Karl's review
The Real Frank Zappa Book (Picador Books)
by Frank Zappa
Karl's review
The Real Frank Zappa Book (Picador Books) by Frank Zappa
Karl's review
rating:
recommended for: People with an interest in Zappa, who are overly squeamish
Not so much a book as a "conflicted document," perhaps. Zappa wasn't going to write an actual autobiography; nor did he necessarily have the patience to serve as a subject for a biographer (nor would his aims probably have consistently aligned with a proper biographer's). So this book has the curious characteristics of (a) often sounding like Zappa himself chit-chatting, (b) some actual biographical information (probably), (b1) some of that of actual interest, and (c) a paradigm shift from a biography (sort of) to a sort of stage for Zappa to air a grievance or two. The book has moments of genuine entertainment, moments when you wonder if you're the bourgeoisie being épater-ed, and stretches where even genuine interest in Zappa as a musician may not serve to keep you quite awake.
