Frank Zappa 

During the 1970's and 1980's I owned most of his recordings on LP and did see a number of his concerts. With his albums, frequently I'd be bored with portions of material looking for the nuggets. I suppose that is the inception of the album Shut Up and Play Your Guitar is catered to fans like me.

My favorite Zappa releases are no big surprise, the 1970's. If I had to select a favorite Frank Zappa release, I'd chose his live vault release FZ:OZ;  live material primarily from four of his best, Zoot Allures, Overnight Sensation, Apostrophe, and Bongo Fury. This live vault release isn't the easiest to come by. I bought my copy second hand through Amazon. His smallest line-up, a five piece band.

Frank Zappa's catalogue is quite immense and diverse in a variety of styles. We plan to just highlight our favorite releases. Perhaps at a later date we'll add more. For now, I have noted my favorite releases and categorized at follows:

Studio

Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar

Live

1. Camarillo Brillo
2. I'm The Slime
3. Dirty Love
4. Fifty-Fifty
5. Zombie Woof
6. Dinah-Moe Humm
7. Montana

From the Label
Yes, this is the one with "Dinah-Moe Humm" on it....The first of a series of FZ's rock-jazz-guitar-horn-reed recordings to thrill hundreds of thousands of turntables worldwide and stun Rock Monsters everywhere until they were un-concho. "Montana" worked dental floss into the collective consciousness; "I'm the Slime" said all that needed saying about TV, and "Dirty Love" introduced those immortal sentiments, "the poodle chews it." Lest you think this one's all yuks, the Mothers at the time included the likes of George Duke, Jean-Luc Ponty and Ian Underwood.

Amazon.com essential recording
Best known for the infamous "Dinah-Mo-Hum"--a tale of sexual depravity and bovine perspiration--Over-Nite Sensation is a flawlessly executed collection of jazz-rock Frank Zappa classics. The seven-song set, which includes backup vocals by Tina Turner and the Ikettes, equally showcases Zappa's unique penchant for storytelling and the abilities of his studio-musician sidemen. Zappa's guitar work is also some of his finest, flaring up on "I'm the Slime," "Zomby Woof" and "Montana." --Andrew Boscardin

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Thanks to the surprise radio airplay of "Don't Eat that Yellow Snow," Apostrophe introduced a whole new audience to the music of Frank Zappa in the early '70s. Like its companion set, Over-Nite Sensation, this album found Zappa producing highly polished jazz-rock, mixing tales of absurd characters with musical showmanship and snarling guitar work. The first half of the album is a sort of mini-concept album, relating the adventures of an Eskimo named Nanook, and the second half features such Zappa classics as "Cosmik Debris" and "Stink-Foot." --Andrew Boscardin

From the Label
FZ's first gold album, thanks to the success of "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow," this is the companion(with Overnight Sensation) Rock Monster survival guide. A revved-up python bootful of songs and stories that will kick your ear on its ass. "Stink-Foot" and "Cosmik Debris" raised a few eyebrows while taking their place as permament Zappa standards.

You know the songs, but listen to the musical gymnastics the band gyrates below them; and note that the players include such notables as Jack Bruce, Jean-Luc Ponty, Aynsley Dunbar, George Duke and Ruth and Ian Underwood. Originally released in 1974.

