HOT RATS

Items ordered by ending time | Showing only 20
Show all FRANK ZAPPA Hot Rats items on eBay

Visit eBay search:'prog rock' for items
Sell your FRANK ZAPPA items on eBay !

Best selling order

Visit Amazon tag:'Progressive Rock' for more prog rock

Those who read other people's review will note that I rarely give five stars , so those persons will know that this one is really excellent. This is Chapter one of his explorations of jazz-rock but also the pinnacle of his carreer . This is a solo album Not a Mothers album. Every one of these numbers here are a classic but Peaches and Gumbo come out , and Don Beefheart Van Vliet's contributions to Pimp makes this album a gem.

I am sure most of you are all too well familiar with the late great ZAPPA's work, but for those who have not heard "Hot Rats" you are missing one of the best gems left behind from Frank ZAPPA. Here Frank is joined by a few friends including Jean Luc Ponty, Ian Underwood and vocalist Captain Beefheart. "Hot Rats" is full of surprises and offers many incredible progressive rock moments. This album offers nice long tracks with extended heavy guitar solos and lots of sax and keyboard activity to keep you on the edge of your seat. This album seems to grow on the listener and then is almost one of your collections high points. This is a real gem and should be listened to by all prog fans. It may take a while to hit the first time ZAPPA heads as it moves into the bizarre and strange aspects of music and ZAPPA pushes the boundaries of modern sound and image. This is an essential masterpiece and must be in your collection.

This almost instrumental Zappa's album is very appreciated from miscellaneous kinds of people. It definitely has a jazz tendency, plus obvious rock elements as reveal the numerous guitar & violin solos and pleasant rhythms. There are some excellent piano parts, and I like very much the refined acoustic bass on "Little Umbrellas". "Peaches en regalia", "Son of Mr. Green Genes", "Little umbrellas" and "It must be a Camel" are the best tracks: very structured and complex, they have catchy & colorful horns sounds (sax-oriented). "Willie the pimp", very funny with Beefheart on lead vocals, contains, as usual, an eternal wah-wah guitar solo. "The Gumbo variations" has a free style, fast, definitely too gross and too long (16 minutes), with endless electric violin & guitar solos, and tons of drums; it is definitely not addictive. I find this record very good but slightly overrated.

If you regard of the early sixties in the USA, this rock and roll/blues rock album was already quite progressive, even though in some circumstances only... that is you can get an inkling of his talent, which will be better developped in the future.It's not the most "progressive album" by Frank and -probably it should deserve an inferior score;neverthless some tracks such s "Don 'Sugarcane'", "Harris" or "Willie the Pimp", are a tasteful example of things to come later (listen to the experimental album "Weasels Ripped My Flesh"), representing his true mood... well these songs actually are almost equal to the most disappointing version of "Gumbo Variations", which is more similar; but there are some stunning spare classic breaks through (of course I remark these latter as "classic", regarding of his usual high standard). Moreover some of the themes will appear on other albums such as the "Grand Wazoo" and "Waka Jawaka"; while perhaps the song "Son of Mr. Green Genes" is the only one which is not much inspiring... it never minds, this work, not completely mature, is anyway worth checking out at least!!

Zappa has made some great albums over the years, but this has to be his best. I give it credit for creating the genre of jazz-fusion. Other than the highly experimental "Lump Gravy", this is Zappa's first album without the Mothers of Invention, and his skills as a musician and composer really shine through as they never had before. "Peaches En Regalia" is one of Frank's signature pieces, and may very well be the most fun, energetic song he ever did. "Willie The Pimp" is the goofiest song on here, featuring Captain Beefheart on vocals uttering Frank's brilliantly whymsical lyrics. What makes the song worthwhile however is undoubtably the roughly 8 minute long guitar solo that Zappa belts out. Normally one would just consider this pretentious, but Zappa does it so well that it can easily be forgiven. "Son of Mr. Green Genes" is a jazzier piece which also features a killer solo from Frank. "Little Umbrellas" is the shortest thing on here, clocking in at just 3:04, but it still shows some tremendous composing talents, and also features a series of short solos on various instruments. "The Gumbo Variations" is more or less the opposite. This 17 minute jazz explosion is based around a simple bassline, but that's about the only thing simple about it. Ian Underwood kicks it off by belting out a stunning saxophone solo that starts out fairly normal before going into a manic frenzy that lasts about 7 minutes. Then Sugar Cane Harris enters the frey on violin and while his section can't quite match up to what came before it, it's a damned good solo in it's own right. Finally Zappa comes in for a solo of his own, before it all comes together and creates an outstanding jam to close out the track. "It Must Be a Camel" is the final song on here, and is hilighted by a very strange, complex snare drum. The rest of the musicianship on the track is nothing compared to the rest of the album, but it still works well as a closer.

"Hot Rats" is a good starting place for anyone interested in Frank's work, and will serve as a much better intro than his more experimental or political stuff (I started with "We're Only In it For the Money" and it almost completely sacred me off from his work). A must-have for any and all prog or jazz fans.

When the croci in my mind are blooming, then FRANK ZAPPA's whimsical and colorful genius must be in full flower. I see you in the back of the class, looking out the window while all this wondrous music plays on. Well, wake up! Thirty years on, your grandchildren may quiz you on FRANK ZAPPA and Where were you when it all happened. Do you want to be the doddering old fool who pulls out a picture of the sofa bathed in the blue light of the television and point saying "There?" No you don't. You want to tune into "Hot Rats". The wonderful thing is, there's still time. Oh, the good seats on the ground floor are already taken, but there's plenty left in the mezzanine, as good a place as any to witness the miracle of "Peaches En Regalia" or "Son of Mr. Green Genes", where the composer turns our concept of classical music on its head and gives it a much-needed spanking. Or, if that doesn't push your button, than surely the sweaty and buck nakedly brilliant blues rock of "Willie The Pimp" and "The Gumbo Variations" must. I've spent some two-cent words and a coupla ten-dollar ones trying to sell folks on FRANK ZAPPA's music, but "Hot Rats" sells itself. If no other work from ZAPPA should survive (and somewhere in a conservative cabal sick with the smell of cigars, the possibility is probably being discussed right now), "Hot Rats" alone would keep the flame alive through the ages. The composition, the arrangements, the musicianship, the sheer entertainment of it all is initially too much to comprehend, but in time it sinks in, and gestates, and first it's a little blue crocus, and then a white one, and a pink one, and before you know it you're trading bootlegs with some guy in Holland who says you have to hear this killer version of "Valarie" with an alternate ending (or something like that). Stepping back from myself a bit, I'm sure that jazz/classical hybrids like "Little Umbrellas" could trace themselves back to Duke Ellington or some other modern composer without a trail of bread crumbs, but I don't listen to a lot of that stuff, so for me ZAPPA's the gateway to this new musical world. And, honestly, your grandchildren will probably be asking you stuff like "Ew, how could you have had a cRUSH on Eminem (or Britney Spears)?", so I wouldn't worry too much about the ZAPPA shakedown from future generations. But if they do ask you about ZAPPA, start putting money away in a trust fund so they can go to Yale and eventually become president. I'd like to hear "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" played at least once at an inaugural ball in my lifetime, and I don't see any other way to do it.

