Alrighty...

I have heard everyone sing his praises and I don't own, nor have I heard a single thing from the man (including sound samples from other sites) I truly have virgin ears when it comes to this dude. A lot of artists that I love dig him and several of you seem to dig him too. Even though I loves my soul music, I ain't scurred to venture out into "other". So with that said, what would you recommend I start with?
[Edited 10/3/04 17:29pm]

If you're into great guitar playing, "Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar" is a fine place to start. It's a three CD package (maybe about 25-30 bucks), but well worth it.

There's also an autobiography that's funny as hell. I forget the name (read it at the local library) but Frank's unique sense of humor shines throughout the book.

His son Dweezil is a kick-ass player, too. More into the Eddie Van Halen mode. Used to date Lisa Loeb (lucky bastard). I was just going through my collection of "Happy Hour" episodes (a show he and his brother Ahmet used to host). There was always a "Dweezil guitar moment" during the show. Along with the fly-ass dancers (especially Staci Flood ) I was in heaven...

typically the most "accessable" albums were the mid 70's albums.
like:
overnight sensation
apostrohe
one size fits all
roxy and elsewhere
for a first time listener, i would probably recomend apostrophe or one size fits all.
i agree the shut up'n play yer guitar is brilliant, but it is all instrumental, all guitar solos, and so a bit much for the uniniitiated

gail, his wife, and dweezil, his son, just released a new disc (sept 13, 2004) via the zappa.com web site that is really great, called quaudiophiliac. it is a complilation of stuff, very cool. but it's one of those dvd-audio, meaning it is an audio release, but only plays on dvd players. but it rocks.

Boy,

First let me just say that I was unfamiliar with Frank Zappa's work two years ago.

Then a post (not very replied to) mentioned Frank Zappa and asked who liked him. Someone else mentioned "Bobby Brown Rocks!".

I wouldn't have thought much about it, except by coincidence, not a day later, a friend of mine asked me if I was familiar with Frank Zappa. The timing was uncanny, and it stuck in my head.

Then about two days later I was at a used CD store and I decided to see if Zappa had anything. There was one CD, Strictly Commercial, so I picked it up. The record store guy said "you're very lucky. This CD just came in today, and his CDs never last long." Good sign for me, and it also explained how they could sell a used CD for $18!!!

So, I heard it, and I thought there was some pretty good stuff. I was particularly intrigued by the guitar, since it was the most accessible thing about his work, and I was also interested in the way he played rock, but it didn't sound like the classic rock I normally listened to.

All in all, I was pleased, but not blown away.
As the days went on, I continued to peruse used CD stores and find more of his stuff. I'd usually listen to it before buying it, once again be intrigued but not blown away, buy it, take it home and be satisfied with my purchase. I started researching him online, checking out what all the essential albums were, and picking them up when they became available at used CD stores. He started to grow on me, and then I went back to the earlier albums I bought which became much greater than I first reallized.

Eventually I bought some of his earliest works, the absolutely essential Hot Rats, some live CDs and the Baby Snakes DVD, the first time I ever saw him. I mean actually him, a video of him.

Today, Frank Zappa has been accorded the high esteem of being tied with Prince as my favourite artist. I've never counted, but I own probably 40 of his albums if not more, and I am pleased with virtually all of them (except maybe Uncle Meat, which is a bunch of useless sounds a la musique concrete and some rambling dialogue from an experimental movie).

I can't reccomend an album of his that will take your breath away. I can't identify one single classic that every person must have, and there is no way that I can guarantee everybody will like even one of his many many albums. I just recommend you do what I do, and be patient with him and his music. Do your research first, buy a couple of his more accessible albums, and see where you want to go from there. Strictly Commercial is a good launching pad for his catalogue, but it nowhere near scratches the service of his diverse and exciting catalogue. Best of luck, and happy hunting!

I was just listening to "I'm The Slime" a few days ago.

If you are discovering Zappa for the first time you're in for a treat!
He's one of a rare breed of musicians that will continue to astound you with almost every album release...
My first Zappa cd was Absolutely Free (from 1967)(bought it in 1992) from the opening lines to the closing the album blew me away. It was so cool, strange funny, political it had great guitar playing, lots of psychedelica ...
it made me wanna know more about this Zappa dude so i bought Apostrophe / Over nite Sensation (they were 2 albums on 1 cd) ... Again I was blown away by the wit of Yellow Snow, the solo's and the sheer class of the albums...
That did it I had to own all he ever created...
Nowadays I have all Zappa cd's and even own all Zappa lp's the only period I don't like as much as the other cycles is the Flo and Eddie period... They tended to destroy the music with their whining and screaming

But anyways you can divide Zappa's wor in 4 categories:

1. The mothers of Invention period, where the music was weird , some albums: Freak Out, Absolutely free and Uncle Meat
2. The rock years, where Zappa played a mean guitar and enthralled audiences all over the world with albums like : Over nite Sensation, One Size Fits All
3. The political, dumb years, where Zappa was overtly critical of almost everything.. Albums include You Are What You Is, Sheik Yerbouti and Thing Fish
4. The Classic/Synclavier years where Zappa made instrumental classical compostions in his own music concrete way, albums include: Yellow Shark, Civilization part 3

A bit of a genius as far as i am concerned. Quite the guitar player. If ur'e into that sort of thing (like me) and haven't heard anything by Zappa, i urge u 2 go and find something that has his name attached 2 it. U may b pleasantly surprised, like i once was.

