Frank Zappa, in his personal life, musical adventures, and entrepreneurial endeavors, is a character of great significance to the 20th Century Arts scene. From the beginning of his career he shook the system and rattled the cages of every prescribed norm in music. Whether his music was humorous or serious, rock or Orchestral, blues or jazz, he was always pushing the boundaries and leaving the greatest musicians in the world staring in awe, dizzy in his wake.
He inspired many of the most talented, professional instrumentalists and vocalists and had an exceptional ability to bring out the characteristic features of each one. This may be the key to understanding Zappa's impact. He was very observant. He knew what he wanted and when he looked for musicians he had a clear goal in mind of what he wanted to achieve. When he found the musician who displayed even the most remote amount of that feature, he exposed it, displayed it, and took advantage of it in his works. He truly was a genius of music, one capable of seeing the world in a way no one else did.
Though it can be stated that he was a control freak, and that he could be hard to work with, these qualities are overlooked when witnessing the results of such a personality. His prolific career as a songwriter has left the world with over 70 (all notable, in one way or another) albums spanning genres between the world's first concept album, rock and roll through Jazz, to orchestral music, and then back again, over and over.
As a business man, he has helped shape the entrepreneurial standard to strive for in the twenty first century. He helped to break all of the accepted norms in censorship and in what is acceptable musically and visually. His incredible confidence to simply 'stick it to the man' has allowed for artists to do things that were never possible 30 years ago. He battled for the manifestos and librettos of his making to be published in his albums so to let the audiences of his band see truly what it was he was thinking, and to encourage them to think for themselves also. He put his own sweat and blood and hard earned money into interpreting his music within the context of a symphonic orchestra. And now, he is considered amongst the greatest of twentieth century composers, let alone one of the greatest rock and roll stars of all time.
In his personal life, he never backed down from his own beliefs, not for a moment letting his guard slip to the way he wanted things around him to be. He made it clear from the start that this was his show and he made the rules. Even though it is possible that his feelings towards drugs and hippie culture in general may have, at the time, hurt his image, and definetely hurt his earnings, he didn't care. He held strong and now we read about him and are baffled yet quiety impressed with this man's convictions to his cause. There are not many, very few indeed, musicians/rock stars who are so self-disciplined, so unmovable in their beliefs as Frank Zappa. And we hear such qualities in his music. His songs all flow by as an unmovable object. Consistent even at the most scattered of times. And, needless to say, his opinions towards drugs and other dangerous substances have surely allowed for this artist to keep producing masterpieces through his entire life. He is an icon to the rock music business for all artists battling their ego and the wave of stardom.
Frank Zappa is an idol, a simple man with a family, a healthy image of control and self-confidence and conviction. On top of it, he is a hell of a musician who has left a legacy of outstanding music for younger generations to listen to, appreciate, study in class, and carry with them into their own artistic practices.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Zappa's orchestral adventures
Though the name Zappa, for the most part, reminds us of a Rock and Roll star, slightly off his rocker, Zappa delved deep into the world of classical orchestration later in his life. Ironically, it was with songs like "Valley Girl" that made him the substantial amount of money required to hire such a large group of musicians and orchestrate such an immense project. But, nonetheless, he achieved his goal and some of his most memorable musical works are of the orchestral variety. Particularly, his recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra are of substantial quality.
Zappa, early in his career, realized that to attract audiences and to have any fighting chance in the music industry he needed to appeal to the popular crowd. And so, with this in mind, the world was introduced to such classics as Freak Out!, Absolutely Free, We're Only In It For The Money, Lumpy Gravy, and later albums such as Hot Rats, Apostrophe, and the list goes on. There are something like seventy albums within the Rock and Roll genre produced in his lifetime. So it would seem that Zappa was a Rock musician, bred through and through. But to listen to his early music, and then to his classical music (if classical is really what it should be called), the listener becomes aware of an undertone in all of his popular music which finally expresses its full potential with the London Symphony Orchestra. This undertone is compiled of the melodic and harmonic irregularities and experiments and, more importantly, the rhythmic variety and diversity of all of Zappa's music. Virtually every element of music: Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, and Timbre, go against the grain of the popular, consonant musical taste.
