The Idol of his Youth

Andre, , , , ,

Edgard Varese-Complete Works of, vol 1The image to the right depicts the cover of the Complete Works of Edgard Varèse, Volume 1. According to Zappa, this was the first record he ever owned. (And one that changed everything for him!)

The story of how he came to discover the record was well-rehearsed. The following quotation is drawn from an article he wrote for  Stereo Review:

I was about thirteen when I read an article in Look about Sam Goody’s Record Store in New York. My memory is not too clear on the details, but I recall it was praising the store’s exceptional record merchandising ability. One example of brilliant salesmanship described how, through some mysterious trickery, the store actually managed to sell an album called “Ionization” (the real name of the album was “The Complete Works of Edgard Varèse, Volume One”). The article described the record as a weird jumble of drums and other unpleasant sounds. I dashed off to my local record store and asked for it. Nobody ever heard of it. I told the guy in the store what it was like. He turned away, repulsed, and mumbled solemnly, “I probably wouldn’t stock it anyway … nobody here in San Diego would buy it.” I didn’t give up. I was so hot to get that record I couldn’t even believe it. [1]

A number of other sources provide a similar account. Though the details of the Look article frequently change with each retelling, Zappa is consistent in his description that the article was a feature on Samuel “Sam Goody” Gutowitz appearing in Look magazine and that it mentioned the Varèse album in negative terms to highlight Goody’s merchandising prowess. Consider the following quotation from a 1971 interview for Rock Magazine:

The thing that led me to Varèse’s music was an article in Look Magazine saying how great Sam Goody’s record store was. Sam Goody sells records so well that he can even sell a record called Ionizations – they even called the album wrong – it was The Complete Works of Edgar Varèse, Volume I. And they were telling how ugly this record sounded. It was just drums and sirens and nobody would want to own this record and Sam Goody was actually selling it [2]

Or Zappa’s response from an 1981 interview in Down Beat:

How did you first find out about Edgar Varèse?

That’s a very simple story. I read an article in Look magazine in the early ’50s which was a feature saying what a great guy Sam Goody was because he was such an exciting merchandiser and he could sell anything, he could sell any kind of record. And to give an example of what a great merchandiser he was, it said that he was even able to sell an album called “Ionisation” which had a bunch of drums banging, and it described the album in very negative terms. When I read that, I thought it sounded exactly like the kind of album that I wanted to hear because I had been playing drums since I was 12. So I went looking for the album and I finally found it after a couple of months’ search, and I took it home, put it on, and I loved it as soon as I heard it. [3]

These descriptions would all be fine, except no article matching this description ever ran in Look magazine. Several Zappa scholars have suggested the likely possibility that Zappa is conflating memories of several articles. None of them offers any suggestions as to particular articles, so I’d like to point to some potential candidates I’ve found.

Look Record GuideTo begin with, the November 7, 1950 issue of Look does include a brief (and surprisingly positive) review of the record, but makes no mention of Gutowitz:

The good-things-from-obscure-places department has come up with the following finds. From EMS, the first album of a series which proposes to record the complete works of the fantastically individualistic composer Edgard Varèse. Density 21.5, Integrales, Octandre and Ionisation—a dreamy little episode for 35 percussion instruments and absolutely nothing else—are the titles. Varèse is unlike anything else in music, and well worth knowing. The recording is excellent… [4]

Duke of the Disc DealersAlthough the album is reviewed favorably here, the description of the percussion does line up with Zappa’s memory.

Another possible source comes from a feature in The Saturday Evening Post: “Duke of the Disc Dealers.” (The image to the right links to a PDF of the article.)

