Before an audience can tell whether or not it likes a piece, it needs to listen to it. Before it can listen to it, it has to know that it exists. In order for it to exist in a form in which it can be heard (not just on paper), it has to be performed. In order for a large audience to experience it, the performance must be recorded, released, distributed and given retail shelf space. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Prayers For Mariupol |
2021 | Assumptions Are Fatal In Science |
Starting To Look Back | |
2020 | Down On Earth |
2019 | Are You Moving? |
2018 | We Can Only Pray |
2017 | Heavier At That End |
2016 | The Difference Is Craftsmanship |
2015 | However Vast The Darkness |
2014 | The Omnipresent Teacher |
2013 | Don’t Waste |
2012 | Earning Thanks |
2011 | Fuzzy Vision |
2010 | Movies and Book |
Posts Tagged ‘Frank Zappa’
The End As We Fear It
Posted in Quotes, Philosophy, tagged Philosophy, Quotes, Frank Zappa, The Real Frank Zappa Book, The Event, The Nostalgia For The Event, Death By Nostalgia, Paperwork, Fire Or Ice on March 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »
It isn’t necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice — there are two other possibilities; one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia. When you compute the length of time between The Event and The Nostalgia For The Event, the span seems to be about a year less in each cycle. Eventually within the next quarter of a century, the nostalgia cycles will be so close together that people will not be able to take a step without being nostalgic for the one they just took. At that point, everything stops. Death by Nostalgia. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Understanding True Achievement |
2021 | Avoiding Corners |
Nobody Knows | |
A Novel War | |
2020 | First Buds |
To Fly | |
2019 | What If Nobody Believes Them Either |
2018 | It’s About Heart Not Skill |
2017 | Winning So Much I’m Already Tired Of It (Not) |
2016 | Punishing Red Binge |
2015 | Bits In The Soup |
2014 | More Beef, Less Bull |
2013 | Where Are Your Mountains |
2012 | Spherical Knowledge Of Hamsters |
2011 | Taking Stock Over Time |
Plopped: Blogging
Posted in Humor, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Entertainment, Frank Zappa, Lyrics, Philosophy, Pretensions, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on February 1, 2023| 2 Comments »
I don’t have any pretensions about being a poet. My lyrics are there for entertainment purposes only — not to be taken internally. Some of them are truly stupid, some are slightly less stupid and a few of them are sort of funny. Apart from the snide political stuff, which I enjoy writing, the rest of the lyrics wouldn’t exist at all if it weren’t for the fact that we live in a society where instrumental music is irrelevant — so if a guy expects to earn a living by providing musical entertainment for folks in the U.S.A., he’d better figure out how to do something with a human voice plopped on it. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Jeopardy |
2021 | Will Republican Senators Convict A Former President? |
Keep Moving, Keep Rolling | |
2020 | Republican Acceptance Of Abuse Of Office |
2019 | The Courage Of Four Skills |
2018 | And Stable Genius, Too |
2017 | And So We Continue |
2016 | Feeling Endangered? |
2015 | One Day |
2014 | Too Bad |
2013 | Unfinished |
2012 | First Steps Along The Path |
2011 | A Small Part Of Future Webs |
Deadlines And Bills
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Composers, Frank Zappa, Music, Philosophy, Production Deadlines, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on November 24, 2022| 2 Comments »
A composer’s job involves the decoration of fragments of time. Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. Living composers are entitle to proper compensation for the use of their works. (Dead guys don’t collect — one reason their music is chosen for performance.) | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Why We Protect The First Amendment |
When A Voice Can Make You Cry | |
The March Continues… | |
2020 | #45: And State Prison Waits When You Leave Office |
I Keep Getting Up | |
Difficult To Relax | |
2019 | Looking For A Republican With A Profile In Courage |
2018 | Hammers, Bells And Songs |
2017 | My Friends |
2016 | In Need Of Some Work |
2015 | Elections Have Consequences |
2014 | An Ear Of Happy Accidents |
2013 | Powerful Substitute |
2012 | Heroes Restored |
2011 | As You Should |
Honesty In Business
Posted in Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged Business, Frank Zappa, Honesty, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, The Big Lie, The Real Frank Zappa Book, Unions on November 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I realize that a lot of people feel that speaking out against unions is almost: ‘Un-American.’ I remind them: not all of America is unionized — in fact, the vast majority of Americans are not — and glad about it. | |
