This video has been so popular for me that I created another one to discuss The 5 Best Guitar Solo's by Frank Zappa. Check it out! ua-cam.com/video/m4kkEGAf6ng/v-deo.html
@@leetomboulian .... keep listening, some of it is an acquired taste, but eventually it will assuage your doubt ... i recommend listening to the live version of the tune, "Weasels Ripped my Flesh" everyday for 2 months, and you will be convinced.
Overnite Sensation is classic and probably his most accessible album. Joe's Garage was always my personal favourite. I was lucky enough to see Frank live 2 nights in a row back in the mid 70s. There'll never be another artist like him.
Can’t Stand Looking at Sick Frank ! He was Such a Big Part of Me growing up from the age of 12 in 1966 after hearing Freak Out ! AS EACH ALBUM WAS RELEASED I WOULD BE AT THE RECORD STORE BUYING IT, TAKING IT HOME LIKE IT WAS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT !!! DEVOUR IT FOR MONTHS AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT !!! MY COLLECTION IS MASSIVE !! LOVE AND APPRECIATE IT ALL !!!
My favorite album of Frank's is Hot Rats, and my favorite song is on that album, The Gumbo Variations I have listened to that song more than any other song. Great horn, violin and guitar solos, but the rhythm section is just killer. And nobody ever mentions Ruben and the Jets in their lists of top Zappa albums. It is a great tribute to / parody of Doo Wop music.
If you like Ruben, you should check out the box set version the Zappa Family Trust released called "Greasy Love Songs" it contains alt mixes and is fantastic.
I wore out my first press copy of We’re Only in It for the Money. I still have it. “ Whizzing and pasting and pooting through the day, Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away. And all the while on a shelf in the shed, Kenny’s little creatures on display.” Ah, my vanished childhood. Suzy, SuzyCreamCheese........ R.I.P., Frank Zappa
The first time I ever heard that song was live on stage at the Long Beach Arena, New Year’s Eve, a few months before OSFA was released. The last time I heard it played live was when Dweezil was doing his OSFA 50th anniversary tour. The song is so lovely that you just have no idea what a complex composition it really is until you see a group of top notch musicians performing it live. “Chester’s thing....On Ruth!!!”
Awesome video man! My introduction was Willie the pimp and I’ve been hooked ever since. Zappa is easily in my top 5 guitarists of all time, my favorite improviser hands down. Huge influence on my own improvisation as well, nobody played a guitar the way Frank Zappa did. One of the things I love about this man is that once he starts a guitar solo, all of the humor and satire he’s known for goes right out the window. It becomes pure soul music and pure expression. I definitely can’t make a list of 5 Zappa albums, just wanted to comment on your great content and give this man some recognition. I feel a lot of people really only look at him as a non conformist without really recognizing what a badass composer and guitarist he truly was. Peace!
Im a devoted listener to Frank's music for over than 35 years now. When I first came into contact with his work I was first hooked by albums like Roxy & Elsewhere, Apostrophe, simply put the 1973 - 1974 band with George Duke, Chester Thompson, Ruth Underwood etc. In these days I started collecting his whole work. But looking back now, the albums which I still like the most for their anarchistic humour are the early Mothers - Freak Out, Absolutely Free, We're only in it for the money, Uncle Meat and also Lumpy Gravy.
@Harry The Hat zappa isn't for everybody you got to like his time changes beats his flows You get it or don't. His bands put in hours of practice. To get it right
Dude! You need to know that the pronunciation of Sheik Yerbouti is *Shake* Yerbouti, which was a parody on the KC and the Sunshine band's huge hit (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty. Also, in the Arabic culture, the proper pronunciation is, indeed, shake.
If I had to choose 5 FZ albums, they would be (in no particular order): - Sheik Yerbouti - Joe's Garage (I-II-III) - Roxy & Elsewhere - Apostrophe - Overnite Sensation But there's so much incredible stuff in his catalog, this could change at any time.
Weasels is one of my all time favorites. Sugarcane Harris is in peak form on “Directly From My Heart To You”, Ray Collins’ vocals on “Oh No” are sublime, and Frank’s guitar solos on “Get a Little” and “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama” are among his finest. And yes, the Neon Park cover art is priceless, one of the all time best examples of album jacket artwork ever created.
@Harry The Hat "Jewel period" That's a good name. The Golden Age was taken. I would extend it a bit from 68 - 76. All the best progressive rock was created then. But progressive may not be the exact term for some of them. I think it was more the Creative Rock Age. Where the skill of the musicianship, and non conformity, and creativity was valued more. Many of the classic creative rock bands put out their best albums. From Led Zeppelin, to Pink Floyd, Yes, Zappa, many others not so big, Supertramp, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, etc...
The first Zappa album I heard was Hot Rats on 6 March 1971 and I was knocked out. I remember the date because the night before I’d seen Led Zeppelin in Belfast, and next day we visited some friends at the university who introduced us to Zappa. That was a musically formative weekend for the young me, just turned 17. My first concert by a really big band (my ears were ringing for three days) and my first experience of Zappa.
As Frank said, his alternate entertainment was not for everyone, nor did he expect even fans to like all his work. My essentials: Uncle Meat, Lumpy Garvey, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Roxy & Elsewhere, One Size Fits All, Bongo Fury, Make a Jazz Noise Here, Everything is Healing Nicely, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore (1-6), Lather, Road Tapes (Venue 1-3), The Yellow Shark
What's weird is you've got most of my favs, even down to the live stuff. Never cared for his more radio friendly albums, like Sheik, which to me is just Frank trolling.
Glad you mention Apostrophe, it's a great "first Zappa album", not too out there, killer playing, clever and quite funny. Perhaps you could say the same about Overnight Sensation - "sister album" as you say is a good description, released earlier; the two albums have been sold on a double CD. Zappa In New York is a great one, a good "second Zappa album", also very listenable to the uninitiated and contains, as far as I know, the only unedited version of Titties And Beer.
Yes, I've had a couple copies. I wish they'd put ONS first, as it was released first. All this time I had it wrong. They even sound like ONS was a little newer.@@JeffStarr
My introduction to FZ was "Over-Nite Sensation", and that's what I recommend to other people for their first Zappa experience. That and "Apostrophe" are probably his most accessible albums. BTW, I'm sure someone must have mentioned this by now, but "sheik" is actually pronounced: "shake", not: "sheek". I mispronounced that album title for years before I found out.
My personal top 5: One Size Fits All !!! The best ever! 2, Grand Wazoo 3, Hot Rats 4, We're only in it for the Money. 5, everything else Frank ever played or composed. I want Sofa Nr. 1 played at my funeral. In fact, I would like to be listening to it when I die. What a beautiful way to go. BTW I reccommend all you Zappa fans come to the Zappanale festival in Germany next year (or whenever corona allows). If you love Zappa, you'l love the Zappanale.
Make A Jazz Noise Here and The Yellow Shark are both better than everything on your list. Apostrophe is shit, btw, Overnight Sensation is fun but insubstantial (though arguably redeemed by Montana), Sheikh is mostly an exercise in FZ's crap "satirical" comedy rock (yawn), Joe's Garage has its moments but is largely the same. JFC if you have to include a mid period Zappa studio album at least make it One Size Fits All, even if all the best tracks in it are performed to far better effect on Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life
@@Bix12 yeah, because FZ was never "highbrow", was he? 70% of FZ's output was instrumental and/or orchestral and much of that was quite "highbrow". But you do you, Bill, and stick with Bobby Brown Goes Down, eh. Jfc
@@peterfitton4529 Actually FZ didn't act like some highbrow putz at all...and the subject I was referring to was behaviour, not output. Listen to George Duke talk about when he first went to work for Frank...he tells how, among other interesting tidbits, Frank was amused by George's snobbery, and basically told him to get over himself.
