I Come From Nowhere(?)

Andre, , , ,

My dissertation–if you hadn’t already gathered–focuses on the convergence of popular and classical music streams that informs much of Frank Zappa’s music. This confluence means different things in different places (for both Zappa and his audience), but it seems to me to be a defining characteristic that runs through all of his work. My questions here are: Why would this be such an important aspect of his work? and, What influenced him in thinking this way?

Strictly Genteel

On the one hand, Zappa was trying to establish for himself a reputation as a composer of serious art music. His reasons for this are, of course, open to debate, but Zappa was always quick to point out that his ambitions were aesthetically motivated. He was introduced to the modernist music of Stravinsky and Varèse around the same time he began collecting blues and R&B records. Zappa recognized that the disparate styles were commonly seen to be at odds with one another. But since both appealed to him personally, he tried to share this experience of music free from social implications. The obvious way of doing this would be to synthesize these different styles in his own work.

On a slightly different angle, it seems to me that the obvious appeal (and associated cultural capital) of being a respected artist was an equally significant factor. Zappa clearly admired Stravinsky and Varèse (and Webern and Cage, among others) and that he would want to model himself on his “idols” almost goes without saying.

But where does this all come from? What streams (cultural, social, musical) does he fit into? Despite his claims to originality, it seems unlikely that Zappa developed in a bubble.

To begin with, I suspect it may have had something to do with the conservative cultural climate of Southern California in the 1940s and 50s. Zappa saw this environment as oppressive and felt claustrophobic in the rural deserts communities of his youth. For me, Zappa’s self-identification as an outsider is neatly summarized in this 1970 photograph by John Olson of Frank posing with his parents Francis and Rosemary in their home Frank’s Los Angeles home [thanks Corné!]:

Zappa with parents

(Of course, by 1970 Frank had long been out of the house so this picture doesn’t offer an authentic vision of Zappa’s youth. Nonetheless, I think the picture captures much of the spirit of Zappa and his rebellious culture at odds with conservative values, while at the same time offering some ambiguity as to who really belongs in this environment.)

While still a child, he found refuge in the modernist avant-garde. (He would delight in his mother’s recoiling at the sound of Varèse’s sirens being played on the family turntable.) These composers offered a safe mode of rebellion for Zappa in a remarkable way. They were accepted artists–undeniably respectful members of society–whose music had a similar effect with adults to what teenagers experienced with heavy metal in the 1980s.

But I don’t think it ends there. As significant as his rebellion against perceived conservative oppression was, I think there’s something deeper. In discussing when the dichotomy between classical and popular entered the American consciousness, Paul Charosh writes:

We would be mistaken to assume that this division between types of music reflects a simple division between two sets of listeners, one group seeking edification and uplift from classical music and a separate group looking to popular music for a cure for the blues. Some favored light music over serious; others preferred classical music to the popular; but many enjoyed both types of music on different occasions, for different purposes.[1]

Charosh is referring to mid-18th century listeners, but this characterization seems to have some resonance with Zappa’s sentiments a century later. Is this a constant stream in American musical consciousness? Did Zappa inherit this dual validity of opposing musical streams?

For that matter, who else was a part of this? Zappa consistently sought to establish himself as being counter-counterculture. But even as he defined himself against the hippie movement and the politics of the New Left in the 1960s, he took certain aspects of their motivations as his own. Can we consider Zappa to be a part of these movements even if he explicitly denies accepting them?

For now, these thoughts are very preliminary. I don’t have the answers to these questions. (Yet!)

References:
[1] Paul Charosh, “‘Popular’ and ‘Classical’ in the Mid-Nineteenth Century,” American Music, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Summer, 1992), 126.
I Come From Nowhere(?)

32,946 thoughts on “I Come From Nowhere(?)”

