People regard him as an arrogant asshole, I’ve always thought he came across as someone who was extremely opinionated, but knew his own limitations. He knew so many aspects of life, not just music, inside out and was quite impartial on many subjects. Even though he was against use of recreational drugs and prohibited them in his band, he once said “drugs do not become a problem until the person who uses the drugs does something to you, or does something that would affect your life that you don't want to have happen to you, like an airline pilot who crashes because he was full of drugs.". He had an amazing brain and an incredible imagination, even if some people found his sense of humour a little off, and nobody should deny that he was pretty cool. Even if you’re not a fan of his music, nobody should deny he really was a genius
An example would be Sid Nathan of King Records. Based in Cincinnati they put out country and r&b (hillbilly, sacred, & race, as their logo put it) and had a young guy named James Brown on their subsidiary Fidelity. The cigar-chomping Mr Nathan didn't "get" James Brown. "Where's the song?" Right? Those tunes are like a groove with some accents, not the traditional song form of verse, chorus, etc. But old Sid Nathan said, "I don't get it, but put the record out and see if it sells." Thus, James Brown records change American music. Frank was on the same label as the Velvet Underground, later on Warner with people like Grateful Dead, Neil Young and Captain Beefheart. The labels weren't taking chances in the 80s when Frank made his observations.
It’s better now. You can go online and listen to any song you want: I’ve found very obscure artists from the 1930s on TH-cam. There is no way I would have been able to find stuff like that back in 1970s-80s. Difference is now that you don’t need a record label to publish music. If you have a computer you can record, produce, and publish music online and become relatively successful. If you think it’s worse now, you’re not looking in the right places. Forget the radio. There’s a plethora of independent artists on TH-cam and Spotify that are doing really cool things.
@@eoz27 Frank was talking about pop music. Have you listened to the charts recently? Everything is autotuned, everything has a massive kick drum, everything is mastered to be louder than everything else. No variety. No musicianship. No creativity. Pop music. Get away from pop and you're 100% right. It's better than ever. But pop is awful these days.
@@ytr3488 Concerts were cheap then. A lot of my friends and I did concerts all the time. We didn't sit around, staring at a fucking phone like people do today. We did acid at most of the concerts. That was cheap back then too, and it was good.
@@kerbygator The one time I saw him was right after Overnight Sensation was released. I went with 13 of my friends and we were all on acid. It was an amazing experience. A number of hilarious moments that I still tell people about rank as my favorite memories as a youth.
I don't think he did know exactly but he hadn't seen what was to come. We see it now because we have more information. He was right, but he didn't know who the bugmen were. Historical revisionism was just getting kicked off when he said this.
Been a Zappahead since forever. Decades. Still am. Love his stuff. Love. One of my favorite musicians. And yet, I will apologize to no one for my unabashed love of disco.
BROTHER FRANK WAS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT AND A NONE COMFORMIST AND EXERCISED HIS FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND CRITICAL THINKING ON A LEVEL WAY BEYOND MOST HAVE EVER TOUCHED
I worked in the corporate music industry and Frank's right, the problem isn't necessarily who's at the top, but the mediocre upper-middle class arbiters of taste who all went to the same schools and like the same thing and all got hired because they're somebody's cousin.
And they are in a way, came to those positions with some merits. They did good work in schools, work as hard as anybody else, and kiss enough behinds to get promoted. And after years of doing that successfully, they did not know much about taking creative risks and the taste reflect that.
Iam 57 my older brothers listened to Zappa when i still was liquid. As a baby i heard Zappa melodies in my crib. It became a part of my life,grew and stil growing on me . Praise youre parents for excellent taste . 💗👍🇳🇱
True then true now, "arbiters of taste", in the mainstream, there is no taste, it's straight garbage recycling over and over down to the same chord progressions in the same keys.
Those old guys didn’t have to worry whether they liked it or not or whether it was any good. In the criminal way they wrote those contracts they weren’t risking all that much. So they can afford to take a chance and try to catch a trend.
He's right, that's why Japan produces such unique content to this day as oppose to the US. The executives are really old dudes with no idea what "works" and ste willing to fund you to do the stupidest shit to see if it works. Thats how Japan produces unique shows like one where you have to find the item made of chocolate to escape and we get big brother but on an island.
I hear his dad helped invent anthrax, and he was the one guy of the Laural Canyon heads that could do everything related to music writing, recording, and producing as good as the mixers. His most commercial success came from what song? Valley Girl! Gag on that!
