The director’s music documentary Zappa will be released Nov. 27.
Alex Winterdoes not claim to be a fanatic when it comes to the music of Frank Zappa.
Winter approached the musician’s widow Gail Zappa through Frank and Gail’s musician-actor son Ahmet.
“I came to know Ahmet quite well over the years,” says Winter.
“I asked him if he could set up a meeting with me and Gail.
He set up a meeting and Gail really liked the take.
Gail gave Winter access to Zappa’s voluminous archives.
“It was a vast archive,” says Winter.
“We took years and went through it.
We spent two years just preserving vault material.
It was a daunting task.”
In making the film, Winter did inevitably become somewhat of a Zappa expert.
So which five albums by the guitarist would be the best introduction to his work?
Winter makes his choices below.
Just one of the great albums of all time.
The Yellow Shark (1993)
“Yellow Sharkis at the other end of Zappas career.
Its viewed as serious classical music, but isnt rarified.
“My favorite of those isApostrophe.
People loveJoes GarageandOver-Nite Sensation, but I would goApostrophe.
A great album, lots of fun.”
Freak Out!
“It is really sophisticated electronic music.
Having said that, its a blast, its hilarious, and it’s beautiful.
Zappafeatures interviews with Gail Zappa, Steve Vai, and Pamela Des Barres, among others.
The film opens in theaters and on demand Nov. 27.
Watch the trailer forZappaabove.
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