Some people fear that if the unions were to vanish, the labor situation would return to the way it was in the beginning, with child labor and sweatshops. I agree with them. Large employers do tend toward unscrupulous behavior when nobody is looking over their shoulder. | |
So, what the bottom line here? I would like to see more honesty in business — at both ends of the table. Honesty in U.S. business appears to be at its lowest ebb in history. | |
There are a number of reasons for that. When political leaders do not demonstrate honesty, when people lie constantly in the media — everybody gets used to “The Big Lie” as a way of life. At that point, honesty becomes a quaintly outmoded concept — nobody wants to be honest anymore, because if they are, they might finish last. | |
I would say that today, dishonesty is the rule, and honesty the exception. It could be, statistically, that more people are honest than dishonest, but the few that really control things are not honest, and that tips the balance. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Momentary Offering |
Happy Noise | |
2020 | No Crumbs |
Too Many Detectives On This Case | |
A New Day Is Coming | |
2019 | Or In This Case – What’s Wrong |
2018 | Just Passing Through |
2017 | True Torture |
Happy Thanksgiving – 2017 !! | |
2016 | Overtaken |
2015 | Alone Praying |
2014 | A Full Man |
2013 | Off Defending The Universe |
Taking Precautions | |
2012 | Never, Never, Never |
2011 | Testing 1, 2, 3 |
On A Diet Of…
Posted in Diets, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged American Radio Listeners, Diets, Frank Zappa, Music, Philosophy, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book, The Ultimate Rule on October 4, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The Ulitimate Rule ought to be: “If it sounds GOOD to YOU, it’s bitchen; and if sounds BAD to YOU, it’s shitty.” The more varied your musical experience, the easier it is to define for yourself what you like and what you don’t like. American radio listeners, raised on a diet of ____ (fill in the blank), have experienced a musical universe so small they cannot begin to know what they like. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Model Democrat |
Listen Mister | |
2020 | The Main Thing: Vote! |
No Other Reason | |
2019 | A Big “IF” |
2018 | Committed To Thinking |
2017 | More Pictures From My (Family) Retirement Party |
A Fondness For Sins | |
2016 | Are You Waiting? |
2015 | The Future Myth |
2014 | Hands |
2013 | Because You Have Lived |
2012 | 47% |
2011 | Conservative Values: Low And Lax |
2010 | A Non-Zero Sum Game |
What If “c” Isn’t A Constant? | |
2009 | Pictures from UCLA trip… |
Atmospheric Perturbations
Posted in Music, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Atmospheric Perturbations, Frank Zappa, Music, Music Composition, Philosophy, Quotes, Sensations, Sound, The Real Frank Zappa Book, Wiggling Air Molecules on July 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »
A person with a feel for rhythm can walk into a factory and hear the machine noise as a composition. If we expand that concept to include light, behavior, weather factors, moon phases, anything (whether it’s a rhythm that can be heard or a rhythm that is perceived, i.e., a color change over time — or a season), it can be consumed as music. | |
If it can be conceived as music, it can be executed as music, and presented to an audience in such a way that they will perceive it as music… | |
When someone writes a piece of music, what he or she puts on the paper is roughly the equivalent of a recipe — in the sense that the recipe is not the food, only instructions for the preparation of the food. Unless you are very weird, you don’t eat the recipe. | |
If I write something on a piece of paper, I can’t actually ‘hear’ it. I can conjure up visions of what the symbols on the page mean, and imagine a piece of music as it might sound in performance, but that sensation is nontransferable; it can’t be shared or transmitted. | |
It doesn’t become a ‘musical experience’ in normal terms until ‘the recipe’ has been converted into wiggling air molecules. | |
Music, in performance, is a type of sculpture. The air in the performance space is sculpted into something. This ‘molecule-sculpture-over-time’ is then ‘looked at’ by the ears of the listeners — or a microphone. | |
SOUND is ‘ear-decoded data.’ Things which MAKE SOUND are things which are capable of creating perturbations. This perturbations modify (or sculpt) the raw material (the ‘static air’ in the room — the way it was ‘at rest’ before the musicians started fu**ing around with it). If you purposefully generate atmospheric perturbations (‘air shapes’), you are composing. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | An Afternoon Nap |
How Should I feel? | |
2020 | Magical Voices In My Head |
I Still Need Educating | |
