Spinning Today - What Are You Listening To Right Now? (Part 3)

[Pigmy Pony]

Zappa produced an enormous canon of work going through many directions. I find his 'vaudeville' period lyrically puerile, but put up with it for his superb guitar playing.

I saw him in London years ago - it was his "Titties and Beer" tour and he was excellent. A true showman.

That wasn't when he got chucked off the stage was it?

I've heard it said that you either 'get' his music or you don't, which suggests to me a kind of elitism, which i don't agree with. It's perfectly possible to like some but not all of his output. I for one really like his 'Hot rats' albums, but then cannot get on with "Weasels ripped my flesh". I can't even say I prefer his earlier or later stuff, it's quite random.

In interview, Billy Bob Thornton described his guitar playing as sounding like razor blades, and I know what he means. So I thought I would love his box set "Shut up 'n' Play Yer Guitar". I didn't. No way would I sit through all three discs. Too much of a good thing perhaps.

My favourite would have to be "Overnite Sensation" (indeed the song "Montana" is where my username comes from) Might put that on after this, which I'm currently playing:

[Pigmy Pony]

I got one you can have, it's pretty minty I think.

Just listening to it now (on CD), it really is such a quality album. Plus his Dylan impression on 'Flakes' always makes me laugh.

Thanks Mart, I'll take you up on that. Some Zappa albums have become quite pricey. Agree about "Flakes", he sounds more like Dylan than Dylan

[rmcin626]

Currently streaming this , Tucker Zimmerman

[Pigmy Pony]

[Macca]

Thanks Mart, I'll take you up on that. Some Zappa albums have become quite pricey. Agree about "Flakes", he sounds more like Dylan than Dylan

I looked it up and apparently it's not Zappa who does Dylan, it's Adrian Belew.

I reckon it's Zappa who interjects with 'Wanna buy some mandies, Bob?'

'Mandies' are MDMA tabs. I wondered about that for years before the internet came along and gave the answer.

[Barry]

Zappa did all sorts, I find a lot it unlistenable but the stuff he did that I like, I really like.

Got quite a lot of Beefheart's stuff when I was young, but now I only ever listen to 'Clear Spot'. Most of it is just too self-indulgent for me.

Agree Beefheart can be very self indulgent. His 'Trout Mask Replica' is, to my ears, unlistenable. Yet it appears in the top most influential discs of the last fifty years or so. Goodness knows why - I have a theory that no-one understands it but critics are too afraid to admit it. One theory is that Beefheart came in the studio to record it wearing a new hat that he refused to remove so as to use headphones. This meant he couldn't hear what the others were playing in their own booths, so was out of time with all of them. I think this theory far-fetched. The fact the record was produced by Zappa, who also was a champion of the equally unlistenable Wild Man Fisher, I think has a lot to do with it.

That said I do like his debut album 'Safe as Milk' and 'Clear Spot'. There are a couple of others I have which aren't too bad.

[Pigmy Pony]

Time for one more before Mrs. P gets home to spoil my fun.

[Barry]

Ah, "Hot Rats, part II".

(See if you can listen to 'Chunga's Revenge' before Anita tells you to "turn that awful music off". )

[Pigmy Pony]

I looked it up and apparently it's not Zappa who does Dylan, it's Adrian Belew.

I reckon it's Zappa who interjects with 'Wanna buy some mandies, Bob?'

'Mandies' are MDMA tabs. I wondered about that for years before the internet came along and gave the answer.

Yeah, I'd assumed it was Frank...

Your internet's broke Mart, Mandies (a nickname for Mandrax) was a powerful sedative, also called Quaaludes in the US. Deadly dangerous and super addictive, I think they stopped being made years ago.

I know, nobody likes a smartarse. But Bob Dylan on MDMA, that would be quite a combination

[Pigmy Pony]

Ah, "Hot Rats, part II".

(See if you can listen to 'Chunga's Revenge' before Anita tells you to "turn that awful music off". )

Would if I could but I can't, I haven't got that one Currently I only have about a dozen albums of his. I gave up attempting his entire discography many years ago, when it numbered about 50 - God knows how many there'll be by now.