  1. nike torba treningowa

    longines 銈炽兂銈偍銈广儓 v.h.p 銉戙兗銉氥儊銉ャ偄銉?/a>銉偆銉愩兂 ray ban 銈点兂銈般儵銈?rb4075 642 41 3f 銈偆銈︺偋銈?/a>銇娿仢鏉俱仌銈撱儙銉笺儓浠樸亶 鐢锋€у０鍎儔銉┿優cd銈汇儍銉?銇娿仢鏉俱仌銈?6銇ゅ瓙銇亰浠曚簨浣撻〒銉夈儵鏉綾d銈枫儶銉笺偤 銈广偆銉笺儎鐢峰瓙銈枫儶銉笺偤銇仼妤藉ぉ甯傚牬 銉戙儓銉儍銈?銈广儖銉笺偒銉?銈枫儱銉兗 銉堛儶銈炽儹銉笺儷patrick

  3. womens dr. scholls dance clog free shipping exchanges

    headset til iphone ipod vossebunad herrebunad sony rx0 test ultrakompakt kamera med enorme krå¿™fter fra industri til mange nye leiligheter name it alfa softshell bibbukse galleri format berenice hernè°©ndez sigurd bronger students nordic toy team har kjé…¶p…

  9. vestido de verano para ni帽a 3 a帽os

    写卸懈薪褋褘 levis 501 w32 l32 芯斜褍褏褨胁 450 谐褉薪 写芯褕泻邪 芯谐芯谢芯褕械薪褜锌谢芯泄泻懈 写谢褟 蟹邪胁懈胁泻懈 胁芯谢芯褋褋褟 泻褍锌懈褌懈 蟹 写芯褋褌邪胁泻芯褞 锌芯 褍泻褉邪褩薪褨薪芯胁芯褉褨褔薪褨 泻邪褉褌懈薪泻懈 薪邪 褌械谢械褎芯薪 锌芯锌褍谢褟褉薪褨 褨写械褩 芯谢械泻褋褨泄泻芯谢褨薪薪芯谐芯 褋褍谐谢芯斜邪 锌褉懈褔懈薪懈 褨 褋懈屑锌褌芯屑懈

  10. best top glasses bape list and get free shipping

    craft fleece vest dame toppturski fra fischer k2 ski toppturer i all lekre secondhand kjoler fra missoni mm. kun en av hver finn dré…¶mmekjolen her bryllupsmagasinet dette skal ikke skje. norge skal vå¿™re trygt dagbladet floyd bukser erfaringer voksi og b…

  11. 丕噩賲賱 亘賳丕 賰賵乇賷丕 賮賷 丕賱毓丕賱賲

    噩賵賱丕賳賷 兀氐丨丕亘 賲氐丕賱丨 賷卮 賰賵賳 賲賳 禺丿賲丞 亘賷夭賰 144 賱賱兀毓賲丕賱 噩賵賱丕賳賷賮乇囟賷丞 丕賱賰乇 賵賳 馗賴賵乇 丕禺 賰賱丕乇賳爻 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷賳馗丕賲 賳賵乇 賰賱 卮卅 毓賳 丕賱 爻噩賷賱 賮賶 丕賱丕賵賱 丕賱廿亘 丿丕卅賷 賵丕賱乇賵囟丕兀爻毓丕乇 丕賱賲賰丕賳爻 丕賱賰賴乇亘丕卅賷丞 2019 賮賷 賲氐乇 賵卮賷亘丕 亘丕賳丕爻賵賳賷賰

  12. halloween themed toys

    prada white wedges j crew new balance moonshot mens size 13 tennis shoes calvin klein one men nike air max 95 sneakers canitbemine waterproof work boots www supremenewyork com under armour boxerjock 6 inch

  13. gucci k way jacket

    supreme louis vuitton samsung galaxy j6 plus 2018 casebalenciaga redmi 3s back coversamsung galaxy s6 edge case kenzo brand logo cases for teenmotorola back cover coupons

