Options
What's everyones opinion on Frank Zappa?
snipes824
Posts: 870
I Personally hate his music like none other. However, my roommate is huge into him and jam bands and such. He told me before that Pearl Jam could not play any Frank Zappa songs. He said they couldn't even read his music. Obviously I left the room because it was so ludicrus for someone to say that.
My question to you is this: Is Frank Zappa really that good? I admittedly don't know how good he really is. But Mike or Stone can't play his riffs? I hardly think thats accurate.
My question to you is this: Is Frank Zappa really that good? I admittedly don't know how good he really is. But Mike or Stone can't play his riffs? I hardly think thats accurate.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
He did produce some shite, too, but he was so prolific, and his good stuff far, far outweighs the bad.
As a guitarist, he was much more than a virtuoso technician: he had a distinctive musical sensibility too, which is why he would always cut Steve Vai when they played together on stage.
As for the question of whether Mike or Stone could play Zappa's riffs, well, I'm sure Mike could have a good go at Willie the Pimp or The Gumbo Variations!
When I was young (too young), I was married to a musician. He loved Frank Zappa and I couldn't not stomach it, especially "St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast." It grated me. Then one day we got stuck in a huge traffic jam and he put Apostrophe in and said "just listen, just really listen." There was nothing better to do, so I opened my mind to it and OMG. Zappa is a GENIUS. St. Alphonso's is musically brilliant and a biting satire.
Before you write Zappa off, give these albums a chance:
Apostrophe
Joe's Garage (free speech!)
The Mother Fillmore East June 1971
Sheik Yerbouti
Truly excellent music can be difficult to get into at first. This is why pop music is so catchy and accessible and yet we get sick of it so fast. Twenty years after my introduction to Zappa I'm still hearing something new when I listen to it. It's that rich.
There was no ox that the man wouldn't gleefully gore. You think EV has a sense of humor? Give Zappa a chance.
ETA: I wouldn't compare him to Pearl Jam, the music is entirely different. PJ is thoughtful and earnest with a lot of emotion. Zappa was diabolical.
and they all eat rainbows and pooh butterflies!
Yeah, I know, it's a matter of opinion, but damn, that rocks.
He didn't say anyhting about riffs. He said that Pearl Jam couldn't even read or play Frank's music, which is true with 99% of the bands out there. Some of Frank's music is extremely complex.
Although Trey Anastasio and his band played a mean Peaches In Regalia at his show a couple months ago here, and it sounded really good. Other than that, I don't know of anyone else even attempting to cover him.
you left the room, instead of asking for further explanation?
Zappa was a genuis, but a misunderstood genius. He was a true artist, but he wasn't for everyone.
The only person who comes close to him these days is PRINCE, in terms of composing and arranging music.
"Hey, if God didn’t want me to wear it so much, he wouldn’t have made them rock so hard."
thank heavens that PJ fans never get snobby or elitist!
"Hi boys and girls I'm Jimmy Carl Black and I'm the Indian of the group"
nobody could
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
Right, that's what I said earlier.
To be fair, his friend was just trying to piss him off because he worships Pearl Jam....seems to have worked.
Geez, I already said I didnt know much of his stuff beyond a couple songs I heard that he was playing. The music didn't sound like anything I haven't heard before. I guess I was wrong so get off your high horse.
Sorry. In all fairness, I'm sure there are quite a few Zappa songs that Pearl Jam could play. Your friend was just being a prick. Frank Zappa released about 100 albums that range from simple rock to doo-wop to jazz to classical music to music played on a computer to improvisation to fucked up bizarre music that has no definition and is very difficult to play. There aren't many bands that could re-create much of it. Frank's music is so varied, there are charts on the internet to help guide people who are interested in certain aspects of his music.
But way too caught up in trying to show how smart he was when he composed things and seemed to completely forget about accessible. Too cute for his own good, and too much ego to surround himself with a musical foil who had a more common touch.
when it hits you, you feel to pain.
So brutalize me with music.”
~ Bob Marley
Yonder mountain string band has covered I Am The Slime at least once and did a pretty good job of covering that song with just bluegrass instruments.
I have no frank zappa and i'd like to give some of his stuff a shot. I'm pretty open to different music and i know so many have such respect for him.
Charlotte 03
Asheville 04
Atlanta 12
Greenville 16, Columbia 16
Seattle 18
Nashville 22
Frank is/was in a league of his own. Music is just not the same as any other.
I love PJ but you just can't compare Frank and the Mothers.
Try to get a copy of the FZ flick Baby Snakes. Ya wanna see twisted sense of humour.
Dinah-Moe-Hum!!!
F Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993)
maybe zappa will be like how the grateful dead finally caught my attention. the dead... now that is some music. couldn't stand it until one day it all came together & made sense. it's just perfect. i think this is where zappa is at. is this true? no im not comparing zappa & the dead. just saying it is hard to dial in on typea thing
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce