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Slartibartfast 
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29630
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 Posted: March 24 2009 at 14:13 |
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I don't have the Jazz Noise (so many Zappas, so little time or money). But I'll vouch for The Best Band. Has some really funny covers of Stairway To Heaven, The Godfather, Sunshine Of Your Love, Ring Of Fire (ow ow ow), Bonanza theme, ...Irish Eyes...
In addition to various smoking tracks spanning most of his career.
Edited by Slartibartfast - March 30 2009 at 19:29
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Owlchops
Forum Newbie
Joined: March 21 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 24
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Posted: March 24 2009 at 15:29 |
I generally don't like the idea of bands poking fun at other artists music as a matter of principle.
But in Zappas case I have to suspend my usual disapproval in deference to his complete godlike genius in all other areas! :-)
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: March 24 2009 at 18:33 |
 Slartibartfast wrote:
I don't have the Jazz Noise (so many Zappas, so little time or money). But I'll vouch for The Best Band. Has some really funny covers of Stairway To Heaven, The Godfather, Sunshine Of Your Love, Ring Of Fire (ow ow ow), Bonanza theme, ...Irish Eyes...
In addition to various smoking tracks spanning most of his career.
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Hmm, I'll agree with the other covers mentioned, but I never considered that version of Stairway To Heaven to be particularly making fun of the song. The band obviously put a lot of time into it -- moreso than they did with Sunshine of Your Love or Purple Haze -- to the point that the horn section plays Page's solo note-for-note.
There's a nice bit on one of the live albums (Roxy? YCDTOSA Vol. 2?) where someone in the audience loudly requests Whipping Post. FZ replies that the band doesn't know it. So of course he makes it a point for Whipping Post to show up on Them Or Us.
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moshkito
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 04 2007
Location: Grok City
Status: Offline
Points: 18066
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Posted: March 25 2009 at 13:27 |
Hi,
In my book, Frank Zappa is the least appreciated American musician of the 20th century ... and it is sad.
His musical sense and intelligence is incredible ... and what really gets a lot of people's rats is the fact that he is aware of the seriousness associated with music and the pompousness that comes with being a star, or an idiot ... and he glorifies it in his music with 10 thousand innuendos and fun lyrics.
Upon further reading and study you will find one of the finest musical minds out there ... the incredible amount of work he did and the variation and his ability to flow from one style to another ... while never taking himself so seriously ... made his music ... and work ... special.
It is quite a ompliment that he can get his work performed in Austria ... and in America ... some pompous classical orchestras will not even consider touching ... peaches in regalia!
Personally I like the middle era a lot ... since things like "We're In it for the money" ... really throw a finger in the soup ... about what most of us love to consider "artistic contents" of things like Sgt Pepper's and MM Tour ... and what could be considered (we don't like to admit it much) slightly over zealous and clever lyrics ... not quite poems ... just songs.
But when it comes to "rock music" ... few people could pump it as well ... you chouls have Overnite Sensation and Apostrophe in your collection ... along with Chunga's Revenge and Hot Rats ... for sure.
I always like to dig in with this one ... Frank is so progressive that most people here are afraid to even consider a listen. They could never understand why so many European bands (including the Beatles) used to say that Frank's music was awesome ... I will admit it to you ... it took me a while too !!!
It is specially important that Frank was the ultimate anti-commercial artist ... ALL of his life ... and his music shows it ... and this defined his legacy and a lot of the hatred that many music honchos had in their pants ... this guy was making it despite the music business trash and Rolling Stone making a point of ignoring him and trash him senseless with each album so they could kiss LZ and the Who and ... whoever else as the ultimate musicians and rock artists.
In the end, I think Frank will be known for a lot more ... not in America ... but when you see someone in Austria and Germany play Franks' pieces with other classical music pieces ... it really makes you wonder ... what the fudge am I missing?
One more note ... his wife ... there is no couple in the history of music that was so gracious and wonderful in making sure that many people got through the bad trips and stopped doing drugs and drink ... long before it was fashionable to do so. If you ever want to read about it ... check out Pamela Des Barres book.
The beauty was not just in the music .... it was also in the house!
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29630
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 12:13 |
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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crimhead
Forum Senior Member
VIP Member
Joined: October 10 2006
Location: Missouri
Status: Offline
Points: 19236
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 12:28 |
[QUOTE=Slartibartfast] 
[/QUOTE ] Just something else that the Japanese ripped off and tried to make better.
