Frank Vincent Zappa (born December 21, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland, United … Read Full Bio ↴Frank Vincent Zappa (born December 21, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States – December 4, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, United States) was an American composer, guitarist, singer, bandleader and producer. He was one of the most prolific musicians of his time, releasing over fifty albums of original material spanning over a thirty-five year career.
Zappa's earliest influences were 1950s pop and rock (such as doo-wop and rhythm and blues), and 20th-century classical composers including Igor Stravinsky and Edgard Varèse. His output was divided between adventurous instrumental compositions and succinct, catchy rock songs with ribald, satirical, or comically absurd lyrics. On stage he demanded virtuosity and spontaneity from his musicians, and employed many performers who would later go on to achieve fame in their own rights. He directed and released a number of films featuring himself, his musicians and entourage, including 200 Motels and Baby Snakes.
His career started in 1955. His earliest recordings date from the mid-1960s, and include collaborations with his school friend Captain Beefheart. In 1965 he joined a bar-band called The Soul Giants, quickly dominating its musical direction and rechristening it The Mothers. Their first release (as The Mothers of Invention; the name alteration requested by their record company) was the 1966 double album Freak Out!. The line-up of the Mothers gradually expanded to accommodate Zappa's increasingly ambitious and avant-garde music, but by 1969 he decided to work outside the band structure, focusing on his solo career, and effectively disbanding the Mothers in 1971.
The beginnings of his solo career in the late sixties and early seventies was characterised by a strong free jazz influence, with albums containing little, if any, lyrical content, such as Hot Rats, Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo. Towards the mid-seventies his albums became more rock-orientated, with a combination of Jazz Fusion instrumentation and Rock song structures. This more accessible sound bore reasonable mainstream appeal, especially with the release of the well-advertised albums Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophe (') (which both went Gold), but Zappa's unpredictably eclectic output never led to solid mainstream recognition. He received uniformly lukewarm reviews from popular music publications such as Rolling Stone throughout his career. In his late seventies' output, the gulf between his humorous songs and more lengthy, complex instrumental music widened, and albums, such as Zappa in New York, Joe's Garage: Acts I, II & III, and Sleep Dirt displayed, by track, both sides firmly segregated.
Zappa saw a second run of success in the early eighties with the release of many albums with predominantly comedic rock songs, but later continued to experiment with virtually every style of music through the eighties, and was productive as ever until his death. His output in this later-career period included two albums of strikingly original classical music with the London Symphony Orchestra, an electronic take on 18th-century chamber music (written by the obscure Italian composer 'Francesco Zappa', no relation), an album of Synclavier compositions (misleadingly titled Jazz From Hell which garnered a Grammy award), a double-CD release of electric guitar instrumental music (the laconically titled Guitar) and a plenitude of official live releases, revisiting fan-favourites as well as showcasing Zappa's talent for reinventing the music of others; his version of Stairway to Heaven becoming a word-of-mouth favourite.
Zappa produced almost all of his own albums, spending many hours in the studio recording and manipulating tracks, and was always at the forefront of emerging technologies; from tape editing, collage, multitrack and overdubbing in the sixties to digital recording, electronic instruments and sampling in the eighties. Conversely, Zappa was also a obsessive self-archivist, recording virtually every one of his live performances, and often using live recordings of new material without needing to enter the studio. The archive of tapes at his family home in Los Angeles continues to be a source of posthumous releases for the Zappa Family Trust. He was also noted as a spotter of talent and his shifting line-up of musicians included Lowell George, Jean-Luc Ponty, Terry Bozzio, Chad Wackerman, George Duke, Mike Keneally, Adrian Belew and Steve Vai, as well as giving Alice Cooper his first break in music and working again with his old collaborator Captain Beefheart when his career was in decline.
In the late 1980s he became active in politics, campaigning against the PMRC's music censorship scheme and acting as culture and trade representative for Czechoslovakia in 1989; and considered running as an independent candidate for president of the US.