One Goody customer is a rare and notable exception to this buyer pattern. An old lady in her seventies, she depends on Levin [the store manager] to set aside all records with fortissimo percussion passages. ‘She loves drums, gongs, cymbals and anything that makes a loud banging noise. She has excellent hearing and is not interested in volume, as such. She just gets a particular thrill out of everything which is savage and primitive.’ [5]

This article, however, makes no mention of Varèse

How Does Goody's Do ItGreg Russo has pointed out that the February 13, 1952 issue of People Today mentions Goody’s skills as a record salesman. [7] The article makes no mention of Varèse, but Russo suggests the possibility that Zappa first read about the record in a Sam Goody catalog. Along these lines, an article from Good Housekeeping (click the image for another PDF)  confirms Goody’s  merchandising techniques:

Goody believes in aggressive advertising. He floods schools, colleges, libraries, and embassies throughout the world with direct-mail-order advertising. [6]

It seems possible that Zappa may have come across one of the catalogs distributed in this manner. (I’ve sent several emails to Goody’s son in the hope that he might have some of the catalogs, but lost contact with him over a year ago.)

I can’t even begin to tell you how sweet it would have been if I had found an article matching Zappa’s description! (Even if it wasn’t in Look magazine.) Unfortunately, it seems that for now at least the mystery remains.

References:
[1] Frank Zappa, “Edgard Varèse: Idol of my Youth,” Stereo Review 26, no. 6 (June 1971): 62. (Text here.)
[2] David Reitman, “I Dreamed I Interviewed Frank Zappa In My Maidenform Bra,” Rock Magazine 2.13 (January 25, 1971): 31. (Text here.)
[3] John Diliberto and Kimberley Haas, “Frank Zappa on Edgar Varese,” Down Beat 48, no. 11 (November 1981): 22. (Text here.)
[4] Joseph Roddy, “Look Record Guide,” Look Magazine 14 (November 7, 1950): 111.
[5] Richard Thruelsen, “Duke of the Disc Dealers,” The Saturday Evening Post 229 (October 27, 1956): 124. (PDF here.)
[6] “How Does Goody’s Do It?,” Good Housekeeping 143 (September 1956): 56. (PDF here.)
[7] Greg Russo, Cosmik Debris: The Collected History and Improvisations of Frank Zappa (Floral Park, NY: Crossfire Publications, 1999), 9.
The Idol of his Youth

46,641 thoughts on “The Idol of his Youth”

  6. jimmy choo black leather gilbert pumps

    click to popout winona mini dress vintage ivory by for love lemonsivory fitted mermaid wedding gown under 600 with lace appliques and strapless bra friendlyvalentines day gentlemen formal suit top pants clothes outfits forplus size long sleeve high low…

  10. vinterboots classic mini med ullf么r

    conjunto de lencer铆a de mujer de una pieza con esposas floral encaje bodys bodydoll bodysuit ropaboxer de hombre abanderado abierto de algodè´¸n abanderado blanco hombre ropa interior ropa hombremuchachas de las mujeres de encaje floral permanece para ar…

  12. 卸械薪褋泻懈械 泻械写褘 胁褘褋芯泻懈械 converse 薪邪 褌邪薪泻械褌泻械 褔械褉薪褘械

    zapatillas hombre bugatti zapatillas para hombrezapatos hombre botas de ca帽a baja art alpine20 grismerceditas fantasia ni帽a plata conguitosaut茅ntico air jordan 23 classic laser blanco zapatillas nike maple basketball zapatos shop mejores

  20. prada saffiano camera bag youtube

    drew brees new orleans saints all star pro bowl 2010 jersey sz sewn reebok nfl. click to enlargemurdered nfl star steve house up for sale take a peek insideblack womens antonio brown name number logo slim fit football 84 pittsburgh steelersmitchell and…

  25. 銇娿仐銈冦倢銇俱仺銈併伄浜烘皸銈偆銉囥偄 pinterest bambooo

    reebok classical music men gap dis sneakers club champion 85 el reebok classic club c 85adidas nmd r1 black green stockxpalace hooded regular size hoodies sweatshirts for men for saleinstapump fury grey stockx

  27. half moon earrings earstuds 916 gold

    polo ralph lauren leather schooly bag in black lystfloral embroidered tulle strapless gownisabel marant dicker navy blue gray suede leather ankle heel bootie boots 38the north face international collection base camp duffel duffel

  28. michael michael kors mercer lg tote black beige women

    pleten茅 kabelky jsou trendem nadch谩zej铆c铆 sezony po艡i膹te si i vydetail tommy hilfiger metallic retro runner 099 dark taupe 39ruksak gloria s potla膷ou sovy brosky艌ov谩navy blue womens tony romo backer slim fit football 9 dallas cowboys long sleeve

