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Title: REAL FRANK ZAPPA BOOK by Frank Zappa, Peter Occhiogrosso ISBN: 0-671-70572-5 Publisher: Fireside Pub. Date: 15 May, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.67 (49 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: More like "The Rantin' With Frank Zappa Book"
Comment: Somewhere in this book, Frank mentioned that he's a huge fan of coffee and cigarettes. This book proves it. It reads far less like a coherent chronicle of his life than a five-hour, stimulant-fueled, stream-of consciousness rant about a number of topics apparently irking Frank that day. The unfortunate result is an unfocused, dated train wreck, where we are "treated" to such groundbreaking insights as Televangelists are Bad, Reagan was Conservative, the War on Drugs is Ineffective and the PMRC is a Joke. Thanks.
Now, I don't blame Frank; he was just being honest. I instead focus my exasperation on the "editor" of this disaster, who should have immediately recognized that most of this book would be completely irrelevant the minute it hit the press. What's more, since anyone with a basic background in journalism would instantly know that most of Frank's diatribes were based almost entirely on conjecture, hearsay and dubious conspiracy theories, it should have been obvious that a full half of this book is complete crap.
The result is that not only is the last half of this book unreadable, but also that a wonderful opportunity for a first-hand account of a fascinating story was forever lost. I mean, here's a guy who, I believe, has released almost 100 albums, has produced some of history's most groundbreaking rock music, and became a virtuoso guitarist and respected composer with no formal musical training-where's that story? Instead, we suffer through 50 pages of Frank watching charismatic preachers from Texas on TV, describing point by excruciating point what's happening on the screen.
If the person overseeing this mess would have had the slightest hint of a spine and reeled this thing in, we might have had a truly insightful glimpse into what made this enigmatic genius tick. Instead, we learn that Frank would like to see Apartheid abolished. Oh wait, that happened 15 years ago. A wasted opportunity.
Rating: 2
Summary: Boring
Comment: Very little historical information; instead, mostly dated rants, opinions, and ah, yes, information about what Frank ate for dinner, if that strikes your fancy.
It was somewhat interesting, however, to read Frank's reasoning concerning the whole PMRC/Tipper Gore/censorship thing, that it was being used to draw attention from other legislation that was much more evil.
Rating: 5
Summary: Hysterical and Thoughtful
Comment: I was never a huge Zappa fan growing up. His music was incredible, but his lyrics were stupid, so I thought then. I started to pay attention to him when the rock and roll trials happened during the 1980's. He skewered the PMRC during both the hearings and late night news talk shows. It was this reason I decided to read his book. What came out of the book was a very thoughtful man who looked on his life with a great deal of humor. He writes about his early childhood along with the early years of the Mothers of Invention. The various stories of life on the road with the hanger-ons is truly hysterical.
This book is not about his music per se, but how he views the world. His decriptions of his version of the rock and roll hearings and the meanings behind them may seem a bit dated today, however they were certainly very important at the time. Zappa also explores his views on marriage and children. What comes across is a man who is very devoted to his loved ones and is actually very ordinary despite the insanity that seemed to surround him with the music world. His section on "What Frank Eats" is truly one of my favorite parts of the book.
My only complaint with the book is that he does not spend enough time on his later work, which I think is a true shame and he does not do analysis of his music. As you read his book you will left thinking that he would think this portion would be a waste of time. This is a wonderful book and is highley reccommended.
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Title:Frank Zappa - Baby Snakes ASIN: B0000JML7G Publisher: Geneon Entertainment Pub. Date: 09 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $18.74 |
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Title: Electric Don Quixote: The Definitive Story of Frank Zappa by Neil Slaven ISBN: 0711994366 Publisher: Omnibus Press Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: No Commercial Potential: The Saga of Frank Zappa by David Walley ISBN: 0306807106 Publisher: DaCapo Press Pub. Date: September, 1996 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title:Does Humor Belong in Music? Frank Zappa Live ASIN: B0000E2W05 Publisher: Emi Distribution Pub. Date: 13 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $19.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99 |
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Title:Sheik Yerbouti ASIN: B0000009SV Publisher: Rykodisc Pub. Date: 02 May, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.99 |
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