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Of all the famous musicians in history, you will likely never find another of the likes of Frank Zappa.
From playing the bicycle on the Steve Allen Show to psychedelic rock with The Mothers of Invention to the years of compositional rock n’ roll madness, attracting the best of the best musicians to play in his band (likely because they’re the only ones who can pull off his music).
He testified to Congress during the hearings on music censorship, was an ambassador for Czechoslovakia for a short time, had his compositions performed by orchestras, appeared on CNN to debate lyrics in music, released 62 albums during his lifetime (with an additional 67 posthumous releases at the time of writing), and has arguably the coolest facial hair in all of rock.
One does not go through all of that in life without picking up a bit of knowledge here or there. Highly quotable, Zappa has shared countless opinions on music, politics, education, religion, American life and a plethora of other subjects. We’ll be keeping it strictly musical here as well look at some wise words from the man himself.
On musical composition
A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians. (Source: The Real Frank Zappa Book)
On musical taste and listening
The Ultimate Rule ought to be: 'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchin'; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's s****y. The more your musical experience, the easier it is to define for yourself what you like and what you don't like. American radio listeners, raised on a diet of _____ (fill in the blank), have experienced a musical universe so small they cannot begin to know what they like. (Source: The Real Frank Zappa Book)
On language in music
I think that if you use the so-called "strong words" you'll get your point across faster and you can save a lot of beating around the bush. Why are people afraid of words? Sometimes the dumbest thing that gets said makes the point for you. (Source: CNN Crossfire)
On his approach to soloing on the guitar:
My solos are speech-influenced rhythmically; and harmonically, they're either pentatonic, or poly-scale oriented. And there's the mixolydian mode that I also use a lot...But I'm more interested in melodic things I think the biggest challenge when you go to play a solo is trying to invent a melody on the spot. (Source: The Guitar Handbook)
On the logistics of a live band:
*OK, I could quote this whole video since it’s really good, so I invite you all to take a few minutes and watch.
On the Parents Music Resource Centre (PMRC) during the hearings on rock lyrics, which led to the infamous “explicit lyrics” stickers found on albums:
The PMRC proposal is an ill-conceived piece of nonsense which fails to deliver any real benefits to children, infringes the civil liberties of people who are not children, and promises to keep the courts busy for years, dealing with the interpretational and enforcemental problems inherent in the proposal’s design.
It is my understanding that, in law, First Amendment issues are decided with a preference for the least restrictive alternative. In this context, the PMRC[’s] demands are the equivalent of treating dandruff by decapitation. (Source: Zappa’s testimony during the hearings, available at https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/frankzapparockmusiclyrics.htm)
On Music Itself:
Music is the only religion that delivers the goods. All music is good. It fulfills a social function. It's like wallpaper to your lifestyle. It defines what you are. (Source: New York Daily News)
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. (Source: The Real Frank Zappa Book)
Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is THE BEST. (Source: Goodreads)
Do you have any favorite bits of knowledge that Frank has imparted over his lifetime? We all know that this is a mere, infinitesimal sampling of what the man has said. If you have a favorite, do drop it in the comments.
And always remember, don’t you eat that yellow snow.
By Kevin Daoust - instagram.com/kevindaoust.gtr
Kevin Daoust is a guitarist, guitar educator and writer based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. When not tracking guitars for artists around the world, or writing music-related articles around the internet, he can be seen on stage with Accordion-Funk legends Hey, Wow, the acoustic duo Chanté et Kev, as well as a hired gun guitarist around Quebec and Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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