 |
Frank Zappa was one of the most accomplished
composers of the rock era; his music combines an understanding
of and appreciation for such contemporary classical figures as
Stravinsky, Stockhausen, and Varèse with an affection for late-'50s
doo wop rock & roll and a facility for the guitar-heavy rock that
dominated pop in the '70s. But Zappa was also a satirist whose
reserves of scorn seemed bottomless and whose wicked sense of
humor and absurdity have delighted his numerous fans, even when
his lyrics crossed over the broadest bounds of taste. Finally,
Zappa was perhaps the most prolific record-maker of his time,
turning out massive amounts of music on his own Barking Pumpkin
label and through distribution deals with Rykodisc and Rhino after
long, unhappy associations with industry giants like Warner Brothers
and the now-defunct MGM.
Zappa became interested in music early and pursued his studies
in school, up through a six-month stint at Chaffey College in
Alta Loma, CA. He scored a couple of low-budget films and used
the money to buy a low-budget recording studio. In 1964, he joined
a local band called the Soul Giants, which, over the course of
the next two years, evolved into the Mothers, who played songs
written by Zappa. The band was signed to the Verve division of
MGM by producer Tom Wilson in 1966 and recorded its first album,
a two-LP set called Freak Out!, which introduced Zappa's interests
in both serious music and pop as well as his scathing wit. (Verve
insisted on adding "of Invention" to the band's name.)
Subsequent albums extended the musical and lyrical themes of the
debut, and they came frequently. Three albums, for example, hit
the charts in 1968: We're Only in It for the Money, a Mothers
album that made fun of hippies and Sgt. Pepper; Lumpy Gravy, a
Zappa solo album recorded with an orchestra; and Cruising With
Ruben & the Jets, on which the Mothers played neo-doo wop. Toward
the end of the '60s, Zappa expanded the Mothers lineup, turning
more toward instrumental jazz-rock, much of which displayed his
technically accomplished guitar playing. But by the end of the
decade, he had broken up the band.
In 1970, however, Zappa reassembled a new edition of the Mothers,
featuring former Turtles lead singers Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan
as frontmen. The lineup moved the group more in the direction
of X-rated comedy, notably on the album Fillmore East: June 1971,
but it was short-lived: during a performance at the Rainbow Theatre
in London, Zappa was pushed from the stage by a demented fan and
seriously injured.
While he recovered, Zappa released several albums, then he re-formed
the Mothers with himself as lead singer and made pop/rock albums
such as Over-nite Sensation that were among his best-selling records
ever. By the end of the '70s, Zappa was recording on his own labels,
distributed in some cases by the majors, and he had attracted
a consistent cult following for both his humor and his complex
music. (Zappa's band, in fact, became a training ground for high-quality
rock musicians, much as Miles Davis' was for jazz players.)
In the '80s, Zappa gained the rights to his old albums and began
to reissue them, at first on his own and then through the pioneering
Rykodisc CD label. He wrote his autobiography and embarked on
a world tour in 1988. That was the end of his live performing,
except for such isolated appearances as one in Czechoslovakia
at the invitation of its post-Communist president, Zappa fan Vaclav
Havel. In late 1991, it was confirmed that Zappa was seriously
ill with cancer. Nevertheless, his schedule of album releases
continued to be rapid. Zappa died in December of 1993, with a
number of posthumous releases to follow.
This bio courtesy www.allmusic.com
|
Learn To play guitar like a rock star!
Recommended guitar courses from GuitarMadeSimple.com |
Level 1 & 2: "Guitar
Made Simple" By Chris Standring
From
absolute beginner to solid intermediate, this course walks
you through absolutely everything necessary to give you a
strong grounding in a wide variety of guitar styles. You will
learn open chords, strumming patterns, single line melodies,
25 well known songs, notes on the fretboard, sight-reading,
Blues, rock, classical, single string improv and venture into
a little jazz, and much much more. All with audio, video,
TAB and traditional music notation. More info and order Guitar
Made Simple here
"Move over Mel Bay! 'Guitar Made Simple'
is an extremely well thought out beginners program, with a
very thorough and personal approach to help you easily learn
how to play the guitar... correctly! So much more than trying
to learn alone with just a book, this brilliant system connects
with you as if an instructor is right with you in your own
home. Well done Chris!" - Corky James LA studio
guitarist with Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Kelly Clarkson,
Leann Rimes, Backstreet Boys, Liz Phair, Nick Lachey and Mandy
Moore
|
|
Level 2 & 3: "Play
What You Hear" By Chris Standring
From
intermediate to advanced level, this highly acclaimed course
teaches you how to "play what you hear". You will
learn the jazz vocabulary and understand how to improvise
using this vocab over many different harmonies. You will learn
to hear major, melodic minor and blues scales and learn harmony
and how to see it all very simply on the fretboard. Over 300
audio examples and tons of play along tracks. More info and
order Play What You Hear here
"By far the most innovative and effective
ear training program for guitarists I have seen! Simply the
best learning method to come along since Jamie Abersold. Chris
has hit on something really good and much needed today Players
of my generation learned to play on the bandstand as we were
forced to "play what we heard" and if we didn't,
we had to get it together pretty darn quick. This course will
help speed up that learning process rapidly. I will recommend
this course to my students highly!" - Ron Eschete
Concord Recording artist and educator
|
|
|
|
|
How good is your guitar playing?
Take this simple test and find
out now!
|
|
 |
Take The Test! |
How good are you in your opinion?
|
|
| |
Read all about the great rock Guitarists here:
|
|
|
|
