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”

  1. prada round toe platform patent pump prada

    gurli gris elsker papbog black friday rabat billige selected blazere må¿™nd slim fit blazer dark navy mary grey melange græ°“ oversize sweatshirt med perleprint ergobag cubo set horsepowbear skoletaske black green zigzag selected homme slide kortå¿™rmet skjo…

  7. nero gold pantaloni

    air max 1 premium zelen茅 nike air presto d谩msk茅 b铆l茅 kyrie trix obuv all of iverson obuv okc gsw 2016 merrell vapor glove leder adidas original coast star gazelle samba

  8. bergans of norway ulriken ullgenser dame intersport

    妤藉ぉ甯傚牬 銈儵銉?銈ゃ偍銉兗 銈广儖銉笺偒銉?銉儑銈ｃ兗銈归澊 闈淬伄閫氳博 銇娿仚銇欍倎 銉︺儖銈儹銇ц卜銇堛倠鏈€楂樸伄銈广偊銈с儍銉堛儜銉笺偒銉笺倰瓒呫亪銇?/a> 306 k18閲戙偞銉笺儷銉?缈＄繝銉嶃儍銈儸銈?銉掋偣銈?銉氥兂銉€銉炽儓 銉斻兂銈偞銉笺儷銉夈儘銉冦偗銉偣 瑾曠敓鏃ャ儣銉偧銉炽儓 绲愬瑷樺康鏃?閫佹枡鐒℃枡 hanano 銈广優銉笺儓銈兗 銈便兗銈?銉涖兂銉€ 銉曘偅銉冦儓 vezel 銉淬偋銈笺儷 灏傜敤銉偠銉?銈兗銉涖儷銉€ au wowma…

  10. dinner clutch bag

    屑褍卸褋泻芯泄 泻芯褕械谢械泻 蟹邪泻邪蟹邪褌褜 薪邪 褟褉屑邪褉泻械 屑邪褋褌械褉芯胁 泻芯褕械谢褜泻懈懈薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪 斜懈卸褍褌械褉懈懈 懈蟹 褋械褉械斜褉邪褋褌懈谢褜 芯写械卸写褘 写械谢芯胁芯泄 卸械薪褖懈薪褘 褎芯褌芯 褌褉械薪写芯胁 芯褎懈褋薪芯泄 芯写械卸写褘斜械谢芯械 锌谢邪褌褜械 卸械薪褋泻芯械 lacoste 锌芯谢芯

  12. tulle rokje trouwjurk

    k vl court 2.0 i flyga pl盲d av casual denimlook fabio farini i svart vit græ°“ rutig snygga lee lola blæ°“ kjol dam rea m盲rkeskl盲der træžšja kæžšp fæžšrs盲ljning annonser svart magnetisk anslagstavla m. tillbehæžšr lollipop halsduk s盲ng med madrass led 180 x 200 cm…

  13. 2019 estivo moda men

    乇爻賲 亘賳胤賱賵賳 噩賷亘 賰賱賵 sukienki midi na jesie艅 爻毓乇 賳馗丕乇丞 爻亘丕丨丞 賲毓 毓賱亘丞 賲毓 爻丿丕丿丞 丕匕賳 賲毓 爻丿丕丿丞 丕賳賮 賱賱丕胤賮丕賱 蟿伪 20 蟺喂慰 维蟽蠂畏渭伪 蟽魏蠀位喂维 蠈位蠅谓 蟿蠅谓 蔚蟺慰蠂蠋谓 stoliki nocne meble i wyposa偶enie wn臋trz glamour extol izvlaka膷 polomljenih vijaka premium 未喂伪魏慰蟽渭畏蟿喂魏伪 魏畏蟻慰蟺畏纬…

  14. dorothy perkins abiti da sposa guest

    checkered sunvestito economico designer vestiti giallo crushed velvet vestito manica lunga elopement vestito topshop bianco vestito fire resistant abbigliamento abiti da sposa gonna tulle party vestito for tall girl

  16. cintura ferragamo nera

    detalles de sexy cors茅 sat茅n rojo negro verde rojo tanga talla s lenceria sexy jersey corto gris claro jaspeado mujer h m mujer mochila lona detalle de metal cremallera frontal mini mochila 2019 nueva moda detalles de sandalias calzado keen uneek de ve…

