15 Musicians Talk about Frank Zappa
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- Опубліковано 29 кві 2023
- In this video, we'll hear from some of the most renowned musicians, as well as from Zappa's former bandmates and family, as they share their insights into the life and legacy of Frank Zappa. Through their personal stories and reflections, we'll gain a deeper understanding of who Zappa was, what he stood for, and how he influenced the world of music and beyond.
From guitar heroes like Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen to rock legends like Lou Reed, the musicians you'll hear from in this video all have one thing in common: a deep respect for the one and only Frank Zappa.
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15 Musicians Talk about Frank Zappa
Let me know in this thread which musicians you would love to see next in this kind of compilation!
PS: Had to trim the Alice Cooper part for copyright reasons 😕 but you can find it here: ua-cam.com/video/t-74RxMZ6lI/v-deo.html
I'd like to hear other musicians discuss Ian Anderson.
Lou Reed
Bryan Ferry
@@johnwolcot Ian Anderson, another musical genius that the Rock& Roll Hall of Shame can't acknowledge? But they put in some Rap shit, which isn't Rock at all and barely qualifies as music! Tape loops and samplings are not musicians
One of the Most incredible albums & also one of my favourites is ' Touch Me There ' - Frank Zappa w/ L. Shankar - how about a piece about the making of this album ?!
Frank Vincent Zappa - December 21, 1940 - December 4, 1993
Rest in Peace, Frank.
You are sorely missed.
Lou Reed at FZ's posthumous induction into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame: name-drops Warhol, says "I admired Frank, and [wait for it] I know he admired me." What a sphincter.
Yes, perfect video except for this inclusion.
Lou hated Frank's music, I can't believe they had Lou Reed anywhere near Frank's induction. Frank was the best!
@@GuitarSoloReactions I cannot imagine two people such a Reed and Zappa getting along musically or otherwise. I have been told that both of them could be prickly, aloof and cold but funny, engaging and warm if they really liked a person as a person and/ or a talented musician.
Lou Reed is an egotistical
A-hole. Why would he take part in Frank's critique?
@@MisterTMH I dont see Zappa as getting along with most rock musicians TBH but lou especially seems like a strange pairing
Back in 1974 Zappa played an all-day rock festival in Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium with Ten Years After, Mountain, and others. We were sitting high in the stands between acts, playing Trivia. No-one knew the name of Tom Mix's horse. Some time later, Frank's band was tuning up, ready to play, Frank stepped to the mic, said "Tom Mix's horse was Tony."
We fell out of our seats - our little Trivia question had traveled all the way down to Frank.
A unique man, a genius.
Great story. 👍 Thx.
Zappa lived in Tom Mix’s Laurel Canyon cabin in the mid to late 60’s
hahahaha, what a moment life!
Without that shit pathetic zappa, the music World would be much better
thats so awesome
The standard of musicianship in Zappa's bands was fantastic.
Frank had very high standards.
Agreed, the musicianship demanded was extreme. It’s too bad his music would never meet the same standard. He gathered some of the best musicians in the world to create some real mediocre shit.
@@fredjennings5312 Sometimes that might be true, but I guess that reflected his prolific output. Not every Zappa album was brilliant, although very album would have something worth listening to. He just put stuff out there and let the audience judge.
@@fredjennings5312It really sounds like a typewriter like Eddie said or 70s porn music at times. Very sterile and mechanical. Never heard anything from him that really grabbed my attention. It sounds like these guys that write complex stuff just for the sake of it.
Its that you dont like it@@EbonyPope to be good music doesn't have to complex. Frank didnt write music for that reason, it was what he heard in his head. If its too busy for you, listen to something else. Dont get mad.
That Steve Vai story may have been one of the best stories I’ve ever heard.
Rough auditions…….
Sounds like Frank was a master troller 😂
@@crazyralph6386 - No. Trollers employ their tactics to denigrate and destroy. Zappa employed his tactics to draw out talent and create.
RIP George Duke.
I was lucky enough to see him play at the Jazz Bakery in LA, sitting about 5 feet from him as he played. What a great guy.
Saw George playing with Stanley Clarke in Central Park.
@@ronschwolsky1626Wow.
Had the pleasure of sitting in a box with George at the Hollywood Bowl before he played. I'll never forget him.
I was just cranking George’s 50/50 solo in my car today! I could see people creeping up along side me at red lights like WTF is THAT?!
Great Googley Moogley! 🤣
Dwezel nailed it with his summary of FZ's music as a whole:
An orchestra disguised as a rockband.
Yeah but he blew it goofing on Weird Al. Genius in France is one of the best Zappa homages around.
@@GetUpTheMountains can't win em all. Agreed. El is a genius in his own way
@@borrisyuslav4306 I'll be honest and admit to being totally floored when I hear it the first time. Who knew Al was so hip to real music!
@@GetUpTheMountains I want to say I read somewhere ages ago, Frank was one of Al’s initial inspirations. Did you ever get into system of a down back in the 90s-mid 2000s. Now that to me in my own opinion. is the closest thing you can get to being modern Frank Zappa, but still original.
No doubt EVH was a New kid on the block hot shot & definitely a modern great, but give me Zappa anyday for feel , imagination, innovation & the ability to cover literally any subject with humour & scathing satire, too many song's to list but 'Rat Tomago' off the Sheik Yerbouti album is a standout example of Zappa's sheer playing ability & understanding of the guitar, few come close to FZ.
I've only ever had one tattoo...it's of Zappa.
My musical hero.
What songs or album do you like? I'm pretty new to Zappa, so what would you recommend?
Anything from 66 to 93😊😊
Genius is a word thrown around much too often, but Frank was a Genius.
No it is not. There are many genius' minds, look at all the stuff you have and no clue how it works just as long as it does.
Frank Zappa stands out in a crowd of stellar talents. Miss you Frank you were one of a kind. Few understand him and his music because they do not listen only hear. There is a significant difference between the two.
I agree with the last reply of the 7 replys Reading music , Actual trained incredible classical, jazz players ? Make me puke 90% of them are uncreative Eddie actually re -invented Heavy flashy guitar Playing overnight , much more af Jimi Hendrix in the 60's he broke all the Rules he took blues to another Planet I saw h with my Hippie Parent at Age 8 at Monterey Pop Festival the week after I threw my Little league baseball equipment into the living room fire my.mitt Bats uniform all of it my dad was a musician he understood changed my life I'm now a month usical Comedy performer in La
Music is like a language. I think you have to study it a little, at least listen multiple times and you will figure out what's what.
@@davesmith-le1hh Yeah, God forbid anyone playing rock should actually know something and be musically literate. Except you posted under a video about Zappa. If rockers who have musical knowledge and skills outside of rock make you puke, stay away from Zappa, He knew things, and his bands all had trained musicians in them. His music is sure to make you lose your lunch.
Well said Mike. My first taste of Frank was "Apostrophe", when I was about 12 or 13, or 1978 ish. Yes "Nanook " and the yellow snow was funny, but that is not what grabbed me. It was the arrangement and the wide variety of instruments that all fit in this absolutely wild yet perfect record. "St. Alphonzo" and "Excentrifugal Forz" blew me away, as well as every other song on the album. His sardonic lyrics along with the musicians of the very highest caliber, playing these rapid fire and perfectly written songs had me wanting more Zappa. And his guitar work is totally unique and can`t be copied in any way. Tones were all over the place. Using little Pignose amps with an envelope filter and his custom SG type guitar is just one example of his wide variety. I saw Frank only one time and even that was hard to do because of his odd touring stints. The man changed my life in a way. Not just as far as my guitar playing, he just opened doors in my brain without needing acid or shrooms. He was a constant in my life of inconsistency. A genius in constant motion, musically and politically to name just two examples. He was gone way too soon, yet his body of work is enormous. At least we can still put an album on the turntable and get lost in Frank`s world at any time. Take care Mike and make sure to wear a real poncho, not a Sears poncho!
We must not forget Captain Beefheart RIP ❤
👏
Completey agree. Beefheart had the same 'fuck what anybody thinks, I'm doing this' attitude that Zappa did. Possibly even more so. Beefheart of course was not the same calibre of musuician that Frank was, not even close. But the spirit is very much aligned.
@@johnderkacz3586 No, Don didn't have those chops. However musically Beefheart was more innovative than Frank.
Who tfs captain beefheart like 🤣🤣🤣
I met Frank during a recording session in Hollywood. We shared sips of wine from a bottle of Spanada. He was a regular guy, but an uncommonly great musician. RIP, legend.
Frank drank booze with you!!?? Wow, lucky you.
@@billydeewilliams9104
I'd rather drink cheap wine with Frank than be knighted by the King of England, believe me.
@@tiffsaver Me too (and I'm English!) but it won't happen now...
@@tiffsaver same
No you didn't. 😄
There was always one guarantee when you went to see Frank Zappa. You were going to get to see some of the best musicians play very complex compositions.
He was one of America’s greatest composers. For starters. He’s a school of music, with a legacy of the most iconic original virtuoso musicians who have played and been challenged by FZ’s music. Genius.
I think Ruth hit the nail on the head describing Frank's desire to get the most out of musicians. If you delve deep into the musicians who have played with him, he was definitely a Musical Mentor to get them out there. He has a long list of excellent talent that came through his bands and I'm thankful Frank always had that approach.
You could also call him Taskmaster.
@@kjelleriksson2793
Most definitely. One day I noticed Mother Ray hitchhiking to his performance with the Mothers of Invention while cruising down Wilshire Blvd. high on acid, when he actually invited me and my friend to the concert he was playing in at the Wilshire Ebell Theater. If you think watching Zappa's band was crazy enough being straight, try doing it on acid! It was truly unforgettable, unlike anything I've ever seen, before or since.
What Frank says about finding the unique qualities of each musician and tailoring his compositions accordingly is exactly what Duke Ellington did in composing for his musicians.
Got the most out of them and then almost completely wasted it.
Yep, Zappa ultimately had one simple yet profound request of those who played with him: "Give me the best you've got." You may call that being a taskmaster. But others may call it an act of profound generosity inspiring others to discover talents they didn't even know they had. Ultimately, that may be his true legacy.
I saw Zappa and his band perform in Eugene OR in 1983 I think. During the performance an audience member threw something on the stage and Frank stopped the entire band, and pronounced "don't you know how incredibly rude it is to throw objects on the stage while we are performing?" Then they carried on.
I'm at that age where I forget the exact year I saw shows also. Soon I'll be lucky if I get the right decade. Cheers
I saw Zappa and the Mothers in the early 70, in NYC, on Halloween. Great show. Frank played lights out solos on his guitar, a Gibson SG, I think. It was the best guitar performance I've seen to this day and I've see most of the greats, from Hendrix on down. His solos were compositions, not just strings of cool riffs. Frank took us on a sonic journey.
Saw the Mothers on Halloween at the Capitol Theater in Passaic NJ, maybe the same show. Agree 100%
My brother is a huge Frank Zappa fan and saw him multiple times. He's seen Dweezil Zappa several times as well.
I can’t count how many times I’ve seen Frank Zappa he was always on tour and every time he came through town I went to see him. I live in a medium size city, called London in Ontario they’re used to be a great wooden roller rink that he played in every time he came through town. The best part was there was these wooden rafters, beams that cross the entire arena and you could crawl out and watch him from up above real super close, real super personal he always put on just an amazing show. Some of my fondest memories our of watching him.