Since I ever heard only a couple of countless Zappa albums I cannot consider myself an expert, but this one is really good, in particular for those who like jazz fusion. My favourites are "Peaches en Regalia" and "Willie the Pimp", the latter being the only vocal track on the album, sung by Captain Beefheart and with an unimaginably long guitar solo. However the remainder may sound a bit monotonous for uninitiated listeners, with lenghty instrumental sections, albeit perfectly played by Zappa, Underwood, Ponty and others. I am no fan of jazz-rock fusion, hence I am not giving more than this mark.

This is a classic album! Frank Zappa is the king of bluesy extended guitar solos. On this album there is a great cast of musicians that get a great sound from the instruments they have. This album is composed, completely using bass, drums, guitar, keyboard and violins, with some great sax in it too i think. They get such a good sound on this album with the instruments they have. It has a really jazzy, blues sound with some immense guitar work. Sometimes it seems like they are jamming out a lot but it actually follows some noticeable prog movement.

"Peaches en Regalia" is a classic introduction. It has amazing production and sounds so lively and upbeat. This is really interesting and always manages to keep listener appealed with its constant flow. It has some really strong guitar work and bass throughout this track. This kind of sound has influenced many artists to follow, even the new Mars Volta album has a lot of Zappa influence, mainly on "L'via L'viaquez". This album instantly starts with a classic 60s sound and can appeal to fans of RIO, fusion, blues, jazz, classic guitar rock as well as psychadelia and space rock. I often find this album pretty trippy!

"Willie the Pimp" is the only track with vocals on this album, sung by the amazing Captain Beefheart. I really like his music and thats what made me want to check out Frank Zappa as they have similar sounds and concepts. They even collaborate together quite often and this is one of the best moments as a team! This track has some amazing extended blues soloing, all members have a great input. I really love the violin intro and the captain's vocals add to it well by making this piece enjoyable and interesting with the humorous lyrics.

the rest of the tracks follow a similar pattern but this does not make them seem like filler, nor does the album get boring or dragged down. They find many ways of making the second half of the album sound interesting, with some great basslines and keyboard work sneaking in. This album is highly recommended for fans of Captain Beefheart and it has so many great influences that lots of people can enjoy music like this. Frank is one of the best musicians in this kind of field and this album really is a great jewel that he left us.

Awesome and historical!! One of Zappa's best records. I think all the historical stuff has been said here, so i'll skip that and get to the music itself. This contains some of the finest instramentals ever made. Peaches En Regalia, Son Of Mr. Green Genes, and Little Umbrellas are all fantastic. The Gumbo Variations is very good too, letting multiple members of the band show off (including sax, drums, bass, guitar, violin. So you was left out??) It Must Be A Camel is, IMO, the weakest song here. It is good, but not that good. It has some fine moments, but overall it is weak. I am not saying it is bad, just not as good as the rest. Then we have the only song here to have vocal, Willie The Pimp. A great song with a great melody, and wonderful guitar work. All in all this is a great album, and a must in any collection. Recommended till the cows come home.

This is Zappa's try at fusion. An album full of his usual fun and joy side, Zappa tries to incorporate jazz into his music, with great results. Songs like ''peaches in regalia'' and ''willie the pimp'' remains classics, and the guitar solo on the ladder is seen as one of his greatest ever. As usual, the musicianship is exceptional, and really there is no bad song on this album. For legions of fan, this was theirentry into the crazy world of Zappa, because it is still accessible, and even if it takes a while to grow on you, it is all worth the wait. A classic, historical album. 4.5/5

Yes, yes, ... im in love with this album, i want it for a long time and i finally buy it yesterday , ( im really happy , im like a boy with a new toy), why ?, because this album is really great , precious , beautiful , sorry, this album has the particular sound of Zappa, but i like it so much more because is almost instrumental , willie the pimp has the curious voice of captain beefheart, and the exquisite sound of the violins of God Ponty , also the only Zappa style, his entire music makes one progressive sub genre, but well, im in love with his album because to me it has an amazing sound, a very complex songs and a collage of great musicians, the opening song, peaches en regalia, it announce us what is going to be the album, is a short song, but instrumentally and great, willie the pimp everybody knows that classic, is a funny song but really a great song, my favourite one is son of Mr Green genes, i love that song, the lead guitar , the bass, the harmony and happiness makes me enjoying, and the skin of chicken puts me each time that I listen it, i love the solo of that song, little umbrellas for me is the worst song of the album , but the word "worst" doesnt exist here, the gumbo variations is also an spectacular song, is an epic, the long song of the album, really great, and finally, ha! it must be a camel, the only way to finishing a Zappa album, is with a song like this, i hope all of you has this album, because is really really good.

As we all know, Frank Zappa was an innovator in his sound and craft. Beginning his career in a very arty abstract kind of fashion, this is the first album to really get him the title of virtuoso musician. The album is mostly instrumental, the only song with actual vocal is Willie the Pimp (sung brilliantly by Captain Beefheart). The musicianship overall is top quality (as is the production). Frank Zappa plays precision guitar riffs and combines them with classy and over-the-top solos to create a very jazzy-blues atmosphere. The violin work on this album is magnificent (especially on the Gumbo Variations).