The Classic Albums series strives to be definitive, and this must-have DVD is fully authorized in the scope of its coverage. With complete cooperation and participation from the remaining Zappa family (sons Dweezil and Ahmet, daughter Moon, and widow Gail are all extensively interviewed) and additional interviews with Billy Bob Thornton, Alice Cooper, guitarist Steve Vai, veteran Rolling Stone critic David Fricke, and many of Zappa's closest associates and collaborators, this 97-minute documentary is packed with highlights and fascinating revelations, like the pristine precision of Zappa's hand-written compositions, Zappa's childhood fascination with the compositions of Edgard Varèse, and his diligent, prolific, and disciplined, drug-free approach to recording and touring. Zappa's studio process is amazingly revealed when Dweezil and Zappa "Vaultmeister" Joe Travers sit down at a mixing table to analyze the master tapes of classic Zappa tracks like the hilariously controversial "Dyna-Moe Humm." In addition to vintage archival clips of Zappa discussing his music and career, and home movies of Zappa's band on tour during the mid-1970s, this DVD also includes the complete video of Zappa performing "I'm the Slime" on Saturday Night Live in 1976, live footage of a 1973 performance of "Montana," and a new performance of "Camarillo Brillo" by Dweezil's tribute band, Zappa Plays Zappa (with Dweezil playing one of his father's favorite Gibson guitars). Bonus features also include a Travers-hosted trip into the massive Zappa archives, and further deconstruction of Zappa tracks "Dirty Love" and "Nanook Rubs It." If you're a casual Zappa fan, this DVD will turn you into a passionate convert. For those who've loved Zappa all along, it's a little bit of heaven here on Earth. --Jeff Shannon

From the Label
FZ's version of a basic stripped-down rock record; uncomplicated and completely compelling. Alongside sharp satirical tracks like "Disco Boy" and "Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station" (which launched the onstage chant "Show me your thumb if you're really dumb") come between-the-eyes instrumentals like "Black Napkins," "Friendly Little Finger" and the title track. This disc is also the home of "The Torture Never Stops," a doomsaying blues unlike anything else in the Zappa catalogue.

Disc: 1
1. Five-five-FIVE
2. Hog Heaven
3. Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar
4. While You Were Out
5. Treacherous Cretins
6. Heavy Duty Judy
7. Soup' N Old Clothes
Disc: 2
1. Variations On The Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression
2. Gee, I Like Your Pants
3. Canarsie
4. Ship Ahoy
5. The Deathless Horsie
6. Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar Some More
7. Pink Napkins
Disc: 3
1. Beat It With Your Fist
2. Return Of The Son Of Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar
3. Pinocchio's Furniture
4. Why Johnny Can't Read
5. Stucco Homes
6. Canard Du Jour

Amazon.com
Guitar solos and nothing but. Meticulously culled and assembled by Zappa from live recordings made between 1979 and 1980, this three part set features some of the most dynamic and musical guitar work recorded anywhere by anyone. From the rhythmically dazzling "five-five-FIVE" to the unique lyricism of the three title tracks, Zappa proves beyond doubt that he belongs among the most elite of rock's guitar virtuosos. The remarkable interplay between Zappa and Vinnie Colaiuta--some consider this to be the drummer's best work--provides this album with some of its most memorable moments. --Andrew Boscardin

From the Label
100% guitar solos. The Rosetta Stone for axe players. Everyone else will be illuminated by the blindly exquisite improvised compositions, mostly culled from live performances 1979-80. A 3-CD box set with artwork that recreates the original 3-LP package.

Backed by a host of different bands, Zappa makes his instrument express stuff more blasphemous than any mere words could convey. "Five-Five-Five" and "Hog Heaven" draw his most brutal and metallic tones; "Ship Ahoy" puts Zappa's distorto-funk shuffle over a cooking rhythm section. "Canarsie" lays Zappa's sinuous SG against bizarre rhythm passages featuring Warren Cucurullo's sitar. "Treacherous Cretins" finds him soloing over a reggae riff; "Variations on the Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression" lives up to its title with the band aping a Latin percussive groove; "Beat It With Your Fist" is two minutes of maximum-velocity metal. But there's also some prettier moments here, like the reflective "Pink Napkins" and "Canard du Jour," an improvised duet with FZ on bouzouki and Jean-Luc Ponty on violin.

