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. carnevale halloween

    gonna lunga gialla plissettata luisa spagnoli tute cerimonia bilancia elettronica industriale trespass acquisto sci online costumi coppia halloween etichette chiudipacco occhiali da sole vogue amazon borse armani scontate

  4. light Blau checkered vans

    adissage slides pink reebok Sportschuhe on amazon balenciaga outlet online navy Blau color t shirt puma transformers Schuhe Preis hoka one one rocket ld nike rot Damen Kapuzenpullover 2020 65l backpack

  10. reketi za badminton u torbi spartan

    膷ipkast top z ovratnikom nike tenisice za tr膷anje zagreb girls name wall decal fancy script 10 best door window sensor alarms of 2019 maxxis ikon tr 27.5 tire black skinwall corcoran mens jump boot summer sports clothes active designer dress shirt vict…

  11. 住驻住诇 谞讘讞专转 讛注转讜讚讛 砖诇 讬砖专讗诇

    abrigo de mujer de esqu铆 jara billabong5 panty levanta gl煤teo calz贸n relleno aumenta pompas pompiscomprar secador de pelo universal online septiembrefunda impermeable apple watch serie 4 44 mm con banda de reloj de silicona suave de primera calidad

  17. snowboardov茅 mikiny

    d茅tails sur oliver sweeney marron veste cuir xxl eu58 650 blazernouveaut茅s nike sb sherpa veste polaire sail obsidianveste denim en jersey 脿 capuche bluealexachung mode achetez maintenant jusqu脿 70 stylight

  18. wild one forever flamingo albion fit swim

    botas de agua talla 22 ni帽a de segunda mano por 10 en blusa de cuadros mujer azul blanco 100 viscosa medias con liguero baratas tenis puma roma ferrari piel blanco original nuevos a meses adidas originals trefoil top top negro mujer camisetas detalles…

  19. detsk茅 bicie n谩stroje 5 dielne stoli膷ka

    birkenstock鍕冭偗闉?绮夌挡鐩存挱l 绌胯憲鍕冭偗鍑哄湅鍘?鍑哄湅鏃呴亰鏅?/a>2019鐞冮瀷鎺ㄨ枽2鏈堥亱鍕曚紤闁掓柊鍝佷笉鏄悆闉嬫帶涔熸渻琚湀绮?/a>浠ｈ臣 byredo 娌愭荡鑶?225ml 杩旀ǜ姝哥湡 鑾搱缍箣褰?鍚夋櫘璩戒箣姘?鐧捐姳姝℃叾 鐔卞付鐖靛＋ 楝遍噾棣?娌愭荡涔?棣欐皼缇庡湅presidents day鍚勫鐗瑰児 杩＋灏紂鐗堝叕涓诲▋濞?澧ㄨタ鍝ラ亰瑷樹締浜?/a>

  22. sonix multicolor betty bloom iphone 6 7 8 case

    lego dublo original verpackt 10580the worlds newest photos of f1 and greg998 flickr hive mind60140 lego city police bulldozer break in 561 pieces age 5 12 new for 2017lego super heroes minifigure iron man silver armor 76083 spider man homecoming

  23. funghi alle unghie

    sissel edelbo magnolia kimono bé…¶rneté…¶j str 152 hilfiger tilbud absa bestik festkjoler str 48 herreté…¶j skive moccamaster kb952 ao kaffemaskine poncho kanin

  26. 砖讜讟专 诪砖拽驻讬 砖诪砖 诪拽诇 砖讜讟专 讗拽讚讞 诪讚讬诐 讗诪专讬拽讗讬 转讬拽 讗拽讚讞 专讚讬讜 诇讚讘专

    讙讜讜讬谞转 驻讗诇讟专讜 讛讗讜住拽专 砖诪诇讜转 2016 讘转 讬诐 砖专讜讜诇 讗专讜讱 讻转祝 讗讞转讻讜讘注讬 驻专讜讗谞讬 . elf 爪诪专 讗诇驻拽讛 . chullo注诇讜转 谞诪讜讻讛 诪讞讬专 诪住讙专转 诪砖拽驻讬讬诐 驻专讬讝诪讛 讗讜驻讟讬转 讟讬讟讗谉 讗讜驻讟讬 诪住讙专转 诪砖拽驻讬讬诐诇讘谉 converse all star 诇讘谉 谞注诇讬 讘谞讜转 讘谞讬 谞注诇讬 讬讚 诪爪讜讬专讜转

  27. fashion world online stores ltd botas xl mujer

    womens surf high waist bikini bottoms at vogueric womens halter criss cross wrap bikini set high waist swimsuit red small love this product orange in the mix bandeau bikini infant sg varsity statement one piece from spiritual gangster nina agdal in aer…

  29. a v艖leg茅ny ruh谩ja az esk眉v艖k furcsa vil谩ga

    oldal zsebes laza mini ruha khaki testreszabott h艖m茅rs茅klet vè°©ltozè´¸ fest茅k fest茅k mamakiddies light4 go sport babakocsi navy green sz铆nben lè°©bzsè°©k ajè°©nd茅k y.d virè°©g mintè°©s kislè°©ny ræžšvidnadrè°©gos ruha hoodie runner black pulè´¸ver fekete s eu nike elite ov…

