Zappa, where to start

I feel the need to explore the works of Frank but theres so much material and I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot.
I can cope with the weird shit as I’m a big fan of Beefheart, Residents etc but dont want to be put off by a bum album.
There must be a Zappa expert on STW????

Sheik Djibouti.

You know it makes sense

Follow willard on this one. willard has the answers.

go to wiki and start at the beginning take the good with the bad/weird…

No expert though…not by a long shot.

Sheik Yerbouti, Apostrophe, Hot Rats and Overnite Sensation are among my favourites and probably the more ‘accessible’ albums as well. Strictly Commercial is a nice ‘best of’ primer.

You have two strategies when tackling Zappa, you can either start at the beginning of his career and work your way through or you can tackle them in order of popularity.

So either Freak Out or Joe’s Garage. Both are excellent records.

Oh, and if you like Beefheart, you may want to start with Bongo Fury as Zappa took him aboard when Don ran into trouble with his record company.

Sheik as they say or i recommend Roxy and Elsewhere.

Thanks for the pointers freaks. Off to look for Sheik Yerbouti.
I,ll let ya know how I get on with it.

Another vote for Sheikh Yabouti. Also Joe’s Garage and You are what you is

I’d have thought Joes Garage

We’re only in it for the money.

I can take about an hour on the tower of power

– Sheik Yerbouti greatness

Interestingly, Germaine Greer, who was a friend of Frank’s, says that her funeral song is going to be Zappa’s “G Spot Tornado”… 😀

Maybe start with the accessible ones. Hot Rats for me, I’ve got pretty much all the albums for some reason. Make a Jazz Noise here and Best Band You’ve Never Heard in your Life are also easy to like I think. You’ve got to get all the 60s ones too, you should like them.

Zappa’s great but I like Beefheart more.

+1 for Bongo Fury.

Ruben and the Jets is pretty easy to listen to but only if you like Doo Wop!

Zoot Allures and Ship Arriving too late maybe, Shut Up is pretty good too.

I started with Apostrophe late in ’74 and never looked back.

I have always found the Weasels album a bit tough to listen to along with Jazz From Hell etc. He definitely went through a more ‘commercial’ period with Joe’s Garage, You are what you is etc. so maybe they are the best places to start as the good folks say.

Think the reviews / ratings on allmusic are by and large spot on for Zappa….

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-zappa-p74796/discography

I started with the two “cheap thrills” compilations because they were cheap at the time, still a lovely tour of wierd and listenable and with the beshtest live version of “Catholic Girls” 😀 In fact the live albums are mostly my favourites: pretty random but awesome musicianship.

I also have a soft spot for ‘Cruising with Reuben and the Jets” even though I suppose objectively it really is terrible!

You do have the option of going the “Strictly Commercial” route too…

I only have Joe’s Garage, Strictly Commercial and Sheik Yerbouti (damn spelling on the last post), but I know a man that has just about everything by the great man, some of which is very, very odd. I’ll give him a bell about it.

Tinseltown Rebellion is one of my favourites. It’s a compilation of ace live stuff.

Live in New York is brill too.

double post bollocks

Always liked Over-nite Sensation. Particularly Dina Mo Hum and Montana.
Actually, I think I’ll go and raise me a crop of dental floss, just me and my pigmy pony. With my zircon-encrusted tweezers I’m gonna look mighty fine!

Joes Garage, Sheil Yerbouti, Live in New York, Hot Rats ust keeps giving…. Also pretty much all of the “You Cant Do That On Stage Anymore” compliation series…

“Guitar” is prety good as its name suggests but I struggle with the plinkety pling jazz stuff, its just that sort of music I struggle with. There are some raging guitar belters though, The Torture Never Stops etc etc… Dweezil is pretty good too

All genres are there.. seek and ye will find…

I really like the live Cds

Sam – Member

Sheik Yerbouti, Apostrophe, Hot Rats and Overnite Sensation are among my favourites and probably the more ‘accessible’ albums as well. Strictly Commercial is a nice ‘best of’ primer.

+1 for Sam!

A favourite not yet mentioned:

Another one of the tuneful, accessible ones.

Immortal words. “The bigger the cushion the better the pushin”. Man from Utopia.

Had guitar lessons with a guy called Jim Macdonald (Northern Ireland!!) who played with Zappa. Said he arrived late to practice and Zappa had a new harmonicia in a box; opened it up, threw away the harmonica and played the box ….

If you get torn in, sorry WHEN, you get torn in to the joy of this, you can hit me up for my rare Joes Garage picture LP’s. They are ace.

Plus the 70 CD’s in the garage….

No one has mentioned Thing Fish yet! 🙂 Strange album, definitely one the ladies hate.

Of the Ruben and the Jets album, Zappa said it was the only way they could get airtime on the radio. Stations would only play popular stuff so they came up with their own take on it.

I seem to have tapped into a seam of crazyness running through the heavy bedrock of Singletrackworld…nice

Had a tape of random Zappa made by a friend who was a big fan.
Song you need to hear are – Valley Girl, Bobby Brown and the live set where he’s asking women to throw their underwear at the set because “we’re making a quilt.”

Not so bothered about Valley Girl but lots (and lots) of live stuff worth listening too – unlike most bands where you just get to hear less than perfect copies of what’s on the studio albums.

…”One Size Fits All” and “You Are What You Is,” Fusion music and social comment, Frank was Very good at both. 😉

Why does it hurt when I pee?

😐

Wasn’t the quilt one ‘Live at Roxy and elsewhere’ or was it Tinseltown? Damn….I’ll have to go and drag them both out now 🙂

Wristwatch.

…crisco

Smoke the tapes.

i,v a big bunch of zappa cd,s ,some unplayed if you intrested?