Product Description

Music historian Neil Slaven has brilliantly chronicled the complex strands of Zappa's life and work in a book that will please not just Zappa fans but anyone interested in the history of rock music.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #571512 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-01
• Released on: 2003-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 438 pages

Review
'...delivers the dope as far as the music is concerned...Zappa fans will freak out.' Q '...a clear and straightforward resume of Zappa's career, skilfully knitted together.' MOJO

About the Author
Neil Slaven is a successful record producer and one of Britain's leading authorities on the blues. He is the major contributor to the Encyclopedia of Popular Music and writes for magazines including Mojo and Billboard.

Customer Reviews

Thought Provoking Bio - The Best So Far
Those familiar with the life and music of Frank Zappa might conclude that Neil Slaven has explained Conceptual Continuity better than Frank ever did. Slaven has written a masterpiece biography of one of the most difficult personalities to ever stir the stew of artful politicosociology. Other Zappa biographies, even that written by Frank himself, come across as dry and disorganized in comparison to Electric Don Quixote. Slaven's analysis seems even-handed to me and is far from being the drippings of a starry-eyed Zappa fan. Punches are not pulled, but then again, praise is dealt out when deserved.

Compared to other sources of all things Zappa, Electric Don Quixote is like a spotlight that illuminates not only the facts and chronology, but also the mood and mentality surrounding Frank and the key individuals in his immediate circle. I'm reminded of how much a step forward the new Jimi Hendrix biography (Musician, by Keith Shadwick) is in comparison to the competition. Musician takes the reader into the musical mind of Hendrix and Electric Don Quixote does the same for Zappa, except that Frank's years in the industry were longer, his story more complex, his art less popularly appreciated and his psyche far more difficult to analyze. But Slaven was up to the challenge and we are all the richer for his ability and dedication.

As good as Electric Don Quixote is, I do not consider it adequate to stand completely on its own. It stands on the shoulders of past Zappa bios and without reading at least one or two of them, the reader might lose the sublety Slaven has incorporated. I'd recommend "No Commercial Potential" and "The Real Frank Zappa Book" as possible starting places. These other books provide factual detail, such as info about Frank's settlement with Warner Brothers that could and probably should have been discussed more clearly in Electric Don Quixote.

I'll also warn that the reader is in for a long ride because, as the years pass, this hardcore fan has witnessed the evolution of Zappa's impact. The body of work is so immense and so dense, that it must be digested sequentially, with periodic rest breaks, then the process restarted anew. Zappa's art is like a perrineal flower that slowly mutates over time, reemerging the next spring, or even in winter with newly discovered clues and perspectives. Thanks to Neil Slaven for shining the spotlight in a way that illuminates previously darkened corridors.

Best Zappa Title
Since the 1960's I have enjoyed listening to the work of Frank Zappa. In my more recent years, I have enjoyed reading about his work and life. The books I have read include:

THE REAL FRANK ZAPPA BOOK by Frank Zappa and Peter Occhioigrosso

ELECTRIC DON QUIXOTE: THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF FRANK ZAPPA by Neil Slaven

NECESSITY IS... THE EARLY YEARS OF FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION by Billy James

COSMIK DEBRIS: THE COLLECTIVE HISTORY AND IMPROVISATIONS OF FRANK ZAPPA by Greg Russo

NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: THE SAGA OF FRANK ZAPPA by David Walley THEM OR US by Frank Zappa

UNDER THE SAME MOON by Suzannah Thana Harris

BEING FRANK: MY TIME WITH FRANK ZAPPA by Nigery Lennon

With no doubt in my mind, ELECTRIC DON QUIXOTE is most creative title among the Zappa biographies. Clearly this title accurately reduces Zappa's musical contribution to the fewest read possible words. Thus, the title is a masterpiece of composition and creativity.

In many ways, the book's content is similar to THE REAL FRANK ZAPPA BOOK. However, Slaven doesn't offer that whimsical and playful flavor that is found in Zappa's and Occhioigrosso's words. Slaven lays out the facts in a well-written and humanistic manner. Of books in my Zappa library, Slaven offers the most even-handed approach. I didn't find this even-handed approach in any of the other Zappa books I have read. However, being even-handed can lead to some dry reading, but nonetheless still worthy for those interested in Zappa's life.

One significant reaction emerges in my head. I hope young musicians read ELECTRIC DON QUIXOTE. Zappa made some critical errors of judgement early in his career that effected his entire life. The evil characters - in this and other Zappa biographies - are record company executives. In his naiveté, Zappa was too trusting or too hungry to make rational decisions prior to signing a record deal. If young musicians carefully read ELECTRIC DON QUIXOTE (and COSMIK DEBRIS by Greg Russo), they can avoid making the mistakes that plagued Zappa and the Turtles.

The ELECTRIC DON QUIXOTE will be enjoyed by all Zappa fans. In addition, I think it should be required reading for all musicians who intend to record.

Easy Read / Not Very Deep
The Book is very nicely written and well researched, however in my opinion it does not shed much light on the person that Frank Zappa was. Much rather it is organized straightforwardly in a chronological way and at times reads like a list of gigs and tours.

If someone is interested in the person Frank Zappa my advice would be to read interviews (with F.Z., colleagues and bandmembers), his own biography (with Peter Occhiogrosso) and brwose through the contents of F.Z. devoted websites.

A deeper analysis of F.Z.'s musical works, if at all possible, would be noting short of a heroic task. This work does not attempt to do so, and the smaller passages where some musical aspects are discussed, the content is - for my taste - barely touching the surface.

On the positive side, the author tries to remain balanced and writes from a clearly neutral perspective, which seems appropriate. Most of the political, sociological and/or anthropological (if you will) viewpoints - for which Frank Zappa was also famous - are kept at a minimum in this book.

All in all I can recommend the book as a chronological guideline through F.Z.'s life, but would warn readers (or fans) not to expect answers or a portrait of F.Z. as a person.