Zappa on Parenting and other stuff

Impetus

Electoral Member
May 31, 2007
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Sort of a spin-off from the Panhandlers thread, here.

I've been watching these YouTube videos of Frank Zappa debating the record industry rating system that was being pushed through Congress by the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) back in the 80's.

Frank has some very sound arguments about parenting and educating kids that support my points in the context of the "drugs" discussion.

Frank was a great man, beyond his musical genius. Too bad so few people really understood him.

Check them out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u--CMuxgu6Y&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViZYGMUSvmE&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJorYf91_Xk&mode=related&search=

There's also a great '86 CNN Crossfire appearance ("the biggest threat to America today is not communism, it is moving America towards a fascist theocracy, and everything that's happened during the Reagan administration is steering us right down that pipe") Talk about a prophetic statement!

Also good appearances on Niteline, and the PMRC Senate Committee hearings if you search for them.

His Arsenio Hall and Mike Douglas appearances were hilarious!

And then there's the "statistical density" of his music...give it a listen:
Enjoy!

Muz
 
May 28, 2007
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Honour our Fallen
I'm starting to listen to these vids muz...You do realize Frank never even expieremented with drugs.....I'm a fan and i'm sure i heard him say that in an interview....In fact i get the impression he was very much anti drug....if you can verify or show me otherwise i would be very much in your debt.
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
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He had a great mind for a lot of things. I've always admired his thoughts on kids from an interview I read about where he talked about his kids a little. He said something like just talking to them like they were people instead of property really hit home. And the names he gave his kids, he said no mater what he gave them as a first name, it's the last name that will get them in ****. :lol:

Killer
 
May 28, 2007
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Honour our Fallen
oh gawd, not more Zappa!
the other nite i searched you tube for mothers of invention
These people were my heros when i was 13..i knew every word to every song on "were only in it for the money"...me and me friend would stroll the streets "high" singing these tunes out loud.....

so like i saw the album pics....now i saw them in action.....these guys were like having way too much fun.....

You tube is Da bomb

and by the by Twila i owe you big time for introducing me to what you tube is all about....Remember when you posted a pukka orchestra vid for me....well it finnaly clicked in and i tried another fav of mine...a band outta montreal.... the box.....now i'm hooked on you tube.....
Sandy hates you....lol...internet addict joke...don't take it serious....no baked goods for you
 

Twila

Nanah Potato
Mar 26, 2003
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Sandy hates you.

But what about all the lovely animal vids I post...just for her? Have I been behind? Should I post some more? Ah, Sandy.... let me make it up to ya
 
May 28, 2007
3,866
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Honour our Fallen
But what about all the lovely animal vids I post...just for her? Have I been behind? Should I post some more? Ah, Sandy.... let me make it up to ya
lol...this is true.....mwwwwwwuuuaaaaaahahahahahaha internet is good..mmmmmm make kitty kat vid.....see sandy twinkle....good internet mmwwwuuaaaaaaaahahahaha
 

mabudon

Metal King
Mar 15, 2006
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Golden Horseshoe, Ontario
Ahh.. there was an autobiography by Zappa out in the late 80's IIRC

The book was pretty good- I can't watch youtube on my home PC but I think I have probably seen much of the content. He also made a song called "porn wars" that has tons of quotes from the hearings- having Zappa, Dee Snider, Jello Biafra and John Denver all on the same side was priceless

I liked Zappas idea (in that autobiography, if you're interested, seek it out and read it, it's solid) about National Defense- he was of the mind that if you gave everyone a rifle and a million dollars, it'd be pretty easy to keep an "army" of folks interested in defending their million dollars- I know the math on that alone would mess everything up, but as a kid I liked hearing ideas like that

Oh and CORRECT- I can't recall if Frank NEVER did ANY drugs, I do think he tried to smoke pot a couple of times and he got too sleepy to function, if I remembr what I read, but he didn't drink or do any of the "weird" or "hard" drugs- it makes his music that much more fascinating, he truly meant every note to sound exactly the way it did
 

Impetus

Electoral Member
May 31, 2007
447
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Oh and CORRECT- I can't recall if Frank NEVER did ANY drugs, I do think he tried to smoke pot a couple of times and he got too sleepy to function, if I remembr what I read, but he didn't drink or do any of the "weird" or "hard" drugs- it makes his music that much more fascinating, he truly meant every note to sound exactly the way it did

While that is true, the irony is he did smoke cigarettes, and it was cancer (prostate) that took him in the end.

Muz
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
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What would Frank Zappa know about raising children for the average guy? Obviously he could name his kids anything and no matter what their names/personalities, other kids will latch on to them as buddies for the sake of latching onto someone famous. Pretty cool to hang with a Zappa, no matter what that Zappa is. It's not the same as befriending the son of the janitor down the street. A janitor's kid named Moon Unit would be chastised and bullied throughout their growing years.

I was an still am a Zappa fan. His niche in music was welcomed, but he's a musician not a professor or even experienced in raising kids for the average schmuck.
 

Impetus

Electoral Member
May 31, 2007
447
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Hey, they live in L.A...they are fairly typical...
I'll bet you it's actually way more challenging to try to raise celeb kids than your "average schmuck" kids!

Here is a really funny SNL skit with Frank and drugs

Muz

What would Frank Zappa know about raising children for the average guy? Obviously he could name his kids anything and no matter what their names/personalities, other kids will latch on to them as buddies for the sake of latching onto someone famous. Pretty cool to hang with a Zappa, no matter what that Zappa is. It's not the same as befriending the son of the janitor down the street. A janitor's kid named Moon Unit would be chastised and bullied throughout their growing years.

I was an still am a Zappa fan. His niche in music was welcomed, but he's a musician not a professor or even experienced in raising kids for the average schmuck.
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
21,155
149
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Yeah me too. So if you have any extra cash send it over to my place. I will shoulder that unbearable burden as best I can. Great googly moogly.
I might have to. The thought of choosing between the Mercedes or BMW ragtops has me stressing already. God don't give me this burden, Lord have mercy.