Frank Zappa

[ballyhoo]

Frank Vincent Zappa
born December 21st 1940, Baltimore MD - died December 4th 1993, Los Angeles CA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa

"I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird." FZ



a thread dedicated to the late great Frank Zappa. and why not? I know there are
many of my fellow VEF members who appreciate the man's music, and his often
outspoken views on many things, good or bad. sometimes giving us great quotes.

starting with 'The Mothers of Invention' debut album "Freak Out" (1966) all the way
through to "Civilization Phaze III" (1994), the guy covered every genre of music on
the planet. he was sometimes over the top, that's for sure. but he did it all his way,
and no other way. the musical compositions and arrangements, the great musicians
in his many touring / studio bands, and the sheer volume of his catalog, proved he
had a style all his own. and he is still the most underrated artist of all time, imo.





hopefully this thread will be a place to share opinions, favorite albums or best bands,
FZ quotes, youtube clips, LP artwork, personal concert stories, etc. all things Zappa!

[ballyhoo]

lady Gaga now lives in Frank's old Laurel Canyon house/studio.

http://www.tmz.com/2016/09/22/lady-g...nk-zappa-home/

as if she wasn't already my favorite over-rated pop diva...

[old alal]

Why does it hurt when I pee?

Wierd yes, but musically, IMHO a genious.

[Decadence]

Originally Posted by old alal

Why does it hurt when I pee?

...you got it from the toilet seat... it jumped right up, and grabbed your meat.



My one and only time seeing FZ live was at the Uptown Theater in Chicago. As I recall, I'd just started undergraduate school so it was probably fall, 1977. It was a smaller venue, likely held no more than about 4000 people. Intimate, smoky, and a departure from the stadium shows which were becoming the norm.

Great show, Frank never disappoints and Terry Bozzio is an absolute madman on the skins.

[blondifan]

Been 'a fan' since I first heard "Camarillo Brillo" at around age 14, when "Overnight Sensation" was the latest and purchased by a friends older brother. (That'll contain clues to my vintage )
The first album I purchased was "the Grand Wazoo" although it took years to appreciate the comic genius in what was mostly an instrumental album.

I still have to track down 'the Petite Wazoo' and so many others, although I have a large collection, including at least six DVD's. My personal favourite DVD is "Does Humour Belong In Music", being partial to the Scott Thunes/Chad Wackerman rhythm section, although they were all good, of course.

[ballyhoo]

Originally Posted by Decadence

My one and only time seeing FZ live was at the Uptown Theater in Chicago. As I recall, I'd just started undergraduate school so it was probably fall, 1977....

I'm jealous. that would've been a particularly good year to see him/them.

....Great show, Frank never disappoints and Terry Bozzio is an absolute madman on the skins.

sadly, I never saw Frank live. but I did see the first leg of the 'Zappa plays Zappa' tour.
the special guests, and former FZ band members, were; Napoleon Murphy Brock, Steve
Vai, and Terry Bozzoio. I agree 100% about Bozzio being a madman. he had a massive
drum kit with tons of cymbals. it probably took 2 hours just to set it up.

Originally Posted by blondifan

....The first album I purchased was "the Grand Wazoo" although it took years to appreciate the comic genius in what was mostly an instrumental album.

like many of his albums, at first I couldn't begin to grasp what was going on musically.

...My personal favourite is "Does Humour Belong In Music", being partial to the Scott Thunes/Chad Wackerman rhythm section....

agreed! I only wish Wackerman had steered clear of the electronic drums more.

[blondifan]

Originally Posted by ballyhoo

...
like many of his albums, at first I couldn't begin to grasp what was going on musically.

True dat! The first time I felt I really grasped 'the Wazoo' was when having a smoke above the lights of Melbourne, with a Latrobe Uni trained professional percussionist. It was the first time they'd heard it.

agreed! I only wish Wackerman had steered clear of the electronic drums more.

I'm really not familiar with studio recordings featuring Wackerman, only some of the live stuff, with the massive kit.

Perhaps embarrassingly my longtime favourite is "One Size Fits All", being a commercial product.
Sofa so good.

[melvin]

Though a lot of his lyrics were about sex, Zappa was obviously not a porn fan.
"Watching people having sex is quite ridiculous."

Saw him back in 1988 on his last tour ever. I still have a bootleg tape of this concert ...

[ballyhoo]

Originally Posted by melvin

Though a lot of his lyrics were about sex, Zappa was obviously not a porn fan.
"Watching people having sex is quite ridiculous."

maybe he didn't watch porn, but he certainly was a fan of "devices".

Saw him back in 1988 on his last tour ever. I still have a bootleg tape of this concert ...

wow! just over the past year I've revisited 3 albums from that '88 tour;

"Broadway the Hard Way" (1988)
"The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life" (1991)
"Make a Jazz Noise Here" (1991)

that was one hell of a touring band. I think the expenses of having that
many members ultimately ended the tour prematurely. awesome horns!

[TLN]

I saw him twice at the Hammersmith Odeon but I really can't remember when. They were some years apart and the first was in the late 70s. The second was around '82 and as I recall was a matinee performance.
My daughter was conceived in the ladies toilets after the show. Who said romance was dead?