Chris Ryan "The way we Americans see music now is shameful." It's always been shameful, Freak Out! (and Frank Zappa in general) was a bigger hit in Europe than it ever was in the U.S.
I know ZAPPA taught me things at an early age...I found a box of lps in the trash when I was 8 or 9 (1973-74) This box was loaded with ZAPPA, BEEFHEART, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, Herbie Hancock , PFUNK I HAD BEEN BLESSED AS A CHILD
I don’t really see many Andy Kaufman traits in Zappa. In the sense that his show was a kind of sort of variety oriented? But while he did some dada kind of stuff, he was hardly ever pulling one over on the audience. He was pretty straight forward, Andy was anything but. You never knew when Andy was being serious or not. Frank was way more up front about who he was and what he was about
90% of people have NO clue what Zappa was all about. He was a composer, first and foremost. Some times conforming to popular trends, often times not. Either way, he created a greater volume and array of music of greater value than most. There was only one Zappa. RIP brother.
When someone says could care less it is an implication of a figure of speech such as "I could care less about a rats ass". Both ways are correct. One is literal, one is figurative.
What he cared about, right from the start, was exploring the sound and imaginal territory indicated by Varese and Webern and Stravinsky and connecting and playing with the most interesting musicians he could find. He did all that and that was his Hall of Fame.
In may way, to see what Frank and Lou has done in their life as artists ,it seens impossible to compare what they have done.Their where booth outstanding in what they doing .They had an organillity that just have to be remeberd as real art.I miss them .
Frank Zappa was a huge influence on me as a musician. His advice for composition was brilliant, "As long as it has a beginning, middle and end, and you like like it, then it is good."
Personally, I thought the timing of Frank Zappa's induction into the HoF, a mere 13 months after he passed, was kinda like, "Let's get this out of the way already." Kinda like obligatory. I also felt that his winning a Grammy for Jazz from Hell, and not so much for the album but the song itself. The standout track from that album was G-Spot Tornado. I'm a big fan but haven't memorized the track Jazz From Hell. Another example of "Let's just give this guy a bone already."
Got into FZ in the 70s. He can be a polarising figure which makes him even more intriguing to me but as far as his musicianship (gosh so many of his guitar solos are unmatchable), compositional ability (across so many genres), intelligence (in any field) he's uncompromising. You don't have to agree with everything he did (remember some classical composers from 350 years ago were revolutionary). I remember listening to some of the most challenging, delightful, puerile, intense, satisfying, gob smacking, complex, sing-a-long brilliant, laugh out loud, music ever. FZ did it his own way and of course that's gonna attract distractors but he didn't care a snot boogie. Miss him.
"Zappa was a way better guitarist and composer than Lou and they also hated each other for like less than a year. Therefore Lou sucks" - 98% of the comment section
What makes this bad is not some ancient petty feud they had back in the '60's. If anything, I think it's poingnant that Lou put aside old grievances to honor Zappa. I can see why he and the HoF thought it might be a nice gesture, and I give him a little credit for doing so. I guess the idea was to have a counter-cultural icon (Reed) try to explain a more obscure figure (Zappa) to the wider mass market audience. But it failed because it's clear that Lou Reed still never understood Zappa and his fans. All that he said about Zappa focused on attitude and hipness and politics. Certainly most of it was true. But before all the message and philosophy crap, Zappa was first and foremost a music nerd. The complexity of the music and the skillfulness of the playing were paramount for both Frank and the many musicians he played with over the years. It is also the main focal point for his fans. Lou Reed was the polar opposite. He only sees this as an issue of Frank's hipness and cultural cache. Not a word about musicianship and composition, etc. That's really what should piss off the Zappa fans, not some old forgotten rivalry. One suspects that the reason he doesn't talk about the role of musical complexity and theory in Zappa's music is that he was woefully underqualified and insecure about his own corresponding lack of knowledge and ability.
You are way undervaluing Lou Reed's talent, knowledge, and musicality... BIGTIME. He made music with really special atmospheres and his lyrics made personas jump out of their imaginary skin. It's all good and dandy if you don't personally like his music, but if you can't even acknowledge the talent and originality of Lou Reed's approach to music then I suspect you have yet to truly give him a fair shot. Though I do agree he should've said more about the musicality of it. But then again, if Lou Reed went up to give a speech about Franz Liszt I'd say there's probably a 75 percent chance he makes no mention of technicality, so I wouldn't take it personally towards Zappa.
+Joe Moe -- Let's face it, very few rock & rollers cite Edgar Varese as a major influence. It's just a shame Frank didn't have more exposure to Persian, Turkish, and Arabic music. Frank Zappa once spent $250,000 to have a classical orchestra play some of his music. There's a bit of a gulf between that and "Sweet Jane" or "Heroin".My guess is that corporate management couldn't understand either Frank or Lou, so they had Lou do the honors.
+Joe Moe Zappa was as much a counter culture icon as Reed was. Don't be silly. Zappa left a substantial musical legacy! He will be remembered as a substantial figure in 20th Century American Music. Lou won't!
Lou's strengths were as a lyricist and songwriter, but he could not play lead guitar. Frank was a brilliant composer and guitar player, as well as satirist. Both were incredibly influential counter-cultural avant-gardists, but in different ways.
Makes me cry! First cause Moon is an amazing woman and quite young here. And just before this they foisted Lou as the inductee on Moon and the Zappa family..Someone they were raised to think of as the enemy, someone who famously said he was happy that Frank was pushed into the orchestra pit at the Rainbow in London in 1971 and was in a wheelchair for a year or so. . But by all accounts Lou said kind words to Moon before this and it has been written (!) don’t ask me where...that Gail and Frank listened to tracks from that first Velvets album their last day’s together and loved it. Frank and Lou had a lot in common.l..a love of RnB...both sweated it out in the novelty record world but certainly Lou on a more professional scale...barely!. And they were both artists. Tales of Frank dissing the Velvets before their LA premier in 66 or 67 are believable and are maybe not his finest moment...but he never liked druggies..so I’m not surprised it went down that way. Also the Czech thing was a factor. Why be enemies?
I find this particularly interesting knowing that Lou Reed actually disliked Zappa's music. Although they were competing on the same record label in the 60's.
