28 years ago today Frank Zappa passed away

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Always liked his no bullshit approach to things.

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. 28 years ago, the world lost a genius

and a really great person.

[SergeStorms]

12. He wasn't such a great person.

I'll certainly agree with the genius part though. Frank was a terrible husband and not much better as a father. All water under the bridge though.

I followed The Mothers and Zappa since the mid-60s onward. Everyone else in my Senior Class were listening to bubble gum pop music, and I'd bring my Zappa, Country Joe, and Grateful Dead records to parties. I wasn't the most popular kid in class, but I had the last laugh.

He was a musical genius. Of that there's no doubt.

[LeftInTX]

16. Senior Class: Bubble gum as in Yummy, Yummy, Yummy?

Or just lame-o stuff?

I was in 6th grade when Yummy, Yummy, Yummy came out.

At first, it was a hit on the playground, but a few weeks into summer vacation, we had all basically outgrown that stuff...

[SergeStorms]

17. Yep, you got it. Yummy, yummy, yummy....

I got love in my tummy etc. There were hundreds of pop music one hit wonders at the time. And they thought my music sucked!

Like I said, I got the last laugh.

[LeftInTX]

18. OMG and I purposely gave the worst example..LOL

Seniors...Gosh, it was too saccharine for 7th graders!

[multigraincracker]

2. This coming May it will be 54 years ago I saw him.

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention along with Charlie Musselwhite [billed as “Charley” Musselwhite] and Sweetwater at the Shrine Exposition Hall in Los Angeles, California, May 10 & 11, 1968.

Time flies.

[DBoon]

13. Saw him at the Shrine in 1974

[ripcord]

3. I enjoyed his testimony before the Senate

&t=11s

[MustLoveBeagles]

15. He earned my respect for that

[Initech]

4. A genius who was truly ahead of his time!

[ms liberty]

5. My mother died the same day.. It was a Saturday, too.

Not a happy day for me.

[nolabear]

6. A brilliant, sardonic master.

What a loss.

[bahboo]

7. A true genius...

in many ways. But his music...goddamn. So great...

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. His epic appearance on "Crossfire" in 1986

Sitting next to a man who the word "Dweeb" was invented for, John Lofton, a man that only cretins find admirable.

[FailureToCommunicate]

9. Thanks for the reminder. His genius gone too soon.

Saw the Mothers numerous times over the years...ALWAYs a grand show of twisted brilliance.

[Solly Mack]

10. Yeah. :(

[Ohio Joe]

11. Eat That Question

An interesting documentary... Zappa in his own words. I don't agree with all of his points of view but he did have some good ones.

[DBoon]

14. "If your children ever found out how lame you really are, they'd murder you in your sleep"

[MichaelSoE]

19. I have no idea why, but every time I listen to this, I get teary.

[ProfessorGAC]

20. I've Told This Story Before On DU, But...

...today seems an appropriate day for a repeat.
Back in the early 90s I was on biz in Frankfurt, Germany. I took a couple engineers with me & we stayed at The Frankfurter Hof.
About the 3rd day, we're walking toward our room & a guy & 2 kids went past us the other way. Guy I'm with says "That guy looked familiar.". I said " Yeah, that's Frank Zappa."
Next morning, I go down early, took a walk, the headed for the hotel restaurant to meet the other 2 guys.
I notice Frank sitting in the atrium reading the international version of USA Today.
I went over to him and told him how much I liked his "Shut Up & Play Your Guitar" series.
He said thanks and then "Have you had breakfast?". I told him no, he told me to have a seat, and called the waiter over.
So, I got to have breakfast with & talk guitar playing & music with Frank Zappa for 45 minutes! And, he picked up the check!!!!
Two or three years later, he died.
Right place, right time for me.

[Ferrets are Cool]

21. Great story. Thanks for sharing again

[Elessar Zappa]

22. Lucky you!

I was only 9 years old when he died. I discovered him when I was 20 and now have 40 of his albums. I wish so much that I could have seen him in concert.

[Boomerproud]

23. K&R