Zappa

Anyone that knows me for very long eventually get the clue that I'm a huge Frank Zappa fan...well....I guess you could take that a couple different ways...but suffice to say I really dig the cat.

Not that I liked everything he ever did...which is sort of the beauty of Frank....he had something for everybody and pissed off almost everyone at some other time.

I suppose the typical response and stereotype of FZ is that he just does this weird sorta comedy music that can be annoying and tedious.

Sure...he did that...and a lot of it was fucking clever and funny as hell. At one time or another he makes fun of everyone, including himself, and is loath to leave anyone out. He pissed off the Catholics with his classic Catholic Girls and when the complaints came pouring in he offset it by

recording a a song called Jewish Princess. Although it was never a s simple as all that.

Frank was actual a very precise, calculating and disciplined composer and musician. All of his work was scored and if you couldn't read music you couldn't be in his band.

He recorded in the neighborhood of 100 albums to date and still has music in his vaults that will be released for years to come through the Zappa Family trust.

His music runs the gauntlet of styles...in Europe there are statues of him because his classical and jazz compositions as so revered and appreciated. He arguably may well be the greatest and most prolific composer of the 20th century.

I started listening to The Mothers of Invention somewhere back in the late 60's and absolutely fell in love with his Hot Rats/Chunga's Revenge/200 Motels period at the end of the decade. I can listen to those albums anytime.....in fact I have the Gumbo Variations playing as I type this. Gotta love Ian Underwood.

I have only about half of the music he's ever released in my archives....which is still far more than

I own of any other group or musician.... I mean...who the hell puts out 100 fricken albums?

Got no idea what I'm talking about?...Well join the club...most of the time I don't either.....so just go out and get a copy of Hot Rats....put it in your music creating devise and get ready to go "What the Fuck is this?" And then listen to it again...because I said so Pilgrim. Your life will change.