+Carl Anderson Beautiful moment my ass. This is complete hypocrisy on a gigantic scale. Everything Reed says here is a lie. He personally Hated Zappa! This is well known. His conceit is beyond belief!
If you know their rivalry, it was that they were both equals in speech as well as with their music, but came from opposite directions. They were rivals, but not without respect. I happen to know this because I met Lou Reed not too many years ago, backstage and asked him several questions in the brief moment that I had. And he had nothing but praise for Zappa. This moment, at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, was genuine believe it or not. And Moon Zappa believed it too.
Carl Anderson What guff! Reed hated Zappa right from the word go. Reed was never Zappa's equal either in word or music as far as I'm concerned. Verve delayed the release of the first Velvet Underground album because they wanted to focus on promoting Freak Out (their first rock double album). This pissed Reed and Co. enormously. It's no secret, there is an interview Reed did for NME in the mid '70s with Charles Shaar Murray. I suggest you track it down. Anyway. you're talking him up. He's of the generation who suddenly got lucky with the dawn of a new format (CDs) and who suddenly found themselves shifting vast quantities of back catalogue. In my world Reed was no great shakes. But then, after Zappa everything else is just rock music.
If you feel that everything else is just rock music after Zappa I'd recommend listening to the albums Stone Circus by Stone Circus and also Here Come the Warm Jets and Taking Tiger Mountain by Brian Eno.
+Joseph Gattuso I've worked in the Record Business for 45 years. I know the albums you mentioned. None of them are remotely in the same league as Zappa. The Eno albums are merely studio constructs. Sombre Reptiles for example may be interesting, but anyone who plays could have it down in 10 minutes. It couldn't be more basic. Try Googling 'Steve Vai/Whats New In Baltimore'! Its him playing and explaining the 'Intro' to the Zappa tune. Never in his entire career has Eno produced anything this innovative, interesting, challenging or downright beautiful. As an example of what a Real Musician can accomplish it's hard to beat. Unfortunately, although Eno has a creative mind and a good 'ear', he isn't a musician in the true sense of the word. As a producer, he did great work with Talking Heads, but if you've heard the sessions he did with 'Television' for 'Marquee Moon', well, It's no wonder they found an alternative!
i was blasting hot rats one time in my car and this homeless guy suddenly broke out dancing like he was back in the 70s. it was very cool. i had his day for a minute or so.
Lou Reed, 1975 - "I enjoyed those shows I did at the Rainbow. I kept thinking, Frank Zappa fell 17 feet into that pit. I hate Frank Zappa and it made me so happy to think about that."
God Bless Lou Reed as he was inducted last night into the Rock Hall. He did Frank after his death and last night his loving mate Lori Anderson inducted Lou.
+Bob Durante Fuck Lou Reed. He was a bloody hypocrite. He hated Zappa. It was personal. It went back to the days of Freak Out, which because it was a double album, caused Verve to delay the release of the first Velvets album. Everything he says here is a complete LIE!!!!
+Andy Thomas Zappa's Freak Out was recorded before the Velvet's first lp. How would Frank have control over that, and why would Lou hold a grudge that long? If he did, would he have given a speech like that with seriousness and respect? Moon liked it, and it was good.
ESmithStringSlinger I know it was recorded before, but because it was a double Verve put all their effort into Freak Out's release and subsequent promotional activity etc and as a result The Velvet Underground were put on the back burner. Are you the only person on the planet not to know this? I have read several interviews with Reed over the years where he's had a go at Zappa. One particularly memorable tirade was in the mid '70s when Charles Shaar Murray interviewed him for NME. There was no love lost between them. Moon liked it did she? Maybe she was astonished at how Lou had the balls to do it in the first place!
Fucking awesome that Mr. Young was the first (that we see) person on his feet at the end of the video. And Mr. Reed as the presenter was absolutely spot-on, another guy who sometimes got ahead of (some of) his audience. God, Frank was a great dad, other than picking baby names. He let us know our minds could get as big as his, without making us feel smaller.
Moon Zappa is beautiful! I read a long time ago, yes I am old, but not that old, Lou Reed had a disliking for Frank Zappa. Then again Lou Reed and many musicians are like the seasons, sometimes they are cold other times they are warm. Perhaps that is the mental landscape of creative types.
Just read in Moon Zappa's excellent new autobiography that Lou faxed Gail Zappa an apology for his disrespect to Frank, but she still refused to attend. What Reed says about their mutual admiration is I hope true. Because it definitely wasn't the case when they were newer to the scene.
Disagree on your first line. They both did not care what others thought of them. They both were willing to stretch themselves to see where their artistic expression could take them. That is what is great about the both of them.
Lou Reed, ever the jerk, has to get in the gratuitous, "I know he admired ME." Really, Lou? You just said a minute before that you regret not knowing FZ that well, but in your mind, your minimal relationship was enough to wring admiration out of the man.
@@andythomas706 you reply shit on every comment ... why should anybody give a shit about what a no name opinionated idiot like you has to say ... repeatedly ... who actually gives a fuk what you think of lou ... wheres the record you did ? Yeah thought so ... talentless ....
Funniest thing I have heard this year was Dweezil talking about Lou Reed during his Q&A gig at the City Winery in Atlanta. If anyone has a transcript they could post regarding Burt Reynolds photograph, I am sure other FZ fans would find it funny too.
Reposting this for the people that are showing up on here and trashing Reed, some background for you: The Velvets and the Mothers (Frank's band in the 60's) both played several "Dates" together in California in 1966/67. The two bands had clashes over typical East Coast / West Coast rivalry at the time, as well as Sterling Morrison/Reed's claim that Zappa would trash-talk the Velvets before they ever went on stage. This is fact, not opinion. Zappa's manager at the time also made sure that Freak Out was released BEFORE the Banana Album (on Verve), whereas Warhol wasnt' in any position to convince Verve to do anything on the Velvets' behalf. Lou Reed subsequently trash-talked Zappa several times in the 60's, early 70's when he had a big drug/alcohol issue, however, it was also known that Reed admired Zappa as a guitar player, and Zappa had once commented to Reed in an NYC recording studio in the late 60's. "I'm surprised how much I like the Velvet's debut album", so Reed was aware there was a mutual respect here. If people from both Zappa's fan camp, as well as Reed's fan camp were to shut up and listen to what Reed is saying here, not only is he burying the hatchet, but he's saying Zappa was basically a musical genius in his own right, and that the Hall of Fame is lucky to have him. Hope this history helps out some of the challenged people in this comment thread.