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zappaholic
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 24 2006
Location: flyover country
Status: Offline
Points: 2822
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 20:18 |
popeyethecat wrote:
Prospero wrote:
His music sucks. It is unfocused and the lyrics are irrelevant. No one should even bother listening to him. |
Are you sure that's a good reason not to listen to something? Because it sounds like a reason TO listen to me 
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The funny thing is, Frank would have agreed with the bolded portion. He more or less said so in his book.
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"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 20:55 |
zappaholic wrote:
popeyethecat wrote:
Prospero wrote:
His music sucks. It is unfocused and the lyrics are irrelevant. No one should even bother listening to him. |
Are you sure that's a good reason not to listen to something? Because it sounds like a reason TO listen to me
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The funny thing is, Frank would have agreed with the bolded portion. He more or less said so in his book.
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He may have considered them irrelevant, but they are nonetheless equal to any in the rock world.
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Prospero
Forum Groupie
Joined: June 06 2008
Location: Quebec
Status: Offline
Points: 91
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 20:58 |
Let me tell you this friends, I am not kidding.
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mrcozdude
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 25 2007
Location: Devon,UK.
Status: Offline
Points: 2078
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 20:59 |
Prospero wrote:
His music sucks. It is unfocused and the lyrics are irrelevant. No one should even bother listening to him.
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I don't like you.
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HolyMoly
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: April 01 2009
Location: Atlanta
Status: Offline
Points: 26138
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Posted: April 01 2009 at 15:19 |
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Been a fan for many years. One of my all-time favorite musicians. Still, I don't listen to him nearly as much as I used to. Nowadays, I heavily prefer stuff like "Lumpy Gravy", "Civilization Phaze III", and the early instrumental stuff. I have pretty much all of the albums though.
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My other avatar is a Porsche
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased.
-Kehlog Albran
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hawkcwg
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 07 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 381
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Posted: April 01 2009 at 22:57 |
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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.
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: April 01 2009 at 23:01 |
Well yes that why it's titled A Small Eternity with Yoko Ono 
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Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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hawkcwg
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 07 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 381
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Posted: April 01 2009 at 23:07 |
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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.
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hawkcwg
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 07 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 381
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Posted: April 01 2009 at 23:08 |
jammun wrote:
Well yes that why it's titled A Small Eternity with Yoko Ono |
God I wouldn't want to live in that Eternity, Lennon's probably in his grave saying thank god i escaped that girl haha.
Edited by hawkcwg - April 01 2009 at 23:08
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moshkito
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 04 2007
Location: Grok City
Status: Offline
Points: 18066
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Posted: April 02 2009 at 11:10 |
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 ... |
I always thought that the Flo & Eddie stuff, was a bit more of Flo and Eddie wanting to get away from their Turtles history (big hits on radio) than it was about anything else ... and who better to play with but Frank Zappa.
Flo and Eddie, hardly make 200 Motels look bad or be bad! It's still a phenomenal movie with great music, the kind that radio audiences can't handle, of course! I will have some more respect for American Idiot when they do a Frank Zappa night ... and the contestants will be dressed and re-hearsed by Flo and Eddie ... or Pamela des Barres!
That said, they really added to the LA radio stuff/scene of the time, and it made sense ... and while not something a Turtles fan would by, still was classic for many other folks. It was similar, when a few years before this, another famous group tried to get away from their cardboard image ... the Monkees ... and they also had a movie that preceeded 200 Motels, but probably in the same vein ... Head ... which I would love to see ..
Speaking of that ... I have a couple of videos I have not seen released on DVD ... Uncle Meat and one other ... and I'm sorry that I'm too ignorant to have paid attention to these titles! I think I found them on a pile of garbage music!
Go figure! Perfect place ... lousy editorial!
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darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
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Posted: April 02 2009 at 11:32 |
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^^^^^ you mean the ROXY VIDEO!
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weetabix
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 20 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 170
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Posted: April 03 2009 at 07:27 |
Billy was a mountain
Ethel was a tree growing off
of his shoulder.
Whats your opinion on 200 Motels?
When Freak Out came out I was in awe.
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hawkcwg
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 07 2008
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 381
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Posted: April 03 2009 at 09:55 |
weetabix wrote:
Billy was a mountain
Ethel was a tree growing off
of his shoulder.
Whats your opinion on 200 Motels?
When Freak Out came out I was in awe. |
I LOVE THAT SONG! 
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LiquidEternity
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 07 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 900
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Posted: April 04 2009 at 00:32 |
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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?
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Frank Zappa, opinions?
