The Zappa Thread

[Ultimetalhead]

Man, Joe's Garage took the most time of any album I've ever heard to "click" and become massively enjoyable, but my god it's awesome. I know there's a lot of theory that the story was just sort of shoehorned into a bunch of unrelated music, but I think it flows alarmingly well anyway.

And the drums. Jesus christ.

[bout to crash]

Yeah, my understanding was that a lot of the Scrutinizer parts were added later and stuff to make stuff flow better, but I also love it 

[Mosh]

All I know is they have all the ones I have (44 now I think) and a LOT that I don't.

Are you in the USA? I don't know about other countries but US spotify only has everything that was part of the recent remaster campaign. So a LOT of the posthumous albums are missing.

[Ultimetalhead]

All I know is they have all the ones I have (44 now I think) and a LOT that I don't.

Are you in the USA? I don't know about other countries but US spotify only has everything that was part of the recent remaster campaign. So a LOT of the posthumous albums are missing.

I'm in the USA, yeah. I wasn't sure of the general consensus about the posthumous albums. I've always ignored them (mostly because I already have plenty of Zappa to digest). Are they actually good?

[Mosh]

Some are good, some are not so good. It really depends on what you want. For example: The recent Finer Moments is a great early Mothers recording and is a must if you want more from that lineup, Hammersmith is a great recording from the Belew/Sheik Yer Bouti era, and Carnegie Hall has some great Flo and Eddie stuff (including a 40 minute rendition of Billy the Mountain). I would suggest starting by deciding which lineups/eras you like the most and then finding posthumous albums from those times. They're really great if you want more material from a particular era. Or if you're a Zappa nut like me who can't get enough after 62 albums.

[Ultimetalhead]

I'm particularly fond of the mid-70s lineup (Roxy, YCDTOSA vol. 2, etc.). Any good ones from that time period?

[Mosh]

The complete Roxy show was released this year, I haven't got to it yet but it's Roxy and I can't imagine them messing that one up. There's Dub Room Special and A Token Of His Extreme, on both DVD and CD, those are both musts for fans of that period. Then there's Road Tapes #2, which was recorded in Helsinki the same year as YCDTOSA, but features the great Jean Luc Ponty on violin. These are all worth checking out IMO.

[Ultimetalhead]

I still haven't listened to Roxy By Proxy. I really have no idea why as Roxy's one of my favorite Zappa albums.

[Cyclopssss]

You shold! It´s Resplended! It´s Roxy with bells on!!  The band is in fine, fine form on this.

[Nihil-Morari]

21 years 


Bought Them or Us, my 91st Zappa album. Got a couple on both CD and vinyl, and a couple of bootlegs, I guess I've got about 70 of his official releases now.

[sneakyblueberry]

Isn't 70 almost all of the official releases?

God, I haven't listened to Zappa in so long.  I will remedy this.

[Nihil-Morari]

Fix it!


No, 99 official releases so far. Far out!

[sneakyblueberry]

Je-heeee-sus!!! 

[sneakyblueberry]

Just listened to my favourite - One Size Fits All.

I'll be damned if Inca Roads doesn't just fix everything.  <3

[Mosh]

One Size Fits All was my introduction to Zappa. Bought the album on a whim (chose it because I had heard Inca Roads before) and I was floored. Became a Zappa nut instantly. Gotta say though, since getting some fantastic live versions of that material on Best Band and YCDTOSA 2, I haven't gone back to that album in a very long time.

[Nihil-Morari]

The Stage 2 version is great, as is the version on A Token of my Extreme. That song is really everything a Zappa song needs, great groovy stuff, a hard section and an always changing solo. One of my favorites.

[Ultimetalhead]

One Size Fits All fucking rules. It took much longer to sink in for me than some of the other 70s material, but I love it now.

[bout to crash]

Oh man, I totally forgot yesterday was Frank's death-day (and I had no internets to remind me) but I was listening to the Mothers all day! Weird.

 

I think I'm almost ready to get my Zappa tramp stamp.

[Nihil-Morari]

Oh man, I totally forgot yesterday was Frank's death-day (and I had no internets to remind me) but I was listening to the Mothers all day! Weird.

