Conference mr1pst::music

    If it's true that FZ has cancer, that's very sad. It's interesting to
    note that Frank told of being exposed to some terrible chemicals when
    he was a child. I don't remember the circustances (I think it had to do
    with his father's occupation) or the chemicals involved, but I do
    recall stories of him being covered from head to toe on a few occasions
    with some pretty nasty stuff.
    
    The stories about the chemicals are in his authorized biography ("The
    Real Frank Zappa Story", or something like that). It was co-written by
    a guy named Ogglia... oh brain, please work...
    
    Anyway, check it out.
    
    Brian

    Just cos you got cancer, don't make you dead.
    
    I know. I been there.
    
    Brian

    Just read Zappa's new (?) book in which he slams
    
    - conductors
    - orchestral musicians
    - record companies
    - studio musicians
    - radio programmers
    - PMRC
    - the U.S. Senate
    - Senator Albert Gore, Jr., specifically
    
    .. and that's just off the top of my head.  Good, entertaining reading.
    
    karl

    Karl,
    
    Frank's book has been out a year or two now.  How didja like his
    comments about the psychology of musicians soloing?  Or how most guys
    don't want to play bass because it involves playing REPETITIVE
    PATTERNS.  I couldn't stop laughing...
    
    							Brian

    > How didja like his comments about the psychology of musicians soloing?  
    
    Must've missed it.  Short posting ??
    
    ... Did pick up his comments about electric bass players being 
    failed guitarists, and viola players being failed violinists.  
    I forgot about his ascerbic comments on the musician's union, 
    demanding performance scale for rehearsals, thus eliminating
    adequate rehearsal time... and union stagehands getting THOUSANDS 
    of dollars because the artist and HIS staff record a performance..
    and how guest conductors come in and flail about on old warhorse
    symphonies because it's easy, and, and....
    
    karl

    
    Anyone know what's happened to the conference that is, according
    to VTX, located at STKCSC::ZAPPA?
    
    guy

    That address just worked for me.  What error are you getting?  Type
    'show error' to the 'Notes>' prompt.
    
    tom_p

    
    I tried again this morning and got in okay....thanks, tom....
    
    guy

    What album is the Zappa song
    "Catholic Girls" on? Anyone know?
    
    Thanks.
    

>                       <<< Note 57.9 by QUIVER::MILLER >>>
>                              -< Catholic Girls? >-
>
>    What album is the Zappa song
>    "Catholic Girls" on? Anyone know?
>    
>    Thanks.
 

I'm pretty sure it is on "Joe's Garage" the original

Geoff   

    That it is....Joe's Garage Act I
    
    Bob

    
    What happened to the ZAPPA conference?  I've got it as STKCSC::ZAPPA,
    but when I open it, there are "No new notes" since August-14.  Just no
    activity lately? or was the conference moved?  
    
    I can live without it, but I'm curious . . .
    

    
    Speaking of which....
    
    Anyone know how his health is?
    
    guy

    I saw an article about sprogs of famous performers who have become
    performers themselves. There was one with Zappa and kids. I'm not into
    him so i didn't take much notice but he seemed to be alright.
    
    BTW is kids thouht he looked funny when doing his songs.
    
    Rupert.

    
    It would be cool if he has recovered from prostate cancer...
    
    
    guy

"This ... is the CENTRAL SCRUTINIZER.
 The White Zone is for loading and unloading, only."
    
 Attention, fellow Zappa-ites in the Massachusetts area:

    	Look for the group "The Green Rosettas" from Lowell MA
    	doing the complete  "Joe's Garage",  now on tour.

    	I saw the show last night, at Pearl Street in Northampton.
    	It was excellent -- superb playing and singing,  non-stop
    	grins to watch.

    	The Green Rosettas (named for the last song in the musical)
    	are a 12-member band from Lowell MA.   Some of them also
    	play in the band  "Duck Duck",  which was the opening act 
    	that night.

    	Catch this show if it comes your way.  Highly recommended!

     -- Ray 
    

    
    I heard of his name but never caught on his music.
    
    what is his music like ? which record is his best ? 
    
