FZ2
The Complete Works of Frank Zappa -- an American Composer (1940-1993) (Part 2) [by Lewis Saul]
1966-1970
1966-1970
1. Freak Out! (2LP, Verve/MGM V/V6-5005-2, June 27, 1966)
The second two-disc rock & roll record in history (Dylan's Blonde on Blonde beat him by one week.
The first 3/4ths are pop/rock songs that vary between wonderful, bitingly sarcastic ditties to the powerful Trouble Every Day (5:50); a blues with lyrics as pertinent today as they were in 1966. (The song is about the Watts riots.)
Zappa's arrangements are interesting and diverse, as he supplemented The Mothers with studio musicians. The xylophone is prominent in Wowie Zowie (2:53); and kazoos (Spike Jones influence) are used frequently, creating a bizarre sense of disorientation.
The final two tracks -- Help, I'm a Rock (4:43) and The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet (12:19) an excursion into total weirdness -- complete the album, in a firm nod to the title.
2. Absolutely Free (LP, Verve V/V6-5013, June 26, 1967)
Exactly one year later. Although FZ had participated in the designing of the Freak Out! artwork, here -- for the first and last time -- he did all the album artwork.
The musical material is composed as an "underground oratorio." Zappa pushed his untrained musicians to the limit here, often having them sing in a sarcastic quasi-operatic style, dripping with sarcasm and contempt.
The CD release includes two singles from the period: Big Leg Emma (2:32) and Why Don'tcha Do Me Right? (2:37).
The musical material is composed as an "underground oratorio." Zappa pushed his untrained musicians to the limit here, often having them sing in a sarcastic quasi-operatic style, dripping with sarcasm and contempt.
The CD release includes two singles from the period: Big Leg Emma (2:32) and Why Don'tcha Do Me Right? (2:37).
3. We're Only in it for the Money (LP, Verve V/V6-5045, March 4, 1968)
The complicated history of how this record came to be cannot fit in this post. Suffice it to say that Lenny Bruce was involved, not to mention Paul McCartney and his lawyers.
Their was corporate censorship ("Shut your fucking mouth about the length of my hair"), but in the end, Zappa released a masterpiece. From the beginning whisperings of Are You Hung Up? (1:24) to the ringing telephone and musical rhythm of the call in Telephone Conversation (0:48) to the final, awesome Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny (6:25), this album is definitely a MUST-HAVE!
Their was corporate censorship ("Shut your fucking mouth about the length of my hair"), but in the end, Zappa released a masterpiece. From the beginning whisperings of Are You Hung Up? (1:24) to the ringing telephone and musical rhythm of the call in Telephone Conversation (0:48) to the final, awesome Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny (6:25), this album is definitely a MUST-HAVE!
4. Lumpy Gravy (LP, Verve V/V6-8741, May 13, 1968)
"It's all one album. All the material in the albums is organically related and if I had all the master tapes and I could take a razor blade and cut them apart and put it back together again in a different order, it still would make one piece of music you can listen to. Then I could take that razor blade and cut it apart and reassemble it a different way, and it still would make sense. I could do this twenty different ways. The material is all related." -- FZ
Although several of The Mothers speak on this album, this was the first FZ release without The Mothers of Invention on the cover, which led to a whole bunch of corporate entanglements. Some of the beguiling orchestral music here was briefly heard in parts of #3 -- and the crazy dialogue of the "piano people" will be amazingly retrofitted into Zappa's final masterpiece -- 26 years later -- Civilization Phaze III (#65).
5. Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (LP, Bizarre/Verve V6-5055, December 2, 1968)
Zappa loved doo-wop. Zappa devotes an entire album to the subgenre, re-doing several songs recorded on #1 and adding some new ones.
When Zappa finally got back his master tapes after the Warner Bros. suit, he felt the need to re-record the bass and drums from both #3 and this release. One of Zappa's rare bad decisions; the fans revolted and both albums were restored to their original sound -- this one on Release #90.
When Zappa finally got back his master tapes after the Warner Bros. suit, he felt the need to re-record the bass and drums from both #3 and this release. One of Zappa's rare bad decisions; the fans revolted and both albums were restored to their original sound -- this one on Release #90.
6. Mothermania (LP, Bizarre/Verve V6 5048, March 24, 1969)
A compilation, delivered by FZ to fulfill his contract with MGM. It holds special interest for FZ fans because several tracks were re-mixed from their original version, sometimes drastically.
7. Uncle Meat (2LP, Bizarre/Reprise 2MS 2024, April 21, 1969)
The second double-LP was a mind-blowing revelation. Zappa continued to raise the bar for his musicians, demanding extremely difficult passage work on tracks like Project X (4:48) and others. In addition to Don Preston and the Gardners, FZ added two additional classically-trained musicians -- Art Tripp and Ruth Underwood.
The booklet contained FZ's neatly handwritten lead sheet for both Uncle Meat: Main Title Theme (1:55) and King Kong (18:10), enabling musicians to carefully study his compositional methods, including the importance of the 2 chord.
Examining the first three tracks, one can see the way Zappa put things together:
Uncle Meat is followed by The Voice of Cheese (0:26) [conceptual continuity: #1]:
The booklet contained FZ's neatly handwritten lead sheet for both Uncle Meat: Main Title Theme (1:55) and King Kong (18:10), enabling musicians to carefully study his compositional methods, including the importance of the 2 chord.
