[Abouna]

Well, after not listening to it since I was a small kid (and couldn't get into it) I picked up Hot Rats and can't get over the excellent guitar in Willie the Pimp.

Can you officianados direct me to more of the same?

 

[steviebee]

Lawdy, are you in for a treat!
There's so many

But just for starters I'll direct you to The Grand Wazoo, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, and the classic Mothers' satires Freak Out, Absolutely Free, We're Only In It For The Money, not forgetting Uncle Meat...

edit\ and there's a really nice recent release, Imaginary Diseases

 

[Know Talent]

That's a very young Steve Vai on Hot Rats


Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation is a good combo to pick up for a studio recording.

Try "Roxy & Elsewhere" to get a good flavor for some of his best live work IMO

 

[Abouna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Know Talent /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's a very young Steve Vai on Hot Rats

You've got to be kidding?! I wasn't aware Vai ever did anything good.

 

[Know Talent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abouna /img/forum/go_quote.gif You've got to be kidding?! I wasn't aware Vai ever did anything good.

I went back and double checked and he wasn't on Hot Rats but came later...but he did play with Zappa.

 

[Sordel]

After Hot Rats a standard recommendation is One Size Fits All, but you could just as well go for Joe's Garage if it's the rockier stuff that's catching your imagination.

Steviebee's recommendations are good for Zappa per se, but I wouldn't try them if you're coming from "Willie The Pimp".

 

[scompton]

Steve Vai was 9 years old when Hot Rats came out. He played with Zappa in the 80s.

Is Willie the Pimp your favorite track. Most of the suggestions made are more like the rest of album. Willie the Pimp is pretty unique. He didn't put stuff out that sounded much like that. Another unique rocker is Apostrophe off of the Apostrophe album. It's the song that got me into Zappa. It's a rock power trio with Jack Bruce and Jim Gordon.

Imaginary Diseases is a very rocking album.

Waka/Jawaka is very stylistically similar to the jazzy stuff on Hot Rats.

One album I don't think gets recommended enough is Lather. It's got a little of everything.

 

[Know Talent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif Steve Vai was 9 years old when Hot Rats came out. He played with Zappa in the 80s.

Even at that age he probably played better than I do now!

 

[breakfastchef]

If you want the flavor of a Zappa concert, try to catch Zappa Plays Zappa. Frank's son Dweezil is carrying on the legend by going on tour, now in its third year, re-creating his father music as close as possible to the original. I caught the show two years ago in Boca Raton, FL and will be at the show this year in Pompano Beach, FL. By the way, Stevie Vai was awesome in the show and drummer, Terri Bozio, was way out of control. Tremendous show and a worthy tribute to the 'master'.

As to Zappa albums you should listen to, Live at the Fillmore East '71, Overnight Sensation, Apostrophe and One Size Fits All.

 

[scompton]

Those concerts are expensive. It was $75 in DC. I decided I didn't need to see it enough to pay that. If Terry Bozzio and Steve Vai had been on the bill, I'd have paid it.

I must say, Filmore East is one of my least favorite Zappa albums. The Flo & Eddie period is by far my least favorite period.

 

[TylerEaves]

Try You Can't Do That On Stage Vol 2: The Helsinki Concert. Great late 70s live Zappa.

 

[megawzrd]

For a Zappa guitar fix...you can't go wrong with "shut up 'n play yer guitar"

 

[Know Talent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif Those concerts are expensive. It was $75 in DC. I decided I didn't need to see it enough to pay that. If Terry Bozzio and Steve Vai had been on the bill, I'd have paid it. I must say, Filmore East is one of my least favorite Zappa albums. The Flo & Eddie period is by far my least favorite period.

Is it me, or is the "No Doubt"chick a blatant rip-off of Dale Bozzio fronting "Missing Persons" ?

I think Warren Cucurullo(sp?) played with them as well as so time with Zappa and Duran Duran. He's a great axeman

 

[DrBenway]

x2 on We're Only In It For The Money and Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar

I had older cousins in the 60s/70s, and one of them passed along a couple of milk crates full of vinyl; We're Only In It... was one of the titles I got from him. It's just great music, and Zappa's wit is on full display. He famously disdained the whole hippy/druggy culture of the 60s; he swore he never drank or took drugs, and was known to fire musicians for showing up high. This record is a highly satirical look at then current social coniditions. It also has some great guitar work from a guy named Don Preston, who later played with George Harrison at the Concert for Bangla Desh benefit.

Shut Up... amply proves that he was one of the very greatest rock guitarists. I still have a mental image of him playing with a lit cigarette impaled on the headstock of his guitar.

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Know Talent /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it me, or is the "No Doubt"chick a blatant rip-off of Dale Bozzio fronting "Missing Persons" ? I think Warren Cucurullo(sp?) played with them as well as so time with Zappa and Duran Duran. He's a great axeman

I've never heard No Doubt, so I can't comment on that. Missing Persons was all ex-Zappa except the keyboard player. Patrick O'Hearn was on bass. I saw them in a festival in 83. I already knew that they played awful pop. They played one instrumental that was incredible. It was one of the highlights of the day, which otherwise was pretty awful.


Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif x2 on We're Only In It For The Money and Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar I had older cousins in the 60s/70s, and one of them passed along a couple of milk crates full of vinyl; We're Only In It... was one of the titles I got from him. It's just great music, and Zappa's wit is on full display. He famously disdained the whole hippy/druggy culture of the 60s; he swore he never drank or took drugs, and was known to fire musicians for showing up high. This record is a highly satirical look at then current social coniditions. It also has some great guitar work from a guy named Don Preston, who later played with George Harrison at the Concert for Bangla Desh benefit.

My favorite track is What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body. Looking at pictures of them, it's hard to imagine that the original Mothers didn't do drugs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif Shut Up... amply proves that he was one of the very greatest rock guitarists. I still have a mental image of him playing with a lit cigarette impaled on the headstock of his guitar.

That's the image I see whenever I think of Zappa guitar solos