Originally released only by mail-order, SHUT UP became one of the more popular Zappa items and promoted a two-disc sequel, GUITAR

Disc: 1
1. Sexual Harassment In The Workplace
2. Which One Is It?
3. Republicans
4. Do Not Pass Go
5. Chalk Pie
6. In-A-Gadda-Stravinsky
7. That's Not Really Reggae
8. When No One Was No One
9. Once Again, Without The Net
10. Outside Now (Original Solo)
11. Jim & Tammy's Upper Room
12. Were We Ever Really Safe In San Antonio?
13. That OL' G Minor Thing Again
14. Hotel Atlanta Incidentals
15. That's Not Really A Shuffle
16. Move It Or Park It
17. Surise Redeemer

Disc: 2
1. Variations On Sinister #3
2. Orrin Hatch On Skis
3. But Who Was Fulcanelli?
4. For Duane
5. GOA
6. Winos Do Not march
7. Swans? What Swans?
8. Too Ugly To Show Business
9. Systems Of Edges
10. Do Not Try This At Home
11. Things That Look Like Meat
12. Watermelon In Easter Hay
13. Canadian Customs
14. Is That All There Is?
15. It Ain't Necessarily The Saint James Infirmary

Amazon.com
The sequel to Shut Up and Play Your Guitar, Guitar is a two-part collection of improvisations by Frank Zappa, assembled from live recordings between 1979 and 1984. Zappa's bands from this period provides a solid foundation for what is essentially a one-man show, as Zappa carves his "air sculptures" from fluid, lyrical guitar notes. The backdrops vary from rock to blues to free-form embellishments to Zappa-defined reggae all the while giving the soloist plenty of room to explore his instrument. While it lacks the interplay between Zappa and drummer Vinnie Colliuta (he appears on only one track of this set) that made its predecessor so remarkable, Guitar contains more than enough of Zappa's musicianship to carry the day, making this an essential part of any Zappa or guitar fan's collection. --Andrew Boscardin

From the Label
You want more solos, you got 'em. Lots of 'em. This double-CD follow-up to SHUT UP 'N' PLAY YER GUITAR compiles live recordings of FZ guitar solos collected from 1979-1984. At the time Zappa's live solos were the most unpredictable parts of his shows; they would appear as bridges between familiar numbers and vary greatly in style and content from night to night. Thus FZ's live tapes would yield a wealth of once-ever solos, the best of which would be worked into his albums. Some of these solos were used extensively on JOE'S GARAGE, while GUITAR collects the solos that FZ felt would stand best on their own.

This wall-to-wall guitar showcase brought Zappa his 6th Grammy nomination, for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance." Among the highlights are the bluesy "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace"; the self-explanatory "In-a-Gadda-Stravinsky" (yes, that's Igor meets Iron Butterfly); the suitably grisly "Republicans," the slide-guitar driving "For Duane" (excerpted from a live version of "Whippin' Post"), the reggaefied "Too Ugly for Show Business," and more. The usual impeccable cast of support players is also on hand.

1. Penguin In Bondage 
2. Pygmy Twylyte 
3. Dummy Up 
4. Village Of The Sun 
5. Echidna's Arf (Of You) 
6. Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? 
7. Cheepnis 
8. Son Of Orange County 
9. More Trouble Every Day 
10. Bebop Tango (Of The Old Jazzmen's Church) 


Amazon.com
This mostly live set features Zappa performing with the popular Mothers of Invention line-up of the early 70's--including jazz-funk meister George Duke, Napolean Murphy Brock on saxophone, and Ruth Underwood on percussion. Highlights include the souped-up funk of "Pygmy Twylyte," burning renditions of favorites "Penguin in Bondage" and "More Trouble Every Day," and the hilarious monster movie tribute "Cheepnis." Duke steals the show on several tracks, and Zappa's guitar work and "master of ceremonies" showmanship is in top form. --Andrew Boscardin

From the Label
Recorded live at LA's Roxy in 1973 (and elsewhere in May of 74), originally released as a double album (now on one CD) in the summer of 74. This band had instrumental prowess to spare (mallet percussionist Ruth Underwood has some especially dazzling moments), and struck a good balance between Zappa's sharp wit and his jazz-inspired experiments.

