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It's something like 'When I heard Varese's music, I thought-I'll be there someday. I'll be arranging, producing, and writing my own music just like this.'<br><br>It's a very un-Frank like quote. I was just wondering what exactly it is, since I don't remember it word for word.<br><br>Also...why he said it in the first place.

Zappa was refering to the composer Edgar Varese. After Frank heard a copy of The complete works of Edgar Varese Vol.1 he began to idolize the man. Varese was basically Zappa's musical hero while he was growing up. His music was very strange, ranging from works like Arcana, set for an orchestra of 120 musicians, including 70 strings and 8 percussionists playing 40 instruments, to stuff like Density 21.5 set for a solo flute made of platinum, a metal whose density gives the work it's title. He is known for his search of pure sound, which led to his use of electronics, such as the theremin. He is known as the father of electronic music. Zappa always loved his music and aspired to make music that was equally as impressive.

"hmmm... no foolin'..."

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

...anyway, the quote comes from a woman called Victoria Winston. Apparently, Zappa knew her in the mid-60s. They were neighbors for a while, in Hollywood. Now, she said that Zappa used to talk about Varese with her, and she said that Zappa said: "Someday I'll get there. I'll be producing, writing and performing this sort of music."

from 'Electric Don Quixote' by Neil Slaven, p.55

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

Wrong again Lumpy. This was uttered by Karen Carpenter, just after they released "Top Of The World".

"Is this the Real Frank Zappa Forum or is this a Sears Frank Zappa Forum?"

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can't wait for that new sig, hiker.

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

Lamest use of a Zappa quote ever!

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Nice fire, man!

Yeah, I thought it didn't sound much like Frank.

Thanks all.

Remember, FZ started out composing classical music, fell into popular music (with a learned classical outlook) and eventually managed to get back to his first love in the end...ie Yellow Shark.

Although all through his output he managed to include orchestral works.

He succesfully opened my ears to classical composition so much so that when I hear Mozart or Beethoven, I am able to comprehend the stuff to some degree.

'Revised Music for Guitar and Low Budget Orchestra' off Studio Tan I love.

I recently saw an early performance of Rdunzle with Jean Luc Ponty on YouTube . It's not the album version. It is always very interesting to me see how his titles evolved.

I got into Zappa through my love of Varese's music. He's probably tied with Webern for my favorite composer.

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"Once you go black, you never go back."
--Thomas Jefferson

It doesn't strike me as un-frank-like.
FZ's first love was for classical music, I believe. Isn't this the guy who wanted a phone call to Edgar Varese as a birthday present? FZ spoke to Mrs Varese as Edgar was not at home at the time.

It's not un-frank like because of the sentiment, but because of the sentimentality attached with it.

..I'm sure it's how he felt, and it's how I feel when I hear his music, but I don't think he would have worded it like that.

I went back and read that stuff on page 55 of Electric Don Quixote and it's funny what can happen when you do something like that. I ended up with my blood boiling because Victoria Winston goes on to say how Zappa wrote some songs for her and her partner but their producer didn't like the material so they didn't record it. It's all upside down, the wishes of the actual artists is on the bottom rung. I know that's just how it is but I can't help getting mad about it. It just highlights the remarkable nature of Zappa'a career.

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The way I see it Barry, this should be a very dynamite show.

What about good ole Spike Jones? He was also quite an influence of Frank's.

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Put your head back, here comes the drill.