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”

  4. bambini frock design 2018 estivo

    one piece indian traditional vestito animal print vestito river island love couture abbigliamento chi chi vestito da sposa miglior di linea lehenga shop kohls lungo vestiti for abito da madre della sposa hobbs outlet vestiti most popular per donna abbi…

  8. 尾喂蟿伪渭喂谓蔚蟽 纬喂伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺慰

    伪谓未蟻喂魏畏 伪蟺慰蟿蟻喂蠂蠅蟿喂魏畏 渭畏蠂伪谓畏 oikonomika rouxa nike 胃蔚蟽蟽伪位慰谓委魏畏 蟿蟽喂渭喂蟽魏萎 喂谓蟿蔚蟻谓蔚蟿 蟺伪喂蠂谓喂未喂伪 伪蠀蟿慰魏慰位位畏蟿伪 xt 600 未蠅蟻慰 尾伪蟺蟿喂蟽畏蟽 纬喂伪 伪纬慰蟻喂 未蔚蟻渭伪蟿喂谓伪 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚喂伪 蟿味伪魏蔚蟿 camper 渭蟺慰蟿伪魏喂伪

  9. viola abito di pizzo

    爻賵賯 亘丕賷乇 賰賵賳 賵乇 賵噩賴丕夭 賯賷丕爻 丕賱爻賰乇 賮賷 丕賱丿賲 賳賰爻 兀賵賳賱丕賷賳 賮賷 丕賱廿賲丕乇丕 todo fundas xiaomi redmi note 6 pro pantera rosa pink karya臒dè°‹ ferace modelleri 噩丿賷丿 噩丿賷丿 hs bags 丨乇賷賲賶 賱賷夭乇 爻賱爻賱丞 賮賯胤 卮賳胤 丨乇賷賲賶 噩賲賱丞 veste western schott productos principales hombre bota…

  11. 讻讜讘注讬诐 讚专讬讬驻讬讟 讝讗驻 讛砖讜讜讗转 诪讞讬专讬诐

    blusa adidas masculina pre莽o tenis de marca new balance chinelo nike feminino branco e rosa inoar alem茫 rip curl roupas femininas bone tactel quiksilver rb3647n 002 58 cerdas de escova

  12. timberland outlet online espa帽a

    mens black mac trench coat lorenzo leather belt black adidas nebraska custom sublimation football outfits soccer uniform t shirt marks spencer jackets womens wardrobe staples styling a sheath dress extra petite van heusen 13vs007 womens cardigan sweate…

  15. orecchini croce uomo

    3 modi per distinguere loro wikihow filo decespugliatore professionale maxi line tondo 6 mm x 15 m diva giacca nera da donna in merino tecnico uomo scarpe da ginnastica uomo gioielli per neonati piumino napapijri rainforest uomo outlet festa per i bamb…

  16. topuklu babet ayakkabè°‹

    gyerek tè°©ska oroszlè°©n chytr媒 nè°©ramek xiaomi mi band 2 recenze youtube esprit szara kurtka pikowana kalsonger som hæ°“ller paketet pæ°“ plats collana grazie maestra con cuore dorato white stuff origami blus barn ljusblæ°“ kl盲der skjortor bergans of norway lad…

  18. coach camera bag with signature canvas

    marville men spring summer and fall winter collections nokia 8110 4g case 105mm f2.8 ex dg macro for canon bc flex gel slim light series case for google pixel 3a cover with tempered glass screen protector american spartan carrie forbes salon raffia sli…

  19. stan smith pas cher noir et blanc

    como vestir para graduacion universitaria polos adidas hombre abrigos de mujer online gucci blazer moderno mujer bershka chaquetones mujer botas flexi mujer blusas tallas extras de moda carrefour comprar auriculares ps4

  23. graceland topuklu ayakkabi bot bershka flo

    amazon 銉椼兗銉?銈搞儱銉嬨偄 liga 銈层兗銉犮偡銉ｃ儎 銈层兗銉?銈点兂銉€銉?浜烘皸 妤藉ぉ甯傚牬 coach 銉偠銉?銉愩儍銈般伄閫氳博 銉欍儞銉笺偖銉ｃ儍銉?銉戙兗銈兗 銈点偆銈?0銈汇兂銉?鏉辨埜濉氥伄銉欍儞銉肩敤鍝?銉欍儞銉兼湇 銇腑鍙ゃ亗銇掋伨銇?璀层倞銇俱仚 銈搞儮銉嗐偅銉笺仹涓嶇敤鍝併伄鍑﹀垎 搴楄垪銈广偪銉冦儠銇岄噹鐞冦倰濮嬨倎銈嬨偔銉熴伕銇娿仚銇欍倎銈偆銉嗐儬銈掔垂浠?amazon 銉偆銉淬偅銉堛兂 louis vuitton 銉濄儷銉堛儠銈┿偆銉?銉戙儵銈…

  24. 拧ed谩 d谩mska kabelka cez telo zna膷ky rieker glami.sk

    games paixnidia 蠁伪魏慰喂 蔚蟺伪蠁畏蟽 purevision 2 caterpillar 蟺伪喂蠂谓喂未喂伪 蟽蠂蔚未喂伪 纬喂伪 蟽蔚渭蔚谓 蟽蟿伪蠀蟻慰尾蔚位慰谓喂伪 gant 蠂伪位伪谓未蟻喂 samsung 魏慰蠀味喂谓蔚蟽 reebok 渭蟺位慰蠀味蔚蟽 未慰蠂蔚喂伪

  25. para mi broeken kaki 28 lengte

    dont miss this deal on jet set medium logo slim wallet michael kors fulton mk logo signature pvc carryall flap wallet gucci padded nylon cape jacket with gucci stripe black dragon gucci belt gucci guilty platinum edition by gucci for women 2.5oz eau de…

  26. cccp szovjet katonai egyenruha 11000 ft

    multicam hè°©tizsè°©k mayo chix n艖i ruha lilly adidas originals i 5923 w n艖i utcai cip艖 zæžšld 36 peng茅s hajvè°©gè´¸ f茅sç–Ÿ n艖i hè°©tizsè°©k rendel茅s ii. ker眉let dockyard mammut i menyasszonyi æžšv csillogè´¸ esk眉v艖i luxus kieg茅sz铆t艖k k茅k hosszç…¤ lenge nyè°©ri szoknya ç…¤j auk…

  27. z艂ota bransoletka charms

    pli拧ana igra膷ka dr. pli拧ko stolna lampa globo 1t veliki izbor rasvjete manekenka navukla crveni badi膰 pa oblinama izazvala seksi utjecaj znanost i praksa poslovna knji啪ara um prodaja poklon set za mu拧karce kozmetika od bugarske ru啪e najam 拧atora cvje膰a…

  28. 褉褍斜邪褕泻邪 褋 胁褘褋芯泻懈屑 胁芯褉芯褌薪懈泻芯屑 褋褌褉芯谐邪褟

    ro膷na nihajna 膷rpalkamam posodice za shranjevanje 5 v 1 pikapolonicacrocs de啪ni 拧kornjisnowy bo啪i膷ni okrasek

  30. 銈般儍銉?gucci 鎶樿病甯?銉°兂銈?428725 dj20t 1000 銉栥儵銉冦偗 閫佹枡鐒℃枡

    planter pæ°“ trondheim original new arrival puma breaker leather unisex adidas cloudfoam ilation mid fw17 spor ayakkabè°‹ gucci sneakers bayan ayakkabè°‹ canterbury bts hè°©tizsè°©k k茅k kurtka zimowa moncler xs s satè°‹n almak 2019 yeni moda kadè°‹n ayakkabè°‹ poined…

  31. tu abbigliamento offers

    junior plus size prom vestiti under 100 frock for child girl asos nero tuxedo vestito squeeze me skinny waist trainer off shoulder lungo vestito denim e bianco vestito macys per donna semi formal vestiti fall abiti 2018 pinterest

  32. bilka damecykel

    fiskestang taske king louie kjole forhandler dame frakker ké…¶benhavn bestik imerco leggings udsalg jakker til unge må¿™nd broderie anglaise kjole kjole med leopardprint

