Father & Son Reaction Video: Inca Roads by Frank Zappa

Sharing the incredible Inca Roads by Frank Zappa with my teenage son for the first time!

[@bwana-ma-coo-bah425]

there are no ex Frank Zappa fans. once you are a Frank Zappa fan you are a fan for life!! "Gail Zappa"

[@MrTortureneverstops1]

I confirm !

[@rk41gator]

Ruth Underwood is an amazing percussionist! The unison passages are insane, absolutely insane.

[@dougnelsin1480]

One of the best albums ever recorded!!

[@wazoogrand1]

Ah, yes. Frank Zappa, the most underrated guitar player and composer ever. He loved his fans because they got it. Nice to see you young guys got it.

[@scotburklin5109]

Great choice and my all time favorite song of Frank’s. If you’ve never listened to it, check out the version on You Can’t Do That On Stage Volume 2. The version of the solo on One Size Fits All is a cut down version of that live solo which, I believe, is the greatest solo he ever played, (and I never understand why the YCDTOS 2 version doesn’t get more love). I know many people find Watermelon in Easter Hay to be his most emotional solo, but I think it’s Inca Roads. Makes me cry almost every time, especially the YCDTOS 2 version.

[@saucespicy5683]

MAN, YOU JUST NAILED IT ON YOUR EXPLANATION, THIS SOLO IS JUST SUBLIME!

[@Frankincensedjb123]

Frank Zappa was a freaking raving genius. If you played for him, you had to be on your game. Zappa said that his music was alternate entertainment. Rock, jazz, electronic, compositional, etc. He did it all.

[@kenbarton2920]

FZ: "I could never pass my own audition".

[@kenbarton2920]

@Zolar Czakl I miss him dearly.

[@b.l.fisher8230]

So cute to see youngsters get into Zappa, I'm talking about the dad... Oh yeah, everybody's going to ask you to do Bungle...

[@gubbenpersson]

was thinking the same thing! Love it!

[@uncleremus64]

Zappa's music is it's own genre.

[@designsaunders]

Right? I'm still fairly new to his music, but that rings true to me

[@marviemusic5428]

I'd say he could be under the category of experimental rock / progressive rock

[@Scott-mh8fv]

Definitely agreed UncleRemus. Go ask all of Frank's old bandmates, they'll say exactly the same thing. Ruth Underwood even went on record to say zappa is it's own genre in the latest movie, she's not wrong. When you have an artist that covers everything under the sun in the realms of music, you can't really pigeonhole them to specific style of music. You can't call FZ prog rock for example etc when every couple of albums in between are either hybrid or classical arrangements. Hell, a lot of people don't even realize zappa was an electronic music artist for the last 10 years of his life mastering his synclavier, so he's also that too. The list gets as long as your arm for what he did, so case closed, the genre is zappa.

[@geenadasilva9287]

i’ve listed all my Zappa as “zappa” under genre for many years. none of the others feel remotely appropriate, so when Ruth said that in Alex Winter’s movie i felt so happy and vindicated. by the way, it’s “is its own genre” without the apostrophe. the ‘greengrocers’ apostrophe’ is a nightmare when, as we all know: the apostrophe(‘) is the CRUX OF THE BISCUIT.

[@jwc3o2]

@@marviemusic5428 ...but so much of what he wrote was orchestral & chamber music...

[@jukkakarna7810]

Nerds paradise!! Just makes me laugh. Newer seen me as nerd. Iam 62 yrs old and i dont have son,but in early 90s my sister birth a girl. She drove a tricycle in my home about 5 yrs old and `cleaning`my house,and i give her about 50 eurous. Good money. All that time i played Zappa. Now she loves Frank,if more than i. She lives in other place now as a grown woman,and we often listening Franks songs in KZbin,like 3 2 1 play same time.

[@Mr.Batsu12]

So great to see others enjoying Zappa. I've been a massive fan of Zappa since the mid 80's and you picked a great song. Some Zappa tunes can be a bit far out there for some people. Inca Roads is a great intro to Zappa song. I think this is a great idea for a KZbin series. Two generations sharing music with each other. I'd love to see more.

