Where do I start with Frank Zappa?

Hurling_Fruitmig

p90fool said:

...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. 

Maybe that explains why a car-share buddy thought I was was nuts when I picked him up one morning with Freak Out! playing.

gringopig

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Stuckfast

The thing I struggle with about Zappa is that his incredible musicianship was always paired with painfully unfunny, adolescent humour. I just don't get how someone who was clearly very intelligent could think it would be hilarious to, say, dress up in Arab costume and call his album Sheik Yerbouti.

Count me in the Beefheart > Zappa camp.

Loobs

Stuckfast said:

The thing I struggle with about Zappa is that his incredible musicianship was always paired with painfully unfunny, adolescent humour. I just don't get how someone who was clearly very intelligent could think it would be hilarious to, say, dress up in Arab costume and call his album Sheik Yerbouti.

Count me in the Beefheart > Zappa camp.

Exactly, see my earlier post in the thread. It's painfully juvenile a lot of the time. 

DrCornelius

Loobs said:

Stuckfast said:

The thing I struggle with about Zappa is that his incredible musicianship was always paired with painfully unfunny, adolescent humour. I just don't get how someone who was clearly very intelligent could think it would be hilarious to, say, dress up in Arab costume and call his album Sheik Yerbouti.

Count me in the Beefheart > Zappa camp.

Exactly, see my earlier post in the thread. It's painfully juvenile a lot of the time. 

Ha, that album cover (and album) cracks me up. I am a 50 year old child though.

Joes garage messes with my head a bit though, a little too dark for a sensitive soul like me.

Bucket

I love *him* but I've always struggled with his music - not knowing where to start is a big part of that because his discography is so big, but this thread might help me with that.

I've heard Hot Rats and quite enjoyed it from what I remember, but my introduction to him was Shut Up N' Play Yer Guitar, which I could barely believe was serious because I thought it was such absolute dog shit.

welshboyo

I’ve just stumbled across ZAPPATite which is a compilation album and that’s got quite a broad choice of stuff on it from across his career.

p90fool

Bucket said:

I love *him* but I've always struggled with his music - not knowing where to start is a big part of that because his discography is so big, but this thread might help me with that.

I've heard Hot Rats and quite enjoyed it from what I remember, but my introduction to him was Shut Up N' Play Yer Guitar, which I could barely believe was serious because I thought it was such absolute dog shit.

To be fair that series of albums was released in response to requests from fans, hence the title. 
I have an old International Musician magazine interview somewhere where he specifically says that stuff was never really intended for public consumption.