@@stephenpaquetI saw him multiple times too. Always a great show. I knew when I was seeing him that I was seeing something special, something that wouldn't come this way again. I'd drag non-Zappa fans to shows and they were always amazed. A lot of those folks though he was a crazy joke act, like maybe he would do "bizarre" stuff during the performance, like bite a live chicken's head off on stage. He never did, although I heard Frank enjoyed the outrageousness of the myth.
I'm so jelly ❤️
Our son studied under Frank's sax player, Paul Carmen. Best teacher our kid ever had
I think Zappa is more influential now than people realise.
Maybe in the music world, but outside of that, few people under the age of 40 have heard of him.
@@paulinebutcherbird You mean there’s a world outside music?
@@deanandthebeans857 .😏
Zappa is long forgotten, and he knew he was going to be, which accounts for his hostility to the memory of Jimi Hendrix. For that I cannot get into his music - to me his personality is too off-putting.
@@johntechwriter It's sad that Frank seems to be getting an increasing amount of negative comments. Are you basing you views of Frank Zappa on his interviews?
Saw Frank several times. Some of the best shows I ever saw. Phenomenal.
I hear Linda Ronstadt is looking for a guitarist ... how I laughed.
Frank goes from Stravinsky to Versace to do-wop to potty humor.
All done well...
Love to Ruth, Ian, Duke, Fowler, more and more ...
Peace on earth.
A true Zappa fan, can simply never have enough interviews with Frank or about Frank, he was simply one of the most extraordinary composers that ever lived and when I hear all the great live material coming out, I'm often shocked how in each performance he got something different musically done.
I had the pleasure and honour to briefly meet and interview Frank, the same weekend that the first Woodstock festival was going on. This was between the Uncle Meat and Hot Rats albums. As Jim Sherwood recounts, this was mere days before Frank broke up the Mothers of Invention (I think I may have chatted with "Motorhead", while waiting to get in to speak to Frank), stating that "people wouldn't know good music if it bit them on the ass". From what I gathered, speaking to Bunk Gardner, it had been a rough tour.
But Frank said some things that stuck with me, especially concerning his work ethic. He said that everywhere the band went, whether he was on a bus, a flight, in a hotel room, or backstage, he always brought three things with him: a pad of music paper, a battery-powered electric pencil sharpener, and a bunch of HB pencils. He said he was constantly working on arrangements for the band - something that seems to have remained true for him, even up to the days when "the band" might have been a Synclavier in his home.
But, much like Charles Ives before him, Frank would include improvised segments of many otherwise structured songs. When I asked him about this, he noted that he would turn the segment over to a given musician in the band, based on what he knew about the skill and personality of that musician, and what they could offer at that point in the tune. This is something that Ruth Underwood validates in her comments.
Those who have the skill, and opportunity, to have played with Frank often continue to play his music in one context or another. Part of that is because there continues to be public affection, and thus a market, for Frank's music. But I imagine it is also because their time in the band represents the zenith of their musicianship, and something they always enjoy re-experiencing.
Do you have a copy of the interview to post?
@@paulinebutcherbird I truly wish I did. Unfortunately, I loaned the tape to a fellow who I never saw again, so all I have left is what I remember of the interview. Never had the chance to transcribe it.
@@markhammer643 Gracious! I bet you never did that again - ie hand out a tape to someone else, your precious hardware. I would have been devastated or perhaps even shot the guy! Just think what you could do with that tape now. Add photos and make a video on YT.
@@paulinebutcherbird I was only 17, Pauline. And I have the memories. I had actually brought an 8mm camera that day, but the film backed up in the camera, and was spoiled. When I mentioned this to one of the bandmembers, he generously explained to me how to make good use of the wasted film by scratching patterns on it for animation.
For me, it was enough that I got to see the Mothers five times that weekend, and meet Frank, as a "consolation prize" for not being allowed to go to Woodstock. I was one of a lineup of people to interview Frank, most of them much more professional than myself. If the questions began to get repetitive and boring (for him), Frank would refer them to the publicist who could provide them with printed material. As a youngster, I was not an especially good interviewer, and when my questions were ill-formed, Frank would respond sarcastically. If the question interested him, however, he became articulate, engaged, and quite pleasant. I asked him if it bothered him that there were people in the audience yelling out requests for "Louie Louie" and "Whipping Post". He replied that if only one person in the audience "got" what he was trying to do, that was enough for him. That may have been true in theory, and conceptually, but in practice, as my earlier comment indicated, the broader view of him as merely a purveyor of "dirty" or gimmick music likely irked him from time to time. While I am certain there were those who most associated him with "Dinah-Moe Hum" and "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow:" until his last day on earth, as his catalog snowballed, I imagine there was greater appreciation for the breadth of his music, and the many moments of sheer beauty in it. A half-dozen years after speaking with him, I took an undergraduate course in 20th-century music, and gained a greater appreciation for both his frequent references to it (e.g., the *many* passages in "Absolutely Free" taken from Holst, Stravinsky, possibly Varese, and likely others) and his role in its ongoing evolution. Of course, he also inspired me to buy a number of Johnny "Guitar" Watson records.
What I was impressed with most, when I spoke with him, and something I have oft-heard repeated, and never heard evidence to contradict in all those years, was his work ethic. This was a guy who was first and foremost *dedicated* to his craft. I will always be grateful that he made time for this inept kid, in the midst of what was surely a long and tiring day. I don't know what sort of dad he was, but if Dweezil continues to commit to and master his dad's music, all these years later, I might infer it was because Frank made time for him too.
My own mother actually ran into Frank several years before I did. She was working as a temp at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) in Montreal. Frank and the Mothers were in town, and I believe had played at what was then Montreal's premier coffee house and venue for emerging artists: The New Penelope. They went over to the NFB building to avail themselves of the recording studio. I don't know if it was to record soundtrack music for someone else, or something for themselves. One of my mum's co-workers told her "Sheila, you have to see these weirdos down in the cafeteria", so she sauntered over. And Frank was in his legendary black persian lamb coat. Having listened to "Freak Out" incessantly that year, I was ever so jealous of her.
