I personally think the 200 motels soundtrack is ridiculously overlooked.



I also really like "Weasles Ripped My Flesh" personally.

Could send you links to bloody excellent FLAC uploads of some of his best if you want. I don't think there's really an "easy" way or perfect "place" to enter his discography, it's so diverse and large.

could you send these my way?

i only have:
the grand wazoo
hot rats
jazz from hell
we're only in it for the money
absolutely free
freak out!
the yellow shark

I'd like a FLAC link for We're Only In it... too if that's possible.

if u wanna show REAL zappa appreciation, u should all make customized zappa avatars :) now THAT is an idea :)

god frank zappa is soo good

I have "Shut Up and Play the Guitar" and Apostrophe.

Any other recommendations?

Absolutely Free and Hot Rats.

Cool, thanks. I'll check them out.

Oh yeah I also have Uncle Meat.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Uncle_Meat.jpg

if you wanna have a thread on Zappa, aren't you like going to compartmentalise his music?

he straddled so many genres - pop, retro, showtunes, parodies, comedy music, psychedelia, jazz and just general instrumental rock

How can you? It's very rare that one album of his doesn't tend to cycle through all of the above mentioned. He even worked a lot with orchestral music, sound collage, and musique concrete. Again, sometimes all in one album.

I can type for days about my love for Frank Zappa. I have immense appreciation and respect for him, and recognize him as a genius on so many different levels. I own so many Zappa vinyls. I don't think it's possible to choose a favorite album of his, but right now I'm listening to Apostrophe.

It would bring me great joy to hear NoMeansNo cover "Cosmik Debris."

Of these two I found Hot Rats the better album. Listening to Joe's Garage now.

I think Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar is still a favourite.

Easily one of my favorite artists and at this point my favorite guitarist. He was the first artist I listened to where I found myself thinking "you can do that with a guitar?"

My favorite Zappa album is Joe's Garage...probably not a popular pick but it was the first one I listened to and it caters to my love of albums with 3 or more LPs AND my love of concept albums. It's just what rubs me the right way.

His early stuff is great, too. I have copies of the first three Mothers albums and they are awesome! We're Only In It For The Money is a loveable mess of hippie parody.

Still missing a lot of albums I'd like to own, such as Hot Rats, Over-Nite Sensation, Uncle Meat, Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar boxset, and the 'You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore' albums. Sometimes, though, I have nightmares about Frank's humongous discography. :(

I adore Joe's Garage, even feeling his 70s work was far inferior to his 60s(with 80s jumping back, and forth).

Think it may be one of the best concept albums of all time in it's sardonic weirdness.

I haven't found a better concept album yet so I have to agree. It's also just an incredibly fun album.

The Artist That Keeps Giving
 

I picked up "Lather" the other day, and what a pleasure it is. It was supposed to be a 3 record set after Zoot Allures that Warner Brothers refused to release and split up the contents over his next four albums, Zappa In New York, Studio Tan, Sleep Dirt, Sheik Yerbouti, and Orchestral Favorites. The material is a diverse as Zappa gets, ranging from the obnoxiously funny "Punkys Whip" and "Titties and Beers" to the musically brilliant "Revised Music for Guitar and Low-Budget Orchestra" to his yuppie satirical master-stroke "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary", which is simultaneously hilarious and stupendous.

^ It was supposed to be a four record set, if I recall correctly.

I haven't gotten around to listening to it yet but I'm planning on doing it soon. Still, that's a beast of an album...

Greggory Peckary is awesome, but the rest of the album is crap. However, Sleep Dirt is a very underrated Zappa album.

Regardless, I feel obligated to listen to Lather at least once. Even if I regret it.

It's a sprawling record, but you won't regret it. It's a nice mix of his serious (RDNZL) and funny stuff (Broken Hearts Are For *******s).

I remember reading in a book about how when Frank Zappa turned in all four albums after taking apart Lather that it changed the way record deals are done. Mainly, in the way that an contracted artist who is required to turn in a minimum number of albums before getting out of his/her contract can no longer just turn in a ton of albums at the same time the way Zappa did with Warner Bros to quickly get out of said contract. Zappa was a ballsy guy.

Also, what do people think of Thing-Fish? I saw it at a record store the other day but I've never heard much about it. I'm understanding that it's a triple album and a concept album, an apparently it's not his best work or anything, but is it worth it if you're a fan? I might be able to get it 60% off during a sale this Sunday.

Apparently Joe's Garage had a stage show:



No idea what to think of it. Suppose I'd have to see the pieces of the end result to judge. Awesome concept though, knowing the story.

got Sheik Yerbouti recently and will be spinning it soon

My only problem with Sheik Yerbouti is that I usually get through three sides of vinyl then stop. That's more of a problem with me then the album itself, obviously, but despite it being good it's hard to push myself the last 20 minutes or whatever.

I honestly think Sheik Yerbouti is one of his worst albums by lightyears. Basically just slapped together anything that he wrote with controversial lyrics.

Albeit, the Bob Dylan impersonation on 'Flakes' is priceless.

I agree about that Dylan impersonation on Flakes. :laughing: I might go listen to that right now.

It's very obvious that Sheik Yerbouti is a very commercially-minded album. It's what the people wanted, judging by the sales figures of the album. It's a shame it's not a masterpiece or anything but since I've had my good share of chuckles over the songs I can't dislike it too much.

Has anyone bought any of the reissues? It's about time Frank Zappa cd's were available for decent prices.

It actually plays too much like a comedy album to my ears. Zappa has always written goofy/funny lyrics, but in support of the music, I think. Records like Overnight Sensation and Zoot Allures have their funny moments, but still work very well as rock records. Sheik is just relentlessly over the top. Bobby Brown is funny, but I'm not sure I need to hear it more than once. I felt the same way about Joe's Garage, You are What You is, etc. None of that stuff holds up very well from that period.

I don't think Zappa really struck the right balance again with his commercially minded albums until 'Them or Us' - admittedly still a pretty slight album, but with a bit more music to sink one's teeth into.

i think Sheikh Yerbouti is fine

quite catchy and probably his best attempt at "pop"

Mass respect to you Howard, but we better never hang out. We'd be fighting endlessly over what to listen to. :beer:

Lumpy gravy is underrated. It was one of Zappa's favourite recordings of his own. Just bought the reissue.

Agreed. Sometimes the humour in the music sort of overcomes the quality of the music and it takes away my urge to repeatedly listen to it. Although I think that Sheik is one of those albums that edges both fields of music and humour, so it really just takes me being in the right mood to listen to that one.

I agree - the way that album interlocks with Uncle Meat and Civilizaton Phaze III makes some pretty interesting listening.

The Pigs follow the Smoke....

I remember disliking Uncle Meat in my earlier days, but man I just gave it a spin and it was super interesting. I must have totally missed the point when I first listened to it. Or was turned off by the instrumental nature of most of it, but whatever. I was wrong!

I've found I like Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar. A bit tiring to listen to all three parts at once, but each 30 minute or so section is quite enjoyable. Might even try and track down one of the boxed set versions.

Hot Rats is his best album. amazing stuff.

Man, I watched the Zappa plays Zappa DVD a few weeks ago. It's incredible! Highly recommended!

Quite lot of his stuff has left me cold but I watched Yellow Shark on YouTube in respect of it being his 'last performance' and thought it was great.