    I want to have a taste of his stuff but need your advises.
    
    Is "Hot Rat" his best ? or Is it "Jazz from Hell" his best ?
    
    SL

    Come now, the guy's got something like 20-30 disks out.
    The best, a matter of taste and with Frank I'll let
    others decide. 
    
    My favorite album is "Overnight sensation". Diana Mo Hum,
    Moving to Montana, etc.
    
    Seeing him live was a trip far different than listening to
    the disks.
    
    Jim C.
    

re .17
    
There is a notes conference on Frank Zappa (STKCSC::ZAPPA) which is not
very active nowadays, but it has a lot of useful information.
There's also a news group (alt.fan.frank-zappa) that is very alive!

But briefly for your questions:

>
>    what is his music like ?
>    ========================
>
    
That's a tough one!
In fact it's like anything you want: There is rock, blues, jazz (all sorts
of), satire, love songs, metal, rock-jazz fusion, even punk..., classical,
'modern' classical, computer compositions,... you name it, he's got it!
The lyrics range from funny to hilarious, over dirty ;-), to serious and
nonsense...
You can always (at least I can) tell instantly that something is
Zappa or not, even if he doesn't sing on it...
Sometimes the music sounds simple but is extremely complex...

>
>                             which record is his best ? 
>                             ==========================
>

That depends much on your musical style...
I can just tell which ones I like most:

>
>    I want to have a taste of his stuff but need your advises.
>    ==========================================================
>
    
For a (small!) taste you can try first (these are my favorites):

	Make A Jazz Noise Here
	Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
	One Size Fits All
	Roxy And Elsewhere
	Burnt Weeny Sandwich
	Sleep Dirt
	Waka/Jawaka
	The Grand Wazoo
	Joe's Garage, Act 1
	You Are What You Is

But tell me your style and I can make some further recommendations...


>
>    Is "Hot Rat" his best ? or Is it "Jazz from Hell" his best ?
>    ============================================================
>    

(Btw, "Hot Rats" is the title)
Again, that's very personal.... see above and elsewhere...




For your info, and for who's interested, here's an almost complete 
alphabetical list of now available CD's. Some of them are double,
some of them are combined re-editions of two vinyl albums...
(Unofficial bootlegs are numerous and not included here)
(There may be some errors in the release dates)

  1971   200 Motels                                 (not yet on CD?)
  1967   'Tis The Season To Be Jelly                (official bootleg)
  1967   Absolutely Free
  ?      Ahead Of Their Time
  1979   Anyway The Wind Blows                      (official bootleg)
  1974   Apostrophe(') + Over-nite Sensation
  1982   As An Am                                   (official bootleg)
  1983   Baby Snakes
  1975   Bongo Fury
  1988   Broadway The Hard Way
  1970   Burnt Weeny Sandwich
  1970   Chunga's Revenge
  1993   Civilization Phaze III
  1968   Cruising With Ruben And The Jets
  1986   Does Humor Belong In Music?
  1971   Fillmore East, June 1970
  1984   Francesco Zappa
  1985   Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention
  1966   Freak Out
  ?      Freaks & Motherfu*#@%!                     (official bootleg)
  1988   Guitar
  1969   Hot Rats
  1986   Jazz From Hell
  1979   Joe's Garage, Acts I,II,III
  1972   Just Another Band From L.A.
  1983   London Symphonic Orchestra vol 1
  ?      London Symphonic Orchestra vol 2           (not yet on CD?)
  ?      London Symphonic Orchestra vol 3           (not yet on CD?)
  ?      Lost Episodes
  1967   Lumpy Gravy + We're Only In It For The Money
  1991   Make A Jazz Noise Here
  1969   Mothermania                                (official bootleg)
  1975   One Size Fits All
  1979   Orchestral Favorites
  1973   Piquantique                                (official bootleg)
  ?      Playground Psychotics
  1974   Roxy And Elsewhere
  1979   Saarbrucken 1979                           (official bootleg)
  1979   Sheik Yerbouti
  1982   Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch
  1981   Shut Up 'N' Play Yer Guitar
  1979   Sleep Dirt
  1978   Studio Tan
  1968   The Ark                                    (official bootleg)
  1991   The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
  ?      The Cucamonga Years                        (official bootleg)
  1972   The Grand Wazoo
  1983   The Man From Utopia
  1984   The Perfect Stranger (Pierre Boulez)
  1984   Them Or Us
  1984   Thing Fish
  1981   Tinseltown Rebellion
  1993   Touch Me There (Shankar)
  1969   Uncle Meat
  1974   Unmitigated Audacity                       (official bootleg)
  1972   Waka/Jawaka
  1970   Weasels Ripped My Flesh
  1993   Yellow Shark (Ensemble Modern)
  1981   You Are What You Is
  1988   You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1
  1988   You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2
  1989   You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 3
  1991   You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 4
  1992   You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 5
  1992   You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 6
  1978   Zappa In New York
  1976   Zoot Allures

