Often cited as one of rock musics first concept albums, the album is a satirical expression of frontman frank zappas perception of american pop culture. This is the first uk doublealbum issue of the original recording stereo only december 1971. In 1965 zappa took the lead of a band called the soul agents, which ultimately led to the first album freak out. Zappa hired pauline as a typistassistant, she has some great insights into the world of zappa, also it does a great job of showing how much of a dick frank could be at time. All the songs on it were about something, zappa wrote in the real frank zappa book. Interview with pauline butcher to accompany her book freak out. With his distinctive writing style, guitar work, and sardonic wit, he was a rarity in rock music.
One of the earliest double album packages in the history of rock music competing with blonde on blonde, first released in usa july 1966. I enjoyed reading this book, found it interesting, informative and, most of all, entertaining, i would recommend this book, especially to anyone interested in. With freak out, zappa was the first to produce the double album when most rock musicians were barely beginning to make lps. My life with frank zappa interview with author pauline. If anyone is interested to explore franks life beyond the music and wishes to know what frank was like at home with his family, then freak out. I enjoyed reading this book, found it interesting, informative and, most of all, entertaining, i would recommend this book, especially to. It got recorded in 1966, preceded by demos recorded the year before. Now, 40 years on from her time as zappas livein assistant, butcher has written a book, freak out. Pauline butchers account of her fouryear work relationship with frank zappa from 19681972. With his distinctive writing style, guitar work, and sardonic wit, he was a rarity in rock music a true composer.
What will you do if we let you go home, and the plastics all melted. Each tune had a function within an overall satirical concept. See more tracks items below may differ depending on the release. Zappa would spend much of his career developing and exploring ideas both musical and conceptual first put forth here.
Roy was a steady member during the sixties and returned working with zappa in the years 19767 zoot allures, fz. Author kelly fisher lowe has left no aspect of that work unexamined, from. Or with the controlfreak zappa who then rerecorded parts of the early mothers albums because he didnt like the quality of the original musicianship, including that of famed drummer jimmy carl black. My life with frank zappa is a 2011 book by british author pauline butcher, which is an account of the four years 19671971 she worked as the. Nobody had ever heard or a rock band putting out a double album for their. My life with frank zappa pauline butcher in 1967, 21yearold pauline butcher was working for a london secretarial agency when a call came through from a mr frank zappa asking for a typist. Realeased 1966, the first major label realease of franks group at the time and off and on through the 70s, the mothers of invention. In 1967, 21yearold pauline butcher was working for a london secretarial agency when a call came through from a mr frank zappa asking for a typist. It was a landmark in rock history one of the first integrated concept albums. My life with frank zappa is a 2011 book by british author pauline butcher, which is an account of the four years 19671971 she worked as the secretary to rock and roll musician frank zappa butcher was a 21yearold secretary whose firm sent to zappas london hotel to type up some lyrics for songs he was working on. I enjoyed reading this book, found it interesting, informative and, most of all, entertaining, i would recommend this book, especially to anyone interested in the world of frank zappa. Reviewed in the united kingdom on 21 november 2017. My life with frank zappa, tells my story when i worked for frank from 1968 to 1972.
Book author pauline butcher was part of zappas wacky entourage for a few years in the 1960s and 70s. Nobody had ever heard or a rock band putting out a double album for their debut in 1966, not. Much of the album is surprisingly accessible, yet there is still that touch of strangeness. Zappa s contradictory nature is deftly delineated he stood in judgement on almost everyone in the outside world yet i knew no other man more unassuming, humble or compassionate and a. Hungry freaks, daddy, i aint got no heart and more. My life with frank zappa, offering a detailed account of. Frank zappa is the leader and musical director of the mothers of invention. Butcher was a 21yearold secretary whose firm sent to zappas london hotel to type up some lyrics for songs he was working on. Oct 11, 2011 however, barrows book was mostly about music and an entirely different zappa era all zappa bands were great in their own right but some were greater than others, the late 1970s and 1980s, whereas paulines book is about the era of the wildest, funniest, most original, most soulful and most innovative progressive rock band that ever was, the. Ask any vegetable and youll come away with only one irrefutable conclusion.
