Seeing Frank Zappa in the '80s was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. Someone from the audience threw something on stage. Frank stopped the band (on a dime), he told the crowd that if one more thing landed on the stage, they were gone. The crowd boo'd the A-hole that did it. Frank counted the band back in and they took off flying, exactly from where they left off, in perfect sync. It was amazing! Oh, great show too!
In Grenoble 1998, I threw him a cigare, he first made a step back, and then ,took it and thanked me for it (since the beggining, he was smoking cigarrettes one after another) . True story!
You might be interested in reading about Frank's home life at the log cabin in 1968 revealed in my memoir Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa. It's my story but shows Frank at home not revealed in any other book, from getting up to going to bed, rehearsals with the Mothers of Invention, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more.
I wish corporations still had Frank's business philosophy. Now they just care about a perception of quality by cutting costs. Frank was definitely old school. They don't make 'em like him anymore.
If you ever went to a sloppy bad concert, you would have wished the performers had more self discipline. The major Orchestras get millions of dollars from angles. Expectations were very high, and that was even before you thought of applying for a music job.
Such no-nonsense communication is quite rare these days. May we learn from Frank and speak with such clarity to our own generation - even when people are offended by it.
During the '60s and '70s I attended numerous Mothers concerts, and was never disappointed. All members of the band were consummate professionals who enjoyed their time on stage and gave a damned good performance every time. Their concerts lasted longer than most, and their tickets were fairly priced. Most of those in the audience [a] felt they had gotten their money's worth; [b] went right out and bought the records; and [c] anxiously awaited Frank's next concert tour. THAT'S Capitalism!
I saw them in San Francisco in 1968 when Booker T played first and by comparison, I'm sad to say, the Mothers did not stand up. One of the reasons Frank moved on to those wonderful 70s groups.
The music would have been good independently of the capitalism. Frank was just a guy who was capable of raising the capital to run the show, if he were in a socialist society where a state government organized the funding for public show Zappa would of ensured the music be just as quality regardless of if people had paid to be there or not. Artists care about the quality of art for the sake of the art, not the money, the fact that it happens to be really expensive to be an artist is a problem not a triumph and Frank wouldn't have told you otherwise.
@@Johnnysmithy24 He also said that ANYONE can make music. I'm talking about the relationships between music & culture, and stating that capitalism is not conducive to creativity as it forces it's citizens to make the choice between free expression and acquiring capital. Frank says himself here that his concerts are only possible BECAUSE he himself CAN afford to fund them, this is capitalism working against him not in his favour, if capitalism were conducive to art then creative geniuses like Frank WOULD be able to secure funding and investment in more live performances, the reason he could not accept others' money is because then they would want input on the project which ultimately would ruin the artistic integrity and make the whole show moot. As a musician whose studied economics, politics and worked in events planning for live music I feel like I know a bit more than you learned from jordan peterson about this topic.
His willingness to accept complete personal responsibility to his paying customer, and thereby expecting the same from his team, is laudable. This is neither unique nor mutually exclusive to any political philosophy, it's just professionalism at its finest.... and Frank HATED uncaring/incompetent people in ANY profession. "You can stab 'n' shoot 'n' spit...But they won't be fixin' it... They're lyin' an' lazy, They can be drivin' you crazy"
THAT"S Fantastic & Absolute....although, I would LIKE to stand up for unions 'cause there are "BOSSES" that aren't like Mr. Frank... that want to bleed worker dry & NO "Liking & getting along" exists...I Wish that what he said about unions was ALWAYS,... NOT TRUE , but sometimes it is. sometimes there are people who really don't want to work. BUT, I as a union electrician & a musician LOVE MY WORK & deem it ALL as ART of MY Heart...& if YOU don't feel THAT / than don't work / or ART, near me
Zappa had high musical standards that he simply refused to compromise. His musicians were highly compensated yet make no mistake - you did it Frank’s way at HIS standards or....you were sent packing. Having seen Zappa and his various musical lineups a dozen+ times between ‘71 - 79, no band was tighter, more practiced, better than his. RIP, Frank - your music endures to this day!
This is a true representation of FZ's business philosophy regarding his choice of musicians. Like many other musicians and groups who had long careers, Frank would change the direction of the music he was writing, often in a short period of time. This would require new musicianship in order to play the music the way Frank wanted it to sound. As Frank stated, there was no shortage of players that would come to his auditions, and he would choose whomever fit the bill for his new compositions or tours. There were constant rehearsals to get the music down pat, but he paid these musicians a salary for a normal work week,Frank's set lists consisted of a 2-hour set with very few breaks between songs, which could only be achieved via extensive rehearsing. FZ always tried to give the concert goer an excellent show, which he usually succeeded in doing over his long career. That's why he didn't want his musicians to do drugs, so they would be alert enough to tackle the demands of his often complex compositions. I applaud him for that effort and always enjoyed the many times I saw him in concert from 1975-1988.
By all means go see Dweezil. As someone who saw Frank perform extensively throughout the 70s and 80s, Dweezil's shows are about as close as you can get to the real thing. I've seen ZpZ three times and all were excellent experiences. I'd also highly recommend "Roxy The Movie" DVD. I saw that band twice on that tour in Chicago and the film will give you a good idea what it was like to see them perform live. The "Baby Snakes" DVD is also excellent, but it is more of an artistic undertaking than it is a "documentary" of a concert.
BetitoBass I just saw Dweezil perform in Durango, CO, and the guy above is right! One of the best experiences I've had and the band was tight as all get out. I feel Dweezil follows the same ethos as his father. People pay for a good show and that's what they set out to deliver at any cost.
I saw Zappa on every tour from 1976 (The infamous Boston show which probably led to Bianca's departure) through '88. Worst show was in a standing-only gig in a hockey rink in Danvers, MA in 1978. Not happy because I had previously always seen him in a proper concert hall with seating and good acoustics. Best two shows would be '80 (2nd row seats - Hotcha!) and '88.
@@Patricksan2001 I saw Frank Zappa play with the early Mothers of Invention many times and although Dweezil played the music, there was no communication with the audience, a huge difference.
Bootsy Collins recalled James Brown saying that music was 75% business, 25% music, whether you liked it or not. Having led a band for a few years now, I can say it's unfortunately true.
"Republicans is fine if you're a multi-millionaire Democrat is fair if all you own is what you wear But neither of 'em really right, 'cause neither of them care About that hot-plate Heaven, 'cause they ain't been there." -Frank Zappa, "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel"
The upside to playing under that disciplined regime though, is the sense of fulfilment. I've had years of fun playing music, either with bands, as a solo artist, or just jamming with friends, but I don't have a lot I can look back on and feel like I really fulfilled all my potential. I'd image that the likes of Ruth Underwood or Bruce Fowler can look back with pride at what they achieved under Zappa (and they probably had fun doing it too!).
Frank uses the word discipline multiple times in the video for a reason. A professional musician is disciplined enough to understand what he needs to do and how to get it done efficiently. the discipline comes from two things, experience and practice. I work as a drummer with two bands and as far as I can tell, I'm the only one in either one that practices consistently. I would have loved to play some of Zappa's technically challenging music. it's inspiring in a way.
Have you ever read Mike Keneally's autobiography of playing in Zappa's band (guitarist/keyboardist/singer for the 1988 tour)? He goes on and on about how insanely fun it was, not just because he was playing music, but because he was facing new challenges with the difficulty of the material, and improving himself along the way. It was still a job, however, and some people love their jobs.
A lot musicians seem to disdain the business end of their productions. I suspect that they either have someone who is very good at that sort of thing, or they eventually get screwed. Getting involved in the business end of things allowed FZ to eventually have a lot more control over his music. Plus, he didn't like getting screwed.
A lot of musicians are actually not too intelligent, outside of their musicianship. Also, the '60s flower power legacy of seeing "bidness" as evil was further compounded by the grunge kids feeling like sellouts for making any money at all. Combine the two and you wind up with a lot of people who don't understand the financial aspect, and consider it somehow "dirty."
Being a musician requires balance. As much as you love the art, you have to treat it as a business as well. To be truly committed to a craft, you have to know when it's fun time and when it's work time. Frank's music was highly eclectic. To play it flawlessly, he had his musicians put in sheer hours of work to understand the music. Once the music was in their blood, they had fun with their performances. It clearly shows in Frank's concerts. That's why Frank is a revered musician.
Frank was a realist and a perfectionist. Everyone who worked with him knew it from the first audition. Do it right, or you don't play, PERIOD. Anyone who survived a tour or an album cut with him were good as gold in the industry, because the INDUSTRY knew what he expected from others, and KNEW that anyone who worked with him was a PRO, not a pretender. That goes for any career one pursues.
I ran a weddings band myself and the amount of stress regarding this was unbearable. Musos turn up for the cheque and dont put effort in, dont learn songs, forget their gear you name it. Screw up first dances i get threatened physically and legally! This needs to be a shared arrangement to avoid having a heart atack.
I was on the other side of the coin...I'd show up to (unpaid) rehearsals, learn the set list, have my butt there for a sound check, work my ass off for 4 sets, then get told that I'd have a check in hand on Monday. My check would arrive, and would be less than what I was promised, requiring me to make phone calls and threats to get my money. This happened at least 2 out of 5 gigs when I was a working musician...skrew it, I'm an engineer, now, and like getting a steady paycheck, on the 15th and the 30th, just like clockwork. God bless corporate America!!
I absolutely understand this experience. The only way to run a band of that type is the method Frank describes. The "My attitude is this..." part is absolutely accurate. The person responsible for the outlay and organisation of a band is taking the risk and has the right to expect musicians to contribute their best effort. This should, in theory, be entirely achievable in a culture of respect, achievement and fun.
All you're really telling us is that you enjoy the fun part of playing guitar but aren't so in to it that you feel the need to discipline yourself. For some people, guitar playing goes beyond fun; there is a driving force from inside that demands your dedication and creativity. These are the kind of people that Zappa required to play in his band. I play guitar professionally and there's a lot of songs that I don't like, but I play them anyway and achieve fulfillment that is deeper than "fun".
Being a bandleader is a lot of work and a lot of stress. Frank, I saw you four times. And you ALWAYS delivered! I got more than my money's worth, and I thank you for it!
Zappa was different, he was a musician and composer, he did not use drugs and only drank in his younger days. He had a disdain for Rock and roll mentality that many bands exhibited. He hired the best and worked them hard. Some complained when they were in his employ but none ever regretted the time spent with Frank. I have formed a few bands and they were all less than successful. The best was with a bass player that knew my style and a guy, Steve Hoke who played anything with strings, a pro.
First off, excellent animation to this interview excerpt. Taken in context, Frank was providing his point of view on the tabloid style press comments of an ex-member of his band. Basically: that sometimes peoples ego get hurt when they hit a wall... and they blame the wall. He is also saying implicitly that being tossed from the band shouldn't be taken so personal and lead one to destructive and uncivil behaviors like we see in the comments here.
It was a privilege to hear the words of the near-Prophet, FZ, extolling the virtues of hard work, discipline, and the Profit Motive. I could not have said any of this any better than it's said here. The "collective" model of the successful rock band is a charming myth: Music is a profession, just like any other profession. (Compliments to the composer of the background score for channeling his Inner Zappa.)
Not too many musicians have had this level of expectation from their bands. Zappa, James Brown, Buddy Rich...maybe a few others. All geniuses. All delivered the greatest music we ever heard. If they had to kick a few asses, metaphorically speaking, then so be it.
James Brown was also known for being very strict, but the band was the tightest in the genre, and they all got solo contracts on the side thanks to that. They were good band leaders.
Nice video. Frank was that far ahead of his time that the people of today will have no idea what this guy is talking about. Frank Zappa was and still is a musical genius. There will never be anyone like him. "Someone in that audience out there knows what we are doing, and that person is getting off on it beyond his/her wildest comprehension" It's a Frank Zappa thing, you just wouldn't understand. Frank Zappa, "the present day composer who refuses to die".
Many outsiders thought Zappa was some kind of "radical" because he was so socially liberal. But he wasn't a liberal overall by any means; he was more of a libertarian, and in many ways, extremely conservative. I didn't necessarily agree with or admire all his views, but he was a principled guy. And his musical achievements are legendary - whether you like his stuff of not.
No. He was also an interesting man. You can read about his home life not revealed in any other book, from getting up to going to bed. It's my story, but read about Mothers of Invention rehearsals, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more. Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa.
There's a new book out, Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa - new edition - not available in America for 6 weeks, but I have copies. It's my story but reveals Frank's home life, not revealed in any other book - from getting up to going to bed. Read about Mothers of Invention rehearsals, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more.
The key thing here was that even if Zappa was not a musical genius, which he was, he was a man of integrity: He was hard in his business dealings, but he was fair. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the norm in businesses in a long time, and guys like Zappa who expect excellence but are also there to reward said excellence are now the exception, rather than the rule.
Nicely said. Frank had to be the corporate brass and one of the guys at the same time, and I don't know many people who could have navigated that like he did.
Every time I watch this video, he just reminds me of some corporate schill describing the ins and outs of a business meeting. It couldn't be more distant of what my idea of music is.
Epic video. Definitely does not sound like 1984 though. I'd guess early 70's, because 1. his voice sounds like it did before he was pushed off stage and torqued his neck, and 2. It's consistent with what he said about his experiences with Zubin Mehta and other big set ups from that period. Who knows maybe it is 84 but seems like it's way earlier.
Those were my thoughts. His voice was definitely deeper later in life. Is this not consistent with his encounters with musician's unions that he had to contend with during the early eighties, rather than Zubin Mehta?
Playing well is fun, playing with half-hearted twangers is WORK! Dying on stage is nobody's idea of fun. Learning to play is a chore, getting the tune down tight and right is a joy.
I see it this way: some people would love to have music be their job and do it eight hours a day, 5 days a week. Other people would rather keep work and play separate. To the former category, music is not a hobby but a Way, a way of life, of being. To the latter it's a hobby. Frank Zappa being who he was, he had to approach the business side of his art seriously because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to keep doing it.
i wish i knew musicians that considered being in a band as a second or third job. when i join a band i want to have fun, but at the same point i'm willing to work brutally hard to quit my day job.
Yeah I see a lot of adverts but maybe if you advertise put “ looking for band, I play x , looking for band members that are willing to take this as seriously as me, aka. As seriously as say, a second or third job.” Like the other guy said, communicate what you want, settle with nothing less I’ve had situations where we hired the wrong singer and everyone was too polite to say “sorry bud , you don’t even know what timing is, you can’t be our vocalist” and the paying customers at our charity gigs were who suffered financially, we suffered otherwise alongside them. It takes communication and not settling
People play music for different reasons. If you want to play at Frank's level, it takes a ton of discipline and work. Like he said, he paid $250K so everyone could rehearse enough to sound fantastic. It isn't just about money, but excellence was required, just like a classical performance. Frank had a ton of integrity, and took his responsibility to the audience seriously. It's not the same as casual rockers cranking out tunes for beer and gear money.
This is a valuable life lesson from Frank. You don’t get anything for nothing. You have to work hard for it. Also be honest to the people you are providing a service for.
This is why it's competition is so important. Frank's right, however he's also passed away. In time, this conclusion is something that's common sense, based on an organic clock that's always ticking. This is the strength of unions, to raise the talent level to compete with the owner/boss. Frank is referring to a corrupted Union, because the union officers' responsibility to educate, raising the talent level. This improves the quality of the INDUSTRY as a whole.
While this mentality isn't great for most businesses, it's perfect for being the best touring band you can be. Elite bands are elite for a reason and that's because it's a meritocracy.
Sounds like a true consumer advocate to me. As rock fans we should appreciate that. Sorry posers, if you can't hack it. In the music business talent IS the "Mothers of Invention"
Frank knew what it was all about. Business = most bang for the buck, for himself and his family, to be able to reinvest in putting out more product, his associates, and for everybody else. Especially his paying audience. Wanting a win-win business situation is not only smart and profitable, but it's simple common sense, business 101. Music = most bang for the soul.
Dispassionate and logical. Not emotional. I'm glad he included ENTERTAINMENT in his formula. Jazz musicians take note (and I'm one) -it's NOT just about the music. The audience needs to be ENTERTAINED.
My god. Brutal ! I saw Dweezil in October 17 in Manchester. The band were shockingly awesome. Nobody has the Zappa standard Nobody Frank was a legend Dweez is taking frank onwards Spreading the higher level of consciousness No arguments just take frank forward. Please x
I saw Dweezil at the London Palladium and yes, he played the notes but there was no communication with the audience and no charisma. That was the genius of Frank Zappa.
Last time I checked, most people do a job or work in a certain field because it is enjoyable to them, that includes musicians. Believe it or not, being a musician (a versatile musician like what Zappa wanted) takes a lot of patience and WORK! If you're not willing to put in the work to improve your musicianship or skill and you're only in it for "fun" then you're not being professional. In my experience people who say "it's only for fun" are the guys who use it as an excuse to avoid practicing.
master persuader... thy name is Frank Zappa... good thing there's plenty evidence on record about Zappa 's greatness... otherwise lots of people in a different time and place would find hard to believe in Frank's unlimited creativity...
With the qualifier that Zappa was signed, did all originals, and never compromised his music, he is absolutely dead on with how it works. But, it’s also a good lesson for copy/ garage bands to work toward. For those who may not know, the labels, A&R, all refer to an artist’s heart and soul in his music as “product,” no different than a can of deodorant. To them it is a marketable commodity in a lucrative industry, nothing more. Unfortunately, the labels have figured out the formula and that’s what we have today.
Running a band is insanely hard. He's right, especially when it was he who was financing everything. @Thomas Devine (comment below this one): i didn't know FZ was planning that. It would have been awesome.
"If you are playing music and not having fun, what the fuck else is there?" 1. Expressing yourself; 2. Creating something that will outlive you; 3. Making a significant contribution to art and the society; 4. Surpassing challenges, growing up and evolving both as an artist and as a person, to eventually: 5. Become good enough to have fun while still being professional. Enough?
Furthermore, Frank was able to live as an independent artist because of this way of thinking. He was able to call the shots and make whatever crazy-ass music he wanted to make. So even from a purely artistic view, what he's saying makes a lot of sense.
You might be interested to know more about him. A new edition of Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa 1968-1971 is just out in Europe and in 6 weeks time in America. It's my story but reveals Frank's home life, not shown in any other book - from getting up to going to bed. Read about Mothers of Invention rehearsals, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more.
Music at this level is a business, and Zappa hits it out of the park in this video. This is not a bar band thing, although some of the lessons here certainly apply for that level. But imagine what it's like when Rush goes on tour. Sure, tickets are expensive, but you get your money's worth in entertainment. Same thing goes for sports, movies, TV, or any other form of entertainment.
This is just awesome. So much is there in just 3 and a half minutes. FZ was a coffee and cigarettes fueled madman who kept tune to splice performances later on records and super thinly disguised rehearsals which were actually recording sessions. Did he even sleep? Oh yeah, and on top he's put out at least 100 albums.
He is a musician. His bands were like mini orchestras and the members were hired guns who played his compositions the way he wanted them to. Glen Miller was the same. Mozart was the same. Brian Wilson too...
Context is everything, and all the negativity flying about here is so sad. I do hope it goes away and is replaced with some civility, humility and respect. Once again, great art, skill and editing in the animation, and just absolute genius and integrity as always on display from Frank in this interview.
he should wear a pimpco shirt :D. zappa was a pro in all areas. and he was a great composer, video artist, producer, musician and a remarkably un-boring guitarist. and on stage he was alltogether ^^.
Jesus christ that video was awesome. Thank you for making this. It is fantastic to see an individual rise naturally into capitalism and see why it was the right and good thing to do all along. He should have been an Objectivist, he'd have made a great one.
Listen to this interview (at about 8:00 in the interview from Sept 26 1984 which you can find elsewhere on RUclips) for the context. Frank addressed the issue,with all his characteristic "no BS" directness. In the process he gave us a lot more on the business side of music from within, and demonstrated respect and clarity as always, in spite of the accusations being tossed at him.
I would love to have a boss like Frank if I had the talent to be in his band. A learning experience working exceptionally hard and then having Frank on your C.V.