and... despite his very bad health condition, numerous more to come...

have fun
Dirk

    
    Excellent note. That answers some of my questions too, thanks.
    
>  ?      The Cucamonga Years                        (official bootleg)
    
    Is this in California ? What was he doing in Cucamonga ? Maybe I should
    get this CD. Zappa and I might have something in common.
    
    Lale
    

re .20

> >  ?      The Cucamonga Years                        (official bootleg)
>     
>    Is this in California ? What was he doing in Cucamonga ? Maybe I should
>    get this CD. Zappa and I might have something in common.
    
I'm not sure about this: I think he was born or spent a great deal of his
youth in Cucamonga.
The CD has bootlegged recordings from 1962 to 1964. More info in notes
101.* in STKCSC::ZAPPA
I wouldn't recommend it as a first taste though...

    
    
    My commercial harmony instructor (a bass/piano player named Bill Kirk,
    but I don't expect you to have heard of him if you don't know where
    Cucamonga is) had some great stories about hanging out with Zappa (and
    tons of other jazz musos) after gigs back in the 60's.  Apparently
    Frank had a garage studio and all these players would just show and
    jam, like simultaneously.  Frank would just let the tape roll
    continuously and "alter" it later.
    
    I've only seen Frank live one time, back in the 70's in Columbus, Ohio. 
    He had absolutely the tightest band I'd ever seen up to that time.  And
    I can't think of anyone I've seen since that tries to do the kind of
    stuff he does or approaches his precision.
    
    Don't know Zappa?  Go to a good video store and rent "200 Motels"...
    

    
>    My commercial harmony instructor (a bass/piano player named Bill Kirk,
>    but I don't expect you to have heard of him if you don't know where
>    Cucamonga is) had some great stories about hanging out with Zappa (and

    John, I know exactly where Cucamonga is. I've been there. That's why I
    showed interest. I still haven't heard of your commercial harmony
    instructor Bill Kirk though. 
    
    "I don't expect you to have heard of him if you don't know where
    Cucamonga is": Do you expect me to have heard of him if I know where
    Cucamonga is ? Weird. I know where Cucamonga is but I still don't know
    Bill Kirk, a bass/piano player ;-)

    >Don't know Zappa?  Go to a good video store and rent "200 Motels"...
    
    I will look for this, thanks.

    Lale

>     >Don't know Zappa?  Go to a good video store and rent "200 Motels"...
>    
>    I will look for this, thanks.
    
    For more contemporary Zappa, rent "Does Humor Belong In Music", or
    "Baby Snakes".  The latter has some awesome claymation, and it's about
    three hours long.
    
    -Dan
    

    
    RE: .19
    
    I do not expect a thoughtful reply like yours. You're truly helpful
    indeed.
    
    As you said our choice of FZ's records to listen depends on our 
    preference, ok then, can we group his records by categories
    such as Pop, Jazz, Classic, R&B, Soul etc.
    
    This can help me further.
    
    SL
    
    

re .25
    
>    As you said our choice of FZ's records to listen depends on our 
>    preference, ok then, can we group his records by categories
>    such as Pop, Jazz, Classic, R&B, Soul etc.
    
That's by far the toughest Zappa-question one could ask...
and I couldn't possibly provide an adequate answer to it.

