Frank Zappa FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Father of Invention

by John Corcelli

In this volume, author John Corcelli reveals Zappa's roots as a musician, from his diverse influences to his personal life. We also learn more about his former band members and the enormous musical legacy inherited by his son, Dweezil. The book features a juried examination of Zappa's recordings and his videos. It also features a complete discography and a recommended reading list. Each chapter has a special focus on Zappa's life, with sections covering his family, his home studio – known as the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen – his keen interest in the Synclavier (a device he first used in 1980), his guitars, and more. Special attention is paid to the Mothers of Invention.

Frank Zappa FAQ is a must-have for fans new and old looking to delve into some of the best music ever made by one of the most innovative artists the world has known.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

328 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2016

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty quick overview of Zappa and his work. There's no real deep analysis or informative interpretation of his work or life, just quick beats on major points and releases in his career. I did enjoy the chapter outlining several Zappa alumni, as well as the several releases this book did tip me off too. However, I think the author isn't particularly good at separating his personal love for Zappa from his writing and spends a bit too much time praising Zappa.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have been a 5-star review with tighter editing -- the author has compiled an exhaustive amount of information about all aspects of Frank Zappa's musical and personal life. My gripe about the book is that the author repeats some of the details in more than one place in the book. That being said, the annotated discography is a treasure trove for people who are still investigating/discovering Zappa's recordings.

Zappa was an endlessly creative musician who always spoke his mind, and whose take on politics seems particularly prescient today. Was he perfect? Absolutely not, and many people still don't "get" him, but the more I know about him, and the more of his music I hear, the more grateful I am that he (and the coterie of mega-talented musicians who were in and out of his bands) existed.

I am glad John Corcelli loved Zappa so much that he put this work together for the rest of us to enjoy.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long-time casual fan and occasional player of Zappa's music, this fell into a sweet spot for me; less knowledge and I'd have been overwhelmed by the volume of material, had I been a complete Zappa nerd I'd have probably found it hard to dig up new insights from the book.

The organization is topical, not chronological (though conveniently it does start with early years and influences) so you can hop straight to your topic of interest (jazz? politics? Scott Thunes' ruination of the last tour?). Taken together, it focuses on the art and the working methods and inspiration of the truly prolific man behind it.

[Jeffrey Falk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is of mixed quality. Like other books in this series, it is poorly edited and proofed, and there are dubious assertions. Some of the content is fascinating and new to me (as a relatively knowledgable Zappa fan), but there are such obvious, egregious errors that it's difficult to determine which obscure "facts" are true (especially without a citation or quote). The appendix has a list of recommended books, some of which are much more encyclopedic and definitive than this.

[George Kanakaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing that so much different music came from one man, the genius Frank Zappa , so no doubt a good book on the subject must be a 'good read'.
I have to give this book 5 stars because it is the first book on FZ that will give great pleasure to newbies and Zappa 'freaks' alike.It is NOT a as complicated as Ben Watson's tome , but still has a wealth of information.Recommended.

[Noah McClintock · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Frank Zappa (like I am), then definitely read this. Interesting book.

[Paul Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of info i've never heard before. There were some skippable sections.

[Andrew Greenaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I must declare an interest: I was approached by Robert Rodriguez (the man who conceived the FAQ Series) to write this book. Sadly, I dillied and I dallied too long - I was in the throes of finishing off my meagre-selling The Beatles... the Easy Way book at the time - and never submitted my proposal. So Mr Corcelli got the job. And a fine fist he has made of it too.

It's very well written indeed and touches all the right bases (though I may have had more to say on Frank’s scatological lyrics and the Z kids). But there's nothing here that the hard-core FZ fan won’t already know (except possibly that The Lost Episodes album, compiled before Zappa’s death, was intended as a piss-take of The Beatles Anthology - launched two years after his passing!).

For those not in the know, this gives a solid account of the man's life and work. But citing the book as the last word on Frank (bolstered by Ed Palermo's claim in his foreword that if any facts are wrong, he'd know) wasn’t a wise move. As with most Zappa books, there are a number of factual (and a couple of spelling) errors - some minor (Corcelli erroneously states that the Ahead Of Their Time album was recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, and that there were no opening acts on the Broadway The Hard Way tour), and some howlers (he confuses Pamela Zarubica with Pamela Des Barres and You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2 is referred to as "The Stockholm Concert").

Of course there remains much more to learn about Frank, else my Zappa website and the various Zappa fora would have shut up shop long ago. But my trifling observations aside, there is much to commend in these here pages.