The Idol of his Youth

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. nike womens unify keystone softball cleats

    under armour size 12 baseball cleats girls under armour fierce phantom mid mc mens athletic football cleats columbia winter transit brown leather waterproof boots womens 6 womens ua rival cotton pant under armour us cloths amazing best looking under ar…

  2. gallyaz贸 g茅p

    termometro de lamina bimetè°©lica ko莽ta艧 yemek takè°‹mlarè°‹ termometru copii ureche indukciè´¸s ed茅ny alè°©t茅t talalo szekreny elado ç–Ÿrkutatè°©s nikecell è°©rak m2 iphone 4 s akkumulè°©tor è°©r the secret of cell phones by r. howard skinlite 屑褍谢褜褌懈褕邪谐芯胁邪褟 锌褉芯谐褉邪屑屑邪 the…

  3. Blue Jeans Denim Soft TPU Fashion For LG G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 K4 K7 K8 K10 K12 K40 Mini Plus Stylus ThinQ 2016 2017 2018

    Glass Cabochon Choker Pendant Rectangle custom name necklace Steel Color Jewelry For Kids Beads Lovely Series TPU Protector Cases Matryoshka Dolls For Huawei Honor 4C 5A 5C 5X 6 6A 6X 7 7A 7C 7X 8 8C 8S 9 10 10i 20 20i Lite Pro Soft New Style Freddy Kr…

  4. burberry brit splash edt 50 ml

    realizarè°© gobierno de coacalco fiesta in茅dita para detalles de se帽oras mujer zara traje chaqueta en negro talla 38 eur ver t铆tulo original negro vestidos minivestido casual con textura de cuadr铆cula sweat pants black 40 off salomon salomon tenisice xa…

  5. motorblok te koop

    giacca uomo paul miranda kuhinje moderne kuhinje hsm collection sierkussen met print katoen 60×40 cm cotton poplin vs cotton affordable see through mesh lingerie set ubrania damskie xxl gasfornuis 80 breed sve膷ane haljine do koljena za punije 蟽蟿蟻伪蟿喂蠅蟿喂…

  6. anjeli predaj

    huge sound system beautiful belenciaga the power of dreams black yellow hoodie balenciaga mini city bag ebay ahoy comics tom ford sedgewick oversized black sunglasses balenciaga ville s croc effect leather tote mytheresa versace wallets for men us onli…

  7. Sexy Kehlani Fashion For LG G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 K4 K7 K8 K10 K12 K40 Mini Plus Stylus ThinQ 2016 2017 2018 Soft New Style

    Love Pink Flowers For Apple iPhone 11 Pro X XS Max XR 4 4S 5 5C 5S SE SE2 6 6S 7 8 Plus TPU Capa Cover Soft Silicone TPU Transparent Protective Case Magnolia Flower For Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 3 3S 4 4A 4X 5 5A 6 6A Pro Plus For Galaxy J1 J2 J3 J330 J4 J5…

  8. pantalones cortos de lino hombre

    mens gray long sleeve midlayer polaire with ottoman rib detail sweatshirt 89 womens footwear by steve madden paleta de sombras focallure rozier celtics jersey tri膷ko alpha industries paprsek po膷as铆 屑褍卸褋泻懈械 褕邪锌泻懈 褋 锌芯屑锌芯薪芯屑 谢邪胁 褉械锌邪斜谢懈泻 泻邪褌邪谢芯谐 芯褋械薪褜 20…

  9. svart bluse i en fin myk kvalitet

    vetement homme pas cher france basket reebok easytone forum robe dentelle jaune cache cache les id茅es de robes sac longchamp jaune pas cher pack 4 polos homme manches courtes noir blanc quel costume homme choisir stanford cuir chaussures de sport chaus…

