The story of how Frank Zappa survived the “worst record ever made”
If you didn’t know that Frank Zappa was a real person and read about him in a book, the stories which surround his life and the amount of work he put out into the world read like a thing of fantasy. Take the 1970s for instance, as during this one decade, he released 23 albums and played 800 gigs. That’s a ridiculous number on both counts, and yet, for Frank Zappa, it was somewhat normal.
Pair those astronomical figures with the nature of the work he was doing, and you have a character ready for a multi-series TV show and film franchise. His ambition and attitude were the stuff of fiction, but he was as real as you and me. The crazy gigs with exploding giraffes, the exuberant character, the catalogue of excellent music, all of it, in fact.
What was his secret? Well, mainly it was that he was very driven. Chester Thompson once played with Zappa for a period and credited him as one of the best teachers he has ever had. This all boils down to his unwavering approach when it comes to music and how much he intended on pushing both himself and his band. No genre was too out there, no sound was out of reach; the only barrier he and his band had to overcome was those they set themselves.
“People thought Zappa was some kind of freak-out hippy, but he was seriously dedicated,” said Thompson. “That was my first introduction to practising for 40 hours each week. It was eight hours a day, and there was no time wasted. Every time we finished a rehearsal, I felt that my brain was sweating. It was really intense music, really difficult music, and I always say it was the best school I ever went to.”
Other people who have played with Zappa describe him as a “workaholic” and one of the most dedicated musicians on the planet. It is truly inspiring to read about someone so committed to their craft, while being able to enjoy the spoils of that commitment in such abundance. Zappa was never a mainstream artist, but he enjoyed the success of one, as this dedicated approach to his art was recognised by all who would listen.
Let’s not kid ourselves, though. Granted, the man was an inspiration and his commitment to his art continues to inspire, but you don’t release over 20 albums in ten years without putting out some stinkers. Zappa was as guilty of bad songs as anyone, and his experimental style was poorly received by many when he was first bursting onto the scene. He was rejected by Columbia Records for having “no commercial potential”, and the first single he released with Mothers of Invention was dubbed by Juke Box Jury as “the worst record ever made”.
Despite making some bad songs (and also some good songs that were widely perceived as bad), Zappa never let it stop his creative endeavour. He always found a way to drown out the criticism and put the time into his craft that he felt like it deserved. As such, despite making was some called “the worst record ever made,” Zappa kept moving and continued making music (and becoming a success as a result).
“He worked all night,” concluded Gail Zappa when recalling his relentless attitude to his craft. “I burnt the candle at the other end. I didn’t live with the vampires!”