Thanks so much for your interest, Pauline. And much gratitude for the service you provided to Frank, and the memories you provided in your book and interviews. I hope my own were of interest.
@@markhammer643 So what happened, did you become a fully-fledged journalist? How did you manage to become part of the queue among professional journalists to interview Frank at the age of 17? One footnote to your story is that I was in Ottawa that weekend with the band (I presume you're talking about Ottawa?) and it was the time that Frank made his second pass at me, offering for me to spend the night with him, as mentioned in this interview.
Having Zappa and Claypool in the same room must be like some cosmic meeting of universe or some shit.
The cheerful joy and foreverness in Ruth when talking about Zappa is so wonderful.❤
She was such a huge part of the sound...
That entire band was amazing, but Ruth really stood out on Enchilda's arf & Don't you ever wash that thing.
Was cool to see Ruth casually mention how frank loved to go see Jimi Hendrix play
Chad Wackerman’s “DO YOU READ?” always sticks with me. Always more to learn
Fantastic. Thank you So Much. I'm a late Zappa convert, but it seems like a natural progression coming out of - more recently - 20th century classical, bebop and so much varied fusion music. It's invaluable to hear erudite artists speak respectfully about each other.
Frank was unique.
If you're interested in the man as well as a composer and musician, you might be interested to read Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa 1968-1971. It's my story, but reveals Frank's home life not shown in other books from getting up to going to bed, composing at the piano, rehearsals with the Mothers of Invention, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles, and more.
@@paulinebutcherbird thank you, I shall check it out 🖖🏼🇦🇺
@@justinludeman8424
Frank Zappa is a legend! He was way ahead of his time. I wish more people could appreciate and understand him and his works.
I knew of Frank Zappa when I was 11 or 12, mostly because I had just learned what a MFer was and a "mother" was the short somewhat ok term to use. In 1975 I took a chance and bought One Size Fits All from the rack of cassettes for $1.99 at the base exchange and have been a fan ever since. I also learned to follow those who he employed as they are/were the best of the best in the music world. RIP Mr. Zappa!
My story exactly only I bought Zoot Allures at my base PX in 76. I had been introduced to Apostrophe, One size fits all in the Summer if 76.
George Duke was incredibly talented, gifted,an amazing person. Jan luc ponty is another person with phenomenal talent,Duke and Ponty had a band together before playing with Frank. Ruth and Ian Underwood were also amazing. Also the Fowler brothers
The Fowler Bros .....what a superb
family mutation. They were so
genetically jazzy . FZ was an expert
at the use of human vocal as an
complex evolutionary instrument --
as evidenced by his discovery /
recruitment of the great Ike Willis !!
Saw The Mother's in Poughkeepsie, NY. He played Stairway to Heaven and Whipping Post. In place of Jimmy Pages famous solo was a huge brass section who played it. AMAZING.
1988! I work in Poughkeepsie!
The old Civic center. Warm up band?.. The Outfield. They got booed, Frank was masterful.
FZ fan of many years. One of the few musicians called a genius who actually was a genius. I love Dweezil's work. Learning his Dad's musical mayhem made him into a quality musician. The 1997 concert with Napoleon, Scheila Gonzalez and Joe Travers was one of the most enjoyable things I've seen on YT. My favourite version of Brown Shoes Don't Make It.
The day I met Frank Zappa I had to take down into shorthand the lyrics of Brown Shoes Don't Make It from a tape. When he read it back, I told him I thought the song was immoral. It was 1967 in London. Instead of getting cross, he spent half an hour debating with me in measured tones, the pros and cons of morality in lyrics. It set the tone for our friendship and my living and working with him from 1968-1971.
I saw Frank Zappa and his various bands , 4 times at the Uptown Theater and 1 time at some college auditorium in Chicago, during the 1970's. It was great.
Kirby,
I saw some of those Uptown shows and in 1974 saw FZ & MOI in the fieldhouse at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb supporting the Apostrophe album. I think I saw them once at the Auditorium Theater also back then. Fantastic shows every time!
My bro-in-law is 13 years older than me and was at the Uptown show. I'm very jealous!@@marcarturi2137
_...can still be felt today?_ His impact on music and popular culture will actually be felt for all eternity.
Frank was my 'guru' from 1966 to 1970. His virtuosity on guitar, social criticism, and hilarious sense of humor made Frank and the Mothers unique and a source of salvation to an adolescent in a cultural/musical desert. For quite a while after 1970 he resorted to too much juvenile humor and antics, probably to bring in the teen audience rather than the wild-haired older eccentrics who attended the Garrick shows, and I just couldn't take it anymore. Nevertheless, I always appreciated his dead-serious musicianship, work ethic, and aspiration to be a serious composer.
I didn't realize Lou Reed ever said anything good about Frank🤣Or anyone for that matter.
Yeah…not botheringmto learn what is written for him
1976
I had never heard him or of him...sitting in the back of a, slightly junky, '68 T-Bird with the wrap-around sound ( best of them days )
hearing, "Cozmik Debris" with my jaw dropped open - IN LOVE WITH HIM AND HIS TALENTS FOREVER
I imagine Zappa would feel the same way about being in the R&R HOF, as Che Guevara would about his face adorning T-shirts.
Never got to see Frank live but I've seen Zappa Plays Zappa twice and it's amazing
You can get an idea of his charisma on stage from the videos on YT.
Dwezle does do a really good job of it so your there
I saw Frank In San Diego when Ruth Underwood was with them. I'm 68 and have seen every band except the Beatles. Frank was the BEST.
I was 12 years old when my brother brought home the album, Overnight Sensation by the Mothers of Invention. Fell in love with it. Sometimes it's me, Zappa's music is a little over my head, but as a whole, I hear genius. The more I come to understand music, the more Zappas legend grows.
