Electric Don Quixote: The Definitive Story Of Frank Zappa Review

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(More customer reviews)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.

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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.

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