Note 3.44 in conference STKCSC::ZAPPA has an almost up-to-date overview (1578 lines)
of all FZ's albums by Richard Fox, including release date's, Richard's own reviews,
song titles, a list of released video's, a list of musicians, and more...
His reviews can give you a good idea on the categories you're looking for.
Print it out and have a look at it (at home of course!)...

(Hit KP7 to add conference STKCSC::ZAPPA to your notebook)

Have fun...
Dirk

    Frank Zappa passed away Saturday at age 52 from prostate cancer.

    Indeed sad news to hear this morning...I'm listening to
    "Apostrophe/Overnite Sensation" disc at this writing
    
    saw him 3 times, very memorable shows, great bands, incredible guitar
    solos...
    
    "the poodle bites, the poodle chews it"

Saw him a few times:  once on the _Overnite_Sensation_ tour with Jean-luc Ponty, George Duke,
Sal Marquez, the Underwoods, and others (The Mahavishnu Orchestra opened for FZ -- quite an
evening). Before that was a jazzier tour around _Hot_Rats_ and a later dreadful show circa
'77 or '78, I think. He'd just released that great '70s sendup album, whose title escapes
me -- included "Bobby Brown" and a great jam on "Yo' Mama" -- I always thought it was
his version of "The Wasteland," if you'll forgive the poetic analogy. I think FZ would
appreciate the comparison. (However, the show was terrible; the album is great.)

Most of us fortysomethings probably encountered _Freak_Out_ and _Absolutely_Free_ while
we were trying to cut loose from the 'burbs ("It can't happen heeeeeere . . . )
I also appreciated _Ruben_and_the_Jets_ (because, in his heart of hearts, FZ, like so 
many '50s guitarists was convinced that music could save you. On "The Tonight Show" he 
once pontificated that music was the only religion that made sense because it was the 
only one that delivered the goods.)

Of course, you gotta love the excesses of _200_Motels_ and the ersatz jazz of _Hot_Rats_,
but my own favorites are _One_Size_Fits_All_ and, of course, _Overnite_Sensation_. 
I think the last thing I bought was _Joe's_Garage_ which has the best and worst of FZ: 
puritanical, scatalogical, incisive, self-indulgent. The man was a master of travesty, 
the kind of ironic guide you needed on the cultural ride from doo-wop to supply-side 
economics.

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 6) UPI - Frank Zappa, a composer, arranger, musical and 
political satirist and social critic who released his ''The Yellow Shark''
album just last month, died Saturday at his Laurel Canyon home after battling
prostate cancer for several years. He was 52. 

During his musical career, Zappa was typecast as an eccentric crank who wrote
funny, controversial songs with dirty lyrics. His songs conjured up a
fundamentalist's nightmare of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, but Zappa was
anything but depraved. 

Zappa did not take drugs or drink alcohol and had campaigned against 
drug-taking since the 1960s. He also didn't permit his band members to take
drugs on the road. 

In fact, Zappa, who never drove despite living in Los Angeles, was an astute
businessman. In recent years he had turned to international business, forming
a licensing, consulting and social engineering firm investing in
U.S.-Soviet/Eastern Bloc joint ventures. 

Zappa and his wife of more than 20 years, Gail, also ran their own record
label, Barking Pumpkin, a mail-order company, a video company and a music
publishing firm. The couple had four children. 

A private funeral service was held Sunday. 

Zappa began battling government, the record industry and music critics in the
late 1960s, and in the 1980s took on anti-pornography campaigns and
fundamentalist preachers as well. 

In 1966 he released his first album, ''Freak Out.'' The groundbreaking record
by Zappa's group, the Mothers of Invention, was a synthesis of modern
classical music, jazz, vocal group rhythm and blues, '60s rock and the kind of
avant-garde theatricality that has since come to be called performance art. 

''Freak Out'' and the albums that followed it, ''Absolutely Free'' and ''We're
Only in it for the Money,'' contained sociopolitical caricatures of American
lifestyles that amused many listeners bu created resentment among the targets
of Zappa's scorn, from drunken parents more concerned about their swimming
pools than their kids to ''phony hippies'' who inspired Zappa to proclaim that
''flower power sucks.'' 

