"I have a message to deliver to the cute people of the world...if you're cute, or maybe you're beautiful...there's MORE OF US UGLY M!#$&!#&!@!#s
OUT THERE THAN YOU ARE!! So watch out."
Quote- Frank Zappa
"My job," Frank Zappa once said, "is extrapolating everything to its most absurd extreme." Though rock and jazz were his forte, Zappa's music contained a a huge variety of diverse styles of music, rejecting moral and intellectual and embracing the experimental and the avant-garde. adventurousness, about free speech.
Born in Baltimore on Dec. 21, 1940, Frank Vincent Zappa moved to California at 10 years of age. His father was a meteorologist who researched poisonous gases for the military. Starting out as a high school drummer, in garage bands like the Black-Outs.
After listening to `The Complete Works of Edgar Varese, Vol. One,' Zappa began a love for the avant-garde. Some of Zappa's early compositions showed his sharp wit and included titles such 'I Was a Teenage Maltshop' (narrated by high school buddy Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart)). Attempt at names for a band included: the Muthers, Soul Giants and Captain Glasspack and His Magic Mufflers, the latter renamed the Mothers on Mother's Day, 1964. The 'of Invention' was added later by nervous MGM Records executives, who thought the name otherwise too suggestive. The Mothers was a continuous collection of talented musician from all over the world which included: Captain Beefheart, George Duke, Chester Thompson, Jean-Luc Ponty, Jack Bruce, Terry Bozzio, Adrian Belew, Michael Brecker, Chad Wackerman, Al DiMeola and some of the Zappa children (Moon, Dweezil, etc.). In concert, they satired everything including the middleclass, the government and popular groups of the time.
In the mid-'60s, the Mothers of Invention were an underground attraction. The band's debut album- 'Freak Out, the first double album debut, included one whole side, ''Return of the Son of the Monster Magnet,'' that was a homage to Edgar Varese.
The Mothers followed that album with 'Absolutely Free.' The song- "Plastic People,"' became an anthem of the Czechoslovakian underground) and 'We're Only in It for the Money,' which viciously lampooned the hippie/alternative culture that was the band's principal audience. The group played a six-month residency at New York's Garrick Theater with a visceral style of improv that was half comedy, half music.
In 1968's 'Cruisin' with Ruben and the Jets,' again, the album failed to sell well and live work was unpredictable. Zappa disbanded the Mothers in 1970-for a while and toured as a solo act.
1974's "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow," was Zappa's first hit single (after a DJ cut it from 10 minutes to 3, and played it as what it was-a novelty). Zappa's few other hits were equally absurd: 1979's ''Dancin' Fool'' satirized disco, and 1982's ''Valley Girl'' satirized California's shopping mall culture. It featured his then 14-year-old daughter, Moon Unit. Albums with odd titles as: "Lumpy Gravy" and "Weasel's Ripped My Flesh," were released. Albert Hall in England banned him from playing in 1971 (Zappa fought this in court four years later).
Zappa's music has been always known for satire , technical brilliancy and, invention. Zappa, an accomplished guitarist was a pioneer in digital recording technology.
Not wanting the comedy to overshadow his guitar skills, Zappa once titled a series of solo guitar albums 'Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar.' He also started to work extensively with the Synclavier synthesizer. He spent much of the last eight years supervising the reissue of old albums and such ambitious collections as 'You Can't Do That Onstage Anymore,' six double CDs of previously unreleased live recordings. During the `80's his work became more political motivated.
Zappa recorded several albums with Pierre Boulez and the London Symphony Orchestra and last year was honored, along with Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage, at the 1992 New Music Festival in Frankfurt, showing that he could compose and perform without the outrageousness, like many of the `serious' composers/musicians. 'The Yellow Shark,' an album of Ensemble Modern's performances of his music at that festival, was released after the tour.
Frank Zappa recorded more than 50 albums -- most are still available -- and retained a hard-core following in the States, though he is appreciated more overseas. Zappa albums were smuggled into Czechoslovakia before the fall of communism and Vaclav Havel, the playwright-turned-president, was so impressed that he made Zappa a special ambassador to the West for culture. But the appointment was derailed by pressure from the State Department, then supervised by James Baker -- whose wife, Susan, was a co-founder of the PMRC.
Zappa was also a passionate spokesman for artistic freedom, and his travel Washington in 1985, to support the rights of artistic freedom was apparent during the Senate Hearings with the Parents' Music Resource Center (Tipper Gore - wife of Senator Albert Gore was a key figure in the PMRC).
