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Offical Frank Zappa Thread

The first Zappa lp I ever heard was Hot Rats at a friends house in 1970 or so, I was 14. Within a couple of years I had picked up Overnight Sensation and Waka Jawaka. Since then I've picked up several of the issues from the Beat the Boots series and also quite a few concert recordings. If you are interested in that kind of thing, check out Zappateers.com.

Favorite Zappa composition is Inca Roads, I never tire of hearing it.
 
Been a huge fan since my late cousin brought a bunch of Zappa tapes on a fishing trip 30 years ago. I had enough musical education to "get it" but the understanding of the lyrics took a lot longer. Listening to all those great George Duke keyboard solos changed my own playing forever, that is certain. Roxy and Elsewhere will always be my favorite but I like any of the 10 records before and after that almost as much.

I saw him in Salem mass in the summer of 84 at an outdoor venue called Winter Island. Only saw two shows there that summer before the place was inexplicably closed (SRV was the other). It was raining to start the show but FZ looked skyward about 2 songs in and said "gimme a break". The rain stopped almost as if on cue. Magical.

Check out the George Duke album "Feel" for some great mis/uncredited FZ solos. Makes a great companion to their solos on the tune "Eat that Question" on The Grand Wazoo.

I could talk FZ all night...

Jblnut
 
Anyone know how long the "Freak Hot Spots Map", advertised inside the initial pressings of "Freak Out" was available? Lately it seems I've seen more original copies of FO with the "blurb" than without.

My guess is that the offer expired within a year or so......early 68' at the latest. Anyone actually own an "original" of this map? This is an early Zappa rarity from the 60's, I'd really like to get my hands on!
 
grooveman said:
Decided to start an offical thread devoted to the genius of Frank Zappa. Based on the amount of responses to a previous FZ thread, it looks like several members are also interested in discussing "all things" Zappa. So I'm starting off this initial thread by playing an original mono pressing of the MOI "Freak Out" album.

Hopefully this offical FZ thread will be a place to discuss all aspects of Frank's creative output, and not limited to just a daily playlist. Members are encouraged to share their knowledge and love of all things FZ. Now back to "Hungry Freaks Daddy"!
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Was a tad hungover yesterday so I figured a little hair of the dog and few puffs were in order. I decided to listen to some music so I threw on The "MOFO Project/Object". A friend had given it to me and I never bothered to listen to it. Wow!!! I listened to the whole thing and was amazed, confounded, scared and before I knew it I was giggling and feeling better.

My previous experiences with FZ were primarily "Joe's Garage", Apostrophe/Overnight Sensation", "Have I offended Someone" and "Shut up and play yer guitar".

I can't get over how good it was in particular "Motherly Love", Trouble Every Day" and "Hungry Freaks, Daddy". What was really cool were the liner notes/booklet speaking to FZ, MOI and how it went down. For a debut album, and double one at that I was quite impressed.

I needs me some more FZ and plan on hitting the local record store soon to see if I can find more FZ gems.
 
Glad this thread got started, got my YCDTOSA box set out the other night and listened to Volume 2, The Helsinki Concert.

Intro to Zappa was Hot Rats when I was way too young, then Over-nite Sensation in high school. Didn't really appreciate what he did until my thirties, been a fan since.

Wish I had seen him in concert.
 
"Hot Rats" was the first I knew well. Saw him in 75 and 77--phenomenal shows. He always had new, great musicians with him who went on to other things and were worth following -- Adrian Belew, Terry Bozio, Patrick O'Hearn, Steve Vai, George Duke, and Vinnie Colaiuta. Vinnie played with Jeff Beck and Tal Wilkenfeld at that Ronnie Scott's gig/Crossroads tour a few years ago.
 
Picked up a used version of "One Size Fits All" on CD (Rykodisc) and haven't really given it a good listen yet but that's what weekends are for. I also ordered the following FZ from my local library.

"Fillmore East, June 1971" CD
"Does humor belong in music?" DVD
"Zoot Allures" CD
"Frank Zappa's the dub room special!" DVD

Should be good exploring.
 
jblnut said:
I saw him in Salem mass in the summer of 84 at an outdoor venue called Winter Island. Only saw two shows there that summer before the place was inexplicably closed (SRV was the other). It was raining to start the show but FZ looked skyward about 2 songs in and said "gimme a break". The rain stopped almost as if on cue. Magical.
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No ****in way!