Jun 30, 2014 sign in to like videos, comment, and subscribe. An alternative version of the mothers of invention freak out album has been released on a vinyl bootleg in a limited edition of 500 copies. That list of names in there, if anybody were to research it, it would probably help them a great deal. On a collective level, when any number of freaks gather and express themselves creatively through music or dance, for example, it is generally referred to as a freak out. Yet its message outstripped sales to such a degree that the names frank zappa and the mothers of invention became synonymous throughout the albumbuying world with a musical mien that belonged not to the narrow enthusiasms of the chart. My life with frank zappa by pauline butcher gives an insiders view of just that frank at home between 1968 to 1972. The words and music of frank zappa moves beyond the details of frank zappa. I would definitely recommend the real frank zappa book. However, barrows book was mostly about music and an entirely different zappa era all zappa bands were great in their own right but some were greater than others, the late 1970s and 1980s, whereas paulines book is about the era of the wildest, funniest, most original, most soulful and most innovative progressive rock band that ever was, the. My life with frank zappa is, beyond a doubt, the single most revealing book ever written about the private life of one of the giants of. I lived at the log cabin for four months with his wife, gail, moon, and the entourage that frank gathered around him. Less perceptive individuals have referred to us who have chosen this way of thinking and feeling as freaks hence the term.
A vivid depiction of the late sixties rocknroll scene and the stark realities behind hollywoods perceived glamour, this memoir is also the most revealing and intimate portrait of frank zappa ever written. My life with frank zappa published by plexus publishing. A true musical genius, zappa made it okay to write weird rock music. Books by frank zappa author of the real frank zappa book. Dvostruki lp, koji je jedan od prvih dvostrukih albuma u povijesti rock glazbe, snimljen je u verve recordsu i imao je strahoviti uspjeh kod publike. The book describes a formative time in the life of an innovative musical artist. Zappa hired pauline as a typistassistant, she has some great insights into the world of zappa, also it does a. Frank actually took the time to pen his own work mainly because he was so annoyed with all the other efforts. He read books about himself and decided he needed to set the record straight. Frank zappa, his groupies and me music the guardian. On a personal level, freaking out is a process whereby an individual casts off outmoded and restricting standards of thinking, dress, and social etiquette in order to express creatively his relationship to his immediate environment and the social structure as a whole. I lived at the log cabin for four months with his wife, gail. My life with frank zappa by pauline butcher goodreads.
The words and music of frank zappa kelly fisher lowe. Reviewed in the united kingdom on november 21, 2017. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. His performances in person with the group are rare. Despite his genuine emotional alienation and dissatisfaction with pop conventions, though, frank zappa was actually a skilled pop composer. This book forever shatters that idealized myth by replacing the generally accepted image of frank zappa as benign fatherly genius with another much sadder and far more devastatingly accurate one. We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. He also invented rock opera, progressiverock and with freak out, coinvented the concept album. For three years, pauline served as zappa s pa, moving with him, his family and the mothers of invention, to a log cabin in the hollywood. We all had him figured out correctly right from the very first moment we saw his picture and heard his music. In short, it tells how she met him in england, then relocated to the u.
Dec 01, 2017 i would definitely recommend the real frank zappa book. Opening with the nonconformist call to arms hungry freaks, daddy, freak out. Fz with peter occhiogrosso, the real frank zappa book, 1989, p. Often working nights and sleeping days, for three years pauline served as zappas secretary, running his fan club, the united mutations and. Frank zappa freak out vinyl records and cds for sale musicstack. There are 179 names on the freak out list that have contributed to the life and music of frank zappa that he listed on the double lp cover of his debut album freak out 1966 frank zappa dvd the freak out list 2010 list price. My life with frank zappa is a 2011 book by british author pauline butcher, which is an account of the four years 19671971 she worked as the secretary to rock and roll musician frank zappa.
Often cited as one of rock musics first concept albums, the album is a satirical expression of frontman frank zappa s perception of american pop culture. Its a story about the authors life while she knew frank. It wasnt as if we had a hit single and we needed to build some filler around it. Aug 02, 2012 interview with pauline butcher to accompany her book freak out.
It is said to be a different sounding version, taken from two original mastertape stereo mixdowns which were intended for use in the first edition of freak out on the 10th of april in 1966. Released in 1966, its dense mishmash of absurdist antics, dada freakery and doowop vocal gymnastics sounded unlike anything else at the time. Frank zappa hungry freaks, daddy lyrics genius lyrics. Recollections of her experiences working for frank zappa and living in. A vivid depiction of the late sixties rock n roll scene and the stark realities behind hollywoods perceived glamor, this memoir is also the most revealing and intimate portrait of frank zappa ever written. After arriving in california, butcher first helped zappa work. My life with frank zappa 01 by pauline butcher isbn.
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