Coda
Well-known member
...what a drag it is being a rock. In the Spring of 2019, I read an article about Frank Zappa. I thought it was pretty interesting; mainly, the fact that I had never heard anything by Zappa. I knew not to eat the yellow snow, that's about it. I did a bit of research, and it seemed that the Internet had figured out that, for a Rock like me (Help!) Hot Rats was a good place to start. And it was...
Two years later, Hot Rats was part of my collection, though not something I listened to all the time. Then, perusing PPCB for strange circuits that I've never heard of, I stumbled upon the Systech Harmonic Energizer. I looked up some demos, and the first video that popped up was pretty sad...but it convinced me to build the pedal. I built it, it was, and still is, good. Not long after this momentous event in my life, I discovered two things, almost simultaneously: 1) that Systech also made a slightly more simplified, yet ganier version, called the Systech Overdrive, and 2) that Frank Zappa used an Harmonic Energizer. Here was that Zappa guy again.
I built the Systech OD. It is good, though I prefer the Harmonic Energizer into a BMP. I posted a build report, with clips, as a good forum member should. Naturally talk got round to Zappa. It was @Bricksnbeatles who gave me the homework assignment...
I hadn't heard anything mentioned. I honestly had no idea where to start. I made a Spotify playlist of a series of tunes suggested to me by Bricksnbeatles and others. I liked it...but only just. Then, one summer evening, while drinking beers and grilling something (old shoes? I cant really remember) I decided to try some Zappa. A brief glance at Spotify, and I was drawn to the Roxy by Proxy. By the time the shoes were done, I was hooked. I don't know if it were the golden rays of summers evening, or the fumes of smoldering Converse, but something about Inca Roads and Village of the Sun really stuck with me. But soon Summer turned into Autumn, and I moved away from Zappa...
Star Date: January, 2022. I decided to try again, this time with something live: The Spectrum 1976. Hooked. Then, the Hammersmith Odeon 1978, and Halloween '77. Then I learned the solo to Son of Mr. Green Genes. By Spring I was very focused, and beginning to play close attention. Soon I noticed little riffs and runs popping up in my playing that were very Zappa-esque. In May, I bought Overnite Sensation on vinyl, and spent a solid month obsessed with Montana. I started learning songs: Black Napkins, Montana, Peaches En Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Cosmic Debris, The Slime, and so on. I started studying; comparing different versions of the same song (the Montana from the Helsinki Road Tapes album is my all-time favorite version of the tune, other than the OG). I also started studying the effects/gear/rigs, and how they changed over the years (I'm still trying to find out if he switched between the 360 and the Super Beatle, or only switch between them once, as the fuzz tones he used them for are very similar), playing a fun game where I guess if I hear the wah cocked, or the Harmonic Energizer, and figuring out when Zappa played and when his other guitarists (when there was one) was playing...something that is super easy now. I wonder if they are freaking out?...
Now, @Bricksnbeatles : Ahead of Their Time is amazing. I listened to it this passed Summer, this time while grilling veggies, because my wife and I went Vegetarian (why not?). I was almost literally struck by awe. The second half of that album is non-stop, and it is good. Its not really good, but that's what made the Mothers so good. It sounds like a bunch of non-professionals doing their best...like me when I played in bands! At the same time, they are doing it...and well. City of Tiny Lights is great (Ray White's version is pretty good too), but I think Belew's vocals on Dinosaur, on the Thrak album, are better than City of Tiny Lights.
I don't touch Zappa after Belew. I have tried, dozens of times. Its just too sad. 1988 is especially rough. I remember that year...or at least, I think I do. I was 1. I can say, however, that my 1988 was better than Zappa's. 1973-1974 was my favorite for a bit, but just recently 75-76 has started to creep in, thanks to the newest Yugoslavia album (Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy? Amazing. I ended up getting Bongo Fury on vinyl). Which brings me to the point of this post: I really only got into Zappa because of bricksnbeatles and @Dali . I've got Zappa things to talk about, so lets do it...
Two years later, Hot Rats was part of my collection, though not something I listened to all the time. Then, perusing PPCB for strange circuits that I've never heard of, I stumbled upon the Systech Harmonic Energizer. I looked up some demos, and the first video that popped up was pretty sad...but it convinced me to build the pedal. I built it, it was, and still is, good. Not long after this momentous event in my life, I discovered two things, almost simultaneously: 1) that Systech also made a slightly more simplified, yet ganier version, called the Systech Overdrive, and 2) that Frank Zappa used an Harmonic Energizer. Here was that Zappa guy again.
I built the Systech OD. It is good, though I prefer the Harmonic Energizer into a BMP. I posted a build report, with clips, as a good forum member should. Naturally talk got round to Zappa. It was @Bricksnbeatles who gave me the homework assignment...
I hadn't heard anything mentioned. I honestly had no idea where to start. I made a Spotify playlist of a series of tunes suggested to me by Bricksnbeatles and others. I liked it...but only just. Then, one summer evening, while drinking beers and grilling something (old shoes? I cant really remember) I decided to try some Zappa. A brief glance at Spotify, and I was drawn to the Roxy by Proxy. By the time the shoes were done, I was hooked. I don't know if it were the golden rays of summers evening, or the fumes of smoldering Converse, but something about Inca Roads and Village of the Sun really stuck with me. But soon Summer turned into Autumn, and I moved away from Zappa...
Star Date: January, 2022. I decided to try again, this time with something live: The Spectrum 1976. Hooked. Then, the Hammersmith Odeon 1978, and Halloween '77. Then I learned the solo to Son of Mr. Green Genes. By Spring I was very focused, and beginning to play close attention. Soon I noticed little riffs and runs popping up in my playing that were very Zappa-esque. In May, I bought Overnite Sensation on vinyl, and spent a solid month obsessed with Montana. I started learning songs: Black Napkins, Montana, Peaches En Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Cosmic Debris, The Slime, and so on. I started studying; comparing different versions of the same song (the Montana from the Helsinki Road Tapes album is my all-time favorite version of the tune, other than the OG). I also started studying the effects/gear/rigs, and how they changed over the years (I'm still trying to find out if he switched between the 360 and the Super Beatle, or only switch between them once, as the fuzz tones he used them for are very similar), playing a fun game where I guess if I hear the wah cocked, or the Harmonic Energizer, and figuring out when Zappa played and when his other guitarists (when there was one) was playing...something that is super easy now. I wonder if they are freaking out?...
Now, @Bricksnbeatles : Ahead of Their Time is amazing. I listened to it this passed Summer, this time while grilling veggies, because my wife and I went Vegetarian (why not?). I was almost literally struck by awe. The second half of that album is non-stop, and it is good. Its not really good, but that's what made the Mothers so good. It sounds like a bunch of non-professionals doing their best...like me when I played in bands! At the same time, they are doing it...and well. City of Tiny Lights is great (Ray White's version is pretty good too), but I think Belew's vocals on Dinosaur, on the Thrak album, are better than City of Tiny Lights.
I don't touch Zappa after Belew. I have tried, dozens of times. Its just too sad. 1988 is especially rough. I remember that year...or at least, I think I do. I was 1. I can say, however, that my 1988 was better than Zappa's. 1973-1974 was my favorite for a bit, but just recently 75-76 has started to creep in, thanks to the newest Yugoslavia album (Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy? Amazing. I ended up getting Bongo Fury on vinyl). Which brings me to the point of this post: I really only got into Zappa because of bricksnbeatles and @Dali . I've got Zappa things to talk about, so lets do it...