Problem is, most people who are not musicians, under the age of 40 have not heard of Frank Zappa.
@@paulinebutcherbird That's true, they probably haven't heard of Debussy, Erik Satie or Béla Bartók for that matter either, just to name a few. Frank's music is indeed mainly made for musicians. So, it's not strange then that when I met both Dweezil and Jean Luc Ponty, the first question they asked me was _...are you a musician?_
256,000 views of this video after 8 months which suggests there are more fans that are not musicians, or do you think they are all musicians?
@@paulinebutcherbird Well, that would be difficult to say, obviously. But it wouldn't be a surprise that most of them indeed are.
I went to a concert in Sweden with Jean-Luc Ponty and another with Pat Metheny, all the people I met there were musicians.
I never heard any of his music that wanted to listen to more than once. I can take it for granted that he was a musical genius, because I've heard it from dozens of musicians that this was the case. But all the same, I couldn't find it in myself to enjoy it.
Thanks! I've loved Frank from the the time the needle dropped on the vinyl around 1975. I've seen a lot of documentary material on Frank and this has helped continue to grow my respect for him. P.s. I love hearing Ruth Underwood, she is so passionate. I think I'll go listen to one of her licks right now😊❤❤❤❤
I describe Ruth's passion for Frank and his music in my memoir, 'Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa 1968-1971.
I love Zappa's music. Everything I've heard over the years was that he was a perfectionist, a workaholic and incredibly tough on the people he worked with and around. However, I think that last bit of this video sums it up. He wasn't trying to be an asshole. He was trying to get the best out of everyone and he recognized their talents. Some appreciated it, some didn't. As for Eddie Van Halen, I actually get what he's saying and I don't knock the guy for saying it. For one thing, it's Eddie and not only did he know Frank, but jammed with him. For another, people can talk about complexity, technical skill, speed, style, phrasing, tone, etc, etc, but at the end of the day, you either connect with it or you don't. I do, he doesn't. Fair enough.
for my money, Frank is in an entirely different universe than Eddie, i would listen to Zappa 100 percent of the time over Van Halen
ive seen frank zappa 5 times. one of the best guitarists ive ever seen.
Lost a little respect for EVH here. Not for his playing, but for his opinion of what great playing is.
Why does everyone have to have the same taste or like the same shit you do? Frank Zappa is a polarizing player and an acquired taste, even for a musician. And EVH isn’t exactly wrong.
@@nomandad2000 Do you see the irony in your comment? I don't need everyone to have the same opinion as me. I didn't say he SHOULDN'T have had that opinion. It's perfectly natural to have an opinion of my own about his opinion just as you've clearly got one about mine.
Fascinating insights into one of our most original musical thinkers.
I don't think Zappa's music would be remembered quite the same without Ruth Underwood! The first time that I saw Zappa, the first thing that I noticed was that beautiful sound coming from that marimba! It was mesmerizing! I'm 62 now, but I still think that I will learn to play one someday! ❤
The Apostrophe tour he and Ruth did a twin marimba duet, quick tempo and sort of a Dickey and Duane thing. At that show after the opening act REO Speedwagon left the stage most of the audience did as well, the stage was empty when a bank of lights fell with a crash from above the spot where Frank would be standing minutes later! This was in Denver.
@cravinbob Wow! Yesterday I got my first xylophone! I'm starting by watching Ruth's UA-cam videos!
I had/have such a crush on her
I know Frank wasn't concerned with being remembered. Just try to forget all that music, can't be done!
I don't think he meant that. It was spoken when he was close to death. Why would he keep the vault and all his past recordings?
EVH was not fit to carry Frank's Guitar Case.
Yeah ok keep telling yourself that.
@@TFT-bp8zk Of course I will. Why the hell wouldn't I? LOL!
@@wayneelliott7011 you only need to once man
They were both innovators, i would never take away Eddies contributions to rock, however Frank contributed to all forms of music and to our culture also. Genius
Exactly 💯
I was fortunate enough to see Frank live in Long Island in the late 70s. It was STUNNING, the musicianship, the show. Frank's music is ethereal and timeless. Lyrics were unusual and often, hilarious. When people like Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio auditioned and MADE IT, you knew they were the best, and the rest is history. The world lost a legend when he died. RIP Frank.
Good description of Zappa live , STUNNING spot on
I am thankful for musicians that are interested in more than money.
It’s obvious to me that Frank, by telling Steve Vai to play an impossible note, that he was so blown away with Steve’s talent at such a young age that he wanted to throw absurdities at Steve just as a way of saying “oh yeah? Bet you can’t do THAT, Superman…” It’s a huge compliment, really.
Like they say, Zappa may not be your favorite guitariste but there's a very good chance that he's your favorite guitarists, favorite guitarist.,😉
Dunno about that, Joe Pass thought he was so bad that he hid from him after half of their gig until Zappa had left
@@mattiasorre1718 he was my fave all time, but im just a drummer
I was fortunate to see FZ in 1988. Fantastic concert, and i registered to vote as well. I have 😮 the 4 LP box set of his last US tour which is very much like the show i saw. Tremendous memories from a wonderful musician
I interviewed Frank during that tour and it's on UA-cam divided into five parts: parenting, composiing, TV evangelism, Jazz Party Hats, One last question. Frank Zappa interviewed by Pauline Butcher Bird
I think I saw him that tour as well...Mpls...really intricate, ...
Heady stuff..
Saw Zappa and the original Mothers at the Coliseum London in 1971. I was 17 at the time. A very dynamite show.
