Search - Frank Zappa :: Zappa Picks - By Jon Fishman of Phish

In Response to Bob ("Who Cares?, December 29, 2002")

monkeythepig | the swamp | 02/20/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Whereas I agree with you on the assessment that this disc is worthless for the hard-core maniacs like us (i've been an FZ fan from age 7, and i'm in my early forties,) it does serve a useful purpose. if someone gets more curious about FZ from hearing this, it'll do more for generating interest in his music than anything the zappa family trust has done (although it appears that dweezil may finally be doing something on that front.... check zappa.com for the new "halloween" release info.)

>If they'd like the world to know what Zappa songs they like, they should
>have their picks printed in a magazine or on their website, instead of
>suckering us all into buying music that most Zappa fans already own.i don't think they're trying to sucker people like us -- we already know this stuff is not new. they're trying to generate new interest in a massive and diverse body of work that most people won't explore because they don't know where to start.i didn't know edgard varese from edgar buchanan before frank introduced me to his music. would someone who's hardcore into 20th century orchestral music care what a rock 'n' roll guitar player thinks about varese? probably not, but i cared enough to seek out as much varese as i could find, and i adore his music now (and i'm STILL WAITING for "the rage and the fury" -- hello zappa family!!!!! please please please release this as it's the best sounding performances of varese's material that's ever been done!)frank's love for varese served the same purpose then as fishman's and lalonde's do now for the vast and varied catalogue of one of america's greatest and most under-appreciated composers.so cut the boys some slack. ;^)"frank was my elvis." -- matt groeningme too, matt."

Don't read too deep

Marco Esquandolas | Deep South, USA | 06/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Good Lord, some of you are looking WAY too deeply into this. Frank Zappa was a guy who took his craft very seriously (which is obvious), but wasn't afraid to poke fun at people and have a good time by incorporating humor into his music. Phish was the same way. Anytime some "greatest hits" album gets released there's always a portion the fanbase who inevitably start calling out various conspiracy theories towards whatever record industry is behind the release. Sometimes, yes, it's all about the label milking some artist for all they're worth... I'm not naive enough to deny that fact. However, this compilation is completely different. It's certainly no secret the members of Phish are big-time fans of Zappa, and his influence can easily be heard to anyone willing to listen. All Jon Fishman did was pay tribute to Frank by putting together some of HIS favorite Zappa moments, perhaps in an effort to turn some Phish fans onto Zappa in the process, who might never have given him a listen otherwise. Let's face it, it's not like Joe Blow, Jane Doe, or even Suzy Greenberg is going to pick up the album and say to themselves, "You know, I've heard a lot about this Frank Zappa character, and I've been meaning to get something by him, but now I've just GOT to have this album.... because Jon Fishman says I should listen to it." This is nothing more than Fishman saying "thanks." Finally, if you're going to have your fanbase spread, it might as well be to the Phish community. I've personally spoken to many fans on tour who mention Zappa as being one of their main influences in music. You can count on them to treat Zappa's legacy with the utmost respect, and truly appreciate his genius for everything it was. So, if Fishman turned on a couple Phish fans to Zappa's music through this little project of his? Smile, because it's a good thing to have happen.



Sharin' in the groove,

Jay"

Not intended to be a greatest hits package

Anthony P Sierer | Chicago, IL United States | 03/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think the Zappa fans reviewing this collection are being quite harsh on Mr. Fishman. Perhaps they have never attended a Phish show to appreciate the pool of genius that Fish (the drummer rather than the band) drinks from. It is a credit to Frank Zappa for his works to be cherished by the musicians creating the driving music of today. I also think that Frank would be impressed that a guy that wears a dress had a say in choosing his favorite songs. Regardless, many of you "die-hard" Zappa fans may be as interested in picking up a live Phish rendition of "Peaches en Regalia" before you continue to blast one of your heroes biggest fans."