Zappa in New York… it is truly amazing to me how exceptionally skilled his ensemble his. Without exaggeration, that’s one of the most skilled ensembles I’ve ever heard, and I’m not just talking rock music.
The purple lagoon! That amazing lineup had a lot of the usual suspects, PLUS the Brecker brothers, yes, but... by the 80s, his bands had to rehearse even more: eight hours a day, for months, until they had mastered over 120 songs. On stage, he could make just one gesture, twirling his hair or grabbing his crotch, and they'd switch whatever tune to reggae or metal, because why not?
His 70s bands might have a slight edge in terms of pure talent, but they might have not survived the grind of the 80s (which contributed in no small part to the implosion of 1988...).
His 70s bands might have a slight edge in terms of pure talent, but they might have not survived the grind of the 80s (which contributed in no small part to the implosion of 1988...).