We had an analogical situation in Ukraine during 90x. You could bring up some rhythmic noise on a demo tape, and it could be released from it, and be in a store a week later. The executives didn't listen much, cause they were laundering money and nothing more) great times of natural selection
Well, the market really determines what people are going to get more of. People decide through their purchases. If enough people wanted ”experimental” music, we would have a lot more experimental production and music to choose from. Frank Zappa was brilliant, but also overcritical of the commercial labels IMO.
It's easier for them to record simple music and tell you it's what you want to listen to, rather than taking a chance on what might actually stimulate a listener with some music of value.
The 90s were a good time for music weird bands like Faith No More Primus and Tool all went platinum they are weirder than any platinum selling 60's bands
Well today it's a bit different. Teenagers are the biggest consumers of popular music. But instead of a wide array of music making it to radio, where the most popular "pop" songs rise to the top. We instead now have the entire music industry cranking out the least talented music, because it's easier and cheaper to produce, and American teens naturally brainwash each other into what is acceptable to listen to. The music industry learned it's much easier telling teenagers which music is cool, and they'll naturally brainwash their peers into believing it. So now the music industry is geared toward cranking out the easiest, cheapest less talented music, because teens will listen to it anyway.
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Zappa was a true genius
People regard him as an arrogant asshole, I’ve always thought he came across as someone who was extremely opinionated, but knew his own limitations. He knew so many aspects of life, not just music, inside out and was quite impartial on many subjects. Even though he was against use of recreational drugs and prohibited them in his band, he once said “drugs do not become a problem until the person who uses the drugs does something to you, or does something that would affect your life that you don't want to have happen to you, like an airline pilot who crashes because he was full of drugs.". He had an amazing brain and an incredible imagination, even if some people found his sense of humour a little off, and nobody should deny that he was pretty cool. Even if you’re not a fan of his music, nobody should deny he really was a genius
The opinion in that quote was echoed in his song Cocaine Decisions.
That dude was sooo ahead of his time. Wish we still had him around
You are greatly missed Mr. Zappa
A very intelligent, well-spoken and clairified gentleman.
Frank wasn't a drug fueled stoner. He actually was an extremely smart person.
He was actually one of the rare musicians who didn't do drugs and wouldn't allow any of his other musicians to do drugs
I have a buddy that is a drug addict and teaches science at Harvard to phd students. Not all stoners are lazy.
@@snapcult464 The exception not the rule.
@@milt6208 Somehow I must know all the exceptions. Or you're wrong and offering up cheeky crap found cut into drift wood in cheap AirB&Bs.
@@snapcult464Well that explains a lot
An example would be Sid Nathan of King Records. Based in Cincinnati they put out country and r&b (hillbilly, sacred, & race, as their logo put it) and had a young guy named James Brown on their subsidiary Fidelity. The cigar-chomping Mr Nathan didn't "get" James Brown. "Where's the song?" Right? Those tunes are like a groove with some accents, not the traditional song form of verse, chorus, etc. But old Sid Nathan said, "I don't get it, but put the record out and see if it sells." Thus, James Brown records change American music.
Frank was on the same label as the Velvet Underground, later on Warner with people like Grateful Dead, Neil Young and Captain Beefheart. The labels weren't taking chances in the 80s when Frank made his observations.
Frank was a Genius
Fu il GENIO !
It's actually worse now than it was then. [EDIT: Or possibly not. Nice discussion here anyway!]
100 times worse now, correct!!!
Nah, it's always been the same level of shitty. There has never been a golden era.
It’s better now. You can go online and listen to any song you want: I’ve found very obscure artists from the 1930s on TH-cam. There is no way I would have been able to find stuff like that back in 1970s-80s. Difference is now that you don’t need a record label to publish music. If you have a computer you can record, produce, and publish music online and become relatively successful. If you think it’s worse now, you’re not looking in the right places. Forget the radio. There’s a plethora of independent artists on TH-cam and Spotify that are doing really cool things.
@@eoz27 Frank was talking about pop music. Have you listened to the charts recently? Everything is autotuned, everything has a massive kick drum, everything is mastered to be louder than everything else. No variety. No musicianship. No creativity. Pop music. Get away from pop and you're 100% right. It's better than ever. But pop is awful these days.
@@periurban yeah pop is not my cup of tea, I agree with you there
Light years ahead of his time!
