Put a little Frank in yer tank!

I’m supposed to be writing a big Complaint to be filed with the Court, but I need a quick break.  Music is a huge help when I’m writing (or drafting, if you prefer) but the recent release of ‘Wazoo‘ from the Zappa archives is  especially challenging release.  The title of this post is one of the lines from “The Adventures of Greggery Peccary” – it’s one of Zappa’s movies-for-your-ears and it’s extra crazy.  Before this live rendering, he even warns the audience about ‘obstruse’ music.

You could say that Frank is telling the world to go shove it up their snoot – he’s gonna play what he goddamn wants to play.  I don’t sense any of that anger or obstinance.  In fact, he has such love and admiration for his audience that he believes in them and has faith that whatever insanity might be displayed at a given ‘rock’ concert, they will get it because they know what good music is.  So, yes, he’s challenging himself to render a complicated piece of studio work as a live performance with a 20-piece band, but he’s also offering something (however difficult it may be for his band) that his audience will not get to experience anywhere else.

Is it great music?  I don’t know.  I’ve heard this live recording a few times, and listened to the studio version a few more times.  It’s tough.  It’s all over the place.  It’s long.  It’s chaotic.

But Frank invites you in and offers you something special and unique, something  on which he’s worked incredibly hard.  That attitude toward connecting art and audience is the purpose of creativity.  Take his hand.  Take the ride.