Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Questions
— Zappa the composer: what have you discovered about Zappa’s creative contribution to music, i.e. the compositions
he wrote and the recordings he made?
he wrote and the recordings he made?
I was first introduced to Zappa's music sometime in the 70s, to Suzie Creamcheese (Pamela Zarubica) in the Wet T-shirt contest. I wasn't sure what to make of it but my friend was aware of his social criticism and thought it brilliant. I finally tracked down the song in Joe's Garage (1979) as Act I. Scene Five. The Wet T-Shirt Contest.
He brought a performative or theatrical quality into his music. He was creating an image mirrored on the Freak scene, going for the grunge, the edgy. Although his music became increasingly complicated and the better musicians were not as spontaneous on stage he was cultivating an "in your face" aesthetic.
Even though Zappa was known for rock music, he's quoted in Barry Miles' book as saying "I never had any intention of writing rock music. I always wanted to compose more serious music and have it performed in concert halls, but I knew no one would play it (91)."
I had no idea that Frank Zappa was able to play classical, symphony music.
Frank Zappa managed to book the London Symphony Orchestra for a concert in 1983, with very short notice after the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra fell through due to the doubling of fees relating to the musicians' union. He also managed to get Kent Nagano, who was working with the Berkeley Symphony at the time, to conduct the orchestra. Nagano also challenged modern repertoire and was impressed by the complexity of Zappa's scores. Both of them were perfectionists when it came to performing their music and were both known to rehearse until things were very accurate. They also both had excellent ears and the ability to call out wrong notes. Nagano says that Frank Zappa earned both his respect and the London Symphony's for his amazing ability to identify what wasn't working right in these incredibly complex orchestrations (310 Miles). This is also an interesting interview with Kent Nagano about his experience with Frank Zappa:
Then I found a video interview, from the Tonight Show, 1993, which talks about him composing symphony music for the last four years of his life. Even though he is obviously really ill with prostate cancer it really is incredible that he managed to fulfill his life long dream. Not only were they playing his music but the audiences were also very appreciative and enthusiastic, in Vienna and Frankfurt. Evidently he received a 20 minute long standing ovation at one concert. A very ill Zappa still managed to quirk, "well at least it was better than throwing objects at me" which was how he was originally received with The Mothers of Invention years ago.
And this one of the actual Yellow Shark concert with Montreal's, La La Human Steps, Louise Lecavalier and Edouard Lock. It is obvious that Zappa is really ill here but an amazing performance.
YouTube - Frank Zappa Ensemble Modern Louise Lecavalier G-Spot Tornado
Maybe I should really start near the beginning, when he started to take music seriously while living in the nowhere desert town of Claremont, California. Frank's father had played guitar while in college and his brother, Bobby, was first to learn how to play on his father's old guitar. Zappa started out playing drums.
The Zappa family then moved on to Lancaster, CA, in 1959. Frank Zappa went to high school here. Mr. Kavelman, the music conductor at school introduced him to 12 tone serial, which was unusual. He knew even then that he wanted to be a conductor. Zappa liked mathematics and the visual look of notes on paper. He was also a really good artist.
He met Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart in his high school days. The following video is a tribute after his death, December 17, 2010, at the age of 69.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paq8o1_-HEE
Varése was a life-long influence, as well as R & B and Stravinksy. Also he had a life-long respect for the avant-garde
An interesting diversity and key to Zappa's brilliance. Zappa made no distinctions between different types of music. [...]"...although harmonically, rhythmically, and in many other superficial ways it was very different, the basic soul of the music seemed to me to be coming from the same universal source (27 Miles)." He was also very interested in melodic contours and rhythm, and was very involved in rhythm and melodic inventions.
The music score for the eccentric film The World's Greatest Sinner, in 1961, was his first experience recording with a symphony orchestra. Joyce Shannon, head of the music department at Chaffey Junior College was instrumental in getting the 52-member Pomona Valley Symphony Orchestra to play Zappa's music (63 Miles).
His first album Freak Out! was released in 1966 and may be his most political and sets the ground basis for all of his music to come. Zappa was clearly ahead of his time, putting out political lyrics about the Watt's Riots of 1965 and other social criticism, attacking everyone from the hippies to the establishment. This was a time when he believed there was no audience for political views and you had to hit people over the head to get the message across. He also used spoken word and fused jazz and rock with serious classical music. Again he recorded with symphony musicians but also used instruments like the kazoo and the vibraphone. Freak Out! was the first double-album for rock and is still voted as one of the top albums ever made.
What I find interesting is that although Zappa appeared to criticize everyone he avoided any direct criticism to chemical warfare testing. Perhaps it was too close to home, considering that his father tested chemicals and worked as a meteorologist for the army and Gail's father was a nuclear weapons research physicist working for the U.S. Navy. Even Jim Morrison came from a navel family. Although on his second album Absolutely Free (1967) he did fight with MGM to keep the slogan WAR MEANS WORK FOR ALL.