  17. ysl black v tassel mini silver clutch handbags

    utile nuovo similpelle maculato inserto moda borsa a borse per le donne borsa in gomma con zaino e rivetti borsa porta cellulare a tracolla con 3 tasche mini borsetta orecchini e collana borsello a mano uomo piquadro compro borse a tracolla chlo茅 moda…

  20. koszula d艂uga koszula czarna damska bluzki na lato

    mohito czarna tiulowa w bluzki bayanlar s眉et topuklu ayakkabè°‹ pompalar bot ayakkabè°‹ orta buza臒谋 莽izmeleri ayakkabè°‹ eurala adidas krampon f50 adidas krampon f50 kurtka zimowa pit bull model encino kolor ciemny granat flo ayakkabè°‹ forester 艧ikayetleri 艧i…

  24. sale baby doll sunflower romper

    black evening party elegant jumpsuit for women zorket white jumpsuit womens sexy lace bodysuit playsuit ladies plunge holiday short jumpsuit ropa mujer verano dropshipping alie playsuit light blue white stripes. from dolly girl fashion zara small cactu…

  25. d陌esel der陌 ceket orj陌nal 100 der陌s陌

    adidas zx flux el infants 莽ocuk ayakkabè°‹ running beyaz core bayan parka modelleri ve fiyatlarè°‹ l tu臒ba venn zielona kurtka puchowa kl铆膷enka audi. p艡铆v臎sek audi. praha vit kl盲nning lace ley ichi ihmarrakech shorts kvinna mæžšrkblæ°“ kl盲der byxor adidas erke…

  26. the booming adult lifestyle

    saco tnt 50×70 laranja c cordao unidbase e adaptador carregador usb universal branco de paredecapa power bank iphone 6 em promo莽茫o nas lojastelefone sem fio 2 linhas e 10 ramais ts 5150 intelbras

  28. body dlh媒 ruk谩v mamatti ru啪ov茅 kolekcia cats

    svadobn媒 podv盲zok 36 kraé’®asy nike m np short 拧portovè°© podprsenka level 3 pè°©nska biznis ta拧ka na notebook enrico benetti hnedè°© vystu啪en茅 biele body s 膷ipkou dedoles vesel茅 pono啪ky l铆拧ka 43 46 rustikè°©lna jedè°©lenskè°© stoli膷ka alpina sports mtb 17 w dè°©mska…

  29. mule femme 2015

    sac a main fermoir porte monnaie coque versace galaxy g4 vente tailleur sandale plate semelle blanche stan smith bebe 22 basket reine des neiges lumineuse survetement adidas garcon bruleur pour bougie

  32. ruksak adidas originals classic bp eqt

    2017 mu啪i asos derby obuv obchod se 拧irok媒mtop谩nky od zna膷ky buffalo onlineauthority zna膷ka m贸dneho 拧portov茅hoven膷eky na dvere mamka danka ru膷n茅 pr谩ce moje tvorenie

  34. best moisture wicking shirts

    褋薪芯褍斜芯褉写懈褔械褋泻懈械 褕褌邪薪褘 泻芯屑斜懈薪械蟹芯薪 collective 胁褟蟹邪薪邪褟 泻芯褎褌邪 芯褔械薪褜 泻褉褍锌薪芯泄 胁褟蟹泻懈 泻邪锌谢褟 蟹邪泻邪蟹邪褌褜 薪邪 褟褉屑邪褉泻械 屑邪褋褌械褉芯胁 锌褍谢芯胁械褉褘 屑邪褏褉芯胁褘泄 褏邪谢邪褌 褋 胁褘褕懈胁泻芯泄 褑械薪邪 卸械薪褋泻懈械 褌褍褎谢懈 薪邪 褌邪薪泻械褌泻械 褔械褉薪芯谐芯 褑胁械褌邪 芯写械卸写邪 写谢褟 写械褌械泄 写芯 谐芯写邪 懈薪褌械褉薪械褌 屑邪谐邪蟹懈薪 泻褍锌懈褌褜 斜褉械薪写芯胁褘械…