In 1988 Frank wrote his autobiography and toured (some considered this his best turt), for the last time.
In 1990, Zappa was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. The disease had been developing unnoticed for ten years and was considered inoperable.[76] After the diagnosis, Zappa devoted most of his energy to modern orchestral and Synclavier works. Shortly before his death in 1993 he completed Civilization Phaze III, a major Synclavier work which he had begun in the 1980s.:374–375[nb 9]
In 1991, Zappa was chosen to be one of four featured composers at the Frankfurt Festival in 1992 (the others were John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Alexander Knaifel). Zappa was approached by the German chamber ensemble Ensemble Modern which was interested in playing his music for the event. Although ill, he invited them to Los Angeles for rehearsals of new compositions and new arrangements of older material: Zappa also got along with the musicians, and the concerts in Germany and Austria were set up for later in the year. Zappa also performed in 1991 in Prague, claiming that "was the first time that he had a reason to play his guitar in 3 years", and that that moment was just "the beginning of a new country", and asked the public to "try to keep your country unique, do not change it into something else".
In September 1992, the concerts went ahead as scheduled but Zappa could only appear at two in Frankfurt due to illness. At the first concert, he conducted the opening "Overture", and the final "G-Spot Tornado" as well as the theatrical "Food Gathering in Post-Industrial America, 1992" and "Welcome to the United States" (the remainder of the program was conducted by the ensemble's regular conductor Peter Rundel). Zappa received a 20-minute ovation. G-Spot Tornado was performed with Canadian dancer Louise Lecavalier. It was his last professional public appearance as the cancer was spreading to such an extent that he was in too much pain to enjoy an event that he otherwise found "exhilarating". Recordings from the concerts appeared on The Yellow Shark (1993), Zappa's last release during his lifetime, and some material from studio rehearsals appeared on the posthumous Everything Is Healing Nicely (1999).
Zappa died, after his long battle with prostate cancer, on December 4, 1993, just 18 days before his 53rd birthday at his home with his wife and children by his side. At a private ceremony the following day, his body was buried in a grave at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, in Los Angeles. The grave is unmarked. On December 6, his family publicly announced that "Composer Frank Zappa left for his final tour just before 6:00 pm on Saturday".
Frank Zappa's widow has filed a copyright infringement suit against music download retailer EMusic. Gail Zappa is seeking more than $5 million in damages for alleged copyright violation of 37 of her husband's songs, including "Tears Begin To Fall," "Sofa No.1," "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" and "Catholic Girls."
Following the death of Zappa's mother, Gail, in October 2015, it was revealed that his siblings Ahmet and Diva were given control of the Zappa Family Trust with shares of 30% each, while Dweezil and his sister Moon were given smaller shares of 20% each. As beneficiaries only, Moon and Dweezil will not see any money from the trust until it is profitable—in 2016, it was "millions of dollars in debt"—and must seek permission from Ahmet, the trustee, to make money off of their father's music or merchandise bearing his name. Zappa's son- Dweezel received a cease-and-desist letter from the trust after he announced that he was being forced to perform his upcoming tour as “Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa” instead of using “Zappa Plays Zappa.” In response to the trust’s action, he renamed his performance series “50 Years of Frank: Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever the F@%k He Wants — the Cease and Desist Tour.
In 2011, he was ranked at No. 22 on the list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time by the same magazine.
1988 (last) tour line-up:
Frank Zappa lead guitar, computer-synth, vocals
Ike Willis rhythm guitar, synth, vocals
Mike Keneally rhythm guitar, synth, vocals
Scott Thunes bass, mini-moog
Bobby Martin keyboards, vocals
Chad Wackerman drums, electronic percussion
Ed Mann vibes, marimba, electronic percussion
Walt Fowler trumpet, flugel horn, synth
Paul Carman alto, soprano and baritone sax
Albert Wing tenor sax
Kurt McGettrick baritone and bass sax, contrabass clarinet
Bruce Fowler trombone
Guests:
Daniel Schorr 10 Feb 88, Washington DC
A. West 14 Feb 88, Philadelphia PA
25 Mar 88, Nassau NY
Sting 03 Mar 88, Chicago IL
Eric Buxton 25 Mar 88, Nassau NY
Dweezil Zappa 25 Mar 88, Nassau NY
19 Apr 88, Wembley U.K.
01 May 88, Stockholm Sweden
09 May 88, Munich Germany
Mats Öberg 01 May 88, Stockholm Sweden
Morgan Agren 01 May 88, Stockholm Sweden
Zappa Discography
1962: "Break Time"/"16 Tons" by The Masters (FZ, Paul Buff & Ronnie Williams) on Emmy Records.