One element of Zappa's early music that is fully realized in his later orchestral works is Timbre. Lumpy Gravy, the concept album which interweaves some elements of orchestral arrangement with recording clips and voice-overs, is full of varying timbres. The entire album, front and back, paints a colorful musical landscape for the listener. The London Symphony Orchestra fulfilled this same effect live with the many instruments' quality of sound being tossed around endlessly. Zappa also threw in a couple of odd sound effects of his own creation, most of which their origin is difficult to discern.
Another element present in Zappa's earlier work which later manifests its full potential in his orchestral arrangements is, of course, his beautiful--yet disjointed melodies. Zappa has one of the most vivid, though, obscure musical visions of all twentieth century composer/musicians. Take for example the many interweaving melodies of "Peaches En Regalia". They are so obscure and original, yet when they come together in a whole piece, they sound almost like pop music. They are so rough when separated, but together they are consistent and gorgeous. In his London Symphony recordings, a similar effect is achieved, though on an even more obscure scale. The limitations within the orchestral symphonic medium are nearly non-existent, and it is obvious in the result of Zappa's scores that he has been itching to escape the conformity of rock music.
The third element present in Zappa's rock music which fully takes shape in his orchestral music is rhythm. Combined with his incredible melodic sense, the resulting orchestral product can only be compared to the likes of Stravinsky and, in my mind, Hector Berlioz:
(Watch from 3 min 25 sec)
The fantastic combination of the melody in the tuba's and baritones, later played at double the speed and in varying patterns, with the haunting melody creates an effect which can only be related to a select few modern day composers and arrangers. Frank Zappa, in my opinion, is one of them.
Other rhythmic components present in Zappa's early and later orchestral works include odd meters, such as 5/8, 7/8, etc, etc. Stravinsky had already laid the ground work which Zappa would introduce in his rock music, but would explore most prominently in his orchestral manuscripts:
(Watch from 3 min 5 sec)
And the last element present in Zappa's early works which fully bloom in his later works is harmony. His harmonic arrangements, though rusty and simplified in his rock and roll period, come into their own unique self, and create their own musical language within the context of the London Symphony Orchestra.
Zappa, early in his career, realized that to attract audiences and to have any fighting chance in the music industry he needed to appeal to the popular crowd. And so, with this in mind, the world was introduced to such classics as Freak Out!, Absolutely Free, We're Only In It For The Money, Lumpy Gravy, and later albums such as Hot Rats, Apostrophe, and the list goes on. There are something like seventy albums within the Rock and Roll genre produced in his lifetime. So it would seem that Zappa was a Rock musician, bred through and through. But to listen to his early music, and then to his classical music (if classical is really what it should be called), the listener becomes aware of an undertone in all of his popular music which finally expresses its full potential with the London Symphony Orchestra. This undertone is compiled of the melodic and harmonic irregularities and experiments and, more importantly, the rhythmic variety and diversity of all of Zappa's music. Virtually every element of music: Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, and Timbre, go against the grain of the popular, consonant musical taste.
One element of Zappa's early music that is fully realized in his later orchestral works is Timbre. Lumpy Gravy, the concept album which interweaves some elements of orchestral arrangement with recording clips and voice-overs, is full of varying timbres. The entire album, front and back, paints a colorful musical landscape for the listener. The London Symphony Orchestra fulfilled this same effect live with the many instruments' quality of sound being tossed around endlessly. Zappa also threw in a couple of odd sound effects of his own creation, most of which their origin is difficult to discern.
Another element present in Zappa's earlier work which later manifests its full potential in his orchestral arrangements is, of course, his beautiful--yet disjointed melodies. Zappa has one of the most vivid, though, obscure musical visions of all twentieth century composer/musicians. Take for example the many interweaving melodies of "Peaches En Regalia". They are so obscure and original, yet when they come together in a whole piece, they sound almost like pop music. They are so rough when separated, but together they are consistent and gorgeous. In his London Symphony recordings, a similar effect is achieved, though on an even more obscure scale. The limitations within the orchestral symphonic medium are nearly non-existent, and it is obvious in the result of Zappa's scores that he has been itching to escape the conformity of rock music.
