Frank Zappa: Where does one start?

[caribou]

Okay. So there's, what, 60+ albums to choose from? Someone point me in the right direction...

[Tibor]

hot rats. and it doesn't really get better than hot rats, in my opinion. absolutely free is a good place to start with the mothers of invention. i hear that in it for the money is phenomenal. i haven't heard it

[Wasteland]

Hot Rats is a great place to start if you are just looking at solo.
For a real start, listen to Freak Out! the first album with the Mothers.
three other albums to listen to:
Strictly Commercial:The Best of Frank Zappa(if this is your first Zappa experience)
Bongo Fury(includes Captain Beefheart)
Cheap Thrills(for that all-out weirdness)

[Bull Randleman]

any of them...

[bmac]

i started with we're only in it for the money and hot rats. although i've yet to get any farther than that, those two are pretty damned good.

[gil]

you made the right choice. also get live at the fillmore east and live at the roxy, both amazing.

uncle meat/lumpy gravy and burnt weenie sandwich would probably be next favorites for me.

[Wasteland]

Try Joes Garage I, II, and III

[perfectlycromulent]

Theres just so much to choose from, so many damn facets to start from..

[The Foot]

I started out with Apostrophe, Joe's Garage and Overnite' Sensation, and they all worked out well with me. If you like more instrumental music, Hot Rats, The Grand Wazoo, and Wakajawaka (Hot Rats 2) are all great albums. For satire, Absolutely Free, Were Only in it For the Money, Sheik Yer Bouti, and You Are What You is, are all excellent albums. Other great albums include: Live at the Fillmore, Roxy and Elsewhere, One Size Fits All, and Broadway the Hard Way.

[aoife]

I am more enamoured of his older stuff, so

Absolutely Free, Hot Rats, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Uncle Meat, Burnt Weeny Sandwich, Cruisin with Ruben and the Jets (essential no matter what other albums you get)
Live ones- Filemore East

[Samuel L Bronkowitz]

I always seem to go to You Can't Do That Onstage Anymore, Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert...

[caribou]

I went in looking for Hot Rats, but not finding it I picked up We're Only in It for the Money. Really, really outstanding; thanks for the suggestions.

My dad has the former on vinyl in our basement somewhere...

[aoife]

Dig it up, and play that record.

[Isaac]

Check out Joe's Garage -- it's Zappa's best.

[remember alf?]

waka jawaka & the grand wazoo(2 albums)
these are both a pretty good sampling of what zappa can do
a little wierd a litte rocking a little classical/jazz
check it out

[Son of Bomber]

Definitely start with Freak Out! Avoid Jazz From Hell, it's pretty much exactly what it claims to be.

[Wasteland]

Wait, didn't we talk about this last April?

Look at post #3 and #7 for my advice.