Late 1962: "Gotta Find My Roogalator!"/"(Gotta Find My Roogalator!)" by Bobby Jameson (FZ wrote the song, arranged it and played the music) on Penthouse Records.
1963: "Love of My Life"/"Tell Me" by Ron Roman (FZ cowrote side 1 and played the music on both) on Daani Records.
1963: "Memories of El Monte"/"Be Mine" by the Penguins (FZ and Ray Collins wrote side 1) on Original Sound Records.
1963: "Tijuana Surf"/"Grunion Run" by the Hollywood Persuaders (FZ and Paul Buff) on Original Sound Records.
3/63: "How's Your Bird?"/"The World's Greatest Sinner" by Baby Ray & the Ferns (FZ, Paul Buff, Dick Barber & Ray Collins) on Donna Records.
4/63: "Dear Jeepers"/"Letter From Jeepers" by Bob Guy (FZ wrote both songs and played the music with future Mothers road manager Dick Barber) on Donna Records.
4/63: "Cradle Rock"/"Everytime I See You" by the Heartbreakers (FZ wrote side 2 with Ray Collins and played guitar on it) on Donna Records.
5/63: "The Big Surfer"/"Not Another One" by Brian Lord & the Midnighters (Brian Lord, FZ, Paul Buff, Dave Aerni & Ray Collins) on Paul Buff's own Vigah! Records.
6/63: "Ned and Nelda"/"Surf Along With Ned and Nelda" by Ned and Nelda (FZ and Ray Collins wrote both songs) on Vigah! Records.
7/63: "Mr. Clean"/"Jessie Lee" by Mr. Clean (FZ wrote and played guitar on both sides) on Original Sound Records.
12/63: "Grunion Run"/"North Beach" by the Jim Musil Combo (FZ wrote side 1) on Jay Emm Records.
12/63: "Hurricane"/"Sweet Love" by Conrad & the Hurricane Strings (FZ produced both songs without Paul Buff) on Dayton Records.
Early 1964: "Heavies"/"The Cruncher" by the Rotations (FZ produced both songs without Paul Buff, and Motorhead played baritone sax) on Original Sound Records.
7/66: Freak Out! by the Mothers of Invention on MGM/Verve.
4/67: "Why Don'tcha Do Me Right"/"Big-Leg Emma" by the Mothers of Invention (Both sides of this single will be included on 1988 reissues of the Absolutely Free album) on MGM/Verve.
5/26/67: Absolutely Free by the Mothers of Invention on MGM/Verve.
5/67: Lumpy Gravy by Frank Zappa with the Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra & Chorus on MGM/Verve.
9/68: We're Only In It For the Money by the Mothers of Invention on MGM/Verve in cooperation with Bizarre.
11/68: Cruising With Ruben & the Jets by the Mothers of Invention on MGM/Verve in cooperation with Bizarre.
4/69: Mothermania by the Mothers of Invention on MGM/Verve in cooperation with Bizarre.
4/69: Uncle Meat by the Mothers of Invention on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
10/10/69: Hot Rats by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
12/69: Burnt Weeny Sandwich by the Mothers of Invention on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
8/70: Weasels Ripped My Flesh by the Mothers of Invention on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
10/23/70: Chunga's Revenge by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
8/71: Fillmore East - June 1971 by the Mothers on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
10/71: 200 Motels by Frank Zappa on United Artists.
5/72: Just Another Band From L.A. by the Mothers on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
7/5/72: Waka/Jawaka by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
12/72: The Grand Wazoo by the Mothers on Warner Bros./Reprise/Bizarre.
6/73: Over-Nite Sensation by the Mothers on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
4/22/74: Apostrophe (') by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
9/10/74: Roxy & Elsewhere by Zappa/Mothers on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
6/25/75: One Size Fits All by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
10/2/75: Bongo Fury by Zappa/Beefheart/Mothers on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
10/29/76: Zoot Allures by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros.
3/3/78: Zappa In New York by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
9/15/78: Studio Tan by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
1/19/79: Sleep Dirt by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
3/3/79: Sheik Yerbouti by Frank Zappa on PolyGram/PhonoGram/Zappa.