His death in Los Angeles, California, on 4th December 1993 came three years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Zappa's earliest influences were 1950s pop and rock (such as doo-wop and rhythm and blues), and 20th-century classical composers including Igor Stravinsky and Edgard Varèse. His output was divided between adventurous instrumental compositions and succinct, catchy rock songs with ribald, satirical, or comically absurd lyrics. On stage he demanded virtuosity and spontaneity from his musicians, and employed many performers who would later go on to achieve fame in their own rights. He directed and released a number of films featuring himself, his musicians and entourage, including 200 Motels and Baby Snakes.
His career started in 1955. His earliest recordings date from the mid-1960s, and include collaborations with his school friend Captain Beefheart. In 1965 he joined a bar-band called The Soul Giants, quickly dominating its musical direction and rechristening it The Mothers. Their first release (as The Mothers of Invention; the name alteration requested by their record company) was the 1966 double album Freak Out!. The line-up of the Mothers gradually expanded to accommodate Zappa's increasingly ambitious and avant-garde music, but by 1969 he decided to work outside the band structure, focusing on his solo career, and effectively disbanding the Mothers in 1971.
The beginnings of his solo career in the late sixties and early seventies was characterised by a strong free jazz influence, with albums containing little, if any, lyrical content, such as Hot Rats, Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo. Towards the mid-seventies his albums became more rock-orientated, with a combination of Jazz Fusion instrumentation and Rock song structures. This more accessible sound bore reasonable mainstream appeal, especially with the release of the well-advertised albums Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophe (') (which both went Gold), but Zappa's unpredictably eclectic output never led to solid mainstream recognition. He received uniformly lukewarm reviews from popular music publications such as Rolling Stone throughout his career. In his late seventies' output, the gulf between his humorous songs and more lengthy, complex instrumental music widened, and albums, such as Zappa in New York, Joe's Garage: Acts I, II & III, and Sleep Dirt displayed, by track, both sides firmly segregated.
Zappa saw a second run of success in the early eighties with the release of many albums with predominantly comedic rock songs, but later continued to experiment with virtually every style of music through the eighties, and was productive as ever until his death. His output in this later-career period included two albums of strikingly original classical music with the London Symphony Orchestra, an electronic take on 18th-century chamber music (written by the obscure Italian composer 'Francesco Zappa', no relation), an album of Synclavier compositions (misleadingly titled Jazz From Hell which garnered a Grammy award), a double-CD release of electric guitar instrumental music (the laconically titled Guitar) and a plenitude of official live releases, revisiting fan-favourites as well as showcasing Zappa's talent for reinventing the music of others; his version of Stairway to Heaven becoming a word-of-mouth favourite.
Zappa produced almost all of his own albums, spending many hours in the studio recording and manipulating tracks, and was always at the forefront of emerging technologies; from tape editing, collage, multitrack and overdubbing in the sixties to digital recording, electronic instruments and sampling in the eighties. Conversely, Zappa was also a obsessive self-archivist, recording virtually every one of his live performances, and often using live recordings of new material without needing to enter the studio. The archive of tapes at his family home in Los Angeles continues to be a source of posthumous releases for the Zappa Family Trust. He was also noted as a spotter of talent and his shifting line-up of musicians included Lowell George, Jean-Luc Ponty, Terry Bozzio, Chad Wackerman, George Duke, Mike Keneally, Adrian Belew and Steve Vai, as well as giving Alice Cooper his first break in music and working again with his old collaborator Captain Beefheart when his career was in decline.
In the late 1980s he became active in politics, campaigning against the PMRC's music censorship scheme and acting as culture and trade representative for Czechoslovakia in 1989; and considered running as an independent candidate for president of the US.
His death in Los Angeles, California, on 4th December 1993 came three years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
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The Old Masters, Box Two
Frank Zappa Lyrics
A Pound For A Brown On The Bus Dick Kunc: Fade!…
Agency Man Sell us a president, agency man Smiling Big Brother, stern …
Billy The Mountain Billy the mountain Billy the mountain A regular picturesque …
Bwana Dik Frank Zappa (guitar, dialog) Mark Volman (lead vocals, dial…
Call Any Vegetable Cheesy, cheesy! (This is a song about vegetables . . .…
Chucha Chucha why won't you accept my proposal? Don’t you know i'm…
Chunga's Revenge Frank Zappa (guitar) Ian Underwood (electric alto with wah-w…
Cruising for Burgers I must be free My fake I.D. Freeeeeees me Gotta do a few…
Didja Get Any Onya? MOO-AHHH MOO-AHHH MOO-AHHH Lowell: Years ago in …
Directly From My Heart To You Direct Directly from my heart to you Direct Directly from my…
Do You Like My New Car? Frank Zappa (guitar, dialog) Mark Volman (lead vocals, dial…
Dog Breath Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-yah! Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-yah! Ya-ya-ya-ya-…
Electric Aunt Jemima Ow ow ow ow Rundee rundee rundee Dinny wop wop Ow ow ow…
Get A Little Yes... hot... And everybody workin' on it So I figured I'd…
Happy Together Frank zappa (guitar, dialog) Mark volman (lead vocals, dialo…
Harry, You're a Beast I'm gonna tell you the way it is And I'm not…
If We'd All Been Living in California... FZ: Ok? Now if you still want to get your…
Latex Solar Beef Frank Zappa (guitar, dialog) Mark Volman (lead vocals, dial…
Little House I Used To Live In Frank Zappa (vocals, guitar) Lowell George (rhythm guitar, …
Little Umbrellas We haven't lyrics of this song. Please, add these lyrics…
Magdalena Hey! Ha! Oh! There was a man A little ole man Who lived in …
Mothers At KPFK I'd like to dedicate an ode to Joe Lattanzi who…
Mr. Green Genes Eat your greens Don't forget your beans & celery Don't forge…
My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama You know your mama and your daddy sayin' I'm no…
Oh No Oh no I don't believe it You say that you think you…
Our Bizarre Relationship FZ: Bizarre! Suzy: Bizarre . . . ha ha! No-one could…
Peaches En Regalia Jean-Luc Ponty - Violin, Keyboards Paul Humphrey - Violin, D…
Prelude To King Kong Here's one with your father's moustache, your old cookie jar…
Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Sexually Aroused Gas Mask FZ: Blow your harmonica, son!…
Road Ladies Don't it ever get lonesome? Yeah! Sure gets lonesome Don't i…
Rudy Wants To Buy Yez A Drink By Thomas McKee Hi and howdy doody. I'm a union man You can…
Sharleena I'm cryin' I'm cryin' Cryin' for Sharleena. Can't you see I…
Skweezit Skweezit Skweezit Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh,…
Sleeping In A Jar It's the middle of the night And your mommy & your…
Tears Began to Fall Oooh! Tears began to fall, The writings on the wall Tears…
Tell Me You Love Me Tell me you love me, tell me you love me Like…
The Air The air Escaping from your mouth The hair Escaping from your…
The Clap Frank Zappa (drums) (Instrumental)…
The Gumbo Variations FZ: Take two How many bars? FZ: Uh... Why don't you count…
The Legend Of The Golden Arches Heh heh heh... GrrrRRRNNHH... Suzy: The first thing that at…
The Little House I Used to Live In Thank you, good night... Thank you, if you'll... if you…
The Mud Shark Frank Zappa (guitar, dialog) Mark Volman (lead vocals, dial…
The Nancy & Mary Music Everybody sing!…
The Orange County Lumber Truck Ha ha ha ha ha ha...…
The Story Of Willie The Pimp I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back Pair of…
The Uncle Meat Variations Ya ya ya ya ya Ahhhahahhhhhhhh Ya ya ya ya ya Ahhhahahhhh…
The Voice Of Cheese Suzy: Hello, teenage America (heh) My name is Suzy Creemch…
Toads Of The Short Forest FZ: At this very moment on stage we have drummer…
Transylvania Boogie (Instrumental)…
Valarie Frank zappa (vocals, guitar) Lowell george (rhythm guitar, v…
We Can Shoot You Ian: Dee . . . dee BAH dam . .…
Weasels Ripped My Flesh Goodnight, kids Thanks for coming to our concert…
What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are? Howard: What's a girl like you Doin' in a place like this?…
Willie the Pimp I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back Pair of…
Would You Go All The Way? Remember Freddie and Jo? The night you went to the show? (…
WPLJ I say WPLJ, really taste good to me WPLJ, won't you…