The third element present in Zappa's rock music which fully takes shape in his orchestral music is rhythm. Combined with his incredible melodic sense, the resulting orchestral product can only be compared to the likes of Stravinsky and, in my mind, Hector Berlioz:
(Watch from 3 min 25 sec)
The fantastic combination of the melody in the tuba's and baritones, later played at double the speed and in varying patterns, with the haunting melody creates an effect which can only be related to a select few modern day composers and arrangers. Frank Zappa, in my opinion, is one of them.
Other rhythmic components present in Zappa's early and later orchestral works include odd meters, such as 5/8, 7/8, etc, etc. Stravinsky had already laid the ground work which Zappa would introduce in his rock music, but would explore most prominently in his orchestral manuscripts:
(Watch from 3 min 5 sec)
And the last element present in Zappa's early works which fully bloom in his later works is harmony. His harmonic arrangements, though rusty and simplified in his rock and roll period, come into their own unique self, and create their own musical language within the context of the London Symphony Orchestra.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Zappa the serious composer
This week in Concordia's Zappa class, students were introduced to the composer's more serious, classical oriented work. It was an exceptional thing to witness an almost giddy Frank Zappa on stage where the London Symphony Orchestra was to play his incredible works only days later. The class witnessed a clip of Zappa sitting back and listening to the sounds of his mind's creation being played together for the first time ever and the experience was truly satisfying; though it must have been even more satisfying for him.
All throughout Mike Pinsonneault's course, lectures have focused--at one point or another--on the desire of Zappa to be surrounded by perfection. To have the best musicians in the world around him, playing his music. With the performances by the London Symphony Orchestra, Zappa achieved the closest thing to that perfection. He had saved diligently, and with his own money he made a project that he had envisioned for years come to life. The scores he had poured over endlessly were finally--and for the first time--animated before his eyes and ears.
What lends such a satisfactory quality to the achievements of Zappa in the world of serious orchestral music is his obvious interest and devotion to it right from the beginning of his career. His first album, Freak Out!, featured a seventeen piece orchestra including piano, on top of the five Mothers. When the musicians arrived they were shocked a) to be seated in front of arranged and scored music, and b) to be conducted effortlessly by the "beatnik" Zappa.
Zappa, at that point in his career, may have continued along the path of orchestral music had it not been for money. He was able to hire such a large number of musicians because he was given an unlimited budget by the very impressed Tom Wilson. A deal like that would not happen for Zappa again for a while. He struggled financially through a large part of his career and was essentially "forced" into playing rock music to make money. Not that he didn't enjoy Rock & Roll, and of course, there was a large social-political criticism behind his rock music that he found equally important. Butl, lately I have wondered how Frank Zappa would have been remembered had he been wealthy enough (or found steady commission) to compose and have played his more serious works. Perhaps he would have been recognized as an entirely different figure.
Nonetheless, regardless of how Zappa's career played out and despite the recognition he got and the way he was perceived, in the end of his career he truly received the recognition of a serious composer for the type of music he loved most. Along with the praise of the general public, the comments of internationally renowned and respected conductor Kent Nagano solidified Zappa's position as a respected contemporary composer. Nagano compared Zappa to the most highly regarded of all 20th century composers and praised his scores as some of the most difficult yet enjoyable he had ever worked with.
All throughout Mike Pinsonneault's course, lectures have focused--at one point or another--on the desire of Zappa to be surrounded by perfection. To have the best musicians in the world around him, playing his music. With the performances by the London Symphony Orchestra, Zappa achieved the closest thing to that perfection. He had saved diligently, and with his own money he made a project that he had envisioned for years come to life. The scores he had poured over endlessly were finally--and for the first time--animated before his eyes and ears.