I have been listening to Zappa since 1968, saw him several times live and almost met him twice (scheduled meetings last minute canceled for different reasons). Analysed and studied his music and his musical roots, composed and performed my own music following what I had learned from that, played for years and toured extensively with some former Mothers in the GRANDMOTHERS band. Happened to meet more of his musicians and played with a few of them. I know a little about the man. My choice would be the following: HOT RATS UNCLE MEAT ONE SIZE FITS ALL ABSOLUTELY FREE ZAPPA IN NEW YORK (non necessarely in this order) Here's everything Zappa for a beginner. Some will say Overnight Sensation or Apostrophe, but I see those as well crafted and somewhat funny albums which bring no improvement to Zappa's knowledge. Listening to those as introduction to Zappa's world may give a false idea of what Zappa was really like.
This is a tough call. My decision will be guided by the nostalgia of when I first heard the album and my Zappa record collection titles that may not be common choices of equal brilliance. 1-Zoot Allures 2-Joes Garage Acts II and III 3-You are What You Is 4-Ship too Late to save a Drowning Witch 5-Jazz from Hell
I thought Zoot was a transitional album. Ruth and Nappy were the only ones left from the Roxy band. Zappa was building from scratch what would ultimately become the Sheik Y.B. Band that produced the Baby Snakes film.
Great work with this video. Of course Zappaphiles will quibble about which five albums are essential, but I think you made some great choices as an introduction. My only change would be swapping out Yellow Shark in favor of one of the live albums. A live album would give the new listener a taste of the full Zappa experience. I was fortunate to see Frank 5 times in concert, including the 1988 final tour ("The Best Band...", and I was at that Providence show!!) The relationship with the audiene, the band working with each other, lyric improv with current events, and Frank's studio enginneering to make the best recorded live experience, the live albums are just so much fun. "Music is the best!:
Amazing! Do you remember what years or shows? A fair number of live shows have been bootlegged or released on CD now. It's always possible the concerts you went to can be listened to again.
@@JeffStarr You made me dig out my old scrap book and ticket stubs. But, I knew I had them put away. The first time seeing Frank was at, The Rutgers University Athletic Center, NJ .... Friday, April 25th 1980, 8:30 pm The Second time seeing Frank was at, Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA, Tuesday, November 3rd 1981, 7pm If you look up the shows you'll find the set list. I'd love to hear some recordings from either show. Let me know if you know of any. thanks!! ✌
@notbadfilms , I'd really love to hear the Rutgers show again. I remember he had a small band for that show and he played a lot of guitar that night. We where at the end of the row and the center ial was next to me. Frank came out and played guitar for awhile but as soon as he took the stage I moved right down in front of the stage. It was awesome!! But after ten minutes or so Frank wanted us to clear the iel way. That's was such an amazing concert! I can't believe it's been forty years since then. Wow... The show at the Tower in Philadelphia was great to. A bit different in ways. He had a large band and he was conducting them at times. I took a camera in and was taking some photos but they tapped me on the shoulder and said NO CAMERAS! They took the roll from my camera and took the roll I had in my pocket already. I really didn't realize cameras weren't allowed. Oh well. I'd love to see dweele in concert. I have his Zappa Plays Zappa DVD and he really puts on a great show. I rambled enough. Later dude.
1) Sheik Yerbouti 2) Joe's Garage acts I, II & III 3) Zoot Allures 4) Tinsel Town Rebellion 5) Apostrophe 6) You Are What You Is 7) Overnight Sensation 8) One Size Fits All 9) Them or Us 10) Thing Fish
You're so right about it being hard to pick from all of his releases but for the most part, I agree with your selections. Congrats on the mention of your name in the MOFO release. I, too have been a Zappa fan since the Freak Out release.
Well done. For me...My 5 ... Sheik, Rats, One Size, Chunga's and You are What You Is. Garage 2. Oh, that's 6. It's all about the mood, notes, chords. Music is the Best. I'm just grateful that my DNA allows me to appreciate and experience art. BTW, aside from aesthetics recycling is complete bullshit. Tomorrow my top 5 will be Absolutely Free, Waka, Dirt, Apostrophe Mother's of Prevention, Gravy Freak Out, Sandwich, Overnight Roxy and Allures.
Honorable Mention Early Album: Burnt Weeny Mother Live at the Filmore Hot Rats Roxy Honorable Mention Middle Album: One Size Fit's All Joes Garage Tinseltown Honorable Mention Late Album: Civilization (discovered something on the album which led up to me getting a Honorary Doctorate in Musical History)
i have about 30 zappa albums on vinyl. bought Freakout in the deletes bin for $1.50 with a hole thru it. Absolute favourite album is Wakajawaka. i know it inside out. Saw him live in Ottawa twice then Montreal twice after he stopped touring to ottawa. mid-late 70's. my favourite was the last one in ottawa, some where late in the show he sat on a stool with his food smoking away tucked in between the strings at the head of the guitar, and just improvised for 20 or 25 minutes solid, with a little signal to the band every now and then to change the tempo or switch to a new theme or style and just cooked and cooked. it was so incredible. I had friends who saw him in the late 60's when he'd show up at an after hours jazz club at 2 in the morning and play with whoever was there. wish i'd seen that
I love stories like these. I really wish I had been able to see Zappa play live, especially during those time periods you mentioned. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to have him sit in with jazz groups but he must have done that as his playing is so advanced and he clearly cut his teeth somewhere. In interviews he doesn’t like to talk much about learning guitar and often dismisses his practicing as non-existent in later years but anyone who can play like Frank did clearly spend time practicing and honing his chops. What a master guitar player! Thanks for watching and I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.
I, too was at that show in Ottawa. I saw him several times and each one seemed better than the last! Cosmik Debris, if I had to pick a favorite song....but how do you do that?
Most vinyl albums have a hole in them. It's what you use to place it on the turntable. Tbf, once you escape the confines of the 12" album, a VERY big hole exists outside of it.
Inca Roads is on One Size Fit's All, as you know. I'd swap out Yellow Shark for One Size, because (how do I say this?) it's not really representative of the music I grew up with. If you want to hip a new generation to Zappa, let them find Yellow Shark on their own. We're such geeks.
Almost every fan will give you a different list for the first 5 Zappa albums to listen to. So this list would not be mine, but your list is good. I approve.
I love the mid 70s line up of the Mothers with George Duke, Ruth Underwood and Chester Thompson. They were an amazing live band. So I would go for the Roxy and Elsewhere and the Token of his Extreme live albums. Joe Garage is pretty good too.
@@JeffStarr This was actually my 2nd Zappa album and it's because of this record I ended up with a full collection of his work. 1st album was Trick or Treat, a collection of 7'' from his doo-wop phase - not really what I expected then, but that was the only album my limited budget allowed me to buy. Luckily I found Roxy & Elsewhere a year later, otherwise it might have become only a short affair with Frank instead of a life long love.
My top 5 FZ albums 1. Freak Out 2. Hot Rats 3. Roxy and Elsewhere 4. Burnt Weeny Sandwich 5. We're Only In It For The Money Love FZ'S music it's all timeless
My intro to FZ was through Strictly Commercial and One Size Fits All. Needless to say, I was hooked. My 5 essential albums might be(in no particular order): Hot Rats, Roxy and Elsewhere, One Size Fits All, Zappa in NY, and The Grand Wazoo.
Good shout, great albums on the list. It's a difficult one to call, given his output, the line ups and talents of the individual band members other than Frank..
interesting choices. thanks for giving me an idea of which FZ album to listen to now... my choice? Sleep Dirt... (your Hot Rats comments inspired me...)
I loved Frank soon as I heard "Help! I'm a Rock!" at age 14. My usual introductory recommendations include some of yours, but it kind of depends who I'm talking to. For some, I might Recommend The Yellow Shark first. Usually, I recommend Overnite Sensation, We're Only in it For the Money (the original mix!), One Size Fits All, Apostrophe, and The Yellow Shark, probably in that order. My own personally inspiring records would have to also include Uncle Meat, Absolutely Free, and of course Hot Rats. I'm not that fond of Chunga's Revenge, or much else from the "Turtles period." But there's great stuff on all his records. There are 75 of his songs on my iPod, and I could probably add at least that many more.
sheik was my entry point to his music, has so many iconic moments. apostrophe, overnite and joe are my all time favorites. absolutely free is underrated, for the money is crazy. fillmore east '71 is so unique and hilarious. thing is there is so much material out there the well is limitless
FRANK ZAPPA: Rock's closest thing to a true renaissance man, a true Artist. He has been acclaimed as a genius for his versatility. He was a brilliant guitarist, a superb composer, a matchless bandleader, a movie producer, a record company executive, a human rights activist and an incomparable social satirist. He started out in the 60's as the leader of the zany avant-rock pioneers the Mothers. His subsequent solo work encompassed everything from jazz-rock to orchestral pieces, always delivered with Zappa's trademark humor. He succumbed to cancer in 1993, but the mind-boggling prolific workaholic left behind a staggering body of work. Genius is an overused word in music, but it applies to Zappa in spades.
