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Location: Brighty in Blighty | Typically the people that don't like Zappa haven't actually listened to any of his music.
Idiots. |
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Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | I guess I'm and Idiot! ;)
There's just some many others out there I do enjoy listening too!
(No harm dweezil)
Hey, 1313 posts. Do I get an award??? ;) |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty |
Hey, 1313 posts. Do I get an award??? ;) If they are you in the queue behind me cos I have more ;) |
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Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Originally posted by dweezil:
Hey, 1313 posts. Do I get an award??? ;) If they are you in the queue behind me cos I have more ;) |
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Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | And the 1313 is significant because? |
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Location: NW Washington State | The critics say...
He gave his children really stupid names. |
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Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | His friends, and his children, agree with his critics on that one. |
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Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | His fans and people who are objective say he was a brilliant composer, guitarist, and performer.
If you don't like his "style", try listening to another album. Frank was a master of almost every style, from 50's do-wop, to classical, to jazz, to rock. He even did some "country" on a few cuts.
Back in the 60's and 70's, it seemed that all of the really great musicians played with either Frank or John Mayall at some point. It was almost like going to school.
One of the things that is interesting about Frank is, he really didn't care if people liked him or his music. When he was dying of prostate cancer, he was asked in an interview, what he'd like to be remembered for. He said he didn't care about being remembered. He was here, he did what he wanted to do, and when he was gone, he was gone. I and many others will ALWAYS remember him for his talent, his humor, his massive intellect, and most of all, his respect for music. |
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Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | Originally posted by dweezil:
And the 1313 is significant because? The #13 is synonomous with "Bad Luck" or evil
1313 Mockingbird lane ;) Friday the 13th........
I believe building taller the 12 floor DON"T have a 13th floor or atleast don't refer to it as that. NO, I'm not really supersticious. Just having a little fun! :D
You Bloody Englishmen! :rolleyes: ;) :D |
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Location: Chicago | I've been onto Zappa since "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" was big on college radio. For my money, he needs no apology as one of the gods of modern music.
However: I can share this about what I've observed on the part of informed listeners who don't much like FZ:
1) A great deal of what he has done has a satirical spin. You won't like FZ if you don't "get it" or are allergic to his incessant and subversive mischief.
2) His output is so diverse, it baffles most listeners (like Alison sez). When Roth left Van Halen, I stopped listening. Well the "Zappa Sound" underwent a sea-change in sound with every few years.
(I'll confess to liking his more "serious" stuff like SHUT UP AND PLAY YER GUITAR and the follow-up album. I get tired of the zaniness after a while.)
3)Much of his stuff is complex, jazzy, proggy etc. A mind-bending melange of influences and instrumentation. There is simply a sh*tload of music with every bite (hmmm that doesn't sound so good... oh, well). I still remember learning "Peaches in Regalia" with a jazz orchestra--people were going nuts.
4)FZ's very "spirit" was very masculine, aggressive, playful and confrontational. You have to be a fan to buy an LP emblazoned with "WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH!" I had no problem with it, hell I loved R Crumb, owned every number of Zap Comix! and was no stranger to things with names like windowpane and microdot.
In a few words: sardonic, highbrow and lowbrow, irreverent, complex, sometimes prohibitive (even threatening) pathologically ecclectic.
A friend of mine observed once about Tull and Zappa: "Chicks just DON'T get it and don't like em, don't like 'em ALOT."
Alison is an enlightened exception:)
(somebody stop me) |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | "I'll go to Frisco buy a wig and sleep on Elsie's floor.
I'll stay a week and get the crabs and take a bus back home.
I'm really just a phony but forgive me cuz I'm stoned."
Yeah, Frank had some weird subject matter. But when all the other music is just about Love and Sex, you gotta search to find something to write about... I will admit that I can only listen to Frank in small doses, but how often can you really listen to Comedy Music?
But if you listen to the composition of the music behind the lyrics... This ain't three-chord rock.
"What's the ugliest part of your body... Da Da Wooo" |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | "Some say it's your nose, some say it's your toes, but I think it's your mind." |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | "Music is the best"
I think that pretty much sums it up. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Let's get the whole quote in here:
"Information is not knowledge
Knowledge is not wisdom
Wisdom is not truth
Truth is not beauty
Beauty is not love
Love is not music
Music is the best." |
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Posts: 639
Location: NW of Philadelphia | "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" Words to live by. |
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Location: Wichita, KS | "Is that a Mexican poncho or is that a Sears poncho?" |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Actually, I can't say I love him either. In terms of lead guitar work and orchestration he was great, but he didn't warm my heart.
Like Jerry Garcia, great lead work, but did he warm me up, say like Santana, no.
