Frank Zappa
Biography
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.
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Acting (78 movies)
Sex in Today's World
1967
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
1967
Frank Zappa – Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2014
Video from Hell
1987
Cheepnis
2014
200 Motels
1971
Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
2008
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1969
Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees
1997
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
2002
Fuck
2006
Funny
1988
Super Duper Alice Cooper
2014
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
2014
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
1972
Feats First: The Life and Music of Lowell George
2015
Led Zeppelin Played Here
2014
Head
1968
Frank Zappa: Music In Review
2008
Amougies (Music Power - European Music Revolution)
1970
Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here
1972
Larry Flynt for President
2021
Echo in the Canyon
2019
Take Your Pills
2018
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
2019
The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation
2007
Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985
Frank Zappa: Baby Snakes
1979
Frank Zappa: We Don't Mess Around
1978
Uncle Meat
1987
Frank Zappa: The Broadcast Archives
2008
Frank Zappa - Live in Paris 1980
2008
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960's
2009
The Big T.N.T. Show
1965
Kalvøyafestivalen - 50 år siden første riff
2021
The Velvet Underground
2021
The Art of Dissent
2021
Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind
2019
Hart & Soul - The Hart Family Anthology
2010
Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1982
The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1988
Frank Zappa: A Token of His Extreme
2005
Rock this Town
2022
Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2013
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out!
2021
Frank Zappa: Live in Barcelona
1988
Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1991
All My Loving
1968
Cocaine Blues
1983
The Revenge of the Dead Indians
1993
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - The Lost Broadcast: The Beat Club '68
2016
Steve Vai - His First 30 Years: The Documentary
2022
From Straight to Bizarre
2012
The Wrecking Crew
2008
Frank Zappa & The Mothers: Roxy: The Movie
2015
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
2016
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention: Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
2024
Frank Zappa
1971
Frank Zappa: A Pioneer of the Future of Music
2007
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers
1984
The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart
1997
You Are What You Eat
1968
Marian Briozzo
2018
Mondo Hollywood
1967
The Yellow Shark
1992
Decade
1989
Derailroaded
2005
Frank Zappa: The Freak Out List
2010
Zappa
2020
Frank Zappa - Over-Nite Sensation
1973
Cover Your Ears
2023
Pražákům, těm je hej
1991
Pink Floyd: Amougies Pop Festival
1970
Frank Zappa, John Lennon & Yoko Ono: At Fillmore East
1971
Frank Zappa: Opopoppa Stockholm, Sweden
1973
Frank Zappa: Roxy, 1973
2007
Frank Zappa: Cheaper Than Cheep
2025
Directing (14 movies)
200 Motels
1971
The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987
Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985
Frank Zappa: Baby Snakes
1979
Uncle Meat
1987
Video from Hell
1987
Frank Zappa & The Mothers: Roxy: The Movie
2015
Cheepnis
2014
The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1988
Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1985
Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1982
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1969
Frank Zappa - Over-Nite Sensation
1973
Frank Zappa: Roxy, 1973
2007
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| The World's Greatest Sinner | 1962 | Original Music Composer |
| Run Home Slow | 1965 | Original Music Composer |
| 200 Motels | 1971 | Screenplay |
| Frank Zappa - Over-Nite Sensation | 1973 | Writer |
| Frank Zappa: Baby Snakes | 1979 | Producer |
| Frank Zappa: Baby Snakes | 1979 | Writer |
| Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special! | 1982 | Writer |
| Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music? | 1985 | Producer |
| Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music? | 1985 | Writer |
| Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars | 1985 | Writer |
| The Amazing Mr. Bickford | 1987 | Writer |
| Uncle Meat | 1987 | Writer |
| Uncle Meat | 1987 | Producer |
| The Amazing Mr. Bickford | 1987 | Producer |
| Video from Hell | 1987 | Writer |
| Video from Hell | 1987 | Producer |
| The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels | 1988 | Producer |
| The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels | 1988 | Writer |
| Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko | 1991 | Producer |
| Cheepnis | 2014 | Producer |
| Frank Zappa & The Mothers: Roxy: The Movie | 2015 | Writer |
| Frank Zappa & The Mothers: Roxy: The Movie | 2015 | Producer |
| Frank Zappa: Cheaper Than Cheep | 2025 | Producer |