I'm going to buy a Frank Zappa album but there are so many, which album is the best one to start off with?

My favorite is "Joe's Garage", but there are many others that are good as well

It's really hard to recommend a first one, as most of FZs albums are good in some way or another. I'm a huge fan and have all of his albums from Freak Out to Trance-Fusion. ( About 70 in all )

The first one I bought was Tinselltown Rebellion, followed by Live in New York, but most of the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore series is pretty crazy, with the possible exception of #5 which has a lot of wierd out-takes which may put off the first-time listener.

As to 'best overall', it's still a tough call, but my favourites are Shut Up And Play Your Guitar ( Never forget, FZ was an AWESOME guitar player!) Make a Jazz Noise Here ( live cuts from his last tour in 1988-RECOMMENDED ) and Sheik Yerbouti ( Also quite a good choice of first album, now I think about it, since it has a little of everything that makes Zappa so great. Good hard rock tunes ( Broken Hearts Are For Asshol*s ), p*ss-taking tunes ( Jewish Princess, that got him in a LOT of trouble!) and a tune called Yo Mama, which has one of the most kick-*ss guitar solos you've ever heard on it!

OK That settles it, buy Sheik Yerbouti!!

There is no "best" Zappa album. They're all good but you might try any of the YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE series, most of which, with the exception of the one with the complete Helsinki concert, give you several of Frank's bands on each volume. Zappa's career spans a diverse collection of musical influences and varies with the talents of the members of his band. Frank also took live tracks and edited them into different songs by adding tracks in the studio. His music varied from hard rock to 20th century classical, to jazz, to comedy music, depending on what he was into at any particular time. Frank was a prolific writer and recorded almost everything he did live. I really couldn't give you a better answer than this, but anything he released was interesting and was distinctly Frank Zappa. No one else sounded like him. There is no definitive Zappa album, they're all great.

those are my 5 album recommendations: a million) Over-Nite Sensation 2) Apostrophe 3) Zoot Allures 4) Chunga's Revenge 5) One length fits All each and all of the above are with The mothers of Invention with the exception of Zoot Allures. My 3 Fav Songs: a million) Montana 2) Dinah-Moe Humm 3) Cosmik debris

Probably "Apostrophe" or "Freak Out". Another album, "We're Only In It For The Money" was a parody of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".

All the albums mentioned are a good start...as is the "Greatest Hits"/career overview "Strictly Commercial",which features his best-known tracks.

You can't go wrong with "Joe's Garage" or the Mothers of Invention-era material.

Well...that's a tough call, he's got so many good albums to choose from. I would recommend the album One Size Fits All.

It's a very fine album!

Definitely agree with YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE. I have the entire series in the purple promo box, even The Entire Helsinki Concert (Vol. 2) is worthy! Läther (3CD's) is another fine release to start with. Zappa live Rules!

Chungas Revenge is classic Zappa

Joe's Garage is the most accessible for entry-level Zappa-ites.

if you like hard rock:

zoot allures

hot rats

over-nite sensation

them or us

if you like political satire:

broadway the hardway

sheik yerbouti

drowning witch

mothers of prevention

modern classical:

strictly classical

the yellow shark

london symphony orchestra