What lends such a satisfactory quality to the achievements of Zappa in the world of serious orchestral music is his obvious interest and devotion to it right from the beginning of his career. His first album, Freak Out!, featured a seventeen piece orchestra including piano, on top of the five Mothers. When the musicians arrived they were shocked a) to be seated in front of arranged and scored music, and b) to be conducted effortlessly by the "beatnik" Zappa.
Zappa, at that point in his career, may have continued along the path of orchestral music had it not been for money. He was able to hire such a large number of musicians because he was given an unlimited budget by the very impressed Tom Wilson. A deal like that would not happen for Zappa again for a while. He struggled financially through a large part of his career and was essentially "forced" into playing rock music to make money. Not that he didn't enjoy Rock & Roll, and of course, there was a large social-political criticism behind his rock music that he found equally important. Butl, lately I have wondered how Frank Zappa would have been remembered had he been wealthy enough (or found steady commission) to compose and have played his more serious works. Perhaps he would have been recognized as an entirely different figure.
Nonetheless, regardless of how Zappa's career played out and despite the recognition he got and the way he was perceived, in the end of his career he truly received the recognition of a serious composer for the type of music he loved most. Along with the praise of the general public, the comments of internationally renowned and respected conductor Kent Nagano solidified Zappa's position as a respected contemporary composer. Nagano compared Zappa to the most highly regarded of all 20th century composers and praised his scores as some of the most difficult yet enjoyable he had ever worked with.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
A lifelong devotion to criticizing American values
Frank Zappa, it seems, has always had it out for America. Every one of his songs has in some way or another exposed the American Dream to be fraudulent. He wrote songs from within the umbrella of American popular culture in order to lay it out naked for all who cared to see. Though, it could be argued, his grotesque methods of doing so often prevented his overall message from being taken seriously, he now leaves behind a legacy of the most raw, ugly, and (in many opinions) truthful portrayals of the flaws of a society during one of its most artistically developmental periods, the 1960-70's.
Often, I have wondered where Zappa's unrelenting America-bashing nature originated. Was it just who he was? Did he just have a keen sense of the overall affects of various cultural movements on their more broad surroundings? Did he think that the kind of music he was making would sell? Did he truly believe that America was ready for such strong critiquing of Punks and Hippies and Flower Children, etc, etc, etc, even as those groups were only just emerging? Obviously, he was aware of the negative impact his music was having in that he starved through most of the beginning of his career in the spotlight. So, then why did he so strongly commit to his charge, as though it were a calling, a duty bestowed to him alone?
The answer for many is that Zappa's unrelenting commitment came from his 10 day period of incarceration early in his adult life, a time where he was only just starting to shape into the man he would become. Though I don't entirely agree, it is worth while to identify this incident, and to consider its affect on Zappa. After all, he was not necessarily treated well in prison. The experience of being thrown into a cage with many others, fed slop with cockroaches crawling around at the bottom, and not being able to sleep because the lights don't turn off, must not have been a positive one. But where I disagree is that I believe that anyone can get over physical discomfort and misfortune. In my mind, what must have really got to him was his reason for incarceration. He made a fake porn tape! And the law was laid down heavy on him for it. He was treated as a serious offender in a case in which even the judge himself thought ridiculous! Zappa was directly exposed to the truths behind the American network of justice and free speech and saw it for what it really was: UGLY!
From all of this, I truly admire Zappa. For many, this experience would have been traumatizing; enough to scare anyone off from working in the kind of creative mind frame that Zappa was in for the rest of his life. Zappa was not scared off. Although in his personal and professional life, he made sure to stay on the side of the law, especially when it came to drugs, his creative mandate was only strengthened. He quickly built the confidence to lay right into mainstream American culture and he never again laid up.
