Zappa advice needed...
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=30779
Printed Date: February 22 2025 at 09:07
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Zappa advice needed...
Posted By: The T
Subject: Zappa advice needed...
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 13:18
| Hello...I haven't yet discovered much-revered artist Frank Zappa's music, and it's surely a hole in my collection...I've read reviews but if possible, could someone give some light about what would be the first and best album to start with? I bought Hot Rats yesterday (still haven't listened to it) but it's Zappa-solo and mostly instrumental....so any suggestions??/ Also, is (was) Zappa really good? Was he really prog?? Share some lightbulb sun energy, please... |
Replies:
Posted By: Abstrakt
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 13:34
Experimental Mothers-Period 66-70:
But i have many others as .mp3 and slowly replacing them with CD's. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 14:45
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My usual recommendation for Zappa newbies: get one of the mid 70s live albums. I usually prefer studio albums, but in this case it's a little bit different: - Roxy and Elsewhere - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore II - Zappa in New York I can't think of a better way to get to know Zappa! BTW: I don't think he's "Prog" in the strict sense of the word (Yes, Genesis, etc). The connection to prog lies in his Jazz-Fusion/Avant-Garde leanings. So if in your book these styles are Prog, then so is Zappa! ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/release-polls/pa" rel="nofollow - Release Polls Listened to: 
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Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 14:47
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Burnt weeny sandwich
Waka jawaka The gran wazoo Apostrophe Overnite sensation |
Posted By: eugene
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 15:29
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5 best IMO are:
Hot Rats
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Grand Wazoo
Waka/Jawaka
Sleep Dirt
I also like Orchestral Zappa very much.
------------- carefulwiththataxe |
Posted By: AngelRat
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 17:48
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Just get 'One Size Fits All' next... -------------  |
Posted By: Pnoom!
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 17:54
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My favorites are:
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
The Man From Utopia
Anything with Billy the Mountain
The first two are fairly accessible, and a good starting place, and Billy the Mountain is just... undescribable.
The one thing to avoid is Lather, a horrible mishap.
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 17:55
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for what it's worth.. my first 3 should probably be your first three.. Freak Out (incredible album) Apostrophe (my favorite of the 3) Hot Rats (many people's choice as THE album) ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: mystic fred
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 18:08
PLAY IT AND SEE!!!
 -------------  Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Posted By: The Wizard
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 18:10
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Get Freak Out!, you won't be dissapointed. -------------  
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Posted By: Bj-1
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 18:55
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The Grand Wazoo
Over-Nite Sensation
One Size Fits All
Joe's Garage
Are perfect starting points for Zappa newbies! After those, try Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Uncle Meat and Weasels Ripped My Flesh if you like avant-prog. And if you liked Joe's Garage, then get Sheik Yerbouti and You Are What You Is.
------------- RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on! |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 19:00
excellent 
I think the album is great insight into Zappa the intellectual.
That album was done over 40 years ago.. and still could be current
today. He won't be if he gets it. oh yeah... love the signature ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
The Wizard wrote:Posted By: SolariS
Date Posted: November 06 2006 at 19:15
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If I were you, I'd go with Overnite Sensation after Hot Rats. -------------  
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Posted By: Bilek
Date Posted: November 07 2006 at 08:47
 ------------- Listen to Turkish psych/prog; you won't regret: Baris Manco,Erkin Koray,Cem Karaca,Mogollar,3 Hürel,Selda,Edip Akbayram,Fikret Kizilok,Ersen (and Dadaslar) (but stick with the '70's, and 'early 80's!) |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: November 07 2006 at 21:25
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All those mentioned, plus MAKE A JAZZ NOISE HERE!! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: Arrrghus
Date Posted: November 07 2006 at 21:28
If you like his jazz side, then YES!!! If you like his humor, then Overnite Sensation or Apostrophe (or Joe's Garage). If you like humor and experimentation, any of his Mothers of Invention studio albums. ------------- 
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Posted By: Dee Dee Ramone
Date Posted: November 11 2006 at 13:54
| I recommend "Bongo Fury", as this will also introduce you to the wonderful Captain Beefheart. |
Posted By: Richardw
Date Posted: November 11 2006 at 14:14
 Sheer Brilliance |
Posted By: S Lang
Date Posted: November 12 2006 at 06:12
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Hot Rats is a must have!