Agreed! Well, I'm a little less keen to listen to Thing-Fish... or the 1980's remixes of Money/Ruben And The Jets. But other than that, bring 'em all on!!
1. Roxy and Elsewhere 2. Hot Rats 3. Overnite Sensation 4. Apostrophe 5. One Size Fits All 6. You Are What You Is 7. Them or Us So I went a little overboard...
What a cool list to stumble across as a fan of F.Z. I will always favor "One Size Fits All", as it was my real introduction to Zappa. I had heard "Bongo Fury" at a friends house a few years before but was somewhat stultified at the time and hadn't connected the dots. But as a 19 year old recruit in the Air Force at Barksdale AFB I borrowed two albums from the library in 1985. One was a beat up copy of OSFA and the other was "Safe as Milk", not realizing that these people were linked. I fell in love immediately with both records and eventually stumbled across TMR which is the medicine. It was great to hear you pick "Chunga's Revenge" as the first pick!
Just watching this 2014 doc on Zappa tonight...2.5hrs! Nice. And I've paused 'cause I was suddenly wondering who thought what might be the top album in the entire, monster catalog of FZ music. And your first choice is CR!!!! Dude. That has ALWAYS been my fav album. How reassuring... Great vid
So glad the classical album you chose was yellow shark. I read that Zappa wasn't going to do it but ensemble moderne promised to practice, practice practice and they followed through with their promise which really got Zappa on board
My sorta 5 essentials: - Freak out! - Absolutely Free - We're only in it for the money - Overnite Sensation / Apostrophe (') (One CD) - One Size Fits all I want, but I can't fit Hot Rats in there. There are others, but these have the best and most accessible songs of the 60s and early 70s, which I think was his best. I have things like Joe's Garage, Man from Utopia and Yellow Shark, and Civ phase I - III.
In 1968, I traded my Crazy World of Arthur Brown for We're only in it for the money. Both lps plus the Doors strange days changed my outlook towards my parents.
I remember many years ago on a radio interview where Zappa said that his ideal recording would be to record a symphony orchestra where each instrument would have it’s own track. That was in the days of pretty limited analog set-ups, so not likely to happen.
Correct. He later tried to do this on the Yellow Shark recording. I believe he miced the instruments in small groups to give him the highest amount of control possible when mixing.
You can get a vinyl reissue of HR which was pressed using the original 16 track masters. Frank unfortunately felt that he needed to remix his early albums when they were re-released on CD, and the sound quality suffered as a result. I got mine from Elusive Disc, and I am very pleased with the sound
The first zappa album I heard was Roxy mothers and elsewhere. I listen to it once put it away for 2 months played it for a friend and fell in love with Frank's music. My top 5 albums #1 overnight sensation #2 hot rats #3 Joes garage # the grand wazoo.# yellow shark album.
The Yellow Shark, We're Only in it for the Money, and Overnite Sensation would definitely be in my top five, too, if I could even narrow it down to five. But I would have to include Uncle Meat and One Size Fits All. For me, Frank's "Turtles period" (Fillmore East 1971, Chunga's Revenge, and 200 Motels) was his weakest stuff, but it got him a whole new bunch of new fans who were titillated by the "adult" humor, which I think is kind of a shallow reason to be fans, if they don't really appreciate the genius of the music itself. Anyway, narrowing it down to the five I mentioned would be really difficult, because I would want to include so many others, like Absolutely Free, Hot Rats, Roxy and Elsewhere, Waka/Jawaka, Ruben and the Jets, The Man From Utopia, You Are What You Is, and others I'm probably not recalling right now. I was a fan from age 15 when I heard "Help, I'm a Rock" from Freak Out at a friend's house in 1966 (yeah, I'm pretty old). He hated the album so he gave it to me. I bought eveything Frank put out after that, up until the '80s, when I got more into other stuff. I didn't care that much for Sheik Yerbouti or the Joe's Garage collection anyway, but I've remained a fan and have to credit him as a major inspiration in my own music and guitar playing. You do realize, don't you, that "Sheik Yerbouti" is a play on words for the disco phrase "shake your booty"? It seems some people miss that. 🤓
Great video. I love FZ, and have done all my life. I did get to see him live several times, and if I had a time machine, I’d use it to go back to those.
notbadfilms I'd have to google the gigs to be completely accurate as I was off my head most of the time. I'm in the UK and I saw him at the Knebworth Festival in 1978, then at London Wembley Arena in 1980, and London Hammersmith Odeon ( with Dweezil playing on stage for one song when he was just a kid! ) around 1982-ish. I'd love to see those gigs again, but no drugs or alcohol 😂
@7:06 Interesting... I always thought Hot Rats was kind of lofi!! I think the copy my family had was from a peach crate of LP records that survived a fire... Smoked Zappa! I guess I will have to listen again! (and again, and again, and again, and again... !!!)
good list, although to be honest you could imho chronologically pick any 5 consecutive albums from 1966 to the late 1970s by zappa and still have a solid list
I liked your selection, Chunga's Revenge is probably the only one I would swap out and I'm not sure for what. I also agree that Money is a better early example Mothers than Freak Out. For me it's really inventive and an amazing critique of the culture of the time. I don't think it's fair to blame McCartney for the hold up of We're only in it for the Money. According to Barry Miles Paul was fine with it, but the sleeve image was owned by EMI not the Beatles themselves, so he couldn't just clear it with Zappa over the phone.
I agree. Good list and the only person on UA-cam I've seen who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to Frank. I'd replace Chunga's Revenge with Joe's Garage. Gives us a pick from the late 70s/early 80s era, ambitious story album, good production, some good tunes, very dirty and dumb and silly in an entertaining way, has a message, is sometimes touching, and has Watermelon in Easter Hay.
The only one I’m missing is Chunga’s Revenge. I have the others. Every time I listen to Zappa I am amazed and delighted. I have been for 45 years. Thanks Frank.
You chose the Alpha and the Omega of albums. I always said the best Zappa was the one I was listening to at that time. I was weened on The Mothers - Live at the Filmore East. But you left out the middle two decades of his music. Oh well.
I love all the eras. This list was really hard. Fillmore is one of my personal favorites and almost made the cut. I tried to focus this list on what albums would make non-Zappa fans into Zappa fans. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment.
My top five- Apostrophe Overnight Sensation Them or Us Joe’s Garage Part One We’re Only In It For The Money And a special shout out to Man From Utopia as it was my first Zappa album.
As you obviously dig guitars, guitarists & all things guitar, I feel I should give my faves, here goes: 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Steve Howe (everyone on Earth should hear "Yours Is No Disgrace" by YES, the main band he was known for. This song does a great job of encapsulating his various styles- Yes' live rendition of Perpetual Change, from Yessongs, is another tour de force that lets a casual listener know just what he's capable of doing and how good he really is... Chet Atkins being one of his big influences...) 3. Frank Zappa; my fave solo/lead is from the Roxy & Elsewhere album. This is a favorite lead line of quite a few guitarists. I get chills every time the feedback kicks in during the gee-tarr solo.... 4. Duane Allman 5. Robert Fripp 6. Jeff Beck 7. Stevie Ray Vaughan 8. Eddie Van Hamster (if you're from Philly & around my age of 51, you understand the moniker..) 9. Alex Lifeson 10. Rick Nielsen
An excellent list of top-line guitarists, Craig, made even more impressive by the fact that you mentioned that they are your favourites. [Many (if not most) people resort to unnecessary hysterical hyperbole by claiming which are the "best ever" when there is no such thing, just personal preference. Claiming that guitarist 'A' is "better" than guitarist 'B' is plainly silly and completely pointless.]
