he was what he is

Frank Zappa, Joe's Garage

I could write about this one for hours.

Days, maybe.

But I won't.

It's brilliant in its insanity, insane in its brilliance.

My wife & I saw it performed on stage at The Open Fist Theatre (now, seriously, is that not a great name?!) 2 years ago, & it absolutely rocked.

The Zappa Family Trust gave the OK, it was performed straight through as a musical w/ a live band . . . & the lights went down for the album's version of "Watermelon in Easter Hay."

It was amazing.

That was the song that had sold her on Zappa, & that was the moment we just sat there in the dark ruminating on life & taking it all in.

"Beautiful" is the word here, I believe.

As for the play as a whole, I wrote up a review if you would for some strange reason be interested.

As for the song--which FZ stated he originally titled "Playing a Guitar Solo With This Band Is Like Trying to Grow a Watermelon in Easter Hay," it is 1 of my 5 favorite guitar instrumentals (that makes 2 I have mentioned thus far--anyone paying attention? 5 bonus points to the 1st to identify the other in the comments below).

PMRC WARNING ALERT:
Dude was an absolute musical genius, but had a bizarre, some would say "obscene" sense of humor, & it manifested in his lyrics. So, listener beware.

Also, come & see me for advice if you are interested, because FZ has something for (almost) everyone.

Juniors:
I played Zappa today because he, like T. S. Eliot, is a difficult artist, one who demands from his audience more than many want to offer up.

I love these guys, many cannot stand them, & I can pretty much understand why.

I believe art should challenge our beliefs, make us examine all that we hold dear, help us to re-establish ourselves or re-imagine ourselves.

Zappa & Eliot do just that.

They will take you places you may not want to go, definitely out of your comfort zone. They will make that journey worth every gut-wrenching or side-splitting moment.

They will frustrate & amaze w/in about, oh, 3-5 seconds.

Man, I LOVE this stuff.

We went over the concepts of poetry & art, using Marianne Moore's "Poetry," the 1st line of which I do not believe. As usual, many of you had great ideas, today about the "meaning" of poetry & communication in general.

Sophomores:
You were asked to re-think the characters of Ismene & Antigone.

1 has changed, the other not so much.

We read scene 3 of Antigone.

Haimon learned from his daddy, I tell you: same rhetoric, same process of argumentation.

Oh, & Creon went from "kill her" to "kill her no, in front of him" to "take her somewhere where she'll die."

Sets up the coming scenes.

I LOVE this stuff, too.

be cool