Zappa became so identified with satiric material that the ambitious music that
followed was frequently identified as another joke. But ''Lumpy Gravy,''
''Cruising with Ruben and the Jets,'' ''Uncle Meat,'' ''Hot Rats,'' ''Burnt
Weeny Sandwich'' and ''Weasels Ripped My Flesh'' proved Zappa had few musical
peers. 

The next incarnation of the Mothers of Invention, fronted by ex- Turtles Mark
Volman and Howard Kaylan, was featured in the bizarre underground film classic
''200 Motels'' and on several albums, ''Chunga's Revenge,'' ''Fillmore East,
June 1971,'' ''Just Another Band From L.A.'' and ''Waka/Jawaka.'' 

After releasing the dense instrumental arrangements for ''The Grand Wazoo,''
Zappa unveiled yet another version of the Mothers that toured extensively in
the mid-1970s and accounted for a series of his most popular albums:
''Over-Nite Sensation,'' ''Apostrophe,'' ''One Size Fits All,'' ''Zoot
Allures'' and ''Zappa in New York.'' 

Zappa's next record, ''Shiek Yerbouti,'' was one of his most controversial
albums. His satiric imagination scaled Swiftian heights with the disco parody
''Dancing Fool'' and ''Jewish Princess,'' a lampoon that drew public outrage
from Dinah Shore and B'nai B'rith. 

Zappa closed out the 1970s with ''Joe's Garage,'' a three-LP set with a bitter,
tragic story line about a country where music is outlawed. 

Zappa started out fresh in the 1980s, releasing some of his most challenging
records and embarking on an ambitious plan to consolidate his overall musical
output. 

He coined the word ''xenocrony,'' or strange synchronization, to describe his
organizational principle of matching different parts of different concerts to
create an entirely new musical statement. 

Zappa used the ''xenocrony'' technique to remarkable effect on a series of
1981 instrumental albums, ''Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar,'' ''Shut Up 'N Play
Yer Guitar Some More'' and ''The Return of the Son of Shut Up 'N Play Yer
Guitar.'' Like most of his 1980s work, the records were released by his own
Barking Pumpkin record label. 

In addition to albums with his working group, Zappa finally got the chance to
release his first classical recordings in the '80s, ''London Symphony
Orchestra'' Volumes I and II and ''Boulez Conducts Zappa, The Perfect
Stranger.'' 

In 1983 he sued his former record company, Warner Bros., to get ownership of
the master tapes of his records so he could reap the profits when the works
were reissued on compact discs. He also claimed Warner Bros. had miscalculated
the royalties due him. 

Zappa said he lost his zeal for touring after a self-financed 1988 outing with
a 12-piece band cost him $400,000. 

''That sort of dampens one's enthusiasm for going out there and doing it again,
'' he said. 

Unlike many major rock acts, Zappa refused to accept corporate sponsorship
because he did not want to promote products. 

According to Billboard magazine, Zappa's three biggest singles were novelty
songs - ''Don't Eat the Yellow Snow,'' which reached No. 4 on the charts in
1974, ''Dancin' Fool,'' which hit No. 8 in 1979, and ''Valley Girl,'' No. 12
in 1982. ''Valley Girl'' featured his daughter, Moon Unit, using
''Valleyspeak'' terms like ''gag me with a spoon'' and ''tubular.'' 

Francis Vincent Zappa Jr., the oldest of four children in a Greek- Sicilian
household, was born Dec. 21, 1940, in Baltimore, Md. When he was 9 the family
moved to California. 

Zappa began playing in school bands in the early 1950s. By the time he was in
Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, Calif., he was playing guitar in a
band called the Blackouts. 

Zappa got into his share of trouble at school, but it gave him an outlet to
pursue his artistic impulses. For one art project he erased the emulsion from
a 10-minute piece of film, then handpainted each frame individually. 

At 16, the young nonconformist developed ulcers. 