It is easy, instead of bored Lou Reed, narrator (with Central Scrutinizer' voice) should whisper into audience: "I bring you now a special presentation to show what can happen to you if you choose a career in MUSIC..."
I always love seeing moon represent her father. She always has the important speaking roles and is the MOUTH of the Zappa legacy, dweezil is the TALENT/MUSIC of the Zappa legacy, diva is the more creative fingers and Ahmet? I’m not too sure about him… he’s pretty quiet. Maybe the cool calm collect.
Sorry, that's incorrect. At 2:55 is musical segment of Greggery Peccary from the Studio Tan album. Be-Bop Tango is from Roxy & Elsewhere and is no way similar to this You Tube passage.
i like both lou reed and frank zappa. i think they both just didnt understand each others style or at least lou reed didnt and he even said he regretted not knowing him better. love music dont hate the artist :) x
I'm not judging Frank as a poet; I'm judging both of them as lyricists. Both constructed songs containing both musical and lyrical components, so it's fair. Musically speaking, Frank was inclined toward much more complex and structured arrangements, whereas Lou was more interested in the deconstruction of Rock & Roll, w/ strong emphasis on distortion and expressionist performance; opposite sides of the coin, really. If you prefer clinical structure to free-form abstractionism, Frank is your man
Im confused on how he set the record straight in that bit here All he said I admired Frank and Frank admired me I ve been a fan of both for decades (Early 70s) and this slag by Reed is minutes old news to me Was there a reconciliation ? Did frank even respond to this slag ? I would think if he did it would end up in one of his many parody songs He reference alot of people in his music , I own well over 100 Zappa originals , and never heard him once mention Lou I would also suspect they would not be great friends anyhow , with Franks ideas on drugs thank you if you can respond
There was originally a supposed to be a part during the spoken word segment of Concentration Moon where Zappa made a derogatory comment towards The Velvet Underground. It was edited out in post production.
@aNdYmAtTeR Thanks for those links. What Lou Reed said was harsh, but then again Zappa had been critical of the Velvet Underground, according to that Zappateers thread. Sterling Morrison also criticised Zappa, saying "I hate Frank Zappa. He's really horrible, but he's a good guitar player."
"Frank Zappa is the most untalented musician I've ever heard... He can't play rock 'n roll because he's a loser...". Lou Reed according to Neil Slaven, Zappa, Project/Object chapter.
i almost posted a rant, but will let your words speak for themselves, or your quote. Lou really was an arrogant prick and for him to diss people who were technically better than him is really a shame..... i'll just say that and leave out the rest...
keguribap Exactly. Lou Reed is one of the most untalented musicians I've ever heard. Metal Machine Music?!? Puleez. I posted this to show what a douche and poseur he was. Oh well, he's walkin' on the wild side now, eh?
Lou was VU. 'nuff said. and, as far as releasing albums of otherwise un-listenable noise is concerned, even George Harrison got into that act. may Lou and Frank rest well.
PaisleyPink Hey I'm not stalking you, it just happened that I red your comment. I think you are totally wrong: Zappa contributed in an inestimable way to music and his influence is more spread and more wide even though probably less evident than lou's. Just think about all musicians he has "grown": George Duke, Vinnie Colajuta, Terry Bozio, Steve Vai, Arthur Barrow, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Max Bennett, Chester Thomson, Ian Underwood, Chad Wackerman... and so many others that, after Zappa, had a brilliant career in Jazz or even in rock or pop and helped to raise the qualitative bets in music.
The last thing Frank would have wanted would have been an award from the industry he loathed. I'm not blaming Moon for graciously accepting it, but she had to know that Frank would never have accepted it.
Don't know much about any historical rivalry between the Mothers and the Velvets. However, I do know that both bands were signed to the same record label (Verve) by the same producer (Tom Wilson) at about the same time (early 1966). Both bands were decidedly outside the mainstream of popular entertainment of the time, and both made music that was very much in opposition to the prevailing psychedelic hippie subculture of the San Francisco scene as well as New York and L.A.-based commercial pop generally. Zappa made a passing (albeit less than complimentary) mention of the VU on his song "Concentration Moon" from the third Mothers' LP, "We're Only in It for the Money". Personally, I think John Cale had more in common with Zappa than Lou Reed ever did, as Cale and Zappa were both eccentric, classically trained goyische musicians with an affinity for avant-garde experimentalism and Dada satire. Cale's musical hero was Erik Satie, and Zappa's was Edgar Varese. In contrast, Lou Reed had more in common with a fellow New York Jewish songwriter like Paul Simon -- both were college English majors who developed their respective styles from an early interest in rock 'n' roll, doo wop, the Tin Pan Alley tradition, free jazz, beat poetry, Bob Dylan and Greenwich Village folk. Not surprisingly, the VU became a much more ordinary sounding band after Cale was forced out the group in late 1968. Reed also gradually became less interesting as his songwriting muse abandoned him after the 1970's, and he continued to lack an interesting musical collaborator like Cale to shake things up for him and save him from slipping into terminal self-parody (which he eventually did).
The first Velvets album's release date was put back by several weeks while Verve concentrated on promoting 'Freak Out'. Lou's Beef with Zappa stems from that event. As if it was his fault. Reed didn't have the balls to rant at Verve, having just been signed by them. He had to vent his spleen on someone....so it was all Zappa's fault!
