Joe’s Garage, Act 1

Artist: Frank Zappa
Album: Joe’s Garage, Act 1
This was one I hadn’t put on the turntable in a long time, not until two weeks ago when my sister-in-law and her boyfriend were up in Collingwood, and I was playing D.J.
“What should I put on next?” I asked my guests. “It’s Nick’s pick.”
“Frank Zappa,” Nick said without hesitation.
“Which one?”
“Joe’s Garage.”
Ah yes, Joe’s Garage. Released in 1979, Act 1 was the first of a three-record ‘concept’ piece that allowed Zappa a bit more freedom after his contract with Warner Bros. ran out. Joe’s Garage explores the life and adventures of a musician, aptly named Joe, and his sort-of girlfriend, Mary.
Brilliant, zany, off-the-wall, ground-breaking, offensive; those terms would probably define most of Zappa’s work, and Joe’s Garage is no different. It opens with The Central Scrutinizer, a satirical spoken-word (using a menacing, whisper) piece with a techno drumbeat occasionally interspersed with bursts of Spike Jones-inspired musical mania. The ‘central scrutinizer’ would become a theme, occasionally poking in to narrate Joe and Mary’s story between tracks.
Other song titles are designed to push the limits, to provoke a reaction: Catholic Girls, Crew Slut, Wet T-Shirt Nite, and Why Does it Hurt When I Pee?
Ultimately, Joe’s Garage is a statement about censorship and music, and the rather ridiculous statements made by government in order to get equally ridiculous laws enacted.
Zappa swings between late ’50s doo-wop, funk, guitar-heavy rock and his deep understanding of classical composers such as Stravinsky. His lyrics are complex and cuttingly satirical, often pushing the bounds of good taste. But that’s what makes it great, that Zappa was not one who allowed the music industry to fit him into a category.
I’ve always thought of Zappa as an artist who needed to be actively listened to in order to fully appreciate the nuances. Allow your attention to drift for only a moment, and you’ll miss something, a word, or a sharp turn of phrase.
This stuff isn’t for the faint of heart, or the casual appreciator of music.
The Last 20 Posts
- Back to the real world…
- The polls to end all polls… #CwoodVotes2014
- The #IceBucketChallenge… and other stuff…
- Time for a harbour master plan…
- When the disenchanted vote…
- When it comes to quotes, that was a doozy…
- Tomorrow’s ranting… today!
- My year in the Twitterverse
- The good, the bad, and the ugly…
- Lighthouse waits for its lifeline
- It was 69 years ago tonight…
- Credibility means never having to say you’re sorry…
- My beer with Mike…
- Where there’s smoke…
- The facepalm moment…
- A truly open and accountable municipal government would totally do this…
- Our story of the year: All Helena, all the time…
- Pre-election thoughts: countdown to regime change…
- Are local seniors being left behind?
- Why are Americans carrying Canada’s torch?
Categories
- Breaking News (1)
- Federal Politics (3)
- General nonsense (20)
- Municipal politics (14)
- Paddling (1)
- Provincial Politics (1)
- Uncategorized (1)
Monthly Archives
- October 2014 (2)
- August 2014 (2)
- June 2014 (1)
- March 2014 (2)
- December 2013 (1)
- November 2013 (1)
- August 2013 (1)
- July 2013 (2)
- May 2013 (1)
- October 2012 (1)
- September 2011 (1)
- April 2011 (1)
- December 2010 (1)
- October 2010 (1)
- August 2010 (1)
- December 2009 (1)
- September 2009 (2)