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by karaterobot 695 days ago
I tried to like Zappa. I like the idea of Zappa. My brother got a tattoo of Frank Zappa's face on on his bicep in the army, and we agree on a lot of music. Imagine my dismay when I admitted I couldn't like any of it. On the other hand Trout Mask Replica is at least an interesting album.
5 comments

I feel the same about the Grateful Dead. I like jam bands, I like all of the bands and musicians that hung out with or played with them, all of my friends like them. Ripple is pretty nice. I should absolutely like them, but whatever magic is there my ears don't pick up on. Their studio version of Good Lovin might be the worst thing a "good" band I have ever heard recorded, like a shitty band at the community 4th of July party that 17 people are dancing to and the other 2000 are trying to ignore.
Zoot Allures was pretty good. besides that the only thing I like by him is his earliest stuff, like Lumpy Gravy. 90% of the his discography is unlistenable to me, and I listen mostly to stuff that people would classify as unlistenable.
You don't like ANY of it? Not even Apostrophe / Overnite Sensation?!
There's not one Zappa, either. There's the one that gave us Hot Rats, which is quite different from The grand wazoo & Waka/Jawaka, which are different from Yellow Shark and Everything is healing nicely. Then there are all the guitar solo albums...
I just listened to a Zappa song for the first time... bobby brown. Sounds just like Reggie Watts to me! Add in some Weird Al.
Zappa is the Dr Pepper of music. Either you like it or hate it.