I love what Geddy Lee had to say about their early experience opening for KISS. He said, paraphrasing: "Say what you want about KISS musically or otherwise, but we learned from them the importance of giving the audience their money's worth." As for Frank, I'm an avid live music collector and fan, and I've heard many many concerts from various different bands, and Frank's quality from show to show is second to none. Every show I've ever heard ranges from mind blowing on the high end to excellent on the low end. Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead, on the other hand, range from mind-blowing to embarrassingly bad, and almost always due to non-sobriety, something which Frank was a stickler for.
Right on Frank. As usual, nails it with the minimum word count. This little discursion of his isn't about whether you're supposed to have fun playing music. And also, some people might need reminding that pro or amateur, the greatest enjoyment usually (I would think always) comes when you are so practiced at your craft that you can do just about anything that comes into your head.
Very similar to James Brown who had a very tight unit of amazing talent. Asked why his musicians put up with rigor, JB replied, "Because I pay them." Brown was all business about making sure they got paid in a time performers were frequently stiffed by promoters. He hired his crew and paid them out of his pocket. He also issued fines for things like being late and mistakes while performing. He often fined during performances, holding fingers behind his back to signal how much he was docking them. Like Zappa, he had no shortage of musicians wanting to be in his band.
it was his ship. if he sank or sailed was his responsibility and as long as musicians were lining up to play under his rules. he could do what he wanted. If no one lined up, he would have to either change his rules, or go solo, or ??? in business you adapt to the environment to survive. He is right that Unions are full of people who dont want to put in the time ask of them, there are also some who are great worker, and while Unions do have their downsides, there are a lot of things we wouldnt have today without them. Like work safety laws, paid lunch breaks, 40 hour weeks, any benefits you have today are due to Unions and much more. While I may not be a fan of Unions myself, and I did go to business school so I have studies both sides of this in detail, sometimes you have to use assholes to fight assholes. But not all union members are rotten, and not all business owners are rotten. But as always, its the worst of them who get the most coverage, so its hard from people who dont have any real education on either to actually do more than repeat what they hear or something they saw once in real life to make up their minds on. Sad, but true..
Once myself & some other people needed a job & a local business, that had union workers, needed workers because the union workers went on strike. I had to sneak into work every day for fear of having my head bashed in by one of those nice Union guys so yeah, there's nothing inherently evil about unions it's more of the type of garbage they attract & they were a bunch of privileged & violent & narrow-minded dip shitz and I, besides not even being able to imagine Frank ever having anything to do with them unless out of sheer necessity, would never want to have anything to do with them either. All those things you listed, so-called benefits, could have been accomplished in the free market & in fact are accomplished that way to this day without benefit from brainless, entitlement minded thugs who couldn't get a job without a union if their lives depended on it. For years Frank wanted to do a lot of things in the orchestral area but was completely stymied from any of it because of unions & union mentality. A commenter here said, "Frank would not be feeling the burn", which says, in a nutshell, as well as anything, his view..
Interesting points here. I would say this. Unions can be useful if done right. The fact that govs want to do away with unions mean they were powerful. What wrong with trying to get a bigger slice of the pie if you are an employee? I am thinking of those miners in the U.S who formed a union to get better working conditions. Their lives were at risk every time they went down there. It depends on the union.
@@JamesReynolds852 Well, they haven't achieved healthcare for employees for e.g. There are families without healthcare who work full-time. U.S. gov should be ashamed.
@@ryand141 Unions have less power nowadays because government regulation interferes with the ability of organized workers to bargain with their employers. Besides that point, a lot of the things unions are credited for are things a truly free market would account for (if we had one). The 40 hour work week is efficient and if we had a free market with business men who we can assume are rational and want profit would agree to many workers rights positions/benefits as it makes their workers more productive and higher productivity means more PROFIT for the business owner.
You are right. Franks dad was a chemist of some sort and Frank played around with stuff such as mercury. I am 58 and a smoker but I would never mess with stuff like mercury. My dad worked at IBM 40 plus years and was exposed to a lot of benzine. He died at 72 from a blood disorder similar to leukemia. He never drank, smoked and I heard him say "hell" once and that was at me.
The original source was a commercially available interview disc. The playback speed here is a little fast and as a result FZ's voice sounds like he's been breathing helium.
This is a great business lesson and motivational pep talk for any type of endeavor besides music. This is probably why Frank Zappa's music started to stink in the 80's. It just ain't got no SOUL!!!
Yes, that is true but then he became disillusioned with the classical world because they were not 'disciplined' and played his music shabbily (in Frank's opinion) but yes, that was his aim to be lauded in the classical world.
This isn't just good business advice for a band leader, it's good business advice for any type of manager. This is how you cultivate a winning team.
Seeing Frank Zappa in the '80s was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. Someone from the audience threw something on stage. Frank stopped the band (on a dime), he told the crowd that if one more thing landed on the stage, they were gone. The crowd boo'd the A-hole that did it. Frank counted the band back in and they took off flying, exactly from where they left off, in perfect sync. It was amazing! Oh, great show too!
Was that in Augusta, Maine?
@@busterservicks726 Cobo Hall in Detroit
Frank's charisma on stage was like no one else.
In Grenoble 1998, I threw him a cigare, he first made a step back, and then ,took it and thanked me for it (since the beggining, he was smoking cigarrettes one after another) . True story!
I cannot "like" this enough. I miss FZ terribly. I miss his talent & intelligence. The collective world IQ lowered the day he died.
You might be interested in reading about Frank's home life at the log cabin in 1968 revealed in my memoir Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa. It's my story but shows Frank at home not revealed in any other book, from getting up to going to bed, rehearsals with the Mothers of Invention, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more.
I wish corporations still had Frank's business philosophy. Now they just care about a perception of quality by cutting costs. Frank was definitely old school. They don't make 'em like him anymore.
I'm not surprised that he succeed with this attitude.
If you ever went to a sloppy bad concert, you would have wished the performers had more self discipline. The major Orchestras get millions of dollars from angles. Expectations were very high, and that was even before you thought of applying for a music job.
Frank Zappa savaged the LSO as a bunch of entitled lazy drunks who played in a cover band..
Very professional and well informed
@@paddysuemcgillywagon8038 and they were well payed for being sloppy and lazy
Such no-nonsense communication is quite rare these days. May we learn from Frank and speak with such clarity to our own generation - even when people are offended by it.
During the '60s and '70s I attended numerous Mothers concerts, and was never disappointed. All members of the band were consummate professionals who enjoyed their time on stage and gave a damned good performance every time. Their concerts lasted longer than most, and their tickets were fairly priced. Most of those in the audience [a] felt they had gotten their money's worth; [b] went right out and bought the records; and [c] anxiously awaited Frank's next concert tour. THAT'S Capitalism!
I saw them in San Francisco in 1968 when Booker T played first and by comparison, I'm sad to say, the Mothers did not stand up. One of the reasons Frank moved on to those wonderful 70s groups.
The music would have been good independently of the capitalism. Frank was just a guy who was capable of raising the capital to run the show, if he were in a socialist society where a state government organized the funding for public show Zappa would of ensured the music be just as quality regardless of if people had paid to be there or not. Artists care about the quality of art for the sake of the art, not the money, the fact that it happens to be really expensive to be an artist is a problem not a triumph and Frank wouldn't have told you otherwise.
@@Jasmine69420 Frank still liked Capitalism and hated Socialism/Communism… he would never live in such country
@@Johnnysmithy24 He also said that ANYONE can make music. I'm talking about the relationships between music & culture, and stating that capitalism is not conducive to creativity as it forces it's citizens to make the choice between free expression and acquiring capital. Frank says himself here that his concerts are only possible BECAUSE he himself CAN afford to fund them, this is capitalism working against him not in his favour, if capitalism were conducive to art then creative geniuses like Frank WOULD be able to secure funding and investment in more live performances, the reason he could not accept others' money is because then they would want input on the project which ultimately would ruin the artistic integrity and make the whole show moot. As a musician whose studied economics, politics and worked in events planning for live music I feel like I know a bit more than you learned from jordan peterson about this topic.
@@Jasmine69420^ The person above me gets triggered at the mention of a superior economic model.
His willingness to accept complete personal responsibility to his paying customer, and thereby expecting the same from his team, is laudable. This is neither unique nor mutually exclusive to any political philosophy, it's just professionalism at its finest.... and Frank HATED uncaring/incompetent people in ANY profession.
"You can stab 'n' shoot 'n' spit...But they won't be fixin' it... They're lyin' an' lazy, They can be drivin' you crazy"
Swear to God they got the most on every business on the coast!
@@raidersrobert They Got The Flakes!
THAT"S Fantastic & Absolute....although, I would LIKE to stand up for unions 'cause there are "BOSSES" that aren't like Mr. Frank... that want to bleed worker dry & NO "Liking & getting along" exists...I Wish that what he said about unions was ALWAYS,... NOT TRUE , but sometimes it is. sometimes there are people who really don't want to work. BUT, I as a union electrician & a musician LOVE MY WORK & deem it ALL as ART of MY Heart...& if YOU don't feel THAT / than don't work / or ART, near me
Seeing his band in 1981 and 1984 was one of the musical highlights of my life. They were superlative.
i seeing in 1984 Madrid Espanha
Both were fantastic tours as well. I was 3 in '84 but man I wish I could have seen Frank play live...
Zappa had high musical standards that he simply refused to compromise. His musicians were highly compensated yet make no mistake - you did it Frank’s way at HIS standards or....you were sent packing.
Having seen Zappa and his various musical lineups a dozen+ times between ‘71 - 79, no band was tighter, more practiced, better than his. RIP, Frank - your music endures to this day!
With this mentallity Zappa could be the most productive artist of our time.
every student of music needs to see this.
Student ? Just a musician will fit the job.
You mean student of business?
But how?? How do you collect that much money before even recording?
@@popodopulus3826 i guess the record company will borrow you it... hell of a risk.
@@popodopulus3826 maybe earned from previous gigs and so
This is a true representation of FZ's business philosophy regarding his choice of musicians. Like many other musicians and groups who had long careers, Frank would change the direction of the music he was writing, often in a short period of time. This would require new musicianship in order to play the music the way Frank wanted it to sound. As Frank stated, there was no shortage of players that would come to his auditions, and he would choose whomever fit the bill for his new compositions or tours. There were constant rehearsals to get the music down pat, but he paid these musicians a salary for a normal work week,Frank's set lists consisted of a 2-hour set with very few breaks between songs, which could only be achieved via extensive rehearsing. FZ always tried to give the concert goer an excellent show, which he usually succeeded in doing over his long career. That's why he didn't want his musicians to do drugs, so they would be alert enough to tackle the demands of his often complex compositions. I applaud him for that effort and always enjoyed the many times I saw him in concert from 1975-1988.
By all means go see Dweezil. As someone who saw Frank perform extensively throughout the 70s and 80s, Dweezil's shows are about as close as you can get to the real thing. I've seen ZpZ three times and all were excellent experiences.
I'd also highly recommend "Roxy The Movie" DVD. I saw that band twice on that tour in Chicago and the film will give you a good idea what it was like to see them perform live. The "Baby Snakes" DVD is also excellent, but it is more of an artistic undertaking than it is a "documentary" of a concert.
That's fantastic information! Thank you for your response. I'll definitely check out both of those DVD's.
BetitoBass I just saw Dweezil perform in Durango, CO, and the guy above is right! One of the best experiences I've had and the band was tight as all get out. I feel Dweezil follows the same ethos as his father. People pay for a good show and that's what they set out to deliver at any cost.
I saw Zappa on every tour from 1976 (The infamous Boston show which probably led to Bianca's departure) through '88. Worst show was in a standing-only gig in a hockey rink in Danvers, MA in 1978. Not happy because I had previously always seen him in a proper concert hall with seating and good acoustics. Best two shows would be '80 (2nd row seats - Hotcha!) and '88.
@@Patricksan2001 I saw Frank Zappa play with the early Mothers of Invention many times and although Dweezil played the music, there was no communication with the audience, a huge difference.
Wow. Awesome words of wisdom
Bootsy Collins recalled James Brown saying that music was 75% business, 25% music, whether you liked it or not. Having led a band for a few years now, I can say it's unfortunately true.
"Republicans is fine if you're a multi-millionaire
Democrat is fair if all you own is what you wear
But neither of 'em really right, 'cause neither of them care
About that hot-plate Heaven, 'cause they ain't been there."
-Frank Zappa, "Hot Plate Heaven at the Green Hotel"
Neither of them care.............Masterpiece of Understatement.
I'm back 7 years later. Hasn't it been a crazy ride? Frank is still right too.
The upside to playing under that disciplined regime though, is the sense of fulfilment. I've had years of fun playing music, either with bands, as a solo artist, or just jamming with friends, but I don't have a lot I can look back on and feel like I really fulfilled all my potential.
I'd image that the likes of Ruth Underwood or Bruce Fowler can look back with pride at what they achieved under Zappa (and they probably had fun doing it too!).
Frank uses the word discipline multiple times in the video for a reason. A professional musician is disciplined enough to understand what he needs to do and how to get it done efficiently. the discipline comes from two things, experience and practice. I work as a drummer with two bands and as far as I can tell, I'm the only one in either one that practices consistently. I would have loved to play some of Zappa's technically challenging music. it's inspiring in a way.
Ray Collins, the singer in the first Mothers of Invention left because he couldn't stand the discipline.
Have you ever read Mike Keneally's autobiography of playing in Zappa's band (guitarist/keyboardist/singer for the 1988 tour)? He goes on and on about how insanely fun it was, not just because he was playing music, but because he was facing new challenges with the difficulty of the material, and improving himself along the way. It was still a job, however, and some people love their jobs.
