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 1999
May
Vol. 3 No. 5
The Universe of Frank Zappa
By Richard Abowitz, 11 pp
(Gadfly
Online – May 1999)
After
you've been listening to Frank Zappa – nothing else, just Zappa – for
days and days, the moment will come when you get it. Or maybe you
lose it. You catch a fragment of conversation and await the
descending trill of Synclavier sound. Instead of sleeping, you drive
around all night listening to Thing-Fish and Joe's Garage,
and not just because they're long and you want to get to the end
of the story, but also because the people you live with refuse to
allow any more Zappa in the house. Friends stare as you proclaim the
merits of "The Dog Breath Variations," "Uncle Meat" and "G-Spot
Tornado." Some try to be sympathetic and ask you to name a Zappa
song that they might know. "Dancin' Fool," you say,
hopefully. Nothing. "Valley Girl." Blank stare. "Titties and Beer,"
"Montana," and, knowing that you're losing them, you blurt out,
"Watch out where the huskies go/ an' don't you eat that yellow
snow." Your friends ask you not to discuss Frank Zappa with them.
Worst of all, you spend your now ever-increasing spare time digging
through technical manuals trying to find out – just what is Telefunken
U-47? Welcome to Zappa's Universe. (read more)
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