but not confident in himself enough to attempt other types of music

Is this a joke?

Is this a joke?

We know he wrote symphonies and such. It's just that he dabbled in pop music while treating it as contemptible, and didn't simply become the kind of composer (Boulez?) he respected.

FWIW, I think his lyrics are one-dimensional and ill-thought, but his guitar playing was frequently quite beautiful.

We know he wrote symphonies and such. It's just that he dabbled in pop music while treating it as contemptible, and didn't simply become the kind of composer (Boulez?) he respected.

Then it should have been "but not confident in himself enough to devote his entire career to other types of music".

I'd argue the "not confident" as well. Zappa went well past confident, past arrogant and up to being a full-of-himself asshole.

Why didn't he devote himself to atempting to be the next Boulez (or Varese)? He said he went into pop music in order to be able to afford having his serious compositions played by orchestras (See title of 3rd Mothers album). He saw the amount of attention (and money) the public gave to serious 20th century composers, and he had too much of an ego to settle for that.

But I wouldn't characterize his attitude toward pop music are entirely "contempt". It's more complicated than that, more like love/hate. He sincerely loved doo-wop. He understood how a couple of chords and a simple melody could affect people emotionally, even if he considered the words and song structure to be trivial and banal. On the other hand, he had nothing but contempt for punk. Sad.

Beefheart, on the other hand, does everything Zappa was trying to do, but does it right.

Beefheart got what he was doing right for the most part (we'll forgive him '74), but what he was doing and what Frank was doing (or "trying to do") are quite different. They were childhood friends, worked togther occasionally, and were both "freaks", but there's really not much similarity in their respective bodies of work. "...does everything Zappa was trying to do"? Not even close.

I can't really listen to a lot of his work

Hey, me neither! He wrote tons of bad songs with appallingly half-assed and offensive lyrics. On the other hand, his best work thrills me in a way that only a handful of others can. But hey, if you prefer the sharp stick...

KROQ's top 106.7 songs of the 80's

KROQ's top 106.7 songs of the 80's

Blinded by the white! I think Nashville's top 100 for the 80's would be more integrated. Which makes the inclusion at no. 31 in 1985 of "(I Ain't Gonna Play) Sun City" by Artists United Against Apartheid... what? I wish my friend Alanis were here - she'd know the right word. Maybe not the right way to use it, but she'd know the right word.

Is this a joke?

One thing that's become abundantly clear to me over time is that there is nothing funny about Frank Zappa.

He said he went into pop music in order to be able to afford having his serious compositions played by orchestras (See title of 3rd Mothers album). He saw the amount of attention (and money) the public gave to serious 20th century composers, and he had too much of an ego to settle for that.

Which is what I'm talking about. The guy wasn't interested in cultivating a jazz or symphonic music audience; he pitched all of his music directly to his established fan base - a pop music fan base. I think that shows a lack of confidence - maybe he was aware that jazz or symphonic music fans wouldn't appreciate his work. You see that as strategy and ego. Maybe so, or maybe some combination of the above.

but what he was doing and what Frank was doing (or "trying to do") are quite different.

I dunno. Beefheart is more blues-based, but both have a lot of similarity to my ears. Both play art-rock with lots of odd time signatures, complex and intellectual structures, and self-consciously strange lyrics that seem to come straight from each man's id. The main difference I hear is that Beefheart really loved the music he mined and put quite a bit of thought into his lyrics, whereas Zappa did neither. Again, YZMV.

On the other hand, his best work thrills me in a way that only a handful of others can. But hey, if you prefer the sharp stick...

You know, lots of people I respect love the guy, and I hope it's obvious that I've put time into trying to appreciate his work. I've bought and owned at least 10 or 11 Zappa albums, but I've sold them all but Hot Rats, which I like. I pretty much can't get around the contempt I hear and the sophomoric lyrics, so yes, please, I'll take the sharp stick.

Blinded by the white!

The 1984 seemed a bit more integrated - General Public @ #3, I think, and Prince with #5.

Hey, do any of you people happen to have Kate and Anna McGarrigle's Love Over and Over? I want a couple of the songs, but iTunes doesn't have them.

Adam Ant Remasters! Good Sex Rumples The Clothing!

Adam & The Ants had six albums? Who knew?