1984 Frank Zappa on Republicans, Reagan, Feminism (Does Humor Belong in Music?)

[@markrago5024]

Trash Reagan, Republicans, Democrats, and feminism in a few minutes. A true beast....

[@DoomKid]

ZAPPA WAS NEVER AFRAID! God damn I love the guy!

[@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms]

I don't agree with him in Feminism and I'm definetely not a Libertarian but I can see why he'd be censored. He makes a lot of points that are true but that people don't want to think about.

[@katzman3047]

@@WocklessGamingforAnimeMoms what exactly you don't agree with?

[@lordbeerus6384]

NIXON - REAGAN - TRUMP MAKE LIBERALS CRY AGAIN

[@DoomKid]

@@lordbeerus6384 All people Zappa couldn't stand

[@laquijadadeldesorden]

"I'm not a religious fanatic, I don't use drugs, and I'm neither a republican or a democrat" Smart guy

[@TMrreviews]

Also public enemy number one if he was alive today

[@beltfed4624]

"Who wants to go through life with a tiny nose and one glove on?" - Frank Zappa 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@johnnythunders968]

The last line fuckin killed me. Michael Jackson’s entire life is the antithesis to Frank Zappa

[@OthO67]

Tobacco is my favorite vegetable.

[@OthO67]

The above comment is from Frank Zappa.

[@rfmlakvilla]

@Christopher Crepon so did his cabbage kill him too.

[@jonp4846]

@@OthO67 oh you mean: "Tobacco is my favorite vegetable." Frank Zappa that was hard

[@pieshka4509]

It's fascinating how many things from interviews can be plucked and used today and it matches perfectly, especially what he said about the journalists that led to the creation of the song Bobby Brown in the Hammersmith Odeon live album. Really understand why my 63 year old foreman kept wanting me to listen to Zappa both music and interviews

[@Jedizen07]

Lately, I've seen more right-wing conservative commentators on You Tube/Facebook praise Frank for criticizing " leftist " mentalities ( I think a lot of right wing folks today feel the 80s version of Republicans were more for censorship compared to what is being seen by today's republicans, as an example ). However, Frank seemed more concerned about STUPID behavior from all sorts of political mentalities than simply being solely concerned with " leftists " or even right wing folks ( like Pat Robertson or Reagan, for example ). He even called himself a " PRACTICAL conservative " in his own book. I NEVER felt Frank was a leftist or a right wing person. He seemed REALISTIC. And, there are plenty of videos showing that. ANY person that defends any corrupt politician is clearly NOT thinking in a realistic manner. And, Frank was always realistic in his words/interviews.

[@DoomKid]

So, so well said. Thank you for this. I got sick of seeing the constant wave of "FRANK WOULD LOVE TRUMP" (or insert any other politician) sort of messages!

[@taylorsly2392]

Zappa was also a staunch anti-communist due to him believing in the concept of ownership. He was actually friends with Vaclav Havel, the first president of the post-communist Czech Republic.

[@elgatofelix8917]

Frank was clearly an independent who didn't subscribe to any prepackaged political ideology. He had his own ideas.

[@sderoski1]

People on the right love to see someone criticize the left because they think that means that Frank or whomever is coming out as belonging to the right. The right cannot criticize itself. If anyone on the right criticizes the right, they get thrown out. Look at how the GOP cannot criticize Trump, cannot even criticize Marjorie Taylor Greene. The left often has the same problem, but not nearly as much as the right. That said, I don't think he would have made a good president. Frank is kind of vague and doesn't really have policy positions, he isn't a leader, he's a musician.

[@ravendarkjolls4028]

@@sderoski1 i'll take Frank over Joe or Donald anytime. Joe has a hard time even finishing a complete sentence. If you think Zappa is not a leader then you probably don't know him at all musically. To me he always finds the best people for the job, and he always a hands on guy. Just look at all the musicians he recruited and led throughout his career. Feisty debater too, proven it by going to CNN. Just sad he died he could have been a good politician if he wanted too. Imagine how musically enriched America probably would be. Now look at what we got tiktok, twitter and instagram warriors while things are getting worse. All talk and even not that good at that and then absolutely devoid of substance.

[@Broccoli_Highkicks]

It's always struck me how much alike Frank Zappa and George Carlin were, and yet, in a few key aspects, very different. Mainly, where George "divorced himself from the species" and simply gave up hope, Frank was still trying to get people to work within the system to change it.

[@loganwarner176]

i agree they do have a similar attitude towards society and culture. they definitely though of themselves as higher and better than others (rightfully so i think). but i find it annoying how fans of each of them fall into that same mindset of “of look how stupid THEY are” when they are just as stupid. carlin and zappa actually had interesting things to say.