I will name the stand out tracks rather than describe them all. The album opens up with instrumental favorite Peaches en Regalia, which has a great riff and some great woodwind work from Ian Underwood. An instrumental with a virtuoso punch packed within a 3 minute time frame. My favorite song on the album, Willie the Pimp, is a 9 minute epic of sorts. With a catchy riff, and a convincing vocal from Captain Beefheart (I'm not very big on his voice, though), singing about a "Twenty dollah bill". Combine that with a great Zappa solo and some precision bass and drum interplay, and you get 9 minutes of heaven. The Gumbo Variations is a 16 minute instrumental epic that takes many different shapes and has many different moods. Only one word can describe it, breathtaking. Magnificent violin work from Sugar Cane Harris, great guitar work from Zappa, great bass and drum interplay, and some outstanding keyboard from Ian Underwood make this track a 16 minute utopia of music.

Overall, this is an album I think all Frank Zappa fans should have. I do not think it is as good as one of its counterparts, The Grand Wazoo, because it lacks flow and sometimes Son of Mr. Green Genes gets a bit boring. None the less, a great effort from this prolific artist. 4.5/5.

This 95% instrumental jazz-fusion album contains so much variety, it's definitely a progressive masterpiece. There's not a note wasted on this album and it must be hard to get tired of listening to it. If you consider that is was done in 1969 and in America, it really is a seminal recording.

It starts off with Peaches En Regalia, which contains such a variety of sounds that don't sound dated even now. The second track Willie the Pimp contains the only vocals from Captain Beefheart and these vocals fit in so well with the track and the album that I'm really glad they put them in. The track continues with a long guitar solo from Zappa that keeps your interest even though it's goes on for about 7 minutes. The other stand-out track on the album is the 17 minute Gumbo Variations, which starts with a sax solo (it grates a little but is still excellent), continues with a violin solo (sounding a bit like a guitar) and finishes with a guitar solo and a drum flurish at the end.

It feels great listening to this album. It's kind of psychedelic. I think that this should be part of any prog collection and is particularly recommended to those who like instrumental music.

The quintessential Frank Zappa album? I'm not sure about that as I have only heard a couple of his albums, yet at the moment Hot Rats is the only Zappa album that resides in my collection. Largely drawn to it due to the merger of rock and jazz like sounds Hot Rats is an eclectic mix of thoughts, ideas and sounds from this visionary musician. Zappa makes and creates a collage of tones and noises and sews them together with a building melodic harmony. "Peaches In Regalia" is like a bloody Broadway musical put to the acid rock test on lots of acid, and with added dirt and genius, while Zappa's mate Captain Beefheart makes an appearance on the slick and sleazy "Willie The Pimp". While I always like my instrumental albums to be, well, instrumental, and get annoyed when many attempt to slip in a vocal track (Ian Carr and Nucleus tried it and failed miserably on their second album We'll Talk About It Later a couple of years on from this, and in fact they did so by trying to rip this song off with their tepid and dull "Ballad Of Joe Pimp") the vocals and performance on "Wilie The Pimp" work and create a little menacing side show story for the album. Then slap bang! We're back into the mood with "Son Of Mr. Green Genes" rolling around the jazz rock road. With piano, vibraphone and saxophones, "Little Umbrellas" is a fusion treat and by now the album was starting to become a personal favorite with me. While Davis struggled and frustrated with his double Bitches Brew, Zappa and his Mothers made it all look so easy with a defining effort, with "The Gumbo Variations" and the excellently titled "It Must Be A Camel" becoming, for me at least, staples of the jazz rock fusion canon. Hot Rats is an album with a purpose. The whole fusion era started off on a high expectant platform but it truly ebbed back from that point on. Though John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra would take into to another plane a few years down the line but exclusively so. Released in the same year as Miles Davis Bitches Brew, Hot Rats offers up so much more colour and expression, laced with Zappa's idiosyncratic humour. But perhaps only just. Would it be fair to suggest that Frank Zappa hit the notes that were just out of Miles' reach? But while it may be viewed as idiotic to compare the two albums, it is an interesting juxtaposition to simply do so.

"Hot Rats" is often considered as Zappa's masterpiece, and I can understand why. This album is a fantastic mix of Jazz-Fusion, Blues and Rock. The tracks are long, but always interesting all way through, Especially "Peaches En Regalia" - which is one of Zappa's most known songs.

Excellent instrumentation, Zappa's guitar solos are amazing and Captain Beefheart contributes cool vocals on "Willie The Pimp". This is an excellent place to start if you are new to Zappa. Either this, or "The Grand Wazoo".

My rating: between 4.5 and 5 stars - Should be included in any comprehensive prog collection!

I think this is the most mature and professional recording Frank that has ever released. The humor is present in the music, but only as a spice, as the album is mostly about good jazz and rock jamming. The opener "Peaches en Regalia" introduces the overall feeling and themes of this album, which are happy spirit, good co-playing and fine guitar solos from Mr. Zappa. "Willie the Pimp" has a small cameo appearance of CAPTAIN BEEFHEART, and most of the song works as a playfield for Zappa's wild guitar playing. Other elements to be noted are the imaginative use of xylophones and brass arrangements. "Son of Mr. Green Genes" is a matured reworking of a theme from the past "Uncle Meat" album, and the composition is now much better and has great musical climaxes in it. "Little Umbrellas" and "It Must Be A Camel" are also traditional like jazz songs with exceptional and funny rhythmic ideas. "The Gumbo Variations" between them is another improvisational jam number, reaching almost the length of 17 minutes.

I would recommend this record for all music listeners who are interested of jazz fusion, and also to those who haven't appreciated Zappa's other works. I also noticed, that the CD version alters a bit from the original vinyl pressing. It seems that Frank did some subtle re-recordings at some places of this album later?

4.5/5.0 Now this is serious! Before listening to "Hot Rats" I used to think "The Grand Wazoo" was Zappa's greatest achievement. My bad, this album rocks! Quite everything on Hot Rats is great: from the soft and harmonic melody on "Peaches En Regalia" to the wild and intriguous foggy-jazz atmosphere on "Little Umbrellas" or the frenetic guitar on "The Gumbo Variations" and the vocals on "Willie The Pimp"!