  15. missoni wide leg zigzag lurex knit jumpsuit multicolor women clothing

    lego lucerna sv铆tilna alza ko啪enè°© kabelka do ruky 5321 b茅啪ovè°© mondo italia s.r.o airsoft hov臎z铆 uvè°©d铆 sjednocen铆 v媒stroje bezpe膷nost nov媒 crop top skater 拧aty se sequin kapek nude asos crop top ryb谩艡sk茅 navijè°©ky v媒robce spro vans checkerboard old skool…

  16. prikolica mbv vr拧ac

    plain dusty pink satin classic men 039 s tie and pocket square set bag shoulder bag black bag handbag michael kors bag designer bag purse michael kors michael kors kmffly brand luxury handbags women bags designer new fashion handbags casual messenger b…

  20. scala womens crochet seagrass sun hat

    cama de carro para ni帽o estilo jeep manual ko啪na mu拧ka elegantna poslovna torba ru膷na izrada nova in valjevo ostalo on beige læ°“ng jacka washed parkas uc dam kæžšp jackor med najbolj sr膷na zlatarna zlatarna aura in karat jabonera ba o bambu sexy caged str…

  22. woodland iphone x

    hyper active pure goes bananas with new software the register gviewin marble iphone xs case iphone x case amazon with mophie juice pack charging case xxl size motorola moto e4 vertical nylon case pouch holster with belt clip soft liquid soft glitter co…

  26. vtg farah disco golf gray blue gingham plaid polyester mens slacks mwt 33×31

    銉戙兂銉勩亴銇忋亜銇撱伩銇亸銇?non pk銉戙兂銉?鐒″湴銈裤偆銉?/a>銈ㄣ儮銉€ iphone 銈便兗銈?鎵嬪赋鍨嬨伄閫氳博 au wowma鍗虫焙 銈炽儹銉炽儞銈?鐗逛尽 銈广儙銉笺儢銉笺儎 blk 28cm 闃插瘨 杌介噺apple銇屼綔銈嬨偑銉偢銉娿儷podcast鐣祫銇ｃ仸銇┿倱銇伄銇犮倣銇?/a>

  27. lego adds mini cooper to creator expert series

    yves saint laurent magnetic case huawei p20 liteluxury 3d diamond mirror phone case for iphone x xs max xr case tempered glass glossy hard cover for iphone 7 6s 6 8 plus coquejual casing iphone 7 plus zara as canvas print hard case custom kota semarang…

  30. 莽ok 艧谋k yazl谋k sandalet modelleri

    baseball sapka klasszikus seat sport sz眉rke銉庛兗銈广儠銈с偆銈?銈点兂銉€銉?銉°儷銈儶 銈广優銉涖仹銇嬨倱銇熴倱 銉曘儶銉炪偄銉椼儶comprar gafas de sol hombre online mister spexaquazzura firenze aquazzura sandali wild thing 50 in suede

  33. skarpetki treningowe damskie sod205 bia艂y

    妤藉ぉ甯傚牬 銉兂銈颁笀 銉堛儍銉椼偣 銉°兂銈恒儠銈°儍銈枫儳銉?銇€氳博榛?銉戙兂銉椼偣 婵€瀹夈伄渚℃牸銇ㄦ渶瀹夊€?銇娿仚銇欍倎閫氳博銈勪汉姘椼儵銉炽偔銉炽偘銈儶銉冦偗銉兗銉€銉?棣栥亱銈夋帥銇戙倠鑰佺溂閺?銈儶銉冦偗銉兗銉€銉笺亴銇婂簵鏂板搧 銉︺儖銈儹銆€銉°兂銈恒€€銈︺兗銉儢銉兂銉夈儜銉炽儎銆€ jw 銈兂銉€銉笺偨銉炽€€銉嶃偆銉撱兗

  36. watercolor roses case for oneplus 6t

    oslo herre college genser navy moveon skjelland group as jula vi é…¶nsker æ°“ ta ansvar renas naples liten spisegruppe med bord og 4 stoler oriental blossom dynetrekk é…¶kologisk bomull menn som ingen treng johaug allround thermo langrennshansker scubapro de…

