[BloodSugar00]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wait until you've heard it 100 times I don't really object to it strongly, I just don't like it and think it's filler. There's only a few Zappa songs I truly hate, including Let Me Take You to the Beach and maybe most of Man From Utopia. I say maybe because it's been a very long time since I've listened to it. I bought a cassette copy of it when it came out and I was on extended business travel. I bought a Walkman and 3 tapes and that was it for my music so I listened to it a lot over the next month. There's probably good music on it, but what sticks in my mind is the bad. Just typing this, I've got part of Dangerous Kitchen stuck in my head Time to put my iPod on, which has some non Zappa dowop up.

Fair enough. Strong objection was not the best way of putting it

. You probably have a fair point in that I havn't heard 'A Little Green Rosetta' enough to form an avid dislike for it yet, but we shall see. I have to admit, 'Lemme Take You To the Beach'- which I've heard on 'Studio Tan'- strikes me the same way. This could be cause I'm taking it in the wider context of the album, as opposed to an individual track, atm, where I feel it connects 'Revised music for guitar and low-budget Orchestra' and 'RDNZL' quite nicely, if quirkily. It's different to 'A Little Green Rosetta' in that regard, as it serves a a connector track as opposed to one that ends an album and/or disc. I do appreciate that you might be going on your impressions of 'Lemme Take Yo to the Beach' from it's (entirely different) context on 'Lather', however, which I've not yet recieved nor listened to. Could just be a matter of time before I reach that one's expiration date, also, then!

Sounds like 'Man From Utopia' is not a favourite with you!

I'm not venturing into his 80's-90's work deliberately for a time being yet. Wana get to grips with all his work preceding then, first (which I've now aquired most of, bar some posthumous and/or live works) and/or that is non-synclavier (was surprised 'Joe's Garage' never had any synclavier work on it; had in my head from somewhere that this album was his first venture into using this tool to replace muscians). I wana leave that chunk of his career for me to explore later and at a better, more fitting time (after having really gotten to know his ealier works). Even so, this is one I know little about, but, on front cover and album title alone- aswell as simply being a more straight forward/traditional studio album (if memory serves me corect) in content- its held me for particular intrigue! The few opinions I've heard voiced on it have been mixed, also, some having an affinity for it and some not. Be interesting to see how I find it when I eventually get it and give it a listen!

 

[scompton]

Let Me Take You to the Beach is before Revised Music for Guitar and Low Budget Orchestra on Lather. On the LP version, it was the first song on a side. I thought the same was true for Studio Tan, which I've never owned but had friends way back when who did.

Man From Utopia is one on my least favorite albums. After playing it to death for a month because it was one of the few tapes I had, I never had the desire to hear it again. Like I said, it's been so long that I'm sure there is good music on it, I just don't remember it. I still own the tape, but I don't own a tape deck any more.

The synclavier albums are my least favorite albums, especially Francesco Zappa

 

[BloodSugar00]

Since aquiring (the CD version of) Lather, reading the brilliantly eloquent and perspicacious liner notes by that dude (didn't take his name and/or relevance in)- that guys got a fantastic vocabulary, grasp of language and ability to project and convey and capture, in written form!-, I've become aware that Studio Tan's original tracklisting on LP was as you say; The Adventures of Greggary Peccary- Lemme Take you to the Beach- Revised Music for Guitar and Low-budget Orchestra- RDNZL. It was ammended to what I said for the CD release, for whatever reason (not aware of it). Having heard the former tracklisting now on Lather, I have to say that I prefer the altered sequence, for my aforementioned reasons (Lemme Take You to the Beach in that configuration links Revised Music and RDNZL quite nicely; a nice break/interlude/bridge between the comparatively dense, more complex and heavier arrangements of the those songs). I feel this gives Lemme Take You to the Beach more of a place and purpose, but it's not a great song nonetheless.

Having listened to Lather several times through now, I agree that the solo-solos, across the latter half of 'A little Green Rosetta' (after the comment ''...the door shuts violently'', which could be seen as effectively ending the track, though strictly not the case) and the first few minutes of 'Duck Duck Goose' (before the music concrete collage kicks in), showcase some sweet guitar playing from Frank! It's more of a burst of brilliance, however, not being too extended (enough to pivot on recurring/thematic melodies and/or riffs and/or phrasing). I appreciate this and the artistic way it's been used, but as a guitar solo arrangement/piece, I'd prefer 'Black Napkins' or 'Watermelon in Easter Hay'. To each his own, however, and this could change for me in time and/or with more listening.
I also prefer how 'The Adventures of Greggary Peccary' is presented/mixed on Lather, the music/movements being more pronounced, louder and brought forward that touch more than on Studio Tan.