  37. 谢械褌薪懈械 薪芯胁懈薪泻懈 芯写械卸写褘 芯褌 modena fashion 芯锌褌芯胁褘械 锌芯褋褌邪胁泻懈

    诇讘谞讬诐 诪讘讜砖讛 专讬讗诇 讛讜讚讞讛 诪讛讗诇讜驻讜转 注 讬 讗讬讬讗拽住诪讻谞住讬讬诐 讗诇讙谞讟讬讬诐 专讙诇 讬砖专讛转讘砖讬诇 爪诪讞讜谞讬 注诐 诪讗砖 讜讞诇讘 拽讜拽讜住诪.讘 谞讙专专讬诐 讜讙谞专讟讜专讬诐 讘注 诪 055 2223322 讛砖讻专转 讻诇讬 注讘讜讚讛

  39. 胁械褔械褉懈薪泻邪 胁 褋褌懈谢械 褔懈泻邪谐芯 写褍褏 褝锌芯褏懈 30 褏 谐芯写芯胁

    zwarte patent ankle strap heels lv schoenen 2017 red under armour dames kd 6 aunt pearl te koop nike air jordan 3 international flight international kleding sites champion zwarte slides nike zoom pegasus alles out flyknit

  41. air max shox 2018

    kæžšp herr nyheter ecco james vinterstæžšvlar den 28 juni 盲r væ°“r bræžšllopsdag och i æ°“r firar vi 10 æ°“r som gifta 82 rabatt kæžšpa 2019 nike juvenate dam trainers in vit svart vans aura pro sverige vinterk盲ngor herr bruna burberry hatt catawiki marimekko moment…

  43. mizuno hombre wave enigma zapatillas para correr

    dè°©msk茅 tmav臎 modr茅 krè°©tk茅 拧aty s pè°©skem lili lovely ms vyssibrod asos design krè°©tk茅 sklè°©dan茅 plè°©t臎n茅 pè°©nsk茅 kalhoty 110 kouskæš– na jednom m铆st臎 glami navrhovanè°© maloobchodn铆 cena batoh animal bright bordeaux ijournal 膷eskè°© klenotnickè°© zna膷ka alo diamond…

  45. 伪魏慰蠀蟽蟿喂魏伪 蟿畏位蔚蠁蠅谓喂魏慰蠀 魏蔚谓蟿蟻慰蠀

    膷ernè°© krajkovè°© 拧krabo拧ka lè°©skou ji nespout谩拧 atticus databè°©ze knih deska 1510 dè°©msk茅 kotn铆kov茅 boty 膷ern茅 rohovè°© sedac铆 souprava dakar zna膷kov茅 tri膷ko s hudebn铆m motivem pekeln媒 kytarista 2 rock eagle nordblanc pè°©nsk茅 termo triko really dè°©mskè°© spodni膷k…

  47. i migliori piumini smanicati leggeri uomo 2019

    racing flag striped down filled cotton coat 7 moncler statement mens navy tuxedo with navy lapel winter zipper hoodies view specifications details of blackbarrett t shirt marvel comics x men alpha flight group gray t shirt price jf j.ferrar jf j.ferrar…

  48. espejo ventana negro hogar

    夭禺乇賮賴 hashtag on twitter 賯賮胤丕賳 亘乇賵賰丕乇 毓賱賶 卮賰賱 賮爻 丕賳 亘夭賵丕賯 丕賱賲毓賱賲 è³µ 賳亘丕 bracelet multi tour plume acier zag bijoux bijoux t05 apky ortopedick茅 khaki swetry m臋skie na 艣wi臋ta abrigos chaquetas amarillo tommy hilfiger parka mujer super lemon pantalla porta…

  49. womens nmd xr1 olive for sale

    d臎tsk茅 hol膷i膷铆 kolo vel. 16d臎tsk茅 tri膷ko pol谩rn铆 z谩艡evyu啪ite po拧tovn茅 zdarma pri objedn谩vke nad 15 eurkeramick媒 topn媒 ventil谩tor do auta

  50. raquette wilson

    soldes chaussures merrell hommes vetement femme 1m60 les chaussures 2017 femme les sac de femme casque de rugby canterbury personnalisable tricoter un bonnet pour b茅b茅 1 mois coque fendi samsung i9 sweat femme soko

Comments are closed.