He made fun of the Beatles, Hendrix, etc.
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franzkabuki — 11 years ago(April 06, 2015 04:02 PM)
He certainly wanted to make a run for it, but this is where he finally seems to have given in to a manner of delusion - there's no way in hell he would have gone far in that particular race. He was much too level headed, intelligent, straight-forward and indeed sane for that business. Also, he was an atheist and supported legalizing all drugs now sell THAT to masses!
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan -
sticksstoneswwiv — 11 years ago(April 07, 2015 12:27 AM)
Zappa would have only been a write-in candidate.
It would be more about the campaign as a vehicle for his views.
I suspect if Zappa was alive today he would be even more political and on the shows and radio calling out the BS.
BTW
174 people ran in 2012!
link:
http://www.politics1.com/p2012.htm
Amusing
PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY:
(Rosanne Barr - yes that Rosenanne Barr)
directly above:
PROHIBITION PARTY:
You really get your choice of society there! -
dalldorfw — 15 years ago(July 19, 2010 11:03 PM)
I doubt he had anything against 'The Beatles.' He cast Ringo in his first movie (200 Motels) and had worked with them on stage.
Granted Zappa's satire was sometimes harsh and cynical (just the way satire should be), and he loved to mock pop culture, but not everything he did was meant to be satirical; sometimes he was just being funny. Not every lampoon is necessarily an attack. -
franzkabuki — 15 years ago(July 25, 2010 05:05 AM)
Zappas "political versions" of the 3 Beatles songs are some of the funniest stuff Ive ever heard. And just because he confessed to only loving "a few" of their songs dont mean he fundamentally hated them. Also, I see nothing but respect in his treatment of Stairway To Heaven, for instance - sure there are these humorous asides, but it was all about celebrating great music. A gift to audience who got to hear not only Zappa, but also Led Zeppelin (I personally like his version actually better - just because Plants whiny voice was substituted for the awesome Ike Willis baritone).
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan -
musicbymartin — 15 years ago(October 22, 2010 12:50 PM)
I agree about Stairway to Heaven - Frank took the time to transcribe Jimmy Page's solo perfectly for his brass section - not the actions of someone who hated that music.
He loved doo-wop as a musical form, but at the same time often spoke of it's "stupidity" and how "ugly" it was, and reveled in the ugliness. On many of his records, he made music that is both very ugly and ridiculous, and very beautiful at the same time. He was aware that the heart of that contradiction was the split between lyrics and music that an earlier poster made very clear. He knew that the Beatles and Hendrix and doo-wop and Zeppelin made very beautiful music, but very often with ridiculous lyrics that was often pretentious, or double-entendre or sixth-form poetry.
I think this was a very astute observation, showing much clarity and, as good satire should, going straight for the sacred cows. This is far from the actions of a pyschotic, but someone who was aware of his culture and had a genuine gift for musicology as well as a genius for music.
I've been in the group for years and
I know
, he always listens. -
cheepnis — 15 years ago(November 12, 2010 10:46 PM)
I think there were two factors at work one was his cynical (astute?) view about the hippie/peace/drug culture and the icons they looked up to The Beatles, and John Lennon especially, sang about peace and love, but were really a huge commercial money-making enterprise. It's not like they were giving all the money they made off of Beatles lunchboxes to peace efforts. They were spending the money on gold Rolls Royces and drugs and Jimi Hendrix was the same.
At the same time, I think there was a little jealousy because everything the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix make went straight to the top of the charts, but he couldn't ever find the same commercial appeal, although he was probably far more deserving. -
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mdjpeace — 11 years ago(January 19, 2015 05:19 PM)
Psychotic? Er, no. Satirical? Yes. And those commenting on his associations with Ringo Starr, John Lennon are correct- who knows- he may even have rubbed shoulders with Hendrix as they were on the same bill at the Isle of White Festival(he rescued Jimi's guitar on that historic occasion and had it restored- hardly the actions of a madman).
Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?! -
Harry_Greb — 11 years ago(February 28, 2015 05:18 AM)
they were on the same bill at the Isle of White Festival
Although Hendrix did appear in 1970 at the Isle of Wight, Frank never played there.
I haven't checked this; but, as far as I know, these two astonishing guitarists were never on the same bill, although I'd rather like to be proved wrong about that. Nor have I ever heard anything about Frank rescuing Jimi's guitar.
Hendrix did, of course, put in an appearance on the cover of
We're Only In It For the Money
, so I rather doubt whether Frank did hate him. I realise that
Hey Joe
is travestied on that album as
Flower Punk
, but that is hardly an attack upon Hendrix, is it? Especially as Jimi didn't even write the song in the first place.
I once read that the only person Frank really did hate (apart from Dan Quayle) was Jean-Luc Ponty, but no evidence or explanation for this was given. If true, it is rather a shame, as J.L.P.s solo on
Fifty Fifty
is, to m5b4y mind, the highlight of the whole of
Overnite Sensation.
Follow your spirit; and upon this charge
Cry, God for Harry, England, and St. George! -
mdjpeace — 17 years ago(April 01, 2009 11:18 PM)
Hi Harry- according to info. I saw online(a court case involving- the said guitar- which had gone missing after FZ's death was finally returned to the Zappa family), FZ was back-stage at IOW and afterward asked JH's roadie for the damaged guitar which he was given and had restored(?). I just assumed FZ was on the billing & played but you're right there's no mention of either in the article and I've never seen footage which would help(but it would be interesting to know what reason he had for being there other than artistic interest- could he have been a Hendrix groupie? Laughs). Very interesting re. WOIIFTM album cover(I always thought it was cool that he showed up on that) and re. Jean Luc Ponty.
Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?! -
Strong_Mad — 10 years ago(July 08, 2015 04:47 PM)
FZ was a very angry curmudgeon and made fun of absolutely everything. to be perfectly honest, the reason he probably never took shots at his idols (Stravinsky, Varese) is because neither of those artists would have been particularly funny to hammer on.
the beatles and hippie culture? that's the gift that keeps on giving. they're their own best trolls.
A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?