Frank Zappa. Do you like his music?

[presto agitato]

In a few words: He was a "classsical" (In the vain of  Igor Stravinsky) composer but instead of composing for "classical" instruments he composed for Rock instruments (He recorded a couple of orchestal albums) and also he mixed several genres in his compositions. In my opinion, The was THE musical genius of the second half of 20th.

My favorite disc is "Studio Tan"

Do you like him? Why or Why not?

I am very interested in knowing your opinion because this is not a Rock forum and all you have different tastes.

More info at:

https://www.hotshotdigital.com/WellAlwaysRemember.3/FrankZappaBio.html

[lenny]

from what ive heard i like him alot

but his output seems so HUGE that i simply dont know where to start!

he was a very interesting musician from what i know, steve vai was greatly influenced by him

[brewtality]

He sure was a quirky fellow, his songs combined musicianship with humour. He really was a great guitarist and mentor to Vai. My favourite Zappa tunes are Catholic Girls and Bobby Brown.

[Brian Healey]

Zappa was a musical comedic genius. 

However, his genius at naming his kids was not so apparent. He named them Moon Unit, Ahmet, Diva, and Dweezil.

I love Zappa's music. I think people overlook the genius of his music because it sometimes seems less than serious (for instance, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow," and "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?"), and also because he wrote for electric instruments in a rock setting.

And yes, his recorded output is IMMENSE. I believe he released 71 albums, not including re-releases and bootlegs. The best place to start I think is with the more well-known, obvious stuff like Hot Rats, Joe's Garage, and Apostrophe. Then work your way into it. I'd be hard pressed to cite a favorite album, but I might say 200 Motels.


Peace,
Bri

[musik_man]

I just bought Hot Rats this Saturday.  I really enjoy it, especially the instrumental section of "Willie the Pimp."

[Rez]

Yes,  his music across many genres.  He was able to digest a wide range of influences and create something truly on the edge innovative yet very musical--these don't often go together. Underneath the silliness and vulgarity is some brilliant music. Apostrophe is a good start for the uninitiated.   I think that Joe's Garage has alot of material that isn't that great, yet still has real gems.  This album also has "Packard Goose," which is one of my favorites for the guitar solo.  Yellow Shark is probably the best representation of his 'classical' material. 


Here are two good links with a fairly in depth look at his music:

https://www.zappa-analysis.com/
https://www.scu.edu.au/schools/arts/music/staff/mh/zappa1.html

And there's a piano connection to his guitar playing.  For some of his guitar work, such as Joe's Garage,  he played his guitar through a cheap little battery operated Pignose amp and bounced the sound off the soundboard of a Bosendorfer. The sound is amazing rich.

More on this at :
https://mixonline.com/recording/business/audio_mothers_sound/

Oh and here's some info on his classical influences:
https://www.besenarts.com/meridian/background.htm

Enjoy.