The only reason I don't give a higher rating is only because at some point "The Gumbo Variations" could have been a bit shorter. But this is not a big problem; this album offers an easy listening, is intense, emotional, and is clearly my idea of what jazz-fusion is or should be. Half way between essential and a masterpiece. 4.5/5.0

The first time Frank Zappa sans the Mothers entered jazz-rock territory and this is the result: an album of a genius, a classic of the genre. Featuring multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and vocalist Captain Beefheart, with the support of Lowell George (guitars) and Don Harris (violin), among others, Zappa successfully brought every part of his compositions and directions and all into life at the most effective way; he managed to lead them to cut an album that flows so freely between jazz and rock, with so much excitement and energy.

Among the most fascinating attractions here is the way each musician marvelously contributes their particular style in mixing sophisticated jazz compositions with blaring, straight ahead rock elements. On the longer compositions (such as “Willy the Pimp”) there are clearly evidences in which Zappa and his supporting musicians push the envelope as far as they can go. In doing so, they are playing freely, with much noise, and without being confined to any limitation -- except the space of the medium (i.e. the tape, the vinyl), of course. On shorter compositions with tight arrangement (say, “Peaches en Regalia”), they can also perform playfully and yet elegantly.

After 25 years since it was released for the first time, this album hasn't lost its appeal. That's why anyone can make it as a gate to the world of Zappa.

How can I say that I'm a classic rock music fan while this legendary album by Zappa, "Hot Rats", I have never heard the music before until couple of weeks ago? It's a pity, really. But that's the fact that I can not say the other way. Couple of reasons, probably, that caused this. First, when it was in 70s I could only afford to buy cassette and in my country there was no such cassette with Zappa "Hot Rats" as far as I can remember. Second, when recently almost all albums of Zappa were released in digital format, the price of the CD is unbelievable - damn expensive! Lucky that my prog colleague Purwanto Setiadi (kunangkunangku) lent me his CD of this album, so I could enjoy.

This album blew me away at first spin. Yes, I can see many repetitions of chords and notes especially on the rhythm section but every segment has its own unique texture that makes it weird but very enjoyable because they form excellent harmony. "Peaches en Regalia" (3:37) kicks off the album in relatively fast tempo with unique style mostly combining jazz with rock. "Willie the Pimp" (9:16) is a great example of how the classic rock music is combined with the joy of violin sounds. Captain Beefheart voice is quite unique and suits with Zappa music. In terms of rhythm and chords this song seems like repetitious but it's enjoyable because the texture mives differently in every piece of music segments. Guitar solo plays dominant roles. I'm not sure who is actually playing drums at this track but if it's Ron Selico I can relate with his controbution to John Mayall' Jazz-Blues fusion which I think the styles are similar.

I can see "Son of Mr. Green Genes" (8:58) has influenced many prog bands (like Frogg Cafe) in their musical endeavor. It's not that this track is copied by others but the nuance has been transformed to others. The composition is tight with multi instruments as rhythm section and guitar makes its solo combined with keyboard. "The Gumbo Variations" (16:55) is an instrumental which gives a wide range of instrumentalists to give their expertise, especially saxophone, bass guitar, violin and guitar which form the music beautifully, flowing in relatively fast tempo. I usually get trouble with music where the rhythm section is somewhat monotonous with repeated chords. But this one is different - it's because I can hear different textures every time the music moves from one segment to another like this song. "It Must Be A Camel" (5:15) concludes the album in a combination of jazz and avant-garde styles with dominant piano and saxophone work.

It's an excellent addition to any prog music collection. Recommended.

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Anybody doubting Zappa's genius, trying to appreciate his music, or looking for some sweet ear candy, need only listen to "Peaches En Regalia" and all doubts will be removed and replaced by an insatiable hunger for more and more Zappa. There's more originality and creativity packed into this concise three min song than most musicians exude in their life. It'll take three mins of your life to listen to, but it will effect the rest of it.

Hot Rats kicks off into perhaps an unmatched start in the music world, but Zappa isn't satisfied and follows it up with a slew of classics. The album consists of five free-rolling instrumental jazz pieces with some lengthy jams, and one lone vocal track done by everyone's favorite captain, Captain Beefheart. His vocal contribution to "Willie The Pimp" elevates the song to new heights.

Of the remaining material most is good but "The Gumbo Variations" tends to outstay its welcome with its tiring length of 16 mins. And "It Must Be A Camel" turns out to be a rather lousy ending to a masterpiece of an album. Two stones that keep this album from really taking off into the stratosphere. But the untarnished material is creativity in its purest and most unadulterated form, and isn't quirky enough that only RIO/Avant Prog fans can get into. However, an appreciation of Fusion is likely required for full enjoyment.

This was Frank's first record without THE MOTHERS and he dedicated it to Dweezil,Bub and Gil. The first song "Peaches In Regalia" is such an amazing instrumental! Horned instruments are the focus , such as sax,clarinet and flute.Wonderful song! "Willie The Pimp" is where Frank's humour comes out, with CAPTAIN BEEFHEART's gruff vocals suiting this catchy,melodic song so well.The song turns into this long,extended jam-fest with Sugar Cane Collins on violin and Zappa showing how great of a guitar player he is, as he just plays and plays.Great solo! "Son Of Mr.Green Genes" is a jazzy instrumental with another terrific solo from Frank, as well as some xlophone and some great interplay. "Little Umbrellas" may be the shortest song on the record,but it's a classic, with lots of horn melodies that are arranged beautifully."The Gumbo Variations" features some fantastic sax melodies to begin with followed by some great violin from Sugar Cane Harris and then Zappa comes in with some guitar before they all chime in to end the song."It Must Be A Camel" opens with light drums,piano and horns,eventually Jean-Luc Ponty comes in with his violin. This is a must have for all who are into prog.The music here is outstanding!

A remarkable achievement in the history of music.

It's 1969 and you're helping to forge a new direction for music. You're name is Frank Zappa and you are on top of your game and create your most critically acclaimed piece of music, Hot Rats. Now I know that some albums are better, but this is the piece everyone will remember you by, this is your 5th symphony. If you call yourself a fan of prog, jazz, and the like, this is one of those must have albums not only because of its historical implications, but because it's a damn good album.

My preferred song here is the Gumbo Variations, which highlights the amazing abilities of Zappa and partly explains the direction he wanted to take with his music. Essentially, Zappa wanted to tear down barriers of music and normalcy, fusing together rock, R&B, and jazz to create not only Zappa's distorted vision of music (and later we find out the world and politics), but to give the listeners one heck of a good time.