I went to see him 5 times in Chicago, back in the 70's. Glad I did.
Sure you did
@@ytr3488 Concerts were cheap then. A lot of my friends and I did concerts all the time. We didn't sit around, staring at a fucking phone like people do today. We did acid at most of the concerts. That was cheap back then too, and it was good.
Because of my age and when I discovered him I had one opportunity to see him, in 1988. It turned out to be his last tour. So glad I did.
@@kerbygator The one time I saw him was right after Overnight Sensation was released. I went with 13 of my friends and we were all on acid. It was an amazing experience. A number of hilarious moments that I still tell people about rank as my favorite memories as a youth.
Frank was one of those rare musicians, a genius for sure you realize just how astonishing he was as we progressed ourselves. Surly missed.
He knew, he knew.
I don't think he did know exactly but he hadn't seen what was to come. We see it now because we have more information. He was right, but he didn't know who the bugmen were. Historical revisionism was just getting kicked off when he said this.
And it’s even more true today than when this interview was recorded
YourOldDroog showed me this quote, never knew it was Zappa till now
I saw Frank in concert , wow, WHAT A SHOW…
Wow.
Zappa never ceases to amaze me
Many thanks for publicating this short. Greetings from Warsaw, Poland
Greetings brother, we honor your comments. Oh an we used to say this...FRANK ZAPPA FOR PRESIDENT!!¡!
this guy blows my mind. as they say ahead of his time for sure for sure
Great insight.
I've often thought that music illiteracy was better at the executive level, than music snobbery.
Frank truly was a very smart human being. Check some of his interviews about many topics…
Frank is saying, let the consumer decide! 👈🏼😊
Frank brightens my day
I’ve always loved this interview, and this part was the best point he made. FZ was one of the most clued-up people on the planet.!
Been a Zappahead since forever. Decades. Still am. Love his stuff. Love. One of my favorite musicians.
And yet, I will apologize to no one for my unabashed love of disco.
@DanHorn-sp5bf - "Dancing Fool" is how I got into Frank Zappa! Heard it on the radio, my roommate told me who it was, so bought "Sheik Yerbouti."
BROTHER FRANK WAS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT AND A NONE COMFORMIST AND EXERCISED HIS FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND CRITICAL THINKING ON A LEVEL WAY BEYOND MOST HAVE EVER TOUCHED
Frank zappa played a mean guitar 🎸. RIP FRANK
@Andy Gadd I don't know where you heard that. The one and only time he played with Floyd, he claims to not remember.
Frank Zappa was a great guitarist. One of the top 20.. RIP Frank
Still applies today
Zappa was WAY ahead of his time.
we need you more than ever, Frank....
What a shame Frank left us before the Internet.
He is a vision/ist of art and rhythm and sound and the compounds rare earth he is…..
There will Never be another Frank Zappa... Truly missed
Truth to power was one of Frank Zappa’s many specialties. A real opposition leader against the establishments BS!!!
I'll tumble for ya!Best version of Karma Kamelion ever at the Tower theatre in philly,81ish.
Times were a changin...
Them young uns tucked everyone up.
FZ had the uncanny knack to slap you upside the head with truth and common sense. We could use some of that today.
RIP Frank Zappa.
I worked in the corporate music industry and Frank's right, the problem isn't necessarily who's at the top, but the mediocre upper-middle class arbiters of taste who all went to the same schools and like the same thing and all got hired because they're somebody's cousin.
And they are in a way, came to those positions with some merits. They did good work in schools, work as hard as anybody else, and kiss enough behinds to get promoted. And after years of doing that successfully, they did not know much about taking creative risks and the taste reflect that.
We miss you Frank…❤️
Zappa speaking nothing but _facts._
I'm 35 and was introduced to FZ (via his albums) by my mom and dad. I grew up listening to him. Best decision my parents made!
Iam 57 my older brothers listened to Zappa when i still was liquid.
As a baby i heard Zappa melodies in my crib.
It became a part of my life,grew and stil growing on me .
Praise youre parents for excellent taste .
💗👍🇳🇱
thats how we got our britneys and taylors
It's odd that Zappa was as interesting just talking as he was with a guitar in his hands
I think he was smarter than everybody. He knew exactly what he was doing. I’m so sorry we lost him way too soon.
