I also blame Zappa for getting me onto Jean-Luc Ponty, which lead me to my regretable pre-punk rock Return to Forever phase.

Johnny 13 wrote:
Apparently the blood remained bad, and the Zappa family was not entirely thrilled that Reed was the one chosen to induct Zappa into the R&R hall of fame.

I wish I could find the Zappa quotes, because what I put up here looks lop sided the wrong way from what I remember.

There's some interesting stuff about the HOF induction here, with quotes from FZ's wife Gail and a transcription of Lou Reed's speech from the ceremony.

I remember reading about the various falling outs between FZ and Reed. I'll see what I can find, if anyone's interested...

I see that the craps now have it. Great Googly Moogly!

night_tools wrote:I remember reading about the various falling outs between FZ and Reed. I'll see what I can find, if anyone's interested...

I'm interested, to the extent that I can manage to keep following this thread without having to strangle myself for ever liking such an apparently-terrible musician. If no one manages to make me do so, I would love to read more about this 'feud.'

Both bands had terrible things to say about the other (Velvet Underground vs. The Mothers)

The Mothers were recording "We're Only In It For The Money" next door to The Velvet Underground as they were recording "White Light, White Heat".
Zappa's engineer talked on tape about how he hated The Mothers, and the only band he hated more than The Mothers was The Velvet Underground. I heard some out-takes, wether it was serious or not, it's still funny stuff.

Redline wrote:

Both bands had terrible things to say about the other (Velvet Underground vs. The Mothers)

The Mothers were recording "We're Only In It For The Money" next door to The Velvet Underground as they were recording "White Light, White Heat".
Zappa's engineer talked on tape about how he hated The Mothers, and the only band he hated more than The Mothers was The Velvet Underground. I heard some out-takes, wether it was serious or not, it's still funny stuff.

"and the next day....I get to work with the Velvet Underground.....which is as shitty a group, as Frank Zappa's group.....Zappaaaaa....."

This thread is still going, huh? If we're talking about VU vs. Zappa, I'd have to take Zappa. The VU weren't that great of a band at all. They're really hyped and went on to influence many an uninteresting band.

Yes, I've heard all the VU stuff, and it's pretty good. Not great. Not timeless. Not enduring.

Talking about both Hawkwind and VDGG being among the most important - thought not recognized at the time - precursors of Punk. This becomes more and more evident and acknowledged by other musicians - like for instance John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten - Sex Pistols vocalist) who said that especially Hammill's solo album "Nadir's Big Chance" was the first Punk record and a big influence for him - and Peter Hammill chips in:
"Yes, I met him a few times. He's much into my and VDGG's music - he has our albums, the lot of it..."

Sorry... Had to bring this up. There was talk several pages ago about the story of punk having nothing to do with Hammill. Actually, it had everything to do with him, and others. I think it's quite funny that punk rock has it's roots in a satire about an arrogant rock star. I like a fair amount of punk, but as a genre, it's mired in stupidity... Very co-opted too. Avril Lavigne, anyone? But I'd actually prefer her music to most of the bland post-rock I've heard...

Wernehm_Zackariaah wrote:

Talking about both Hawkwind and VDGG being among the most important - thought not recognized at the time - precursors of Punk. This becomes more and more evident and acknowledged by other musicians - like for instance John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten - Sex Pistols vocalist) who said that especially Hammill's solo album "Nadir's Big Chance" was the first Punk record and a big influence for him - and Peter Hammill chips in:
"Yes, I met him a few times. He's much into my and VDGG's music - he has our albums, the lot of it..."

Sorry... Had to bring this up. There was talk several pages ago about the story of punk having nothing to do with Hammill. Actually, it had everything to do with him, and others. I think it's quite funny that punk rock has it's roots in a satire about an arrogant rock star. I like a fair amount of punk, but as a genre, it's mired in stupidity... Very co-opted too. Avril Lavigne, anyone? But I'd actually prefer her music to most of the bland post-rock I've heard...

yeah that really bland post rock like Slint and A Minor Forest. I way prefer Avril Lavigne's Punk Rock to Slint.

I didn't know Slint were post-rock. They sound like rock to me. I mean, distorted guitars and drums? Am I missing something? I have Spiderland, Tweeze, and their single thingy... Yes, some of their songs are slow and have clean guitars, but it's still rock.

Very good band. Get way more credit than they deserve. Steel Pole Bathtub were doing much more interesting things a few years before. Sonic Youth were more rock-post-rock and more before Slint.

Nonetheless, I do like them... But post-rock?

I think more of groups like Tortoise, GYBE, Mercury Program, Trans Am. They don't really rock at all. Now, whether it's post-rock, or just an avoidance of rock altogether... that's another story. I like some Tortoise, but it's not stuff I really pay attention to. It's like lounge music you can play when you're fucking someone who can't deal with anything too heavy...

I read through this whole thred and it made me violently sick. Puke! Zappa is crap. Everyone knows this. His appearances on SaTURDay Night Live were pathetic, as pathetic as that show, almost.

We don't need to discuss his music specifically. My mom's boyfriend was into Zappa big time. Those songs are cheesy and not funny at all. They're a bunch of doo-doo pies.

I'm going to stop following this thread. A bunch of D&D geeks in a basement somewhere in Oklahomma with their nuts tied around their thighs...

Now, Ian Curtis. There was a visionary genius. No one cares how many notes you can cram on the lines. No one cares if you can even read music. It's all about the feeling you get when you listen to it. Zappa doesn't even make me laugh. Ian makes me swoon for his ripe butt ox. Who can put a price on that?!?