After graduating high school Zappa married his first wife, Kay, and struggled
to support himself writing soundtrack music for films and composing
avant-garde music that no one would perform. He took music theory courses at
several colleges before quitting formal education in disgust. 

For a time, Zappa worked as an art director at a greeting card firm while
playing in cocktail lounge show bands at night. 

In 1963 Zappa received royalties from a film score he wrote years earlier and
used the money to buy a good electric guitar and open his own recording studio,
Studio Z, in Cucamonga. He spent days experimenting with his own recordings
while playing bars at night in a band called the Muthers. 

Studio Z folded after Zappa made a 10-minute porno film for a used car
salesman who turned out to be an undercover policeman. Zappa was arrested,
served 10 days in jail and was on probation for three years. 

The stage was set for Zappa to take on everything he felt was phony and
corrupt about American society. He moved to Los Angeles and formed the Mothers
of Invention, which became a kind of ad hoc house band for a growing society
of post-beat, pre-hippie noncomformists who Zappa dubbed ''United Mutations.'' 

Zappa has sparred in public debate with Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President
Albert Gore and co-chairman of the Parents Music Resource Center, a lobbying
group intent on policing the lyric content of popular music by rating records. 

It was after the record industry complied with the PMRC's request for ratings
on rock records that Zappa started a one-man lobby to protect his free
expression. 

''Once all that stuff started happening anybody stating the case at all. I
have the right to state my side of the case as an independent guy.'' 

In his statement to a congressional committee on rock lyrics chaired by Gore,
Zappa claimed that the ratings system was a violation of his constitutional
rights and that its focus on only rock records was a protectionist strategy by
Gore to favor the country music made in his home state of Tennessee. 

Zappa's image changed subtly as he grew older. His lampoons had often been
accurate enough to outlive the subjects they skewered, and his seemingly
tireless ability to speak out eloquently in defense of artistic freedom added
an almost statesmanlike quality to his speech. 

Zappa was sought out as a public speaker after his Senate testimony, giving a
keynote addresstempting to retrieve contributions made by PTL members to Jim
and Tammy Bakker. 

''Since 1985 I'm probably more famous for having Slade Gorton tell me I didn't
know anything about the First Amendment than for any song I ever wrote. It may
even come as a surprise to people that I play the guitar.'' 

Zappa saw the Soviet Union as an especially ripe market and made numerous
business trips there in recent years. He took a commission for arranging for
amber from the Soviet Union to be sent to a U.S. company for jewelry. He even
ventured into journalism with ''Frank Zappa's Wild Wild East,'' a series of
interviews he conducted during a trip to Eastern Europe and aired on Financial
News Network. 

''I don't have anything against making a profit,'' he told the Los Angeles
Times. 

    Better late than never I guess; I wanted to add something on Frank
    Zappa and his death.

    His death affected me very deeply, as did his life. Yes, I am a Frank
    Zappa fan, but that has little to do with it. Frank Zappa represented
    to me everything that is right with music, America and life in general.
    Why? Because, like Zappa, I am a total non-conformist and can't imagine
    consistently thumbing my nose at virtually every possible authority
    without the inspiration of the Master.

    Let's see... a long-haired, foul-mouthed, loud, obnoxious, unrepentant,
    conservative, politically incorrect, capitalist, sex fiend. As such,
    Frank Zappa was one of my few role models! Where else could I find
    someone who I could so totally identify with?

    I got to meet Zappa once. It was when I was working with Peter Gabriel
    and company on my synthesizer project and Zappa was just starting
    to get heavily into the Synclavier. My contacts in London had called
    Zappa's management when he was in town, and told them that there
    was someone working on a product that he might be interested in. So,
    I packed it off to E.M. Loew's theatre in Worcester (same place I
    met Peter for the first time, coincidentally), and saw the show. As
    I recall, the show wasn't great, but Zappa's shows were always a trick
    or treat affair. By some snafu, Zappa's people thought I was supposed
    to meet him in New York or something, and had not put aside the
    promised back stage passes. So, I went to the stage door after the show
    and knocked... If you've ever seen a Zappa show, you may remember the
    gorilla that traveled with him. The guy was this huge, bulging, shaved
    mound of sweaty flesh held together with a karate belt. At the door, his
    height was not as imposing as it seemed on stage, but the man was
    none-the-less threatening. No back stage pass? No entre! Me, being a
    bit of a weenie, decided that I just had to argue with this guy, that
    I could not let this episode pass, and that I must get back stage at
    all costs to life and limb. Well, after 5 or 6 minutes he "politely"
    escorted my lily white ass off the premises, but not until I got him
    to *promise* to give a note to Frank.

