RykoDisc churns out yet another Frank Zappa Best Of. Couldn’t find this at amazon.com or rykodisc, had to search amazon.de for it — go figure…
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Meta
Hmmm what’s new, anything? Or just the hits once again…
And of course Muffin Man as the killer last track.
yeah, just the hits once again. It’s just a trimmed down edition of Strictly Commercial, 15 tracks instead of 19. So, never mind…
“Hits”?
Play.com have it for 5.99 GBP in the UK. Look on the bright side: it presumably means that Rykodisc think there is a new FZ audience out there waiting to be tempted with a sampler. And it is more likely to draw them in than Joe’s Domage!
Woolworths (UK) have had this for about the last week at £4.99
Did I read somewhere that Rykodisc are about to lose the Zappa deal? Is this a last ditch cash in?
Woolworth’s still exists? Wow…
Ist das nicht unheimlich?
About Strictly Commercial, do any of you think it is worthwile purchasing if I already own every ‘official’ Zappa release? (i.e. are there some extras on it?)
The only “extras” on Strictly Commercial worth mentioning are:
1) single versions of Yellow Snow, Joe’s Garage and Montana;
2) a booklet with a couple of cool FZ photographs, an essay by Terry Gilliam (of Python fame) and extended liner notes by Dan Ouellette.
Thanks vrnzy, maybe I’ll look into it now ;^)
“the best of Frank Zappa” ??? Says who? It’s more like: “some zappa songs of which we think that the general public will be able to digest them without having to concentrate too much on what’s really going on with the guy.”
If you happen to love “dancing fool” because it goes down real well after “car wash”, and then pick up “Jazz from Hell” afterwards, you will probably be a bit confused …
On the subject of Strictly Commercial, if you have all the released stuff I certainly wouldn’t bother with it. However, having said that, there are a few red jewel case ‘specially banded for radio’ promo copies that appear on ebay occasionally, and I have to admit I did grab a copy just the other week. You might consider it worth hunting down one of them, just for the novelty value.
@Magic Fingers: thanks, I do have all the other released stuff (and more), but lately I was wondering if there was anything ‘special’ to that album. I’ll look into your little tip.
@whatchamacallit: of course, but you would rather scare most people away by introducing FZ with Jazz From Hell is my guess…
True Mediocre,
But you won’t please anyone with “all of his releases and them some either”…
I have it – because I got it for nothing (except shipping) from BMG…
I’ve played it – usually in groups where I’m lucky to hear any FZ at all…
I’ve not pulled it out of it’s case in 3 years – I’ve got more interesting FZ to listen to…
Honestly? I could make a better “generic” FZ comp then Strictly Commercial.
Buy it, but only with low expectations. You’ll then not be disappointed.
“the persuasions sing zappa” (the a-capella one) worked very fine for introducing my girlfriend to zappa ;)
problem is, that she can’t be bothered listening to the words (being german and all) and for some reason she just can’t laugh about guitar solos or “mu-äää”. I don’t know why. ;)
The problem with this disc (as with “Stricly Comercial” is that it’s a very narrow view of the composer’s body of work slanted toward a style that only makes up about 20% of the catalogue – the “titty boogie” songs as a friend of min calls them. I mean, c’mon Ryko! 2/3 of the guy’s music is instrumental! If you’re intent on putting out comps with songs that are supposed to shock the ‘prudes’ then at least put one or two of the songs with some real melodic/harmonic punch like “Punky’s Whips”. Where are the grandious guitar solos that the FZ fans rant about so much? Not on S.C. or this new ‘best of’ I’ll give Ryko cudos for actually bother to put out a ‘best of’ of the orchestral pieces but to seperate FZ’s music into just ‘wierd, noisey classical music’ and ‘dirty rock songs’ is a huge dis-service to the composer and the music.
Feh!
That’s always the problem isn’t it? Which track or album best introduces or represents Frank’s work. Luckily, my girlfriend is already thoroughly introduced and many of my Real Friends are already huge Zappa-fans ;^)
Anyway, I think I’ll wait with the Stricktly Commercial until I see it on sale somewhere. Thanks peoples.
Oh,it’s seems like it was true,Barry!
Weich und angenehm – kratzt nicht!
Couldn’t agree more with Anonymous’ #16 comment!
This CD is a crying shame!
Yeah, go for Son of Cheap Thrills instead, if it’s still available. Should be as budget priced as ‘Best of FZ’, but gives a much more interesting insight to FZ’s work. And you would get some funny Cal Schenkel artwork on top of it …
Listen, they gotta go for the lowest common denominator when dealing with the general music consuming public!
The ones who dig this album will dig deeper and hopefully see this is just one side of Zappa’s amazing back catalogue.
I suppose there’s room for both: a strictly commercial sampler, as well as a more elaborate compilation that digs deeper; something along the lines of Neil Young’s “Decade”. Läther, although not a compilation, is probably a better introduction to Zappa than these lowest common denominator releases, come to think of it…
Läther, although not a compilation, is probably a better introduction to Zappa than these lowest common denominator releases, come to think of it…
This is very very true…maybe even for the threesome’s?
For the Belgian guys, you can find the RYKO in every CD-Shop including some like Ultra-Zone for a few €’s (+/- 7)