Where do I start with Frank Zappa?

soma1975

Watched that doc on him on Netflix and found it fascinating but there is a large Zappa-sized hole in my musical knowledge.

Which albums should i listen to if I like cool guitar too?

Cheers

Sarge

Apostrophe!
Hot Rats

p90fool

Roxy and Elsewhere. There are plenty of others, but that's a great balance of humour, astonishing composition and guitar playing, without a surfeit of any of them. 

It's also early enough to still sound sort of organic and human. Some of his later stuff is incredibly impressive but can feel a little cold, and I say that as a massive fan with 70 of his albums. 

soma1975

Cheers chaps that will keep me going for now. 

octatonic

p90fool said:

Roxy and Elsewhere. There are plenty of others, but that's a great balance of humour, astonishing composition and guitar playing, without a surfeit of any of them. 

It's also early enough to still sound sort of organic and human. Some of his later stuff is incredibly impressive but can feel a little cold, and I say that as a massive fan with 70 of his albums. 

This.

JAYJO

only heard Joes Grarage back in the 80s and its Different....Titties and beer Titties and beer... I'm Petulant and i'm having a Frenzy...lol  Really liked that album.

stonevibe

I love Hot Rats, Apostrophe, Zoot Allures, Joe's Garage, Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch, Sheik Yebouti for example.

But he has some great stuff on most of his albums, the live stuff is sensational as well.

Sarge

Over - nite sensation is brilliant too

MichaelWatts

I like this concert, even though Zappa fans aren't crazy about the Wackerman/Thunes rhythm section. 

axisus

Joe's Garage for me. Fabulous. I always cite it as the album that corrupted me as a teen.

I find some of his stuff too hard to listen to though. 

saltyseadog

My suggestion would be the live album "Filmore East-1971" probably the funniest album ever released and Zappa at his satiric best with Flo and Eddie (Mark Volman & Howard Kaylan" on vocals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillmore_East_–_June_1971

welshboyo

I started with Tinseltown Rebellion - a very funny live album from the mid 80's

I also have a lot of time for "The Best Band you Never Heard in your Life" as a compilation of live performances from the band that imploded in the late 80's

Studio Albums:

Overnite Sensation
Sheikyerbouti
One Size Fits All

newi123

I started with Them and Us for the Vai connection....... and never really got much past that! I shall also be checking up on some of the above.

Them and Us is also excellent BTW

soma1975

So basically all the albums...

jhumber

soma1975 said:

Watched that doc on him on Netflix ....

Which documentary is that? Big Zappa fan, just searched Netflix UK and couldn't see anything there. Thanks

EricTheWeary

soma1975 said:

So basically all the albums...

Yeh, it's a big catalogue. I don't really listen to Zappa anymore but I'd probably say find the  Zappa Plays Zappa/ Dweezil Zappa stuff that's on YouTube.  A lot of the stuff of Frank on film is really hard to watch whereas the ZPZ stuff is just normal concert footage and it's effectively curated listening so take what you like from that and then go find the original sources. 
Dweezil seems like the nicest guy in the world and anything with him talking about playing or gear or just the world in general is worth watching. 

Alex2678

Having never listened to him before, Camarillo Brillo really drew me in

danny_777

I really enjoy Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar...

soma1975

EricTheWeary said:

soma1975 said:

So basically all the albums...

Yeh, it's a big catalogue. I don't really listen to Zappa anymore but I'd probably say find the  Zappa Plays Zappa/ Dweezil Zappa stuff that's on YouTube.  A lot of the stuff of Frank on film is really hard to watch whereas the ZPZ stuff is just normal concert footage and it's effectively curated listening so take what you like from that and then go find the original sources. 
Dweezil seems like the nicest guy in the world and anything with him talking about playing or gear or just the world in general is worth watching. 

Strangely I have owned a couple of Zweezil albums but no Frank ones. 

carlos

Anything from '73 to '76 will be a good start - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa_discography
Or do as I did and start w/ the 6 You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore lives albums as they have a mix of all eras.

DulcetJones

Sarge said:

Over - nite sensation is brilliant too

This!