his best, though fans complain about the mastering of the CD version.
That era certainly
Early 1970's. I was only a mere child so I discovered it via friends as a student 14/15 years later
Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe are wonderful - amazing band, genuinely funny jokes, fine tunes.
I still have a soft spot for slightly later ones like Joes Garage and Zoot Allures I like the 60s one but it sometimes seems more theatre than music
There's some good individual tracks after the early 1980s but I think he was surrounded by sycophants by then and it all becomes a long dreary misogynistic in-joke (OOAA)
As a start
you might consider watching the Classic Albums DVD that features Apostrophe and Overnite Sensation. The mid 70s albums are the most accessible (and, no coincidence, the most tuneful) so I can highly recommend those two, plus One Size Fits All.
Then you might want to work backwards.
Regularly overlooked
... but IMHO an excellent starting point would be Tinseltown Rebellion. First class live album with a plethora of accesible choonz as well as being a great example of the tightness of every FZ band line up.
"Watermelons In Easter Hay"
from the "Joe's Garage" set is (IMHO) FZ's most sublime and gorgeous guitar solo. The rest of the album is patchy but it's worth it for these seven minutes or so of unmitigated brilliance. Otherwise I'd suggest "Hot Rats" and "One Size Fits All."
And here it is..
Another vote for Hot Rats, and for One Size Fits All for starters. A little more way out would be Grand Wazoo and Weasels Ripped My Flesh.
Start at the beginning
Freak Out, We're Only in it For The Money, etc. At first you may not like it but persevere and you will reap the rewards. Brown Shoes Don't Make It is one of the greatest songs ever written and recorded. Once you've got what he's on about the riches will flow. The wonder of Lumpy Gravy, Absolutely Free and my favourite Weasels ripped My Flesh will open up to you.
Be careful with your purchases though, there were some terrible Ryko CDs issued and the sound was terrible.
'm amazed the family have not brought out remastered albums under their name yet. The World needs to hear Call Any Vegetable and America Drinks And Goes Home in all it's majesty. Anyone know why we haven't seen remasters from the Zappa Fondation?
I was only discussing
with a friend after seeing Zappa Plays Zappa last week that it's a shame the Zappa foundation don't seem to be able to get their act together. They must be sat on a mountain of stuff that it would be great to hear and would get the music more widely heard.
Meanwhile, I find people under 30 increasingly have no idea who Zappa is (even friends who are otherwise very into their music), which is a real shame.
The Zappa Family Trust
have put out some very good archive recording packages in the last few years (the 'Lumpy Money' set is particularly good) but they are costly because they have to be bought from their site & posted from the US.
Regarding the back catalogue, there was an issue with the deal FZ made with Ryko, and any releases are held up until this is resolved. Because of this, the family can only release albums which weren't part of the Ryko deal.
I second that emulsion
The box sets are excellent, pricey yes, but very comprehensive, especially the 4 disc Making of Freak Out.
And in fairness to the ZFT, they have busied themselves in releasing plenty of live Frank that includes some terrific music - the Hammersmith Odeon 78 set is especially juicy.
Early stuff
Good thread this. I had a pal as a teenager who loved the early Mothers stuff and I found it completely unlistenable. I rediscovered FZ later with Hot Rats, Chungas Revenge, Apostrophe, Zoot, Joe etc. I must go back and listen again now my ears are a bit more attuned. No Mothers on Spotify of course. Oftentimes I look for stuff on Spotty and it ain't there.
Classical buff?
If you fancy the more, er, Stravinsky-like aspects of Zappa, can I suggest "Uncle Meat", long a favourite of mine? Also, "The Yellow Shark" was a late contender in the avant-garde/classical material...highly recommended.
Then again, there's always "Shut up 'n' play yer guitar"....
Seems a bit obvious, but...
...I'd start (well, I actually did start) with the compilation Strictly Commercial. You can take what bits you like from there and go on to the albums they came from. Worked for me.
Where not to start
I once shared a London to Harrogate car ride with a Zappa fanatic who insisted on playing Frank Zappa: Guitar on the in car system for most of the journey. That pretty much inoculated me against any appreciation of Zappa.
Thingfish
Now I like "Thingfish", but it's not one for the more sensitive and right-on types. They should stick to their Tracy Chapman records. Sample of Thingfish: