Frank Zappa: Which 5 albums to get first?

[Mister Triscuits]

I quite like both 'WPLJ' and 'Valerie' but they are kind of strange bookends, when you think about it. They make the album appear somewhat patchy.

Without them it wouldn't be a sandwich, would it? You'd just get the burnt weeny.

Everybody is wearing a uniform and don't kid yourself.

[Plasmatopia]

Don't think anyone has mentioned the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore CD's yet. Maybe because they weren't released until the late 80's, but they were still compiled by Frank himself. Volume 1, a mix of live tracks from throughout FZ's career and Volume 2, a single concert from Helsinki in 1974 from one of his best bands, are both stellar.

I was very close to putting Volume 1 on my list. Of course, that should be quickly followed by getting all of them.

[Mascodagama]

Without them it wouldn't be a sandwich, would it? You'd just get the burnt weeny.

A very valid observation. The jury is still out on which track constitutes the mustard.

[frinspar]

I agree with Wah3. Get the YCDTOSA Vol 1-6 and then work your way out from those. They're not at all like a "best of", but rather a Frank-compiled and tweaked sampler and showcase that cover a broad spectrum of his output, highlighting a ton of amazing & fun performances from the various bands and players he worked with.

[Mister Triscuits]

A very valid observation. The jury is still out on which track constitutes the mustard.

I do listen to the album with relish.

[Progbear]

Early:

Absolutely Free for song, farce and history.
Uncle Meat for -seriously- visionary rock/progressive/avant-garde/whatever and heavy duty history.

Mid:

Roxy and Elsewhere for sheer musicality and abundance of ideas.
One Size Fits All for refinement and groove and production values galore.

Later:

Studio Tan for advancement, entertainment and fun.

This is probably my favorite list of recommendations. I’d probably swap out The Helsinki Concert (YCDTOSA Vol. 2) for Roxy & Elsewhere, I way prefer those versions of these songs. Probably his most celebrated band, and probably my favorite line-up, but the only studio album I really like from this period is One Size Fits All, which I adore. The others indulge in too much of the sophomoric scatological/vulgar “humor” which paid the bills, but was an aspect of Zappa that I never really cared for. But I loved when he was all-out absurdist as on OSFA and in the early days (Absolutely Free and Uncle Meat in particular). Though celebrated as a satirist, I thought he excelled at it on We’re Only in It for the Money and barely anywhere else. In general, his satire is soured for me by a caustic misanthropic streak. I find the much-celebrated Sheik Yerbouti to be unbearable.

I kind of want Hot Rats to be in there somewhere, too, because it’s such a classic, but you did ask for five. If you like his instrumental style, you’re going to want it eventually (probably also Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo).

[JJ88]

Someone on the old board once said that they felt a greater crankiness set in on his 80s albums. It resonated with me; of the post-Joe's Garage studio albums I've heard, only Ship Arriving Too Late... held that much interest for me.

[alucard]

Someone on the old board once said that they felt a greater crankiness set in on his 80s albums. It resonated with me; of the post-Joe's Garage studio albums I've heard, only Ship Arriving Too Late... held that much interest for me.

Them or Us , Jazz from Hell and the two LSO records are worth to be checked out. There are weaker moments, but also masterpieces like Sinister Footwear and G-SpotTornado. I would add Man From Utopia for Moglio and Dangerous Kitchen and ThingFish for curiosity.

[JJ88]

^RE; Jazz From Hell. I can't stand the Synclavier I'm afraid; too sterile for me. I remember a good guitar instrumental on it though...'St Etienne' was it?

Them Or Us I haven't heard in years.

Never ventured into the orchestral albums or Thing Fish.

Playing that Fillmore '71 album again, one I'm not sure anyone mentioned here! There's some great music on it but definitely marred by Flo And Eddie's 'frat boy' schtick (loved by Zappa himself, lest we forget) at its most obnoxious.

[Scrotum Scissor]

The jury is still out on which track constitutes the mustard.

"Holiday In Berlin - Full Blown". For the record, I don't hate or even skip the drybread sandwich-ends, I'd just rather have two of his regular pop tunes (as on Freak Out) than his doowops.

I mean, Weasels is an even more diverse record than Weeny, but the blues and the oddball-farcerock ("Kill Your Mama") fit them better - as did a contemplative, satirical song like "Oh, No" and its Direct lead into "The Orange County Lumber Truck" - the latter one of the most beautiful melodies Zappa ever wrote.

[Zappathustra]

...as did a contemplative, satirical song like "Oh, No" and its Direct lead into "The Orange County Lumber Truck" - the latter one of the most beautiful melodies Zappa ever wrote.

or the most beautiful melody Zappa ever wrote, a shot of eternal bliss in the form of a musical piece.

[Progatron]

Playing that Fillmore '71 album again, one I'm not sure anyone mentioned here! There's some great music on it but definitely marred by Flo And Eddie's 'frat boy' schtick (loved by Zappa himself, lest we forget) at its most obnoxious.