Jeff Beck (especially Jeff, Who Else, You Had It Coming, & Guitar Shop), FZ, Steve Morse, Bill Frisell, Johnny Hiland, Andy Summers, Jef Lee Johnson, Kazumi Watanabe.
@@Bix12 Did you ever see a movie called, "End Of The Line" with Wilfred Brimley & Kevin Bacon & Levon Helm ? Andy Summers wrote the music for it, a lot a various acoustic guitars, pedal steel he used to match the vibe of the movie. Not a great movie, but totally watchable- especially if you like railroads & trains....👊😎
@green fox I've tried in vain to dig McLaughlin. I've listened to Mahavishnu Orchestra and hear technicality for technicality's sake. I love Zappa & don't shy away from the seventeen-uplets or whatever. I can appreciate the expertise, but Mahavishnu & McLaughlin often come across as soulless to me. Cold sounding. And I love most prog music- but McLaughlin & his crew befuddle me. IMO, they could've used a Jon Anderson-type individual in Mahavishnu. A soul or raison d'etre. Or at the very least, a Rick Nielsen type of player that might install a hook every now & again into the songs.
Thank you so much for your informative FZ choice. I bought Money when it came out and and S pepper. I loved both albums. I have since bought many more Zappa albums but Money and Overnight Sensation are the ones I like the best. Chunga Revenge I have never heard or Yellow Shark. Thank you for your appraisal of FZ music. Without him my life would be so dull.
I've been listening to a number of Zappa interviews (Cavett one is really good) and realize how far ahead of the time he was politically and culturally. Now getting into his music seriously for the first time, since I grew up in a time when he music was not played on the radio (I think Yellow Snow got some airplay).
Thanks! I think Hot Rats should be in your list. It's a seminal work in the field of jazz rock music (with Bitches Brew, Miles Davis). With that fabulous Willie the pimp which looks like a blues (with the Captain Beefheart voice).
So many great Zappa albums, hard to pick favorites, but..... Weasels Ripped My Flesh --- Always loved the artwork, album title, & the music..... Zoot Allures Freak Out -- Enormously influential album Sheik Yerbouti We're Only In It For the Money Burnt Weeny Sandwich Waka/Jawaka Hot Rats Apostrophe I guess I better stop........there's plenty more though......
So I’m this huge Zappa fan… I have all the original albums on vinyl (first pressings of course) something like 35 of them. Anyway I used to have a recording studio in Burbank and my partner at the time would rehearse his band there and I was just hanging out and they are setting up and Bunk Gardner shows up and I’m like what the **** he’s playing with you guys?? They literally didn’t know he was a Zappa alum. And I’m like “we’re only in it for the money…” to him and he’s like “oh ****” I guess he’s trying to be aloof… so I’m cool I’m not in this band so I went home and when they had their next rehearsal I’m there with my copy of the album and he’s like ok… so he autographed it to me said something nice wrote a little staff of music on it. As far as great Zappa records “Joes Garage” I think it’s kind of a forgotten gem. I think it’s great it’s a very modern sounding record and full of making fun of everyone (especially scientology) I think the albums after that were a bit misguided and angry so I think Joes Garage is his last great record
there was no flare gun at the casino...the building was wood and old with paper mache decorations hanging from the roof....a guy with a box of matches was lighting them and flicking them at the low roof...one caught fire and the rest is history
@@vladdrakul7851 Actually, I was going to put "One Size Fits All" as my honorable mention, but I have too many fond memories of first encountering "Lumpy Gravy".
This video has been so popular for me that I created another one to discuss The 5 Best Guitar Solo's by Frank Zappa. Check it out! ua-cam.com/video/m4kkEGAf6ng/v-deo.html
Love Miles Davis. Thanks getting it back!?!!!!!
All of FZ's album's are essential.
Si
Not sure about that
@@leetomboulian .... keep listening, some of it is an acquired taste, but eventually it will assuage your doubt ... i recommend listening to the live version of the tune, "Weasels Ripped my Flesh" everyday for 2 months, and you will be convinced.
What about trout mask replica
that's not the point of the video
Overnite Sensation is classic and probably his most accessible album. Joe's Garage was always my personal favourite. I was lucky enough to see Frank live 2 nights in a row back in the mid 70s. There'll never be another artist like him.
Agree 100 percent.
Can’t Stand Looking at Sick Frank !
He was Such a Big Part of Me growing up from the age of 12 in 1966 after hearing Freak Out !
AS EACH ALBUM WAS RELEASED I WOULD BE AT THE RECORD STORE BUYING IT, TAKING IT HOME LIKE IT WAS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT !!! DEVOUR IT FOR MONTHS AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT !!!
MY COLLECTION IS MASSIVE !! LOVE AND APPRECIATE IT ALL !!!
Gerry K my story is similar with the variation that I shop lifted all of those albums...let’s make the water turn black!!!
A true stoner
john Kulpowich yes, if you mean me, no, if you mean zappa...he was totally anti-drugs
Sorry I know Frank was clean didn't drive eather
Myself 1967 couldn't smoke fast enough
Clean up 1983. Never look back
I agree, sick Frank was hard.
My favorite album of Frank's is Hot Rats, and my favorite song is on that album, The Gumbo Variations I have listened to that song more than any other song. Great horn, violin and guitar solos, but the rhythm section is just killer. And nobody ever mentions Ruben and the Jets in their lists of top Zappa albums. It is a great tribute to / parody of Doo Wop music.
If you like Ruben, you should check out the box set version the Zappa Family Trust released called "Greasy Love Songs" it contains alt mixes and is fantastic.
Willie the Pimp!! Killer solo and it's the first time i heard the Crazy voice of Captain Beefheart!
The song "anything" off of greasy love songs is dynamite. It's a more heartfelt love song than most of his.
Those were two great albums and let's not forget 200 Motels.
@@ToTo-rh7ky "Centerville…it's really neat!"
I wore out my first press copy of We’re Only in It for the Money. I still have it.
“ Whizzing and pasting and pooting through the day,
Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away.
And all the while on a shelf in the shed,
Kenny’s little creatures on display.”
Ah, my vanished childhood.
Suzy, SuzyCreamCheese........
R.I.P., Frank Zappa
Those guys were actual childhood chums of Frank, and those antics actually occurred! LMAO!
Oh how they yearn to see a bomber burn
The Saddest Song ever written by man:
"Mom + Dad"
My favourite album is One Size Fits All and my favourite song is Inca Roads
The first time I ever heard that song was live on stage at the Long Beach Arena, New Year’s Eve, a few months before OSFA was released. The last time I heard it played live was when Dweezil was doing his OSFA 50th anniversary tour. The song is so lovely that you just have no idea what a complex composition it really is until you see a group of top notch musicians performing it live. “Chester’s thing....On Ruth!!!”
Richard Tyson ... Andy, San Berdino are my favorites, I love OSFA
OSFA is the one Zappa album that I find to be perfect...I have quite a few though..
My fave as well Amazing album
Richard Tyson I think that’s hits best guitar solo
Awesome video man! My introduction was Willie the pimp and I’ve been hooked ever since. Zappa is easily in my top 5 guitarists of all time, my favorite improviser hands down. Huge influence on my own improvisation as well, nobody played a guitar the way Frank Zappa did. One of the things I love about this man is that once he starts a guitar solo, all of the humor and satire he’s known for goes right out the window. It becomes pure soul music and pure expression. I definitely can’t make a list of 5 Zappa albums, just wanted to comment on your great content and give this man some recognition. I feel a lot of people really only look at him as a non conformist without really recognizing what a badass composer and guitarist he truly was. Peace!
- One Size Fits All
- Hot Rats
- Roxy & Elsewhere
- Bongo Fury
- Chunga's Revenge
I like Bongo but I would drop it and ad Apostrophe. Aynsley Dunbar is nuts on the Nanook saga. Just Another Band From L.A. is a personal fave too.