    All the way home I was saying to myself (with my wife chiming in
    happily on the chorus), "you sure blew that one out your ass b-man".
    Yup. No brain, much pain!

    Arriving home, I found the light blinking on my answering machine. I
    hit play and heard the low gravelly voice of Frank Zappa apologizing
    for the trouble and wondering if I would mind meeting him at his hotel
    for breakfast.

    The meeting was brief. Zappa didn't eat, only drank coffee and chain
    smoked. I felt self conscious eating alone, so I drank coffee too, but
    resisted the temptation to take up smoking. We talked about the
    short-comings of the Synclavier and Fairlight, and what I was doing and
    how it was supposed to improve on those systems. I agreed that as soon
    as we were done with the prototype, that I would give Zappa a call and
    arrange a demo.

    The money to complete the prototype never came. Peter's people backed
    out of the project. I never did call Zappa again. But for one happy
    hour I talked with the Zen Master of the Fickle Finger of Fate, and
    I will never be the same.

    Brian

    tonight on the A & E channel series "Biography" they are doing a show
    on FZ...8pm

    
    Interesting.  Thanks,
    
    Kev --
    

    Anyone know what happened to the Zappa notes file? It's been a year
    since Frank died. Did the notes file die too?
    

    WOW, didn't even know there was an FZ notes file..I'd like to know
    about it too

    
    	Now at RTFM1::ZAPPA
    
    							GTI
    

    Current issue of Goldmine has good ol' Frank on the cover.

    Tjw

    
    	Does Frank have a "greatest hits" package out?  Studio versions
    	are preferred, if possible.
    
    	Aside from Moon Unit's "Valley Girl", I've never heard a Frank
    	Zappa song, and wouldn't mind picking up a good variety of his
    	stuff.
    
    	Thanks for any info.
    

re:         <<< Note 57.38 by BUSY::SLABOUNTY "Great baby! Delicious!!" >>>

>       	Does Frank have a "greatest hits" package out?  Studio versions
>    	are preferred, if possible.

    
	Yes, the most recent release by the Zappa Family Trust is
	"Strictly Commercial", essentially a Zappa's "Greatest Hits"
	package.  
	
	If you like the instrumental/jazzy side of Zappa, try the Grand Wazoo
	or Waka Jawaka.

	His style varies so widely it's impossible to get it all on one disc,
	or even several.   For an incredible piece of music, try the recent
	"Civilization Phase III", mostly all Zappa on synclavier. 

	/Ken

    
    	Well, I ordered "Strictly Commercial" and "Joe's Garage I/II/III"
    	from the CD club last week.  We'll see how I like them.
    

    My favorites:
    
    	o U Are What You Is
    	o Joe's Garage
    	o Overnite Sensation
    	o One Size Fits All
    	o Apostrophe
    
    I haven't heard too many albums by him that I don't like though, but
    those are my favorites.

    My favorite album is "We're only in it for the Money".
    By far, his best satirical work.
    
    Apart from that, I find it difficult to make a list of Zappa "albums"
    that are my favorites. Although "album" is defined as a collection of 
    similar or related entities, the great thing about Frank is that he 
    rearely came out with an album that could be defined as such.  It was
    always quite a mix of classical, jazz, orchestral, rock, country even.
    Often within one song. He was a master at changes (time signatures
    often changed several times in one piece). He was a master and played a
    major influence in my life.  I was known as Zappa in high school
    because I recited his lyrics more often then I talked about anything 
    else. Now and then I reflect on his existance. I guess this is one of
    those days.