[@Marx-Lennon]

Hey young man, if you dig odd time signatures and changes, check out Gentle Giant. One of the most talented and underrated bands ever!!!!! I recommend starting with their album Octopus (1972)

[@melvinperry9393]

Great reaction Gentlemen! So great to see a father sharing great music with his son, especially from the fantastic golden era of Rock, Soul, and Fusion! Zappa is definitely an acquired taste for some, but those who have the patience and the ears are able to see the man's genius and the fantastic musicians that he has had with him. Just amazing material that is complex, precise, and grooves the way music used to. Keep up the nice work, men, and I'll be coming back to this channel definitely!! Peace!

[@davidzimmerli489]

Frank's guitar solo, which was actually spliced in from a prior concert performance, is one of the most beautiful instrumental solos I have ever heard. Simply sublime ..... Oh, and George Duke's keyboard solo near the end is equally fantastic ..... it's like he takes off for outer space ...... just amazing!

[@fastnbulbouss]

That George Duke solo.....is magic.

[@progger53]

In the Documentary ROCK SCHOOL was playing at Germany's annual ZAPPANALE festival. The kids played This song and Dinah moe humm" with Zappa's saxophone/vocalist Napoleon Murphy Brock playing sax. Then later he got on his knees and praised them .

[@mexton]

Masterpiece! My favorite! Frank was one of the greatest composers of all time and one of the most underrated guitarists.A Genius indeed. Those musicians were Giants in their own right. George Duke was a Monster. On Ruth!On Ruth!

[@davetrent8612]

This father/son music sharing is refreshing to see at this time for me. I grew up with underground FM radio in the Wash D.C. area. Both of my parents are music nuts. In fact, I was named David Wayne after Duane Eddy (Rebel Rouser fame) because Duane agreed to come play LIVE for my mother while pregnant with me in Waco, Texas. Mom missed the show but my Father was bartending that night at the NCO Club. Dad brought the first Jimi Hendrix (Electric Lady Land) into our home. I brought Freak Out (Zappa's first release & the very first double rock and roll LP in history. I've owned 45 of his giant discography at one point & watching how the two of You were so dedicated to the purpose of sharing & liking Inca Roads brought overwhelming joy of father & son hanging out over some FZ. It's the return of the son of the monster magnet~! I just turned 66 May 15th & I have a wonderful-pretty receptionist where I do spine & pain therapy that I've blessed her with vinyl lp & cd's of Frank as brain/music/education therapy. I feel like the 4 of us are related in a witnessing of the truth. Frank spoke the ugly truths of America. Before I die I'd like to see Issac grow the ZAPPA PATCH under his lower lip. I still have mine. Great father you are David. Try reading the lyrics along playing the songs. Joe's Garage acts 1 2 3. Finally say a prayer for Frank & myself as well. And get a grip on Duckman series of animation. Frank wrote all of the music & his sons are in it. 7 seasons all together. I bet I made you laugh. You made me happy with memories & tears~!

[@woodyoffmark7944]

I saw Zappa play this live, mid seventies, when I was in college, WOW

[@NondescriptMammal]

the legendary George Duke on keyboards sculpting some amazing sounds

[@arnulfhaubold]

So nice to see you. I could have been the grandpa in a video of us 3. After 50 years of listening to FZ I would recommend to listen concentrated to bass or drums (or any othe instrument) during the guitar solos. It is astounding what these musicians did !

[@lunamotionproductions9559]

Zappa employed many highly talented band members, most of whom were experts in progressive rock. IMO this lineup is his finest band: keyboardist/vocalist George Duke, drummer Chester Thompson, percussionist Ruth Underwood, bass guitarist Tom Fowler and saxophonist/vocalist Napoleon Murphy Brock. They really got his groove on funk, blues and R&B. Inca Roads incorporates all the genres and is the best example to play for first time Zappa listeners.

[@davidgale7384]

Way to go Dad! Frank is so much fun some times. And then Frank plays that amazing solo.... 50 years ago this music kicked us in the head....and we loved him for doing it!

[@christopherperry8389]

Love that dad was super ready for the drop into the guitar solo!

[@jameswilson8433]

Once you figure out the time signature, it's a different one.

[@Thomas_Anderson001]

Este tema es una maravilla. FZ un genio en su mejor momento. I miss her.