My top 5 are: 1. Zoot Allures
2. Apostrophe
3. Over-Nite Sensation
4. Sheik Yerbouti
5. One Size fits All
Im a devoted listener to Frank's music for over than 35 years now. When I first came into contact with his work I was first hooked by albums like Roxy & Elsewhere, Apostrophe, simply put the 1973 - 1974 band with George Duke, Chester Thompson, Ruth Underwood etc. In these days I started collecting his whole work. But looking back now, the albums which I still like the most for their anarchistic humour are the early Mothers - Freak Out, Absolutely Free, We're only in it for the money, Uncle Meat and also Lumpy Gravy.
200 motels is fantastic
You idiot baster son
@Harry The Hat zappa isn't for everybody you got to like his time changes beats his flows
You get it or don't. His bands put in hours of practice. To get it right
1-One size 2-Sheik yerbouti 3-them or us 4-absoluty free 5-joe garage + bonus Overnight sensation
Dude! You need to know that the pronunciation of Sheik Yerbouti is *Shake* Yerbouti, which was a parody on the KC and the Sunshine band's huge hit (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty. Also, in the Arabic culture, the proper pronunciation is, indeed, shake.
Correct. I get the pun, don’t worry. :)
@@JeffStarr And it's pronounced Leather, not Lather!
Oh, wait......wrong album.....sorry.
@@JeffStarr well if you choose to ignore the pun then the humour is lost.
Dude, no one cares. Let him say it how he wants to, pronunciation Nazi
The world misses you Frank Zappa!!
Favourite Zappa album? Easy. It all depends on where my mind is at when I reach for his music. Currently: The Grand Wazoo.
One of my all time personal FZ favs. I hope it gets the royal treatment for a 50th anniversary release in 2022.
Brown shoes dont make it should be our National Anthem!
TV DINNER BY THE POOL!
@@Phantom-hm4nn Be a loyal plastic robot for a world that doesn't care
I can just hear Trump saying, "If she were my daughter, I'd, uh..."
If I had to choose 5 FZ albums, they would be (in no particular order):
- Sheik Yerbouti
- Joe's Garage (I-II-III)
- Roxy & Elsewhere
- Apostrophe
- Overnite Sensation
But there's so much incredible stuff in his catalog, this could change at any time.
No "live in new york" ?
Liked your preference and reasons for calling "Money" over "Freak Out", I tend to agree, much as I adored FO when it came out.
Freak Out is good, but ...Money to me is exceptional.
cutthr0atjake between money and absolutely free
I guess mine is out of the box, but I liked Weasels Ripped My Flesh
The cover alone is worth the price of the album.
Weasels is one of my all time favorites. Sugarcane Harris is in peak form on “Directly From My Heart To You”, Ray Collins’ vocals on “Oh No” are sublime, and Frank’s guitar solos on “Get a Little” and “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama” are among his finest. And yes, the Neon Park cover art is priceless, one of the all time best examples of album jacket artwork ever created.
@Harry The Hat "Jewel period" That's a good name. The Golden Age was taken. I would extend it a bit from 68 - 76. All the best progressive rock was created then. But progressive may not be the exact term for some of them. I think it was more the Creative Rock Age. Where the skill of the musicianship, and non conformity, and creativity was valued more. Many of the classic creative rock bands put out their best albums. From Led Zeppelin, to Pink Floyd, Yes, Zappa, many others not so big, Supertramp, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, etc...
It's a fantastic record.
The first Zappa album I heard was Hot Rats on 6 March 1971 and I was knocked out. I remember the date because the night before I’d seen Led Zeppelin in Belfast, and next day we visited some friends at the university who introduced us to Zappa. That was a musically formative weekend for the young me, just turned 17. My first concert by a really big band (my ears were ringing for three days) and my first experience of Zappa.
I love stories like this! Thank you for sharing.
Dude! Your love of Frank is obvious. At 54, I'm just starting to appreciate his music. (can you believe that crap?) Thank you for this video!!!
better late than never. i'm 42, but only started about eight years ago or so. a friend got me into him.
No, because I didn't get into him until I was 56
Apostrophe,
Sleep Dirt,
One Size Fits All,
Grand Wazoo,
Shut-Up and Play Yur Guitar (All 3 albums)
Great list! Lots of Zappa power jazz chops on full display. :)
We're Only In It For the Money was my intro to Zappa. You are so right on it being the best introduction. Hilarious and poppy.
The mono mix is worth checking out, if you really want to dig deep into Zappa.
For all the people I'm trying to turn onto Zappa besides Apostrophe, I always give them One-size-fits-all!
As Frank said, his alternate entertainment was not for everyone, nor did he expect even fans to like all his work. My essentials:
Uncle Meat,
Lumpy Garvey,
Burnt Weeny Sandwich,
Roxy & Elsewhere,
One Size Fits All,
Bongo Fury,
Make a Jazz Noise Here,
Everything is Healing Nicely,
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore (1-6),
Lather,
Road Tapes (Venue 1-3),
The Yellow Shark
What's weird is you've got most of my favs, even down to the live stuff. Never cared for his more radio friendly albums, like Sheik, which to me is just Frank trolling.
Good list
Weasles Ripped my Flesh, my top album , "Get a Little" makes for a great ringtone
Glad you mention Apostrophe, it's a great "first Zappa album", not too out there, killer playing, clever and quite funny. Perhaps you could say the same about Overnight Sensation - "sister album" as you say is a good description, released earlier; the two albums have been sold on a double CD. Zappa In New York is a great one, a good "second Zappa album", also very listenable to the uninitiated and contains, as far as I know, the only unedited version of Titties And Beer.
Yeah, that Ryko double disk version of Apostrophe and Overnight Sensation was a great combo.
Yes, I've had a couple copies. I wish they'd put ONS first, as it was released first. All this time I had it wrong. They even sound like ONS was a little newer.@@JeffStarr
My introduction to FZ was "Over-Nite Sensation", and that's what I recommend to other people for their first Zappa experience. That and "Apostrophe" are probably his most accessible albums.
BTW, I'm sure someone must have mentioned this by now, but "sheik" is actually pronounced: "shake", not: "sheek". I mispronounced that album title for years before I found out.
My personal top 5:
One Size Fits All !!! The best ever! 2, Grand Wazoo 3, Hot Rats 4, We're only in it for the Money. 5, everything else Frank ever played or composed.
I want Sofa Nr. 1 played at my funeral. In fact, I would like to be listening to it when I die. What a beautiful way to go.
BTW I reccommend all you Zappa fans come to the Zappanale festival in Germany next year (or whenever corona allows). If you love Zappa, you'l love the Zappanale.
Martin Stent I love these choices!
1. Over night sensation
2 Apostrophe
3. Weasels ripped My flesh
4.Sheik Yer booti
5.Joes Garage
Hot Rats!
Make A Jazz Noise Here and The Yellow Shark are both better than everything on your list. Apostrophe is shit, btw, Overnight Sensation is fun but insubstantial (though arguably redeemed by Montana), Sheikh is mostly an exercise in FZ's crap "satirical" comedy rock (yawn), Joe's Garage has its moments but is largely the same. JFC if you have to include a mid period Zappa studio album at least make it One Size Fits All, even if all the best tracks in it are performed to far better effect on Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life
@@peterfitton4529 why are you even here? and your highbrow schtick is pathetically transparent.....and rather desperate.
@@Bix12 yeah, because FZ was never "highbrow", was he? 70% of FZ's output was instrumental and/or orchestral and much of that was quite "highbrow". But you do you, Bill, and stick with Bobby Brown Goes Down, eh. Jfc
@@peterfitton4529 Actually FZ didn't act like some highbrow putz at all...and the subject I was referring to was behaviour, not output. Listen to George Duke talk about when he first went to work for Frank...he tells how, among other interesting tidbits, Frank was amused by George's snobbery, and basically told him to get over himself.
So cool. I have Freak out Hot Rats and Overnight Sensation on vinyl. Always loved Zappa but never had the albums
I have been listening to Zappa since 1968, saw him several times live and almost met him twice (scheduled meetings last minute canceled for different reasons).
Analysed and studied his music and his musical roots, composed and performed my own music following what I had learned from that, played for years and toured extensively with some former Mothers in the GRANDMOTHERS band. Happened to meet more of his musicians and played with a few of them. I know a little about the man.