I recognize he's great, but not for me. Some people like Picasso, others don't ... Frankly doesn't upset me in the least. |
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Location: Indiana | Guess I'm an idiot too... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I never cared for zappa. Doesn't mean I didn't think he was talented. I just never "got it".
Too bad he's dead, but I can't say I miss him or his music. |
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Posts: 387
Location: Whitecourt, Ab | The "Critics" say THIS about Zappa... What "Critics"? Read or hear something lately, Dweezil?
I've always heard words like: "innovative", "ahead of his time","professional artist",in terms of his music, and "Champion for musician's rights" in terms of lyrics.
I remember watching a news report of him speaking at some committee for censorship of lyrics, and was amazed at how well spoken he was. |
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Posts: 90
Location: los angeles | I saw Zappa with the band with JeanLuc Ponty, George Duke, etc. and guest appearances by Ray Collins and one other original Mother (of Invention) who I can't remember at this point. I think Sal Marquez (Big Swifty) was there for this one as well. Collins did that phlegmy-sex vocal thing from "Brown Shoes". One thing Zappa was, in addition to all said IMO, was an incredible lead guitarist. His hands were HUGE. One of the best shows I ever saw.
Bob |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | My python boots are too tight...
I couldn't get em off last night...
a week went by, and now it's July..
I finally got em off and my girlfriend cried,
YOU GOT STINKFOOT!!
Classic! |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | and another...
Down at Joe's garage...we didn't have no dope or LSD, but a couple a quarts of beer...would fix it so the intonation would not offend your ear....it was all we knew, and easy too, so you couldn't get it wrong...even if you played it on the saxophone.
naw, I'm not a fan... ;) |
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Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | From the profound:
"You can be scared when it gets too real
But you should be digging it while it's happening
Because this just might be a one shot deal."
To the profane:
"It's *#@*ing great to be alive!"
To the downright silly:
"How much was the leakage from the drain in the night?"
Frank's music has been a big part of my life since the first time I heard him in 1968. |
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Posts: 90
Location: los angeles | I'd say the odds would be 50-50 |
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Posts: 2487
| Back in the day, I'd listen to Zappa because it was just plain COOL, the choice of many progressive, music minded "stoners", A go to choice for the party crowd that was not into the jock rock crap like Smoke on the Water anymore.. Always thought the intricacy was neat but did not get into Zappa because of this back then. It was the lyrics and the whole elite club status of the people who knew about bands like Zappa that made it fun.
Today when I go back and pick it apart musically, I find it stands the test of time quite well unlike bands like REO Speedwagon (the top 40 monsters of their time) or Billy Squire etc. those guys sold more records than Elvis I think?
Anyway Zappa was in my estimation a true musical genius. At the very least "Brilliant"! I think it is a shame he did not do (and I don't think he ever did) one "serious" Music album. Not that he needed to..... but today I'd like to be able to listen to just one that album that did not have the goofy, funny, unexpected, lyrics. The guy was capable of everything from Country/Western/Folk to Progressive Rock/Fusion Jazz and sometimes all within the confines of one single song. Nothing like him. Cool stuff.
Randy |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Pick up a copy of "Orchestral Favorites" or, what many consider to be his finest album, "The Grand Wazoo". No lyrics, just fine fine music. |
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Posts: 715
| Here is something the Zappa fans might enjoy. It's Mike Nesmith playing Frank Zappa and Frank Zappa playing Mike Nesmith:
Monkees TV show YouTube
Michelle |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Originally posted by Northcountry:
[QB] I think it is a shame he did not do (and I don't think he ever did) one "serious" Music album. I really don't understand, Zappa was serious about all his albums. I you mean "high brow" music, try listening to The Yellow Shark, London Symphony Orchestra Vol 1 and 2, The Perfect Stranger, Francesco Zappa, Civilization, Phaze III. |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | That video is funny, never seen it before :) |
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March 2009
Posts: 715
| Originally posted by dweezil:
That video is funny, never seen it before :) I'm glad you liked it. I loved it when Mike, dressed as Zappa, said that the Monkess music was "banal and insipid"!
Michelle |
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March 2009
Posts: 8
Location: Four Corners New Mexico | Saw FZ and the Mothers play the Atlantic City Pop Festival (2 weeks prior to Woodstock) and they did "King Kong" and other tunes. Fantastic jazz/rock band. Dense, intricate music. At various times, band members would leap into the air and shout words like "Yeee!" |
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Posts: 482
Location: enid, ok | I'm with Dweez. If nothing else, Frank was necessary. I truly mean that. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Of COURSE he was necessary! After all, Necessity IS the Mother of Invention. |
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Posts: 355
Location: Wichita, KS | Bah-dum-bump! Nice one. |
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The "Critics" say THIS about Zappa...