Frank Zappa
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9139
Printed Date: August 23 2025 at 23:19
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Frank Zappa
Posted By: cmidkiff
Subject: Frank Zappa
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 14:52
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I don't have anything from Zappa. What would be the best album to start with? I would be more interested in the more progressive stuff and not the obnoxious stuff. ------------- cmidkiff |
Replies:
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 14:57
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I'd recommend his live album Make A Jazz Noise Here. Brilliant rendition of his more advanced stuff. If you're less keen on Jazz, you might want to check out his early stuff ... Freak Out and Lumpy Gravy. And if you're really adventurous, go straight for Civilization Phase III, which is absolutely free form. Other great studio albums are Jazz From Hell and Sleep Dirt. If you tell me more about your preferences, I'll be more precise ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to: 
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Posted By: Cygnus X-2
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 15:27
The Grand Wazoo is a great album to start Frank Zappa with. It's along the lines of Hot Rats, very instrumental, almost no vocal. But none the less, very good. ------------- 
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Posted By: cmidkiff
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 16:33
I like thought out compositions more then improvised stuff. Not that I totally don't like it. I like Brand X. I'm mostly into symphonic with complex instrumention. ------------- cmidkiff |
MikeEnRegalia wrote:Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 17:15
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Then you should go for either Roxy & Elsewhere, or You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore 2. Echidna's Arf (Of You) and Don't You Ever Wash That Thing are stunning ... or try my avatar (Studio Tan). Greggery Peccary is just insane, and RDNZL is one of the best Zappa songs IMO. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
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Posted By: AngelRat
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 17:32
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Get 'Sleep Dirt'. Try to find the vinyl version. The cd has some annoying vocal overdubs on it. The vinyl is completely instrumental. -------------  |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 17:38
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Ship arriving too late is also great, very complex guitar work. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
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Posted By: AngelRat
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 17:40
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Indeed, and if that isn't enough, get 'One Size Fits All' too! One of his best. Ever. ------------- |
Posted By: Maike
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 19:31
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If youre not a Zappa fan try and listen to One Size Fits All. Its probably
he's most commercial album, but without losing a bit of his art. Another one that hits the spot for me - Broadway the hard way or Roxy and Elsewhere (live). Wonderful moments, nice songs nice playing a lot of fun - FIVE STARS MATERIAL
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Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: July 25 2005 at 19:56
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One Size Fits All is a great place to start. Roxy & Eleswhere is also very good start. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 02:04
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Broadway the Hard Way is actually my favorite Zappa Live album ... but there are better Zappa albums in terms of complex songs and instrumentals. Broadway has great humour and stunning vocal performances, and a big band sound - I don't know if it is just the song selection or if they played some shows differently from the others of the 88 tour: The wind instruments really shine on this album, and it all has a particular swing feel. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
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Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 02:09
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Broadway the hardway is a fantastic album. Jesus thinks your a Jerk is one of my favorite Zappa songs.
------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 02:09
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It seems to be my misson to promote this Zappa title: http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/btb/piquantique.html - http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/btb/piquantique.html Actually that site is a good Zappa database: http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/index.html - http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/index.html ps. Don't forget "Hot Rats" or "Weasels ripped my flesh"!
...my mission seems to be accomplished, as I learned to add albums to the archives! http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=8304 - http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD. asp?cd_id=8304 http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=8304&bcsi_scan_785A662CFD4695EB=JYiu2W/8XyNIo5zkixfspwUAAAB5TlgD&bcsi_scan_filename=Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp - |
Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 02:21
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OVERNITE SENSATION
1. Camarillo Brillo (3:59) Frank Zappa: guitar & vocals Engineers: Barry Keene, Terry Dunavan, Fred Borkgren, Steve Desper ------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 02:31
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Great album - Usually available combined with Apostrophe, which is also great. But I still think that a live album is better suited for getting to know Zappa - you get various songs from different Zappa phases. And keeping in mind that cmidkiff asked for progressive stuff with complex instrumentation, I'd really go for Make a Jazz Noise Here - it doesn't have that much improvisation, except for a few tracks like the utterly brilliant rendition of King Kong. If you're into big (modern) orchestras, you might want to try the Yellow Shark ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
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Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 02:35
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Love The Yellow Shark
------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: The Walrus
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 08:30
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I would say that "Hot Rats" is a good album to start with. It's almost
instrumental album, not to much Zappa humor, and it's very good too!