[@brianmcguire5175]

@@loganwarner176 what I like about your point here is that you prove to be interesting yourself. I encourage anyone and all to hold themselves in higher regard in terms of their intellect. Zappa held himself highly but was also always a student of music too. His confidence in himself came from his belief in his truth, his truth wasn't necessarily that he was excellent or perfect but his truth was that he was true and honest and earnest. The best musicians have passion first and technique second. You have have passion clearly for music and your opinions here proves this so. Great people can give themselves credit, what justifies it though is not success nor other superficial means of measurement, it's the honesty and conviction in their spirit that makes it real. Real expression means real art. I can practice all day and everyday but if I never play me and my own spirit for invention within my playing I'll never be the real musician I want to be. Real is your voice vocalised through you, no copying nor recreating. Invention is when people brave testing their own ideas in this pre existing reality. Zappa hasn't a hit in every song. He has his honest and earnest expression in all of them though. Keep that all of us

[@DoomKid]

@@brianmcguire5175 Excellent comment

[@brianmcguire5175]

@@DoomKid thanks you very much!

[@DAVYMAC]

No he didn't. He did not try to "work within the system, he simply bashed the American system ~ especially right wing ers. And he offered NO effective sensible solutions. And when he attacked God he got laughed at.... And he got crushed.

[@augustusmustus6217]

Zappa to me is the spirit & ethos of Libertarianism. He was an amazing musican,conductor,poet & promoter of liberty & individualism.The best of the harmless freaks. R.I.P Brother

[@AlexDeLarge1]

Left-libertarianism, if anything. He has called for universal healthcare, free housing for the homeless and higher teacher salaries and school funding.

[@seanbrennan5192]

Zappa was conservative. Liberal in some aspects

[@AshKetchup123]

@@seanbrennan5192 His definition of conservatism was pretty idiosyncratic. Politics isn't really a straight line, more like a compass so the guy above you is right, judging by his stances, if we had to try and define him he's more left-libertarian than anything.

[@wallaby57]

Since he supported taxation of the churches, he wasn't hardcore Libertarian (I know no one is saying he was - just throwing it out there)

[@JonnyHorseman]

@@DdraigGoch84 He actually didn't like socialists.

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

My hero. LAst bastion of sanity in this insane world. Frank Zappa is a national treasure.

[@jsadecki1]

Haha that couple

[@therealmodernwalking9695]

i watch a lot of old intervies from 60s- 90s and i have never seen something like this 2:42 happening in any interview, ever...

[@JohnSmith-iv8gr]

thank you for pointing that out. i miht have missed it.

[@rfmlakvilla]

IF only zappa were still alive it would be very interesting to see what he says about trump today. maybe this interview will give you some idea what he would say.

[@RememberTheSlapFilms]

We should start a crowdfunder to clone Frank (even 3/4 life-sized will do). Vat raise him back to late thirties and give him the prostate operation before it become an issue. Got to do this no later than 2021, so he has time to catch up with stuff and still give us two or three years of lulz before the Trump second term runs out.

[@lunapasquale]

Zappa would say MAGA

[@seanbrennan5192]

If he wasn’t a fan a Reagan, he wouldn’t be a fan of trump. Probably would praise him for the economy and his foreign deals, but would bash him for his twitter and his speeches. Though trump isn’t really conservative so if anything, he’d maybe want him to be less of a republican about things

[@seanbrennan5192]

He’d shit on Bernie lol that’s for sure

[@lunapasquale]

@@seanbrennan5192 There were GLOBALIST ON both sides Trump a business man not a politician

[@1silvervespa]

Frank really could have reached more people with a little seriousness ..... I understand his frustration too though.

[@ColtraneTaylor]

Maybe, or not who knows. How many American philosophers are household names?

[@DoomKid]

Anyone who "requires seriousness" to listen is probably not someone Frank had much interest in trying to convince of anything, honestly

[@brianmcguire5175]

I remember when I bought the album: does humour belong in music? And my answer then was no. And today it's still no. Yes, have humour in music if you see fit but I found ultimately it undermined the experience of enjoying the composition and musicianship as it would, for me, distract from the more serious performances happening on that particular track. Take Joe's garage for example. I laughed the first time I heard the complaining neighbor say the line: he used to be a good boy, he used to cut my grass. But after a hundred listenings I focus on the doo whop backing vocals and the instrumentation more than I had the humourous dialogue on top before. Does humour belong in music? Perhaps on the first listening but becomes background noise when you realise the true core of the piece. Zappa didn't take lyrics seriously as he had his music. Imagine he had though! Might have elevated the significance of his musical genius for the lay person

[@DoomKid]

For the lay person, maybe. To me his humour and personality being so palpable in his music is what makes it great. The thought of “extracting” the humour from Zappa’s catalog is almost criminal. Stripping the soul from it, in a big way.