2019 | And I’m Not Letting Go |
2018 | The Continuing Failure Of Speaker Paul Ryan |
Day 3: Approaching The Half Way Point | |
2017 | Orange Comb-Overs Unite! |
2016 | Speaking Of Which |
2015 | Complexity Has A Strict Architecture |
2014 | Just Support |
2013 | Wandering Free |
2012 | Contribute = Paying Taxes |
2011 | How Will You Be Judged? |
Let Me Tell You An Amusing Story…
Posted in Economics, Education, History, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Amusement, Francis Zappa, Frank Zappa, History, Lower Classes, Philosophy, Quotes, Ruling Classes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on June 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »
All the old history was written for the amusement of the ruling classes. The lower classes couldn’t read, and their rulers didn’t care about remembering what happened to them. | |
— Francis Zappa | |
As quoted by his son: Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Let Me Tell You An Amusing Story… |
2021 | Together Forever |
Think It Over | |
Small But Fun | |
2020 | Still Learning |
2019 | Almost Hallmark |
Beyond All Reason | |
2018 | Daydreams And Wanna-Be’s |
Or Work For #45 | |
2017 | Summer Pale |
2016 | Ain’t It Funny |
2015 | At Both Ends |
2014 | Whiner(s) |
2013 | Just Passing Through |
2012 | Dog-gone Heaven |
2011 | Occasional, Sad Results |
Just Chill Dude…
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Attitude, Failure, Frank Zappa, Philosophy, Quotes, Success, The Real Frank Zappa Book on June 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Failure is nothing to get upset about. It’s a fairly normal condition; an inevitability in ninety-nine percent of all human undertakings. Success is rare — that’s why people get so cranked up about it. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Just Chill Dude… |
2021 | Don’t Let The Violent Take It From Us |
Scratch Me | |
2020 | Or Frightens Us |
2019 | The Best Gifts |
2018 | Sweep!!! |
We Must Be Living In TRULY Historic Times | |
2017 | The Best? |
2016 | Timely Opinions On “The Donald” |
Even Allowing For Coincidence | |
2015 | First Things First |
2014 | Without The Other |
2013 | Earn This |
Seeking A View | |
2012 | Stumblin’ Along My Way |
We’re Proud Of You, Jr! | |
Union Card | |
Two Philosophies | |
2011 | Simply Unpredictable |
Zappa-ed!!
Posted in 2022 Book Review, Book Review, Music, Reviews, tagged 2022 Book Review, Book Review, Frank Zappa, Jägermeister, Library of Congress, Moderate to Strong book Recommendation, Mother's of Invention, Music, Peter Occhiogrosso, Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, Separation of Church and State, The Real Frank Zappa Book - book review, YouTube on May 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
“The Real Frank Zappa Book” (1989©) — book review | |
Today’s review is for the autobiography: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“; written by: Frank Zappa and co-written by / with: Peter Occhiogrosso. | |
Background: a network system admin colleague was listening to some music when I approached him for assistance. I asked about what he was listening to and he said it was Frank Zappa and the “Mother’s of Invention“. He then proceeded to tell me how great Zappa was and that he listened to a Zappa show on the radio every Friday night where this little station ran a two hour program on Zappa’s music. My friend said there was nothing more relaxing than sitting in an easy chair with a tumbler of Jägermeister and listening to Zappa to kick off a weekend. I was familiar with the “name” but (honestly) could not recall a single song or album, but I said I’d check it out based on his (my friend’s) recommendation. | |
Well, I still haven’t gotten around to listening to the radio and I don’t know if the broadcast is still happening every Friday evening, but I was in the used book store (several years ago) and I saw this book and picked it up to add to my reading list. I keep seeing Zappa’s name referred to in my guitar studies, so I finally made a point of opening (and reading) it. | |
Who is Frank Zappa and why should we care about him or his views (on anything)? Zappa is / was (died 1993) an American musician, singer, composer, songwriter and bandleader. He self-produced over 50 albums and his estate had published another 30+ albums of “new” material since his death. He was a self-taught musician and composer. He claims to not be a very great guitarist, but that is the only instrument I ever knew him to play and he’s said to be one of the top 100 guitarists in history. His book says he originally learned music on a drum set and picked up guitar later. He was also reasonably well known for his libertarian political views particularly about free speech and the separation of church and state. Zappa is in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has an album in the Library of Congress preserved for its historical significance. Zappa’s music is a blend of rock, jazz, fusion, concert / symphonic music with a heavy dose of political / social satire – comedy. He poked fun at both the left and the right. | |