Nobody plays a guitar like Frank zappo. He is absolutely magical on the freat board. I've never seen somebody walk across a fretboard so gracefully then frank. I crave his guitar work and his live music every day. If I don't get it my day is not complete. I'm hooked on his bootlegs and there's so many of them. You think the Grateful Dead has a lot of bootlegs. I'm a freaking drummer, And I've never had a drummer. Make me feel like this. I'm in my late 40s, and I've listened to every kind of music and every guitar's there ever was, I have to have his music is in my life every Day especially his live stuff. And guitar work it's so soothing to the soul Profound nothing is ever the same. When it comes to soloing, but the actual music that the bands play, it's down to a science. And I've seen very few composers in history that can compose like Frank. He's as good as any composer I've ever seen. Just ask the london philharmonic orchestra. Frank is an absolute genius on the guitar and it is often overlook and it's insane. You want to know how great guitar player Frank is. Just asked Steve Vai. Or the greatest rhythm guitarist of all time adrian belew. Ask him how great frank is. I could think of ten guys that I would put before eddie van halen. If he would have ventured outside of the box of Van Halen and not worried about that so much and got away from his brother. His career would have been much more relevant in the second half of it. He just lived off what he did in his prime years with Van Halen. No side projects of any kind tha is crazy. Not even h is own band. Sure, He had his own guitar products. His own brand name a giant factory he made a ton of money. I'm sure he made enough money 5 times over. That's the thing is that's the one thing that was missing from his life from the time Van Halen Wrapped it up in the mid nineties till his death there was never the music. Maybe frank and eddie have a club band up In heaven together. God shows up every night to listen to those 2 guys. No man, I love Van Halen's first 5 albums. They're killer but I would have to say the person who ventured outside that Van Halen box More than anybody has been Michael Anthony He's done A lot and he's got an incredible voice.
So he will have work. From now until the time he dies. I'm waiting for Alex Van Halen to venture outside of Van Halen and do his own thing hell, He could maybe even become the next drummer of rush. I think it will probably be in the hands of tim alexander of primus or danny carey of tool. Probably the first guy. Since primus just got off A tribute tour for rush and neil peart the greatest drummer ever. Tim's a better drummer than danny. Especially playing rush and Neil's drumming. what the hell have a good day, everyday😊
Oh yeah, Lou Reed I don't think he and Frank ever had any issues other than the facts in the early 70s? I think some stuff was said about each other, but it was blown out of proportion by some beat writer.
But eventually they became friends and And Lou Reid was nothing but glowing and gracious about Frank and his induction into the rock and roll hall of fame. God bless you FVZ wherever you are. I could go back in time and see you live in the seventies as a teenager I absolutely would that would be on my bucket list if that ever comes to fruition. I was born in 75 so I wouldn't have been able to see frank probably till I was 13 that was in 1989 and I believe his last year of touring was in 88. After that, He would do the occasional show here and there. But it was pretty random and rare. I saw my first band in 1989. And that was rush in new orleans. For Rush...... hold your fire! But I would've rather taken doctor No's phone booth time machine back to 1976 to see Frank's Zappa, the bicentennial year A kick ass here for music.
Saw Frank in Sydney aged seventeen. It totally changed my life. Gave away records after that. One was Dark side Of The Moon, I just couldn't listen to stuff like that anymore. Frank, it seemed to me, was so competent in so many genres. I am now sixty seven and I still listen to "Holiday in Berlin full blown" at least once a week. Can't say enough about what Frank has done in my life.
Quite a few fans make comments like this - it changed my life, and I've never understood it. Can you explain it more clearly?
If you need it to be explained to you, you'll never understand.
@@dfcannone Okay.
@@paulinebutcherbird The question is, "..can you explain it changed my life more clearly...." So what we have now is another question. Do you want the long or the short answer? The long answer may be tiresome and digress far too much. I noticed that 'Big Dada dada' has gone for the short answer and I see the point made but I can disagree with his reasoning on more than one level. 'Big Dada dada' is saying, "... you'll never understand...." and I see a modicum of hubris in this reply because there is always a point at which some understanding is better than none. Try to listen to someone explain aspects of quantum physics for instance. If you gain access to a small amount of it you grasp a cognition you can work with.
So I will break down the answer into the sum of it's parts. Part one is 'my life' and part two 'change'. My life has not been your run of the mill existence. Nothing special but odd in some respects and utterly banal in others. I have reached into the sarcophagus of the great pyramid, I once met Princess Diana but conversely for a short time I was a heroin dealer with a pump action shotgun under the bed. Apart from the pyramid all this happened many years ago. I may not be proud of everything I've done but on the other hand I have comforted the sick and dying for a job and I am still doing this, very competently. I have wondered about Infinity since I was five or six years old. You know that old quizzical conundrum, if you could have five people around for dinner who would you choose. I'd spend that evening with Frank Zappa, Christ and Voltaire. There wouldn't be room for anyone else. Like you I'd want to satisfy my curiosity.
When Zappa said his target audience was the same people who read 'Mad' magazine I'm not there. Never purchased a copy. I am by far of the opinion that British humour is the blessed with more talented people. However I was in the target audience on the age scale. At fifteen I first heard Frank's music. Road Ladies from the album Chungas Revenge. I was listening to commercial rock music but I was also into classical, Stravinsky for instance, soul and jazz. Somewhat eclectic but nothing nothing unique. A lot of people explore different forms of music in their teens. If I went out I could see four or five piece bands that were purely drums and guitar set ups with maybe a keyboard thrown in. So at seventeen seeing Zappa at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney with an eleven or twelve member ensemble I was completely amazed. I began to buy the albums and would occasionally bump into someone else who liked Frank's music. Kind of like a secret society or above ground cult following really. I must emphasize that there's a lot of differently oriented persons in this group. Almost exclusively males but the females usually had a high intellectual capacity I found. That's the life change, you found yourself in an almost exclusive environment of musical tastes. You begin, and I can't speak for others, you begin to appreciate music that is highly technical and in a sense weirdly exotic. The question, "What are you listening to?", gets asked with a mix of disdain or incredulity a lot.
