I probably lean more toward the instrumental/jazz fusion-y type stuff. If your friend does to, I second Burnt Weeny Sandwich. It’s a wonderful album. Sleep Dirt is also very good. Also, you can’t go wrong with any of the Shut Up and Play Your Guitar’s.
As for more comedy type albums, Joe’s Garage is fantastic. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for Just Another Band From LA because of Billy the Mountain. Fillmore East '71 is a lot of raunchy fun (Oh Howie, you’re so professional!). Live in New York is pretty great as well.
I was stunned by his reaction. Fast forward 6 years. I’m at a different job, and I very quickly noticed that my boss was a big Zappa fan. He’d use “great googly moogly” and “the crux of the biscuit” in the weekly staff meetings, so it wasn’t hard to figure out. Anyway, one day he was bored and looking through my (20 or so) audio CDs I kept on my desk. He pulled Hot Rats and asked “is this any good?” I lent it to him and commented that it had one of my alltime favorite songs on it.
The next day he was gushing about how it was the greatest thing he ever heard. Ah, Hot Rats. So good.
I’m missing one of the LINY discs. I have the one with Sofa on it, thankfully, but missing the other is annoying.
But I’m reminded of a female friend who loved Fillmore East. Her favorite lines were from Bwana Dik. She’d occasionally burst into song with such gems as “My dick is a Harley, you kick it to start.” Good times.
Well, since you’re talking about a gift, may I suggest some alternatives to actual albums?
There are a couple of FZ items out on DVD. Namely Baby Snakes and Does Humor Belong In Music? Both of them are largely based on his concerts, which is to me a bit more interesting than just getting an album.
Is that biography you have The Real Frank Zappa Book? If it isn’t, then skip it and get The Real Frank Zappa Book. In fact, any people who have posted in this thread, nay, have read this thread who haven’t read The Real Frank Zappa Book should get off their asses and get a copy.
Finally, if you feel like paying a good chunk for a very old VHS (or, according to Biffy The Elephant Shrew, laserdisc), find a copy of 200 Motels. It’s a great movie. Why the hell it’s not on DVD yet, I don’t know.
Apostrophe and Hot Rats are two of my many favorites. If you don’t know where to start at all, Strictly Commercial has a ton of songs all from different albums…then you can reference the style you like to the album it came from.
Twenty-eight posts in and no one has recommended Tinseltown Rebellion. Maybe it’s just me who likes that album! It’s undescribably brilliant, funny and awe-inspiring in parts. Don’t pass it up or wait until you have the whole collection before you get it!
My buddy is a huge fan of it. Me? Not so much. I much prefer the version of For the Young Sophisticate on Läther, and I get frustrated with that version of Peaches, mainly because it has so much potential, but I feel it falls short in the execution.
If you’re looking for old videos, Does Humor Belong In Music? is phenomenal live concert footage. Tough to find, but well worth it. Best Whippin’ Post ever played. (Much better than the Tinseltown Rebellion version, though that one is pretty damn good as well.) Bobby Martin has quite a set of lungs on him.
Anyway, I’m listening to The Grand Wazoo now and enjoying the hell out of it.