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”

  2. 诪讻砖讬专讬 讻讜砖专 诇讘讬转

    诇讻讘讜讚 讛砖谞讛 讛讞讚砖讛 注讬爪讜讘 讙谞讬 讬诇讚讬诐 讜讻讬转讜转 诪讚讘拽讜转 拽讬专 讜讜讗诇讬讬讜 住讜讜讬讟住 诪诇讜谉 讗讬诇转诪讞讘讟 讟谞讬住 砖讜诇讞谉 energy wrb注讬爪讜讘 讙讬谞讜转 讘爪驻讜谉 讗讚专讬讻诇讬 谞讜祝 诪讜诪诇爪讬诐 讘讬讜转专

  3. walmart pcs pools water fun

    mary poppins embroidered ruffle shirt girl white outfit set silhouette disney movie blouse knit toppurple narwhal kigurumikigurumi kids lion onesie funny pajama boys girls party halloween costume carnival jumpsuit winter warm overalls sleepwear ingirl…

  5. chalecos para mujer compra hasta 65 stylight

    诪讝专谉 讬讞讬讚 讗讜专讟讜驻讚讬 诪讬讚讜转 90 190 住 诪 ad住诇讜谞讬诐 讘讬转谞讜 专讛讬讟讬诐讻讬爪讚 转诇诪讚 讗转 讬诇讚讱 诇专讻讜讘 注诇 讗讜驻谞讬讬诐 讘讗讚讬讘讜转 讚谞讬 诇讜讬谞注诇讬讬诐 讛讗讙 ugg 诇谞砖讬诐 诪砖诇讜讞 讞讬谞诐 shoesonline

  8. mini rainbow hat

    abs absl fashion backpack with sing tote lilly pulitzer inspired bagconverse one star platform sk贸rzane wyprzeda偶 trampki nadamen herren converse chuck taylor ct all star hiwomens sports shoes free delivery available dw sports

  9. magianuar

    kyrie 3 pç…¤rpura air jordan 6 ré…¶d brun parajumpers kodiak jacket parajumpers jacka rea canada goose down hoody definition government nike huarache negro us pandora mom charms earrings wholesale

  10. 讟讜驻 讝讘专讛 诪谞爪谞抓

    賲丕乇賷賳 賱賱 禺賱氐 賲賳 丌賱丕賲 丕賱乇賰亘丞 爻亘賵乇 360 毓乇亘賷丞兀賮囟賱 毓胤乇 乇噩丕賱賷 賲賳 賮卅丞 毓胤賵乇 丕賱賳賷卮丿賷亘 賮乇賷夭乇 賲毓丿丕 賲胤丕毓賲丨賲賷賱 賵賯乇丕亍丞 賰 丕亘 丕賱兀毓卮丕亘 丕賱 賷 卮賮賷 兀賱賷賮 氐賵賮賷 賱丕賰賵爻 pdf 賲噩丕賳丕

  13. moppelmode

    new balance 750v3 nike air max thea kvinders outfit nike classic cortez nylon glowing star dark blu rosso pandora crystal charm addict barn adidas light up sko oransje gré…¶nn nike air jordan 6 schwarz friday

  17. girls floral print woven pyjamas

    consignment shops near me 8 consignment shops local to mostgymshark embody sports bra dark ruby gym bra fashionsteel grey maidenform natural boost demi bra size 36bjohn lewis partners campfire squirrel gift wrap multi 3m

  20. mamisetas camisetas ni帽os

    womens large boston red sox deep v neck all star game 80s style nike t shirtwomens gleyber torres 25 new york yankees grey coolbase 2019 jerseygabe kapler photos photos los angeles angels of anaheim vwomens oakland athletics star wars never tell the od…

  25. plus size suspender pantyhose

    farvel til mé…¶rke ringer og poser under é…¶ynene lifestylebirkenstock boston hvitserié…¶s dame sykkel for birken e.l. str s salg syklergulftide dykkerklokke dykkerutstyr norsk oljemuseum

  29. 讘谞讬 住讻谞讬谉 讛讜专讚讛 诇诇讬讙讛 讗

    讛讚驻住转 驻讜诇讚专讬诐 驻专讬谞讟 讚讬诇 讚驻讜住住讟 诪讝讜讜讚讜转 讘讚 拽诇讜转 诪砖拽诇 讘诪讬讜讞讚 讚讙诐 讗讬讟诇讬讛 砖诇 讞讘专转 讜讬讙讜专 matik讛砖讻专转 专讻讘 讘讬专讜砖诇讬诐 诪讙讝讬谉 转讬讬专讜转 讜谞讜驻砖 讘讗专抓 讜讘讞讜诇诪住讜专 讙专讜谞讙 驻谞讚诇 305 诪 诪 讛讟讬讬讛 诇讬讬讝专 讚讙诐 诪讘讬转

  31. 屑芯写薪褘械 泻褉芯褋褋芯胁泻懈 胁械褋薪邪 谢械褌芯 2017

    logo jacquard down filled coat gucci matchesfashion aumens designer belts designer belts for men on sale ukbeauty bloom harbour citygucci bamboo 2.5oz womens eau de parfum

  32. womens nike online canada

    samsung galaxy s3 chanel lego phone casedream catcher painting tablet leather wallet flip cover for huawei mediapad m3 lite 10michael kors mous casethe five best smartphones under us 500 you can buy south

  34. sneakers adidas stan smith zebrate

    dh4598 verde donna joggings pantaloni da tuta adidas originals edizioni rendimaglie da calcio juventus saldi maglie no.19 bonucci rosatorcia portachiavi con luce leduomo arancione nike tennis maglietta challenger premier rafa

  39. robinliz

    new balance 993 hommes blanc nike air max tailwind azul amarillo nobis cartel medium names black pink womens nike sb blazer low shoes the north face clothing johannesburg germany nike lunartempo 2 womens kohls

  40. hiussalipiilo

    nike air huarache ultra flæ°“den nike kd gelb braun tory burch ballet flats nordstrom nobis jacket weather uk mackage jacket winnipeg nike mennns lunar superbad pro detachable football cleats

  41. gle啪narji sport silver

    zavod burja kulturneplo拧膷ice za kopalnico akcijarivacase 膷rna torba za prenosnik 13.3 7703 black dodatki55 na 10 urni te膷aj rolanja za otroke s sokol naj va拧i energijo na koristen na膷in

  48. lud kavaj animo 36 græ°“

    prisha gallakjole lyser酶dnelle vendite online abbigliamento boutique moschino蠁慰蟻蔚渭伪蟿伪 mini 蠁慰蟻苇渭伪蟿伪 guess讛讬讗 讻讗谉 讜讛讬讗 讝讜讛专转 讜谞讜爪爪转 诪转诪讬讚 诇讬讗谞讛 砖诪诇讜转

  50. ralph lauren pants rot lila

    adidas zx flux verve svart ré…¶d nike air huarache ni帽os blanco amarillo mennns asics asics gel kinsei 2 svart blæ°“ a buon mercato nike air force 1 high tops air jordan 8 retro gré…¶nn inferno adidas soccer boots ace second generation 15.1 fg ag rosso verde…

Comments are closed.