My choice would be the following:
HOT RATS
UNCLE MEAT
ONE SIZE FITS ALL
ABSOLUTELY FREE
ZAPPA IN NEW YORK
(non necessarely in this order)
Here's everything Zappa for a beginner.
Some will say Overnight Sensation or Apostrophe, but I see those as well crafted and somewhat funny albums which bring no improvement to Zappa's knowledge.
Listening to those as introduction to Zappa's world may give a false idea of what Zappa was really like.
This is a tough call. My decision will be guided by the nostalgia of when I first heard the album and my Zappa record collection titles that may not be common choices of equal brilliance.
1-Zoot Allures
2-Joes Garage Acts II and III
3-You are What You Is
4-Ship too Late to save a Drowning Witch
5-Jazz from Hell
Zoot Allures is one of my all time favorites.
I thought Zoot was a transitional album. Ruth and Nappy were the only ones left from the Roxy band. Zappa was building from scratch what would ultimately become the Sheik Y.B. Band that produced the Baby Snakes film.
Great work with this video. Of course Zappaphiles will quibble about which five albums are essential, but I think you made some great choices as an introduction. My only change would be swapping out Yellow Shark in favor of one of the live albums. A live album would give the new listener a taste of the full Zappa experience. I was fortunate to see Frank 5 times in concert, including the 1988 final tour ("The Best Band...", and I was at that Providence show!!) The relationship with the audiene, the band working with each other, lyric improv with current events, and Frank's studio enginneering to make the best recorded live experience, the live albums are just so much fun. "Music is the best!:
Better "classical choice" -- "Orchestral Favorites". :)
I just made a video about the 40th Anniversary Box Set for Orchestral Favorites. Lots of great material! ua-cam.com/video/ie8VQ2EkGOU/v-deo.html
"Dance Me This" -- an absolute masterpiece. Thank you for this video!
I saw FRANK ZAPPA Two times live years ago. Awesome live performances!!
Amazing! Do you remember what years or shows? A fair number of live shows have been bootlegged or released on CD now. It's always possible the concerts you went to can be listened to again.
@@JeffStarr
You made me dig out my old scrap book and ticket stubs. But, I knew I had them put away. The first time seeing Frank was at,
The Rutgers University Athletic Center, NJ .... Friday, April 25th 1980, 8:30 pm
The Second time seeing Frank was at, Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA, Tuesday, November 3rd 1981, 7pm
If you look up the shows you'll find the set list. I'd love to hear some recordings from either show. Let me know if you know of any. thanks!! ✌
@notbadfilms ,
I'd really love to hear the Rutgers show again. I remember he had a small band for that show and he played a lot of guitar that night. We where at the end of the row and the center ial was next to me. Frank came out and played guitar for awhile but as soon as he took the stage I moved right down in front of the stage. It was awesome!! But after ten minutes or so Frank wanted us to clear the iel way. That's was such an amazing concert! I can't believe it's been forty years since then. Wow... The show at the Tower in Philadelphia was great to. A bit different in ways. He had a large band and he was conducting them at times. I took a camera in and was taking some photos but they tapped me on the shoulder and said NO CAMERAS! They took the roll from my camera and took the roll I had in my pocket already. I really didn't realize cameras weren't allowed. Oh well. I'd love to see dweele in concert. I have his Zappa Plays Zappa DVD and he really puts on a great show. I rambled enough. Later dude.
This video is itself a great introduction to Frank's albums. Nicely put together!
Thank you kindly!
1. "We're Only In It For The Money".
2. "Uncle Meat".
3. "You Are What You Is".
4. "Apostrophe".
5. "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" box.
I was 14, heard One Size Fits All, it made a great impact on me. Been a Zappa fan since.
Don't totally agree
My 3 favorites
1 One size fits all
2 Apostrophe
3 Chungas revenge
1) Sheik Yerbouti
2) Joe's Garage acts I, II & III
3) Zoot Allures
4) Tinsel Town Rebellion
5) Apostrophe
6) You Are What You Is
7) Overnight Sensation
8) One Size Fits All
9) Them or Us
10) Thing Fish
You're so right about it being hard to pick from all of his releases but for the most part, I agree with your selections. Congrats on the mention of your name in the MOFO release. I, too have been a Zappa fan since the Freak Out release.
Well done. For me...My 5 ... Sheik, Rats, One Size, Chunga's and You are What You Is. Garage 2. Oh, that's 6. It's all about the mood, notes, chords. Music is the Best. I'm just grateful that my DNA allows me to appreciate and experience art. BTW, aside from aesthetics recycling is complete bullshit. Tomorrow my top 5 will be Absolutely Free, Waka, Dirt, Apostrophe Mother's of Prevention, Gravy Freak Out, Sandwich, Overnight Roxy and Allures.
“You Are What You Is” is a personal favorite. I love all the layering and overlapping sections. Such a heavy album that’s also full is silly stuff.
When Frank died, I lost my appetite…I knew he had been sick, but it really hit me hard.
Honorable Mention Early Album: Burnt Weeny
Mother Live at the Filmore
Hot Rats
Roxy
Honorable Mention Middle Album: One Size Fit's All
Joes Garage
Tinseltown
Honorable Mention Late Album: Civilization (discovered something on the album which led up to me getting a Honorary Doctorate in Musical History)
My Dick is a Monster...
My Dick is a Harley,
You kick it to start
i have about 30 zappa albums on vinyl. bought Freakout in the deletes bin for $1.50 with a hole thru it. Absolute favourite album is Wakajawaka. i know it inside out.
Saw him live in Ottawa twice then Montreal twice after he stopped touring to ottawa. mid-late 70's.
my favourite was the last one in ottawa, some where late in the show he sat on a stool with his food smoking away tucked in between the strings at the head of the guitar, and just improvised for 20 or 25 minutes solid, with a little signal to the band every now and then to change the tempo or switch to a new theme or style and just cooked and cooked. it was so incredible.
I had friends who saw him in the late 60's when he'd show up at an after hours jazz club at 2 in the morning and play with whoever was there. wish i'd seen that
I love stories like these. I really wish I had been able to see Zappa play live, especially during those time periods you mentioned. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to have him sit in with jazz groups but he must have done that as his playing is so advanced and he clearly cut his teeth somewhere. In interviews he doesn’t like to talk much about learning guitar and often dismisses his practicing as non-existent in later years but anyone who can play like Frank did clearly spend time practicing and honing his chops. What a master guitar player! Thanks for watching and I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.
I, too was at that show in Ottawa. I saw him several times and each one seemed better than the last! Cosmik Debris, if I had to pick a favorite song....but how do you do that?
Most vinyl albums have a hole in them.
It's what you use to place it on the turntable.
Tbf, once you escape the confines of the 12" album, a VERY big hole exists outside of it.
Inca Roads is on One Size Fit's All, as you know. I'd swap out Yellow Shark for One Size, because (how do I say this?) it's not really representative of the music I grew up with. If you want to hip a new generation to Zappa, let them find Yellow Shark on their own. We're such geeks.
The grand wazoo
is a great album as well as bongo fury
Almost every fan will give you a different list for the first 5 Zappa albums to listen to. So this list would not be mine, but your list is good. I approve.
I love the mid 70s line up of the Mothers with George Duke, Ruth Underwood and Chester Thompson. They were an amazing live band. So I would go for the Roxy and Elsewhere and the Token of his Extreme live albums. Joe Garage is pretty good too.
Roxy is a killer album! It’s definitely a, “Must listen.”
@@JeffStarr This was actually my 2nd Zappa album and it's because of this record I ended up with a full collection of his work. 1st album was Trick or Treat, a collection of 7'' from his doo-wop phase - not really what I expected then, but that was the only album my limited budget allowed me to buy. Luckily I found Roxy & Elsewhere a year later, otherwise it might have become only a short affair with Frank instead of a life long love.
Adrian Belew in the Girl Scout Uniform
My top 5 FZ albums
1. Freak Out
2. Hot Rats
3. Roxy and Elsewhere
4. Burnt Weeny Sandwich
5. We're Only In It For The Money
Love FZ'S music it's all timeless
I forgot to add that IOWA PUBLIC RADIO'S classical Station would play bits from Zappa's Yellow Shark lp when it came out.
