Explain please...

While I will not deny that Frank Zappa had a far more eclectic discography than Beefheart, I will have to disagree with you on the "off timed blues" comment. I think there's a little more to albums like Doc at the Radar Station and Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) than that... but we're all entitled to our own opinions... Ice Cream for Crow, on the other hand, was rather unimpressive (to me that is).

Except for the fact that TMR didn't have the punkish abrasiveness of Doc at the Radar Station, nor the more controlled sound of the instrumentals of Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller). Not to mention, I feel that Shiny Beast had more variety in terms of his use of different instruments as well as the album's overall song composition.

I guess the two albums just have different atmospheres than Lick My Decals Off Baby and Trout Mask Replica (I can't completely put my finger on it).

Zappa had a hell of an ego, too... don't forget that. However, I do agree with you on how Beefheart mixed some of the music. He somewhat stopped that with his last three releases, though.

Also, I thought you didn't care about the artist, but more about the art itself? (Remember our chat about Charles Manson and Joe Meek?)


How is it not opinion? Music is entirely subjective... and just because someone prefers one musician over another doesn't mean they're wrong... nor should they feel embarrassed.

By the way, I took the time to bold the comments that I felt didn't make any sense and completely took me by surprise...

True, but that's why I point it out, though. I feel a lot of people might unfairly lean towards Beefheart for the reason that he has a hipper stigma to him.

Beefheart has his advantages over Zappa, definitely. Especially in terms of having a lot more subtlety. Still feel that Beefheart hit his limitations after Lick my Decals Off. Frankly, his bag of tricks just ran out.

Beefheart (just for Trout Mask Replica alone), Zappa had never appealed to me maybe as he can seem too flippant or looking to be weird just for the sake of it.

OccultHawk, I have to admit I didn't expect you to write such an incredibly douchy post. I was hoping you were joking, but unfortunately I don't detect any sarcasm, only arrogance and a real moronic opinion without any justification or reasoning behind it. The only irony I detect is that you you write anyone choosing Zappa in the poll should be embarassed. You should be embarassed, dude.

It's like when people try to say Stevie Ray Vaughn is better than Hendrix. There's nothing there for me to respect or consider.

Except Zappa never tried to emulate Beefheart (like Vaughn did with Hendrix). Zappa did his own thing...

As if being one of the most competent, creative and exciting figures in rock history isn't good enough, you seem to have managed to miss the question posed in the first post.

And your reply is that everyone who votes for Zappa knows has less understanding of music and should be embarassed. So, I have a friend who's a professional musician. He adores Beefheart, but not as much as he loves Zappa. I guess you feel that makes him a little less professional and that he should feel embarassed?

I had to vote Zappa although i love Captain Beefhart
As far as the debate between the musicianship of Zappa and Beefhart go I'd say they are both pretty equal although i find Zappa's music more enjoyable

Gonna Be completely truthful here and say I'm a huge fan of Zappa read a couple biographies, Favorite album would have to be the Mother's Fre4k out. But i don't know much of Beefhearts stuff, heard a couple colaborations with zappa. So when i get off work tonight i'm gonna go download his stuff. I'll let ya know what i think of his stuff when i dig in.

i just got most of Zappa's work with the Mothers

they're interesting, to say the least