For me, one song of Zappa's that truly sums up his entire perspective on the American Dream, and one that--on top of it all--does so from the perspective of a model American figure, a handsome man with shiny teeth, and a fast car (and a twisted mind), is "Bobby Brown Goes Down" from Sheik Yerbouti:
Bobby Brown Goes Down
Hey there, people, I'm bobby brown
They say I'm the cutest boy in town
My car is fast, my teeth is shiny
I tell all the girls they can kiss my heinie
Here I am at a famous school
I'm dressin' sharp
I'm actin' cool
I got a cheerleader here wants to help with my paper
Let her do all the work 'n' maybe later I'll rape her
Oh God I am the American dream
I do not think I'm too extreme
An' I'm a handsome sonofabitch
I'm gonna get a good job 'n' be real rich
Get a good, get a good, get a good, get a good job...
Women's liberation
Came creepin' all across the nation
I tell you people, I was not ready
When I fucked this dyke by the name of Freddie
She made a little speech then,
Aw, she tried to make me say when
She had my balls in a vice, but she left the dick
I guess it's still hooked on, but now it shoots too quick
Oh God I am the American dream,
But now I smell like vaseline
An' I'm a miserable sonofabitch
Am I a boy or a lady...I don't know which
I wonder...wonder...wonder...wonder
So I went out 'n' bought me a leisure suit
I jingle my change, but I'm still kinda cute
Got a job doin' radio promo
An' none of the jocks can even tell I'm a homo
Eventually me 'n' a friend
Sorta drifted along into s&m
I can take about an hour on the tower of power
'long as I gets a little golden shower
Oh God I am the american dream
With a spindle up my butt till it makes me scream
An' I'll do anything to get ahead
I lay awake at night sayin' thank you Fred
Oh god, oh god, I'm so fantastic!
Thanks to Freddie I'm a sexual spastic
And my name is bobby brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down
And my name is bobby brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down
And my name is bobby brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down
Often, I have wondered where Zappa's unrelenting America-bashing nature originated. Was it just who he was? Did he just have a keen sense of the overall affects of various cultural movements on their more broad surroundings? Did he think that the kind of music he was making would sell? Did he truly believe that America was ready for such strong critiquing of Punks and Hippies and Flower Children, etc, etc, etc, even as those groups were only just emerging? Obviously, he was aware of the negative impact his music was having in that he starved through most of the beginning of his career in the spotlight. So, then why did he so strongly commit to his charge, as though it were a calling, a duty bestowed to him alone?
The answer for many is that Zappa's unrelenting commitment came from his 10 day period of incarceration early in his adult life, a time where he was only just starting to shape into the man he would become. Though I don't entirely agree, it is worth while to identify this incident, and to consider its affect on Zappa. After all, he was not necessarily treated well in prison. The experience of being thrown into a cage with many others, fed slop with cockroaches crawling around at the bottom, and not being able to sleep because the lights don't turn off, must not have been a positive one. But where I disagree is that I believe that anyone can get over physical discomfort and misfortune. In my mind, what must have really got to him was his reason for incarceration. He made a fake porn tape! And the law was laid down heavy on him for it. He was treated as a serious offender in a case in which even the judge himself thought ridiculous! Zappa was directly exposed to the truths behind the American network of justice and free speech and saw it for what it really was: UGLY!
From all of this, I truly admire Zappa. For many, this experience would have been traumatizing; enough to scare anyone off from working in the kind of creative mind frame that Zappa was in for the rest of his life. Zappa was not scared off. Although in his personal and professional life, he made sure to stay on the side of the law, especially when it came to drugs, his creative mandate was only strengthened. He quickly built the confidence to lay right into mainstream American culture and he never again laid up.
For me, one song of Zappa's that truly sums up his entire perspective on the American Dream, and one that--on top of it all--does so from the perspective of a model American figure, a handsome man with shiny teeth, and a fast car (and a twisted mind), is "Bobby Brown Goes Down" from Sheik Yerbouti:
Bobby Brown Goes Down
Hey there, people, I'm bobby brown
They say I'm the cutest boy in town
My car is fast, my teeth is shiny
I tell all the girls they can kiss my heinie
Here I am at a famous school
I'm dressin' sharp
I'm actin' cool
I got a cheerleader here wants to help with my paper
Let her do all the work 'n' maybe later I'll rape her
Oh God I am the American dream
I do not think I'm too extreme
An' I'm a handsome sonofabitch
I'm gonna get a good job 'n' be real rich
Get a good, get a good, get a good, get a good job...
