Frank Zappa is arguably the most genre-spanning innovative artist of the 20th century. In his 30 year career he's pushed
theboundaries for avant-garde/art rock, jazz, doo wop, pop, R&B, among many others. As well as toying with these genres,
he alsoventured into the less contemporary, composing pieces with full orchestras and a synthesizing machine called a
Synclavier. He wasalso known for his satirical humour, taking aim at everything from the hippie flower child culture, music
censorship (which he helpedbattle against in the 80s), to media in general, and parodied countless others (most ...read more
Frank Zappa is arguably the most genre-spanning innovative artist of the 20th century. In his 30 year career he's pushed
theboundaries for avant-garde/art rock, jazz, doo wop, pop, R&B, among many others. As well as toying with these genres,
he alsoventured into the less contemporary, composing pieces with full orchestras and a synthesizing machine called a
Synclavier. He wasalso known for his satirical humour, taking aim at everything from the hippie flower child culture, music
censorship (which he helpedbattle against in the 80s), to media in general, and parodied countless others (most notably in his
three part/LP rock opera Joe'sGarage.
Zappa started out with his band [l]Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (which is regarded as a separate
discography fromhis solo career), debuting with 1966's Freak Out!. Though it was groundbreaking and influential (the
first concept album), TheMothers never garnered much mainstream success or support from its record company. The original
Mothers disbanded in 1969,but Zappa's solo career went on (it began with 1968's Lumpy Gravy.) He reformed the
Mothers once more in 1970 and finallydissolved them in 1975. He released albums entirely through the 70s, and even gained
some mainstream attention with Dancin'Fool from 1978's Sheik Yerbouti, and the infamous Valley Girls from
1982's Ship Arriving Too Late to Save aDrowning Witch. The Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar trilogy from 1981 has
helped solidify Zappa as one of the best guitarplayers, being entirely instrumental and stuffed with guitar solos (1988's double
album Guitar was also centered aroundZappa's live solos). His reputation as a guitar hero was heightened with his
tutoring of shredding icon Steve Vai. He died in1993 of cancer at 52. Posthumous released come out regularly, as Zappa
left an astonishing amount of of unreleased and unfinishedmusic, as well as concerts that make it to official releases. « hide