I urge listeners (especially beginning prog listeners) to make sure you pick up Hot Rats or another one of Zappa's highly acclaimed albums. He has done so much for the history of music and deserves our respect, and this album is no better place to begin your Zappa journey.

Just jamming

For his final album of the 1960's, Zappa seconded a number of guest musicians including Jean Luc Ponty and Captain Beefheart. The performances though are primarily a duet between Frank Zappa and Ian Underwood.

The opening "Peaches in Regalia" is surprisingly orthodox and tuneful, with strong hints of Holst's "The Planets" in parts of the melody. The sprawling "Willie the pimp" is more traditional Zappa with a lengthy guitar workout and some dirty vocals from the Captain, the only singing on the album. The lyrics, which are published on the sleeve, make it apparent why this is effectively an instrumental album. The track is essentially a blues guitar work out, with little progressive development and a single pace.

"Son of Mr. Green Genes" which closes the first side is a long (9 minutes) jazz fusion recital. Zappa's guitar work here is exemplary, the track being relatively tight for what is essentially a jam. Underwood is given the opportunity here to display his multi- instrumental talents. For me, this and the preceding track are a little too indulgent though, both in terms of length and content.

"Little umbrellas" is the shortest track on the album, at just over 3 minutes. This mini- epic manages to cram more changes of style and sound into its allotted time, than the other tracks do in total. From the shortest we are straight into the longest, "The gumbo variations" running to almost 13 minutes (the LP times appear to differ from those of the CD). I have to say that to my ears, the inordinately long, unstructured sax solo which occupies about half of the track is second only to an endless drum solo in terms of tedium. Thankfully, violin eventually assumes control, albeit still in full jazz improvisation mode. The album closes with "It must be a camel", a slower number which is otherwise more of the same.

"Hot Rats" is an album which falls outside my normal boundaries of taste. I readily admit however that it has many redeeming features, with a high quality cast list and some fine instrumentation. Zappa's guitar work is superb if at times over indulgent. Where there is an element of structure to the music, such as on "Peaches in regalia", I find the album to be rewarding. Where however the musicians simply indulge in long unfocussed jams, I have to move to the other side of the road.

Zappa's first solo album marks his first foray into jazz fusion. The Mothers were quite talented, but his time Frank surrounded himself with some true legends, like violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty and Captain Beefheart. This is one of Frank's more acessible records, which makes it a great place for newbies to join.

"Peaches en Regalia" opens the album with tremendous compostion that gives the center stage to no man. Zappa is a true composer rather than a self-serving solo artist. He makes his priority crafting good music instead of being the one noticed. Peaches is one of my favorite instrumentals. "Willie the Pimp" followswith some great bluesy vocals from the Cap'n and a tremendous solo from Frank that lasts nearly the whole song. I guess he's a little self-serving after all, huh? Still, his solo is very musical. This is really the first song that clued people in on what a phenomenal guitarist Frank was. "Son of Mr. Green Genes" has great saxophone and piano fills and another killer solo, which condenses the virtuosity of the previous song into a shorter length. "Little Umbrellas" opens with weird piano before a sax fill comes in that makes the piano seem normal by comparison. The piano really moves this song, as opposed to the drums in Peaches and the guitar in the last two. "The Gumbo Variations" is a 16 minute band showcase featuring funky basslines, distorted guitars, and a 7 minute sax solo (yeah, you heard me). Afterwords, Ponty gets his time in the spotlight with a lenghty violin solo. The drums on this track are superb; crashing yet rhythmic, they stand out just as much as the sax and violin. The album ends with "It Must Be A Camel," which features piano-sax interplay akin to "Little Umbrellas." Zappa's clean guitar is great, as is the piano, which is played with a lot of emotion.

If you wanted to convince someone of the instrumental prowess Zappa had, this would be a good record (Shut Up 'n Play Your Guitar would be another good choice). Despite his lenghty solo on Willie and the long solos he gives to his guests, Zappa's brilliance lies in his compositional skills that allow members to solo without dominating the sound. This is essential for any fans of jazz-rock, avant-rock, or Zappa.

Grade: A-

What would make you more frightened: having a giant cockroach climbing out of your pool, or Frank Zappa? Given the album cover, I just might choose the cockroach! Fortunately, there's no need to run from the music.

Considering this was made in 1969, Hot Rats is a phenomenal album, coming out at the same time as many legendary debuts (though this isn't Zappa's first). We're a long way from I am the Slime here, and for me that's great news. There's a lot of diversity to be found, from the focused and entertaining intro tune to improv jazz numbers to the rocking jams. I think Zappa tends to be overrated to his followers, and underrated by everyone else, though I'm glad to see that Hot Rats gets proper respect.

Peaches En Regalia. Just an awesome mixture of melody, instrumentation and creativity, and in 1969? That's impressive. This is the most concise offering of the album, but just one of many highlights.

Willie the Pimp. Captain Beefheart delivers some memorable vocals, while Ponty keeps at that simple, killer riff. Then Zappa comes in for some enjoyable, greasy (as another reviewer expertly coined) guitar to take the song home. Downsides: there's a clicking sound near the beginning (and lasts a few minutes) that is really irritating if you pay attention to it, and there's no need for this song to be 8 minutes (and I'm not usually one to complain about extended soloing!).

Son of Mr. Green Genes. Probably my favorite from the album, this has enough diversity to warrant its 9 minute run time (unlike the previous tune). Great guitar and keyboard interplay, and it makes me happy every time I hear it.

Little Umbrellas. Zappa in jazz mode, and this is a great number featuring nice melody and tasteful horns.

The Gumbo Variations. It took me a while to get into this one, but now I think I can appreciate it fully. I assume that's Underwood on the sax, and he delivers some blistering tones. Then we have some violin, followed by some guitar. Sure, it's too long, but the whole band is really cooking for these 16 minutes, and this is definitely my kind of jazz fusion: with a funky edge.

It Must Be a Camel. The most experimental and improvisational piece, I could take or leave it. It's definitely entertaining, with some good guitar from Zappa and keyboard/horn harmonies, but it seems they were mailing it in a bit at this point.