@@andythomas706 Just bad timing, I guess -- a persistent misfortune that seemed to plague the VU throughout their brief career. Although, truth be told, Lou was lucky to have a recording contract at all: in 1965, practically no one in New York would give the Velvets the time of day. They were only able to record and release their album thanks to Warhol's generous sponsorship and his connections in the music industry. In contrast, Zappa may have benefited from being part of a hip commercial music scene in Laurel Canyon and his connection to the Monkees. In addition to promotional issues with Verve and the conflicting release date with the Mothers' "Freak Out!", the wide release of "The Velvet Underground and Nico" was further delayed by a problem with a photograph of an early EPI performance printed on back cover. Somebody featured in the said photograph fell out with Warhol and threatened to sue to have his image removed from all pressings of the LP jacket. Even worse: by the time the album eventually saw the light of day in March 1967, it was already being eclipsed by the huge promotional blitz for the Doors' first album, which had been released two months earlier (but recorded four months later), as well as by the recent release of the Jefferson Airplane's second album, "Surrealistic Pillow", which would establish San Francisco psychedelic rock in the commercial mainstream. The subsequent release of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" and the hype surrounding the Monterey Pop Festival later that summer (which would introduce Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin to the wider American public) effectively consigned the Velvets' to a rather ignominious cultural obscurity and irrelevance for the remainder of 1967, and indeed, to the end of their storied career as a working band.
Award's are meaningless as some have stated yet. Haven't read through the comments but I am a little confused about Lou Reed telling that they've been friends or so. The first and last thing I recall reading about FZ and LR is a report with quotes from 1966 when the Mothers started and the Velvet Underground played the same venue for a time and both bands and band leaders expressed very openly that they really dislike the other artistically and personally. has their been a change somewhen?
Such a strange idea to have Lou induct Frank. I knew both of them and they weren't exactly a mutual admiration society. Whosever idea this was could've found a much more appropriate person to pay tribute to Frank. Whatever, at least Zappa's in the R&R HOF, where he most certainly belongs. Good to see Neil Young leaping to his feet and the end of the film is touching after all these years.
“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.” Frank Zappa.
Good english...
Zappa is always right. His words won't fade.
Lou would have agreed wholeheartedly
@@ancyber6876 put a colon after the first 3 words and it makes sense.
I think i had a stroke reading that so Frank must've said it
Frank Zappa gets in 2 yrs after his death. LL Cool J gets in while he's alive. King Crimson still isn't in. This place is a fucking joke.
I know. The way we Americans see music now is shameful. All you have to do is watch the Grammy's every year and see what we worship.
Chris Ryan Daft Punk isn't that bad and Lorde's great... for a pop star.
Chris Ryan "The way we Americans see music now is shameful." It's always been shameful, Freak Out! (and Frank Zappa in general) was a bigger hit in Europe than it ever was in the U.S.
seamac206 isn't that bad?! I'm sorry, that's not the way I like to describe the music I'm into
Chris Ryan I meant to say Daft Punk was great and Lorde isn't that bad
Neil Young with the standing ovation. nice.
They had a lot in common.
he told me his arse was numb and it was a good opportunity to stand up
lol
@@erics9754 Neil Young is to Frank Zappa, what Gene Simons is to Charles Mingus; tons in common, like both of them having ears, eyes, a nose, etc.
@@acohen1980 at least he had a good reason for his ass being numb!
The first person to stand up: Neil Young. Zappa left us at age 53...we need him so much now.
+Franz Kafka check out the cardiacs,the english fz
+ray wilson Don't tell me. You're a member of The Cardiacs right?
+Andy Thomas i wish ,can not play a note
No, Ray Wilson was a member of Genesis. Gotta be the same guy! Hi Ray!
I see you everywhere
I know ZAPPA taught me things at an early age...I found a box of lps in the trash when I was 8 or 9 (1973-74) This box was loaded with ZAPPA, BEEFHEART, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, Herbie Hancock , PFUNK I HAD BEEN BLESSED AS A CHILD
Somebody's mom got mad 🤭 my best friend back then introduced me to all these artists; he was always so excited when a new LP came out 🙂
Frank Zappa was to music what Andy Kaufman was to comedy. Even if you think you know, you arent really 100% sure.
On some things, I think that applies to all of us even his fans, but when he played that guitar, I knew I was experiencing Beauty.
@MiamiBeach xxx
Being a prokaryote probably doesn’t help either
I don’t really see many Andy Kaufman traits in Zappa. In the sense that his show was a kind of sort of variety oriented? But while he did some dada kind of stuff, he was hardly ever pulling one over on the audience. He was pretty straight forward, Andy was anything but. You never knew when Andy was being serious or not. Frank was way more up front about who he was and what he was about
One of the few true geniuses of modern music.
I miss Lou Reed and Frank
Why did you actually know them?
DAVID MATHEWS/The Minerals you can miss someone even if you don’t know them. If the music touched you that much.
90% of people have NO clue what Zappa was all about. He was a composer, first and foremost. Some times conforming to popular trends, often times not. Either way, he created a greater volume and array of music of greater value than most. There was only one Zappa. RIP brother.
City of tiny lights..is brilliance but i believe He only put his name on it..Steve Vai..!
@@pena.3302 He put his name on it because it's on a Frank Zappa record. And he probably either wrote it or co wrote it . 😁
He never cared about being remembered, but he will never be forgotten
Nice, touching tribute to a genius. "must be just what they all need..."
Frank could care less that he was inducted
Zappa...couldn't care less.
Mike Alstatt Thanks Mike ..actually somebody here who know what the F __ _ he's talkin' about...You !!!!!
When someone says could care less it is an implication of a figure of speech such as "I could care less about a rats ass". Both ways are correct. One is literal, one is figurative.
What he cared about, right from the start, was exploring the sound and imaginal territory indicated by Varese and Webern and Stravinsky and connecting and playing with the most interesting musicians he could find. He did all that and that was his Hall of Fame.
Yeah but Frank would probably enjoy the whole event because why not?
A true renaissance man of music.
It'd be great if Lou Reed came to the stage, pulled out a piece of paper, then said "I wish my name didn't sound so much like 'Boo'"
+paulytamale Seek help or Up your meds!
+Andy Thomas Maybe you shouldn't use youtube as your checklist
+Konsty What?!?!
It would have been great if Johnny Guitar Watson had come to the stage.
You mean Bou Reed ? Lol... X
In may way, to see what Frank and Lou has done in their life as artists ,it seens impossible to compare what they have done.Their where booth outstanding in what they doing .They had an organillity that just have to be remeberd as real art.I miss them .