I'm not living extravagantly, I'll tell you that for sure
A lot musicians seem to disdain the business end of their productions. I suspect that they either have someone who is very good at that sort of thing, or they eventually get screwed. Getting involved in the business end of things allowed FZ to eventually have a lot more control over his music. Plus, he didn't like getting screwed.
A lot of musicians are actually not too intelligent, outside of their musicianship. Also, the '60s flower power legacy of seeing "bidness" as evil was further compounded by the grunge kids feeling like sellouts for making any money at all. Combine the two and you wind up with a lot of people who don't understand the financial aspect, and consider it somehow "dirty."
Being a musician requires balance. As much as you love the art, you have to treat it as a business as well.
To be truly committed to a craft, you have to know when it's fun time and when it's work time.
Frank's music was highly eclectic. To play it flawlessly, he had his musicians put in sheer hours of work to understand the music.
Once the music was in their blood, they had fun with their performances.
It clearly shows in Frank's concerts. That's why Frank is a revered musician.
Frank was a realist and a perfectionist. Everyone who worked with him knew it from the first audition. Do it right, or you don't play, PERIOD. Anyone who survived a tour or an album cut with him were good as gold in the industry, because the INDUSTRY knew what he expected from others, and KNEW that anyone who worked with him was a PRO, not a pretender. That goes for any career one pursues.
I ran a weddings band myself and the amount of stress regarding this was unbearable. Musos turn up for the cheque and dont put effort in, dont learn songs, forget their gear you name it. Screw up first dances i get threatened physically and legally! This needs to be a shared arrangement to avoid having a heart atack.
I was on the other side of the coin...I'd show up to (unpaid) rehearsals, learn the set list, have my butt there for a sound check, work my ass off for 4 sets, then get told that I'd have a check in hand on Monday. My check would arrive, and would be less than what I was promised, requiring me to make phone calls and threats to get my money.
This happened at least 2 out of 5 gigs when I was a working musician...skrew it, I'm an engineer, now, and like getting a steady paycheck, on the 15th and the 30th, just like clockwork. God bless corporate America!!
@@stronzo5785 Just outta curiosity, what kind of engineer? Sound engineer? If so, can you explain this side of the business?
I absolutely understand this experience. The only way to run a band of that type is the method Frank describes. The "My attitude is this..." part is absolutely accurate. The person responsible for the outlay and organisation of a band is taking the risk and has the right to expect musicians to contribute their best effort. This should, in theory, be entirely achievable in a culture of respect, achievement and fun.
All you're really telling us is that you enjoy the fun part of playing guitar but aren't so in to it that you feel the need to discipline yourself. For some people, guitar playing goes beyond fun; there is a driving force from inside that demands your dedication and creativity. These are the kind of people that Zappa required to play in his band. I play guitar professionally and there's a lot of songs that I don't like, but I play them anyway and achieve fulfillment that is deeper than "fun".
Yep! Just the fact that he foots the bill all by himself justifies him being the dictator. You screw around, you screw with his livelihood.
Being a bandleader is a lot of work and a lot of stress.
Frank, I saw you four times. And you ALWAYS delivered! I got more than my money's worth, and I thank you for it!
Zappa was different, he was a musician and composer, he did not use drugs and only drank in his younger days. He had a disdain for Rock and roll mentality that many bands exhibited. He hired the best and worked them hard. Some complained when they were in his employ but none ever regretted the time spent with Frank. I have formed a few bands and they were all less than successful. The best was with a bass player that knew my style and a guy, Steve Hoke who played anything with strings, a pro.
Frank has this reputation, and maybe rightfully so, as a dictator, and yet almost everyone who was in his bands speaks about that time glowingly.
Every economics class should be required to watch this. As should every preacher.
This inspires me to work harder on my music, fuck staying lazy and playing video games.
First off, excellent animation to this interview excerpt.
Taken in context, Frank was providing his point of view on the tabloid style press comments of an ex-member of his band. Basically: that sometimes peoples ego get hurt when they hit a wall... and they blame the wall. He is also saying implicitly that being tossed from the band shouldn't be taken so personal and lead one to destructive and uncivil behaviors like we see in the comments here.
It was a privilege to hear the words of the near-Prophet, FZ, extolling the virtues of hard work, discipline, and the Profit Motive.
I could not have said any of this any better than it's said here.
The "collective" model of the successful rock band is a charming myth: Music is a profession, just like any other profession.
(Compliments to the composer of the background score for channeling his Inner Zappa.)
Not too many musicians have had this level of expectation from their bands. Zappa, James Brown, Buddy Rich...maybe a few others. All geniuses. All delivered the greatest music we ever heard. If they had to kick a few asses, metaphorically speaking, then so be it.
James Brown was also known for being very strict, but the band was the tightest in the genre, and they all got solo contracts on the side thanks to that. They were good band leaders.
Nice video.
Frank was that far ahead of his time that the people of today will have no idea what this guy is talking about.
Frank Zappa was and still is a musical genius. There will never be anyone like him.
"Someone in that audience out there knows what we are doing, and that person is getting off on it beyond his/her wildest comprehension"
It's a Frank Zappa thing, you just wouldn't understand.
Frank Zappa, "the present day composer who refuses to die".
This guy was a real dictator, satirically enough in the PERFECT ROMAN sense of the original word.
Many outsiders thought Zappa was some kind of "radical" because he was so socially liberal. But he wasn't a liberal overall by any means; he was more of a libertarian, and in many ways, extremely conservative. I didn't necessarily agree with or admire all his views, but he was a principled guy. And his musical achievements are legendary - whether you like his stuff of not.
I agree with that.
Actually I WOULD call him a Liberal in every sense of the word. It’s just that the word liberal has been perverted to no end nowadays.
Not just a musical genius! 👍😁🌿
No. He was also an interesting man. You can read about his home life not revealed in any other book, from getting up to going to bed. It's my story, but read about Mothers of Invention rehearsals, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more. Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa.
O.K. Am I the only one who thinks this is awesome???!?! The more I learn about zap the more I like him...
There's a new book out, Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa - new edition - not available in America for 6 weeks, but I have copies. It's my story but reveals Frank's home life, not revealed in any other book - from getting up to going to bed. Read about Mothers of Invention rehearsals, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more.
The key thing here was that even if Zappa was not a musical genius, which he was, he was a man of integrity: He was hard in his business dealings, but he was fair.
Unfortunately, this hasn't been the norm in businesses in a long time, and guys like Zappa who expect excellence but are also there to reward said excellence are now the exception, rather than the rule.
Nicely said. Frank had to be the corporate brass and one of the guys at the same time, and I don't know many people who could have navigated that like he did.
Frank was an unbelievable genius and his band was incredible
Every one of his many bands was incredible!
Every time I watch this video, he just reminds me of some corporate schill describing the ins and outs of a business meeting. It couldn't be more distant of what my idea of music is.
And that's why he was highly successful and both loved and respected around the world for his music while you're not.
I was lucky enough to see Frank 3 times. Never disappointed.
I really enjoy listening to Zappa and his music.
Thanks for the upload, Sir.
