Zappa the composer: what have you discovered about Zappa’s creative contribution to music, i.e. the compositions he wrote and the recordings he made?
Compositionally, Zappa seems to favour the abstract and challenging over the musical or the aesthetically pleasing. I'm seeing this in his fondness for peculiar time signatures, abrupt rhythmic changes, and his tendency to mar or "disfigure" any trace of a melodic, hummable tune.
It is definitely evident that he laid much of the foundations of what would grow into the style of "progressive rock". This seems to be one of the major contributions he made culturally to the history or rock music.
He seems to be one of the first people (I may be totally wrong about this) who consciously and directly tried to bring classical influences into the realm of rock. He was certainly cued in to a lot of what was happening in the fringes of avant-garde/experimental academic music.
There is also a potential argument for his contribution to musical concepts like rapping or sampling. I find these more difficult to support however, and I don't think I would feel comfortable pointing to Zappa as a primary figure in the establishment of these musical trends. For rapping I would see there being much more connection with folk music forms and the tradition of storytelling taking the central role in a piece of music. I don't think that Zappa's conversational delivery in was the first.
Zappa the musician-performer: as a guitarist, band leader and stage performer, what did Zappa bring to the concert medium, show business and music-making in general?
So far I don't really have an opinion on this aspect... I haven't really seen any serious concert footage that has made an impression on how I view Zappa as a performer. While I have heard and read descriptions, I want to see some real first hand documented footage to allow me to form my own opinions. Much of what I have heard/read about Zappa has indicated that it was his live performances with the Mothers which gained him much of his initial notoriety as a musician/performer, so I am very curious to see this.
Zappa the entrepreneur: how did Zappa balance art and commerce throughout his career?
I am very intrigued by this side of Zappa's career. I am in the process of beginning to distribute my own music, and so to see how Zappa dealt with the music industry is very interesting to me. So far I am aware that he managed several of his own labels, however remained tied in some ways to the major labels. But this is the extent of what I know, more research will be required to get a better picture.
Zappa the social critic: through his lyrics, interviews, album art and other media, how did Zappa communicate his views on society and culture during his lifetime?
Zappa was no doubt an outspoken critic of popular society throughout at least the early part of his career. I feel that this aspect may have dwindled towards the end of his career, based on preliminary research I have done into his discography. This would be a trajectory which seems common in many counter cultural instigators and commentators... the idealist turned cynic. Again this will require further research before I can comment with any serious evidence to back up my claims.
Zappa the man: in terms of background, personal philosophy and other aspects of who Zappa was, how did Zappa’s personality affect his work and legacy?
Zappa the entrepreneur: how did Zappa balance art and commerce throughout his career?
I am very intrigued by this side of Zappa's career. I am in the process of beginning to distribute my own music, and so to see how Zappa dealt with the music industry is very interesting to me. So far I am aware that he managed several of his own labels, however remained tied in some ways to the major labels. But this is the extent of what I know, more research will be required to get a better picture.
Zappa the social critic: through his lyrics, interviews, album art and other media, how did Zappa communicate his views on society and culture during his lifetime?
Zappa was no doubt an outspoken critic of popular society throughout at least the early part of his career. I feel that this aspect may have dwindled towards the end of his career, based on preliminary research I have done into his discography. This would be a trajectory which seems common in many counter cultural instigators and commentators... the idealist turned cynic. Again this will require further research before I can comment with any serious evidence to back up my claims.
Zappa the man: in terms of background, personal philosophy and other aspects of who Zappa was, how did Zappa’s personality affect his work and legacy?
Alright, so far my impressions of Zappa's personality are, from interviews I have watched and from being presented with a considerable chunk of his body of work in the first few weeks of the course, that Zappa was:
-Extremely egotistical
-Cynical...but also an idealist
-Dedicated to his art
-He believes in principles and stays true to those principles, even if they may not be popular with others around him
-Believes in family
-Sober (or at least, lucid) a large majority of the time
-Outspoken
-Extroverted
-A fan of groupies
-Provocative... possibly from a desire to instigate change, but I suspect more likely from a desire to get a response out of people
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