ALBUMS: Freak Out (1966); Mothers of Invention Golden Archives Series (1970); Apostrophe/Over Nite Sensation (1973); Joe’s Garage (1979). Joe’s Garage Acts II and III (1979.)
MVC Ratings: Freak Out, 4.5/$$$$$; Mothers, 4.0/$$$$$; Apostrophe 4. 0/$$$$; Joe’s Garage 4.0/$$$$$; Joe’s Garage Acts II and III, 4.0/$$$$.
On the inner space of the gatefold is a quote from one who is only described as ‘A Noted LA Disc Jockey, who proclaims: No commercial potential.
This was after the release of the two-record, groundbreaking ‘Freak Out’ in 1966. True, in retrospect Zappa has had very few hits over the course of his 60-plus albums. (‘Valley Girl’ with his daughter Moon Unit, and Joe’s Garage are two that jump out.)
Zappa is hard to pigeonhole by genre — jazz, rock, classical, avant- garde, satire. He covers a lot of territory.
He is frequently ranked on best guitarists’ lists. He was an admirer of Edgar Varese, an experimental composer who once said: ‘What is music but organized noises?’
Zappa’s first album with the Mothers of Invention, which included two members of the disbanded Turtles of ‘Happy Together’ fame, is considered a cornerstone of the psychedelic rock wave.
The influence was mind-altering substances. The psyche songs were typically longer with freak-out elements like fuzz and wah-wah guitar, distorted vocals, and unfathomable lyrics and long jams. While the ’66 album ‘Freak Out had most of these elements — Freak Out’s final album side was all one song ‘The Return of the Sun of the Monster Magnet.’
And while it truly was the kind of music that would freak you out (or laugh at the absurdity, it was also a colossal put-on or put-down by Zappa, who did not use recreational drugs and was roasting all things hippie. The biggest Psych-out here was that while listeners were freaking out at the music, the music was holding them up for ridicule.
One song, ‘Flower Punk’ on the Golden Archives best of Mothers’ was a parody of Hey Joe, the blues song made psychedelic by Jimi Hendrix.
Hey Punk, where you going with that flower in your hand/Well, I’m goin’ up to Frisco to join a psychedelic band.
I’m goin’ up to Frisco to join a psychedelic band.
“Help I’m a Rock’ is another song that skewers drug influenced music. Help I’m a Rock is repeated over steady percussion. Then the freak-out begins. ‘Who could imagine we’re going to freak out in Kansas (several voices join in singing Kansas, Kansas, doo doo doo doo.)
Joe’s Garage came out in 1979 when I was settling into Auburn University. I heard this on college radio and ran out to buy the album. (That’s the way it’s supposed to be; there was no streaming music that you pushed a button to get.)
I love the song chronicling the life cycle of a rock band. The album is thematic and uses several of Zappa’s trademark and puerile R-rated tunes such as ‘Wet T-Shirt Night’ and ‘Crew Slut.’ They were kind of funny to a Howard Stern audience, or 13-year-olds.
In the second album, two-record set called Joe’s Garage II and III, Zappa comes up with an excellent instrumental piece called ‘Watermelon in Easter Hay.’
Zappa got some exposure in the 1980s when he took on Tipper Gore and the PRMC.
Zappa obviously was a talent. (He died of cancer in 1993). I think some of his lyrics are sexist. Some were absurdist funny as in the song ‘Montana,’ he sings: ‘I’m moving to Montana soon to start a dental floss farm,’
And he has good advice: He offers this to those moving to Montana or anywhere there is lots of snow: ‘Watch out where the huskies go and don’t you eat that yellow snow.’