We snuck into that show. We scooted under the cemetary gate next to the bridge, hiked up the side at the waterline and we were past security. :banana:
We got in front of the stage (about 8 "rows" back) next to the guys with the shut up n play yer guitar banner tween closet dowels.
Zappa made it stop raining.
He also said "this place sucks. See you next month at the Orpheum." :yes:

It was a great show.
 
In 1977 we were getting baked in my friend's car at the gas station he worked at and he said just pick a tape.
I popped in Zoot Allures because I knew it rocked but didn't realize what the first song was.
He had quit school to support his kid so he got pissed and went in the station and wouldn't come back out.

OOPS, sorry Paul.
 
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Ruben and Jets and a lot of the stuff he produced for others like "Touche me there" by L' Shankar, Naked Angeles Sound Track and Luciel Messed my Mind up by Jeff Simmons, Trout Mask Replica By CB and King Kong by Jean Luc Ponty were some of my favs. Saw missing persons at the Roxy on the sunset strip in 1979 w/Terry and Dale Bozio, Warren Cucurollo and they played Punky's Whips - A tribute to the band Angel
 
Dswankey said:
Picked up a used version of "One Size Fits All" on CD (Rykodisc) and haven't really given it a good listen yet but that's what weekends are for. I also ordered the following FZ from my local library.

"Fillmore East, June 1971" CD
"Does humor belong in music?" DVD
"Zoot Allures" CD
"Frank Zappa's the dub room special!" DVD

Should be good exploring.
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FZ said that (One Size Fits All) was his favorite album. I know it's mine.
 
YAWYI remaster sounds like crap. Also, SUAPYG sounds bad as well. I dunno. I have been a Zappa fan, but some of his tones and albums sound horrible. I mean Joe's Garage is great. But the remasters are nothing much better IMO. The kick drum sound on You Are.. and Shut up... are the same. It is a a bump around 40-50hz. That's it. I am not wasting any money on any more remasters.
 
First started listening to Frank in earnest in 1971. I had been exposed to some of his music before and was intrigued and after puchasing my first decent stereo that year and going off to college, picked up The Grand Wazoo and never looked back.
I saw him in '74 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia surrounded by an amazing cast of musicians (as usual) and was blown away. Saw him again years later, can't remember the year but it was right after he started having volunteers at tables in the lobby trying to get people to register to vote, I think it was the mid to late 80's? Anyway, that was at the Tower Theater, also in Philly and also a great concert, different and with a different cast of supporting "characters" but great nonetheless.
Picking a favorite FZ album is pretty tough for me, I love so many of them. As for my favorite Flo and Eddie offering, I think I'd go with Just Another Band but Chunga's Revenge isn't far behind.
 
Dswankey said:
Picked up a used version of "One Size Fits All" on CD (Rykodisc) and haven't really given it a good listen yet but that's what weekends are for. I also ordered the following FZ from my local library.

"Fillmore East, June 1971" CD
"Does humor belong in music?" DVD
"Zoot Allures" CD
"Frank Zappa's the dub room special!" DVD

Should be good exploring.
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Just watched "The Dub Room Special" especially liked the live line up including George Duke.

Any good George Duke recommendations? and other recordings with FZ?
 
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Fz

Saw FZ & the Mothers w/ Flo & Eddie do the Fillmore Live '71 show. Great & hilarious! "NYC you're a clit !" Ended the show with "Happy Together."

FZ: "Who are the Brain police???"
 
"Overnite Sensation", "One Size Fits all" and "Joe's Garage" are all very well recorded albums IMO. "Grand Wazoo", "Sheik Yerbouti" and "Zoot Allures" are quite good sounding too (I think). I saw Zappa twice- in Michigan. He sold out three nights at the Royal Oak Music Theatre (now the Magic Bag). I remember the band finishing the show with a Beatles medley the lyrics of which were all changed to be about specific televangelists and their um, proclivities.... What a great band!
 
adrian_zappa said:
Not the best sounding albums, IMO Zappa's music itself is treasure
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Yeah, a lot of the earlier works, especially with the mothers is a little rough by todays standards. However, the amount of studio work is to be applauded, considering the numbers of overlays and cuts. I'd say most are on-par with other studio albums of the time, compare something like were only in it for the money to Pet Sounds, the overall quality and balance is about the same.

That said, Joes Garage is just fantastically produced, I recently got an LP copy of Act I, and man, it's just perfectly dialed-in. The CD copy isn't bad either.
 
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