I know John and Stephen would love to recommend you give your friends an early Christmas present of a subscription to Stereophile...the gift that keeps on giving...month after month.

Every ZappaPhile needs one.

What? Don't let the King hear of this or it will be off with their heads!!!!! Only the music matters? How can this be. Release the hounds!!!!

Quote:
Kudos on the excellent Frank Zappa article in the November Stereophile. I hope this piece quickly makes its way to the website so I can send it to a few fellow Zappaphiles. Stephen, John, anyone listening?

I'll post it in the next few weeks. In the meantime, did you know that we already have everything Stereophile had previously published about Frank Zappa available in our free on-line archives: www.stereophile.com/musicrecordings/73 and www.stereophile.com/recordingofthemonth/918.

I have Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar and Guitar on my iPod in their entirety, BTW, like, I imagine, pretty much everyone else in America.

John Atkinson
Editor, Zappaphile

Hi Bert-

I just read this great article today. Brought back memories of Catholic high school in '69-'70 singing the lyrics to "Brown Shoes Don't Make It" with my friends. Saw him on Halloween in '74 at the Long Beach Arena (or was it the Fabulous Forum?). Ruth Underwood- wow, a chick- on percussion! Captain Beefheart had a similar strange genius vibe. I owe my weirdness to them.

That's what you want to see in Stereophile! Who cares how much the pre-amp costs? Gimme the music.

Thanks so much for the links JA. Wow, I had no idea those great Richard Lehnert articles existed until now - just read through them all.

I'm now feeling motivated to investigate the later Zappa albums. I grew up with Zappa's music from about age 10, and stored in my roof space with my other remaining vinyl are all of his albums from Freak Out to Orchestral Favorites, with the exception of Ruben & the Jets. I heard Joe's Garage Part I, but at the time I felt I was no longer interested in what FZ was doing musically. I have, however, just recently heard - and loved - the Yellow Shark. Now I'm wondering what gems are hidden in all of those albums in between...!

Incidentally, although I haven't heard Burnt Weeny Sandwich for about 20 years (!), my memory suggests that Mr Lehnert's take (in his Zappa 'obituary') on FZ's concert announcements isn't quite on the money, so to speak.

As I recall, following the performance, you can hear a male voice - presumably a policeman or some other uniformed crowd management person - telling audience members to get back in their seats. Some fellow in the audience yells out "get out of your uniform man before it's too late!", which elicits applause. Zappa replies "every person in this room is wearing a uniform and don't kid yourself." - which elicits more applause.

I have always understood this exchange as simply FZ deflating the vocal audience member's high moral ground, and challenging the lazy received attitude it represents. A bit like FZ going against the grain by taking the hippies to task in the '60s. This is far from accusing the audience of being "programmed robots", as asserted by Mr Lehnert.

Comments anyone? Incidentally, I was never able to understand what the lengthy followup from the vocal audience member, to which FZ finally answers "You'll hurt your throat - stop it!" Does anybody know?

- Richard.