Monday
Dec072015
Remembering Frank Zappa
Monday, December 7, 2015 at 12:01AM Today's post is from our good friend HIM
I was introduced to Zappa via the most benign of means, “Trouble [Comin’] Every Day”:
It sounded like a throwback protest song. But the voice (of all things) got to me. He sounded committed, and serious, and p**sed.
Of course, Zappa’s 1966 debut album Freak Out! was a protest album. But all of Zappa’s albums turned out to be centered on protest: about standards, about limits, about music, about living.
The rabbit-hole that I fell into (a rather corporate one given that it was on Rykodisc’s by-the-numbers 1995 compilation Strictly Commercial) has grown shallower over time. But I still find myself drawn to Zappa now and again. Drawn, of course, because one sometimes simply wants to feel unbalanced and uncertain. I occasionally want less Dokken and less rockin’. I sometimes want to be reminded that music, through time, has placed a burden on us to think about what we hear so we can better speak about what we think.
Recently, I find myself thinking of his thoughtful stance on attempts to limit musical freedom and freedom in general, voiced alongside John Denver and Dee Snider:
At the same time, I am reminded of how infuriatingly aloof, yet strangely captivating and open, he could be when he offered up an interview while deep in the depths of the cancer that would take his life:
But all of these thoughts send me back to another fact: as annoying as he could be, as self-assured as he was, and as elusive as his most “radio friendly” sounding songs turned out to be, Zappa was Zappa. Noise for noise’s sake. A retro take on the past that would make Rob Zombie blush. Craftsmanship that featured people like Steve Vai, George Duke, Ike Willis, Adrian Belew, and on and on it goes.
The man reminded people not to eat snow of a certain color, and inspired them to move to Montana. He also changed the shape of music while advancing the cause of freedom of speech. In recent months, a lot has gone wrong in the world of music and in the world in general. We are all lucky if we remember that people like Zappa—love him or hate him or do both while rubbing the top of your head and stomach at the same time—made this world a better place.
I would say rest in peace. But Zappa would tell me to shut up and follow his lead. And I gladly would.
This post is dedicated to my long-time friend Dan, who once lovingly made copies of every Zappa album there was, simply because I was broke, couldn't afford to buy them, and needed to hear them. I repaid the favor by buying most of them, long after it was necessary to purchase CDs or tapes.
Reader Comments (14)
He is one of the most misunderstood musical geniuses of the 20th century, and I'm not quite sure that he even completely understood himself. The fact that, most of the time, he seemed to be extending a middle finger to the music business and musical styles that made him so famous, yet millions of people loved him anyway, and hung on every note and lyric is testament to how good he was at what he did.
Electric Aunt Jemima, for all the world to see... Electric Aunt Jemima - Cook a bunch for me!!!!"
R.I.P. Frank !
And don't you eat the yellow snow..
Or maybe:
I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb
And applied rotation to her sugar plum..
Great topic Him! Guy was a madman genius. I Read an article with Vai stating that he was never more proficient as a player then when he was playing/touring with Frank. Guy would drill/rehearse them for hours on a set of songs,then change them as they were hitting the stage. Lol. And as we both know, Frank's music isn't known for its bluesy,1,4,5 chorded,12 bar blues patterns. I can still flashback to me and my buddy Greg cruising around in his van all night, while filling it was smoke as we were listening to Joes Garage. Lmfao. Catholic Girls (with a tiny little mustache. 8-p ) to this day makes me laugh like the twisted Catholic boy I was raised as...
Let's not forget... Frank Zappa is one of THE most KILLER guitarists to ever walk the face of the earth! Yeah, I get it... the cleverest of lyrics, the most elaborate of arrangements, and as much as I love it, reality is it was all just an elaborate ruse, and was merely
Christmas wrapping for the onslaught of Zappa's pure guitar genius!
Or.. Considering where we are posting... the greatest Zappa song....
A left handed tribute to the absolute GOD of Glam Rock, Angel guitarist PUNKY MEADOWS!
And the track, "Punky's Whips"...
And elsewhere, Frank namechecked them in song.."Broken Hearts Are For Assholes" -
" You Sniffed the Reeking Buns of ANGEL, & Acted Like It Was Cocaine...."
Throughout his life, I often listened to his words of wisdom and philosophies in life; which were a stark contrast to what I was hearing across the aisle. We didn't always agree, but he always welcomed a debate and listened to my thoughts and opinions. It was an inside-family joke that we (our families) wondered how my uncle and my mom were able to come from the same gene pool, as they were the definitive yin-yang.
My uncle Gene was even the first person to teach me the concept of yin-yang and what is represented to him. It wasn't until I was in my twenties and just starting out in life, that I realized how much he positively influenced me and was able to reflect on a much deeper level about his world concepts. He even told me that he tried marijuana a few times, but didn't really care for it too much. When I told my mom of this disclosure (as an adult mind you), my mom told me that he was fibbing to me and that he would never smoke pot. [She also "believed" me when I told her that the "bowl" she found in my bedroom when I was a teenager was for tobacco]. Denial is not just a river in Egypt. (love you more, mom!)
Anyway, it's not the first time I've said this and I'll say it again, if there is anyone in the recent musical landscape that reminds me of my beloved uncle...it's definitely not uncle ted...it's Frank Zappa. Thank you for the love, Uncle Gene, it's what made this boy, a man.
nothing stays the same
Unchained, yeah I hit the ground running
No, I don't ask for permission (oxy-moron/double negative)
This is my chance to fly
Maybe enough ain't enough for OCYS
But it's my turn to try