Always into the mind and into the heart Frank Vincent Zappa!!! 👍 😎 ✌️
Lou Reeds Metal Machine Music has to be one of the greatest musical feats Reed ever achieved.
Nah. Reed's done much better.
Overrated
i never really seen moon zappa before... my lord... shes unbelievably beautiful.... shes gorgeous.... just another perfect creation by frank.
A creation by hand of God!
Watermelon in Easter 2018
Yuppers
Oh yeah. Really attractive❤
Who cares about the rock and roll hall of nothing. Zappa wouldn't cared less.
wouldn't HAVE cared less
If no one else will put honesty and integrity back into music today for fucks sake I will.
Fantastic Speech Lou!
+Peter Talbot Er! Hello? Anybody home?
Frank Zappa was a huge influence on me as a musician. His advice for composition was brilliant, "As long as it has a beginning, middle and end, and you like like it, then it is good."
Are you sure that it was a good advice ? Nobody knows who you are ?
@@bikkersdelight7445 Non sequitur. What does fame have to do with the application of ones advice?
She did a great job as did Lou rest his soul in accepting Zappas well deserved honor.
One of the greats.
Personally, I thought the timing of Frank Zappa's induction into the HoF, a mere 13 months after he passed, was kinda like, "Let's get this out of the way already." Kinda like obligatory.
I also felt that his winning a Grammy for Jazz from Hell, and not so much for the album but the song itself. The standout track from that album was G-Spot Tornado. I'm a big fan but haven't memorized the track Jazz From Hell. Another example of "Let's just give this guy a bone already."
Got into FZ in the 70s. He can be a polarising figure which makes him even more intriguing to me but as far as his musicianship (gosh so many of his guitar solos are unmatchable), compositional ability (across so many genres), intelligence (in any field) he's uncompromising. You don't have to agree with everything he did (remember some classical composers from 350 years ago were revolutionary). I remember listening to some of the most challenging, delightful, puerile, intense, satisfying, gob smacking, complex, sing-a-long brilliant, laugh out loud, music ever. FZ did it his own way and of course that's gonna attract distractors but he didn't care a snot boogie. Miss him.
"Zappa was a way better guitarist and composer than Lou and they also hated each other for like less than a year. Therefore Lou sucks" - 98% of the comment section
god, the stupid is so fucking depressing, isn't it?
No. Lou sucks because he sucks. He's just terrible. Fucking rubbish.
You definately suck more.
Joeythebabykangaroo nice b8t m8
People are very stupid. Reed was an ornery person, but Zappa also did his own share of trash-talking back in the 60's.
Lou just left us! I LOVE his speech for Frank!
best guitarist ever.
What makes this bad is not some ancient petty feud they had back in the '60's. If anything, I think it's poingnant that Lou put aside old grievances to honor Zappa. I can see why he and the HoF thought it might be a nice gesture, and I give him a little credit for doing so. I guess the idea was to have a counter-cultural icon (Reed) try to explain a more obscure figure (Zappa) to the wider mass market audience. But it failed because it's clear that Lou Reed still never understood Zappa and his fans. All that he said about Zappa focused on attitude and hipness and politics. Certainly most of it was true. But before all the message and philosophy crap, Zappa was first and foremost a music nerd. The complexity of the music and the skillfulness of the playing were paramount for both Frank and the many musicians he played with over the years. It is also the main focal point for his fans. Lou Reed was the polar opposite. He only sees this as an issue of Frank's hipness and cultural cache. Not a word about musicianship and composition, etc. That's really what should piss off the Zappa fans, not some old forgotten rivalry. One suspects that the reason he doesn't talk about the role of musical complexity and theory in Zappa's music is that he was woefully underqualified and insecure about his own corresponding lack of knowledge and ability.
You are way undervaluing Lou Reed's talent, knowledge, and musicality... BIGTIME. He made music with really special atmospheres and his lyrics made personas jump out of their imaginary skin. It's all good and dandy if you don't personally like his music, but if you can't even acknowledge the talent and originality of Lou Reed's approach to music then I suspect you have yet to truly give him a fair shot.
Though I do agree he should've said more about the musicality of it. But then again, if Lou Reed went up to give a speech about Franz Liszt I'd say there's probably a 75 percent chance he makes no mention of technicality, so I wouldn't take it personally towards Zappa.
+Joe Moe Reed built a career on attitude and hipness!
+Joe Moe -- Let's face it, very few rock & rollers cite Edgar Varese as a major influence. It's just a shame Frank didn't have more exposure to Persian, Turkish, and Arabic music. Frank Zappa once spent $250,000 to have a classical orchestra play some of his music. There's a bit of a gulf between that and "Sweet Jane" or "Heroin".My guess is that corporate management couldn't understand either Frank or Lou, so they had Lou do the honors.
+Joe Moe Zappa was as much a counter culture icon as Reed was. Don't be silly. Zappa left a substantial musical legacy! He will be remembered as a substantial figure in 20th Century American Music. Lou won't!
Lou's strengths were as a lyricist and songwriter, but he could not play lead guitar. Frank was a brilliant composer and guitar player, as well as satirist. Both were incredibly influential counter-cultural avant-gardists, but in different ways.
She was on point with music being a language and some being easier to understand than others.
Makes me cry! First cause Moon is an amazing woman and quite young here. And just before this they foisted Lou as the inductee on Moon and the Zappa family..Someone they were raised to think of as the enemy, someone who famously said he was happy that Frank was pushed into the orchestra pit at the Rainbow in London in 1971 and was in a wheelchair for a year or so. . But by all accounts Lou said kind words to Moon before this and it has been written (!) don’t ask me where...that Gail and Frank listened to tracks from that first Velvets album their last day’s together and loved it. Frank and Lou had a lot in common.l..a love of RnB...both sweated it out in the novelty record world but certainly Lou on a more professional scale...barely!. And they were both artists. Tales of Frank dissing the Velvets before their LA premier in 66 or 67 are believable and are maybe not his finest moment...but he never liked druggies..so I’m not surprised it went down that way. Also the Czech thing was a factor. Why be enemies?
