I have never been able to conclude whether Zappa was a bizarre genius or a somewhat skilled conman who fooled people into believing he was something much greater than he was.
“I have never been able to conclude whether Zappa was a bizarre genius or a somewhat skilled conman who fooled people into believing he was something much greater than he was.”
Listen hear Warner brother exec.
It’s obvious you never listened to his music.
...or you’re retarded.
You’ve heard his music?
I agree with you—I never could understand the appeal.
Serious classical musicians celebrate him. Musically, he was brilliant. Unfortunately, brilliant music doesn't sell. Just ask those serious classical musicians. So to make a living making art, you need to have an angle, a hustle, something to bring people in. He can't just be talented, you have to know how to put on a show. So he developed a character.
Here's Wikipedia on his politics:
In a 1991 interview, Zappa reported that he was a registered Democrat but added "that might not last long—I'm going to shred that" Describing his political views, Zappa categorized himself as a "practical conservative". He favored limited government and low taxes; he also stated that he approved of national defense, social security, and other federal programs, but only if recipients of such programs are willing and able to pay for them. He favored capitalism, entrepreneurship, and independent business, stating that musicians could make more from owning their own businesses than from collecting royalties. He opposed communism, stating, "A system that doesn't allow ownership ... has—to put it mildly—a fatal design flaw." He had always encouraged his fans to register to vote on album covers, and throughout 1988 he had registration booths at his concerts.