I always loved music, and most of my earliest tastes were informed by my older brother. A musician, he often listened to instrumentation gymnastics from prog and fusion artists. I liked that stuff, even while I don't listen to a lot of it these days. Every now and then I feel a need to break out the Yes, ELP, Return To Forever, or Weather Report.

I was around thirteen I guess, floundering, starting to find my own identity as a music lover. One afternoon I was looking through Rick's records and I saw a cover that really caught my eye. The album was Burnt Weenie Sandwich, by a band called The Mothers of Invention.

Burnt Weenie Sandwich was a revelation for me. The music was intricate, but not boring. The vocal songs seemed to walk a very fine line between sincerity and parody. I quickly discovered that music could be funny, without having any lyrics at all.

The Mothers of Invention were led by a musical madman and genius named Frank Zappa. I fell in love immediately. Rick also had a Zappa record called One Size Fits All, which was very different than Burnt Weenie Sandwich. The band members sounded more professional and gifted than in Burnt Weenie Sandwich. The were more vocals and they were weird and funny.

Shortly after that Rick called my name and I ran to his bedroom. A Frank Zappa song, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow, was on the radio. Oh my God. That was it. I was hooked.

I had a job bagging groceries and I took my next paycheck to a record store and I bought five Zappa abums. I believe they were Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Roxy and Elsewhere, Hort Rats, Waka/Jawaka, and Bongo Fury. The latter was a colaboration with Captian Beefheart, a recording artist I never really took to.

My mother was furious that I spent so much money, but I was elated. I listened to the records over and over, and I gradually acquired everything Frank put out.

I became known as the Zappa Guy. I always wanted to hear Frank's music. Most people respected Frank, and most people liked accessible albums like Apostrophe and Over-Nite Sensation, but the weirder albums were too much for many,

Frank did everything. Hard rock, jazz, do-wop, classical, and other unclassifiable material. His lyrics were usually biting, and there was something to offend everyone. I liked it all, but even I cringe at songs like Magdalena these days.

Frank Zappa was outspoken and so intelligent that he intimidated many people. He was vociferously against drug use and often said that they were only for stupid people. My respect for Frank is enormous, but I cannot help but think nonstop smoking, a poor diet, and endless cups of coffee are not exactly smart life choices either.

I followed Frank's career to the end. Buying the albums, enjoying when I saw him on television. He became involved in politics and battled the censors who tried to suppress "porn rock".

Frank Zappa died on Dec 04, 1993. He was only fifty-two. Seven years younger than I am now. I'm sure there were other factors, but the man's lifestyle was his downfall.

There was no one like Frank Zappa. His obsessive work in composing music, his fights for freedom, his incredible live concerts with the best musicians in the world. Only the very best could hope to play the things Frank heard in his own head.

In 2016 Alex Winter launched a Kickstarter campaign to help preserve the music in Zappa's vaults, and also to begin work on a documentary of his life. You know Alex Winter as Bill, in the Bill and Ted movies. I remember him as an underground filmmaker who made hilarious shorts like Squeal of Death and Entering Texas.

It took years, but the Zappa doc is finally here.

Zappa, the movie, will come to DVD and Blu-ray in March. Right now it is exclusively streaming from Magnolia Pictures. I contributed, but we won't get our own downloads until March. Some backers are pissed at this, but I could not care less. A real Frank Zappa documentary is here. I am happy to pay again to see it.

Alex Winter had unprecedented access to the Zappa home and archives to make his movie. The Zappa Family Trust was fully co-operative. The results are spectacular. I cannot imagine that we will ever have a better look at the life of Frank Zappa, and I recommend it without reservation to Zappa fanatics as well as newcomers. It's funny, it's outrageous, and it will ultimately break your heart.

Seeing Zappa is the culmination of almost five decades of love for the man and his music. I am deeply grateful to Alex Winter, the Zappas, Vaultmeister Joe Travers, and everyone else involved in the movie. Everyone should watch it.

Written by Mark Sieber

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