frank zappa

Input Tune of the Fatman
61

I have a bunch downloaded but I keep listening to the beach boys / Brian wilson instead

2 Likes
62

a zappa band sans zappa (while he was recovering from injuries)

god i love howard kaylan’s voice. unbelievable

2 Likes
63

Feels like a (sadly) timely post but Flo and Eddie covering Darlin’

1 Like
64

Strictly Genteel (Live At Royce Hall, 1975)

2 Likes
65

Strictly Genteel might be one of my favourite pieces even though it’s a rough parody of kitsch film music. It’s never really had a performance I’d call definitive but London Symphony Orchestra comes close. I think it’s a shame it’s never had a lyric version that’s ‘played straight’ sonce Zappa seemed to love returning to it so much

2 Likes
66

the 200 motels finale earlier in the thread is for me absolutely definitive. the silliness is part of the character - i.e. 200 motels is playing it straight - nearly all the instrumental “strictly genteel” versions lose even the irony in the title

the non-lyrical element of it is absolutely gorgeous tho.

i also don’t think it really detracts in any way that it was originally parody - a lot of his music was satirical or parodic but it never prevented him from giving otherwordly effort. it was all serious, all the time

2 Likes
67

his insistence on “anything anytime anyplace for no reason at all” and conceptual continuity are also why sometimes you really can’t get around engaging with the lyrics in order to engage with the work.

… and also sometimes the lyrics really are just some dumb shit lol

2 Likes
68

i could probably find a better way to put the above sentiments, it’s a bit cloudy, but i’ll maybe come back to that later. for now, i wanna point to this one site that is really good

they have all the zappa rarities. unreleased albums, leaked rehearsal tapes, high quality videos. i also have amassed quite a collection recently, hit me up if you need something weird

69

My absurdly petty gripe with the 200 Motels version is just the recording quality is a bit too poor to enjoy the lyrics etc. agreed about parody generally, think I just mean that I don’t generally love kitsch film music itself. Bogus Pomp is also enjoyable for the same reason.

1 Like
70

I promised to top 10 ages ago so I feel I should deliver:

  • We are Only In It For the Money
  • Roxy & Elsewhere
  • One Size Fits All
  • Ship Arriving To Late to Save a Drowning Witch
  • Thing-Fish
  • Playground Psychotics
  • The Grand Wazoo
  • Civilisation Phaze III
  • Joe’s Garage
  • Zappa in New York

Freak Out!, Francesco Zappa, You Are What You Is, Lumpy Gravy, Make a Jazz Noise Here, and Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention are close runners up.

1 Like
71

Ensemble Ambrosius have a good and approachable cover album mainly done with a chamber orchestra that’s worth a listen, casual or otherwise.

1 Like
72

your list including both Thing-Fish AND (almost including) Francesco Zappa is incredible. i love it! you have unique taste and i am here for it. i was just listening to Francesco today and it has such a sweetness to it. it’s also just funny, on multiple levels. does humor belong in music?? lol. people really love to shit on that one. maybe i’m just partial to the sound of the synclavier

1 Like
73

i basically can’t make a list because it would honestly be easier to pick out the ones that aren’t 10/10 for me, at least all the way up until about '82

74

It’s hard making the distinction between live and studio work as well since the lifework often has an energy that feels unfair to compare some of the studio stuff too. Even though it doesn’t breach my top 10 I feel like the 88 tour is an incredible combination of everything that makes Zappa’s music good, good production/recording, excellent solos, really tight transitions, absurd running jokes that cause the band to break and laugh with each other. Set lists also had a good mix of original content, covers, and deep cuts. It’s a shame that tour had such a horrible working relationship behind-the-scenes since it seems like they were really having fun on stage.

1 Like
75

i realized recently that i love a lot of the unreleased/alternate stuff equally as much, if not more than the more readily available stuff

lumpy gravy primordial mix
we’re only in it for the money '67 acetate
uncle meat '69 LP mix
ruben and the jets '69 LP mix
the '69 artisan acetate
JABFLA 2LP version with the Billy the Mountain solos
crush all boxes

76

not really frank related but dweezil breaking down some EVH guitar technique in super-slo-mo is elucidating