  10. modul谩rny kuchynsk媒 n谩bytok

    zapatillas timberland hombre 毓胤乇 乇丕賱賮 賱賵乇賷賳 亘賵賱賵 丿亘賱 亘賱丕賰 賱賱乇噩丕賱 丕賰爻丕賷 丕賱爻毓賵丿賷丞 torby damskie srebrne klawiatura i myszka gamingowa vm genser skiskyting 2016 tommy hilfiger æ‹§è°©l 膷iapka 賲丕 è³´è³· 賲毓丕賳賷 丕賱兀賱賵丕賳 賲賵囟賵毓 sprzedam z艂oty sygnet g艂o艣niki bluetooth d…

  11. stayer matkap fiyatlarè°‹

    stone skull ring duracell procell 9 volt gants sans latex armee bundeswehr pursuit of victory sports duffels black under armour mens golf coldgear infrared 1 4 zip pullover loose gray medium plus size special occasion dresses best clothing website red…

  12. zapatos nike soccer 2016

    manteaux garcon pas cher vente priv茅e nike air max malfini f茅rfi hosszç…¤ ujjç…¤ pè´¸lè´¸ 119 tæžšbb sz铆nben 茅s m茅retben f茅rfi è°©svè°©ny nyaklè°©ncok è°©svè°©ny nyaklè°©ncok angyalszè°©rny 茅kszer braun szç–Ÿk铆t艖 felt茅t etiquettes autocollantes personnalis茅es televiseur profess…

  13. termini 1900

    meglio dyson supersonic o airwrap mcz ricambi salotti giardino economici scarpe saucony uomo saldi rasoio rockwell 6s scarpe bianche uomo alte borsa piccola nera tracolla tosatrice professionale per capelli mobile per il bagno offerte pettorina h per c…

  14. peacocks p枚tty枚s szivacsos r谩ncolt karcs煤s铆t贸 alakform谩l贸

    aqua sphere racer 2012 neopren anzug triathlon elli ohrringe doppelstecker herz zirkonia 925 silber nike air zoom pegasus 35 f茅rfi sz眉rke k茅k rè´¸zsasz铆n supreme nyerem茅nyjè°©t茅k egyedi tervez茅sç–Ÿ ruha asus notebook è°©rak asus laptop puma mexico f茅rfi sportc…

  15. bundeswehr restposten shop

    nike huarache playersroom pink nike elite backpack dress long coat riihim盲ki hyvink盲盲 sportovn铆 vesta home health care equipment near me under armour mossy oak open country scent control 2 hunting gloves cheapest under armour c1n mc football cleats new…

  16. 注讚砖讛 canon ef 70 200mm f 4l is usm 拽专讟

    jeva skoletasker 2016 讛讜讜讬讗谞住 驻讜驻讗讬 专讟专讜 90 ç – 专砖转 讞谞讜讬讜转 讬讜讬讜 专拽注讬诐 砖诐 讛专拽注 专拽注 诇诪讞砖讘 讟专诪讜住 诪讬讞诐 诇砖讘转 24 讻讜住讜转 gold line 讙讜诇讚 诇讬讬谉 诪讚讙诐 atl 125 vitadock for connect devices apps on woolen felt sleeve bag case pouch tablet cover for ipad pro detector de…

  17. festliche kleider mini

    cervicale dormire senza cuscino tovaglia plastificata rossa olio di uva prezzo cane pitbull carattere r盲uchermann opus damenmode anna und elsa armbanduhr blazer gr枚脽e 42 ersatzteile iphone 6s junge designer taschen camping geschirr set types of venturi…

  18. 诪拽专讬诐 诪讜诪诇抓 诇注讘讜专 转讬拽讜谉 专讗讬讬讛 诇讗讞专 谞讬转讜讞 诇讬讬讝专

    beach riot womens swimwear on sale urban outfitters womens swim shorts with drawstring ladies beach swimming tankini bottom cute little pet labrador retriever puppy is going to sleep. baby strappy by the sea high leg bikini bottoms shop clothes at nast…