It's quite jazzy, but it's still some kind of "rock group" line up, not
big band things like on "The Grand Wazoo". ------------- 
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Posted By: cmidkiff
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 10:18
Does this have a traditional jazz or swing jazz sound? Is there still a rock base to it? I notice Jean Luc Ponty is not on this one. ------------- cmidkiff |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 10:43
I'd say that both Apostrophe and Overnite Sensation are far from Jazz. There are many Zappa highlights on these albums - Yellow Snow, Father O'Blivion, Uncle Remus, Stinkfoot (The Poodle bites ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
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Posted By: cmidkiff
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 20:39
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From listening to the MP3 samples on this site, I like Peaches En Regalia allot. I'm not into the "fooling around" type of vocals, although I do like the music. Are Apostrophe and Overnite Sensation mostly instrumental? ------------- cmidkiff |
Posted By: King of Loss
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 20:54
| One Size fits all, easy to tell from its name is where most people should start, then maybe his middle rather brilliant works. |
Posted By: kingofbizzare
Date Posted: July 26 2005 at 21:34
Not sure about Apostrophe, but Overnite Sensation has lots of vocals. If you don't like his humor (i.e. extremely sexual), you won't like this one very much. Musically, it's pretty good, staying very much in rock form with lots of jazz influences. I'd suggest Hot Rats as a good starting point. It only has one song with vocals done very well by Captain Beefheart (and only in the first part of the song). This one is a very good blend of jazz and rock but tends to lean toward the jazz side. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/kingofbizzare/?chartstyle=asimpleblue5"> 
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Posted By: Maike
Date Posted: July 27 2005 at 19:05
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If you're into concept pieces check out Joe's Garage I, II & III and 200
Motels - both Masterpieces. If youre into more instrumental sounds check out the Trilogy Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More Return Of The Son Of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Zappa is just brilliant PERIOD |
Posted By: Humanizzimo
Date Posted: July 27 2005 at 19:27
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i started with Freak Out! Than Jazz From Hell, that is really complicated ------------- 
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: July 27 2005 at 19:28
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We must have recommended half of Zappa's discography by now ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to:
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Posted By: kingofbizzare
Date Posted: July 27 2005 at 22:16
Nope, I counted, just under a quarter. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/kingofbizzare/?chartstyle=asimpleblue5">
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Posted By: italprogfan
Date Posted: July 29 2005 at 02:51
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Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: July 29 2005 at 03:26
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Also "Hot Rats" CD version is little different from the original vinyl version! |
I think some of the instrumental parts were re-recorded during the remastering process. I don't say that it's wrong or right, but I think people should know about this kind of retouches, 'cause this may be an important factor when one makes his buying decision.Posted By: The Walrus
Date Posted: July 29 2005 at 12:10
Hehe, Zappa's discography is HUGE!!!!   -------------
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Posted By: basurero de pie
Date Posted: August 02 2005 at 00:17
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uncle meat...many songs and many creativity...saludos desde chile ------------- por que el sol no es de mitad y la otra mitad de aquella mitad?? |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: August 02 2005 at 12:58
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Yeah, the CD form is kinda annoying ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: August 03 2005 at 18:15
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Were only in it for the money is the best one to start with and its the best one ------------- 
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Posted By: Bj-1
Date Posted: August 06 2005 at 14:24
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Grand Wazoo or Hot Rats, maybe. After that, get Joe's Garage. ------------- RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on! |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: August 06 2005 at 21:20
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I was a bit disappointed in Joe's Garage. It's not as good as i hoped it to be. Maybe after more listens, hopefully. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |