Zappa: Where to Start?
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3512
Printed Date: November 27 2024 at 00:38
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Topic: Zappa: Where to Start?
Posted By: the musical box
Subject: Zappa: Where to Start?
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 10:55
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Ive never really liked the guy personally, i find he's incredibly overrated, and overuses his humour but anyways... My local record store just got a huge amount of used Zappa discs in, where should i start? Any symphonic ones? ------------- something pretentious |
Replies:
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 11:14
| I would start at Sheik Yerbouti. That album kicks butt. |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 11:20
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There are some good compilations - Strictly Commercial collects his more accessible work, and Have I Offended Someone? collects his funniest moments. There are also a couple of good low budget samplers called Cheep Thrills and Son Of Cheep Thrills, which are a bit more eclectic in their approach. He didn't really do symphonic prog, but the double CD Make A Jazz Noise Here is largely instrumental and features a big band/small orchestra ripping through some old favourites. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: Manunkind
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 11:31
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Start with Varese... Hot Rats would be a good choice. The humor is in the notes themselves. There are almost no vocals and the musicians deliver the most astounding solos. Zappa's guitar is definitely NOT overrated ------------- "In war there is no time to teach or learn Zen. Carry a strong stick. Bash your attackers." - Zen Master Ikkyu Sojun |
Posted By: maani
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 11:55
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TMB: I got into Zappa late, through "Apostrophe." I then heard "Overnite Sensation" and "One Size Fits All." Only after hearing these three middle-period albums did I go back and listen to earlier classics like Hot Rats, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, etc. Then I got into later stuff like Sheik Yerbouti et al. Trust me. Try Apostrophe first. It has three of Zappa's most brilliant cuts: Don't Eat The Yellow Snow, Stinkfoot, and Cozmik Debris. Peace. |
Posted By: Joren
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 11:59
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Overrated? But maani is right. Apostrophe and over-nite sensation are good starters. For more recommendations, just read the last paragraph of the bio I wrote: Good luck and HAVE FUN! |
the musical box wrote:
Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 12:13
YOU ARE WHAT YOU IS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: Trotsky
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 12:59
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Grand Wazoo or Hot Rats
------------- "Death to Utopia! Death to faith! Death to love! Death to hope?" thunders the 20th century. "Surrender, you pathetic dreamer.” "No" replies the unhumbled optimist "You are only the present." |
Posted By: greenback
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 13:08
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you are what you is is great. i recommend studio tan for a complex funny sympathic experience. i like very much his modern sound, from joe's garage to jazz from hell ------------- [HEADPINS - LINE OF FIRE: THE RECORD HAVING THE MOST POWERFUL GUITAR SOUND IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF MUSIC!> |
Posted By: JrKASperov
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 13:09
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I find roxy in elsewhere(the live album) also a fine one to get into. Very easy to listen, and funky.
------------- Epic. |
Posted By: Joren
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 13:36
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One of my favourites! |
Posted By: the musical box
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 13:39
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Thanks alot for The suggestions guys; i'll take Maani's suggestion and buy "Apostrophe" next week, and budget permitting, i'll try to get "Hot Rats" as well. Thanks: Keep the suggestions coming! Also: Any Neil Young fans on the board? My college English prof. just lent me "Unplugged" and "Trans", and i find them both very interesting. Any suggestions? ------------- something pretentious |
Posted By: Gabito
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 13:50
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Apostrophe & Overnight Sensation to begin... agree. Hot Rats? Yes!! Awesome album... And later ones as Sheik Sherbouti, Joe's Garage or Tinseltown Rebelion (this is a good one!) are very good choices as well... By the way, Zappa is not underrated... He's a complete musical genious! Regards ------------- it doesn't matter in which stripe you shot a zebra, it will die anyway |
Posted By: DallasBryan
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 14:25
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start with Apostrophe and OverNite Sensations, then
you might try - Hot Rats, One Size Fits All, Grand Wazoo(symphonic), Sheik Yerbouti. Strickly Commericial is a good sampler! Neil Young just released his first one disc Greatest Hits and it is THE best place to start. Decade(2CD comp) has Cortez the Killer(which I miss on the new one) but sound quality is very poor, Decade has never been remastered and some of Neils stuff was not recorded well(or scorched masters), so I wouldnt recommend it. |
Posted By: Rob The Plant
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 17:50
Okay man, I'll make sure to get "Apostrophe" tommorow.  ------------- Collaborators will take your soul. |
Posted By: mirco
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 17:55
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A little disgression: I read somewhere that Neil Young is the father of Grunge. It is right? ------------- Please forgive me for my crappy english! |
Posted By: AngelRat
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 17:57
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Avoid all samplers/compilations, they do no justice to this genius. Get 'YCDTOSA Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert'. One of his best gigs ever, committed to cd especially for you. To enjoy. -------------  |
Posted By: Glass-Prison
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 18:12
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You can't do that on stage anymore! great live albums, if you can find them ------------- Sun Tsu said: To fight and conquer in your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. Sun Tsu: The art of War |
Posted By: Joren
Date Posted: February 08 2005 at 20:02
They are very "findable" here in the Netherlands. No problem! 
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Posted By: Emperor
Date Posted: February 09 2005 at 02:10
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If you're mostly a fan of Progressive, it's better to start with those Zappa's albums which are closer to Classical Progressive Rock (I also prefer them, BTW): Zoot Allures, Shiek Yerbouti, Tinsell Town Rebellion and Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch. ------------- I Prophesy Disaster... |
Posted By: DallasBryan
Date Posted: February 09 2005 at 02:14
Joren is a wise man 
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Posted By: Alucard
Date Posted: February 09 2005 at 06:26
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Zappa considered his life and work as a "conceptual continuity", so it doesn't really matter where you start, either you love it or you don't. Nevertheless try the Black Page drum solo on New York, a big dance tune! |
Posted By: Hangedman
Date Posted: February 09 2005 at 19:49
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. If you did that, oh man, so funny... Posted By: CrimsonKing
Date Posted: March 04 2005 at 23:06
right. ------------- RED EYE |
Posted By: Eddy
Date Posted: March 04 2005 at 23:41
| well i no buig fan either, but his more musical ones(hot rats) is one good prog peice! if your into jazz(like i am!) get the grand wazoo! thats my fav of his. if you want to get deep into frank zappa probly want to start out witrh shake your but a or whatever |
Posted By: Jimbo
Date Posted: March 05 2005 at 04:34
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I started with Apostrophe' and it's still my favourite Zappa album. So I'd start with that.
------------- 
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