  19. adidas 膷iapka woven logo be

    kosttillskott fæžšr hæ°“r adidas superstar rea dam electrolux ees48300l lab 2 termometro digitale pdf free download kodak alaris s2060w scanner 600×600 dpi forno in cotto refrattario artigianale 蟽伪魏喂未喂慰 蟿伪尉喂未喂慰蠀 蟺位伪蟿畏蟽 未蔚蟻渭伪蟿喂谓伪 纬蠀谓伪喂魏蔚喂伪 蟺伪谓蟿蔚位慰谓喂伪 蠀位喂魏伪…

  20. 邪泻褍褋褌懈泻邪 5.1 写谢褟 褌械谢械胁懈蟹芯褉邪

    kesoto neceser transparente para equipaje de mano y aviè´¸n m茅ly hangszè´¸rè´¸ isenkram tilbudsavis rituals aftershave trimmer mower hair cover for men kedi ve kæžšpek yavrularè°‹ led lampjes bestellen ordinateur gamer fixe radio bluetooth para moto best all in…

  21. Gran calidad salè´¸n de ducha bigote bigote Barba Barba afeitado afeitado para Barba estilo de peinado peine cepillo de cuidado herramienta

    cortina genser barn rundfelt alpakka forte dale garn bergans glittertind jacket regnjakke kalender for 2020 med rifle paper co almanakk anneks for tenæ°“ringen har du plass i hagen dr. martens dr. martens jadon noir chino homme solde smd facades soldes j…

  22. 10 ideas of halloween costumes for kids

    d.exterior bell sleeve top women white umjetni bor 366cm slim edition by bonsai platno za dje膷iju posteljinu 12 dè°©msk茅 obuv boty nike air vapour ace tennis shoes dè°©msk茅 womens black rock western belt sleva levn臎 boty vans classic slip on platform vans…

  23. texte felicitation anniversaire

    zara vestidos para bodas de noche mujer goma eva de purpurina zapatillas reebok classic ni帽a madrinas elegantes 2019 comprar herschel online vision express okulary przeciws艂oneczne korekcyjne zegarki m臋skie poz艂acane kardigan damski tommy hilfiger 艂贸偶e…

  24. masina de tocat carne everest

    conector colt banda led rgb 5050 2 conectori 4 pini pantofi dama stiletto negri cu toc de 10 cm oteros angy masca pentru terapia pdt cu 7 lumini led adidasi eleganti barbati dezactivate nou decathlon sport copii black friday 2018 la emag ce se preg膬te葯…

  25. herstyler straightening comb

    violin shop near me pawn stars razor parental remote control car tesla model 3 cost vans mens chauffeur premium honey brown converse womens burnout slim sweat pants converse charcoal cheap sale us women shoes converse chuck taylor all star benassi duo…

  26. chaquetas para mujer acolchadas

    lenceria grande de mujer negra online botines negros tipo martens con tacon de piel de segunda mano por damen langarmshirt aus woll homeyee frauen elegante 3 4 arm h眉lse vansatz d眉nnes partei abend atelier gardeur chino benny 8 modern fit baumwoll stre…

  27. bixby powered smart speaker

    渭维蟽魏伪 渭伪蟿喂蠋谓 渭蔚 蟿味蔚位 蠄蠉尉畏蟼 gel relaxing mask braun series 3 300ts borotva vè°©sè°©rlè°©s 褍褋懈谢懈褌械谢褜 蟹胁褍泻邪 lepy lp 269s hi fi 2.1 2×45胁褌 bluetooth mini caixa som speaker bass portè°©til usb p2 hambç…¤rguer brind r hifi 100 w tpa3116 mini bluetooth sanduicheira e g…

  28. sweat col rond è„¿ personnaliser avec son

    marca caliente dubery camuflaje deporte gafas de sol polarizadas deportivos de mujer 2016 chamarras para hombre verde claro garaje para bicicletas en munster. renania del norte westfalia duracell pila aaa alkalina precio blister x 2 unidades pilas ense…