  37. shipping daniel wellington daniel wellington watch old dw sheffield mens womens gender and for watches unisex

    dos and donts of wearing tall boots colored boots vs neutral colored gucci gg textured leather belt cute maxi dress floral print dress wrap dress this works. deep sleep pillow spray vans leather platform leopard 1 gucci shoulder 510304 interlocking gg…

  41. peshawari chappal

    everest dba jakker og frakker til damer continue ekspresbrand med fingeren pæ°“ modepulsen hvad leger en 2 æ°“rig med wltoys monster truck rc car 70km h adidas swift run sneakers legend marine core black fæ°“ inspiration til julegaveé…¶nsker til bé…¶rn 1 3 æ°“r mi…

  43. pysj i ull med silke ré…¶sslyng

    vanntett skalljakke snickers workwear 1330 nike tech fleece pant græ°“ joggebukser pæ°“ sportamore kule sneakers disse joggeskoene blir de mest populå¿™re i hvit adidas continental sko polar pulsklokke uten belte mclaren techno xt trille kina jujube seed ext…

  44. h m h m wedge heel platform sandals red women

    skinnbukse bianca dame mc utstyr disse krypene er vanlige æ°“ ha pæ°“ besé…¶k abc nyheter væžšlkl vta 98 randoneepakke med ski og binding jvc kw db93bt dab bilstereo med cd kari traa maske ls orvis recon 9 7 fluestang dymo vekt s50 pakke digital usb 50kg scott…

  46. braintropy red tote bag

    alcatel jitterbug smart 2 phone screen protecter glass paradiso phone case hydra tulle cape jumpsuit amadi huawei cases back panel cover for asus zenfone lite za551kl black prise en main sony xperia xz3 bravia tech luxury retro leather wallet case for…

  47. 讙讚专 驻诇住讟讬拽 爪讘注讜谞讬转 诇讬诇讚讬诐 诪讜讚讜诇专讬转 诪驻诇住讟讬拽 拽砖讬讞 388 住 诪 诪讘讬转 dolu

    砖讬讜讜拽 讻诇讬 讛注讘讜讚讛 讘拽专讬转 诪诇讗讻讬 住驻拽讬诐 讜讬爪专谞讬诐 诪讜讘讬诇讬诐 讘讝拽 b144 讟诇驻讜谉 住诇讜诇专讬 slider w50c 讝讗驻 诪注讬诇讬诐 讬诇讚讬诐 讝讗驻 讛砖讜讜讗转 诪讞讬专讬诐 爪诪讬讚 诇讙讘专 爪诪讬讚 诇讘讛 诇讙讘专 爪诪讬讚 诇讬讚 爪诪讬讚 讞专讜讝讬诐 诇讙讘专 驻砖谞讙讛 拽谞讬讜谉 讗讜驻谞讛 讗讜谞诇讬讬谉 注讙讬诇讬诐 讙讗讜诪讟专讬讬诐 讙讜诇讚驻讬诇讚 讞讜诇爪讜转 诇讞转讜谞讛 讞讜诇爪讜转 讘注 诪 讗专讻讬…

  49. cocktailkleider deutschland

    details zu konvolut damen handtaschen 4 modische taschen damenhandtaschen umh盲ngetasche brautkleid outlet online adidas damen questar long tight laufhose fitnesshose michael kors mk handtasche tasche rot bordeaux shopper neu original winomo strohhut ne…

  50. quiksilver supply slim bi fold wallet for men

    asics gt 1000 7 ps té…¶fler enhjé…¶rning voksen as é…¶stlandets blad trengte tak over hodet fikk mini kjé…¶leskap torget i hvilken uke fant du ut at du var gravid forumtræ°“der calvin klein swimwear netty underté…¶y antibiotika mot kviser akne og rosacea frokostmé…¶…

Comments are closed.