Any "Top (pick a number) guitarists" lists of all time, that does not Include
Frank, is a highly suspect list.
frank was way beyond his time genius is not substantial to describe him
I find this particularly interesting knowing that Lou Reed actually disliked Zappa's music. Although they were competing on the same record label in the 60's.
Neil Young should have inducted Frank.
Beautiful moment reminding us that there is much more to this music than it just being the greatest expression of artform ever.
+Carl Anderson Beautiful moment my ass. This is complete hypocrisy on a gigantic scale. Everything Reed says here is a lie. He personally Hated Zappa! This is well known. His conceit is beyond belief!
If you know their rivalry, it was that they were both equals in speech as well as with their music, but came from opposite directions. They were rivals, but not without respect. I happen to know this because I met Lou Reed not too many years ago, backstage and asked him several questions in the brief moment that I had. And he had nothing but praise for Zappa. This moment, at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, was genuine believe it or not. And Moon Zappa believed it too.
Carl Anderson What guff! Reed hated Zappa right from the word go. Reed was never Zappa's equal either in word or music as far as I'm concerned. Verve delayed the release of the first Velvet Underground album because they wanted to focus on promoting Freak Out (their first rock double album). This pissed Reed and Co. enormously. It's no secret, there is an interview Reed did for NME in the mid '70s with Charles Shaar Murray. I suggest you track it down. Anyway. you're talking him up. He's of the generation who suddenly got lucky with the dawn of a new format (CDs) and who suddenly found themselves shifting vast quantities of back catalogue. In my world Reed was no great shakes. But then, after Zappa everything else is just rock music.
If you feel that everything else is just rock music after Zappa I'd recommend listening to the albums Stone Circus by Stone Circus and also Here Come the Warm Jets and Taking Tiger Mountain by Brian Eno.
+Joseph Gattuso I've worked in the Record Business for 45 years. I know the albums you mentioned. None of them are remotely in the same league as Zappa. The Eno albums are merely studio constructs. Sombre Reptiles for example may be interesting, but anyone who plays could have it down in 10 minutes. It couldn't be more basic. Try Googling 'Steve Vai/Whats New In Baltimore'! Its him playing and explaining the 'Intro' to the Zappa tune. Never in his entire career has Eno produced anything this innovative, interesting, challenging or downright beautiful. As an example of what a Real Musician can accomplish it's hard to beat. Unfortunately, although Eno has a creative mind and a good 'ear', he isn't a musician in the true sense of the word. As a producer, he did great work with Talking Heads, but if you've heard the sessions he did with 'Television' for 'Marquee Moon', well, It's no wonder they found an alternative!
All the people hating on Lou Reed haven't heard "White Light/White Heat" or "The Blue Mask."
lou is the man ,,,he will be loved forever
i was blasting hot rats one time in my car and this homeless guy suddenly broke out dancing like he was back in the 70s. it was very cool. i had his day for a minute or so.
Lou Reed, 1975 - "I enjoyed those shows I did at the Rainbow. I kept thinking, Frank Zappa fell 17 feet into that pit. I hate Frank Zappa and it made me so happy to think about that."
God Bless Lou Reed as he was inducted last night into the Rock Hall. He did Frank after his death and last night his loving mate Lori Anderson inducted Lou.
+Bob Durante Fuck Lou Reed. He was a bloody hypocrite. He hated Zappa. It was personal. It went back to the days of Freak Out, which because it was a double album, caused Verve to delay the release of the first Velvets album. Everything he says here is a complete LIE!!!!
never heard that although they did have complete different sounds and audiences
I am a big Zappa fan though
+Andy Thomas Zappa's Freak Out was recorded before the Velvet's first lp. How would Frank have control over that, and why would Lou hold a grudge that long? If he did, would he have given a speech like that with seriousness and respect? Moon liked it, and it was good.
ESmithStringSlinger I know it was recorded before, but because it was a double Verve put all their effort into Freak Out's release and subsequent promotional activity etc and as a result The Velvet Underground were put on the back burner. Are you the only person on the planet not to know this? I have read several interviews with Reed over the years where he's had a go at Zappa. One particularly memorable tirade was in the mid '70s when Charles Shaar Murray interviewed him for NME. There was no love lost between them. Moon liked it did she? Maybe she was astonished at how Lou had the balls to do it in the first place!
Moon's got her father's sardonic but serious sense of humor. And she's beautiful.
Yup
Fucking awesome that Mr. Young was the first (that we see) person on his feet at the end of the video. And Mr. Reed as the presenter was absolutely spot-on, another guy who sometimes got ahead of (some of) his audience. God, Frank was a great dad, other than picking baby names. He let us know our minds could get as big as his, without making us feel smaller.
He did not get booed, The crowd were shouting LLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU
The song around 1:07 is "Peaches In Regalia".
Moon Zappa is beautiful! I read a long time ago, yes I am old, but not that old, Lou Reed had a disliking for Frank Zappa. Then again Lou Reed and many musicians are like the seasons, sometimes they are cold other times they are warm. Perhaps that is the mental landscape of creative types.
Lou reed inducting frank! Nice.
Waw les pures artistes lou Reed Zappa Young !
Just read in Moon Zappa's excellent new autobiography that Lou faxed Gail Zappa an apology for his disrespect to Frank, but she still refused to attend. What Reed says about their mutual admiration is I hope true. Because it definitely wasn't the case when they were newer to the scene.
goto around 6:40, right after moon starts talking. keep your eye on the disc at the top of the award
Just Awesome!!!!
WHY WEREN'T THE MOTHERS INDUCTED AS WELL the original lineup ... Frank could not have done it without them ...
GOOD POINT
Disagree on your first line. They both did not care what others thought of them. They both were willing to stretch themselves to see where their artistic expression could take them. That is what is great about the both of them.
Lou Reed, ever the jerk, has to get in the gratuitous, "I know he admired ME." Really, Lou? You just said a minute before that you regret not knowing FZ that well, but in your mind, your minimal relationship was enough to wring admiration out of the man.
Gail Zappa said that.. Lou probably heard it from her.
Zappa didn't admire Lou Reed. He was totally ambivalent about him. Why would he give a shit what Lou Reed thought about him?