Epic video. Definitely does not sound like 1984 though. I'd guess early 70's, because 1. his voice sounds like it did before he was pushed off stage and torqued his neck, and 2. It's consistent with what he said about his experiences with Zubin Mehta and other big set ups from that period. Who knows maybe it is 84 but seems like it's way earlier.
Unless the audio was slightly sped up.
Those were my thoughts. His voice was definitely deeper later in life. Is this not consistent with his encounters with musician's unions that he had to contend with during the early eighties, rather than Zubin Mehta?
This is the 80s. There were also crappy recording machines then.
Well done and Absolutely well said by the man himself !!
Playing well is fun, playing with half-hearted twangers is WORK! Dying on stage is nobody's idea of fun. Learning to play is a chore, getting the tune down tight and right is a joy.
I see it this way: some people would love to have music be their job and do it eight hours a day, 5 days a week. Other people would rather keep work and play separate. To the former category, music is not a hobby but a Way, a way of life, of being. To the latter it's a hobby. Frank Zappa being who he was, he had to approach the business side of his art seriously because otherwise he wouldn't have been able to keep doing it.
I'm sorry, I think if music is your job it's far more than eight hours a day, five days a week.
Brilliant, I'm lucky I have this on disc, it was from a 1984 interview by a British journalist who brought up the x musician topic.
Me too.
He has that virtue called honesty! Please Frank guide us I you can.
i wish i knew musicians that considered being in a band as a second or third job. when i join a band i want to have fun, but at the same point i'm willing to work brutally hard to quit my day job.
You need to find them. It's about communication.
What do you play bro?
Yeah I see a lot of adverts but maybe if you advertise put “ looking for band, I play x , looking for band members that are willing to take this as seriously as me, aka. As seriously as say, a second or third job.”
Like the other guy said, communicate what you want, settle with nothing less
I’ve had situations where we hired the wrong singer and everyone was too polite to say “sorry bud , you don’t even know what timing is, you can’t be our vocalist” and the paying customers at our charity gigs were who suffered financially, we suffered otherwise alongside them.
It takes communication and not settling
People play music for different reasons. If you want to play at Frank's level, it takes a ton of discipline and work. Like he said, he paid $250K so everyone could rehearse enough to sound fantastic. It isn't just about money, but excellence was required, just like a classical performance. Frank had a ton of integrity, and took his responsibility to the audience seriously. It's not the same as casual rockers cranking out tunes for beer and gear money.
As a South African the description of Unions really cracked me up.
Why?
This is a valuable life lesson from Frank. You don’t get anything for nothing. You have to work hard for it. Also be honest to the people you are providing a service for.
Capitalism baby lol
This is why it's competition is so important. Frank's right, however he's also passed away. In time, this conclusion is something that's common sense, based on an organic clock that's always ticking. This is the strength of unions, to raise the talent level to compete with the owner/boss. Frank is referring to a corrupted Union, because the union officers' responsibility to educate, raising the talent level. This improves the quality of the INDUSTRY as a whole.
zappa is an exceptional guitarist
While this mentality isn't great for most businesses, it's perfect for being the best touring band you can be. Elite bands are elite for a reason and that's because it's a meritocracy.
Sounds like a true consumer advocate to me. As rock fans we should appreciate that. Sorry posers, if you can't hack it. In the music business talent IS the "Mothers of Invention"
"If there is something wrong with that, then let me know" Best mic drop ever
Frank knew what it was all about. Business = most bang for the buck, for himself and his family, to be able to reinvest in putting out more product, his associates, and for everybody else. Especially his paying audience. Wanting a win-win business situation is not only smart and profitable, but it's simple common sense, business 101. Music = most bang for the soul.
Dispassionate and logical. Not emotional. I'm glad he included ENTERTAINMENT in his formula. Jazz musicians take note (and I'm one) -it's NOT just about the music. The audience needs to be ENTERTAINED.
My god. Brutal ! I saw Dweezil in October 17 in Manchester. The band were shockingly awesome. Nobody has the Zappa standard Nobody Frank was a legend Dweez is taking frank onwards Spreading the higher level of consciousness No arguments just take frank forward. Please x
I saw Dweezil at the London Palladium and yes, he played the notes but there was no communication with the audience and no charisma. That was the genius of Frank Zappa.
Last time I checked, most people do a job or work in a certain field because it is enjoyable to them, that includes musicians. Believe it or not, being a musician (a versatile musician like what Zappa wanted) takes a lot of patience and WORK! If you're not willing to put in the work to improve your musicianship or skill and you're only in it for "fun" then you're not being professional. In my experience people who say "it's only for fun" are the guys who use it as an excuse to avoid practicing.
master persuader... thy name is Frank Zappa...
good thing there's plenty evidence on record about Zappa 's greatness... otherwise lots of people in a different time and place would find hard to believe in Frank's unlimited creativity...
With the qualifier that Zappa was signed, did all originals, and never compromised his music, he is absolutely dead on with how it works. But, it’s also a good lesson for copy/ garage bands to work toward. For those who may not know, the labels, A&R, all refer to an artist’s heart and soul in his music as “product,” no different than a can of deodorant. To them it is a marketable commodity in a lucrative industry, nothing more. Unfortunately, the labels have figured out the formula and that’s what we have today.
Running a band is insanely hard. He's right, especially when it was he who was financing everything. @Thomas Devine (comment below this one): i didn't know FZ was planning that. It would have been awesome.
"If you are playing music and not having fun, what the fuck else is there?" 1. Expressing yourself; 2. Creating something that will outlive you; 3. Making a significant contribution to art and the society; 4. Surpassing challenges, growing up and evolving both as an artist and as a person, to eventually: 5. Become good enough to have fun while still being professional. Enough?
Furthermore, Frank was able to live as an independent artist because of this way of thinking. He was able to call the shots and make whatever crazy-ass music he wanted to make. So even from a purely artistic view, what he's saying makes a lot of sense.
Which Is Why Frank was THE MAN.
Don't really know his music that well but I fucking love this guy.
You might be interested to know more about him. A new edition of Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa 1968-1971 is just out in Europe and in 6 weeks time in America. It's my story but reveals Frank's home life, not shown in any other book - from getting up to going to bed. Read about Mothers of Invention rehearsals, Frank composing, visiting rock stars, freaks, family squabbles and more.
Music at this level is a business, and Zappa hits it out of the park in this video. This is not a bar band thing, although some of the lessons here certainly apply for that level. But imagine what it's like when Rush goes on tour. Sure, tickets are expensive, but you get your money's worth in entertainment. Same thing goes for sports, movies, TV, or any other form of entertainment.
This is just awesome. So much is there in just 3 and a half minutes. FZ was a coffee and cigarettes fueled madman who kept tune to splice performances later on records and super thinly disguised rehearsals which were actually recording sessions. Did he even sleep? Oh yeah, and on top he's put out at least 100 albums.