I love this album, make no mistake. It's just not a masterpiece, given the extensive jamming, though I definitely think you should have it in your collection.

Hot Rats is being praised here on Prog Archives as being one of Frank Zappa´s finest moments, and it is certainly unique in Zappa´s discography. When I first started listening to Frank Zappa it was one of the albums I purchased first and I thought it was really good. It´s been a couple of years since I last listened to Hot Rats though and after listening to it a couple of times before this review I can honestly say that it´s one of the Frank Zappa albums I will never really be fully content with. Hot Rats is Zappa´s first real solo album if you don´t count Lumpy Gravy which had lots of Mothers of Invention songs incorporated into the classical music and the strange dialogues that made up that album.

Hot Rats is a jazz/ rock fusion album with lots of soloing both from Frank Zappa himself on guitar, Ian underwood on winds and Sugar Cane Harris and Jean-Luc Ponty on violin. The music is generally good, but not outstanding. The only song here that I would classify as a masterpiece is Peaches en Regalia which is a very beautiful song with several intriguing themes. This song is not a vehicle for soloing as most of the other songs are. Instead it is beautifully arranged with lots of winds.

Willie the Pimp used to be a favorite of mine when I was younger, but today I think it is badly arranged a pretty sloppy played. It´s always a joy to listen to Captain Beefheart´s voice but that´s not the main focus in this song. The Willie the Pimp theme which both starts and ends the song is really just an excuse for Zappa to play a 6 minute long wah wah guitar solo that gets boring after 2. I know most people really enjoy his solo in Willie the Pimp but IMO his solo skills were much better later in his career when he started using the vibrato arm extensively and played on the edge of feedback most of the time. I find his later solo style to be much more rewarding than this early attempt. Well I guess it´s an aquired taste and my bitching aside I still think the solo in Willie the Pimp is pretty good allthough a bit too long.

Son of Mr. Green Genes uses the theme from the Mr. Green Genes song from The Mothers of Invention album Uncle Meat. The theme is of course played with a different instrumentation and it´s arranged a bit differently but stays true to the original in terms of notes played. Son of Mr. Green Genes is just another vehicle for a Frank Zappa guitar solo though and again I feel the solo is way too long and again the wah wah style Zappa played at the time isn´t as rewarding to me as his later efforts on the guitar.

Little Umbrelllas is a little jazzy tune which is allright but nothing special to me.

The Gumbo Variations with it´s 16:55 minutes is clearly the longest song here and the problem for me is that it´s one long vehicle for sax, violin and guitar soloes that seems to go on forever. The sax soloing is pretty jazzy and I don´t enjoy it one bit while the violin and guitar solo is a bit better even though 16:55 minutes of soloing is way too much for me when it´s not better than this. Again it´s allright but nothing more.

It Must Be A Camel is a pretty good little song too, but again nothing excellent.

The musicianship is very good and I´m especially impressed with Ian Underwood´s contributions to the songs. Ian´s multiinstrumentalist abilities are used to the full on Hot Rats. Ian Underwood is by the way the only Mother present on Hot Rats which gives the album a very different sound and mood compared the Mothers of Invention albums.

The production is very good considering this is 1969 and once again Zappa proves that he is a unique producer as well as being a composer and musician.

I must say I´m a bit disappointed about Hot Rats especially after reading the many reviews with high ratings on Prog Archives but I guess I just don´t share the general opinion about the album. Peaches en Regalia of course is a very positive thing on an otherwise average album but it´s not enough to make Hot Rats a 4 star album though. I´ll give Hot Rats 3 stars as I don´t feel this is a 2 star album even though I´m not that excited about it.

If you are interested in Frank Zappa at all, buy this.

The pure mastery of this album is proved in the first four minutes. Peaches en Regalia, a clever little instrumental, displays such a scene of impossible melody and a myriad of styles that, to me, it literally defines what good prog really is. To guitarists, wondering what kind of skill the man might show here, the glories of the whole album don't even need to surveyed. Proof lies here, with what is not only some spidery fast fretwork but what I think is the most beautiful and perfect clean tone a guitarist ever recorded. The song is streamable from this site, so listen to it and see if what I have to say holds true.

The album continues with the only non-instrumental song, Willie the Pimp, a nice and traditional Zappa-lyricked bit of humor, with the vocals performed by noted Zappa collaborator Captain Beefheart. The sung portion, however, is only the first few minutes, while the remainder is filled with a wonderful jam session. The main riff, doubled by a violin, returns to clinch the song at the end. Son of Mr. Green Genes and Little Umbrellas continue the album, and though they are less remarkable as far as song goes, compared to most music ever made, they are stellar.

The highlight of this album, especially for the average prog nerd, is the 17-minute The Gumbo Variations. Mostly an extended jam, The Gumbo Variations follows an upbeat bass and drums drive, while solos, ranging from melodic to vicious, play over the top. These solos include some wild saxophone as well. I believe this song alone would launch Frank Zappa to prog stardom, whether or not he had ever written anything else. The album then closes with It Must Be a Camel, a much milder song than its predecessor.

Hot Rats is a terrifyingly unique album, even among Frank Zappa's music. It stands as one of the greatest recordings the man ever made, if not his defining work.

Review 74, Hot Rats, Frank Zappa, 1969

Hot Rats is, as I understand it, one of Zappa's sacred cows. I think I can understand why: the playing is flawless, the first couple of pieces are highly entertaining and its mixture of jazzy and avant garde isn't too heavy on either component. My 'good' rating (which will surely be seen as a travesty, but that's that...) is not because I dislike the music much in any particular place, nor because I don't think the playing's great, but just because the album has such a thin emotional tie to me.

The opener Peaches En Regalia, a sample here, opens straight into a cool, classy array of saxophone leaps and whimsical piano flourishes. Zappa's light-hearted rather banjo-like guitar fits perfectly in, and cheery organ swirls meet some hollow percussion whirls. Behind the interlinked leads, the rhythm section wanders about cheerily. All in all, an active, bouncy and highly entertaining piece.

Willie The Pimp is the album's obvious highlight for me. A compulsive, edgy violin riff underlines the piece, accompanied by a mobile bassline and superb drumming from John Guerin. Zappa's own skills particularly come to the fore in this piece, with an extensive, gritty guitar solo, sometimes picking up on the earlier violin part before launching into manic swirls. A few fun piano and percussion flourishes are thrown in. In addition to these worthy features, Beefheart provides a brief amusing vocal complete with general screeching and trite lyrics. Classy stuff.

