Frank Zappa: Freak out!: Review (2024)

FAQs

Did Frank Zappa ever have a hit song? ›

“Dancin' Fool” Zappa performed this song on Saturday Night Live in 1979 and it appears on his album Sheik Yerbouti. It is a satire on disco and single culture in the late 1970's. Depends on the country. In the USA it's “Valley Girl”, his only hit.

The term 'musical genius' is so overused as to be obsolete. Yet it's difficult not to draw on it when it comes to the story of Frank Zappa. “I would say yes, he was – as long as you put the word 'musical' there,” says Don Preston.

apostrophe (') —Zappa's 19th and highest charting LP—is a concept album, or half of one at least; Side A tells the story of Nanook the Eskimo Boy, while the second half is about who knows what.

That's what google says, there is not doubt he is a genius, but that is above even Einstein and other world renowned geniuses. Frank never took an IQ test.

It is perhaps for this reason Lennon criticised Frank Zappa, who he was always cautious of despite being a fan. “I admire Zappa a bit,” Lennon said, “but he's a f*ckin' intellectual”. You'd be forgiven for thinking that a compliment, but Lennon always regarded intellectualism as anathema to rock music.

His work is characterized by nonconformity, improvisation sound experimentation, musical virtuosity and satire of American culture. Zappa also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. He is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse musicians of his generation.

Leonardo da Vinci, probably the most important Renaissance artist, is widely recognized as the most famous artist of all time. He's the genius behind the iconic Mona Lisa painting masterpiece, after all.

Statistically,fact of genius IQ score is 140 or more is 0.2725 % of the population. Simply one in every 367 humans is a genius ! Approximately just 1 among 1000 geniuses is Creative Genius so Creative Geniuses = 1/367 000 of population !

Also in 1974 he featured on the title track of Frank Zappa's album Apostrophe ('), recorded in November 1972. Bruce was credited with bass and co-authorship on the improvised track. When asked about Zappa in a 1992 interview, Bruce tried to change the subject and jokingly insisted that he had played only cello parts.

Often cited as one of rock music's first concept albums, it is a satirical expression of guitarist/bandleader Frank Zappa's perception of American pop culture and the nascent freak scene of Los Angeles.

What is the oldest concept album? ›

According to music critic Tim Riley, "Strictly speaking, the Mothers of Invention's Freak Out! [1966] has claims as the first 'concept album', but Sgt. Pepper was the record that made that idea convincing to most ears."

Consequence of Sound editor Matt Melis lists Beck ("Loser") and the Grateful Dead ("Touch of Grey") as "technically" being one-hit wonders despite their large bodies of work. Entertainment Weekly mentions prolific artist Frank Zappa as a one-hit wonder because his only Top 40 hit was "Valley Girl" in 1982.

Frank Zappa deserves admission to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a great guitarist, songwriter, creator of concept albums, comedian, talent scout, doo wop expert, social critic and avid misanthrope.

Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist with a controversial critical standing; supporters of his music admired its compositional complexity, while detractors found it lacking emotional depth. He had greater commercial success outside the US, particularly in Europe.

At the age of 52, on December 4, 1993, Frank Zappa died from complications related to prostate cancer at his Laurel Canyon home. Zappa died with his wife Gail and four children at his bedside.