I was priveleged to see Zappa live in concert in Providence, R.I., years back.
I was surprised at how little he spoke, but very, very pleased by the incredible range of material he played and the stunning guitar work throughout.
He introduced his entire band one-by-one (about 16 members) including percussionist Ruth Underwood, who he referred to as "the chick in the back with the big +!+s..." 😲
PC, Frank was not. 😉
He had the Underwoods when I saw him, plus the Fowler brothers, JL Ponty, George Duke, Paul Humphrey (?) on drums-great band.
He had some weird guitar amp I've never seen since, it had like a P.A. cabinet for speakers, with a horn, and did he ever make it honk! Maybe some of his "stunt guitarists" like Steve Vai could play (a bit)faster than him, but nobody could construct a solo like FZ.
I am astounded that, while people have mentioned the little operetta from Apostrophe (the
'Don't Eat the Yellow Snow' collage), no one has mentioned the greatest continuous sequence:
Billy the Mountain. I can't remember what disc it's on (I lent it to a friend years ago and never
got it back). I seem to recall it was a live performance.
Apostrophe is great, no doubt, but I'm partial to the 'Over-Nite Sensation' (the jazz organ solo
in Fifty-Fifty is out of this world!) myself.
Nemesio
Originally posted by NemesioBilly the Mountain appeared originally on 'Just another Band from LA' and was 24 odd minutes long. It then reappeared towards the end of Zappa'#s career on Playground Psychotics and was extended to a full half hour.
I am astounded that, while people have mentioned the little operetta from Apostrophe (the
'Don't Eat the Yellow Snow' collage), no one has mentioned the greatest continuous sequence:
Billy the Mountain. I can't remember what disc it's on (I lent it to a friend years ago and never
got it back). I seem to recall it was a live performance.
Apostrop ...[text shortened]... Nite Sensation' (the jazz organ solo
in Fifty-Fifty is out of this world!) myself.
Nemesio
Over-nite Sensation is a good album, but I always feel its missing something, one more seminal track perhaps.
A lot of his stuff was recorded live, but doesn't have the audience on so you wouldn't know it.
Most of Sheik Yerbouti was and only Yo Mama has the live feel (and audience).
A good one to get (for those you have everything 😉) is Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention "Ahead of their Time". It has a version of "The Orange County Lumbertruck" which originally appears on, um, Burnt Weeny Sandwich?, but instead of being 2 mins long is about 15 mins - great stuff!
Zappa, hmm... In my teens Zappa was something of a revelation to me, his music seemed quite unlike anything else out there and the man himself was an non-conformist iconoclast freak, which also helped to endear him. In retrospect, his music has little to offer, particularly his later oeuvre - uninspired jazz meanderings, ill conceived "serious" music and interminably, indulgent solos. Still have respect for the man himself, but the best thing about his musical career is his association with Captain BeeF(he)art. Feel free to disagree. And if anyone want's them am willing to sell my Zappa vinyl!
http://www.thewire.co.uk/archive/essays/zappa.html
I would certainly be interested in them, what have you got and how much do you want for them?
I would also dearly love to know what Ian Penman listens to in his spare time between finding words in his thesaurus to impress and make up for a lack of critical writing ability, and talking out of his angry, misguided and shallow butt 🙂😛
dah nah nah nah nah nuh nah nuh nah nah nah!
dah nah nah nah nah nuh nah nuh nah nah nah!
Call any vegetable!
Call it by name!
You’ve gotta call one today!
When you get off the train!
Call any vegetable
And the chances are good
Yeah eh eh eh
The vegetable will respond to you
Doop doop la la la la
The vegetable will respond to you
Doop doop la la la la
dah nah nah nah nah nuh nah nuh nah nah nah!
dah nah nah nah nah nuh nah nuh nah nah nah!
Call any vegetable!
Pick up your phone!
Think of a vegetable!
Lonely at home!
Call any vegetable
And the chances are good
Yeah eh eh eh
The vegetable will respond to you
Doop doop la la la la
The vegetable will respond to you
Doop doop la la la la
Originally posted by StarrmanSorry, Starrman. Was more of a rhetorical comment. Not sure I could part with any of my vinyl!
I would certainly be interested in them, what have you got and how much do you want for them?
I would also dearly love to know what Ian Penman listens to in his spare time between finding words in his thesaurus to impress and make up for a lack of critical writing ability, and talking out of his angry, misguided and shallow butt 🙂😛
As regards Mr Penman, am more than happy to concur. He's one of that generation of writers (along with Paul Morley and the like) who wrote for the NME in the early 80's and was more interested in his preening displays of critical theory than in actually talking about the music. All very nice when it's well written and pertinent, but otherwise somewhat tiresome.
Glad it evoked someone's ire though...😉