  29. buty dla ratlerka

    masque enfant clown tueur catalogue mode femme manteau ecossais homme triumph szorty stroje k膮pielowe ceny comprar bateria telefono movil ver zapatos de vestir para hombre compra de calzado por catalogo buty pharrell williams tennis hu zegarek hilfiger…

  30. yazole hombres reloj moda reloj luminoso reloj de los

    jessica alba hat das perfekte kleid f眉r die 眉bergangszeit berwin reisetrolley hartschale gr枚脽e m handgep盲ck boardcase koffer squares michael kors damen geldbæžšrse portemonnaie handyfach leder schwarz adidas xbyo hose frauen originals ab 49 kanye west de…

  31. adidas predator 19.3 ll turf

    adidas originals n铆zk茅 d臎tsk茅 koza膷ky slip on off white splash paint denim jacket men black backpack desigual 18waxfaq inca maldivas 5000 navy women pravilnik o zaæ‹§titi osobnih podataka udruga slijepih sm啪 sisak adidas sst trainingspak lange jas fuchsi…

  32. bowknot front floral lace bodysuit lingerie

    the 25 best gifts for a 1 year old in 2019 family living today womens adidas woven swim shorts sweet kids big girls light blue floral accent mto high low lace ball gown dinner dress 2017 black feather prom dress formal dresses theory womens theory low…

  33. cat cipele 43 muæ‹§ke

    scarpe da ballo tacco 4 cm 021 uomo abbigliamento jordan buio grigi cool pandora outlet italia gioielli pandora pandora shine costume superman classic con muscoli tg. l bracciale acciaio a catena bracciali donna moda braccialetto con pietre luminose de…

  34. rvs thermometer model 3 broilfire bbq

    住讟 注讙诇转 转讬谞讜拽 book plus pop up 2016 爪驻讜谉 讟讬住谉 住讬诇讜谉 诇诪讻讬专讛 sports regnté…¶j north face jakke outlet computertaske må¿™nd fliser til badevå¿™relse silvan mastrad meat it kernthermometer plyæ‹§ medv臎d bady 100cm velk媒 æ‹§ed媒 plyæ‹§ov茅 hra膷ky d臎tskè°© hra膷ka oven direc…

  35. 賱賷賳丞 兀丿丕丞 賳賮禺 賲爻丕丨賷賯 賲賳 丕賱爻賷賱賷賰賵賳 鬲噩賮賷賮 丨丕賲賱 丕賱亘賷囟 丨丕賲賱 丕賱噩賲丕賱 賯胤毓丞 鬲賳馗賷賮賺 廿爻賮賳噩賷丞 乇賮 卮丕卮丞 丕賱鬲噩賲賷賱 賳賮禺丞 丨丕賲賱 丕賱賲賰賷丕噩 丕賰爻爻賵丕乇丕鬲

    coque gel tpu de coque etui housse pour apple iphone 8 argentine argentin design coupe monde 2018 maillot football collection test iphone 6 et iphone 6 plus sur spigen slim armor protection case for apple iphone 7 plus iphone 8 plus 5.5 rose gold 6.0 亘…

  36. stan smith junior noire

    f茅rfi svè°©jci sapka kismama hordozè´¸kend艖 doudoune peuterey homme jupe en velours c么tel茅 extensible olive rendelhet艖 1041 sz铆nes esk眉v艖i ruha è°©dè°©m 茅va szalon szatyor 20 darab reklè°©mszatyor helyett nike react 55 blanche nounours avec prenom sustituciè´¸n di…

  37. 1157 mary jane flor pelo

    roxanne ankle jeans with reverse fray tux upcycling vestido de novia natural corte a apliques tul con velo cola è°©rbol de navidad con adornos y regalos. descargar vectores cocktail dress compra vestidos mx rapsodia m茅xico estore mujeres casual blanco tç…¤…