From Civilization Phase III :
YouTube - Frank Zappa Ensemble Modern Louise Lecavalier G-Spot Tornado
Maybe I should really start near the beginning, when he started to take music seriously while living in the nowhere desert town of Claremont, California. Frank's father had played guitar while in college and his brother, Bobby, was first to learn how to play on his father's old guitar. Zappa started out playing drums.
The Zappa family then moved on to Lancaster, CA, in 1959. Frank Zappa went to high school here. Mr. Kavelman, the music conductor at school introduced him to 12 tone serial, which was unusual. He knew even then that he wanted to be a conductor. Zappa liked mathematics and the visual look of notes on paper. He was also a really good artist.
He met Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart in his high school days. The following video is a tribute after his death, December 17, 2010, at the age of 69.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paq8o1_-HEE
Varése was a life-long influence, as well as R & B and Stravinksy. Also he had a life-long respect for the avant-garde
Varese Hyperprisme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGFLUerbLhk
An interesting diversity and key to Zappa's brilliance. Zappa made no distinctions between different types of music. [...]"...although harmonically, rhythmically, and in many other superficial ways it was very different, the basic soul of the music seemed to me to be coming from the same universal source (27 Miles)." He was also very interested in melodic contours and rhythm, and was very involved in rhythm and melodic inventions.
The music score for the eccentric film The World's Greatest Sinner, in 1961, was his first experience recording with a symphony orchestra. Joyce Shannon, head of the music department at Chaffey Junior College was instrumental in getting the 52-member Pomona Valley Symphony Orchestra to play Zappa's music (63 Miles).
His first album Freak Out! was released in 1966 and may be his most political and sets the ground basis for all of his music to come. Zappa was clearly ahead of his time, putting out political lyrics about the Watt's Riots of 1965 and other social criticism, attacking everyone from the hippies to the establishment. This was a time when he believed there was no audience for political views and you had to hit people over the head to get the message across. He also used spoken word and fused jazz and rock with serious classical music. Again he recorded with symphony musicians but also used instruments like the kazoo and the vibraphone. Freak Out! was the first double-album for rock and is still voted as one of the top albums ever made.
What I find interesting is that although Zappa appeared to criticize everyone he avoided any direct criticism to chemical warfare testing. Perhaps it was too close to home, considering that his father tested chemicals and worked as a meteorologist for the army and Gail's father was a nuclear weapons research physicist working for the U.S. Navy. Even Jim Morrison came from a navel family. Although on his second album Absolutely Free (1967) he did fight with MGM to keep the slogan WAR MEANS WORK FOR ALL.
From Civilization Phase III :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BprcuqkVYJ4
Uncle Meat is the album that has his old film score footage and some of his very best material. There was the dividing line between those who couldn't read music, like Jimmy Carl Black, and those who could, like Ian Underwood. However, the political and social satire is absent.
Hot Rats is a solo album, except for Ian Underwood, who was a trained musician. It was exceptional for the time.
Chunga's Revenge transitions and ties in with the film 200 Motels (1971). Ex-Turtles, Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (known as Flo and Eddie, as they couldn't use their own names because of a record contract bind) joined the MOI. Jeff Simmons quit the band over not wanting to reveal himself on film and not wanting to play Zappa's comedy music. Everything in the film was based on some sort of reality, either in Zappa's life, or the band members' lives. There was a lot of tension about where the money was coming from. Jimmy Carl Black, was hired back to act in 200 Motels. This was the first time Zappa had a full symphony orchestra and was the first feature length live music film, shot on video tape. Even the special effects were done on the set. However, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra didn't appreciate Zappa and even tore up the tuxedos Zappa had rented. The Royal Albert Hall cancelled one of his music gigs for 200 Motels on the grounds of obscenity.
Apostrophe ('). Ian and Ruth Underwood, George Duke and Jean-Luc Ponty were on this album. Jean-Luc Ponty and Frank Zappa were not a compatible mix, though. 'In France' (lyrics...expand) and 'Stink Foot' and playing with poodles.
Zappa also developed a technique called Xenochrony (strange synchronizations), which can be tracked back to the 60s (find ref). Xeno from the Greek language, meaning strange or alien and chrono for time.
"... examples include "Rubber Shirt" on Sheik Yerbouti and every guitar solo on Joe's Garage except "Watermelon in Easter Hay". In this technique various tracks from unrelated sources are randomly synchronized with each other to make a final composition with rhythmic relationships unachievable by other means. In ordinary polyrhythmic terms we speak of 5 in the space of 4, or 7 in the space of 6. In Xenochrony we deal with larger units of time; a complete solo at one metronomic rate in the space of a track at another ... sort of like Monday and Tuesday crammed into the space of Wednesday."
Uncle Meat is the album that has his old film score footage and some of his very best material. There was the dividing line between those who couldn't read music, like Jimmy Carl Black, and those who could, like Ian Underwood. However, the political and social satire is absent.
Hot Rats is a solo album, except for Ian Underwood, who was a trained musician. It was exceptional for the time.