Women's liberation
Came creepin' all across the nation
I tell you people, I was not ready
When I fucked this dyke by the name of Freddie
She made a little speech then,
Aw, she tried to make me say when
She had my balls in a vice, but she left the dick
I guess it's still hooked on, but now it shoots too quick
Oh God I am the American dream,
But now I smell like vaseline
An' I'm a miserable sonofabitch
Am I a boy or a lady...I don't know which
I wonder...wonder...wonder...wonder
So I went out 'n' bought me a leisure suit
I jingle my change, but I'm still kinda cute
Got a job doin' radio promo
An' none of the jocks can even tell I'm a homo
Eventually me 'n' a friend
Sorta drifted along into s&m
I can take about an hour on the tower of power
'long as I gets a little golden shower
Oh God I am the american dream
With a spindle up my butt till it makes me scream
An' I'll do anything to get ahead
I lay awake at night sayin' thank you Fred
Oh god, oh god, I'm so fantastic!
Thanks to Freddie I'm a sexual spastic
And my name is bobby brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down
And my name is bobby brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down
And my name is bobby brown
Watch me now, I'm goin down
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Edgard Varese
In the grain of my last entry (in which, I'll admit, I got lost in the world of Zappa's R&B and Pop music influences and simply forgot to mention others) let's focus some due attention on Edgard Varese. Varese was Frank Zappa's largest musical influence from the time he first discovered the composer to his death. What captivated Zappa most notably in Varese's work was his manipulation of timbre and the simple act of using a variety of different instruments and other objects to achieve simple variations of timbre. Similar manipulations of timbre and use of some interesting objects as instruments would be found in Zappa's works from an early stage. In fact, even prior to his life in the musical spotlight, Varese inspired Zappa's attempts to make music with a bicycle:
Though at first it may seem odd to imagine Varese, a... classical... orchestral composer as one of Zappa's most strong influences, upon further inspection it becomes clear. Simply to look at his face...
... is telling enough that in some way or another, Zappa would find inspiration from this man. He has the hair and face of a mad scientist and the piercing eyes of someone confident in his creations; a confidence needed when composing music that most listeners and even more fellow composers considered "noise" and not at all music.
Looking closely at some of Varese's compositions we see more tangible similarities between his and Zappa's tastes. Like the young Zappa to follow, Varese employed the use of noise (timbre) and rhythm in a sort of collage fashion, moving in and out of themes, often changing metre and adopting a whole new theme. These changing themes would often seemingly have little or no correlation between them and would sometimes last only seconds before morphing into something entirely new and unexpected. It was exactly this stylistic approach which Zappa would use in the epic "Lumpy Gravy".
Here is one of Zappa's most beloved Varese compositions, "Ionisation":
Compared to part 1 of Frank Zappa's "Lumpy Gravy":
Zappa's piece, like Varese's, has a strong sense of rhythmic unity combined with various changing timbre's. In both pieces we are initially put off by the apparent lack of any attention paid towards structure, but, upon further listening, we see the unparalleled ability of both composers to string together unrelated elements of themes, rhythm and timbre into a cohesive whole.
Although at first it may have seemed odd to find a copy of Edgard Varese's Ionisation amongst Zappa's record collection beside the likes of Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, The Cadets, and The Coasters, now we are able to see a clear link between the two styles of music.
Though at first it may seem odd to imagine Varese, a... classical... orchestral composer as one of Zappa's most strong influences, upon further inspection it becomes clear. Simply to look at his face...
