Is this great or what? Frank Zappa by the wonderful Rick Geary. Or should that be The Wonderful Frank Zappa by Rick Geary? I don't know. Either way works for me. Take a moment and look it over.
It is a wonderful piece of art, that's for sure. Thank you Rick! I'll be back.
Frank Zappa was a revelation for me when I was a child. I was definitely a child, even though chronologically I was probably 13 or 14. Listening to JOE'S GARAGE and SHEIK YERBOUTI in the early 80s. The comedic lyrics combined with the supreme muscianship blew me and my friends away. Frank and the fellows were likely the first time I heard extensive cursing on a record, at least on a non-comedy record I should say. I was listening to Carlin and Pryor well before that but Frank Zappa records were another thing entirely.
Years later I included "Bobby Brown Goes Down" on a Christmas gift CD for my nephew because I thought he needed to hear it and have some boundaries broken. Those boundaries were certainly broken for me, holy smokes. "I could take about an hour on the tower of power, as long as I gets a little golden shower" indeed. In-Deed. My baby got jones crusher love. She can push she can shove 'til its just a nub. Just a nub. just a nub. just a nub.
After JOE'S GARAGE and SHEIK YERBOUTI, I was quickly on to SHUT UP AND PLAY YER GUITAR, THING FISH, and, my favorites probably, WAKA JAWAKA and ONE SIZE FITS ALL. Your mouth is your religion - about says it all these days. Captain Beefheart never did it for me and I have only a passing interest in earlier Mothers of Invention stuff. The end of The Mothers is fantastic though. But when Frank just went it on his own with whatever band he wanted to work with at the time it was the best. WAKA JAWAKA just kills me. Imma go listen to it now in fact. You should too.
The guys Frank worked with are a Who's Who of master muscians too many to name here (Adrian Belew and Terry Bozzio are my favorites though!). Hell, Missing Persons was just some of Frank's band waiting for Frank to put them to work, and they were a major attraction for years. I was lucky enough to go see Frank Zappa twice, both times on the "Best Band You Never Heard" tour. Well I heard'em. They were fantastic and everything I could have hoped for. I even got a "Watermelon in Easter Hay", and I couldn't have asked for more than that.
I was sad to see Frank pass.
No comments:
Post a Comment