The time 1989. The era: Just getting out of the eighties ( and surviving ). Looking for new musical experiences to add to my life. I had been burned out on the Van Halen/ Hair metal style of music and was looking out for new sounds. In September of 1989, I had just purchased the new Tin Machine disc. Player Reeves Gabrels had forged some new sounds on this first Bowie driven disc ( along with the Sales brothers ). Inspired with the find I decided to see what else was out in the music atmosphere. Low and behold: I had trouble looking for stuff. The internet was a long way away .And most of the people I was friends with only liked Bon Jovi. Not to take anything away from those guys. But I wanted LONGER guitar solos, MORE experimentattion, and funny lyrics. And if the music made FUN of something or someone, then all the better!! Come November 1989, A friend of mine, Aaron Kearns, introduces me to the vinyl version of Sheik Yerbouti. The first tune I hear is I'M SO CUTE!! I fell in love! I asked if I could tape the rest of the album. After this, I fell in love with Frank. Here was an obvious master of all music style and clearly he knew what he was doing. The music was FRESH, depsite the time Sheik was recorded. " Rubber Shirt " also blew me away as did " Rat Tomago. " The whole album inspired me to my CORE. After that followed Jazz From H**l, then FZ: Guitar. Then Hot Rats, then The Best Band You Never Heard, then Studio Tan and then others. . . and on and on and on. . . But to this very day, I will never forget the effect FZ's music had on me. Thanks to Frank I learned that music is EVERYWHERE and not just in a compact disc. And it all started with Sheik!!
The first abum I ever bought was We're only in it for the money/lumpy gravy, also in '89. The second was Sheik Yerbouti. It was love from then on. Now i have 32 of Frank's CD's. Eventually, I'll have the entire discography.
The first FZ album I ever got was Hot Rats, followed by Over-Nite Sensation and Zoot Allures. I was fortunate in that I had some older, hip relatives around me that knew I dug awesome guitar playing and cool songs :) It was 1981 and I was 11 years old. I've been a Zappa fan ever since. This includes DZ once he made his debut.