This tribute to one of the all time greatest musicians, and in my opinion of of his finest albums, won’t even approach honoring this genius’ groundbreaking achievements or introduce him to you in a way in which he deserves. Frank Zappa’s music and his records can only be experienced, any attempts to classify or categorize him, or even describe what the experience of listening to Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats is like will fail miserably. There are so many places we could start with his prolific and amazing catalog of music, but because this is how I learned about him, and discovered what it was he was tapping into, it’s the only way I can leave you a bread crumb trail to explore what remains an extremely visionary recording almost 50 years after its original release. A record and artist so far ahead of his time, that many of us are just starting to catch on after all these years. Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats is an incredibly experimental work, that is almost classically symphonic in nature, and for some who pick up this amazing LP, they’ll liken it more to jazz and rock, but honestly it goes beyond and shatters the conventions of each of those styles, and somehow becomes one of the most immediate and dare I say addictive records you will ever purchase. There are moods and feelings showcased here that are so nuanced and beyond description that the only way to know what I’m talking about is to buy the original vintage analog vinyl album, if you partake in herbal refreshment no one is going to stop you, especially in the states of California, Washington and Colorado, and just clear you mind and be open to let the music take you on a journal unlike any that you’d expect or would be prepared for.

So now that I’ve exercised my evangelical style rant, it’s important for me to point out that this one album is just a drop in the bucket of one of the greatest catalogs of music ever released. His work with the legendary Mothers Of Invention, his collaborations with other incredible artists including Captain Beefheart, Don Van Vliet (who can be heard on Hot Rats), runs a staggering gamut of styles and genres, so much that there are times when you will experience disbelief that all of this music came from the same artist.  Do yourself a favor, go out and buy a copy of Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats, play it on an a record console that will do it justice, and make today the first day of the rest of your life.