This guy is a genius, he’s a genius to his time to anybody’s time, what a shame he’s gone, and intellectual
He's known more for his opinions than his music 🎵🎶🎶
@@zenzen7136 what? Zappa has one of the most legendary and influential discographies ever
@@jimit.4220 I know of one Zappa song I heard years ago and it was silly. Give me three influential or iconic songs by Frank Zappa please 🥺.
@@zenzen7136 Cosmic Debris, Montana, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, Peaches En Regalia, Dirty Love.
@@zombywoof7309Don't forget about Blessed Relief and Son of Mr. Green Genes.
Let the masses decide what they like.
the wisdom of Frank..
He forgot to add that real musicians were gone after 1989 as well
A true intellectual.
Imagine what Frank could have done had he live longer.
Great points Frank. RIP
I always wanted, just once, to hear him begin a statement with ;
"Let me be frank",,,,
Here ye here ye I second the motion...an so recorded!!!
Right on!
Play this clip on repeat in Meatball Ron’s prison cell
~ Don't you mean Roy?
Love him
Wise words from a genius.Only one Frank Zappa
Wise words, Frank 😉
The Prophet Frank
True then true now, "arbiters of taste", in the mainstream, there is no taste, it's straight garbage recycling over and over down to the same chord progressions in the same keys.
I don't like Zappa's music but I love hearing him speak, brilliant always.
So true!!! Frank is always spot on!
Frank is so interesting on every level.
100% Correct!
Those old guys didn’t have to worry whether they liked it or not or whether it was any good. In the criminal way they wrote those contracts they weren’t risking all that much. So they can afford to take a chance and try to catch a trend.
Frank was an intellectual.
R'amen Frank!!
He use to play on Halloween back around '78 at StoneyBrook University on Long Island and for about the next 3 Halloweens. $7.99 a ticket
He’s definitely not wrong
The same happens in other fields, companies, etc.
and look at us now
He's right, that's why Japan produces such unique content to this day as oppose to the US. The executives are really old dudes with no idea what "works" and ste willing to fund you to do the stupidest shit to see if it works. Thats how Japan produces unique shows like one where you have to find the item made of chocolate to escape and we get big brother but on an island.
He’s right!!!
Hear, hear!
Well observed by Frank Zappa. Even more so now. Innovative music doesn't stand a chance of being signed by a label.
That's so good and dirt true
Right again.
Yep!
True
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I hear his dad helped invent anthrax, and he was the one guy of the Laural Canyon heads that could do everything related to music writing, recording, and producing as good as the mixers. His most commercial success came from what song?
Valley Girl! Gag on that!
So true!!
Its all about the $$
… and most importantly, who profits!
As usual, Frank says it, then you nod and say, yeh that sounds exactly right! We need him now more than ever. Miss ya Frank!✌️😔
We had an analogical situation in Ukraine during 90x. You could bring up some rhythmic noise on a demo tape, and it could be released from it, and be in a store a week later. The executives didn't listen much, cause they were laundering money and nothing more) great times of natural selection
Well, the market really determines what people are going to get more of. People decide through their purchases. If enough people wanted ”experimental” music, we would have a lot more experimental production and music to choose from.
Frank Zappa was brilliant, but also overcritical of the commercial labels IMO.
It's easier for them to record simple music and tell you it's what you want to listen to, rather than taking a chance on what might actually stimulate a listener with some music of value.
Exactly
Morris Levy
Bette shine the lights on her please .....I want 2 see her
dweezil zappa for president 2024
The 90s were a good time for music weird bands like Faith No More Primus and Tool all went platinum they are weirder than any platinum selling 60's bands
They want you to hear what they want you to hear.
So much Smarter than anyone at the time 😜
He may have had a point
More independent artists now
Where is our cigar chomping overlords now !!! Seriously where are they. Music is pleasing to the ear now but has no subststial lasting imprint.
Are you listening F......!!
Well today it's a bit different. Teenagers are the biggest consumers of popular music. But instead of a wide array of music making it to radio, where the most popular "pop" songs rise to the top. We instead now have the entire music industry cranking out the least talented music, because it's easier and cheaper to produce, and American teens naturally brainwash each other into what is acceptable to listen to. The music industry learned it's much easier telling teenagers which music is cool, and they'll naturally brainwash their peers into believing it.
So now the music industry is geared toward cranking out the easiest, cheapest less talented music, because teens will listen to it anyway.
After 1980 it became a free fall loss of creative talent.
🇺🇸🇺🇸Frank Zappa '24!!🇺🇸🇺🇸
In my dreams! 🤙🏽