 

I think I'm almost ready to get my Zappa tramp stamp.

You're getting a Zappa tattoo? The moustache would be cool, especially for a woman. BTW, I really think we need a Zappa-emoticon on DTF.

[bout to crash]

Ha! I agree.

And yes, I was planning on getting the mustache on my lower back, because it's a very cliche tattoo spot for women but that particular image would be anything but cliche 
I also was considering getting lyrics or something else on the sides of it but not sure yet.

[Nihil-Morari]

"What's the ugliest part of your body"

Oh man, there are tons of cool quotes and lyrics you could use. I agree that spot, combined with that tattoo is really cool.

[bout to crash]

Yeah, so many possibilities! I'll start thinking about it soon, but open to suggestions

[Ultimetalhead]

"Don't come in me, in me Don't come in me, in me..."

I'll let myself out.

[bout to crash]

 

[jammindude]

Left side of the mustache: "Why if she were my daughter I'd....."   Right side of the mustache:  "What would you do, daddy?"

Too far? 

 

[bout to crash]

 

Oh man, that would be amazing.

[Nihil-Morari]

 

[Ultimetalhead]

Left side of the mustache: "Why if she were my daughter I'd....."   Right side of the mustache:  "What would you do, daddy?"

Too far? 

 

Jesus. 

[Phoenix87x]

Just heard Black Napkins...

Holy shit 

[Orbert]

Black Napkins is awesome.  Zoot Allures is a bit uneven for me, with some absolute favorites (Black Napkins, The Torture Never Stops) and a few that I could live without.

[Ultimetalhead]

Torture Never Stops is so fucking great. ZPZ opened with it and totally fucking nailed it.

[Mosh]

I've never been a fan of Torture Never Stops, especially on that album.

Black Napkins is great, as is the title track and Find Her Finer. Everything else is a bit forgettable. And on top of that, like I mentioned with One Size Fits All, the best tracks here have far superior live versions that make the studio ones obsolete.

[Nihil-Morari]

I've never been a fan of Torture Never Stops, especially on that album.

Black Napkins is great, as is the title track and Find Her Finer. Everything else is a bit forgettable. And on top of that, like I mentioned with One Size Fits All, the best tracks here have far superior live versions that make the studio ones obsolete.

'Torture' is a hit or miss with me... There are wonderful versions (off the top of my head New York, Buffalo, Philly) mainly because of great solo's, and a great atmosphere. But there are bad versions too. I've never liked any of the monotonous versions (like on Stage 4), and when it doesn't lift off, it's mainly a jam in A minor (again off the top of my head)

As for Zoot Allures: I mainly dislike the sound of the record. 6 of the songs have really become live classics, but I rarely play the record.

In other news: I've been reading Freak Out! - My life with Frank Zappa, by Pauline Butcher. It's a good book about Zappa, she's describing him as a god, in everything he does. She was a British secretary, not a musician or music lover at all, who eventually moved in with Frank and Gail. It's fun to read some of the more personal stuff, mostly about people showing up at his house. (Eric Clapton drops by, states his name, and she says 'oh great, and what do you play?') Some cool anekdotes, and a very light read.

[Podaar]

In other news: I've been reading Freak Out! - My life with Frank Zappa, by Pauline Butcher. It's a good book about Zappa, she's describing him as a god, in everything he does. She was a British secretary, not a musician or music lover at all, who eventually moved in with Frank and Gail. It's fun to read some of the more personal stuff, mostly about people showing up at his house. (Eric Clapton drops by, states his name, and she says 'oh great, and what do you play?') Some cool anekdotes, and a very light read.

I loved that book! The slow degradation of her good opinion of Frank was fascinating. The insight into The Mother's personal lives and specifically Frank's mindset was completely mesmerizing. It humanised them in a way that made my appreciation of their achievements grow exponentially. Great read.

[Nihil-Morari]

So her opinion will fade? Very cool! Most of all it's a total different book than most Zappa biographies. I'm also reading a biography by Barry Miles, and all stories, facts, and everything around it, is stated like he was some hero of a couple of hundred years ago.