Frank Zappa: Good Music or Cult Of Personality?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Chemically altered, May 23, 2022.

  1. BeatleJWOL

    BeatleJWOL Senior Member

  2. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    I can't think of many others that have the personality of Zappa, do you? :rolleyes:
     
  3. a customer

    a customer Forum Resident

    Location:
    virginia
    Way Overrated.
    He makes an album trying to make fun of Sgt Pepper.
    I guess you do what you have do to be noticed.
    Hot rats is interesting
    Willie the pimp still holds up
     
  4. dlokazip

    dlokazip Forum Transient

    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    This should be a poll.

    There is a point in the Roxy shows where "T'Mershi Duween" goes into "The Dog Breath Variations/Uncle Meat" which then goes into "RDZNL". It is just exquisite and all-instrumental. I fail to see what cult of personality has to do with any of that.
     
  5. All artists have their own "personalities" from my experience -Zappa is obviously no exception. :rolleyes:
     
    Ryan Lux likes this.
  6. Galeans

    Galeans Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    The way you phrased the original question makes it sound like you're saying: "I like Zappa's music up to a certain extent. His fanbase likes it much more than that. Is that because they see Zappa as an infallible God?". What I, big Zappa fan, and others have responded is that it isn't so.

    There is a bit of 'cult of personality' with every popular artist: as an example, just take a lot at some of the Beatles threads that get opened on this very forum. But I don't think Zappa's fanbase is worse or better than all the others on this aspect.
     
  7. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    :rolleyes:
     
  8. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    You're very very good at mind reading. What am I thinking right now?
     
  9. Exactly -much better expressed than my earlier post.
     
    tug_of_war likes this.
  10. How can I phrase a question more effectively?
     
  11. Wild Horse

    Wild Horse Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Annoying and overrated
     
    Smith likes this.
  12. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    Is it because there is the possibility that Zappa might not be all that, that has got your panties in a bind?
     
  13. :rolleyes:
     
    Billy Infinity likes this.
  14. Galeans

    Galeans Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Let me see. I think you're being sarcastic and unnecessarily on the defensive. All I did was telling you the way we read your question and why you got certain reactions. By saying this:

    I was implying that my original, slightly annoyed answer, could have been a result of me misreading your intentions/original question. There is absolutely zero need to get salty about it.
     
  15. Anthrax

    Anthrax Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    I've never encountered a fan of Zappa's that gushed over his personality. Zappa fans are fans because of his music, and it's his music, highly individual and distinctive, and his no less unique recordings, that have continued to attract and fascinate fans through the decades. The fact that he was intelligent, articulate, charismatic and had a wicked sense of humour, adds to the picture and enhances it, but it's not the main attraction.

    A better case for cult of personality might be made for someone like Jim Morrison instead.
     
    Ryan Lux, Swansong, monotone and 6 others like this.
  16. tug_of_war

    tug_of_war Unable to tolerate bass solos

    The possibility is that not everybody likes an artist's work. And it does happen.
    Anything else is too subjective to get anyone's panties in a bind...
     
  17. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    You could have stated what you like or dislike about Zappa's music, instead of taking offense and posting babyish eye roll emojis, and I would have taken you seriously. Now, you're just another on the ignore list.
     
    mbd40 likes this.
  18. Swordsandchains

    Swordsandchains True metal never rusts

    Location:
    Chicago
    Great music and great composer. Dare i say the most underrated composer of the 20th century?
     
    emmodad, Swansong and Rfreeman like this.
  19. Vibrolux_Reverb

    Vibrolux_Reverb Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Orleans, LA
    I love his music. There are a few albums that aren’t for me, but he has at least 15 albums that I would consider to be exceptional pieces of music.
    He was a genius composer and visionary, and an incredible guitarist as well
     
  20. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    Yes, that's a good example that I didn't think of. Well done.
     
    spindly likes this.
  21. DTK

    DTK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    I never "got" him, but I suppose some of his guitar playing is nice. His attitude was kind of off-putting.
     
  22. Chemically altered

    Chemically altered Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ukraine in Spirit
    Sorry, but I really take offense at people putting words in my mouth. Let's put this behind us as I like your posts.
     
  23. MarcS

    MarcS Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Great music and often some of the best musicians on the planet playing it.
     
  24. Trainspotting

    Trainspotting Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Just the LP cover was a Sgt Pepper's spoof, the music had nothing to do with the Beatles.
     
    seed_drill, Swansong, spindly and 9 others like this.
  25. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    The music speaks for itself, but I certainly think the hardcore, extremely dedicated fandom of a lot of Zappa fans is certainly cemented or enhanced by his beliefs, attitudes and personality. And while I don't think this is always the case (separating art from artist is a necessary skill to enjoy certain things), for Frank I think they're absolutely integral to each other.
     
    Library Eye and tug_of_war like this.

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