5/4/79: Orchestral Favorites by Frank Zappa on Warner Bros./DiscReet.
9/17/79: Joe's Garage: Act I by Frank Zappa on PolyGram/PhonoGram/Zappa.
11/19/79: Joe's Garage: Acts II & III by Frank Zappa on PolyGram/PhonoGram/Zappa.
5/11/81: Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/11/81: Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/11/81: Return Of the Son Of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/11/81: Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar [Boxed set comprising the above three albums] by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/17/81: Tinseltown Rebellion by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
9/81: You Are What You Is by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/82: Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
3/83: The Man From Utopia by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
3/83: Baby Snakes [Picture disc] by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
6/9/83: London Symphony Orchestra: Vol. I by Frank Zappa with Kent Nagano and the LSO on Barking Pumpkin.
8/23/84: Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger by Frank Zappa with Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble InterContemporain on Angel.
11/84: Francesco Zappa by Frank Zappa with the Barking Pumpkin Digital Gratification Consort playing the music of Francesco Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
12/21/84: Them Or Us by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
12/21/84: Thing-Fish by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
4/19/85: Old Masters: Box 1 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
10/85: Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers Of Prevention by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
1/86 [UK and Germany only]: Does Humor Belong In Music? by Frank Zappa on EMI.
10/25/86: Old Masters: Box 2 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
11/15/86: Jazz From Hell by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
6/17/87: Joe's Garage: Acts I, II & III by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
9/17/87: London Symphony Orchesta II by Frank Zappa with Kent Nagano and the LSO on Barking Pumpkin.
4/88: Guitar by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/88: You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Sampler by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
10/88: Broadway the Hard Way by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
10/88: You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Vol. 1 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
10/88: You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Vol. 2 - The Helsinki Concert by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
11/89:You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Vol. 3 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
3/91: The Best Band You Never Heard In Your life by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
5/91: Make a Jazz Noise Here by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
6/91: You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Vol. 4 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
Late 1991: Beat the Boots: Vol. I by Frank Zappa on Rhino.
Early 1992: Beat the Boots: Vol. II by Frank Zappa on Rhino.
8/92: You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Vol. 5 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
8/92: You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore: Vol. 6 by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
11/92: Playground Psychotics by the Mothers on Barking Pumpkin.
3/93: Ahead Of Their Time by the Mothers of Invention on Barking Pumpkin.
10/93: The Yellow Shark by Frank Zappa with Peter Rundel and the Ensemble Modern on Barking Pumpkin.
11/94: Civilization Phaze III by Frank Zappa on Barking Pumpkin.
1995: Strictly Commercial by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
2/96: The Lost Episodes by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
9/96: Lather by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
11/96: Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute by Frank Zappa on Barfko-Swill.
1997: Strictly Genteel: A "Classical" Introduction to Frank Zappa by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
5/97: Have I Offended Someone? by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
Early 1998: Cucamonga by Frank Zappa on Del-Fi.
Early 1998: Cheap Thrills by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
9/98: Mystery Disc by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
6/99: Son of Cheep Thrills by Frank Zappa on Rykodisc.
December 1999 EIHN - Everything Is Healing Nicely
August 16 2002 FZ:OZ
February 4 2003 Halloween
Official Zappa Videos
1971 Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1982 The Dub Room Special
1985 Does Humor Belong in Music?
1987 The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987 Video From Hell
1987 Uncle Meat
1987 Baby Snakes
1989 The True Story
Bootlegs rereleased with Zappa's permission:
BEAT THE BOOTS 1 1991
'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JELLY (live 1967)
THE ARK (live 1968)
FREAKS & MOTHERFU*#@%! (live 1970)
PIQUANTIQUE (live 1973)
UNMITIGATED AUDACITY (live 1974)
SAARBRUCKEN 1979 (live 1978)
ANYWAY THE WIND BLOWS (live 1979)
AS AN AM (live 1981 & 1982)
BEAT THE BOOTS 2 1992
ELECTRIC AUNT JEMIMA (live 1968)
OUR MAN IN NIRVANA (live 1968)
TENGO NA MINCHIA TANTA (live 1970)
DISCONNECTED SYNAPSES (live 1970)
SWISS CHEESE/FIRE (live 1971)
CONCEPTUAL CONTINUITY (live 1976)
AT THE CIRCUS (live 1978)