What’s in this book and is it any good? The book is really several parts: 1) a personal biography; 2) a discussion of his career and production thoughts about the music industry; and, 3) Zappa’s views on various political and social / societal trends. I didn’t find his biography interesting. I thought his comments on music and the industry were very insightful. I was only mildly amused by his political stances and societal observations. While I might personally agree with much of his stances and observations, I found his sarcasm / humor tiring long before the end of the book. | |
Part 1) I grew up poor and we moved around a lot. My escape was music. I learned about it on my own by listening to an unfiltered variety of sound(s). I got ripped off constantly by almost everyone else in the music business. (Pgs 1 – 137) | |
Part 2) Everybody is out to screw the composer / artist. Including, but not limited to: all production companies, all music unions, all venue owners, all governments (local and national), most fellow musicians, and, most hangers-on / groupies. (Pgs 139 – 209) | |
Part 3) Small, efficient government is the best. Taxation should be limited to sales and should not include income – to have some hope of charging taxes on the wealthy as well as the workers. All organized religion(s) and “church” institutions are corrupt (themselves) and corrupting to governments which allow them to have political influence. There should be a full separation of Church and State. Public education is a “mostly” a waste of money. Education post-high school should be paid for by the individual only. Special interest groups (guns and religion lobbies) have too much influence in America. You cannot legislate morality and you should not be allowed to use morality to limit freedom of speech (particularly in the arts and music industries). (Pgs 211 – 352 / end) | |
Final recommendation: moderate to strong. As stated previously, I didn’t find Zappa’s personal life (growing up or music performing) very interesting. I found his thoughts about the concept of music (and art in general) VERY interesting. This section was the strength of the book. I would have been over the moon if he had devoted the rest of the book to elaborating on his theories of sound / art / artistry / and music production. Unfortunately, he didn’t. The final chunk of the book was “really” only moderately interesting. My impression was: “this is filler to add 80 extra pages”. Again, just because I agree with an authors’ statements, doesn’t mean I like / enjoy how they choose to express the statements. The book was worth the time invested in reading it , if only to gain an appreciation of a historic music figure. I will be offering up some quotes from it in the future. – BUT – except for the discussion on music / art, I can’t say the book inspired much after-thought / reflection. (Actually, I’ve already posted a few of Zappa’s quotes, but didn’t know they were from this book. I will probably get around to updating those prior posts at some point.) | |
Afterwords: I have made an effort to go to YouTube and sample some of Zappa’s performances. I’ve yet to be impressed. Mostly, what I’ve heard has been ok. JUST ok. They remind me of what you’d hear at a county / state fair. If anyone reading this can provide specific suggestions, I’d be more than happy to check them out. I will say, I have found the video’s of his interviews to be much more interesting than the music I’ve listened to. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | A Little More Each Day |
Zappa-ed!! | |
2021 | Every Time It Gets Better |
Distant! | |
2020 | I’m Persuaded |
2019 | Hungry For Trust |
2018 | Mutual Assistance |
2017 | The Toughest Job |
2016 | Congratulations!! |
Better Yet, Read! | |
2015 | Even If It Kills Us Slowly |
2014 | Fun To Play God |
Of Anything | |
2013 | Legal (Almost) |
2012 | Great Scots! |
2011 | The GI Bill – A Simple History Lesson |
Breaking Even | |
Open Early
Posted in Humor, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Frank Zappa, Humor, On Keeping An Open Mind, On Learning, On Parachutes, Philosophy, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on April 24, 2014| Leave a Comment »
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | The Grand Essentials |
Second 40 | |
2021 | Adding Spice |
Be Who You Must | |
2020 | Mo, Cilla, Mushy Peas And Rain |
No New Wars | |
2019 | An Epitaph For #45 (#LyingDonald) |
2018 | Before And After |
2017 | Verbs |
2016 | Not Too Tidy |
2015 | Little Understanding |
2014 | Open Early |
2013 | Movies And A Lifetime Of Lyrics |
This Truth | |
2012 | Cheaper To Hold |
2011 | Resistance Is Futile |
One Great, One Enjoyable, One Terrible… | |
Unfortunately, No Approval Is Required | |
Winning?