I too am a Frank Zappa virgin. I'll have to check some of these suggestions out. Because.....guitar.....

Hot Rats. is one of my favorites and is a good one to start with. It is really innovative compared to the other music of that time (1969). You had Sgt. Peppers innovating one way and hot Rats in a completely different way.

Pretty cool. Plus them drum soundz is bangin, specially for 69.

Witness
[Edited 10/4/04 10:26am]

Yup, I think the ones most people have named:

Hot Rats and Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation are good to start off with....

(BTW, if you come across an early George Duke album called Feel(1974), you can hear Zappa playing some nice guitar in a funk/fusion context( he goes under the psuedonym " Obdewl X" on the album...)
[Edited 10/4/04 9:19am]

paligap said:

I agree with Pali. Also though, u should DEFINATELY check out "Shut yp and play yer guitar". And "Mothers Of Invention" albums are great as well.

paligap said:

Exactly

minneapolisgenius said:

Aw man!!!!

You gotta hear:

Black Napkins
Filty Habits
Inca Roads
Slime of the Video
Zomby Woof
Cosmic Debris
Village of the sun
Muffin man (live Bongo Fury).....
.....
.....



Shit, I started out with Overnite sensation, next thing I know I had invested $200 dollars into a Zappa collection! It's been worth every penny too!! nod:

Though, if you want to hear some bad ass guitar, you have to check out "you can't do that on stage anymore Vol 2." and Bongo Fury and Roxy and Elsewhere! and and and and and and and

magnificentsynthesizer667 said:

grrrr...I want it now!

Seriously though, I really will get some of what you (and everyone else) listed. I'll be in S.F. on Wednesday, and that means: Amoeba Records! (I never buy anything in Holland. Too expensive.)

Thanks youz guys . I'm gonna start my quest for Hot Rats and Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation

JesseDezz said:

Probably this one...

The Real Frank Zappa Book

A great read.
(My copy is somewhere in Japan after having lent it to a friend)

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

You've gotten some excellent suggestions so far.
This one magnificentsynthesizer667 suggested is live and has a bit of almost everything that is Zappa.


ROXY & ELSEWHERE

Jeff Simmons (vocals, guitar)
Napolean Murphy Brock (vocals, flute, tenor saxophone)
George Duke (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer)
Walt Fowler (trumpet)
Bruce Fowler (trombone)
Don Preston (synthesizer)
Ruth Underwood (percussion)
Tom Fowler (bass)
Chester Thompson, Ralph Humphrey (drums).

What many people don't know is that his ultimate goal was to be taken seriously as a legitimate symphonic composer.
Edgard Varèse, Igor Stravinsky and Karlheinz Stockhausen have been quoted as his classical influences.

For a taste of that, try this one.

The Yellow Shark


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

I've heard that his best album is We're Only in It For the Money. That's the one I've been looking for as I am also a Zappa virgin.

jacktheimprovident said:

I think someone gave you some misinformation. But it is subjective isn't it?

theAudience said:

That's the one Yo!!!!

He does most of the same songs on You can't do that on stage anymore vol.1 Though, both of them are incredible YCDTOSA is more polished and much cleaner! But, I prefer the rawness of Roxy. It's much more intimate also.




I had this cd for about a week then loaned it out to this honey I was dating at the time, I haven't heard it since I've lost contact with her. I need to go looking through my rolodex. It never got a chance to sink in.

jacktheimprovident said:

+++++

we're only in it for the money would be a "difficult" first album for a zappa virgin. for really early stuff i suggest - absolutely free. which was the album the directly preceeded woiiftm.

I have been readingf alot about Zappa on here and people with whom I speak to about music have been really telling me I should check him out.I haven't heard anything by him except "valley girl".I plan on looking for some of this.

Dweezil was on the radio here a few months ago. He was interesting and I thought about checking his dad out then,but like,Sun Ra,I just don't know where to begin.The catalogues are so massive.Any suggestions for Sun Ra?

rockwilder said:

Did somebody say Sun Ra?

Well, Sun Ra's an adventure! Are you looking for something wild or something tame?

well, speaking of fz, i just went back to zappa.com site, and there is yet another new release. the quaudiophiliac dvd/audio was released in sept 2004, now a month later a new release, called joe's domage. the set list is from the 72 band. it doesn't give details, but is either grand wazoo or petite wazoo material, or at least some of it is from that era. i, of course, just ordered it. the last few releases on "vaulternative records" have been very good indeed should anyone be interested, check them out.

theAudience said:

I remember when that book came out. It was printed before he passed. I sure it probably is funny as hell. I may have to check it out.

medoc2003 said:

Thanks for the info, just ordered them
Did you like the Joe's Corsage??
I found it very interesting

starbuck said:

+++

the early version of plastic people (louie louie version), my baby, and hitch hike were well worth it. however, quaudiophiliac is much better.

magnificentsynthesizer667 said:

rockwilder said:

You're trying to say something, I just can't figure it out.