  32. pulsera transformaciè´¸n amatista

    hosiery socks women fashion warm winter crochet boot cuffssocks bright las vegas mens crew socks unisexsurprise and shock woman isolated. stock footage video shutterstockwhite button down shirt with black contrast detail

  33. donker bruine pump sprox

    iti place verde in bucatarie vezi alte imagini cu amenajarihanorac rosu magazin tricouriaccesorii motocicleta interphone kit casti audio pentrughete drumetie salomon quest origins 2 gore tex pentru barbati

  35. bolsas de couro da moda

    膷ipkaste tangice 36 pletena 懈 褋锌懈褑邪屑懈 silvini kolesarske hla膷e dior kaput sa prirodnim krznom kr谩tk茅 sako s ma拧l铆 lenitif b茅啪ov茅 亘丕賱賷賵賲 兀賰賷丿 賲賵毓丿 賰賱丕爻賷賰賵 丕賱兀乇囟 siv茅 sako moe 115 armani code profumo by giorgio armani eau de parfum spray 3.7 oz men

  36. the fairphone 3 puts ethics and the planet over specs and

    swimrun pull buoy kjé…¶p karsten petra kosedyr lé…¶veungen 15 cm jollyroom bli en bestselger slik selger du flere bé…¶ker renault kangoo bil i nord bodé…¶ autorisert renault name it play tech softshell parkdress treningsklå¿™r dame store sté…¶rrelser best pris pæ°“…

  37. dometic for electrolux kjé…¶leskap

    arthroplasty in the lower extremity alala p9 lite cases polo cases iphone 7 plus video games consoles video games find offers online and gieves hawkes formal fitted blazer blue products in huawei honor 7s mobile covers cases peacock coloured art monica…

  38. timeout 啪enski kaputi m siva

    蟺伪喂未喂魏蠈 蟺伪蟺喂纬喂蠈谓 纬喂伪 伪纬蠈蟻喂伪 蟽蔚 蟺慰蟻蟿慰魏伪位委 dimi playmobil 4866 魏维蟽蟿蟻慰 蟿慰蠀 尾伪蟻蠈谓慰蠀 魏伪蟻慰蟿蟽伪魏喂 渭蠅蟻慰蠀 360 渭伪蠀蟻慰 2 蟽蔚 1 蔚蟺喂蟿蟻伪蟺苇味喂慰蟼 蟽维魏慰蟼 蟿慰蠀 渭蟺慰尉 anti stress 畏 蟽喂未蔚蟻蔚谓喂伪 魏蟻蔚尾伪蟿喂伪 纬喂伪 魏伪谓伪蟺苇未蔚蟼 kids code 蟺伪喂未喂魏蠈 魏蟻蔚尾维蟿喂 渭伪蟽委蠁 慰蟻委蠅谓 å–‚ 蟺伪喂未喂魏维 渭蟺慰蠀蟻谓慰蠉味喂伪 纬蠀谓伪…

  39. 銉栥兗銉?銉嬨兗銉忋偆 tika 銉嗐偅銈?銉曘偂銉?閫氳博 婵€瀹?鏍煎畨 tk 銉夈儸銈广偡銉с儍銉?tika 閫氳博 yahoo 銈枫儳銉冦償銉炽偘

    estivi donna camicie top e pantaloni corti pantalonciniaccessori femminili meru bari maglia manica lunga donnaerreè„¿ skull completo portierevendita hot in linea nike air max thea textile donna nike

  40. 转诇讬讜谉 讻讚讜专 讝讛讘 14k 讘注讘讜讚转 讬讚 转讻砖讬讟讬 讝讛讘 注讘讜讚转 讬讚

    greg lauren short sleeve flannel shirtfloral print loose fit shirtasics running gel quantumgirls no show shorts set of 6 for 16.98 shipped

  41. meia cal莽a feminina fio 75 arrast茫o trifil

    kendall compre agora online dafiti brasil relè´¸gio michael kors 1cn preto nova friburgo lingerie barato para venda suti茫 azul das mulheres ultra fino vestido midi colcci tric么 xadrez sem manga preto e branco tyba online assunto lojas no cal莽ad茫o comerci…

  42. pin up mechanic girl temporary tattoo tinsley transfers inc

    4005 ic giyim kalin askili bady giovane gentile ile k谋艧a s谋cak dokunu艧 stil 眉st眉 payet alt谋 艧ifon elbise flaml谋 tesett眉r 艧al haki 29 b眉y眉k beden d眉臒meli ferace bebek beyaz spor ayakkab谋 klasik dolgu topuk ayakkab谋 cabani saatler geri al谋n

  44. p谩nsk茅 tenisky tm 300 c

    鎺ㄨ枽蹇冨緱鍒嗕韩 甯冪甯嗘兂 鏅傚皻绨＄磩鏂逛究灏忚叞鍖?鍗″叾 鎺ㄨ枽ptt绮夎壊鑳屽績杈ｅ 杩欒韩鏉?鐖变簡鐖变簡鍐ぉ瑁欏瓙濡備綍绌挎惌鎵嶈兘鍏奸【淇濇殩涓庢椂楂?鎴戠殑琛ｈ￥缃?/a>kenneth cole 鐗瑰児鍟嗗搧3鎶樿捣绲愯超杓稿叆鎶樻墸纰奸澶栧啀7鎶樺彲鐩村瘎鍙扮仯

Comments are closed.