So is Grand Wazoo, for different reasons.
Roxy and Elsewhere (double Live) is brilliant.
One size fts all/ Bongo Fury please enormously, whilst
Zoot Allures is a classic alongside with Overnite Sensation - albeit totally different line-up.
I could go on with Joe's Garage, Sheik Yerbouti, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Chungas Revenge, Them or us, Ship arriving too late, Man from Utopia and so on.... Most of his albums are great, if not fantastic!
I am not partucularly fond of his early years with Flo and Eddie, but Fillmore East Live come off really well. Uncle Meat is an acquiried taste and has some neat arrangements whilst 200 Motels is more like a documentary, but has the odd, anthem-like tune.
For my taste, anything that features the Fowler brothers, George, Duke, Chester Thompson ('73-'74) don't ever disappoint... Jazzy as they swing, but not straight jazz at all.
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Posted By: Rosescar
Date Posted: November 12 2006 at 09:54
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You should listen to "Son Of Mr. Green Genes" on Hot Rats. It's easily one of the best songs ever made. ------------- http://www.soundclick.com/rosescar/ - My music! "THE AUDIENCE WERE generally drugged. (In Holland, always)." - Robert Fripp |
Posted By: Alucard
Date Posted: November 13 2006 at 15:24
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Mothermania ( Compilation) First Mothers (1966-1968) Hot Rats(1969) & Grand Wazoo (1972) (Jazz Rock à La Zappa) You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore Vol.2 (The Helsinki Concert 1974) [MOI Mark 2] (Polyrhythmics, humour & more) Sheik Yerbouti (1979) & Shut Up And Play Your Guitar (1981) (Zappa Guitar Hero) The Perfect Stranger (1984) & The Yellow Shark (1993) ( Contemporary Classic Zappa) ------------- Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear "Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
Posted By: Chicapah
Date Posted: November 13 2006 at 15:35
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I still say that, for the person who just wants to stick their toes
into Lake Zappa but not get wet, "Strictly Commercial" will give a good
basic overview in the span of about 50 minutes. Then the listener
can decide which facet of Frank they want to explore further, if any.
------------- "Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain |
Posted By: Palmer Eldritch
Date Posted: January 15 2007 at 19:35
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Fashionably late...
Absolutely Free! for the epic Brown Shoes Don't Make It...thrills!...spills...chills...
One Size Fits All as the title implies, it's all over the freakin' map...
Sheik Yerbouti has your recommended daily allowance of misanthropy and Adrian Belew's Dylan impression to boot!
Heck, I love 'em all* (except Civilization Phase III, which I don't own, and consequently, haven't heard,) even the LSO stuff.
Now on to Beefheart (the jit!)
*Not really, there are a couple I don't care for, but they shall remain nameless so as to not offend that person to whom they are the apex of Zappa's art. But even these usually have a track or two I love. Clue No. 2 - A droodle on the cover...
"That's Confidence in the System, in easy to swallow propaganda form, a new fast-acting thought control. So have some...today." --- Ben Bland
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Posted By: Chris H
Date Posted: January 15 2007 at 19:52
Ok kiddies, why dont we let Mr. Zappa88 himself give the opinon, eh?
Okay here we go. Freak Out! should be among the first albums you buy, jsut well because it was the first album recorded so everybody had to start here. Now we'll branch off into genre-land.
Like Blues? Go with Apostrophe. Featues Jack Bruce from Cream on bass.
Like Jazz-rock fusion? Go with The Grand Wazoo. One of the finest jazz moments in history.
Like weird, avante-garde short works? Go with We're Only In It For The Money.
Just a warning, do not start with complicated works such as Uncle Meat, Roxy & Elsewhere or Weasels Ripped My Flesh. They will just confuse you.
OK hope that helped ------------- Beauty will save the world. 