Chunga's Revenge transitions and ties in with the film 200 Motels (1971). Ex-Turtles, Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (known as Flo and Eddie, as they couldn't use their own names because of a record contract bind) joined the MOI. Jeff Simmons quit the band over not wanting to reveal himself on film and not wanting to play Zappa's comedy music. Everything in the film was based on some sort of reality, either in Zappa's life, or the band members' lives. There was a lot of tension about where the money was coming from. Jimmy Carl Black, was hired back to act in 200 Motels. This was the first time Zappa had a full symphony orchestra and was the first feature length live music film, shot on video tape. Even the special effects were done on the set. However, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra didn't appreciate Zappa and even tore up the tuxedos Zappa had rented. The Royal Albert Hall cancelled one of his music gigs for 200 Motels on the grounds of obscenity.
Apostrophe ('). Ian and Ruth Underwood, George Duke and Jean-Luc Ponty were on this album. Jean-Luc Ponty and Frank Zappa were not a compatible mix, though. 'In France' (lyrics...expand) and 'Stink Foot' and playing with poodles.
Zappa also developed a technique called Xenochrony (strange synchronizations), which can be tracked back to the 60s (find ref). Xeno from the Greek language, meaning strange or alien and chrono for time.
Zappa was obviously way ahead of his time and this brings me to mind the "mash ups" of today, even though they are using very short samples of music from other sources. There was lots of resistance from the recording guys when Zappa was first doing this.
Zappa spent the last 10 years or so composing on the Synclavier (a digital composition and playback system).
Zappa spent the last 10 years or so composing on the Synclavier (a digital composition and playback system).
Zappa also had the expertise to draw out the innate qualities of a musician. Beefheart being one. Zappa encouraged him to create his own music when he said he couldn't sing in 4/4 time (Miles 76-77).
— Zappa the musician-performer: as a guitarist, band leader and stage performer, what did Zappa bring to the concert
medium, show business and music-making in general
He brought a performative or theatrical quality into his music. He was creating an image mirrored on the Freak scene, going for the grunge, the edgy. Although his music became increasingly complicated and the better musicians were not as spontaneous on stage he was cultivating an "in your face" aesthetic. I think he always identified and played with the idea of the ugly. He grew up feeling a misfit and even in the interview close to his death he made that pun about being ugly, but added that he could do anything because of it. Perhaps more importantly he could see the beauty in the ugly and rejected the stereotypes of beauty, not only in music but also in all aspects of popular culture and style.
— Zappa the entrepreneur: how did Zappa balance art and commerce throughout his career?
He obviously had a good business sense right from the beginning. Even when he started out with Studio Z, he already had the idea of composing film scores. It is interesting that he started out with the film tract for The World’s Greatest Sinner, one of the worst B movies ever made, already fitting into his freaky and marginal interests. Studio Z did not last long after Zappa’s unfortunate porno conviction.
He also had the ability to bounce back after unsuccessful experiences, like this one. As an entrepreneur this is key.
I think it also remarkable that even though his music was never played on the radio he still made money through the sales of his albums and touring. Ironically, even when he deliberately structured some of his music to 4/4 time, it still retained that radical quality. He also believed in entertaining his fans.
He also figured out early on that he needed a manager to really have his music produced.
However, when his experience with the recording industry turned sour and he invested in his own labels giving him more control not only of what he produced but also of the financial returns. Even though he had his
I think that his desire to produce serious music really propelled him all along to find a way to make enough money so that he could hire a symphony orchestra.
— Zappa the social critic: through his lyrics, interviews, album art and other media, how did Zappa communicate his views on society and culture during his lifetime?
He put it all out there and called it as he saw it. No one was left out of his social criticism from hippies to the establishment.
His first album, Freak Out probably exemplifies most of his views that kept repeating throughout his life. ‘The Brain Police’ sort of sums up everything that could be considered warped in the world then and now.
Yes, “What will you do if we let you go home
And the plastics all melted
And the chrome is too soft?
WHO ARE THE BRAIN POLICE?
He despised the popular love songs and wrote songs like ‘No Such Thing as Love’ and ‘Go cry on someone else’s shoulder’. ‘Motherly love’ exposed the groupie aspect of the band’s experience and he introduced Suzie Creamcheese.
The Watt’s Riots were addressed, in ‘Trouble Every Day’.
He designed his own album covers and one of the most controversial was the one for We’re only in it for the Money. Zappa thought that The Beatles had taken his material ansd so adapted their Sgt. Pepper’s album cover to his own.
— Zappa the man: in terms of background, personal philosophy and other aspects of who Zappa was, how did Zappa’s
personality affect his work and legacy?
personality affect his work and legacy?
He was obviously brilliant despite some of the difficulties in his background. Maybe also because of them he was angry, stubborn and determined to create what he saw as a new world vision. It is interesting that he was fascinated with the Freaks and the more alternative cultures. On one hand, this almost obsessive interest in these other marginal life styles created the foundation for his Utopia. The Utopia of the Freaks/the marginal?
Also prone to conspiracy theories.
Also prone to conspiracy theories.
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