Your favorite Zappa albums

[James]

I included the main ones that he issued while alive and a few that he completed himself just before his death that were released posthumously. (i.e. Civilization Phaze III, The Lost Episodes, Trance-Fusion). I included an Other option if something from all of the ZFT posthumous stuff is a fave, or a compilation album. If you had to pick 4 albums from his massive output what would they be?

[snyprrr]

this thread again?


Fillmore '71, nuff said

[NJ Joe]

Uncle Meat, Hot Rats, Grand Wazoo, One Size Fits All.

Absolutely Free, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Waka Jawaka, Overnite Sensation, Roxy and Elsewhere, Shut Up and Play Your Guitar to make a top ten.

Other:  Road Tapes #2, Wazoo.

I could go on and on.

[Mookalafalas]

Good choices, both of you.  It's too bad he messed up some classics when they went to CD.  His changes to Uncle Meat really hurt the album for me (as opposed to the vinyl version), and the original "Sleep Dirt" was a fantastic instrumental album until he dubbed the odd opera singing over it...

[NJ Joe]

Good choices, both of you.  It's too bad he messed up some classics when they went to CD.  His changes to Uncle Meat really hurt the album for me (as opposed to the vinyl version), and the original "Sleep Dirt" was a fantastic instrumental album until he dubbed the odd opera singing over it...

Absolutely agree on both points.  When I refer to UM I'm referring to the vinyl version.  A remastered version of Sleep Dirt was released in 2012 minus the vocals.  It is fantabulous!

[Karl Henning]

On the complaints viz. Uncle Meat . . . do you gents mean more than the intrusively annoying "movie excerpts"?  (Oh, and the goofy and anachronistic "Tengo na Minchia Tanta" . . . .)

[Mookalafalas]

On the complaints viz. Uncle Meat . . . do you gents mean more than the intrusively annoying "movie excerpts"?  (Oh, and the goofy and anachronistic "Tengo na Minchia Tanta" . . . .)

That sounds about right.  I probably only played it once, more than 10 years ago.  I remember the "flow" seemed to have been killed, lots of non-musical stuff, and that the wonderful side four from the original 2 disc LP, the King Kong Variations, had somehow been screwed up

[Karl Henning]

Well, I found a work-around long ago

[NJ Joe]

On the complaints viz. Uncle Meat . . . do you gents mean more than the intrusively annoying "movie excerpts"?  (Oh, and the goofy and anachronistic "Tengo na Minchia Tanta" . . . .)

No more than what you mention, but those things to be sure, particularly the movie excerpts.  But I too found a work-around long ago.

[7/4]

Uncle Meat, Studio Tan, Jazz from Hell and the Yellow Shark.

this could change by dawn...

[Bogey]

A bit late, but hey....

[Bogey]

The above album that I posted on the NC listening thread has an interview with the band.  They discussed that some of their recordings were done by no other than a sound engineer named Frank Zappa.  They said he had long hair then as well.

[Todd]

The thing here is that I have never heard a Zappa album I didn't like, but I must choose only one: Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar.  It is the most listened to recording I have ever owned - I would say well over a thousand times.

[NJ Joe]

The thing here is that I have never heard a Zappa album I didn't like, but I must choose only one: Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar.  It is the most listened to recording I have ever owned - I would say well over a thousand times.

+1

SUAPYG transcends being merely a collection of guitar solos. The whole is far greater than the sum of it's parts.

[Todd]

SUAPYG transcends being merely a collection of guitar solos. The whole is far greater than the sum of it's parts.

Oh, yes, this is true.  One thing I learned over so many listens is that the pieces can be listened to in order to great effect, or in a random order (provided one's CD player offers this) to equally great effect. 

[Karl Henning]

Oh, yes, this is true.  One thing I learned over so many listens is that the pieces can be listened to in order to great effect, or in a random order (provided one's CD player offers this) to equally great effect. 

Aye.  Those of us who haven't "outgrown" it continue to enjoy it, and find things therein to enjoy.