Frank Zappa, opinions?

I still can't get into Zappa. I downloaded four of his albums: We're only in it for the money, Hot rats, The grand wazoo and Apostrophe. Hot rats it's ok, but it doesn't really move me. I kinda like some stuff on We're only in it for the money because of the 60's sound, but the way he sings and the lyrics, are they supposed to be funny or what? It seems so but I don't get it. Plus I can't stand all those awfull wierd non sense noises between each song. I didn't pay too much attention to the other two albums and I think I've only heard them once, or maybe I couldn't even finished the first listen.

darkshade wrote: HolyMoly wrote: darkshade wrote: ^^^^^ you mean the ROXY VIDEO!   Ah yes, the elusive Holy Grail of Zappa releases.  Pieces of it have been released (on the Dub Room Special DVD, for example), and the Baby Snakes DVD even had a trailer for it, claiming it was "coming soon".  I gather it's been more difficult than was first thought to bring to completion - either that or GZ is purposely trying to stir the fans up into a "petulant frenzy".  To be honest, though, I'm indifferent about it these days -- I'd much rather get Uncle Meat on DVD first. you're right, Uncle Meat would be great. but i want to hear the Roxy lineup play all the songs they were playing on that tour (besides the Roxy & Elsewhere tracks obviously). I know they played Montana, Inca Roads, RDNZL, Cosmic Debris, etc i dont remember all the songs offhand. i dont know why they havent released it yet. it cant be a monetary problem, ZPZ has been making so much money, not to mention all the sales Zappa has been getting in the last 10 years (sales have gone up in his catalogue) I think they should also release more full concerts like Imaginary Diseases, Buffalo, Wazoo, FZ:OZ, etc. and not these other releases which have reheasals, guitar solos, and showcasing mixed up time periods

I enjoy Zappa.  I didn't get off to the greatest start with him, as I started with Sheik Yerbouti after hearing that Belew plays on it...that album took a while to grow on me, and before it did I had checked out Hot Rats...and Hot Rats is the album which really made me a Zappa fan.  I'm still fairly low on his material though. 

HolyMoly wrote: darkshade wrote: ^^^^^ you mean the ROXY VIDEO!   Ah yes, the elusive Holy Grail of Zappa releases.  Pieces of it have been released (on the Dub Room Special DVD, for example), and the Baby Snakes DVD even had a trailer for it, claiming it was "coming soon".  I gather it's been more difficult than was first thought to bring to completion - either that or GZ is purposely trying to stir the fans up into a "petulant frenzy".  To be honest, though, I'm indifferent about it these days -- I'd much rather get Uncle Meat on DVD first.

you're right, Uncle Meat would be great. but i want to hear the Roxy lineup play all the songs they were playing on that tour (besides the Roxy & Elsewhere tracks obviously). I know they played Montana, Inca Roads, RDNZL, Cosmic Debris, etc i dont remember all the songs offhand.

i dont know why they havent released it yet. it cant be a monetary problem, ZPZ has been making so much money, not to mention all the sales Zappa has been getting in the last 10 years (sales have gone up in his catalogue)

I think they should also release more full concerts like Imaginary Diseases, Buffalo, Wazoo, FZ:OZ, etc. and not these other releases which have reheasals, guitar solos, and showcasing mixed up time periods

darkshade wrote: ^^^^^ you mean the ROXY VIDEO!

Edited by HolyMoly - April 06 2009 at 09:13

Question about Frank Zappa regarding Steve Vai. So, right, Vai's on a number of Frank's later albums, playing stunt guitar or impossible guitar parts or whatever. The problem is, I can't find any really good example of this. Where does the man really stand out on Frank's albums?

                        Billy was a mountain

jammun wrote: There is no truly bad Zappa album.  There are some that just about scrape bottom, e.g., the Flo & Eddie years, but even on those there are moments that somehow, almost in defiance of Zappa's worst impulses ...

Many musicians wouldn't be who they are if they didn't go through the "Zappa Meat Grinder" Including Chad Wackerman, Terry Bozzio, Steve Vai, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Vinnie Coliuta, Chester Thompson, all those fantastic musicians.

There really isn't a Frank Zappa song I don't like when i put my album on shuffle and i have about every album you can get. Some of the hard stuff to listen to is that song with John Lennons girlfriend/wife screaming, and some of Franks noise songs.