The Pantheon of Geniuses: Frank Zappa

My first exposure to Zappa occurred after buying a $1 best-of type CD at one of the many wonderful Half Price Books stores to be found around the Cleveland area. The CD was some sort of promo item and as a result was cast aside in their cheap bins, yet it contained some 15 odd Zappa songs from over the course of his career. As soon as I heard it, I knew that I was hearing something special. Zappa defies categorization. He was not a typical rock and roll musician, nor was he a classical composer, nor was he an electronic music pioneer, nor was he a filmmaker, nor was he one of the greatest advocates of the 1st amendment that this country has ever seen. He was all of these things and more, and this is what makes him a genius. Had he faded away or ended his career after his crazy, 60's Mothers of Invention days he would be remembered as an eccentric psychedelic 60's hipster, yet, and this is what turns him into genius material, he did not stop there. He got a haircut and moved, elegantly, into the seventies, assembling a new band (highlighted by former Turtles members Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan), he made a movie (the strange beyond belief 200 Motels), and he continued touring. And he wasn't done yet. Constantly reinventing himself as the years went by, Zappa experimented in a variety of styles and genres, from jazz fusion to classical to electronic, and with an ever rotating band of the best musicians around at the time, Zappa always aimed to surprise and delight. On top of all this, he took time to speak out against the vicious anti-rock campaign, defending the right of artists to produce what they like and the right of American consumers to buy what they like without the government telling them what and what not to do. He testified before congress in a witty and brilliant way, and to me it is clear that he was a million times smarter than any of those assholes seeking to censor the words and music that Americans can hear. Zappa was a perfectionist and the vast amount of his work alone is staggering. Incredibly prolific, he has over 60 albums, and in addition a vast vault of live performances which is sill being plowed through. Even over 10 years past his death, Zappa still has a new CD out almost every year, and it seems that this could go on almost indefinitely. The most shocking thing is that these CD's often feature never before heard songs or fresh arrangements or solos. Zappa is full of surprises and each live show was unique, meaning that there is always something new to hear.

Recommended Listening:
Freak Out
We're Only in It for the Money
Hot Rats
Jazz From Hell
You Are What You Is
If you have gotten through all of these and you still want more, there is no hope for you except to get every Zappa album. Congratulations, you are a Zappaphile.