Starting to take a real liking to the early and/or original Mother's work too; the music is generally more subtle and laid back in the mix but once you get a feel for it there's actually some pretty neat stuff being done! Also interesting to see how 'How could I be Such a Fool?', 'You Didn't try to Call Me', Any Way the Wind Blows' and 'I'm not satisfied' were rehashed for 'Cruising with Ruben & the Jets' (from 'Freak Out!'). Of course, you've still got some excellent music driven early Mothers work, such as 'Orange County Lumber Truck', 'Oh No' and the meat of the sandwhich of 'Burnt Weeny Sandwhich'. Havn't listened to Uncle Meat all that much yet but theres some great music passages in that record, also ('King Kong' stands out).

Been enjoying some live Zappa aswell, with 'Zappa in New York', 'The Dub Room Special' and 'Wazoo'- and now have in my possesion 'Fz: Oz' and 'Joe's Menage', but have yet to listen to them (and, of course, still have 'Just Another Band From L.A.', Fillmore East- 1971' and 'Roxy & Elsewhere' to lusten to and/or properly). 'The Dub Room Special' took me back to listening to 'Overnite Sensation', Apostrophe' and 'One Size Fits All' and I decided to order in a few related DVDs- Classic Albums: Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation and The Dub Room Special DVD! Lookng forward to those!

 

[cdailey]

Sorry to semi-necro a thread here, but I've recently received a copy of "The Best of Frank Zappa" CD and I really like it. I was wondering what other Zappa material you guys would recommend me to check out next? I really do like every track on the cd, but the ones that stand out to me are Peaches En Regalia, San Ber'dino, My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama, Bobby Brown Goes Down (one of the funniest songs I've ever heard), Montana, and Muffin Man.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Apostrophe

 

[cdailey]

Thanks. I'll stop by the used cd shop on my way home from class this afternoon.

 

[scompton]

x2 for Apostrophe

It's probably the most accessible album and the the title track is what really got me hooked on Zappa, although it's pretty much unique in his output.

You might also what to look the albums that with the songs that you like

En Regalia is from Hot Rats. The album is mostly instrumental.

San Ber'dino is from One Size Fits All

My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama is from Weasels Rip My Flesh but is not typical of that album so maybe not the first one you want to buy.

Bobby Brown Goes Down is from Sheik Yerbouti

Montana is from Overnite Sensation which is another very accessible album but with a few songs that may offend some people (true about a lot of Zappa albums)

Muffin Man is from Bongo Fury which is one of my favorites but has a lot of vocals by Captain Beefheart which turns some people off.

 

[cdailey]

I got Apostrophe this afternoon and I really like it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton x2 for Apostrophe It's probably the most accessible album and the the title track is what really got me hooked on Zappa, although it's pretty much unique in his output. You might also what to look the albums that with the songs that you like En Regalia is from Hot Rats. The album is mostly instrumental. San Ber'dino is from One Size Fits All My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama is from Weasels Rip My Flesh but is not typical of that album so maybe not the first one you want to buy. Bobby Brown Goes Down is from Sheik Yerbouti Montana is from Overnite Sensation which is another very accessible album but with a few songs that may offend some people (true about a lot of Zappa albums) Muffin Man is from Bongo Fury which is one of my favorites but has a lot of vocals by Captain Beefheart which turns some people off.

Thanks for the run down! I'll start to check those albums out soon.

 

[Qonmus]

so I just got home from the music shop with my first Zappa CD in hand, We're Only in it for the Money. I have listened to about half of it, and I must say this is some of the most unique music I have ever heard. Loving it. Which next guys? Hot Rats?

So, several months later, just finished listening to Hot Rats for the first time. Also very awesome. I thought I would prefer We're Only in it for the Money, as I sometimes have trouble getting into music without vocals, but its actually a really accessible album with a lot of great sections. Got me to turn my headphones up pretty damn loud, too.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Hot Rats and Grand Wazoo are excellent starting points, IMO. Filmore '71 is a great early live set, too.