Where do I start with Frank Zappa?

brojangles

https://entertainment.theonion.com/frank-zappa-fan-thinks-you-just-havent-heard-the-right-1819567331

p90fool

thegummy said:

Strat by taking whichever of his records you choose, snap it in half and throw it in the bin to protect your ears!

Obviously not serious about not giving it a chance. For some reason I really wanted to like him for a long time and kept giving him loads of chances over years but it would always just sound like some of the worst music I'd heard.

I truly think we all get different things out of music and enjoy it for different reasons. I think people who like him must get different things out of music than I do.

I think that's fair, even though I'm a huge fan. 
I almost never listen to Zappa anymore simply because I no longer consume music in the same way as I used to. Even when he was a permanent fixture on my turntable I never kept any in the car, it just doesn't work as a soundtrack to any other activity. 

My days of sitting in a darkened room actually listening intently to music are long gone, and outside that environment Zappa can sound simply annoying. 

EricTheWeary

p90fool said:

thegummy said:

Strat by taking whichever of his records you choose, snap it in half and throw it in the bin to protect your ears!

Obviously not serious about not giving it a chance. For some reason I really wanted to like him for a long time and kept giving him loads of chances over years but it would always just sound like some of the worst music I'd heard.

I truly think we all get different things out of music and enjoy it for different reasons. I think people who like him must get different things out of music than I do.

I think that's fair, even though I'm a huge fan. 
I almost never listen to Zappa anymore simply because I no longer consume music in the same way as I used to. Even when he was a permanent fixture on my turntable I never kept any in the car, it just doesn't work as a soundtrack to any other activity. 

My days of sitting in a darkened room actually listening intently to music are long gone, and outside that environment Zappa can sound simply annoying. 

About the same for me. I remember playing some to someone else and they looked at me like I'd shat on their foot. 
I suspect Frank would be happy with that, certainly not designed to be background music. 

Loobs

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. 

Would agree on Roxy, Hot Rats and maybe Apostrophe too. The later 70s & 80s stuff is a bit too dumb and misogynistic for its own good, although my Dad introduced me to Sheik Yerbouti as a teenager, which definitely appealed to my juvenile sense of humour. 

The movie Eat That Question was pretty good, although it might change your opinion of him as a person: the man was by many accounts a total piece of sh*t. 

dano

As I'm working from home I thought I'd start listening to a lot of music I've never listened to before, saw this thread and started a bit of Zappa. So far I'm really enjoying Hot Rats, particularly Willie the Pimp and Gumbo Variations. The guitar on that is fantastic. What other songs / albums have similar stuff ? 

longjaw

Best place to start is the best of - "Strictly Commercial". Covers most of the genres he was involved in!

Tenebrous

For those who just want a geetar solo.

LastMantra

Can't stand him or his music. 

Tenebrous

LastMantra said:

Can't stand him or his music. 

I understand that his music is the definition of marmite, but as a person, I think he was a pretty great musical ambassador. His speaking against musical censorship, especially in the 80s, show him to be very articulate & capable of shooting down idiots in arguments with ease

LastMantra

Arrogant, self opinionated, psuedo philosophy spouting bellend 

To be honest I don't really know anything about him other than seeing random bits of interviews. Most have made me cringe though. 

UnclePsychosis

Sassafras said:

The one he did with Beefheart, Bongo Fury is worth a listen.

The advice that I've ever given anyone interested in getting into Frank Zappa is to skip over the Frank Zappa back catalogue entirely and go straight to Captain Beefheart. Do not pass go, do not collect £200. 

EricTheWeary

UnclePsychosis said:

Sassafras said:

The one he did with Beefheart, Bongo Fury is worth a listen.

The advice that I've ever given anyone interested in getting into Frank Zappa is to skip over the Frank Zappa back catalogue entirely and go straight to Captain Beefheart. Do not pass go, do not collect £200. 

I wouldn't dissuade anyone from going straight to Flex Able by Steve Vai. There is some very obvious FZ influence, it's a bit less congested than some FZ can sound and some legendary guitar work. Sort of FZ lite maybe but a great work in it's own right.  

Philly_Q

Years ago when the FZ catalogue was still on Music For Nations in the UK (I think it's now on Ryko), HMV had a big sale and I bought dozens of FZ CDs.  It was probably shortly after he died, come to think of it.

Anyway, I listened to nothing but Zappa for about six months.  When I went back to listening to ordinary rock music it sounded pretty basic, especially the rhythm sections!  But I've never had another FZ binge since.  Maybe now's the time.

longjaw

Some rather marvelous guitar playing here:

Voxman

I know Zappa was prolific and a legend, but am I the only one who simply doesn't 'get him' and for whom he leaves me absolutely cold? 

Kittyfrisk

Honestly? Just start at the bottom & work it out
No shit.

DrCornelius

As someone who loves filthy guitar playing you can’t beat listening to Zappa , especially stuff you haven’t heard before.

He is a master of lulling you into a jazzy groove with almost cartoon like vibes and suddenly there’s an unexpected key change and an amp melting fuzz guitar solo that just puts a stupid grin on your face.

p90fool

Voxman said:

I know Zappa was prolific and a legend, but am I the only one who simply doesn't 'get him' and for whom he leaves me absolutely cold? 

No, I think that probably applies to 90% of the population!

welshboyo

Voxman said:

I know Zappa was prolific and a legend, but am I the only one who simply doesn't 'get him' and for whom he leaves me absolutely cold? 

I’m a huge fan but, I’ll be honest in saying that 80% of his solos leave me cold - his 70’s era (call it the SG era) was great and some of his wah drenched stuff was utterly brilliant, however his later “Yellow Strat” era in the 80s for me was a particularly hard listen - especially the longer ones and to be honest I normally skip those tracks.

The songs, humour and the music behind though was and still is the benchmark as far as I am concerned - some of the grooves and time signature stuff he was getting the various bands to churn out was nothing short of a musical genius IMO.

maxd

Personally I like, and still listen to frequently, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Hot Rats, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Waka Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo.
Frank's got something for everyone though for some the something in question is disgust, hatred and fear and loathing.