[@johnvaluk1401]

One size fits all is my favorite. So much good music.

[@carstenweiland7896]

Everytime I am amazed how spot on Napoleon Murphy Brock is in that piece!

[@devolve42]

The vocals are by George Duke.

[@REAL_COSMIC_VISION]

Zappa is far beyond jazz, blues, rock.. He was (r.i.p.) a real erudit composer. The boy even doens´t realize that. The complexity of Zappa´s music is so huge that not everyone can perceive.

[@cornelisverhoef9282]

Father and Son of The Year. My son is nearly five now, a little too young to introduce him to Zappa's music. But I will and hopefully he'll classify his life in BZ and AZ when he's a teenager.

[@Marx-Lennon]

Never too early man. I’ve been playing Zappa for my son since he was born and when he was 2, he fell in love with “The Adventures of Greggery Peccary” and “Billy The Mountain” They have such great whacky things going on in those songs that kiddos love. My son is 8 now and he loves the 80’s stuff, especially “Goblin Girl” and the “You are what you is”album.

[@SalamaSond]

Frank liked the Synclavier, and sometimes bemoaned working with musicians because he could never ever get a perfectly accurate performance of his complex music. For me, to witness what his band could do in concert was breathtaking. Frank then seemed to sign each song with a personal guitar solo, created on the spot. Always a surprise.

[@thepragmatic6383]

At the end of the song, we hear: (On Ruth, on Ruth, That's Ruth). Ruth Underwood, the percutionist, the xylophone who is notable especially on this song.

[@designsaunders]

i saw a short clip of her playing her part in St Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast and was like WHAT???

[@Peter-K]

Actually, what she played was the marimba, and the vibraphone, cousins of the xylophone. Marimbas have wooden keys with tubes mounted beneath them to make the tone resonate more. The vibraphone has metal keys and the tubes, where xylophones have no resonators. I have attached a link to an interview with Ruth herself telling how Frank found a way to electrify her marimba, take a few minutes and take a look, it is very cool. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4TEp4Fnbr99ask

[@designsaunders]

HOLY TOLEDO RUTH IS AMAZING!!

[@thepragmatic6383]

@@Peter-K Thanks for the precision. This is what makes the difference between a music listener and possibly a music player.

[@Peter-K]

@@thepragmatic6383 Thanks, I have been an FZ fan for decades, but until all these KZbin interviews started showing up, I had no idea what a marimba actually was. I have learned a lot about FZ I never knew in the last few years, it is almost like it felt when I first discovered him way back in the 70's! There are a couple of great documentaries out there that helped add to the mystique for me, you should check them out.

[@franklinzappa7043]

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, when I Listen to Zappa, my Neighbors do too.🎼🎸🎼🎸🎼🎸🎼

[@marcolonghin5616]

Zappa wrote all the bass and drums lines for all his music

[@dirklammertse4174]

Zappa is Zappa, profound. Inventing a genius. Still is and will be one of the best. Maybe he is the best musician of the world. The more I listen to Zappa the more I convinced that he is the best. His music is endless. Stay cool greetings from Holland

[@215Gallagher]

My first Frank, Inca Roads was the first Frank song I listened to properly, I'd heard Yellow Snow, Dina Mo Hum and a few others on the radio but after this I was hooked for life. Thanks.

[@ChuckyChives]

Awesome reaction. This composition is so special to me. It was my first introduction to FZ. The year was 1975 and I was 10 years old. My taste at that time was Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Grand Funk. I discovered all of those bands taking out records from my local library. One trip to the library I see this strange looking record with a red sofa on the cover. Brought it home, put it on and had absolutely no idea what was going on. Those vocal breakdowns caught my attention and the guitar solo was to my liking. Couldn’t say I loved the album but for some reason I kept taking it out until I finally bought it. 45 years later and I must say, Inca Roads is probably my favorite composition from FZ. 45 years later and I still hear new things that I never noticed before. I’m fairly certain this is a case of great music.

[@designsaunders]

First of all, kudos to your local public library for having such an amazing record collection! :) Second, I totally agree - great music persists. We recently moved and I discovered an old CD case with a bunch of old albums from my younger days. I was fascinated by how some songs/albums remain resonant while others - which I may have ADORED at the time - sound shallow or flat now. My hunch is Inca Roads - and maybe FZ's entire body of work - will continue holding up as the years roll by.

