IMO - Zappa is the better lead guitarist, while Prince is the better rhythm guitarist.

Zappa was a far more sophisticated music artist than Prince (not necessarily better, just more musically advanced as a composer/ arranger/ bandleader), and led some of the best rock/ jazz-rock bands ever.

I'd put Zappa up there with James Brown as a tyrannical/ perfectionist bandleader. Prince is an excellent bandleader, but far more pop-centred as an artist.

Other than both being prolific/ obsessive studio residents, with little apparent life outside music, I'd say they have little in common.

Before i go on, .. i love Prince and have since `84 when i was 7 yrs old. His skill as an overall instrumentalist is phenomenal and as a live performer he is stunning.....however, Zappa wrote music that Prince simply cannot rival. I have listened to both since i was a child and it has taken me years to come to the conclusion that zappa is a far more developed musician and composer - purely because i was too young / ignorant to appreciate what was going on. Listen to the black page / Alien Orifice / Sinister Footwear II. There is no way Prince could play this stuff (or would probably want to)
They are totally different in approach and desired output. Prince writes excellent "songs" and can jam like no-one else when it is time for the funk! These songs however tend to stay very within the regular laws of music theory. The result is quite a standard and predictable type of music (although truly excellent)
Zappa wrote compositions as well as songs. Key / Time signature / structure has no boundary.
I used to be 100% Prince - then i heard the break in St Alphonso's pancake breakfast from Apostrophe. Ludicrous complexity but pure Frank. (This is not showing off - just a neccessary part of the piece)
Give it a try!
A

I may be interviewing Dweezil this month to promote the Zappa Plays Zappa show in LA. Anything you'd want to ask him?

bobzilla77 said:

I'd be curious if, as he continues with the Zappa plays Zappa shows, he's going to try and enlist more musicians that his father worked with. I love the idea of new musicians interpreting the music, but having NMB, occasionally Steve Vai or Dale Bozzio on hand, really helped with giving the band a historical context on this last tour.

I'm psyched about the DVD. I also think it's a great start for Zappa inductees, even if it isn't technically Frank. It's his music being performed with a little reverence. The Dweezil show didn't have the 'chaotic' feel I get from watching / listening to Frank's shows, but had an intense focus on the music.

Zappa and Prince are the two greatest artists ever

These artists are so similiar in many ways. They are my two favs artists ever.

Zappa's vault is amazing. Literally thousands of master tapes. Every show, every studio session, every t.v performance.

before i got into zappa i thought Prince had the largest body of work and was the most obsessive musician but zappa easily takes the cake.

Any zappa fans will know how similiar these two artists are. After reading books, interviews etc their behaviour was very much the same.
Both great guitarists.
Both obsessive workaholics.
Both have large vaults.
Both taped every show.
Both changed groups every few years.
Both composed their own music.
Both cold and emotionless(for the most part)
Both expressed a huge interest in sex via music.
Both have had bandmates say horrible things; very similiar things.
Both work all night; eat little; sleep in the day only a few hours.
Both found it hard forming human relationships. They put their music first.
Both were on WB and expressed disgust at one pint towards the label.
Both released albums yearly and wnated to release them every few months.

Obviously there were differences but the work pattern and treatment of others were very much the same. I can't think of any other artists who had as many songs in a short period of time and worked non stop; i mean literally nearly every waking hour.

jimmypageisapedo said:

Stevie Wonder is better than both of em

jimmypageisapedo said:

Stevie Wonder is better than both of em

I may be interviewing Dweezil this month to promote the Zappa Plays Zappa show in LA. Anything you'd want to ask him?

krayzie said:

yeah that is a funny statement

jimmypageisapedo said:

Because that's true

krayzie said:

So is the Bible.

Prince is an excellent bandleader, but far more pop-centred as an artist.

Other than both being prolific/ obsessive studio residents, with little apparent life outside music, I'd say they have little in common.

and your user name sux

As an aside, I would tentatively suggest that Zappa and the Mothers were an important early influence on George Clinton's anarchic humour. When I listen to some of Zappa's crazed lyrics of the late '60s - mid '70s and then hear what GC was doing with Parliament, I hear parallels.

I'd say GC saw FZ's warped world view as a template and ran with it in his own directions, giving us Doctor Funkenstein et al. Also both men had roots in doo-wop groups (FZ as a fan/ '60s doo wop pasticher and GC as a doo-wop singer).

Parts of Funkadelic's 'America Eats Its Young' album sound Zappa-esque to me.

Good old George Clinton. He had wide open ears back then, whatever other stuff he was doin' at the time .

As an aside, I would tentatively suggest that Zappa and the Mothers were an important early influence on George Clinton's anarchic humour. When I listen to some of Zappa's crazed lyrics of the late '60s - mid '70s and then hear what GC was doing with Parliament, I hear parallels.

I'd say GC saw FZ's warped world view as a template and ran with it in his own directions, giving us Doctor Funkenstein et al. Also both men had roots in doo-wop groups (FZ as a fan/ '60s doo wop pasticher and GC as a doo-wop singer).

Parts of Funkadelic's 'America Eats Its Young' album sound Zappa-esque to me.

Good old George Clinton. He had wide open ears back then, whatever other stuff he was doin' at the time .

Miles said:

Interesting potential connection.

I see more of an influence from the look and celestial musings of...






...Sun Ra and his Arkestra.



But i'd still like to know, Who Are The Brain Police?

I see more of an influence from the look and celestial musings of...



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However, on the strength of the above cool photo, I almost feel the need to write an in-depth analysis of the potential commonalities between Sun Ra and that other flamboyant king of the keyboard ... Liberace!!

Miles said:

Ouch.

Without saying too much, personally they'd have very little in common.



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431