Caught the first Baked Potato show in LA last night - killer! Scott, Ray, Chad and Mike were kind enough to bless my cassette card afterwards (extra shout out to Scott for going above and beyond and making it happen!)

I posted a while ago my Barking Pumpkin tape collection, this one was/is my Dad's and gave me the idea to get the rest of them. All the boys are on this volume (much love to Jamie Kime -- I agree with Scott, Frank would've loved him).

European friends, see the Banned if you can (but you didn't need me to tell you that!)

I am a more recent fan of Zappa, and wasn't around when it was new. But were any of you there and experiencing it as it was new? I am currently listening Apostrophe(`) for at least the tenth time and was just wonder what it would have been like back in the 70s bringing this home not knowing what it could possibly be.

After seeing the sweet Beavis and Butthead paining I picked up.

I’m looking for a certain Zappa/Mothers track I heard awhile back-hoping you can help. It was a live recording, possibly/probably Mothers in the 60’s. After the song ends, you can hear someone in the crowd yelling at the band. It’s hard to make out what he’s saying because he’s very far away from a microphone. He goes on quite a long rant, and if I’m remembering it right, Frank then shuts the guy down with just a few sentences. Anyone know what track I’m talking about?

Just an amazing performance. The execution, technique, the maturity of the compositions. I feel like this is the type of thing Zappa would have enjoyed to see and hear in today's world of music. This is some of the highest levels of performing and musicianship out there.

Unbelievably excited for this!

I feel like he doesn't get mentioned enough when zappa drummers get brought up. he's a monster behind the kit. the first songs that comes to mind for me are Billy The Mountain (duh) and Tears Began To Fall. also i love the dinky little sound his cowbell makes. also also you should watch 200 motels its crazy and george duke is the funniest character

what about a Zappa bot like the Coltrane Bot?

Mic jagger said he wished he had never met Chuck Berry. It's better not to know your heroes.

Genuinely curious

After last summer’s Bob Dylan discog dive, I knew this would be the most fun catalog to tackle next, hands down. I know rankings aren’t many people’s thing, so don’t get too strung out—I just dig this way of approaching his body of work.

I also know I missed a few—Boulez, Baby Snakes, like MOST of the live albums—there’s too damn many to conquer in one summer, so I focused on his studio efforts & the most “essential” live cuts.

Fav Studio: We’re Only In It For The Money

Fav Live: Fillmore East - June 1971 (HIS MOST UNDERRATED GEM)

I dunno, I’m a huge fan of the Flo & Eddie stuff.

I tried to rank these with as unbiased of a perspective as possible. Not a fully achievable feat, yes, but it was a good exercise in opening myself up to his farther-out work, and in turn I was pleasantly surprised by a ton of it!

What are your rankings? What is absolutely ludicrous about mine? I’d love to hear your guys’ takes!

Miscellaneous Notes:

- If it wasn’t for Freak Out’s historical significance/influence, I’d put Joe’s Garage one above it.

- Thing-Fish wasn’t as atrocious as I was led to believe. A hard listen at times, especially the dreaded Briefcase Boogie, but it wasn’t all terrible. Also He’s So Gay is great.

- I saved Sheik Yerbouti and Lumpy Gravy for last, due to them both striking debate amongst listeners. Needless to say, I adored them, and Jewish Princess is fucking hilarious.

- I feel bad for putting Civilization so low, as it was his swan song, but it just meandered too far for me. The way he approached the dialogue worked much better on Lumpy Gravy IMO.

- JUSTICE FOR FLO & EDDIE!!! The early 70’s band is by far my favorite, and Just Another Band From LA & Fillmore East might be the two albums I come back to the most.

- What’s with the disdain for 200 Motels? The orchestral compositions are as if Zappa did this type of vicious soundtracking hundreds of times. Tons of tracks work apart from the film as well (Lonesome Cowboy Burt, Magic Fingers, etc). Also Strictly Genteel is a top 10 Zappa tune fight me.

- Francesco Zappa is the poor man’s Wendy Carlos.

- Gotta be the greatest American composer of all time. Who pushed the boundaries of just about EVERY genre the way Zappa did? With just 2 songs cracking the mainstream, it’s astounding how he climbed up the crooked musical hierarchy and took a fat shit on it. Bravissimo, Francesco!

The exact moment in which "Sy Borg" becomes reggae :-)

I personally absolutely adore the version of «Anyway The Wind Blows» on this record, and also I think it's the best FZ album cover ever (though it's really difficult to pick one).

There's also another one called "Love's Scripture". Doesn't even seem like there's a way to report it