[@xopegood]

The entirety of One Size Fits All is one of my favorite albums ever. Would also recommend Roxy & Elsewhere, Grand Wazoo and, of course, Apostrophe

[@stefanandersson2402]

And don´t forget "Over night sensation" from the same period.

[@uomunumerous2350]

Nice son & dad relationship. Cheers. Cool to talk about music that way and expand.

[@bikershark9]

When I was first getting into Frank this song landed strong for me bc it was one of the times I went, "Ohhhh! Weird Al is a HUGE Zappa fan." Which I'd known but there are things in Al's more jammy songs that come right out of this. It helped me see how wide Frank's reach was. "Come back to for inspiration" is a great way to think about Frank. I do too. He knocks you out of a rut in your thinking.

[@designsaunders]

I haven’t listened to much Weird Al except for the well-known tracks that have gotten some radio play. Is there an album you’d recommend?

[@bikershark9]

@@designsaunders Ohhh my. Ummm, the song "Genius in France" has the strongest Zappa influences. For albums- Mandatory Fun, Running with Scissors, Dare to be Stupid, and you have to watch the movie UHF.

[@designsaunders]

@@bikershark9 i definitely caught UHF way back when i was in high school, but haven't seen it in a long time. i'll check out those albums, too. thanks so much!

[@mustangdebbie56]

@@bikershark9 Genius in France is a Zappa pastiche, or style parody. Many of Weird Al's original songs are style parodies, where he writes a song in the style of a particular band or artist or genre. There's a video out there that breaks down the song vs Zappa.

[@mustangdebbie56]

@@designsaunders pick an album that was released when you were around 12 years old (or close to it). The polka medley will hit much better, except for Even Worse which did not have one. His debut album didn't have one either, but it's pretty much all accordion.

[@jonlee7269]

Yes Tom Fowler (Bass) was no slouch

[@NondescriptMammal]

cuts off so abruptly when you don't let it go into the next song Can't Afford No Shoes, which strangely enough, is a pretty straight ahead rock song

[@raysgr]

The fabulous Ruth Underwood is so underrated but plays such a major part in the sound and texture of this song. Love this album

[@wwestern99]

Your dad wants to cry. Go ahead. I am.

[@Sancho_Retablez]

THE guitar solo.

[@pipco121234]

Marimba and Vibraphone guys and there’s a live version of this on YT that is almost identical to the studio version {-

[@martineliaswang4125]

My dad put me on Zappa when I was 7. first album I heard was Roxy & Elsewhere . Until this day, Zappa is my Fav

[@progger53]

I'm in love with Ruth Underwood!

[@mikewoodrow5878]

Might want to check out some live Dweezil / Zappa Plays Zappa, next. There is an awesome live version of Inca Roads with Napoleon joining the band and they nail it. Peace from Toronto!

[@mvp019]

This and Roxy are my two fave albums of his, and I think these were the best iterations of his band, even though he preferred the final one that didn't get along.

[@gatemouthwighat]

Ruth was the “guacamole queen.”

[@fundament]

didn´t know that, thank u!

[@matthewgibbs5820]

not true, the Guacamole Queen was a lady named Rikke House : "Rikke House worked in the Armadillo World Headquarters kitchen where she became known as the Guacamole Queen. Big Rikke is also mentioned in the Frank Zappa song, "Inca Roads."

[@fundament]

@@matthewgibbs5820 ok i changed the like. thank u bro, so many fake news ;)

[@WagnerBrenner]

I like this kid

[@uwesiegel9167]

it is the first sound after the Big Bang

[@designsaunders]

i buy that!

[@PierceThirlen2]

Zoot Allures: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJW0npuenpqWgqs This was Frank's last musical project just before he passed: Dog Breath Variations + Uncle Meat performed by Ensemble Modern 1992: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGe7apiZrrKNqdU

[@Smulpaap]

Haha, music nerds' paradise, haha.. nice one

[@timcardona9962]

Nice reaction - The kid's got some good musical observations. Are you guys musicians?

[@designsaunders]

i am a hack who loves to play - does that count? :) He is an aspiring musician who has taken on a bunch of really cool instruments over the years, including the bag pipes!

