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Isn't it the "Shock Value" of something that first gets our attention.  Then, if it can keep our attention long enough we may find it interesting and then mabey go along for the ride.  These "additional shocks" are described in books like "In Search of the Miraculous" by P.D. Ouspensky.  Real change in one's psycological evolution cannot occur without these additional shocks.  These shocks enable us to "wake up" for brief moments.  No wonder little kids latch on to FZ immediately.  No wonder people were freaking out on FZ music whilst on fantastic amounts of trendy chemical ammusment aid!<br><br>What I'm trying to say is that it IS the shock value of the Franks music that is so important, and so endearing.  It allows the listener to get a feeling of altered states, streching relality's envelope, mabey even getting a little scared, all from the safety and comfort from the listening chair.  Frank clearly saw that in Varese's, and certainly Johnny Guitar Watson's music.<br><br>Go out and see Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers live.  Rod's harp volume and attack has some serious shock value to it.  Great Blues!<br><br>Just the rants and ravings of a drooling idiot savant.

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<br>[quote author=white_person link=board=legends&num=1030747874&start=0#1 date=09/03/02 at 15:48:33]<br>Upon the first few listenings of an FZ tune with "taboo" subject matter, I think the shock value definitely has a major role in the song's initial impact on the audient. If the audient shares similar life experiences or opinions as to those contained in a particular song, the shock may be limited to the listener's realization that someone is actually singing about something the listener had already felt or experienced.<br>The shock wears off, quickly, though, and it is then that the music must stand on its own to continue its initial impact.<br>There have been many a composer or group that have put forth very controversial content within their songs, but their compositional skills are far inferior to those of Mr. Zappa. Once the shock of the lyrics wears off, you're left with a crappy song and little else.  <br>[/quote]<br>Excellent point!  When I started this thread, I wasn't even thinking of a particular song, but was actually thinking of some of the bizarre instrumentals.  One of the first songs I think I heard that had a "Shock Value" to it was "Dog Breath Variations".  The attack of the intro to "Big Swifty" is another example.  Greggery Peccary is saturated with the stuff.  It's that "in your face" quality of FZ that I love so much!<br><br>What can I say about this elixir?

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That's a big ten-four, Whitey!<br><br>You can call me "drool".  

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Some of us older members can still remember the days before cable TV, when there were those words you couldn't say on TV. Music was also quite sanitized, apart from the occasional swear word slipped into a song here and there. The only real alternative from the sanitized music I ever knew about was FRANK ZAPPA. When I was 12 years old DINAH-MOE HUMM had shock value. The final coda of Billy The Mountain was great for the 12 year old boy who thought it funny to hear the word fuck so much in just a few short minutes. Thankfully the shock value factor appealed to me enough to attract my attention. If not for that I'd probably never know the joy of THE OCEAN IS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION.<br><br>In retrospect, this shock value as far as LYRICS go, is pretty well gone forever. Some of the rap and hip hop music I've heard makes FZ's most obscene lyrics sound tame. The difference, in my opinion, is that Frank had much more to say. But this is a biased opinion on my part. I hate rap & hip hop, but love FZ...  

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<br>[quote author=Approximate link=board=legends&num=1030747874&start=0#5 date=09/04/02 at 04:25:34]<br>Some of us older members can still remember the days before cable TV, when there were those words you couldn't say on TV. Music was also quite sanitized, apart from the occasional swear word slipped into a song here and there. The only real alternative from the sanitized music I ever knew about was FRANK ZAPPA. When I was 12 years old DINAH-MOE HUMM had shock value. The final coda of Billy The Mountain was great for the 12 year old boy who thought it funny to hear the word fuck so much in just a few short minutes. Thankfully the shock value factor appealed to me enough to attract my attention. If not for that I'd probably never know the joy of THE OCEAN IS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION.<br><br>In retrospect, this shock value as far as LYRICS go, is pretty well gone forever. Some of the rap and hip hop music I've heard makes FZ's most obscene lyrics sound tame. The difference, in my opinion, is that Frank had much more to say. But this is a biased opinion on my part. I hate rap & hip hop, but love FZ...  <br>[/quote]<br>Kosmik Kudos to you Approximate.<br><br>Praise Frank that you found your way from Billy the Mountain to "Oceans".  It's hard for some to get from "Filthy Habits" to there.    <br><br>That's a great story!  If it wasn't for champions like Frank, Rapper's wouldn't have a gold pot to piss in, but don't be so hasty to judge hip-hop and rap.  there's alot of message that is very hip, very fresh,  especially in def poetry

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