  30. d茅tails sur new balance homme pull 脿 capuche veste 脿 capuche capuche sport sweat 2310

    maya bikini mujer corpi帽o push up vedetina fluorvestidos largos de noche mujer elegante chiffon sin mangas halterbragas de mujer inplusni ropa interior femenina nueva ropa interior de mujer de algodè´¸n con encaje30 fotos de bikinis para gorditas con fle…

  31. robe soiree longue imprimee

    toddler flower girl in pink dress with bow on drop waistmacloth 3 4 sleeves lace cocktail dress midi red wedding party formalbateau half sleeve lace tulle wedding dress with illusion and sweep trainalice wedding gown long ivory evening dresses

  33. kabelky striebornè°© kabelka

    ko啪en谩 p谩nsk谩 ta拧ka p艡es rameno na tablet 10 58014mobiln茅 telef贸ny pou啪it茅 z huawei huawei ostatn茅 modelytommy hilfiger underwear tielko vo farbe siv谩d谩mska pa拧m铆nov谩 拧atka s oran啪ov媒m ornamentom

  34. harem dancer costume m

    buy bridal earrings wedding earrings vintage crystal sterlingsilver amethyst purple earringsrare tiffany co platinum 18k round diamond green emerald engagementsterling enterprises sterling silver 7mm flat pad stud

  36. tommy hilfiger jeans mens flag swim short s

    xperia xz1 xperia compact xz xzs x compact x performance z5 銈儶銈pu 銈便兗銈?/a>iphone 娑叉櫠 绶?銉庛偆銈?銇ф绱仌銈屻仧鏂广€佺敾闈氦鎻涖亴蹇呰銇嬨倐銇椼倢銇俱仜銈?/a>銈广兗銉勩偙銉笺偣 銈儯銉兗銈便兗銈?銈儯銉兗銉愩儍銈?m銈点偆銈?銉曘儹銉炽儓銈兗銉椼兂 銈点兂銈炽兗 銉兗銉儔銈广偪銉紈鍙剾銇?娴併倢銈?銉併儳銈炽儸銉笺儓 銈广優銉涖偙銉笺偣 鎵嬪赋鍨?銈汇儫銈兗銉€銉?鍏ㄦ绋蹇…

  40. 卸械薪褋泻邪褟 褔械褉薪邪褟 褋褍屑泻邪 锌芯褉褌褎械谢褜 懈蟹 薪邪褌褍褉邪谢褜薪芯泄 泻芯卸懈 锌褉芯写邪卸邪

    tommy hilfiger h谩tizs谩k h谩tit谩ska 7990 ft k茅pcsipke francia bugyi n艖i als贸 bahama collectionakci贸 mayo chix mellow szaggatott farmernadr谩g nadr谩gok n艖ival贸di olasz n艖i b艖r csizma 40 煤jszer疟 谩llapotban

  48. kit com 100 unidades atacado de è´¸culos receituè°©rio modelos variados acetato masculino e feminino

    free shipping 1pcs new 6 colors dot dual visor flip up racing helmet full face motocrossauthentic mexican sombrero bewildsnowman happy face with stocking cap christmas ornament. personalized christmas ornament爻賵賯 賯賱賷丿賷 賵賷賰賷亘賷丿賷丕貙 丕賱賲賵爻賵毓丞 丕賱丨乇丞

  49. burberry baby girls white polo dress

    robe fashion maille fine avec dentelle couleur orangerobe 脿 dos lace out paillet茅 beige stand priv茅robe droite courte ceintur茅e blanc femme femmesexy robe bustier bleu femmes de 3 4 cloche manches off 茅paule droite d茅collet茅 robe

  50. best dad in the galaxy badge kool badges

    pro club comfort short sleeve hot pink t shirt vegas big and tallimage unavailable. image not available for. color grandad tee grandpa fathers day vintage t shirtpink girls black cat t shirtcustom district womens tri blend baseball raglan design womens

Comments are closed.