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Frank Zappa
Born · December 21, 1940
Died · December 4, 1993 (52 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Bio
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band The Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. While in his teens, he acquired a taste for percussion-based avant-garde composers such as Edgard Varèse and 1950s rhythm and blues music. He began writing classical music in high school, while at the same time playing drums in rhythm and blues bands; he later switched to electric guitar. He was a self-taught composer and performer, and his diverse musical influences led him to create music that was often impossible to categorize. His 1966 debut album with The Mothers of Invention, Freak Out!, combined songs in conventional rock and roll format with collective improvisations and studio-generated sound collages. His later albums shared this eclectic and experimental approach, irrespective of whether the fundamental format was one of rock, jazz or classical. He wrote the lyrics to all his songs, which—often humorously—reflected his iconoclastic view of established social and political processes, structures and movements. He was a strident critic of mainstream education and organized religion, and a forthright and passionate advocate for freedom of speech, self-education, political participation and the abolition of censorship. Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history. He is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Zappa was married to Kathryn J. "Kay" Sherman from 1960 to 1964. In 1967, he married Adelaide Gail Sloatman, with whom he remained until his death from prostate cancer in 1993. They had four children: Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen. Gail Zappa manages the businesses of her late husband under the name the Zappa Family Trust. Description above from the Wikipedia article Frank Zappa, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
0.0
2024
Over-Nite Sensation
guitar & vocals
0.0
2023
Steve Vai - His First 30 Years: The Documentary
Self (archive footage)
8.8
2022
Rock this Town
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2022
Kalvøyafestivalen - 50 år siden første riff
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2021
The Velvet Underground
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
6.8
2021
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out!
Self
7.5
2021
The Art of Dissent
Self - Subject (archive footage)
0.0
2021
Larry Flynt for President
Self (archive footage)
5.2
2021
Zappa
Self (archive footage)
7.2
2020
Laurel Canyon
Self (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
8.0
2020
Stupor Mundi: Livre 3, La plus dangereuse rencontre
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2019
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
Self (archive footage)
7.6
2019
Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind
Self (archive footage)
6.7
2019
Echo in the Canyon
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
6.7
2019
Marian Briozzo
Himself (archive footage)
0.0
2018
Take Your Pills
Self (archive footage)
6.6
2018
Uncle Howard
Self (archive footage)
6.5
2017
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
Self (archive footage)
7.4
2016
Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2016
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2016
Zapped: Frank Zappa par Frank Zappa
Self - Subject (archive footage)
0.0
2016
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - The Lost Broadcast: The Beat Club '68
Self
0.0
2016
Roxy: The Movie
Himself
6.6
2015
Feats First: The Life and Music of Lowell George
Self (archive footage)
8.0
2015
Led Zeppelin Played Here
Self (archive footage)
8.0
2014
Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
Himself (archive Footage)
7.8
2014
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
Himself (archive footage)
7.4
2014
Cheepnis
Himself
0.0
2014
Super Duper Alice Cooper
Self (archive footage)
7.1
2014
Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
Himself
6.2
2013
From Straight to Bizarre
Self
3.8
2012
Frank Zappa: The Freak Out List
Himself
0.0
2010
Hart & Soul - The Hart Family Anthology
Self (archive footage)
8.0
2010
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960's
Himself
0.0
2009
Frank Zappa - Live in Paris 1980
Self
8.0
2008
Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
Self
5.8
2008
Frank Zappa: The Broadcast Archives
Self
0.0
2008
The Wrecking Crew
Self (archive footage)
7.2
2008
Frank Zappa: Music In Review
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2008
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation
Self (archive footage)
6.5
2007
Frank Zappa: A Pioneer of the Future of Music
0.0
2007
Fuck
Self (archive footage)
6.4
2006
EAV Rarities
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2006
Girls and Boys - Sex and British Pop
Self (archive footage) · (4 episodes)
0.0
2005
Frank Zappa: A Token of His Extreme
Himself
6.8
2005
Derailroaded
Self (archive footage)
7.6
2005
Frank Zappa - John, Dan And Me
Himself
6.0
2004
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2002
Frank Zappa: Phase II - The Big Note
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2002
Frank Zappa: The Present-Day Composer Refuses To Die
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2000
The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart
Himself (archive footage)
0.0
1997
Classic Albums
Self (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
7.7
1997
Porridge and kerosene
Self (archive footage)
0.0
1997
Hey, Hey We're The Monkees
Mike Nesmith (archive footage)
8.8
1997
An American Dissident: un tributo a Frank Zappa
Self (archive footage)
0.0
1994
A Life of Extravaganza - The Genius Frank Zappa
Self
0.0
1993
The Revenge of the Dead Indians
Himself
0.0
1993
The Yellow Shark
Self
9.0
1992
The Ren & Stimpy Show
The Pope (voice) · (1 episode)
7.6
1991
Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth
Self
4.5
1991
Pražákům, těm je hej
Self
8.0
1991
Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
Self
0.0
1991
Your vote
Self
0.0
1991
Decade
Self
7.0
1989
Služební cesta podporučíka Svěráka
Self (archive footage)
6.0
1989
Funny
Self
0.0
1988
The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
Self
7.5
1988
Frank Zappa: Live in Barcelona
8.0
1988
Video From Hell
Self
6.5
1987
The Amazing Mr. Bickford
Self
5.7
1987
Uncle Meat
Self / The Imaginary Director
5.7
1987
Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
Self
0.0
1985
Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
Self
8.1
1985
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers
Attila
6.7
1984
Miami Vice
(1 episode)
7.5
1984
Cocaine Blues
Himself
0.0
1983
Faerie Tale Theatre
Attilla · (1 episode)
8.2
1982
Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
Self
5.9
1982
The Rolling Stones - The First 20 Years
Self
0.0
1982
Frank Zappa: New York and Elsewhere
Self
0.0
1980
Baby Snakes
Self
6.2
1979
Frank Zappa: We Don't Mess Around
Self
4.5
1978
All My Loving
Self
6.5
1968
The Male Swagger
Guitarist (archive footage)
0.0
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
6.9
1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest · (1 episode)
6.9
1975
Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here
Self
6.0
1972
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
Self (archive footage)
10.0
1972
Frank Zappa filmt 200 Motels
Self
0.0
1971
200 Motels
Member of Mothers of Invention (uncredited)
5.2
1971
Frank Zappa
Self
0.0
1971
Amougies (Music Power - European Music Revolution)
Self
0.0
1970
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Self
0.0
1969
Head
The Critic
6.1
1968
You Are What You Eat
3.7
1968
Omnibus
Self · (1 episode)
7.5
1967
Good Evening — I'm Jonathan King
Himself · (1 episode)
0.0
1967
Mondo Hollywood
5.3
1967
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
Self
0.0
1967
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
Self · (1 episode)
0.0
1967
Sex in Today's World
Self
0.0
1967
The Monkees
(1 episode)
6.5
1966
The Big T.N.T. Show
Self (uncredited)
7.0
1965
Late Night Line-Up
Himself · (1 episode)
6.0
Beat-Club
Self · (1 episode)
8.3
1965