... is telling enough that in some way or another, Zappa would find inspiration from this man. He has the hair and face of a mad scientist and the piercing eyes of someone confident in his creations; a confidence needed when composing music that most listeners and even more fellow composers considered "noise" and not at all music.Looking closely at some of Varese's compositions we see more tangible similarities between his and Zappa's tastes. Like the young Zappa to follow, Varese employed the use of noise (timbre) and rhythm in a sort of collage fashion, moving in and out of themes, often changing metre and adopting a whole new theme. These changing themes would often seemingly have little or no correlation between them and would sometimes last only seconds before morphing into something entirely new and unexpected. It was exactly this stylistic approach which Zappa would use in the epic "Lumpy Gravy".
Here is one of Zappa's most beloved Varese compositions, "Ionisation":
Compared to part 1 of Frank Zappa's "Lumpy Gravy":
Zappa's piece, like Varese's, has a strong sense of rhythmic unity combined with various changing timbre's. In both pieces we are initially put off by the apparent lack of any attention paid towards structure, but, upon further listening, we see the unparalleled ability of both composers to string together unrelated elements of themes, rhythm and timbre into a cohesive whole.
Although at first it may have seemed odd to find a copy of Edgard Varese's Ionisation amongst Zappa's record collection beside the likes of Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, The Cadets, and The Coasters, now we are able to see a clear link between the two styles of music.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The many influences of Zappa
Though Frank Zappa had a style all his own, unique and warped, often grotesque, clearly he had influences. Let's do a little walk through:
Johnny "Guitar" Watson
Johnny "Guitar" Watson, with his clear roots in the blues tradition, distinct electric guitar tone and quality, funky expressive lyrics sung in that smokey voice, and--of course--a taste for the unusual.
"Gangsta Of Love" kind of reminds me ALOT of "Willie The Pimp":
(I thought the video was by Zappa but it's not so ignore it. We'll talk about Zappa's interest in video/film/cinema later...maybe)
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
The tone is again wiry and distinct, much like Watson's. The ferocity and speed with which "Gatemouth" attacks his solo (0:55) is reminiscent of Zappa's own speedy, spastic style. Also notable here is Brown's tight-knit arrangement which Zappa, though in a much different fashion, would employ in "Peaches En Regalia".
And in the R & B tradition:
The Cadets
The Coasters
Johnny Otis
In analyzing Zappa's Rhythm & Blues influences we see much of where his early approach to original compositions came from. Although his songs represented the R&B tradition in a more satirical fashion, they were not mocking that tradition; they represented his strong roots connection to the music which he grew up listening to and loved. Also present is a distinct instrumentation, particularly the Saxophone, which Zappa would feature in his later songs. Countless other direct influences are present, most notably the theatrical banter and other activity between members of the groups. Oh yes...and Johnny Otis' moustache and goatee which would plaster itself on Zappa's face never again to be removed.
Johnny "Guitar" Watson
Johnny "Guitar" Watson, with his clear roots in the blues tradition, distinct electric guitar tone and quality, funky expressive lyrics sung in that smokey voice, and--of course--a taste for the unusual.
"Gangsta Of Love" kind of reminds me ALOT of "Willie The Pimp":
(I thought the video was by Zappa but it's not so ignore it. We'll talk about Zappa's interest in video/film/cinema later...maybe)
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
The tone is again wiry and distinct, much like Watson's. The ferocity and speed with which "Gatemouth" attacks his solo (0:55) is reminiscent of Zappa's own speedy, spastic style. Also notable here is Brown's tight-knit arrangement which Zappa, though in a much different fashion, would employ in "Peaches En Regalia".
And in the R & B tradition:
The Cadets
The Coasters
Johnny Otis
In analyzing Zappa's Rhythm & Blues influences we see much of where his early approach to original compositions came from. Although his songs represented the R&B tradition in a more satirical fashion, they were not mocking that tradition; they represented his strong roots connection to the music which he grew up listening to and loved. Also present is a distinct instrumentation, particularly the Saxophone, which Zappa would feature in his later songs. Countless other direct influences are present, most notably the theatrical banter and other activity between members of the groups. Oh yes...and Johnny Otis' moustache and goatee which would plaster itself on Zappa's face never again to be removed.
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