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Best/Worst of Frank Zappa |
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ezrahound 
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Joined: April 17 2019 Location: Lisbon Status: Offline Points: 6 |
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 Posted: April 17 2019 at 04:45 |
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Best: Joe's Garage We're only in it... Make a Jazz noise here Waka Jawaka Worst: Individual songs, like Teenage Prostitute or Valley Girl (both from the same album, actually, which they share with great yet weird songs like Ship Arriving Too Late, the title track). I used to dislike ThingFish until I finally understood the social commentary in between the madness.
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moshkito
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Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 16148 |
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Posted: April 17 2019 at 06:29 |
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Hi,
Hi, For me, to decide if your life was "best" when you were 23 instead of when you were 32 is a bit scary ... the only thing that is clear in a Frank Zappa story is that his earlier material kept much of the energy and fun, all the way to the end, even if some of it ended up being in the lyrics. To me, it's sad to think that this album, or that album is better than something else. It's the same ARTIST ... and that artist's EXPRESSION, and we don't go around saying the same thing ... like ... you look stupid with that pink shirt on, and great with that green shirt on ... it could be Halloween and it's fun to break up the norms and such! 200 MOTELS is NOT the worst ... and if any of you have a chance to listen to the orchestra version done before Gail passed away, you will find that the classical musicians enjoyed playing it ... and did so magnificently and that choir in the last 20 minutes is insanely amazing ... but all anyone can say is ... not my favorite. What you will find in those moments with that choir is likely this ... a bunch of stuff that every choir has always wanted to do and couldn't and put together in a way that makes sense and makes a lot of "compositions" sound pretentious, stupid and over bearing. The choir performing this is undoubtedly excited about doing something different and original, that no one else has EVER done (maybe -- kinda close ... only PDQ Bach - this board thinks he didn't exist, btw!) ... and it ought to tell you how valuable and important that is all around. Frank deserves the credit for being one of America's greatest composers ... not a guitar God ... and just so you remember he flipped the finger on that one ... when a fan was being stupid ... he put the guitar down and conducted the rest of the concert ... I would have done the same, rather than feed the BS that comes with fan-doom and that kind of non-sense! YOU, TOO, WOULD HAVE WANTED THAT RESPECT! Maybe PA'rs will learn the difference between "music" and just another "song" with the same, TIRED solo, in exactly the same spot as just about every other song out there ... Edited by moshkito - April 17 2019 at 06:32 |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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hellogoodbye
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VIP member Joined: August 29 2011 Location: Troy Status: Offline Points: 7251 |
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Posted: April 17 2019 at 11:01 |
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The worse is probably The Fish for me. The best ? I love most of his work.
Right now my fav albums are : meets the mothers of prevention and jazz from hell. |
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BaldFriede
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Joined: June 02 2005 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 10261 |
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Posted: April 17 2019 at 12:07 |
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I love "Freak Out" and "Absolutely Free" and hate the "Joe's Garage" trilogy.
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 BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
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siLLy puPPy
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PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic Joined: October 05 2013 Location: SFcaUsA Status: Offline Points: 14717 |
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Posted: April 17 2019 at 14:39 |
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I don't usually do favorites list and Zappa's list is extraordinarily difficult because it all depends on the mood i'm in so answers may vary.
One pet peeve i have is that the albums that were released by The Mothers of Invention ALWAYS seem to get thrown into the overall Zappa canon. THOSE ARE NOT ZAPPA ALBUMS!!!!! Why don't we just throw all Jethro Tull albums into the Ian Anderson solo page? THESE ALBUMS ARE MOTHER OF INVENTION ALBUMS!!!!
I pretty much like all Zappa albums and love Thing-Fish, Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch and many 80s released oft loathed by prog snobs. Who wants to hear jazz-fusion all the friggin time even though i love One Size Fits All, Hot Rats and the rest. The only albums that don't float my boat are some of the orchestral ones as well as Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar. They are fairly boring due to overweening lengthiness. The Yellow Shark is great though. |
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siLLy puPPy
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PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic Joined: October 05 2013 Location: SFcaUsA Status: Offline Points: 14717 |
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Posted: April 17 2019 at 14:41 |
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I've never been big on the Joe's Garage series either. It's ok but i rarely want to hear them. Freak Out is probably at the top of the list though.
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https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
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lostrom
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Joined: March 19 2014 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 122 |
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Posted: April 18 2019 at 12:37 |
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Apostrophe and Sheik Yerbouti are my favourites.
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lostrom
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HackettFan
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Joined: June 20 2012 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 7946 |
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Posted: April 18 2019 at 18:35 |
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Well, neither case employed the principles of democracy. |
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A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)
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siLLy puPPy
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PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic Joined: October 05 2013 Location: SFcaUsA Status: Offline Points: 14717 |
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Posted: April 18 2019 at 19:17 |
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Yep, just asking my prog peeps here to throw the Mothers a little love
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https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
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Barbu
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Joined: October 09 2005 Location: infinity Status: Offline Points: 30845 |
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Posted: April 19 2019 at 12:59 |
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The Mothers were salaried workers playing the music of Frank Zappa, Frank was the boss and the one who was paying. and when was the last time you saw a mere employee get recognition for his work?