[@brianmcguire5175]

@@DoomKid I like your comment but will add: he saturated his catalogue with the soul you speak of. Not all a favourite but enough there to take your pick from

[@j9t5]

Well said

[@brianmcguire5175]

@@j9t5 thank you, I was hoping to connect with other's opinions and not conflict so. Music is subjective but so I'd humour but a very different way. Music can move the unmoveable, humour though is a laugh at best, not so profound in comparison. Take your favourite Richard Pryor Joke against your favourite guitar riff!? Which one are you recalling more frequently with nostalgia and memory!? It's the music

[@DoomKid]

@@brianmcguire5175 I think you're really understating the emotional importance and resonance humor has with many people, though. It's not a "contest" between which art form is more evocative, though I think most people would agree music is a universal language in a way that humor isn't. But that doesn't mean humor is "at odds with soul", I feel it can enhance the soul, if anything. One of Zappa's most beautiful and soulful songs, Watermelon in Easter Hay, starts out with an arguably humorous bit with Zappa just saying "who gives a fuck anyway?" while laughing, riding this line between amused and crazy. I've heard an edit that takes that intro out, and to me, it really lessens the impact of the music.

[@zeljkospoljaricmusic]

"Yeea, but who wants to go trough life with tiny nose and one glove on!" --- 😎Love this man

[@melanphilia]

"Who is this guy imitating Borat?'

[@DAVYMAC]

Beautiful

[@nankypooh655]

They don't make Conservatives like Frank Zappa anymore.

[@Dayglodaydreams]

Risque genius.

[@gutrench9489]

He says humor belongs in music. Why so serious.

[@DoomKid]

Being serious is funny, Zappa galaxy-brained us on that one way before it was cool

[@BobPagani]

If you're a fan of Frank's work and you're unsure what he thought of the Republican party, you must never have heard "Jesus Thinks You're A Jerk." Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2icpnyVqp6GqMU

[@mbsb1376]

Lol republicans are all religious. Yeah right, nothing to do with taxation. Dipshit.

[@BobPagani]

@@mbsb1376 To whom was that angry outburst targeted?

[@ThirstyEye]

@BobPagani That's what he thought of Republicans in his lifetime. *Minus* the pro-lifer aspect, it's safe to say that FZ would now have FAR more disdain for the left were he still alive. They are now the censorious party, monitoring every word out of our mouths.

[@pabloghio6577]

traducir a español pleaseeeeeeeeeeee

[@andyscott5277]

“I don’t do drugs...just a ton of cigarettes and coffee” 🙄

[@DoomKid]

He clearly is referring to drugs with more intense effects on the mind.. Not to mention even though he didn’t use them, he was pro legalisation.

[@andyscott5277]

@@DoomKid still drugs 🤷🏻‍♂️ Even a genius like Zappa doesn’t get to redefine words based on his personal preferences. Plus those drugs can be pretty intense and mind altering depending on use. Get addicted to them, stop for a week or two, then go back. Their effects will be more pronounced. In ways that aren’t necessarily obvious nor apparent. Ultimately I just think his disdain and judgmental attitude was a bit hypocritical, wether pro legalization or not. Kicking members out of his band, openly deriding people and such.

[@clintstewart5545]

@@andyscott5277 SEMANTICS its about being legal, jesus is it hard to understand ??????????

[@clintstewart5545]

@@andyscott5277 he was entitled to do the rules for his employes their choice to join , its like a workplace there are rules whether you agreed with them or not lol if you don't like move along sir

[@andyscott5277]

@@clintstewart5545 TECHNICALITIES legal drugs can be just as damaging, jesus is it hard to understand ??????????? It’s about "hypocrisy" 🙄

[@1silvervespa]

He tells it like it is . People are too stupid to think for themselves. They like others to do the thinking for them ......Too stupid to see what is being done with their Taxes ... Pretty short sighted .

[@PERRYOL]

So funny that now Republicans are the edge lords championing humor

[@508158]

He would be so cancelled today.

[@DoomKid]

No, he’d just keep playing anyway. “Cancelling people” only works if they cave into pressure. Zappa never would. He’d have just kept on going.

[@themarieoakes]

funny how how he talks about republicans, is now actually how democrats is lmfao

[@BobPagani]

Not that the Democrats are all that thrilling, but are you high? Are you not paying attention to what's happening in Trump's GOP?

[@johngallagher773]

This is very true! Through the years the Right were the ones always looked at as being for censorship of words and being against Free Speech..this has now gone full circle and it is the left who are now so easily offended by words and comedy etc that they call for censorship all the time...it is much worse than the Right in the past as the Left mainly control the media/Social media now and bully everyone to their way of thinking

[@BobPagani]

@@johngallagher773 The Right spends its energy on trying to control women's bodies these days.

[@BobPagani]

@Jim Curram Since your comment is very unclear, I have to assume that you're talking about assault-style weapons. They're not used for "defending yourself." They're used to murdering large numbers of people rapidly.

[@seanbrennan5192]

BobPagani Those who sacrifice freedom for security, end up with neither