My intro to FZ was through Strictly Commercial and One Size Fits All. Needless to say, I was hooked. My 5 essential albums might be(in no particular order): Hot Rats, Roxy and Elsewhere, One Size Fits All, Zappa in NY, and The Grand Wazoo.
Zappa in NY is great and often forgotten about. Good call!
Good shout, great albums on the list. It's a difficult one to call, given his output, the line ups and talents of the individual band members other than Frank..
interesting choices. thanks for giving me an idea of which FZ album to listen to now... my choice? Sleep Dirt... (your Hot Rats comments inspired me...)
Good choice!
I loved Frank soon as I heard "Help! I'm a Rock!" at age 14. My usual introductory recommendations include some of yours, but it kind of depends who I'm talking to. For some, I might Recommend The Yellow Shark first. Usually, I recommend Overnite Sensation, We're Only in it For the Money (the original mix!), One Size Fits All, Apostrophe, and The Yellow Shark, probably in that order. My own personally inspiring records would have to also include Uncle Meat, Absolutely Free, and of course Hot Rats. I'm not that fond of Chunga's Revenge, or much else from the "Turtles period." But there's great stuff on all his records. There are 75 of his songs on my iPod, and I could probably add at least that many more.
sheik was my entry point to his music, has so many iconic moments. apostrophe, overnite and joe are my all time favorites. absolutely free is underrated, for the money is crazy. fillmore east '71 is so unique and hilarious. thing is there is so much material out there the well is limitless
I love burnt weeny sandwich its a classic for me. Great stuff my friend from a zappa fan.
FRANK ZAPPA:
Rock's closest thing to a true renaissance man, a true Artist. He has been acclaimed as a genius for his versatility. He was a brilliant guitarist, a superb composer, a matchless bandleader, a movie producer, a record company executive, a human rights activist and an incomparable social satirist. He started out in the 60's as the leader of the zany avant-rock pioneers the Mothers. His subsequent solo work encompassed everything from jazz-rock to orchestral pieces, always delivered with Zappa's trademark humor. He succumbed to cancer in 1993, but the mind-boggling prolific workaholic left behind a staggering body of work. Genius is an overused word in music, but it applies to Zappa in spades.
1. We're Only In It For The Money.
2. You Are What You Is.
3. Uncle Meat.
4. Apostrophe.
5. Läther..
Did somebody already say, "they're _all_ essential," because that's my answer!
Agreed! Well, I'm a little less keen to listen to Thing-Fish... or the 1980's remixes of Money/Ruben And The Jets. But other than that, bring 'em all on!!
1. Roxy and Elsewhere
2. Hot Rats
3. Overnite Sensation
4. Apostrophe
5. One Size Fits All
6. You Are What You Is
7. Them or Us
So I went a little overboard...
This is a solid list! I can support this. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
What a cool list to stumble across as a fan of F.Z. I will always favor "One Size Fits All", as it was my real introduction to Zappa. I had heard "Bongo Fury" at a friends house a few years before but was somewhat stultified at the time and hadn't connected the dots. But as a 19 year old recruit in the Air Force at Barksdale AFB I borrowed two albums from the library in 1985. One was a beat up copy of OSFA and the other was "Safe as Milk", not realizing that these people were linked. I fell in love immediately with both records and eventually stumbled across TMR which is the medicine. It was great to hear you pick "Chunga's Revenge" as the first pick!
1. Uncle Meat
2. Hot Rats
3. We're only in it for the money
4. One size fits all
5. Sheik yerbouti
Thanks to Frank x
Just watching this 2014 doc on Zappa tonight...2.5hrs! Nice. And I've paused 'cause I was suddenly wondering who thought what might be the top album in the entire, monster catalog of FZ music. And your first choice is CR!!!! Dude. That has ALWAYS been my fav album. How reassuring... Great vid
Music is the best!
So glad the classical album you chose was yellow shark. I read that Zappa wasn't going to do it but ensemble moderne promised to practice, practice practice and they followed through with their promise which really got Zappa on board
NICE guitar collection. I see that Dano Sitar
My sorta 5 essentials:
- Freak out!
- Absolutely Free
- We're only in it for the money
- Overnite Sensation / Apostrophe (') (One CD)
- One Size Fits all
I want, but I can't fit Hot Rats in there. There are others, but these have the best and most accessible songs of the 60s and early 70s, which I think was his best. I have things like Joe's Garage, Man from Utopia and Yellow Shark, and Civ phase I - III.
Good selections! I’ll totally allow the combo CD. ;) I used to listen to that disk all the time. Such a great value back during the CD era.
In 1968, I traded my Crazy World of Arthur Brown for We're only in it for the money. Both lps plus the Doors strange days changed my outlook towards my parents.
Congratulations! Kisses from Brazil!
Awesome video dude! I must chime in and add one more to the list. Frank Zappa, Joe's Garage 1, 2 & 3 Maybe Roxy & Elsewhere. Another amazing album.
Good call! Both are super important albums in his catalog.
I remember many years ago on a radio interview where Zappa said that
his ideal recording would be to record a symphony orchestra where
each instrument would have it’s own track. That was in the days of
pretty limited analog set-ups, so not likely to happen.
Correct. He later tried to do this on the Yellow Shark recording. I believe he miced the instruments in small groups to give him the highest amount of control possible when mixing.
That's exactly why I'm such a fan of the Synclavier....... It's everything FZ ever wanted, and
dreamed about.
You are a great dude....love watching young people finding Frank.
Thanks! The goal with this video was to get more people to check out Frank’s music.
I've had "Hot Rats" in some format since 1971. I hope someone will play it as I lie dying ... just to make me smile.
You can get a vinyl reissue of HR which was pressed using the original 16 track masters. Frank unfortunately felt that he needed to remix his early albums when they were re-released on CD, and the sound quality suffered as a result. I got mine from Elusive Disc, and I am very pleased with the sound
The first zappa album I heard was Roxy mothers and elsewhere. I listen to it once put it away for 2 months played it for a friend and fell in love with Frank's music. My top 5 albums #1 overnight sensation #2 hot rats #3 Joes garage # the grand wazoo.# yellow shark album.
I love all these albums too. This is a great selection as well as it really shows the diversity in his output.
The Yellow Shark, We're Only in it for the Money, and Overnite Sensation would definitely be in my top five, too, if I could even narrow it down to five. But I would have to include Uncle Meat and One Size Fits All.
For me, Frank's "Turtles period" (Fillmore East 1971, Chunga's Revenge, and 200 Motels) was his weakest stuff, but it got him a whole new bunch of new fans who were titillated by the "adult" humor, which I think is kind of a shallow reason to be fans, if they don't really appreciate the genius of the music itself.
Anyway, narrowing it down to the five I mentioned would be really difficult, because I would want to include so many others, like Absolutely Free, Hot Rats, Roxy and Elsewhere, Waka/Jawaka, Ruben and the Jets, The Man From Utopia, You Are What You Is, and others I'm probably not recalling right now. I was a fan from age 15 when I heard "Help, I'm a Rock" from Freak Out at a friend's house in 1966 (yeah, I'm pretty old). He hated the album so he gave it to me. I bought eveything Frank put out after that, up until the '80s, when I got more into other stuff. I didn't care that much for Sheik Yerbouti or the Joe's Garage collection anyway, but I've remained a fan and have to credit him as a major inspiration in my own music and guitar playing. You do realize, don't you, that "Sheik Yerbouti" is a play on words for the disco phrase "shake your booty"? It seems some people miss that. 🤓
Great video. I love FZ, and have done all my life. I did get to see him live several times, and if I had a time machine, I’d use it to go back to those.
What band lineups did you get to see?
notbadfilms I'd have to google the gigs to be completely accurate as I was off my head most of the time.
I'm in the UK and I saw him at the Knebworth Festival in 1978, then at London Wembley Arena in 1980, and London Hammersmith Odeon ( with Dweezil playing on stage for one song when he was just a kid! ) around 1982-ish. I'd love to see those gigs again, but no drugs or alcohol 😂
Interesting choice of five.