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HolyMoly
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Posted: April 19 2019 at 18:04 |
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Favorites: 200 Motels, All the 60s albums, One Size Fits All, Civilization Phaze III
Least favorites : Joe’s Garage (hate the flange effect on the guitar solos!), Man from Utopia, Them or Us |
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My other avatar is a Porsche
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
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siLLy puPPy
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PSIKE, JRF/Canterbury, P Metal, Eclectic Joined: October 05 2013 Location: SFcaUsA Status: Offline Points: 14717 |
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Posted: April 19 2019 at 18:56 |
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That's true of a lot of bands. The point is that the albums were released under the name THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION. We all know Zappa was the brains behind the whole thing but he couldn't have made those early albums so great without the employees behind him
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https://rateyourmusic.com/~siLLy_puPPy |
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cstack3
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VIP Member Joined: July 20 2009 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Status: Offline Points: 6744 |
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Posted: April 19 2019 at 21:58 |
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Glad to see all of the love for "Sleepdirt!"
FZ's guitar playing progressed and improved over the years, he really was under-appreciated for his instrumental skills. The live "Roxy And Elsewhere" is a personal favorite of mine. I was fortunate to see FZ live (twice) in the 1970s, his show was not to be missed!
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I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!!
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Whamdaddy
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Joined: February 04 2019 Location: WIsconsin Status: Offline Points: 42 |
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Posted: April 19 2019 at 23:46 |
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Nothing better than the early mothers, although his mid 70's jazz fusion period is very good as well
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The Wham Daddy
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Slartibartfast
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Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29625 |
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Posted: April 19 2019 at 23:52 |
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OK here's a chronological sort of all I have in my collection. I obviously cant evaluate anything I haven't heard. My first encounter wit Zappa was the late '70's. I am pretty sure I only knew him by reputation when I bought Bongo Fury but I distinctly remember buying that one at a mall record store. And I must admit it was a bit much at first but I really came to like it. Probably not one of my favorites though but here's the list -
Zappa, Frank/The Mothers of Invention FREAK OUT! 1966 Dec. 1196 8/27/05 86 Zappa, Frank & The Mothers of Invention Absolutely Free 1966 Nov. 1497 9/10/11 28 Zappa, Frank Lumpy Gravy 1967 Feb. 697 8/12/00 58 Zappa, Frank/The Mothers of Invention We're Only In It for the Money 1967 Mar.-Aug. 1300 8/15/06 57 Zappa, Frank/The Mothers of Invention Uncle Meat 1967 1968 Sep.-Sep. 498 1/1/97 Zappa, Frank/The Mothers of Invention Burnt Weeny Sandwich 1967 1969 Aug.-Jul. 499 1/1/97 Zappa, Frank & The Mothers of Invention Weasels Ripped My Flesh 1967 1969 Dec.,Aug. 599 4/10/00 22 Zappa, Frank Hot Rats 1969 Jul.-Aug. 699 8/12/00 59 Zappa, Frank Wazoo 1972 Sep. 400 9/10/11 19 Zappa, Frank Over-nite Sensation 1973 May 899 8/11/02 70 Zappa, Frank Roxy The Movie 1973 Dec. 1590 12/26/15 14 46 Zappa, Frank Apostrophe (') 1974 Sep. 699 1/1/82 Zappa, Frank & The Mothers of Invention One Size Fits All 1974- 1975 Aug.-Apr. 100 12/20/0 Zappa, Frank/Captain Beefheart/Mothers Bongo Fury 1975 May 1400 8/15/08 44 Zappa, Frank Zoot Allures 1976 Feb.-Jun. 300 12/20/07 Zappa, Frank Studio Tan 1978 599 1/1/88 Zappa, Frank Joe's Garage Acts I, II & III 1979 Apr. 1197 8/27/05 87 Zappa, Frank Sheik Yerbouti (Remaster) 1979 Aug. 1199 8/27/05 88 Zappa, Frank You Are What You Is 1981 May 799 3/25/02 32 Zappa, Frank Tinseltown Rebellion 1981 Jun. 1198 8/27/05 89 Zappa, Frank Thing-Fish 1984 800 3/4/02 21 Zappa, Frank Jazz From Hell 1986 600 8/12/00 60 Zappa, Frank Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life, The 1988 700 8/12/00 61 Zappa, Frank Broadway the Hardway 1988 900 11/9/02 76 Zappa, Frank Dance Me This 1993 1584 8/11/15 8 52 I can't say there is anything that I hate here or would toss back. There is certainly a few that fit into the difficult listening music category. These are sorted chronolgically but I am already seeing some mistakes. For now I will give it a rest and get back to y'all later. I really love his political songs and if you've ever seen him in an interview, he had strong political opinions that are pretty much in sync with my own. Just looking at this list there are a couple of stand outs that were bookends of his career - Trouble Everyday and When The Lie's So Big. |
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Slartibartfast
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Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29625 |
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Posted: April 20 2019 at 11:43 |
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OK favorite is Sheik Yerbouti. Least is Dance Me This. But they are all closely clustered together.
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Mascodagama
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Posted: April 20 2019 at 12:39 |
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For my personal taste most of the best stuff is in the period up to and including 1974. Not really much after that, apart from orchestral stuff, that I can get on with.
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Soldato of the Pan Head Mafia. We'll make you an offer you can't listen to.
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TCat
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Posted: April 20 2019 at 14:11 |
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Love Sheik Yerbouti. That was my introduction to FZ as it played over the PA system at a Van Halen concert way back when. I have never heard "Dance Me This" for some reason, I guess I missed out on it when it was released a few years ago, but there have been a lot of posthumous albums I never added to my collection.
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Slartibartfast
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Posted: April 20 2019 at 14:36 |
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Dance Me This is a late release that was made late in his life. If you like his Synclavier stuff you mike like this one better than others in my list.
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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BaldFriede wrote: