CIVILIZATION PHAZE III

as some of your earlier reviews mentioned, only those listeners to all of fz's music can truly understand what this project was about... this was his last work and he wanted it to stand out and alone from everything before. this is not GO CRY ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S SHOULDER or CAMARILLO BRILLO stuff... this is way beyond ... way beyond... as an earlier reviewer als said that he "... rec'd a previously owned copy and then got rid of it after listening to it only a couple of times in 2 years", that's okay, a lot of music is that way but let me say that this piece CIVILIZATION ACT III (CA III) will be something that will be preformed by orchestras (if there is any money left by then) in 200 years and stuff from RUBEN AND THE JETS will die a slow death (not to say that R& J is a bad album, not at all)... i would recommend that anyone listen to REAGAN AT BITBURG from C A III at full volume and be ready for the all crap in there room to start moving around when those deep base notes are hit toward the end of the piece... there is nothing else like it (unless you do the same with LATEX SOLAR BEEF from Live at the Fillmore East 1971)...

i read an interview or heard him say in an interview that most of his music was for "... people to wash dishes to..." and really, that's what it's all about isn't it? do we really every sit down and listen the the music and listen to the words? i did in 1972 with WE'RE ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY and that album made me a zappaphile for life... when i first purchased JAZZ FROM HELL, i had to listen to it about 10 times before i "finally got it"... just listen to WHILE YOU WERE ART II and you will understand what i am saying... the poly rhythms that make up the melodyare, at first and subsequent listenings, hard to hear... there are many fz compositions that need many "tries" to finally understand his message, musically speaking.

for those brave souls who want to really get a handle of fz and his plethora of music, first listen to FREAK OUT then move to something like UNCLE MEAT. after that, go listen to any of YOU CANT DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE Volumes 1-6 (which are all double cds) and finish with either the YELLOW SHARK (performed live with humans) or CIVILIZATION ACT III (performed in the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen by fz and his synclavier)... this trip will help you understand where he traveled musically and took us all along for the ride. one side note, i had the pleasure of meeting him at a reception in berkeley, california after the berkeley symphony (115 piece orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano) performed 4 ballets (SINSITER FOOTWEAR, BOB N DACRON, SAD JANE, and MO N HERBS VACATION) and the only thing i could think of to say to him was "wherever you want to go musically, i am willing to support you" and with that he said: "Thanks man" and then HE reached out and shook my hand. that is the essence of someone like fz... he wanted and did do his own thing and when we find someone who we really like, musically speaking again, we need to support them in their "direction" regardless if it isn't DINAH MO HUMM or BLACK NAPKINS (one of the greatest songs ever - but i am biassed of course)... for all of you who made it this far in this reveiw, thanks and remember to honor fz on December 21st every year and play your favorite cut(s)... and let us not forget one of his greatest lines "... just because the sun wants a place in the sky, no reason to assume i wouldn't give her a try"

peace and remember to register to vote

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