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Posted By: Novalis
Date Posted: July 09 2008 at 01:35
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So Iove Hot Rats and Grand Wazoo, but In it for the Money and Uncle Meat aren't my thing. Recommend me some other Zappa based on this. |
Posted By: Bilek
Date Posted: July 09 2008 at 03:10
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You'll probably like Waka-Jawaka & Sleep Dirt, at least partly. Unfortunately nothing tops Hot Rats (IMHO), so although these are mostly in-line with it, don't expect another Hot Rats... Ahead of Time also has its moments, especially the "Let's Make the Water Turn Black-Orange County-Oh No" sequence works very well, probably better than the so-called studio album... You may want to try that as well...Also pay close attention to King Kong. (this album may also open the door for the earlier "bizarre" albums such as Uncle Meat and In It for the Money etc. I admit not getting into them for a long while, but now I kinda like them. even Freak Out...) ------------- Listen to Turkish psych/prog; you won't regret: Baris Manco,Erkin Koray,Cem Karaca,Mogollar,3 Hürel,Selda,Edip Akbayram,Fikret Kizilok,Ersen (and Dadaslar) (but stick with the '70's, and 'early 80's!) |
Posted By: Alucard
Date Posted: July 09 2008 at 14:29
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If you like HR & GW you seem to like the jazz-rockier side of Zappa and I second Bilek's recommendations Waka-Jawaka & Sleep Dirt, but try also the second Mothers Of Invention with George Duke, Chester Thomphson and the great Ruth Underwood: Overnite Sensation,Apostrophe, One Size Fits All, Roxy & Elsewhere & Helsinki concert (YCDTOSA) vol 2 ------------- Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear "Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
Posted By: mpomy
Date Posted: July 09 2008 at 18:52
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One Size Fits All
Apostrophe/Overnight Sensation Waka/Jawaka Oh, how I love all the kind words about dear old unkle Frank. My favorite song is Billy The Mountain because it includes all the skills - precision composition, blistering guitar, outrageous comedy, anti-establishment political commentary. It's just brilliant. For all of those who have yet to discover the cannon of Zappa, I wish you luck and happiness on this twisted journey. ------------- 
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Posted By: mpomy
Date Posted: July 09 2008 at 18:55
Oh yes - yes indeed! -------------
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: July 09 2008 at 20:16
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The easiest though least economical approach is to start with Freak Out, then buy all of the albums in the order they were originally released. This way you will be aware of the Conceptual Continuity.
The hit and miss approach also works but is less rewarding.
Original Mothers: Freak Out, Burnt Weenie Sandwich
Flo & Eddie years: for completists only
Jazz/Fusion/Rock years: Over-nite Sensation, Apostrophe('), One Size Fits All
After One Size Fits All, the albums get somewhat inconsistent, depending on what any given listener likes about FZ. However Sheik Yerbouti and Live in New York are very good and albums like Them or Us have a lot to offer.
Another approach would be to buy the live albums from the final tour: Broadway the Hard Way, Best Band You Never Heard..., Make a Jazz Noise Here. These give a fine overview of FZ's compositions over the years, but you'll miss out on hearing some of the different bands.
Yet another option is to pick up the six You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore albums, where you will hear a wide range of compositions by various incarnations of the bands.
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Posted By: npjnpj
Date Posted: July 10 2008 at 09:25
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Someone said, avoid 'Lather'. I strongly disagree. Strongly, strongly, strongly.
It has a great range of lot of styles FZ has covered and is a FANTASTIC album.
Why don't you listen to this and then tell us where your preferences are? Then we could point you towards similar recordings.
Strongly.
Avoid Lather (expletive deleted)
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Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: July 10 2008 at 14:17
| ^ I agree, Lather's great! |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: July 11 2008 at 04:21
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Ok, if you want to get a handle on Zappa, start with these three albums in order:
Apostrophe
Hot Rats
One Size Fits All
If you like Apostrophe best, then go on to Sheik Yerbouti and Joe's Garage.
If you prefer Hot Rats, grab Waka/Jawaka and possibly The Grand Wazoo.
If One Size Fits All catches you, try Weasels Ripped My Flesh next.
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