Quote:
Originally Posted by clutnuckle
While I don't particularly have an opinion on the matter, here's a (pretty long) article where people 'deconstruct the myth that Zappa is some sort of a genius': The Wire: Adventures in Modern Music: Article
Most people seem to see Zappa as overrated not because of the mass amount of fans he has, but the fanboyism that the ones he does have descend into. Quality > quantity, you could say. |
That article sort of sums up how I feel about Zappa, although the writer has an incredibly annoying writing style.
I feel that he's adored as an icon of counterculture, yet what he is offering in return isn't a different way of thinking or even an alternative philosophy. He attempts to break down Western cultural norms but offers nothing in return; anyone can be anti-mainstream, but it takes talent and thought to be anti-mainstream and then create an alternative to the mainstream. Zappa doesn't do that in my opinion. Yes, he does some very original things with music, but at the same time that music doesn't say anything to me, it doesn't offer anything but originality. Of course, I respect him for that, but this is a discussion about him being overrated, not necessarily about his ability as a musician.