@@andythomas706 you reply shit on every comment ... why should anybody give a shit about what a no name opinionated idiot like you has to say ... repeatedly ... who actually gives a fuk what you think of lou ... wheres the record you did ? Yeah thought so ... talentless ....
Funniest thing I have heard this year was Dweezil talking about Lou Reed during his Q&A gig at the City Winery in Atlanta. If anyone has a transcript they could post regarding Burt Reynolds photograph, I am sure other FZ fans would find it funny too.
She sure is her Fathers Daughter........great job Moon.XOXOXOX!
brilliant!!!
we need a FRANK ZAPPA in the hear and NOW!!!!!!
cared about PEOPLE
FANS
MUSIC thats it!!!!!!!
Reposting this for the people that are showing up on here and trashing Reed, some background for you:
The Velvets and the Mothers (Frank's band in the 60's) both played several "Dates" together in California in 1966/67. The two bands had clashes over typical East Coast / West Coast rivalry at the time, as well as Sterling Morrison/Reed's claim that Zappa would trash-talk the Velvets before they ever went on stage. This is fact, not opinion. Zappa's manager at the time also made sure that Freak Out was released BEFORE the Banana Album (on Verve), whereas Warhol wasnt' in any position to convince Verve to do anything on the Velvets' behalf. Lou Reed subsequently trash-talked Zappa several times in the 60's, early 70's when he had a big drug/alcohol issue, however, it was also known that Reed admired Zappa as a guitar player, and Zappa had once commented to Reed in an NYC recording studio in the late 60's. "I'm surprised how much I like the Velvet's debut album", so Reed was aware there was a mutual respect here. If people from both Zappa's fan camp, as well as Reed's fan camp were to shut up and listen to what Reed is saying here, not only is he burying the hatchet, but he's saying Zappa was basically a musical genius in his own right, and that the Hall of Fame is lucky to have him. Hope this history helps out some of the challenged people in this comment thread.
Moon makes me Swooon!! :)
Have you seen her awesome interview with Howard Stern? It's very funny and she's an absolute doll.
yep!! Amen!! a fun interview , and she looks so cute!! :)
We would all pay good money to be able to hear Frank's response.
One word, Respect.
Moons a babe...
What would the "Central Scrutinizer" say about all this?
It is easy, instead of bored Lou Reed, narrator (with Central Scrutinizer' voice) should whisper into audience:
"I bring you now a special presentation to show what can happen to you if you choose
a career in MUSIC..."
We remember you always.
I always love seeing moon represent her father. She always has the important speaking roles and is the MOUTH of the Zappa legacy, dweezil is the TALENT/MUSIC of the Zappa legacy, diva is the more creative fingers and Ahmet? I’m not too sure about him… he’s pretty quiet. Maybe the cool calm collect.
Music is the best.
Sorry, that's incorrect. At 2:55 is musical segment of Greggery Peccary from the Studio Tan album. Be-Bop Tango is from Roxy & Elsewhere and is no way similar to this You Tube passage.
I came to Frank Zappa through Steve Vai. Yes I know Steve was a small fish in a huge pond, but better to have tasted Zappa than not at all.
We must stay Prayed up/and pray one for the other! You are on target! That is not our battle! Phoenix Moon, keep you always in my prayers...
Zappa would have hated being in the rock and roll hall of fame. He didn't care about platitudes.
love zappa
@thethethe777 So did I. Maybe that's why there were one or two jeers when Lou Reed was introduced.
i like both lou reed and frank zappa. i think they both just didnt understand each others style or at least lou reed didnt and he even said he regretted not knowing him better. love music dont hate the artist :) x
A great genius
Its good that shes so open hearted so as to tolerate the wait staff.
Frank Zappa's best work came out when he put together The Mothers Of Invention.
Can't believe they got this purveyor of 2-chord porch stomps to induct Frank.
+TheDensley7 yea but he did give members of yes session work before they made it.thats about it though
2 chords is pretty generous. Lou is know for tuning all his strings to the same note.
If they're two chord porch stomps, at least they resonnated. Unlike say 90% of Zappa's catalog by comparison.
I'm not judging Frank as a poet; I'm judging both of them as lyricists. Both constructed songs containing both musical and lyrical components, so it's fair. Musically speaking, Frank was inclined toward much more complex and structured arrangements, whereas Lou was more interested in the deconstruction of Rock & Roll, w/ strong emphasis on distortion and expressionist performance; opposite sides of the coin, really. If you prefer clinical structure to free-form abstractionism, Frank is your man
The greatest musician of our generation. Hell funny too.
Why didn't they has some one like Steve Vai to induct him? This is almost insulting....
I heard that the family wanted Johnny "Guitar" Watson, but the R&RHOF wanted someone more popular, never found out if that truly was the case.
Im confused on how he set the record straight in that bit here
All he said I admired Frank and Frank admired me
I ve been a fan of both for decades (Early 70s) and this slag by Reed is minutes old news to me
Was there a reconciliation ? Did frank even respond to this slag ?
I would think if he did it would end up in one of his many parody songs
He reference alot of people in his music , I own well over 100 Zappa originals , and never heard him once mention Lou
I would also suspect they would not be great friends anyhow , with Franks ideas on drugs
thank you if you can respond
There was originally a supposed to be a part during the spoken word segment of Concentration Moon where Zappa made a derogatory comment towards The Velvet Underground. It was edited out in post production.
How i would dig that
+YoLplsBest, or Ruth Underwood.
Genius
@houseofgogo and yet lou seems sincere in what he says.
@aNdYmAtTeR Thanks for those links. What Lou Reed said was harsh, but then again Zappa had been critical of the Velvet Underground, according to that Zappateers thread. Sterling Morrison also criticised Zappa, saying "I hate Frank Zappa. He's really horrible, but he's a good guitar player."
rip FZ & his take on Ensemble Moderne
@rolliebeaumont was so very talented and way way beyond his time.
@Nathantjee
Actually nevermind, that quote is from '96, a year after this Hall of Fame induction.
Frank Zappa was the best!
