Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary Composer Biographies

Frank Zappa

Born:	December 21,1940 in Baltimore Maryland, America
Died:	December 4, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, America
Nationality:	American
Era:	Twentieth Century
Main genre:	Rock Music
Main works:	Movie: 200 Motels Songs: Peaches en Regalia Willie The Pimp The Mud Shark Bwana Dik Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus Dinah-Moe Humm Don't Eat The Yellow Snow Stink Foot Penguin In Bondage Muffin Man The Illinois Enema Bandit Catholic Girls Disco Boy Dog Breath, In The Year Of The Plague Albums: Freak Out! - 1966 Absolutely Free - 1967 We're Only In It For The Money - 1968 Lumpy Gravy - 1968 Crusing With Ruben & The Jets - 1968 Uncle Meat - 1969 Hot Rats - 1969 Burnt Weeny Sandwich - 1969 Weasels Ripped My Flesh - 1970 Chunga's Revenge - 1970 Fillmore East, June 1971 - 1971 (live) Just Another Band From L.A. - 1972 Waka/Jawaka - 1972 The Grand Wazoo - 1972 Over-night Sensation - 1973 Apostrophe - 1974 Roxy & Elsewhere - 1974 One SIze Fits All - 1975 Bongo Fury - 1975 Zoot Allures - 1976 Zappa In New York - 1976 Studio Tan - 1976 Sleep Dirt - 1976 Sheik Ywebouti - 1979 Joe's Garage Acts I, II & III - 1979 Baby Snakes - 1977
Brief biography:	He was interested in music at an early age and pursued his desire in school. For a short time, Frank Zappa attended Chaffey College in Alta Loma, California. He dropped out of school and instead made a few films and bought a low-budget recording studio. While running the recording studio he joined a band, The Soul Giants, which was later named The Mothers of Invention. He could sing, play acoustic and electric guitar. Zappa also composed all of the band's original songs. In 1966, The Mothers recorded their first album titled Freak Out! After Freak Out!, over twenty more albums were released by Zappa. Zappa and The Mothers of Invention created a large following for their creative music and outrageous stage antics. He was influenced by the many classical figures including Stravinsky, Stockhausen, and Varèse. The classical influences were never more evident than with the score for his movie 200 Motels that he scored for full symphony orchestra. Along with the classical figures, there were other roots to his music, including Muddy Waters and Johnny Watson. Zappa was one of the most creative and well known record-makers of his time with a genuis in his compositions and performance. He released an enormous amount of music to the public throughout his career with a sense of humor and a truley unique personality that was very honest and open but often offensive. He spent a good deal of time as an advocate for free speech including testifying to congress.