Frank Zappa, anyone?
 

For being such a prolific and groundbreaking musician he certainly doesn't get much mention here or much of anywhere.
I have always been a fan (kind of grew up with him, liked the funny songs)
Freak out is one of my favorite albums of all time. I love how the album flows from somewhat hostile at the begining, to pop parody that functions as good music on its own, and tehn gets more and more sinister to explode in a noisy freak out at the end.

We're only in it for the money, shut up n' play yer guitar, Absolutley free, Chunga's revenge, Jazz from hell, HOT RATS... the list goes on

Any other fans?

Doesn't get much mention? I've mentioned him several times in the TWAT thread.

Haha I've never looked at that one... : /
eh I always say him when people talk about underrated artists.
hell zappa was just plain misunderstood, people remembered the one off novelties and forgot that the man was HIGHLY talented.
I always tell them to listen to the guitar solo on willie the pimp and to then get back to me.

Underrated?

No offense but that's one of the most insane things anyone's ever said on this board.

I'm not a fan so I'll leave your thread alone. Be warned that there are quite a few Zappa haters here besides me!

Haha I can handle myself : p thanks for the warning XD

he took prog themes and musicianship and made songs and melodies you could actually enjoy listening to and remember.
I don't think enough people give him enough credit for that.

He's one of the most highly and wildly respected musicians ever. He has a rabid, RABID, INSANE fanbase, and everyone in the world knows who he is. Maybe he doesn't get respect for the "right" reasons or something... but he's certainly not underrated.

He's more well-known than, uh, Sonic Youth for example.

I don't know I just rarely hear him mentioned.
People know who he is but not really what he does.
At least in my experience.

I dunno, I just have a hard time thinking of him as underrated, especially when every hippy I know loves him and I hear him mentioned every other day by someone. I'm glad you like him, and I definitely respect him. I just think so many artists are underrated, and he's definitely... more respected and prolific than almost anyone I can think of.

I will say my favorite thing is definitely 200 Motels or Hotels or whatever it's called. My friend taped it off of some PPV channel and we watched it a few months ago and I thought it was brilliant.

I've only heard teh soundtrack.
not sure why its not on dvd yet.

I love Frank. His work with the Mothers and his solo stuff from '66-'75 is incredible (yes, I even like the Flo & Eddie phase too.) After that, he got a bit iffy for me for a while, with the exception of Joe's Garage. He did get back on the right track five years before his death with Jazz from Hell, so I forgive him for releasing a decade or so's worth of (mostly) shit.

My favorite has been Freak Out! for a really long time. I never get bored of that one.

nah
thx

I don' know all his work, but I like the few I know(Freak out !, Absolutely free, Hot Rats, Apostrophe,Sheik Yerbouty...).
He was one of the best guitarists of the XXth century.
He was unique.

Worst 2 releases frank zappa ever made:

zappa is ridiculously OVERRATED, but he helped out with trout mask, so thats cool. has anyone read the article in the current mojo about zappa and van vliet's friendship/rivalry? only good article ive read in that shit nostalgia mag since the post punk/pil issue

No I didn't read it, I'd like to. I've read plenty about how they loved/hated each other and how they used to go to Harry Partch performances together.

Haha, yeah. Talk about the apple falling really far from the tree. I went to see Zappa Plays Zappa two years ago and Dweezil was like a fucking statue the entire time. No stage presence whatsoever, and every time he did say something, he sounded like a moron. Luckily, Napoleon Murphy Brock and Bozzio where there, so I kinda forgot about him.

Has anyone seen that VH1 Jeopardy with Moon Unit and Dave Mustaine (I forget who the third contestant was.) Sheesh, she's a total ditz!

weasels ripped my flesh is a fucking masterpiece.

other than that, i have a hard time with him.

and no, he wasn't really an innovator, he knew how to filter his influences and work the people he liked.

yeah weasels is by far my favorite.

frank zappa can go to hell for all i care.
i enjoy "we're only in it for the money" or "freak out!" every once in a very long while. it stops there.

"does humour belong in music?"
yes. humour does have a place in music.
COMEDY does not belong in music, particularly comedy that's not humorous at all.

Even though he is the best "prog" artist ever, I can only handle so much of him at one time, like most prog. "Catholic Girls" is amazing.

is he prog?

god, that genre is tainted now.

Well, he is progressive. Any band that is "prog" basically worships him.

I never thought of him as prog... just rock with experimental parts and some jazz and classical influences.

a lot of it is really annoying though, isn't it?
like "the dangerous kitchen"

what a load of shit.

zappa's pretty annoying period yeah. I think so at least.

i've never read an interview with robert fripp or any member of yes that mentions zappa.

yeah.

Zappa's more someone cool hippies like once they outgrow phish.

Listen to the album Zappa in New York to hear him in prog mode.
Or maybe shut up and play yer guitar.

We're Only In It For The Money rules.

monty python for music lovers.... make of that what you will

I read that article. Pretty intense stuff. I highly recommend it.

I love Zappa. I have about 15 of his albums...

...underrated? Nope. Not at all. He's really well-respected and well-known in many circles of the music community from pop/rock to Jazz to classical.

Hell, there are college courses that are all about his music...definitely NOT underrated.

you know, I don't even know where to find mojo magazine.

I read them while I'm at Borders sometimes. Probably the only music rag I ever bother to read, actually.

I bought the newest mojo for the sub pop cd.

mojo is awful

It's pretty hip to hate on Zappa. I like a lot of his work. I just watched THE DUB ROOM SPECIAL last night actually.

Zappa has fallen somewhat by the wayside due mainly to the fact that he refused to kiss the left wing's arse, as well as the right's. Other rockers who leaned decidedly towards the right have also been pushed out of the picture by the mainstream media: Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, KISS, etc. I found it rather interesting when they did that 10-part series Rock And Roll for PBS back in '95, they didn't give him any coverage. He merely got a mention in passing by Alice Cooper. It's rather unfair--he is one of the best and most important musicians to come out of the mid '60s.

it's not a Zappa thread until someone posts a link to the '86 Crossfire debate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISil7IHzxc