[@progger53]

I got a quad version of this on a DVD!

[@planetzebulon21]

That was George Duke’s first lead vocal. Zappa had first hired him to play trombone!

Welcome to young in Zappa's Universe!! ☻☺ he's really enjoying the george's moog!!

[@fundament]

"such a blend"... oh yessss, always with Frank. In this song (a classic) i think Frank´s solo and Georges Duke´s solo are at the same level, and that´s a lot to say. sorry my poor english.

[@eximusic]

Zappa used his pick to tap so the sound is much sharper.

[@teedub9295]

Tom Fowler on Bass. At about 5:55 the melody can be reminiscent of the arrival of the "Gods", as you stated towards the end. If the Gods were landing then how would the music sound.

[@Katehowe3010]

The guitar solo was spliced from a different live performance!

[@leddygee1896]

Frank is using the edge of the pick and hammering on the string... same concept as Eddie, just a little different.

[@designsaunders]

is it the same technique he's using here? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYSzlZpqrrWqd8k

[@devolve42]

You should do Steve Vai's LITTLE GREEN MEN

[@stretchgilbert]

The great George Duke on vocals

[@leonelsjanofwipper3418]

The interview with George Duke you mentioned: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4OphpWOa5lriZY

[@designsaunders]

that's the one! thank you so much :)

[@thepragmatic6383]

Well done, it's an interesting concept your way of sharing music. I can't wait to find out with which of you two I share my musical tastes. Just a quick hint, my favorite band, Listed in Guinness Book of World Records For spending 741 consecutive weeks in Billboard Top 200 and 26 years staggering in and out of the charts for the same album.

[@designsaunders]

for the same album?? hmmmm... i'm stumped! don't give it away - I want to see if I can track that down :)

[@isaacsaunders2465]

Is it The Dark Side of the Moon?

[@thepragmatic6383]

@@isaacsaunders2465 You're right, well done.

[@MJM1309]

Frank

[@Jim-yc7zb]

It's a shame that it took you forty some years to hear the genius of Frank Zappa. Remember, he wrote the music for every instrument you hear.

[@popgrubbs]

I do love me some Zappa and TMOI ... but I'd love to see a reaction from you both when you listen to the song that I believe has THE greatest live guitar solo ever recorded in rock music. That was recorded by Bebop Deluxe in their song "Adventures in a Yorkshire Landscape." Please do a reaction video to this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJXMeJKlh9mnars

[@Alix777.]

Are you french or something ? Great reaction to this awesome piece of art guys

[@designsaunders]

Thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. We are not French - we are in the States

[@Alix777.]

@@designsaunders You're welcome ! Sorry David, I thought you were a french man living in the States for a long time I don't know, because of your accent ? For me it sounds a bit like a slight french accent sometimes for some reason ahah (I'm french myself) Keep up the good work !

[@designsaunders]

@@Alix777. no worries at all! I used to have a pretty great Boston accent, but it’s faded over the years :) I’ve been to the UK and to Spain, but never France. It’s on my list, however, once international travel is back online!

[@rk41gator]

SUCH a great choice! Genius......TOO FUNKY for earthlings.

[@rk41gator]

But you can't dance to it!

[@scottsmith1712]

If you enjoyed this you would probably also like this medley of George Duke and his band doing this Zappa medley...Cosmic Debris, Inca Roads, Uncle Remus. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIW7ZJyse5mAp7c

[@designsaunders]

YES! thanks for sharing that!!

[@stevescott200]

your talking over Franks solo

[@designsaunders]

Yeah, I was torn between responding to his question and shushing him! :)

[@weeooh1]

Music can get boring when its made up of typical predictable song structures. Zappa is the antithesis of that and is what makes his music highly engaging to listen to.

[@Nathedtgjcefbucxs]

If you don’t like Zappa - you just don’t like music

[@marlon8185]

Inca Schwachsinn, hahahaha

[@marlon8185]

Er war ein narzist, et hat mit seine teils nonsense songs, die welt verrarscht, zappa trolle, hahahaha

[@comontoshi]

Why don’t you play Vivaldi or Charley Parker or Capt. Beefheart . . . everybody is playing Inca Roads. 👎