Full Description
The Words and Music of Frank Zappa moves beyond the details of Frank Zappa's life (1940-93) toward a focused treatment of the rock and pop songs of this great American composer. Today Zappa's music can be appreciated as a whole, emerging as a coherent, thoughtful, and innovative—if somewhat daunting—body of work. Author Kelly Fisher Lowe has left no aspect of that work unexamined, from Zappa's role as a satirist of the highest order to his place in the genre of "progressive rock" and his importance as an influential critic of American culture and society. The volume begins with discussions of Zappa's role as a satirist and his musical style, then proceeds to an in-depth examination of his albums. Through this extended engagement with Zappa's music, a surprisingly clear perspective on his personal views emerges, shedding light on his treatment of such topics as the falsified notion of love in popular culture, the compromising influence of money on popular music, and the concept of freedom in a systematized society. The book includes an official discography and an up-to-date bibliographic essay.
Contents
Introduction to the Bison Books Edition
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Why Study Frank Zappa?
1. You Call That Music?
2. Satire and the Art of Frank Zappa
3. The Mothers of Invention
Freak Out!
Absolutely Free
We're Only in It for the Money
Lumpy Gravy
Cruising with Ruben and the Jets
Uncle Meat
Mothermania
4. Hot Rats, the Last Two Mothers Albums, Flo & Eddie, and the Jazz-Rock Albums
Hot Rats
Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh
Chunga's Revenge; Fillmore East, June 1971; 200 Motels; and Just Another Band from L.A.
Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo
5. The Duke-Brock / Progressive Rock Bands, Läther, and the Terry Bozzio Albums
Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophy (')
Roxy & Elsewhere,mso-bidi-font-style: normal"One Size Fits All, and Bongo Fury
Zoot Allures
Zappa in New York, Studio Tan, and Sleep Dirt
Sheik Yerbouti
6. Politics: 1979-88
Joe's Garage, Acts I, II, & III
Tinsel Town Rebellion
You Are What You Is
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
The Man from Utopia and Them or Us
Thing-Fish
Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
Broadway the Hard Way
Conclusion
Discography of Available Zappa Recordings
Notes
Bibliographic Essay
Bibliography
Index
