Zappa for a rookie?

Hi Mr. A. 'You Are What You Is' is a very commercial album (by Zappa's standards). Lots of vocal harmonies and good songs. 'Hot Rats' is a classic album. Mainly instrumental and jazz/rock based. 'Overnite Sensation' is great too. More funk infused than other Zappa albums but instrumentally brilliant. 'Waka Jawaka' and 'The Grand Wazoo' are big band oriented jazzy albums, and are great too. If you want a taster of Zappa's music, you should try the 'Strictly Commercial' best of CD.

THE ROXY AND ELSEWHERE

If you like rock with extended messing around - Apostrophe

If you want a more structured set of songs that are a kind of anti-THE WALL - Joe's Garage 1

If you like Jazzier more prog type musical extension - Grand Wazoo

If you want to hear a barage of different styles, funny songs, quips  and goofiness - Shiek Yer Booty.

Thanks alot for all the recommendations!
by the information you gave on each album, I think I will try either "The Grand Wazoo" or "Hot Rats". (I like Fusion/Jazz-rock and also albums with a big band and with emphasis on the instrumental side)
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Edited by Mr. Asdf

Freak Out! and Hot Rats are good starting points. Personally, I don't think that Strictly Commercial is a good place for a rookie to start, because I don't find it properly indicitive of Zappa's output, since his music, when taken out of context, can seem to change too dramatically from piece to piece.

I finally broke down and bought Strictly Commercial last holiday season for my wife. She didn't like it because the earlier stuff seemed so out of place (to her), with his post Apostrophe stuff (which is what she was familiar with), and, though I know and like all of the material, I had never heard the juxtoposition of his later output with that of his earlier stuff at the same time. I don't think Zappa's material is really suited for a greatest hits type of package.

Actually, now that I am writing this, if you can find a copy of 200 Motels, that would be a pretty good place to start, as it covers kind of the same gamut of styles that Strictly Commercial does, but within the context of a single piece.

Cheers!

Edited by radiognome3

mirco wrote: The live in New York album. Very enjoyable, and covers a high range of Zappa's works.

You are joking aren't you? New York is excellent but to start a rookie here, potentially is asking a lot - complex music, arrangements, x rated lyrics, Mothers in their blackest humour. Play safe with Strictly Commerical as a taster - Zappa in short bursts -  and then proceed in chronologcial order from the very start, and expect tangential changes with every subsequent album until the mid 80's

I have heard 75% of Frank's stuff, and I think it's fair to say that some of it is undisputably incredible, and shows a true genius. However, there are some that divide and test even the most fervent fan's faith- his unwillingness to compromise made him the legend he was.

As said previously, 'Lumpy Gravy' really is not the place to start; it's one of the most wilfully obscure moments in a catalogue full of them.

As an introduction, the compilation 'Strictly Commercial' will at least show you the varying genres Zappa took on.

'Hot Rats', 'Freak Out', 'Absolutely Free', 'We're Only In It For The Money', 'Apostrophe', 'Overnite Sensation', 'Zoot Allures', 'Sheik Yerbouti' and 'Ship Arriving Too Late..' are probably his most accessible albums, and some of his best.