Track highlights include "Penguin In Bondage," "Cheepnis" (which has been remixed for this release) and "Be-Bop Tango." From Goldmine -- "Presenting Zappa as a funny, sharp-tongued master of ceremonies and mixing his caustic humor with increasingly complicated musical structures, it was a model of the kind of shows and albums Zappa would be doing over the next decade." 

Live 1975 

1. Debra Kadabra 
2. Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy 
3. Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top 
4. Poofter's Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead 
5. 200 Years Old 
6. Cucamonga 
7. Advance Romance 
8. Man With The Woman Head 
9. Muffin Man 

Amazon.com
Captain Beefheart-weirdness and straight-on rock and roll highlight this mostly live album original released in 1975. Best when showcasing his evolving guitar skills and Terry Bozzio's thundering drums, Bongo Fury contains some of Zappa's more enduring songs, such as "Advanced Romance and "Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy." The endless riff and blistering guitar solo of "Muffin Man" is one of the high points of Zappa's onstage career. "Goodnight Austin, Texas, wherever you are!" --Andrew Boscardin

From the Label
Recorded live at Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas in 1975 (and originally released later that same year), Bongo Fury reunites FZ and the inimitable Captain Beefheart (the pair hadn't been heard together since "Willie the Pimp" on HOT RATS). Track highlights include the concert encore fave "Muffin Man," "Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy" and two Beefheart compositions unavailable elsewhere -- "Sam With The Showing Scalp Flat Top" and "Man With The Woman Head." Also here is "200 Years Old," a backhanded anthem released in advance of the US bicentennial.

Baby Snakes captures Frank Zappa's 1977 Halloween performance at the Palladium.  This film includes material from album that as well as many other Zappa classics in this two and a half hour performance.  His band includes guitar virtuoso Adrian Belew and drummer Terry Bozzio. 

In the background there is some very intense clay animation by Bruce Bickford. The film includes some backstage scenes.  Originally released in 1979, DVD transfer 2003.

1 Baby Snakes Rehearsal
2 "This Is the Show They Never See"
3 Baby Snakes
4 Bruce Bickford/"Disco Outfreakage"
5 The Poodle Lecture
6 "She Said"/City of Tiny Lites
7 New York's Finest Crazy Persons
8 "The Way the Air Smells..."
9 Pound - Bass & Kybds Solo
10 "In You" Rap/Dedication
11 Managua/Police Car/Drum Solo
12 Disco Boy
13 "Give People Somewhere to Xscape Thru"
14 King Kong/Roy's Halloween Gas Mask
15 Bobby Brown Goes Down
16 Conehead/"All You Need to Know"
17 I'm So Cute/"Entertainment All the Way"
18 Titties 'N' Beer/Audience Participation/The Black Page #2 & The Danc
19 Jones Crusher
20 Broken Hearts Are for Assholes
21 Punky's Whips
22 "Thank You"/Dinah-Moe Humm
23 Camarillo Brillo/Muffin Man
24 San Ber'dino
25 Black Napkins
26 New York's Finest #2 & Credits
27 "Good Night"

Audio Soundtrack
1. Intro Rap
2. Baby Snakes
3. Titties `N' Beer
4. The Black Page #2
5. Jones Crusher
6. Disco Boy
7. Dinah Moe Hum
8. Punky's Whips

From the Label (audio)
The soundtrack to the Zappa feature film (which opened in 1979). Originally released as a picture disc LP in 1983, these are live recordings from the 1977 Halloween show at NYC's Palladium. "Dinah-Moe Humm," "The Black Page," "Jones Crusher" and "Disco Boy" as performed by a band that included Adrian Belew (singing what may be the definitive version of "City of Tiny Lights"), Terry Bozzio (featured on the notorious "Punky's Whips"), Patrick O'Hearn, Roy Estrada and Tommy Mars.

Frank Zappa Books

Frank Zappa DVD

Frank Zappa CD