Examining the first three tracks, one can see the way Zappa put things together:
Uncle Meat is followed by The Voice of Cheese (0:26) [conceptual continuity: #1]:
"Hello, teenage America (heh). My name is Suzy Creemcheese (SNORK). I'm Suzy Creemcheese because I've never worn fake eyelashes in my whole life, and I never made it on the surfing set, and I never made it on the beatnik set, and I couldn't cut the groupie set either. And, um ... actually, I really fucked up in Europe (SNORRRRRRK). Now that I've done it all over and nobody else will accept me (SNORRRK) -- I've come home to my Mothers."
All silliness aside, if you listen to this carefully, you'll discover a rhythm created by Suzy's speech and Dick Barber's snorks that can only be described as "musical." (A similar item is Telephone Conversation from #3.)
This segues without pause into Nine Types of Industrial Pollution (6:00), a complex solo on acoustic guitar.
This is electric chamber music and only the final 1/4 (King Kong) tends to disappoint, with the head followed by a series of increasingly bizarre solos, including Bunk Gardner using an octave divider.
This segues without pause into Nine Types of Industrial Pollution (6:00), a complex solo on acoustic guitar.
This is electric chamber music and only the final 1/4 (King Kong) tends to disappoint, with the head followed by a series of increasingly bizarre solos, including Bunk Gardner using an octave divider.
8. Hot Rats (LP, Bizarre/Reprise RS 6356, October 15, 1969)
Zappa cements his place in music history with this undisputed masterpiece. This is not your old Mothers -- only one Mother is involved -- Ian Underwood -- but his contributions on sax and keyboards are indispensable. There is a jazz-rock tinge to the album that ushered in a completely new side of FZ.
Besides Underwood, FZ played guitar and percussion; Captain Beefheart sings and plays harmonica on one track (see below); Max Bennett, bass; John Guerin, drums; Don "Sugarcane" Harris (violin, organ); Paul Humphrey, drums; 15-year-old Shuggie Otis, bass; Jean-Luc Ponty, violin; and Ron Selico, drums.
All six tracks are memorable:
Besides Underwood, FZ played guitar and percussion; Captain Beefheart sings and plays harmonica on one track (see below); Max Bennett, bass; John Guerin, drums; Don "Sugarcane" Harris (violin, organ); Paul Humphrey, drums; 15-year-old Shuggie Otis, bass; Jean-Luc Ponty, violin; and Ron Selico, drums.
All six tracks are memorable:
- Peaches En Regalia (3:37) -- a real earworm -- became one of FZ's most popular instrumentals (FZ, Underwood, Otis, and Selico).
- Willie the Pimp (9:16) -- the only track with lyrics, sung by Beefheart. The tune uses only one chord (A Minor), from which Zappa spins out a mammoth, long, eight-minute guitar solo, possibly unequaled in the entire discography. (Beefheart, FZ, Underwood, Harris, Bennett and Guerin).
- Son of Mr. Green Genes (9:00) -- an example of a rearrangement of an earlier track, Mr. Green Genes from #7. More fantastic soloing. (FZ, Underwood, Bennett and Humphrey).
- Little Umbrellas (3:03) -- a slow 3/4 with a beautiful, complex melody and unusual harmonies. (FZ, Underwood, Bennett and Guerin).
- The Gumbo Variations (16:57) -- another one-chorder (G Minor) that goes on for an exceptional 13 minutes. Underwood's tenor here is some of his very best work. (FZ, Underwood, Harris, Bennett and Humphrey).
- It Must Be a Camel (5:16) -- a gorgeous, slithering melodic line that never seems to settle down. When FZ begins his solo, he insinuates 3/4 against the 4/4. Ponty is prominent in the ending. (FZ, Underwood, Bennett and Guerin).
9. Burnt Weeny Sandwich (LP, Bizarre/Reprise RS 6370, February 9, 1970)
The original Mothers were dissolved. With little work, Zappa couldn't afford to keep paying their salaries. Bitter feelings (and later, a lawsuit) ensued ...
Here, Zappa shows his mastery of the razor blade, splicing together live and studio recordings. The Little House I Used to Live In (18:42), for example, has no fewer than six edits.
Here, Zappa shows his mastery of the razor blade, splicing together live and studio recordings. The Little House I Used to Live In (18:42), for example, has no fewer than six edits.
10. Weasels Ripped My Flesh (LP, Bizarre/Reprise MS 2028, August 10, 1970)
Another Magic Razor Blade release, with Zappa taking bits and pieces of disturbed air molecules from all over ... Toads of the Short Forest (4:48) is a good example, going from studio to live in a smooth segue.
My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama (3:32) should have been a hit. Zappa even carved off the last five words in attempt to get some radio play.
Oh No (1:45) was Zappa's response to The Beatles' peace-and-love anthem, All You Need is Love. Interestingly, both are in 7/4.
The title track -- Weasels Ripped My Flesh (2:08) -- glorious feedback before Frank wishes the audience a good night. He might have said that this music is "good for you."
My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama (3:32) should have been a hit. Zappa even carved off the last five words in attempt to get some radio play.
Oh No (1:45) was Zappa's response to The Beatles' peace-and-love anthem, All You Need is Love. Interestingly, both are in 7/4.
The title track -- Weasels Ripped My Flesh (2:08) -- glorious feedback before Frank wishes the audience a good night. He might have said that this music is "good for you."
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