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i know this is terribly OT, but please check out the following video of
"crossfire" from 1986.
i assume that behind zappas strong language was the strong belief in
freedom of speech.
seeing this video, one can anticipate the kind of resistance, antipathy and
stupidity from the public (and especially the press) he must have
dealt with on a daily basis.
this man was not only a musician, but also a political voice to be
heard.
here is another video:
"On September 19, 1985 Frank
Zappa testified before the Senate Commerce, Technology, and Transportation
Committee to object to a proposal by the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center)
that a ratings system, similar to the system used in movies, be applied to
phonograph, magnetic tape, and compact disc audio recordings."
(cited from the youtube page of the
video)
yowza yowza yowza!
tilmann
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 10:03
PM
Subject: Re: Zappa
I
watched Baby Snakes for my assignment and while I did enjoy it, I
also
realized why I can't really get into Zappa. Its not so much
the titties
and beer stuff that gets me, its the amount of mockery that
fills so
much of what he did. Sure, mocking disco people or
whatever can be fun
for a while, but too much just makes it feel like so
much useless bile.
I still think he was an amazing guitarist when he
wanted to be though.
Kevin
This is all valid, but it's important to view Zappa in context (I guess).
Zappa was VERY anti stereo type. He saw the lack of creativity that a
stereotypical society exhibited as one bound to it's own bleak
destruction. He simply detested conformative mediocrity. He forced people to
think when they cared enough (as you obviously do) to listen to what he was
putting across. If you listen very carefully amongst the mockery there lies a
definitive social cause and effect. At times Zappa provided a hilarious map of
many a commonly traveled social road, paved with his unique satirical
commentary. There were few if any musical leaders of his time that were more
diverse than Zappa. I mean this with respect to race/sex/musical style/sexual;
orientation, what have you. Someone said a few posts ago how Zappa would have
had a field day with George the Neanderthal. Fact is Zappa would poke fun at
ANYONE that was a main stream conformist. Be they Democranks or
Repukingtons. The one thing Zappa encouraged was the intelligent exercise
of ones liberal freedom and responsibilities. In other words he encouraged
people to vote but never whom to vote for.
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