At my local pub persons refer to me as the professor. I am not a professor at all. I know I copped this moniker because there is a lot going on in my head. Did Frank Zappa help me to explore the world for answers and or explanations because to he points out that to accept a limited understanding is to find solace in the ordinary. Or was it a place that I would go to anyway. I know it's the latter because the reverse is true. The music is simply a pleasure to listen to as well as ruminate on. It's more than an aspect of hedonistic pursuit.
I can honestly say that Frank Zappa has opened my mind to listening to music in a different way. And to listen to music of all genres critically but not dismissively. I listened to fifties doo-wop music in the car on the way to work this morning. There are so many things I have not explored in answer to the question. I have tried to address change and life in a succinct response. Hope you get something from it, or it finds your curiosity sated in some small way.
@@grantadam7674 Grant, that is very kind of you to give me an explanation to my question. It has partly given me an answer, particularly finding other like-minded fans and possible friends though you don't mention that. And how Frank's music has helped you to listen to others in a different way. But I'm intrigued by part of what you say, ie how could such an intelligent man end up dealing drugs? That is bizarre. I'm glad your story took a turn. It could make a short story - starting at the end, caring for dying people and flash backing to drug dealing. I wonder if you've considered writing it?
Zappa was a genius, Saw him live countless times, every show unique.
Last week I was fully entranced in a 5+ minute guitar solo by Frank over a single chord. Incredible flex of chops for all involved to keep it interesting and engaging.
Zappa strikes me as the Stanley Kubrick of band leaders. Maybe not the nicest guy and demanded more from his bandmates than he probably should but they were better musicians for it and probably wouldn’t have it any other way.
Great collection of interviews about uncle Frank.
Thank you.
MISS YOU FRANK ZAPPA !!! THANKS FOR THE VIDEO !!!
Great video! Really nice to watch all these amazing musicians sharing their stories with Zappa.
What a fantastic piece this was to put together. Whoever you are Deadikace, this is great.
I'm old and my son isn't. We love Ruth.
I could just imagine Frank Zappa saying to Steve Vai. I hear Linda Ronstadt is looking for a guitar player? LOL!!!!
Thank-You for this great interview Deadikace*
Fantastic upload, much appreciated! So great to listen to George Duke reminiscing. All the others too of course
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ZAPPA
FOR FORTY YEARS NOW.
FIRST ALBUM I HAD WAS
OVER NITE SENSATION.
THEN APOSTROPHE. THEN HOT
RATS. SAW HIM IN 76 AT HORDEN
PAVILION. WITH MY OLD MAN.
AND FRIEND. LOST MY STUBS.
BUT DEWEEZLE YOUR FATHER
BROUGHT SO MUCH ENJOYMENT
AND THE LYRICS. AND MUSIC
TO MY LIFE. AT 13 MIND YOU.
KNOW EVERY THING ABOUT
HIM. I WOULD OF LOVED TO
HAVE TALK TO HIM.
NOT A FAN TALK ABOUT
TRUE TALK ABOUT JAZZ.
LIKE MINGUS. OR DOLPHY.
DIFFERENT THINGS. NOT
THE SAME BS. EVERY INTERVIEW
ARE ALWAYS THE SAME YOU
KNOW. ABOUT THE BAND .
THE CHILDRENS NAME.
AND SO ON. HE GUITAR
STYLE. WAS GREAT. QUOTE ME
WRONG. BUT EVERY GUITAR
SOLO'S WERE ONE OFF
ONLY SOLO'S. AND HUMOUR.
MISS YOU FRANK YOU WERE
A DAD I NEVER HAD. BUT YOU
MADE ME SMART. AND WISE
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT S
POLITICIANS. TO KEEP AWAY
FROM DRUGS. LAUGH AT SEX.
AND TO BE A FREE THINKER.
DEWEEZLE YOU ARE A VERY
LUCK MAN . TO HAVE A
GENIUS AS A DAD. YOU
LOVED YOUR DAD VERY.
MUCH. EVEN HE'S NOT
MY FATHER. I LOVED FRANK
VERY MUCH . TOO.
SO THAT MY OPION ON
FRANK. KEEP HIM ALIVE
THROUGH VINYL AND
MEMORIES. AND CD. CONCERTS
INTERVIEWS. MAGAZINES.
HE WAS A TRUE ORIGINAL
AND OUT STANDING IN HIS
FIELD. TO ME FRANK WAS
A MUSO MUSOS. BUT
REMEMBER JAZZ IS NOT
DEAD IT JUST SMELLS FUNNY.
CHEERS
Ray White knows more than most have seen. Zappa was and is a truth teller if one wishes to listen to the truth. Ray is a friend of mine.
Loved Frank Zappa... since The Mother's... Thks
FZ soloing is majestic! I dont give 2 hoots what EVH said( he ripped most players) or Lou Reed said....and Im fan of both of them.
You realize EVH and Frank were good friends.
That's not true , EVH never criticized other players he routinely complemented them . Unless EVH raves about somebody they take it as a dis .
Brilliant. I really enjoyed this. Thanks for posting.
This so awesome!! Thank you!!
Lou Reed hated Frank Zappa. An insult having him to that introduction into the Hall of Fame was a shitty choice. 11:34
I listen to Frank almost every day.
First was introduced to Frank Zappers music when he'd released Overnight Sensation, still listening to many Frank Zapper albums to this day.
Fortunately, I got to see Frank live, in the seventies, when I was fourteen. Well, I do live in Australia so, it was special for FZ to come half way around the world to visit OZ. I own every album and play them regularly. It's wonderful to hear what the people who played with him thought of him. Thank you for posting this.
When Mr. Van Halen called Zappa's music typewriterish , I damn near choked on my bagel.
It is typewriterish , EVH said that to Frank in person many times.
@@2216sammyWhat does "typewriterish" even mean? It sounds like a put down. Is it because he had more notes in a bar than pop music does? I don't get it.