"Frank Zappa is the most untalented musician I've ever heard... He can't play rock 'n roll because he's a loser...". Lou Reed according to Neil Slaven, Zappa, Project/Object chapter.
i almost posted a rant, but will let your words speak for themselves, or your quote. Lou really was an arrogant prick and for him to diss people who were technically better than him is really a shame..... i'll just say that and leave out the rest...
keguribap
Exactly. Lou Reed is one of the most untalented musicians I've ever heard. Metal Machine Music?!? Puleez. I posted this to show what a douche and poseur he was. Oh well, he's walkin' on the wild side now, eh?
Lou was VU. 'nuff said. and, as far as releasing albums of otherwise un-listenable noise is concerned, even George Harrison got into that act.
may Lou and Frank rest well.
PaisleyPink
Hey I'm not stalking you, it just happened that I red your comment. I think you are totally wrong: Zappa contributed in an inestimable way to music and his influence is more spread and more wide even though probably less evident than lou's. Just think about all musicians he has "grown": George Duke, Vinnie Colajuta, Terry Bozio, Steve Vai, Arthur Barrow, Napoleon Murphy Brock, Max Bennett, Chester Thomson, Ian Underwood, Chad Wackerman... and so many others that, after Zappa, had a brilliant career in Jazz or even in rock or pop and helped to raise the qualitative bets in music.
"Music is the best" - FZ. Zappa was the best! Don't forget Steve Vai, Adrian Belew... the list goes on.
@emmabrkrshrp , they weren't booing, they were saying "Looooouuu"!
The last thing Frank would have wanted would have been an award from the industry he loathed. I'm not blaming Moon for graciously accepting it, but she had to know that Frank would never have accepted it.
How disrespectful is it to have a hack like Lou Reed induct Frank Zappa?
Victor Borge should have inducted him
+Richard Johnson I say Steve Vai should've.
Jake Kelly
Ruth Underwood and Napolean Murphy Brock should have inducted him along with Dweezil and Moon Unit
If you think his guitar playing on Foggy Notion is "hack" - please, pick up a guitar and compose something better LOL
Sorry, meant to say "a" goes BEFORE "regret".
Don't know much about any historical rivalry between the Mothers and the Velvets. However, I do know that both bands were signed to the same record label (Verve) by the same producer (Tom Wilson) at about the same time (early 1966).
Both bands were decidedly outside the mainstream of popular entertainment of the time, and both made music that was very much in opposition to the prevailing psychedelic hippie subculture of the San Francisco scene as well as New York and L.A.-based commercial pop generally. Zappa made a passing (albeit less than complimentary) mention of the VU on his song "Concentration Moon" from the third Mothers' LP, "We're Only in It for the Money".
Personally, I think John Cale had more in common with Zappa than Lou Reed ever did, as Cale and Zappa were both eccentric, classically trained goyische musicians with an affinity for avant-garde experimentalism and Dada satire. Cale's musical hero was Erik Satie, and Zappa's was Edgar Varese.
In contrast, Lou Reed had more in common with a fellow New York Jewish songwriter like Paul Simon -- both were college English majors who developed their respective styles from an early interest in rock 'n' roll, doo wop, the Tin Pan Alley tradition, free jazz, beat poetry, Bob Dylan and Greenwich Village folk.
Not surprisingly, the VU became a much more ordinary sounding band after Cale was forced out the group in late 1968. Reed also gradually became less interesting as his songwriting muse abandoned him after the 1970's, and he continued to lack an interesting musical collaborator like Cale to shake things up for him and save him from slipping into terminal self-parody (which he eventually did).
The first Velvets album's release date was put back by several weeks while Verve concentrated on promoting 'Freak Out'. Lou's Beef with Zappa stems from that event. As if it was his fault. Reed didn't have the balls to rant at Verve, having just been signed by them. He had to vent his spleen on someone....so it was all Zappa's fault!
@@andythomas706 Just bad timing, I guess -- a persistent misfortune that seemed to plague the VU throughout their brief career. Although, truth be told, Lou was lucky to have a recording contract at all: in 1965, practically no one in New York would give the Velvets the time of day. They were only able to record and release their album thanks to Warhol's generous sponsorship and his connections in the music industry. In contrast, Zappa may have benefited from being part of a hip commercial music scene in Laurel Canyon and his connection to the Monkees.
In addition to promotional issues with Verve and the conflicting release date with the Mothers' "Freak Out!", the wide release of "The Velvet Underground and Nico" was further delayed by a problem with a photograph of an early EPI performance printed on back cover. Somebody featured in the said photograph fell out with Warhol and threatened to sue to have his image removed from all pressings of the LP jacket.
Even worse: by the time the album eventually saw the light of day in March 1967, it was already being eclipsed by the huge promotional blitz for the Doors' first album, which had been released two months earlier (but recorded four months later), as well as by the recent release of the Jefferson Airplane's second album, "Surrealistic Pillow", which would establish San Francisco psychedelic rock in the commercial mainstream.
The subsequent release of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper" and the hype surrounding the Monterey Pop Festival later that summer (which would introduce Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin to the wider American public) effectively consigned the Velvets' to a rather ignominious cultural obscurity and irrelevance for the remainder of 1967, and indeed, to the end of their storied career as a working band.
@@lysanderofsparta3708 I agree entirely.
Award's are meaningless as some have stated yet. Haven't read through the comments but I am a little confused about Lou Reed telling that they've been friends or so. The first and last thing I recall reading about FZ and LR is a report with quotes from 1966 when the Mothers started and the Velvet Underground played the same venue for a time and both bands and band leaders expressed very openly that they really dislike the other artistically and personally. has their been a change somewhen?
@NoFutureForFobody I have heard of him. I was trying to make more of a point of...Why is he speaking for Zappa?
@TheHawkdaddy They're saying "Louuuuuu" for Lou Reed
Moon is so much her father's daughter. Go, Moon!
Such a strange idea to have Lou induct Frank. I knew both of them and they weren't exactly a mutual admiration society. Whosever idea this was could've found a much more appropriate person to pay tribute to Frank. Whatever, at least Zappa's in the R&R HOF, where he most certainly belongs. Good to see Neil Young leaping to his feet and the end of the film is touching after all these years.
Someone help! I saw a clip in this where it looks like he's saying motherfucker repetitively. whats the name of the song?
What a genius !
@houseofgogo They were saying "Lou".