Posted in Faith Family and Friends, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Faith, Frank Zappa, Kama Sutra, On Religion, On The Bible, Philosophy, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on April 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Take the Kama Sutra. How many people died from the Kama Sutra as opposed to the Bible? Who wins? | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | If That’s What You Mean |
2021 | Awakening The Glow |
I Remember | |
2020 | Golden Eagle |
Like #45: Incompetent Donald | |
2019 | #45: Who Lost By Three Million Votes |
2018 | Torn Between Two Loves |
A Girl And A Boy | |
2017 | I Think They Are Starting To… |
2016 | Living There |
2015 | Bookin’ West |
Beyond My Reach | |
You Never Call Anymore… | |
2014 | Winning? |
2013 | Still Inventing |
2012 | Motivated |
2011 | Waiting In Line At Starbuck’s |
Just Setting Out
Posted in Humor, Quotes, tagged Frank Zappa, Humor, On Being Weird, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on March 22, 2014| 2 Comments »
I never set out to be weird. It was always other people who called me weird. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2022 | Make It Easy |
On A Lighter Note | |
2021 | I Hope Not |
Diggin’ It | |
2020 | Organized Skepticism |
2019 | An Interest In Life |
2018 | Two: A Current President With Both |
2017 | Watch This Space |
2016 | Beyond The Foundation |
2015 | Become An Affliction |
2014 | Just Setting Out |
2013 | Scott’s Inscription |
2012 | Good Knowledge |
2011 | Social Safety Nets |
One Standard Deviation
Posted in Humor, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Frank Zappa, Humor, On Progress, Philosophy, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on December 23, 2013| 2 Comments »
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | And Still Don’t Understand |
Unconditional | |
2020 | I Hope She Keeps Laughing |
Christmas Is Near | |
2019 | Ruff Clean |
2018 | Sounds Like A Blog To Me |
2017 | My Fear For America |
2016 | Proceeding Still |
2015 | Seeing Rainbows |
I Am A Runner | |
2014 | The Law Of The Perversity Of Nature |
2013 | One Standard Deviation |
2012 | High Anxiety |
2011 | And I’m Taking Me There |
2010 | 1,000 |
Decoration Time
Posted in Music and Concerts, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Bills, Frank Zappa, On Music, On Time, Philosophy, Production Deadlines, Quotes, The Real Frank Zappa Book on October 30, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. | |
— Frank Zappa | |
From his book: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“ | |
[And love has nothing to dance to… — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Sustainable Development |
Duke, Duke, Duke | |
2020 | #IncompetentDonald Is A Clear And Present Danger |
VOTE – “We The People” Can Save America | |
2019 | Why #45 Is Fated To Endanger Our National Security |
2018 | Dehydrated |
Dehydrated II | |
2017 | And Some Of Us Have Books |
2016 | I See No Proof |
2015 | Whither Tea Party? |
2014 | Nothing Is Known Absolutely |
2013 | Decoration Time |
2012 | The Beatitudes |
2011 | Good Fences Make Good Neighbors |
2010 | Back On The Asphalt |
No Sweep – Rangers Win Game 3 by 4 to 2 | |
Greek Myths For Kids | |