One could say Van Halen was a one trick pony. [He was just incredible at that one trick]
@@thedude4672 ...That one trick being... tapping his fingers on a guitar like a typewriter.
The irony. : )
@@enutrofdude ya i totally hear a ziiiiipppppp ding after every phrase that guy tapped out, weird
Im in love with Ruth Underwood.
Who cares what Lou Reed or Alice Cooper say about music. That being said, Zappa was such a unique and brilliant satirist and musician.
Actually Alice Cooper and Frank were friends. Alice auditioned and got signed to Frank's label. FZ told him, "I don't know what you are doing, but I like it."
@@spooge33 Good point. That's true.
The best bit in this is Ruth talking about ampilfying the mallet percussion.
“Some peoples hot, some peoples cold, some peoples not very, swift to behold.”
Priceless! thank you!!!
He was incredibly talented as was every member he ever had in his band.
I only had two of his albums.
You really needed to be in the mood for his stuff, cause it would change so much.
Imo, it was orchestral jazz fusion rock.
Which honestly doesn't fully capture it, but that's how I saw much of his stuff.
Long road trips would be good for Zappa because I wouldn't fall asleep lol.
It honestly wasn't my favorite style of music, but listening to his stuff helped me to appreciate the straight up blues rock I loved most. But rock jazz, reggae and R&B even.
For some reason, I would want to hear funk rock after him.
Early Prince was the best funk rock I've heard and his live shows back in the late 70's and very early 80's, he had great musicians and he played great along with putting on a show.
Somehow Zappa opened me up to everything.
Even though most of that stuff he probably would hate.
Zappa, weirdest, strangest mother trucker in the world, but insanely talented and mixing it with his being insane.
It really is hard to explain that guy.
But everyone who's ever listened to him knows what's almost code.
And it has to do with yellow, huskies and snow.
EVH calling FZ’S playing spazmatic typewriter-ish is the pot calling the kettle black
EVH. Great rock guitarist but with FZ, he just didn't understand.
I love Frank. I love some of his music and hate some of it. So what. Above all I appreciate Frank.
@@mikeloper100 Hahaha, Zappa is the only guitarist that can make me emotional,
I've been into music since the age of ten, and there isn't another guitarist who can elicit such emotion,
apart from Steve Hackett, And this coming from someone whose usually void of emotion.
EVH is nothing more than a technically gifted stunt guitarist, whose devoid of all human feeling.
Zappa's tone and some of the notes he hits are hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mudshark in your mythology.
@@fredzep01 you must not play guitar or have functioning ears.
A pure genius
His solo on grand funk’s 1976 “out to get you” is great
First of all, I consider Zappa a genius and an American composer of the highest rank. I saw him and the MOI several times in NYC early 1970's. Once in Central Park, he was being a bit snarky with the crowd, said You want Rock in Roll, we'll give you Rock and Roll and he played a very cheeky, in fact insulting, version of Sunshine of your Love. However, to be honest, while I appreciated his skill on the guitar, I never considered him to be in the upper echelon of guitar "gods" as he didn't vary the sound of his guitar at all. Unlike Billy Gibbons, who could sound like three different players on the same song. Nevertheless, I don't mean to disparage him. Maybe it's because he was a drummer at first and not a guitar player he didn't pull out of his instrument all that it could have given him.
Would you please give me an example for Billy Gibbons not sounding like Billy Gibbons in one song?
Watching this, I can't help but wonder who was more demanding of session, guest and other sundry stand-in musicians: Donald Fagen and Walter Becker or Frank Zappa?
As a big fan of both Zappa and Steely Dan, I find this a really intriguing question! Different sounds and methods, but Don&Walt and Frank definitely pushed their respective players hard to get their particular visions of perfection.
As long as we're doing this comparison - and I say this as a dedicated Dan fan - I feel that Frank was operating on a whole different level of musical vision. Steely Dan were super-tight focused on their distinctive polished soul/jazz/rock sound, while Frank roamed all over the musical landscape from funk/rock/jazz to avant-garde classical and musique concrete to uncategorizably anarchic works such as The Adventures of Greggery Peccary (one of my all time favorites of Frank's works).
@@ETBrenner What an awesome response! And you just alerted me to a song by Zappa that I did not know of. I'll have to give it a listen...
I would imagine that one huge difference was that Zappa's musicians were part of his band. As I understand, they would rehearse for months, and playing for Zappa became your life for as long as you were in the band. The expectation of excellence was a full time job as opposed to Steely Dan's musicians, who would get to go home at the end of the session.
I think Steely Dan's demands were incredible in that they were looking for the ultimate groove or pocket and yet they couldn't always verbalise or notate what they were looking for. Their arrangements, although needing technically schooled reading musicians (with great studio time)to play them, were not as rhythmically complex as Zappa's music.
I was just watching an interview with Steve Vai where he was saying he would have to have 80 Zappa tunes memorized in his head as he might have been required to play any of them on any gig, whilst he was in the band. It sounded like the Zappa gig came with an incredible amount of homework. SVai said that on his first European tour with Zappa he would play two shows a night and then go back to the hotel and practice the songs that they didn't play to keep the muscle memory going.
That being said, I would imagine the modern Steely Dan touring band has a similar vast repertoire that they are expected to know, however I think they are able to have charts on stage.
Are there any musicians that played for both Zappa and Steely Dan?
love this...thnx!
Just one word….Genius. The only really true, actual genius of 20th century popular music
What about talking to Punky Meadows from Angel the subject of the ageless Zappa tune Punkys Whips ???
Zappa was a musical genius that left us way too early
If Zappa wasn't brutal, and unforgiving in his expectations of others.... Steve Vai wouldn't be even close to the musician he is today.
The tough love approach of Zappa is why his band members were the best of the best. He pushed them beyond their comfort zones. Love Frank Zappa
Absolute genius, and sorely missed.