KBEAR: Billings' Greatest Hits » Frank Zappa

25 Years Ago: Frank Zappa Releases 'You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1′

Sterling Whitaker — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:56:40 +0000

One of the most confounding musicians ever to grace the rock genre, Frank Zappa had a penchant for taking what essentially amounted to full-blown avant garde compositions and arranging them for rock ensemble playing. His bizarre, conceptual live performances were an astonishing mix of exceptional musicianship, onstage theatrics and pop culture satire. On May 16, 1988 Zappa showcased some of the standout live tracks from various eras of his development by releasing a career-spanning double live album titled 'You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol 1.'

45 Years Ago: Frank Zappa Releases 'Lumpy Gravy'

Ryan Reed — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:40:26 +0000

Frank Zappa is often regarded as one of the most brilliant, idiosyncratic musicians in rock music. But, looking back at his eclectic, monstrous body of work as a composer, guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader, Zappa really wasn't a "rock" musician. That fact is cemented on 'Lumpy Gravy,' Zappa's first official solo album, which was released 45 years ago today (May 13, 1968).

Two Frank Zappa Albums To Be Reissued On Vinyl

Dave Swanson — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 16:05:54 +0000

The Zappa Family Trust, headed by Frank Zappa's widow Gail, has announced that select titles from the massive Zappa catalog will be finding their way to vinyl this summer. In June, Zappa's Barking Pumpkin label will put out editions of 1973's 'Over-Nite Sensation' and the 1966 classic 'Freak Out!,' joining the recently released 'Finer Moments,' a collection of live material from the early-'70s.

Frank Zappa's 'A Token of His Extreme' to Finally See Commercial Release

Sterling Whitaker — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:49:17 +0000

Frank Zappa was a musician either ahead, or completely outside, of his time. His elaborate music and bizarre stage theatrics were so one-of-a-kind that it almost isn’t possible to accurately describe Zappa’s work in words, and that often set him at odds with the mainstream media. One such instance was ‘A Token of His Extreme,’ [...]

45 Years Ago: The Mothers of Invention's 'We're Only in It for the Money' Album Released

Michael Gallucci — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:45:40 +0000

From the mocking cover art to the orchestral notes that grace the music to the loose thematic ties that link the songs, the Mothers of Invention’s ‘We’re Only in It for the Money’ turns ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ on its head. But it’s not so much the Beatles’ masterpiece -- which was released nine months before the Mothers album -- that Frank Zappa and his band of musical pranksters ruthlessly skewer; it’s the culture that fed and supported it.

Frank Zappa's '200 Motels' to Make Full-Length Live Orchestral Debut

Jeff Giles — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:10:30 +0000

More than 40 years after its initial release, Frank Zappa‘s ’200 Motels’ is scheduled to make its orchestral world premiere thanks to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The L.A. Philharmonic will perform Zappa’s song suite on Oct. 23 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, coming full circle with a musical saga that started in 1970, when [...]

Mothers of Invention Co-Founder Ray Collins Dies at 76

Sterling Whitaker — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:50:54 +0000

Ray Collins, the singer and co-founder of the Mothers of Invention, died on Monday (Dec. 24) in Pomona, Calif. He had been hospitalized since Dec. 18 after suffering a massive heart attack, and was removed from life support on Saturday. He was 76 years old. Collins grew up in Pomona and got his musical start [...]