@7:06 Interesting... I always thought Hot Rats was kind of lofi!! I think the copy my family had was from a peach crate of LP records that survived a fire... Smoked Zappa! I guess I will have to listen again! (and again, and again, and again, and again... !!!)
good list, although to be honest you could imho chronologically pick any 5 consecutive albums from 1966 to the late 1970s by zappa and still have a solid list
I saw him at Knebworth in the 70's when I was 19 in the UK The Tubes were top of the bill I think
I liked your selection, Chunga's Revenge is probably the only one I would swap out and I'm not sure for what. I also agree that Money is a better early example Mothers than Freak Out. For me it's really inventive and an amazing critique of the culture of the time. I don't think it's fair to blame McCartney for the hold up of We're only in it for the Money. According to Barry Miles Paul was fine with it, but the sleeve image was owned by EMI not the Beatles themselves, so he couldn't just clear it with Zappa over the phone.
Probably true about Paul and the license issue. I’m sure it was way more complicated than Frank (or I) explain it.
I agree. Good list and the only person on UA-cam I've seen who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to Frank. I'd replace Chunga's Revenge with Joe's Garage. Gives us a pick from the late 70s/early 80s era, ambitious story album, good production, some good tunes, very dirty and dumb and silly in an entertaining way, has a message, is sometimes touching, and has Watermelon in Easter Hay.
@@tickeroo But what would the Poodle and the Pygmy Pony do with the Watermelon in Easter Hay? (Love that song)
The only one I’m missing is Chunga’s Revenge. I have the others. Every time I listen to Zappa I am amazed and delighted. I have been for 45 years. Thanks Frank.
Definitely listen to Chunga’s Revenge, it’s a great album!
You chose the Alpha and the Omega of albums. I always said the best Zappa was the one I was listening to at that time. I was weened on The Mothers - Live at the Filmore East. But you left out the middle two decades of his music. Oh well.
I love all the eras. This list was really hard. Fillmore is one of my personal favorites and almost made the cut. I tried to focus this list on what albums would make non-Zappa fans into Zappa fans. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment.
@@JeffStarr If i would have heard the yellow shark as my first Zappa album it would have been my last.
My top five-
Apostrophe
Overnight Sensation
Them or Us
Joe’s Garage Part One
We’re Only In It For The Money
And a special shout out to Man From Utopia as it was my first Zappa album.
As you obviously dig guitars, guitarists & all things guitar, I feel I should give my faves, here goes:
1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Steve Howe (everyone on Earth should hear "Yours Is No Disgrace" by YES, the main band he was known for. This song does a great job of encapsulating his various styles- Yes' live rendition of Perpetual Change, from Yessongs, is another tour de force that lets a casual listener know just what he's capable of doing and how good he really is...
Chet Atkins being one of his big influences...)
3. Frank Zappa; my fave solo/lead is from the Roxy & Elsewhere album. This is a favorite lead line of quite a few guitarists. I get chills every time the feedback kicks in during the gee-tarr solo....
4. Duane Allman
5. Robert Fripp
6. Jeff Beck
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan
8. Eddie Van Hamster (if you're from Philly & around my age of 51, you understand the moniker..)
9. Alex Lifeson
10. Rick Nielsen
An excellent list of top-line guitarists, Craig, made even more impressive by the fact that you mentioned that they are your favourites.
[Many (if not most) people resort to unnecessary hysterical hyperbole by claiming which are the "best ever" when there is no such thing, just personal preference. Claiming that guitarist 'A' is "better" than guitarist 'B' is plainly silly and completely pointless.]
Jeff Beck (especially Jeff, Who Else, You Had It Coming, & Guitar Shop), FZ, Steve Morse, Bill Frisell, Johnny Hiland, Andy Summers, Jef Lee Johnson, Kazumi Watanabe.
@@Bix12
Did you ever see a movie called, "End Of The Line" with Wilfred Brimley & Kevin Bacon & Levon Helm ? Andy Summers wrote the music for it, a lot a various acoustic guitars, pedal steel he used to match the vibe of the movie.
Not a great movie, but totally watchable- especially if you like railroads & trains....👊😎
@@alangeorgebarstow
So who are your preferred guitar slingers ?
Thanks for the response, Alan.
@green fox
I've tried in vain to dig McLaughlin. I've listened to Mahavishnu Orchestra and hear technicality for technicality's sake.
I love Zappa & don't shy away from the seventeen-uplets or whatever.
I can appreciate the expertise, but Mahavishnu & McLaughlin often come across as soulless to me. Cold sounding.
And I love most prog music- but McLaughlin & his crew befuddle me.
IMO, they could've used a Jon Anderson-type individual in Mahavishnu. A soul or raison d'etre. Or at the very least, a Rick Nielsen type of player that might install a hook every now & again into the songs.
I just always loved apostrophe ('), the man from utopia, and joe's garage best in terms of what I want out of Zappa
Thank you so much for your informative FZ choice. I bought Money when it came out and and S pepper. I loved both albums. I have since bought many more Zappa albums but Money and Overnight Sensation are the ones I like the best. Chunga Revenge I have never heard or Yellow Shark. Thank you for your appraisal of FZ music. Without him my life would be so dull.
If you like Overnight Sensation you will also like Chunga’s Revenge.
Thanks I’ve bought many albums for years now but that’s a good idea
You Are What You Is
I really debated putting this in my top five. Beyond the great songs, I love the density of the production and mixing so much.
I've been listening to a number of Zappa interviews (Cavett one is really good) and realize how far ahead of the time he was politically and culturally. Now getting into his music seriously for the first time, since I grew up in a time when he music was not played on the radio (I think Yellow Snow got some airplay).
I'd be curious to hear how Frank would have spoken about our current events.
I saw him Live He has so many albums but really an original guitar player..crazy guy and one of the best.
Thanks! I think Hot Rats should be in your list. It's a seminal work in the field of jazz rock music (with Bitches Brew, Miles Davis). With that fabulous Willie the pimp which looks like a blues (with the Captain Beefheart voice).
I agree!
So many great Zappa albums, hard to pick favorites, but.....
Weasels Ripped My Flesh --- Always loved the artwork, album title, & the music.....
Zoot Allures
Freak Out -- Enormously influential album
Sheik Yerbouti
We're Only In It For the Money
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Waka/Jawaka
Hot Rats
Apostrophe
I guess I better stop........there's plenty more though......
Great review, I’ll revisit my Zappa stuff now.
Please do!
If you're more into the Fusion/Jazz (mostly instrumental) side of Zappa:
These are the best top 4.
Grand Wazoo
Hot Rats
Waka Jawaka
Sleep dirt
So I’m this huge Zappa fan… I have all the original albums on vinyl (first pressings of course) something like 35 of them. Anyway I used to have a recording studio in Burbank and my partner at the time would rehearse his band there and I was just hanging out and they are setting up and Bunk Gardner shows up and I’m like what the **** he’s playing with you guys?? They literally didn’t know he was a Zappa alum. And I’m like “we’re only in it for the money…” to him and he’s like “oh ****” I guess he’s trying to be aloof… so I’m cool I’m not in this band so I went home and when they had their next rehearsal I’m there with my copy of the album and he’s like ok… so he autographed it to me said something nice wrote a little staff of music on it. As far as great Zappa records “Joes Garage” I think it’s kind of a forgotten gem. I think it’s great it’s a very modern sounding record and full of making fun of everyone (especially scientology) I think the albums after that were a bit misguided and angry so I think Joes Garage is his last great record
Grooving with Ruebin and the Jets
I read that ( at 4:15) from Barry Mile's bio "Zappa" as well.
there was no flare gun at the casino...the building was wood and old with paper mache decorations hanging from the roof....a guy with a box of matches was lighting them and flicking them at the low roof...one caught fire and the rest is history
Great analysis....Just when I was worried you were going to leave out "We're Only In It For The Money"......#1.....CHEERS
1. Roxy and Elsewhere
2. Apostrophe
3. Overnight Sensation
4. Hot Rats
5. Freak Out
Honorable Mention: Lumpy Gravy
Perfect list IMHO except for me I would switch out 'Freak Out' for 'Bongo Fury'.
@@vladdrakul7851 Actually, I was going to put "One Size Fits All" as my honorable mention, but I have too many fond memories of first encountering "Lumpy Gravy".