Yep. They can be flat-out annoying on that album, and particularly on Billy The Mountain as well, IMO. Fillmore was actually the first Zappa album I ever heard. My friends had gone away to camp that year and it was their album of choice after one of them had become a fan. I liked it right away but as I got older and more into Zappa, it plummeted to the bottom 1/4 of his catalogue for me. So while I like some of the material on it, it isn't one I reach for often nowadays. The best thing they did was their own hit song towards the end of the show!

[JJ88]

^I'm a big fan of all The Turtles' singles. They had some lesser-known odd ones like 'Grim Reaper Of Love' and 'Sound Asleep'. I agree 'Happy Together' comes as some sort of blessed relief...the album from that point on is fine.

Of what goes before, there's some great playing on the version of 'Willie The Pimp', a pity about the fade out and up again (parts 1 and 2 over the side 1/2 split)!

I believe the jam with John Lennon and Yoko Ono was from one of these shows.

[chalkpie]

Billie The Mountain is amazing! Especially the versions on Playground Pyschotics and Carnegie.

[alucard]

^RE; Jazz From Hell. I can't stand the Synclavier I'm afraid; too sterile for me. I remember a good guitar instrumental on it though...'St Etienne' was it?

Them Or Us I haven't heard in years.

Never ventured into the orchestral albums or Thing Fish.

Playing that Fillmore '71 album again, one I'm not sure anyone mentioned here! There's some great music on it but definitely marred by Flo And Eddie's 'frat boy' schtick (loved by Zappa himself, lest we forget) at its most obnoxious.

Yes,
Saint Etienne is a 82 live track while the rest is synclavier

[aith01]

[...] as did a contemplative, satirical song like "Oh, No" and its Direct lead into "The Orange County Lumber Truck" - the latter one of the most beautiful melodies Zappa ever wrote.

or the most beautiful melody Zappa ever wrote, a shot of eternal bliss in the form of a musical piece.

One of the most beautiful Zappa melodies ever, I agree. Certainly one of my favorites. The way that "Oh, No" segues into "Lumber Truck" is really cool too.

The version (or excerpt) of "The Orange County Lumber Truck" on Make A Jazz Noise Here is incredible in how they infuse it with so much urgency. To think that it was pulled off live is even more crazy.

[Rick L.]

This last post reminded me that when I did my Master's Recital in grad school, I did an arrangement I titled "Does Humoresque Belong in Music?" on solo marimba. I started with Oh, No and transitioned to Dvorak's Humoresque. It was fun.

Not sure what my top five would be, but You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (which covers lots of Roxy and One Size material) or One Size Fits All (maybe both) and Grand Wazoo would probably be on it.

[Mister Triscuits]

This last post reminded me that when I did my Master's Recital in grad school, I did an arrangement I titled "Does Humoresque Belong in Music?" on solo marimba. I started with Oh, No and transitioned to Dvorak's Humoresque. It was fun.

I like Dvořàk's guitar playing, but I'm just turned off by his smutty lyrics.

[Abstract Time]

Yeah I wouldn't mind getting more Zappa albums also :

what do you usually listen to?

The more 'accessible material' (or should I say popular ?)

Apostrophe(')
Zoot Allures
Zappa/Beefheart Bongo Fury
Tinsel town rebellion
you are what you is

You might want to get more then 5.....Have fun listening (guaranteed) !!

I'm not sure if I remember correctly but I think the first time I heard (and saw FZ) was on Saturday night live Christmas eve 1976? - I was 10 years old (if I got the year right)

"I am the slime"

Also on Saturday night Live not sure what year - they played "dancing fool" which made me go out and buy sheik yer bouti you might want to get that album to ( If you can handle the vulgarity....don't get insulted - nothing personal)

see ya

[Rarebird]

These are the 4 I have:
Hot rats
Waka / Jawaka
The grand wazoo
Over-nite sensation

Now where to go next?

[Trane]

These are the 4 I have:
Hot rats
Waka / Jawaka
The grand wazoo
Over-nite sensation

Now where to go next?

Sleep Dirt is Hot Rats 3 (Jaka veing HR2)
More or less in that same direction is One Size Fits all

If you're really into the Overnight Sensation, then the mid & later 70's "comedy" albums (like Sheik Yerbouti, Zoot Allures, Studio Tan and Apostrophe) should be accessible to you. Even Joe's Garage, FTM

[Zappathustra]

These are the 4 I have:
Hot rats
Waka / Jawaka
The grand wazoo
Over-nite sensation

Now where to go next?

Roxy and Elsewhere

[zravkapt]

These are the 4 I have:
Hot rats
Waka / Jawaka
The grand wazoo
Over-nite sensation

Now where to go next?

Roxy & Elsewhere
One Size Fits All

[Chuck AzEee!]

Absolutely Free
Hot Rats
Roxy And Elsewhere
One Size Fit's All
Joe's Garage

[pulse]

These are the 4 I have:
Hot rats
Waka / Jawaka
The grand wazoo
Over-nite sensation

Now where to go next?

Roxy and One Size are great suggestions, but you might also consider The Yellow Shark.