  37. adidas superstar 80s

    oculos de sol miu miu replica bcaa em p贸 integralmedica 茅 bom promo莽茫o corinthians confec莽茫o de roupas femininas cotoveleira neoprene comprar tenis de basket oculos oakley marrom masculino casas bahia tv lcd 42 polegadas lg

  38. christian louboutin baila spike shoes satchel

    蠁蠅蟿喂蟽蟿喂魏伪 魏畏蟺慰蠀 渭蟺伪位伪 蠁蠅蟿喂蟽蟿喂魏维 未伪蟺苇未慰蠀 魏慰位蠅谓维魏喂伪蟺伪蟺慰蠀蟿蟽喂伪 adidas 纬喂伪 魏慰蟻喂蟿蟽喂伪 位蔚蠀魏慰纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚委蔚蟼 蟿蟽维谓蟿蔚蟼 蟺位维蟿畏蟼 蟻慰味 蟽蔚位委未伪 7蟿蟻伪蟺蔚味慰渭维谓蟿畏位慰 1.40 蠂 1.80 蟽蔚 位喂谓蠈 谓慰 26 渭蔚 伪味慰蠉蟻

  43. 銉栥儷銈儶 闀疯病甯?銉°兂銈?銉囥儖銉犮偟銉曘偂銈ゃ偄 282588 denim

    gucci 銉°偓銉嶃儠銉兗銉?銉栥儵銉炽儔 銈般儍銉?銉€銉笺偗銉炪兗銉栥儷銉栥儵銈︺兂 鐪奸彙 guc gg 0342o 006 銈儯銉愩儔銉偣 142pur 銉戙兗銉椼儷 鑶濅笀 銉夈儸銈?銈儯銉愬 銉曘儶銉?銈淬兗銈搞儯銈?銉戙兗銉嗐偅銉笺儔銉偣 浜屾浼?銉娿偆銉堛儔銉偣 澶?銇婃按 銈儯銉愩偗銉?銈儯銉愬 閫佹枡鐒℃枡 palanco 銉戙儵銉炽偝 銉炪偊銉炽儐銉炽儢銉笺儎 銉堛儸銉冦偔銉炽偘銈枫儱銉笺偤 銈广偍銉笺儔 銉曘儶銉炪偄銉椼儶 銉┿偗銉?銉€銉熴偄銉笺儖…

  44. ciep艂y p艂aszcz zimowy pikowany taliowany kaptur xl zdj臋cie

    puma pointe half zip sleeveless dam rock ridge kl盲der bawe艂niana bluzka szara nè°©ramek z r暖啪en铆nu se st艡apci 865 180 0000 oysho koszulka na rami膮czkach z koronk膮 lotto punto flex krampon tem陌z ds damat arkas ve t眉y 艧ikayetleri 艧ikayetvar p艂atno艣膰 za pob…

  45. adax cph ruby rygså¿™k i skind

    details zu new balance b v5 blau pink wei脽 schuhe laufschuhemarjo dirndl kurz mit seitlichem zipp blau taupe mieder mitburton ripcord g眉nstig kaufendetails zu camel active damen jacke mit kapuze neu hellblau

  46. guess reppu skye large backpack

    alum墨nija siltuma izlietnes ra啪ot膩ji ra啪ot膩ji un pieg膩d膩t膩jisieviesu kedas cena no 4 l墨dz 37skuvek募a kase拧u komplekts gillette fusionsveiciens novada 5 gadu jubilej膩 p募avi艈u novads vieta

  47. marchesa notte strapless gown

    nike mens swift running shoe pinafore dress summer flat suede boots princess tiana birthday outfit gucci sweater 2018 princess style wedding gowns pastel mother of the bride dresses adidas nmd r1 pharrell hu

  48. usluga pisanja radova

    tra膷na testera w bs 250 1400 woby haus online cijena web stranice i 6 razloga za拧to ne 拧tedjeti radionica puky lino guralica grey hla膷e skinny fit s rastezljivim rubom trpezarija orion geppetto stolice vulkan kru拧evac trgovina b o n d i nova alu box u…

Comments are closed.