I vote Genius, others may disagree. The man encapsulated more into the average album than most artists manage in a career. The juxtaposition of fine musicians with fine performances of compositions featuring high statistical densities allied to a wicked and often warped sense of humour, has always appealed. Of course, it's a mixed bag, but I've always believed that there's something in there for everyone.

So, what's your opinion, and why?

jtc

I rate him as a person and his thoughts very highly, one of this worlds few people that thought freely and he lived his life exactly as he wanted to.

His music, to me, is completely uninteresting.

JohanR

First album I bought. Wonderful music; appalling recording. Never explored his other stuff; odd.

Paul

Heard a could of his albums, but nothing really stood out.

there are people that make music and there are people that think they are making music because they can play an instrument and are very opinionated. I tend to listen to the former.

must be another two-bottle evening !!

The man himself is one of my heroes - his book 'The Real Frank Zappa Book' is a thoroughly entertaining insight into his life and well deserving of your attention.

Musically, he made so many albums that there are bound to be a few bad apples - for every piece of brilliance like 'Joe's Garage' and 'Thing Fish' there is an impenetrable melange like 'Uncle Meat' or 'Lumpy Gravy'. Even these albums contain a few good tracks however.

BTW - all his stuff has been digitally remastered to excellent levels. For a good intro to the man for those of you who shun compilations, go out and get 'Sheik Yerbouti' or 'Overnite Sensation'.

The question isn't whether FZ was a genius, that's beyond dispute.

The question is are you up to hearing what he did?

For me, I must admit some of the Mothers albums are a style too far. But I am feverishly mad about a lot of it. And the guy is one of the funniest lyricists of all time.

MarkW

For me, I must admit some of the Mothers albums are a style too far. But I am feverishly mad about a lot of it. And the guy is one of the funniest lyricists of all time.

That sums it up beautifully for me.

I had the great joy of revisiting a load of his albums last night after receiving my stackof Nagaoka sleeves and embarking upon a re-sleeving session that lasted some hours (thanks Alan).

There is so much to enjoy, even down to the sleeve notes.

Dave

Dave J

Sounds like you had a fine evening indeed.

One last point: Not everything FZ did succeeded. But he tried. He pushed his compositional skills, he pushed the idioms he worked in and he pushed his musicians. How many other "rock" musicians can lay a similar claim on posterity? Embarrassingly few.

End of micro-rant.

MarkW

I'd agree with you, Mark. I'm not the biggest fan of his guitar playing style but there are times when can be exquisite - 'Black Napkins' and 'Zoot Allures' getting a couple of additional plays last night.

Dave

Dave,
Those two tracks are superb examples of the mellower side to his guitar playing, although he never really did the mad axe hero bit.

I was a relatively late starter to most of Zappa's stuff, having initially failed to see the attraction but there were so many sides to his music, I think most people would find something of interest, somewhere.

The only bits I struggle with tend to be some of his mid 80s output, that hasn't worn well, but even then, the musicians he had playing it were so accomplished, that you can forget the trite or un-PC lyrics.

Ed.

...if it ain't one thing, it's another...
...in the middle of the night when you get home...

...is pure genius, there can be no denying it. I always had a soft spot for "The Man from Utopia" as it was the album that got me into FZ in the first place - back in the mid eighties when I were a spotty teenager... it's a damned shame that the remix changed so much, I always thought that "Luigi and the Wise Guys" wasn't worth having over the un-bastardised version of "Sex".

Hated that damned Synclavier, though, horrible thing, yeuch!

jtc

Yellow Shark.....Yellow Shark.....Yellow Shark......Yellow Shark.....Yellow Shark.....

With you all the way, Dave. Yellow Shark....and so on...

Ironically, for a big Zappa fan, I never took to "The Yellow Shark". I had a chance to see the performance in London in around 1996, but stupidly passed it up. Of course, this was post Frank but still,...

I'll dig it out again and have another listen. Maybe it'll work better for me having not heard it in a while...

jtc

How could I forget...."Everything's Healing Nicely"

regards,

dave