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Advise On Buying My First Frank Zappa Recording

djv8ga

djv8ga

Super Member
I've grown tired of my music collection and am looking for something new. I grew up with the "Valley Girl" stuff, but am looking for one of this dudes good records. I've seen a million avatars here so I know he has a huge fan base.
Any recommendations?
 
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They are all good! That being said see if you can find Sheik Yerobuti or Shut up and play your Guitar. Either one of these will give you a good intro in to Zappa! Oh yes and Live at the Filmore isn`t too bad.
 
dokblues said:
They are all good! That being said see if you can find Sheik Yerobuti or Shut up and play your Guitar. Either one of these will give you a good intro in to Zappa! Oh yes and Live at the Filmore isn`t too bad.
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Is this stuff out there on CD or am I gonna have to break down and buy a TT?
 
You pretty much can't go wrong no matter what you pick. Try Bongo Fury or Hot Rats if your tastes lean more towards Jazz
 
Hot Rats

Go buy that album. It's a good record. Recently reissued on vinyl on the Classic Records label using the original tapes. The cd has the 1986 Zappa remastering which, ain't all bad but...

To complete that trilogy I would recommend Waka/Jawa and The Grand Wazoo.

Over-nite Sensation is another very good Zappa album.
 
There is a 'greatest hits' collection called Strictly Commercial which is a relatively gentle introduction to FZ. I started our son on FZ with this CD. It worked. :-)
 
donberry said:
1st album should be apostrophe
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And the second "Overnite Sensation". They were his most commercially successful albums. Try "Grand Wazoo" for some great big-band sounds. "Just Another Band from L.A." for a classical tone poem - "Billy the Mountain". Or "Fillmore East" for ... and "Happy Together".

Enjoy, enjoy.
 
-Overnight Sensation 1973 - very accessible and easy to digest. Listen start to finish in one sitting

-One Size Fits All 1975 - Incredible record. Great guitar solos, several classic Zappa compositions

-Hot Rats 1969 - My favorite primarily instrumental Zappa album. Peaches en Regalia is a must have, The Gumbo Variation stretches out and absolutely rocks

-Jazz From Hell 1986 - My second favorite instrumental Zappa. All but one track performed by FZ on the synclavier

-Roxy and Elsewhere 1974 - Excellent double live album catches Zappa in great form, I personally prefer Roxy to Zappa in New York for a live set
 

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David

ruffian said:
You pretty much can't go wrong no matter what you pick. Try Bongo Fury or Hot Rats if your tastes lean more towards Jazz
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Bongo Fury, very interesting, it appears I have somehow missed hearing this Zappa disc, will have to check it out, especially since you picked it over/with Hot Rats, thanks for the heads up!

I would think that one of the best of collections would be a good place to start, I enjoy 'Zappa Picks - By Larry LaLonde of Primus' over the other collections because it has Little Umbrellas - from Hot Rats, Sofa No. 2 - from One Size Fits All, Village Of The Sun - from Roxy & Elsewhere, Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station - from Zoot Allures.
 
For god sakes, man...STOP! If you get hooked on the Zappa sound you will face huge debt. This guy was freakin' prolific. Not only do you have to buy (and once you get hooked you WILL buy) about 100 Zappa titles, you will soon be searching for bootlegs! Then you will have to deal with all the new Zappa product being released by his wife. Then you will frequent torrent sites to grab all the new concerts that surface. Okay, I warned you. Now go buy Hot Rats...and face bankruptcy!
 
Urchinn said:
For god sakes, man...STOP! If you get hooked on the Zappa sound you will face huge debt. This guy was freakin' prolific. Not only do you have to buy (and once you get hooked you WILL buy) about 100 Zappa titles, you will soon be searching for bootlegs! Then you will have to deal with all the new Zappa product being released by his wife. Then you will frequent torrent sites to grab all the new concerts that surface. Okay, I warned you. Now go buy Hot Rats...and face bankruptcy!
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Yikes, I was thinking the same thing! I had NO idea there were so many choices.
 
Zoot Allures was one of my favorites.. OH.. and you can't forget NY Live for the Titties and Beer..
 
I didn't mean to scare you! Zappa has been a big fave ever since my dad bought The Mothers first Lp. FZ is a great artist to devote time to. Still, its a daunting subject. It will take years to get a grip on his main body of work...and then you'll slip into collecting dementia trying to acquire all the Beefheart Lps (and singles...geez, there are quite a few of them!). Then you'll get outbid trying to win the GTO's Lp. Then you'll try to find the Rykodisc mixes of the first four Mothers discs. Then...Oh well, its alot of fun...and Frank is worth it.
 
1. Go to the following address:

http://www.zappateers.com/bb/index.php?sid=f7c35e4e516be6665d95a3b97bbb0599

2. Read the threads throughout the Forum, but particularly under the Speakers Corner and Zappalogy sections, where FZ's recorded oeuvre is discussed passionately and at great length.

Personally, I go in for the "live" FZ stuff, else early ZF&TM stuff. Favorite post FZ&TM studio effort: Zoot Allures (1976), followed very closely by Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch (1982).

"Music is the best". (FZ, Packard Goose Medley)
 
Oh nooooooo...once you find the Zappateers link you ARE IN TOO DEEP! Seriously, one of the best fan sites of all time.
 
Urchinn said:
...Zappateers...one of the best fan sites of all time.
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Absolutely the best. The efforts and energies invested by the site's contributors in the reconstruction, with the best possible sound quality, of FZ (and related) shows, are indefatigable.
 
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