Zappa Fans: Your First Zappa album (what era)?

Don't usually read the Zappa threads; not a "Zappa fan" per se.  I believe that (other than Valley Girl!) my first listen to Zappa was checking Freak Out! from the library.  Probably listened to it only once; not impressed.  I did end up getting Hot Rats a few years later.  Liked that one (of course?!).  Then got Waka/Jawaka, which I also like (the longer songs, anyway).  Nothing after that until this year when I got One Size Fits All.  Unfortunately I apparently am not "All", because I don't get anything out of it.  Definitely will not be getting anything else without first hearing it.

Anyway, voted "Jazzy solo thing" era.

I first became acquainted with Frank in 1972, when I memorized the lyrics to "Billy the Mountain" while on a camping trip. It went downhill from there.

Joe's Garage for me. I picked the late 70's option since that was when the first parts were released.

the jazzy stuff and the Roxy era were the first, I really fell in love with Hot Rats and Waka/Jawaka when I was around 14. Great time

Somebody actually forgot Joe's Garage at my home. I started with it.

many many years ago my younger brother bought MOTHERMANIA: THE BEST OF THE MOTHERS

I still love this compilation to this day. Brings back childhood memories. My brother and me must had been around 15 or 16 when we listened to this album over and over.

The Bearded Bard wrote: Got Hot Rats, The Grand Wazoo, Roxy & Elsewhere and You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 a couple of months ago. HR and TGW are the ones I've listened to the most, so I guess I'll go with Jazzy Solo Things. HolyMoly wrote: Incidentally, the inspiration for this poll was this interesting flow chart darkshade posted in the Zappa thread, showing a recommended path to take with discovering Zappa. http://images.wikia.com/4chanmusic/images/4/4a/Frank_zappa_flowchart_2.png Ha, that will come in handy! Thanks for (re-)posting that. I really enjoy both HR and TGW so far, so I guess I'll get Waka/Jawaka, Sleep Dirt, Imaginary Diseases, Bongo Fury and Apostrophe (') next.

That all sounds good to me.

Started vaguely aware of Zappa since Dancin Fool came out. I remember hearing some guitar in a drunken stupor from Sheik Yer Bouti, and thinking "boy, that's awesome." Then I got some friends who were Zapoids when I started college. I "started" by listening to their stuff. The first I remember was Them or Us. I thought Truck Driver Divorce was hilarious, but even the guitar leads left me giddy. They played and taped Joe's Garage and You Are What You Is for me. The first I actually bought, though, was the Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar box set, which is still among my favorites of all time. Not long after I got a used copy of Freak Out and We're Only In it for the Money. Many other albums entered my collection after that. I managed to get both my parents interested in Zappa too eventually.

Mellotron Storm wrote: HolyMoly wrote: Mellotron Storm wrote: Late seventies stuff because of this Italian girl I was hanging out with at the time who was into it. Lots of romantic material on those late 70s albums, eh John?  This girl was absolutely beautiful, and we hung out a lot but I was too shy back then to try to get it on with her while "Tryin' To Grow A Chin" was playing. Yes I have a few regrets.

Apostrophe - My father bought that album and introduced me to it about, I dunno, five years after he got it. I liked it, then started getting into the first three Mothers albums, then Joe's Garage, then Flo and Eddie... it kind of bounced back and forth. Last year, when his stuff temporally went out of print due to the Family Trust's issues with Ryko, I freaked and bought a bunch of his stuff, at one point buying a used vinyl copy of Sheik Yerbouti for 30 bucks, which was worth every penny. My most recent purchase was the latest reissue of Bongo Fury.