Son Of Mr. Green Genes is where the album begins to take a bit of a nose dive in connection. While the previous pieces weren't really less jazzy and whimsical, they kept a constant connection and interest. Here, we have many of the same trademarks, neat piano from Ian Underwood, an array of sax and organ effects reeling off from Zappa's range of guitar sounds and wails. At about 3.00 in, the piece catches on quite effectively with a low sax bada-badada theme before wandering off to another guitar solo. Occasionally, the piece does hit just right with a brief jot of darker guitar or a particularly neat effect, especially with the funktacular jumping around 7.00 in, but overall, it fails to make a cohesive impression on me. I think it's that the whimsy gets a bit much at times, or that the guitar lead so key to holding it together is a little thinner than I like, but the reason's difficult to pin down.

Little Umbrellas is a slightly darker piece in feel, with an especial highlight in the piano and organ-work, which ranges from tense chords to light keys to Super Mario soundtrack material, but, to be fair, it works. A slightly ponderous set of clarinet effects fill the background. Not really light, not really menacing, and it's alright, but it never really moves beyond that.

The Gumbo Variations is comfortably the album's longest piece, with a fairly standard jazzy background held up by the rhythm section, and organ underlaying a great strangled saxophone. The saxophone is probably the biggest tie for a fair while, as a couple of neat guitar additions come in then disappear. A squeaky violin appears to replace the sax, and Zappa himself takes a bit more of a position. The rhythm section keeps a mobility throughout, and a couple of stylish effects interplays run nicely over the top. The brief drum solo is probably the piece's high point for me. So, again, nice, but not a lot more. Absolutely top notch playing and interplay, but it simply doesn't really make an impression too often.

It Must Be A Camel is another highlight. After a wandering piano opening with a couple of cool slowed percussion ideas, and an almost obligatory irritating sax blare, it wobbles around for about a minute before Zappa comes in with entertaining guitar sounds all around and adds in a bit of dynamic before the piece comes to its conclusion. Nice, despite the moment of erk.

All in all, then, this album really has nothing bad on it. There are a couple of really great and fun moments in there as well. However, I feel it could have benefited a lot from a little more dynamic playing, and I really just won't listen to it for any other reason than wanting to hear the end of Willie The Pimp and feeling obliged to give the rest another go. I don't dislike it, but my mind just isn't connecting with the comic and musical genius that a lot of Zappa fans and even non-fans would ascribe to it.

Rating: Three Stars. Probably not essential, for me, but still a good buy. Favourite Track: Willie The Pimp

If I had to sum up Zappa's career in one album, I think I would most likely have a heart attack first. However, this definitely has to be one of the contenders simply because it is one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time.

1. Peaches en Regalia- Absolute brilliance all jammed into the span of a short length. The track is perfect, Zappa's style ideally constructed in a very concise format with his quirkiness, amazing musicianship, and odd melodies and time signatures. If I wanted to show someone a glimpse of what my musical taste entails, this might be the first song I grab. One of the greatest compositions ever written. Flawless. 10+/10

2. Willie the Pimp- One of Frank's signature guitar pieces and it's easy to understand why. His tone here is so unique and powerful, grading away a nearly 9 minute solo with amazing skill, precision, and Zappaish emotions. Beefheart's guest vocals at the beginning are quite fitting. 10/10

3. Son of Mr. Green Genes- Another masterpiece song showcasing Zappa's brilliant compositional style, his virtuosity, and the similar musicianship of those with which he always surrounded himself. Everything runs together perfectly here, the guitar, the drums, every single instrument is meticulously composed and sounds amazing. Not only that, but it's extremely expressive and I could listen to it forever. I really like the feel to this one; it complements yet contrasts uniquely with the two songs that proceeded it. Flawless. 10+/10

4. Little Umbrellas- Very pleasant fusion piece. Short and sweet fits this song nicely, except it's still definitely a Zappa kind of sweet and an entirely unique composition. The saxophone is wonderful here, as always, and all the instruments are amazing as well (as always). Nonetheless, if I had to pick... it's my least favorite on here. And, by my rating of this song, that REALLY says something. Since it's a really good song. 9/10

5. The Gumbo Variations- Holy hell. If you think you've heard it all before, specifically with regards to jazz or fusion, listen to this one. The instrumentalists are on FIRE here, and the duel between the saxophone at the beginning, violin in the middle, and then guitar later on is amazing. The drums are also extremely fitting and played with masterful precision. This is another stunning Zappa composition, managing to create a unique, perfectly crafted and played piece that pushes the boundaries of what music really is. Just listen to that avant-garde sax! Flawless. 10+/10

6. It Must be a Camel- Great song again pushing the envelopes of music as Zappa always did best (particularly with perfection on this album and a few select others). The instruments come together to make a wacky piece of fusion Zappaness that can only be described through hearing it. I love the sax on this one. 9/10

This album is genius. If you haven't heard it, I highly recommend it, despite whatever preconceptions you have about jazz, fusion, Zappa, or anything. A true music collector can't really go without hearing this at least once.

This, my first Zappa album, is as delicious a surprise as I could ask for, filled with gritty, greasy, lengthy jams. The instrumental blend of jazz/rock is excellently balanced here (with a touch of weirdness for good measure), and the heavy, bluesy grooves don't let up a single beat. Zappa's guitar work is nothing short of Herculean, since he delivers minutes-long solos throughout, the rest of the band doing a fine job keeping up and throwing their own jams into the mix.

Yet, for me Hot Rats is definitely style over substance. The jazzy rock positively grooves... and grooves and grooves until it all blurs together into one extended showcase of crunchy improvisation.

Depending on where one comes from, this makes either 47 minutes of joy or boredom; I am somewhere in the middle. I am not a fan of hippie or stoner rock, and appreciate the signature Zappa weirdness evident throughout, as well as the harder jams found on many of the songs. But, I tend to favor composition over improvisation, so the extended nature of solos and songs tend to get very repetative.

Still, a fine, flavorful addition to any guitar lovers music library, easy enough for most anyone to groove along to-- for a while.

