Who IS Frank Zappa

Interesting.  I've never taken the time to analyze Farther Oblivion quite that closely, though I could definitely hear a lot of Greggary Peccary in there.

Zappa really is an acquired taste. Much like Captain Beefheart, but to a lesser extreme, his music takes some getting used to.

darkshade wrote: Anyone ever seen this? http://images.wikia.com/4chanmusic/images/4/4a/Frank_zappa_flowchart_2.pngIt's a flow chart of how to get into FZ. Personally, I'd connect Wazoo with the jazz, as a lot of his fusion stuff had classical bits too. It needs to be updated, but it serves its purpose. I almost wish I had one of these when I first got into Zappa.

Noted! Added to my list of Zappa albums to get next.

Getting pushed off stage in 71 must have messed with Frank's psyche, or at least his ego. In the Wazoo shows, and 73 shows before the Roxy lineup, when he talks, his confidence level seems to have dropped. When he talks to the audience, he sounds a little tense. The sarcasm level and cynicism is significantly lower than from 66-71, and late 73-88. He almost sounds bored. Maybe he wasn't confident in conveying his new, deeper voice, or maybe there was so much music, and not much lyrics/vocals that kept Frank "quiet" for those couple of years? Or maybe he was bored, based on how he felt about the Wazoo bands, but then why still like that during the Jean-Luc Ponty era?


Edited by darkshade - December 18 2013 at 20:25

John Smothers. There isn't a lot of info about him online, but I believe I read somewhere that he became Frank's bodyguard in 72 when Frank started touring again. Not 100% sure. I do know that the song Dong Work For Yuda is based on him (Bald-headed John)

Man With Hat wrote: darkshade wrote: <span style="color: #BF0000">xxxthe barfiesps: Your next email from us concerns Roxy By Proxy ship date for January 2014. And Thank You!</span><span style="color: #BF0000">No explanation, no apologies... Is this all a trick to distract us from the fact that Dance Me This still hasn't been released? </span><span style="color: #BF0000"></span> Lol. Quite glad I just ordered the Road Tape stuff and didn't wait for this to be released. I fully expect January to come and go before it's released. And frankly, I think I rather have Dance Me This atm.

Same, especially since if you need your Roxy fix, there's at least two SBD's of that lineup on Zappateers (10/26/1974, and 11/18/1974)

But Dance Me This is all new music, never-before-heard material. I don't know if anyone else here has, but I heard a minute and a half clip from Dance Me This. Not sure how I came around to hear it, probably posted by someone at zappa.com forum, but let me tell you, it sounded like something I've never heard from Zappa before. It sounded insane, and it was only a minute. It was synclavier, but there was some percussion there too, sounded like actual percussion, and if I remember correctly, there was some vocals too.

That album needs to be released. I feel like the ZFT is trying to milk the anticipation for these releases by not releasing them, but all its doing is making everyone frustrated. Don't worry Gail, Zappa fans will keep buying new Zappa albums if you keep releasing them; so release DMT, RBP, and Rage and the Fury already.

I found the clip from Dance Me This. It's from one of the compositions called, "Calculus"

http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/ofconsequence/kongar-ol-ondar/tuvan.mp3

darkshade wrote: I found the clip from Dance Me This. It's from one of the compositions called, "Calculus"http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/ofconsequence/kongar-ol-ondar/tuvan.mp3

Cool! Thanks. I'll give a listen a bit later, but I'm excited to hear it. This is exactly why I want this album asap. Didn't realize FZ put it together before his death either.

And yeah, what was with Understanding America? I see no reason at all why that needs to exist.

darkshade wrote: I found the clip from Dance Me This. It's from one of the compositions called, "Calculus" http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/ofconsequence/kongar-ol-ondar/tuvan.mp3

Only Frank can address an album sleeve note to his fans like this :   " Dear Maniac Person "