    Favorite Songs
    --------------
	"You're probably wondering why I'm here"	-Freak Out
	"Aint got no heart"				-Freak Out
	"Aint got no heart"				-Tinsletown Rebellion
    	"Peaches II"					-Tinsletown Rebellion
	"America drinks and goes home"			-Absolutely Free
	"Uncle Remus"					-Apostrophe
	"Who needs the Peace Corps"			-We're only in it for $
	"Lets make the water turn black"		-We're only in it for $
	"Flower Punk"					-We're only in it for $
	"Camirillo Brillo"				-Overnite Sensation
    	"Sofa I"					-One Size fits All
    	"Sofa II"					-One Size fits All
    	"Sofa"						-Zappa in New York
	"The Muffin Man"				-Bongo Fury
	"Carolina's Hard-core extacy"			-Bongo Fury
	"In France"					-Them or Us
	"Stevies Spankin Baby"				-Them or Us
    	"U are what you is"				-U are what you is
    	"Gobblin Girl"					-U are what you is
    	"Harder then your husband (to get along with)	-U are what you is
	"Jazz Discharge Party Hats"			-Man from Utopia
	"The Dangerous Kitchen"				-Man from Utopia
	"Sheik Yerbouti Tango"				-Sheik Yerbouti
	"Sleep Dirt"					-Sleep Dirt
	"Regyption Strut"				-Studio Tan
	"Gregory Peckary"				-Studio Tan
	"Duke of Prunes"				-Orchestral Favorites
	"Watermelon in Easter Hay"			-Joes Garage Acts II&III
	"Jesus thinks you're a jerk"			-Broadway the Hard Way

And there's probably about a hundred or so more.

Anyone who doesn't know Zappa, you're missing something!

Steve

P.S. Dave... did you allow AMS to dust your albums?		
    

    I'll 2nd "We're Only in it for the Money" tooo funny...Apostrophe is
    simply a Classic...I agree that anyone who doesn't know FZ's music or
    won't listen 'cuz "he's weird, and writes weird lyrix" is Completely
    missing out...
    
    also HOT RATS, mostly instrumental, featuring Peaches En Regalia,
    Willee The Pimp, Gumbo Variations...recomended

    
    	Oh, "he's weird" is almost a sure sign that I'll buy it or have
    	already bought it.
    
    	8^)
    

    ... and don't miss out on the early stuff, like "Freak Out" and
    "Ruben and the Jets."
    
    Memorable tunes... "Help, I'm a Rock," "No Way To Delay That Trouble
    Comin' Every Day," "How Could I Be Such A Fool," to name a few.

    Don't get fooled into buying the album by the band called "Ruben
    and The Jets", it's not the same as the FZ album by the same name.
    
    The FZ album is/was relatively hard to find. The other one is 
    much easier.
    
    Edd Cote
    
    

    Isn't it "Cruisin' with Ruben and the Jets"?
    
    You can only find this album at a "seconds" store, unless 
    Ryko-Disc (Salem Ma) has re-mixed it.
    
    The original (Along with "Freak out", "We're only in it...", 
    "Lumpy Gravy", and "Absolutely Free") were all released by 
    "Verrve" records....long gone.
    
    I think Ryko-Disc re-mixed and released the other 4, so I don't 
    see any reason why to expect they didn't do the same with 
    "Cruisin' with..."
    
    Thought of the day...
    (from Lumpy Gravy)	"how do you get your water so dark?"
    			"because I'm parynoid, I'm very parynoid,
    			and the water in my washing machine turns dark...
    			out of sympathy"
    			"um... sympathy?"
    			"yes"
    			"um... where can I get that"
    			"at your local drugstore"
    			"how much?"
    			"it's from Kansas"
    
    Steve

    
    	Well, after listening to "Strictly Commercial" and "Joe's
    	Garage I/II/III" I have come to the conclusion that Frank
    	Zappa is WAY out there somewhere.  8^)
    
    	Some of "Joe's Garage" is OK, and most is VERY strange.
    	"Strictly Commercial" is pretty good, especially when you
    	listen to stuff like "Valley Girl" and concentrate on the
    	rhythm track ... excellent.