I can be pretty brief with this review and that's for the simple reason that everything there is to be said about this album has already been said in the other reviews. It's indeed a jazzy jamming album and that is for the full 47 minutes.

But what I can add to this is that this album has increased my respect for Frank Zappa a lot. I only knew his Cheap Thrills release so far and that confirmed what I already knew: I'm not a Frank Zappa fan. But now it appears that it was mainly that album that made me feel that way because this magum opus by Zappa is a completely different story. I like just about everything I hear on this album and I had never expected that. Cheap Thrills was a bit of a foolish album to me and I thought that was the one and only Zappa. Boy, am I glad I decided to go for this one as well. And it was double luck because it was for sale.

I like instrumental music, I like jamming, I like energetic music and I like melodic music. All four elements are prominently present on Hot Rats. It even could make me go for the highest score but I feel that would be a bit overdone. But four stars is the least I can do. A true classic !

Phenomenal Introduction to a Genius

Hot Rats is the highest rated Zappa album on PA, contains perhaps his most famous song "Peaches En Regalia," and is probably the most frequent entry point for fans into Zappa's vast catalog. This was the case for me, and certainly this strange music is like being dunked fed some new exotic cuisine, where you're not quite certain what the funky spices are. Usually one either learns to love the flavor, or runs away in disgust. My reaction was instead a guarded interest. And luckily I wandered around the catalog a bit until I found the exact dish for my palate, along with some selections that did little for me. However, the fact that I like one facet of Zappa's musicianship (ultra-complex jazz composition) and don't like the camp or stage-y stuff, is just a matter of taste. There are going to be some who gravitate to different albums, different smells, different kinds of funk.

Hot Rats is going to appeal to the musician types more than the potty mouth lovers, but it's still a great place to start for anyone. The musicianship is very good, though not as insanely complex as that found on "One Size Fits All" or "Roxy." The album contains several very long sections of jamming, most of which are quite good. The guitar tone during the long improvised end of "Willie the Pimp" is way ahead of its time and the licks are so great. At the same time, 90 seconds of song followed by 9 minutes of jamming doesn't exactly press my prog buttons that much.

There are many ways one could merge jazz and rock, and Frank has managed to create a style that is fairly distinct from the bands formally labeled jazz-rock fusion. Zappa integrates more rock into a jazz that is much more structured and at times composed than Mahavishnu or Return to Forever. This shouldn't surprise given his affinity for classical music and writing movie score music from early in his career. His famous opinion, that there should be no difference between pop and high art, results in an accessible but still quirky sound that really has never been duplicated.

Listening back over Hots Rats again for this review, there are moments where I think "This really should be 5 stars." Some of the moments are just spectacular, with guest musicians Jean-Luc Ponty and Captain Beefheart taking strong tunes and upping the interest even more. But two things keep it at excellent rather than masterpiece level. First are the numerous extended jams over fairly basic progressions and time signatures. While interesting, it's hard to call an album relying so heavily on this element a masterpiece of prog. Second, I know Zappa does produce the kind of combined, precise complexity that reaches that summit later in his career.

I absolutely recommend this album, especially for newbies to Zappa. It's a great piece of work. But once you've gotten accustomed to the strange combo of spices he puts in the stew, there are even more tasty morsels awaiting.

There's a question that has been torturing me for decades. What do the people see in FRANK ZAPPA'S music and why in God's name I'm unable to discover it?

In 1974 and after a friend bothered me for weeks, I bought "Hot Rats" expecting to find magical music, but to be honest, found nice music with little interest for me, I thought it may e the album so got "We're only in it for the Money", and my impression didn't changed at all, so after listening a couple more albums, decided to place my ZAPPA albums in a box and let them gather dirt for decades.

A few months ago I had to move, so while checking my old record boxes, decided to give "Hot Rats" a new chance, and even when I found the music easier to listen, my impression didn't changed very much.

The album starts with "Peaches in Regalia", a nice instrumental with some lush keyboards by Ian Underwood, but not much ore, still can't find feet or head in the music, seems like the guy went for some blend of early Symphonic and fun, but failed somewhere in the road, making a hybrid without head or feet.

"Willy the Pimp" starts with an interesting Ponty violin section, but it's only a promise, the guys start to jam as if they were in 1967 on an acid trip, Captain Beefheart's voice doesn't help too much and even Jean Luc Ponty falls in the game and goes nowhere. The guitar? Yes, Zappa is good but nothing special compared with the hundreds of great guitarists in the 60's.

After a couple minutes, the guitar jamming by ZAPPA turns boring and absolutely predictable, just distorted sounds with nothing more than most Acid Psyche bands of the era...Maybe a couple years too late.

"Son of Mr Green Genes" is an improvement, the initial melody is somehow catchy, but still I don't believe it's defined as Prog, Rock or Funk, but still very pleasant to listen, the problem is when the jamming starts, I honestly don't know what he pretends, there were thousands doing this on those years, and some with much more interesting results.

The winds are a good addition, but again ZAPPA'S guitar leads nowhere, just jamming with no structure or purpose, maybe the contrapuntal duel between ZAPPA and Underwood is interesting to prove skills, but musically leads nowhere in my opinion. The jazzy "Little Umbrellas" opens side two, again pleasant but nothing really special to consider this a masterpiece, too light to be considered innovative, the song flows gently with no surprises or really interesting moments.

The incredibly long "The Gumbo Variations" should be called "The Gumbo improvisations", because again lacks of structure, it's true that Ponty, Zappa and Underwood have the chance to prove heir skills, but never sound coherent or structured, after a couple of minutes starts to bore, but when the drum solo starts, it's time to press the skip button before the cacophonic ending. Some people should know that sometimes less is more.

Well, I had to wait 42 minutes until "It must be a Camel", the only really good track, melodic interesting and well structured, even the solos are coherent with the atmosphere, this track saves the album from a lower rating, mainly for the delightful piano.

Before I rate "Hot Rats", must say that it's not a bad album, the musicians are talented, but the music is anodyne and lacks of interest (At least for me), I fail to see the greatness people see, but maybe it's my problem.

To rate it I use my own scale, I gave 3 stars to ELP's debut, and I believe "Hot Rats" is not remotely in the level, so I would go with 2.5, being that this is impossible in our system, will go with 2 stars.

Only for FRANK ZAPPA fans and classic Rock collectors.