Worst FZ poll

john williams · May-8th-2003, 03:51 AM

Zappa released many memorable albums but there were a number of less successful ones too. Some of these have good songs but don't hold up very well as complete works.

Underhound · May-8th-2003, 09:53 AM

Of the stuff I'm familiar with I'd have to say my least favorites are Them or Us and Tinsletown Rebellion. There were times when his satire was inspired and focused and other times where it was just gratuitous and forced.
Of the albums listed above I really liked Studio Tan and Orchestral Favorites. Drowning Witch had its moments but didn't hold up altogether for me.

Gentle Giant · May-8th-2003, 10:13 AM

Was Jazz From Hell his synclavier album? I bought it and returned it in a space of 48 hours. That thing sucked out loud.

May-8th-2003, 01:03 PM

Anything with Flo and Eddie on it gets my vote, but the live Fillmore album has got to be his all time worst, period. Why it didn't make this list is beyond me.

Sleep Dirt with the vocals, truly bad.

Baby Snakes? I can find no excuse for that one at all(didn't really like anything from that particular band).

Drowning witch has too many great moments to make this list IMO, No Not Now is great, his guitar solo at the end of the otherwise horrible Come From Nowhere is one of his very best. And his solo's on the title track are incredible as well.

Man from Utopia, once again, I can find no excuse for that dog either.

Thingfish? It has it's moments, plus Ike is just too funny on that one.

The Synclavier albums are hit and miss, and I have to admit I don't listen to them very often at all.

BFrank · May-8th-2003, 11:01 PM

Well, I voted for "Man From Utopia" just because I always thought it was a crappy cover. Many of these albums I don't have and haven't heard.

I agree that "Jazz From Hell" is difficult to listen to, but I've held onto it just because I thought it might be one of those albums that just clicks for me some day after repeated listenings.

"Another Band from LA" was one of those that I didn't like at first. I also happened to have been at that show and didn't like that a whole lot, either. But I've learned to like it. It's got a killer version of "Call Any Vegetable" and "Billy the Mountain" is actually pretty good.

Deke · January-10th-2005, 07:23 PM

I always thought 'Lumpy Gravy' was pretty useless, but there's a new 'worst' in town. 'Joe's Domage'. It's a recording of a rehearsal. There is one high point though... It's good to know that Zappa actually had more trouble teaching his band to play 'One shot deal' than I did with mine.

One shot for the little fellas!

Underhound · January-10th-2005, 09:40 PM

I recently heard Zoot Allures for the first time. It is now my least favorite Zappa album. Sounds alot like Apostrophe without any of what made that album so fun. Most of the tracks feature Frank whispering his provocative nothingness over slow grooves that go nowhere.

Right now I'm listening to YCDTOS Vol. 5. I'm liking it so far.

Deke · January-10th-2005, 09:50 PM

I thought all the YCDTOSAM series were pretty good. I enjoyed all of them, in fact I almost bought the vinyl sampler (You just know that it's going to have something different on it!).

I've just been listening to 'Hallowe'en', one of the two new Zappa DVD-Audio releases. Aside from the fact that Frank was going through one of his slow-driving phases I'm pretty impressed with it. Just a little disappointed, given the potential length of the format, that despite the title, it contains none of the extra hallowe'en stuff that the band played that night. The sleeve notes boast that that particular concert went on for 4 hours. Why bother when the DVD is only just over one hour and most of it wasn't from that concert anyway?

GoodSpeak · January-10th-2005, 10:14 PM

I didn't much care for SHEIK YER BOOTY.

Call me spoiled.

January-11th-2005, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underhound

I recently heard Zoot Allures for the first time. It is now my least favorite Zappa album. Sounds alot like Apostrophe without any of what made that album so fun.

Oy..........

Sounds NOTHING like Apostrophe.

Jesus Undie, what are you thinking?

frankiepop · January-11th-2005, 08:58 AM

has anybody here heard those 'cant do that on stage anymore' by zappa......i read some real raves about them...

jaka · January-11th-2005, 09:18 AM

frankiepop,

They're GOOOD.

Vol. 2 especially is the Helsinki Concert (74 band!!!) - Highly recommended and exceptional.
Vol. 1, 3 & 4 are very good, with ups and downs.
Vol. 5 & 6 are less interesting to me, but great nonetheless.

In a word, you're not taking too much chances picking one of these...

January-11th-2005, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankiepop

has anybody here heard those 'cant do that on stage anymore' by zappa......

Yes.

Il Anto · January-11th-2005, 12:02 PM

For some reason, when I tried to vote, the PC I'm using did not register.

So I'll just say that my vote is for Thing Fish. I like the concept of a satiric rock/mistrelsy musical, but it wasn't done very well at all with Zappa using mostly rehashed songs and themes from past albums. Poor poor album.

January-11th-2005, 12:18 PM

Yes, but Ike Willis still makes it worth while.

Deke · January-11th-2005, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankiepop

has anybody here heard those 'cant do that on stage anymore' by zappa...

Those would be the YCDTOSA series that was being discussed earlier. It stands for You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore.

The Helsinki concert is brilliant (Hi-yo Silverrrrr!), and I really like the early version of Plastic People. That's the version we chose to do. It's funny how audiences perk up when they think you're about to play Louie Louie...

frankiepop · January-11th-2005, 11:04 PM

thanx for the responses to YCDTOSA