He is a musician. His bands were like mini orchestras and the members were hired guns who played his compositions the way he wanted them to. Glen Miller was the same. Mozart was the same. Brian Wilson too...
Omar Rodriguez Lopez of the mars Volta as well
Context is everything, and all the negativity flying about here is so sad. I do hope it goes away and is replaced with some civility, humility and respect.
Once again, great art, skill and editing in the animation, and just absolute genius and integrity as always on display from Frank in this interview.
This is singlehandedly the best thing I've seen holy shit I'm tearing up goddamit I needed to hear this so bad thank you
Seeing/hearing George Duke perform with Zappa multiple time was... well, indescribable
he should wear a pimpco shirt :D. zappa was a pro in all areas. and he was a great composer, video artist, producer, musician and a remarkably un-boring guitarist. and on stage he was alltogether ^^.
This guy sounds like my architecture studio professor. That's great.
Jesus christ that video was awesome. Thank you for making this.
It is fantastic to see an individual rise naturally into capitalism and see why it was the right and good thing to do all along. He should have been an Objectivist, he'd have made a great one.
Truth,... miss that man
Listen to this interview (at about 8:00 in the interview from Sept 26 1984 which you can find elsewhere on RUclips) for the context.
Frank addressed the issue,with all his characteristic "no BS" directness.
In the process he gave us a lot more on the business side of music from within, and demonstrated respect and clarity as always, in spite of the accusations being tossed at him.
I would love to have a boss like Frank if I had the talent to be in his band. A learning experience working exceptionally hard and then having Frank on your C.V.
I love what Geddy Lee had to say about their early experience opening for KISS. He said, paraphrasing: "Say what you want about KISS musically or otherwise, but we learned from them the importance of giving the audience their money's worth." As for Frank, I'm an avid live music collector and fan, and I've heard many many concerts from various different bands, and Frank's quality from show to show is second to none. Every show I've ever heard ranges from mind blowing on the high end to excellent on the low end. Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead, on the other hand, range from mind-blowing to embarrassingly bad, and almost always due to non-sobriety, something which Frank was a stickler for.
Always an inspiration...
Right on Frank. As usual, nails it with the minimum word count. This little discursion of his isn't about whether you're supposed to have fun playing music. And also, some people might need reminding that pro or amateur, the greatest enjoyment usually (I would think always) comes when you are so practiced at your craft that you can do just about anything that comes into your head.
Brilliant.
this is exactly how his later music sounded like. musical steel production
UNION MENTALITY...ahhhh Frank I love ya.(I did spend 1 day with Dweezil by the way, was great).
TEACH ALL THESE FOOLS WHAT WHAT, FRANK!
Very similar to James Brown who had a very tight unit of amazing talent. Asked why his musicians put up with rigor, JB replied, "Because I pay them." Brown was all business about making sure they got paid in a time performers were frequently stiffed by promoters. He hired his crew and paid them out of his pocket. He also issued fines for things like being late and mistakes while performing. He often fined during performances, holding fingers behind his back to signal how much he was docking them. Like Zappa, he had no shortage of musicians wanting to be in his band.
While JB said that interviews, he was fairly known for not paying his musicians.
@@BrunodeSouzaLino : As I recall, he was known for not paying them a lot but for paying regularly.
What a smart guy
Truer words were never spoken.
UNION MENTALITY!
FANTASTIC! This is fantastic! Well done!
And that's the way I do my business.
it was his ship. if he sank or sailed was his responsibility and as long as musicians were lining up to play under his rules. he could do what he wanted. If no one lined up, he would have to either change his rules, or go solo, or ??? in business you adapt to the environment to survive. He is right that Unions are full of people who dont want to put in the time ask of them, there are also some who are great worker, and while Unions do have their downsides, there are a lot of things we wouldnt have today without them. Like work safety laws, paid lunch breaks, 40 hour weeks, any benefits you have today are due to Unions and much more. While I may not be a fan of Unions myself, and I did go to business school so I have studies both sides of this in detail, sometimes you have to use assholes to fight assholes. But not all union members are rotten, and not all business owners are rotten. But as always, its the worst of them who get the most coverage, so its hard from people who dont have any real education on either to actually do more than repeat what they hear or something they saw once in real life to make up their minds on. Sad, but true..
Once myself & some other people needed a job & a local business, that had union workers, needed workers because the union workers went on strike. I had to sneak into work every day for fear of having my head bashed in by one of those nice Union guys so yeah, there's nothing inherently evil about unions it's more of the type of garbage they attract & they were a bunch of privileged & violent & narrow-minded dip shitz and I, besides not even being able to imagine Frank ever having anything to do with them unless out of sheer necessity, would never want to have anything to do with them either.
All those things you listed, so-called benefits, could have been accomplished in the free market & in fact are accomplished that way to this day without benefit from brainless, entitlement minded thugs who couldn't get a job without a union if their lives depended on it.
For years Frank wanted to do a lot of things in the orchestral area but was completely stymied from any of it because of unions & union mentality. A commenter here said, "Frank would not be feeling the burn", which says, in a nutshell, as well as anything, his view..
Interesting points here. I would say this. Unions can be useful if done right. The fact that govs want to do away with unions mean they were powerful. What wrong with trying to get a bigger slice of the pie if you are an employee? I am thinking of those miners in the U.S who formed a union to get better working conditions. Their lives were at risk every time they went down there. It depends on the union.
@@ryand141 Unions have far out lived their usefulness.
Everything they achieved for workers in the past is pretty much now all federal laws.
@@JamesReynolds852 Well, they haven't achieved healthcare for employees for e.g. There are families without healthcare who work full-time. U.S. gov should be ashamed.
@@ryand141 Unions have less power nowadays because government regulation interferes with the ability of organized workers to bargain with their employers. Besides that point, a lot of the things unions are credited for are things a truly free market would account for (if we had one). The 40 hour work week is efficient and if we had a free market with business men who we can assume are rational and want profit would agree to many workers rights positions/benefits as it makes their workers more productive and higher productivity means more PROFIT for the business owner.
You are right. Franks dad was a chemist of some sort and Frank played around with stuff such as mercury. I am 58 and a smoker but I would never mess with stuff like mercury. My dad worked at IBM 40 plus years and was exposed to a lot of benzine. He died at 72 from a blood disorder similar to leukemia. He never drank, smoked and I heard him say "hell" once and that was at me.
The original source was a commercially available interview disc. The playback speed here is a little fast and as a result FZ's voice sounds like he's been breathing helium.
This is a great business lesson and motivational pep talk for any type of endeavor besides music. This is probably why Frank Zappa's music started to stink in the 80's. It just ain't got no SOUL!!!
I always thought that Frank did the rock music to fund the “ real “ orchestral music that he really wanted to hear . Anyone else agree?
Yes, that is true but then he became disillusioned with the classical world because they were not 'disciplined' and played his music shabbily (in Frank's opinion) but yes, that was his aim to be lauded in the classical world.