Frank Zappa
February 27th, 2006 at 1:13 pm by David FarrarIf you are on broadband then go to this page where you can click on a link to view a Crossfire interview on censorship in 1986 with Frank Zappa defending lyrics in songs as just being words.
Zappa is superb. I don’t agree with everything he said, but he is just hilarious as he demolishes the others. A class display.
Hat Tip: Russell Brown
Tags: Media
February 27th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
Zappa was a smart, funny, articulate man. It’s just a shame it never really came across in his lyric writing, which half the time was little better than schoolboy inuendo.
But in terms of what he did as a musician.. Impressive. There’s almost no other rock musicians who have the same distinction as a manager of musicians: about half the really great players around today who came through in the 70s/80s came out of Zappa’s band. He knew how to hire ‘em… And what to do with them once he had them.
A sad loss.
Vote:February 27th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Then again, it was hardly hard work to point out that while Tipper Gore was denouncing naughty lyrics, politicians (like her husband then-Senator Al Gore) had no moral qualms about pimping for their share of the profits in the form of campaign contributions.
Vote:February 27th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
I’m going to be the first one here to say I love Zappa’s music as well as his lyrics – yes even the silly “don’t you eat that yellow snow” type lyrics.
His songs weren’t all like that though e.g. Trouble Everyday. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank-zappa/57119.html
Its worth checking out.
Give me Zappa over Bono any day.
Vote:February 27th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
Franks warning about a fascist theocracy starting with Regan were interesting, especially with the current situation of Bush and his merry band of neocons instilling just that into Iraq. Regime change was not about Government.
Democracy these days is cliched and is used as an American code name for the American Way. The American Way currently seems to be travelling in the opposite direction of acceptance and tolerance. These are important values, and I think that under the auspices of the “war against terror”, acceptance and tolerance have also become casualties.
Frank knows what someone going through a paranoid freakout phase is like. His focus on “words” is trying to get back to the basics and some pretty simple fundamentals of getting along with each other.
Go Frank.
.left
Vote:February 27th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
Left:
Yeah, that bitch Tipper Gore and her fascist Republican Nazi Senator husband… Wait a mo’ – what’s wrong with that picture? Some people should think before they open their mouths.
Vote:February 28th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
Yes Craig. You should.
Personally I don’t subscribe to American politics. I prefer to focus on what is best for here. As far as I’m concerned, the democrats aren’t that much different to the GOP. And from what I can tell, according to the American process of democracy, the majority couldn’t tell either. So W got back in.
Regardless of what your preference is, the major American parties, I still think they’ve lost sight of some important values.
American politics is interesting, but I find it’s best to remain objective.
A lot of people I know who’ve moved to NZ from the US feel like they’ve found community again. Back in the US, they felt helpless.
And these are smart people. Like Frank. The thing that impressed me about the interview was his politeness, and his preparedness to listen.
After all. It’s just words.
.left
Vote:February 28th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
Left:
So, why didn’t you say that in the first place? Sorry, I found it rather amusing you went into a lengthy rant about Bush when Frank Zappa’s particular bete noir was Tipper Gore. Sorry, chum, if you’re going to go off on a rather tendtious rant about GWB I’ll take it at face value.
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