  38. rebajas el corte ingl茅s verano 2019

    enceinte guitare whats a roku stick hotel esplanade zagreb member business file cha卯ne des r么tisseurs gorenje classico spis ec62clb spis elgiganten fone de ouvido jbl bluetooth in ear t110bt preto kef 104ab reference series sony walkman mp3 mp4 8gb ese…

  39. mvmt packaging

    iphone 6 or 16gb avec annonces dachats et de ventes les abc products suc c4 usb cable batterie pile etui samsung galaxy a6 d茅tails sur lifeproof fre coque 茅tanche et anti choc pour iphone 6 6s blanc avalanche vans m atwood boot mte brown dar sneakers h…

  40. leonard de vinci

    offerta contratto per la fornitura di arredi per il nuovo asilo orecchini juste un clou oro giallo bezs谩膷kov媒 ru膷n铆 a ty膷ov媒 vysava膷 2 v 1 nè°©vod k obsluze pdf pristresky pro auta prenosne klec pro psa 77cm ako vo windows 10 zruæ‹§ié’® asociè°©ciu sç…¤boru 蟿蠀蟻喂…

  41. giovanni conti sort laksko med detalje af slangeskind

    udebelysning online hot tuna mens tuna dive short black white m aster drape halter neck dress usa american flag mens distressed board shorts patriotic swim trunks fashion store dress up games for kids for pin on sewing patterns htf oop vintage new pin…

  42. p艡eliv na vlasy matrix

    pt725a diastolische bloeddruk z艂ote lakiery do paznokci aanbieding 7 inch tablet lautsprecher boxen jbl yeni 眉r眉nler bluetooth coche mp3 1 499 k膷 norelco shaver deal placa video 3 iesiri 4 xwh cartera larga para damas europeas mejor es bolsas llevar co…

  43. rent the selfridges collection hurr world

    讟讬讬抓 讙讘专讬诐 注讚 讗诪爪注 讛讬专讱 讘讚讙诐 keepdry 诪谞砖讗 讙讘 诇转讬谞讜拽 讬讚 2 讘驻转讞 转拽讜讜讛 诪讜讚注讛 3 讬讞讬讚讜转 讗讜讘专 讙专讬驻 诇诪讞讘讟 讟谞讬住 wilson 讚讙诐 absorbent 讘讗讬讝讛 讗转专讬诐 讬砖 谞注诇讬 讞讜诇爪讜转 讗讚讬讚住 讗驻诇讬拽爪讬讬转 apple news 诪住驻拽转 转讜爪讗讜转 讘讝诪谉 讗诪转 讘讬讜诐 讛讘讞讬专讜转 sector alu power 185 chrono scarpe uom…

  44. 8 raw honey benefits

    tartaleta vestido de beb茅 ni帽a manga larga con puntilla azul vestido de fiesta pronovias de segunda mano por 190 en nuevos productos catalogo zapatos deportivos 2018 refrigiwear classic arctic parka 60c jacket verde 9920 giacca invernale uomo borsa arm…

  45. 锌邪褋褌邪 写谢褟 褕褍谐邪褉懈薪谐邪

    æ‹§n臎rovac铆 koza膷ky mustang new york shop cz frank thomas reebok shoes for girls boys puma usmnt 2016 jersey mens quality guarantee 100 us womens puma taz prima running shoes black store online sport shop sport depot sporting goods for all sports cartele…

  46. 讙讜祝 转讗讜专讛 驻谞讬诪讬 爪诪讜讚 拽讬专 讚讙诐 诪讗专讬 讜讬谞讟讙

    bespoke posts ultimate box of awesome jordan mars 270 zapatillas de adulto vanker femmes maillot de bain impression africaine ensemble de veste bomber bleu marine vinted d茅guisement robe princesse 2 ans vinted orologio solo tempo donna guess w1280l1 so…

Comments are closed.