Offical Frank Zappa Thread
- Thread starter grooveman
- Start date
grooveman
Super Member
Ok Zappa fans, here's one for ya. 'how's that grab ya?
That's a rare one! I've seen the Pacific Artists original pressing only a few times, but the re-issue is pretty scarce as well. Still need to add that one to my collection!
gumball
Life in a fishbowl..
Zappa's music can be an acquired taste that's for sure. My first group question in this thread is...."When and how did you first discover Frank Zappa's music?" QUOTE]
the first thing I ever heard about Frank Zappa came while visiting my sister at the local university. she was a sophmore in college and i was a sophmore in high school. This was around 1978'ish (a little hazy back then). a couple of buddies and I went to hang out with her and her future ex-husband boyfriend. we went Thursday night to make pitchers of Komikazi's and play Bong 99. (don't ask, I can't remember). Any he threw on this album called Apostrophe' and i was blown away by this. It went against all the "radio" crap that was being played at the time. Keep in mind that at the tme the only music I listened to or wanted to listen to was the Ramones, Sex Pistols, 999, Revillos and all that was Punk. But the FZ was cool. well anyway to make a longer story longer...my sister got divorced a few years back and I somehow wound up with her ex's vinyl collection, which consisted of alot of Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd and Jazz and also his Thorens TD-165 that I currently am using as I write this. This coupled with my own inventory of Punk, 80's and Jazz it brings my collection up over 1000 lp's.
grooveman
Super Member
IMO.......one of his best from the 70's. "Po-Jama People"......really love that one!!
grooveman
Super Member
OK.....I'm throwing out another question to members. "Have you ever seen Zappa live?" Here's a chance to share memorable Zappa concert experiences with others.
My first Zappa concert was in 1974 on Mother's Day(10th anniversary of the Mothers) at the Chicago Auditorium Theater. I had first row seats, off to the right side! Great show.....Zappa ended the concert by impalling an inflatable sex doll, that was used as a prop during the show, on a microphone stand! That act prompted the Auditorium Theater to ban Zappa concerts there! What a show!!
My first Zappa concert was in 1974 on Mother's Day(10th anniversary of the Mothers) at the Chicago Auditorium Theater. I had first row seats, off to the right side! Great show.....Zappa ended the concert by impalling an inflatable sex doll, that was used as a prop during the show, on a microphone stand! That act prompted the Auditorium Theater to ban Zappa concerts there! What a show!!
grooveman
Super Member
I hear ya! I also saw him several times during 74-80 in Chicago. Probably some of the best concerts I ever went to!
Yes. Warner Theater in Washington DC 1988. Dweezil showed up and sat in the audience. I know because FZ interrupted himself to yell, "Hi Dweezil!" from the stage.
2nd Row. A stellar evening. Exceeded my expecations and while I cannot name a best concert I have seen, that one would be a finalist.
Twice, Early 80's in the Hartford Civic Center and on the last tour in the Nassau Coliseum. Dweezil was up on stage playing Stairway to Heaven at the Nassau show. They also played a modified version of Lucy In The Sky, with lyrics went something like "Picture Yourself in a Texas Hotel Room........ Louisiania Hooker With Herpes", it was around the time of Swaggart.
First exposure to FZ was spinnin' "Weasels Ripped My Flesh" a LOT as a freshman DJ at my college radio station. Next exposure was seeing Frank in concert not too many years after that...everyone in attendance was given a 12"X12" piece of bubble wrap to pop at a particular point during one song. I was pretty dazed at the time...couldn't remember what song for the life of me. Used to have all FZ's early stuff...long, long gone...so I'm starting the reacquisition project.
Spun "Joe's Garage" last night...thanks, kruisin!!
Spun "Joe's Garage" last night...thanks, kruisin!!
kruisin
keep on given’r
Fun story, that would have been great man. Enjoy the tunes :thmbsp:
Joe's Garage is such a great recording. One of the first engineering gigs for Joe Chiccarelli--he was apparently thrown very much into the fire with powerful results. My band recorded with Joe a few years ago--his story's about the Joe's Garage sessions stuck with me so I bought the first copies I found. The man knows how to put drums on tape.
rnorton
Super Member
I have the original in pristine (almost) condition. Bought it the week it came out.
spideyjack
Addicted Member
I heard Montana on FM, then the whole Overnight Sensation LP played on a little portable cassette deck at Boy Scout summer camp. A friend with a stereo made me a cassette with most of Bongo Fury and some of Roxy And Elsewhere. This would have been when these LPs were new 1973-1975.
Bloomington Indiana 1981? don't remember much except his guitar was mixed way louder than anything else.
Indianapolis 1984? Really great, I have a tape of this band from the tour where they opened for The Dead and the playing is amazing, same for the arrangement but it was hampered by the libretto (as was most of his 80's work imo) Everyone says he played some Stravinsky but I must have been in the bathroom cause I would have recognized it (or maybe it was in the second show) still I'm glad I got to see him.
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finnbow
The Dude Abides
Chunga's Revenge gets my Flo and Eddie vote. I love the song Sharleena in which they're strongly featured.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqABZWVwSzo
I've seen him twice, once at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in 1974 and once in a smallish auditorium at Tulane University in New Orleans in ~1977 (I was 5-6 rows back, dead center). Both shows were terrific.
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rnorton
Super Member
Yeah. The torchum never stops.
rnorton
Super Member
First time I heard him was at May's Music Downtown in Albuquerque in July of 1966. I thought the cover was, to say the least, interesting and checked it out in one of their listening booths (anyone remember those?) And that, as they say, was that.
Only saw him perform once, in 1980. Incredible show. He was just starting to use a computer-controlled real-time equalizer that constantly compared the room sound with the source and adapted. Extremely high tech for the time. It was the best concert sound I had ever heard and I was a roady/tech for a major sound reinforcement company at the time. I understand that this was one of many electronic breakthroughs that he had a hand in designing.
grooveman
Super Member
Anyone heard of this 2 LP bootleg? "Mothers Of Invention...The Alternate Freak Out The Aborted Version". It's on the Yellow Snow label, issued in 2010, limited to 500 copies. It's said to be different sounding and has a different running order than the official release. Taken from 2 different master tapes of stereo mixdowns, dating from April 10, 1966. Originally intended for use in the first edition of Freak Out.
I'd like to get a copy if it's really different.....early demos or alternate takes/mixes perhaps? Hopefully it's not just a vinyl ripoff of the MOFO that's out on multi CD thru the Zappa family. There's a copy of this Zappa/Freak Out Bootleg currently on Ebay.....anyone actually own or heard this?
I'd like to get a copy if it's really different.....early demos or alternate takes/mixes perhaps? Hopefully it's not just a vinyl ripoff of the MOFO that's out on multi CD thru the Zappa family. There's a copy of this Zappa/Freak Out Bootleg currently on Ebay.....anyone actually own or heard this?