Frank Zappa's greatest guitar solo EVER? I'm gonna have to go with "Muffin Man."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

I own every note recorded by FZ, and "Muffin Man" has always been the source of his single greatest guitar solo for me. He goes right to the edge of the cliff, just like James Dean in "Rebel Without A Cause"...stops RIGHT at the edge...pulls back for the band intros...and heads RIGHT FOR the edge of the cliff AGAIN.

GOD, do I miss Frank.

:toast:

[vogonity]

1. Some Usual Fan Favorites...

In no particular order:

Willie The Pimp
10/31/78 Black Napkins
Watermelon In Easter Hay

Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar
Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar Some More
Return Of The Son Of Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar

Son Of Orange County (From Roxy & Elsewere) See my sig quote.

What's New In Baltimore?

Winos Do Not March

Any Kind Of Pain

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. I saw the "Roxy & Elsewhere" band live at the Circle Star Theeater, San Carlos CA...

...and the "Bongo Fury" band live at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, CA. Captain Beefheart was the opening act, but...sadly...he never took the stage with Zappa. At the Paramount, Zappa tied his hair back into a ponytail, explaining that he had to do so because the next song was "serious music." He then went into a sublime rendition of "Black Napkins."

I pretty much like it all.

Another favorite is the closing solo on "Stuff Up The Cracks," and "Chunga's Revenge," and...well, you get the picture.

:toast:

On Edit: I also saw the Flo & Eddie edition of the Mothers at Boston Music Hall, right before moving to California in 1972. Filthiest show I've ever seen in my life. Chuck Berry was the opening act. He duck-walked across the stage and did the splits during a perfect "Johnny B. Goode."

[Bennyboy]

7. I was at this show.....

It was his birthday.

I saw FZ a bunch. My fave was the Sheik Yer Buti tour at Sac Memorial....

I like Stevies spanking for intense guitar rock or My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama.

But my all tiem faves are Billy Was A Mountain< Suicide Chump and Brown Shoes Don't Make it.

[cuke]

2. Zoot Alours (sp?)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. Allures...yes, another classic.

:toast:

[madrchsod]

5. i saw him live as the opening act for cream

fucking amazing guitar player..i`d say as a guitar player/musician he was far better than clapton...i have lost/stolen all my zappa albums but joes garage sucks...but i do have a brand new 180gram capitan beefheart`s- trout mask replica and i`m looking for mother`s milk...

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. I've heard only four or five Zappa albums

but I'm partial to "Rat Tomago."

[Initech]

8. Zappa rules. A couple of my more obscure favorites:

Mr. Green Genes
Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel
When Yuppies Go To Hell

[tonekat]

9. Nice to see there are DUers who appreciate FZ and CB

I've seen Zappa several times, with different bands, but my favorite show has to be in NY when they were recording the "Zappa In New York" album. That was just amazing with Ruth Underwood and Eddie Jobson, and FZs solos.

I miss him.

[cemaphonic]

10. Watermelon in Easter Hay

[bbernardini]

11. You're all missing a very important one: "Any Kind Of Pain" from "Broadway The Hard Way"

Quite possibly one of the most perfect guitar solos ever performed. So perfect, in fact, that Mike Keneally learned it note for note for the "Zappa's Universe" performance.

[vogonity]

12. Are you including me when you say "all?"

Because I listed "Any Kind Of Pain" in the first reply.

Because it is indeed perfect.

[bbernardini]

13. Oops. Must have missed it in the scroll.

My most sincere apologies.

[vogonity]

15. No problem

"Any Kind Of Pain" is simply stunning and is worth as many mentions as it can get. As a matter of fact, "Any Kind Of Pain" from "Broadway The Hard Way."

Also gotta go with "Inca Roads" from "Can't Do That Onstage Anymore Volume II" which should be required to be owned by every Zappa Fan.

And now that I think of it, the "Inca Roads" solo from YCDTOA v2 is the full version of the one from "One Size Fits All."

[RandomKoolzip]

14. "Cruising for Burgers" (The Make a Jazz Noise Here version)

"Any Kind of Pain"
"Finding Higgs Boson"
"Sleep Dirt"
"Down in De Dew"
"The Ocean is the Ultimate Solution"
"Swans? What Swans?"
"Pink Napkins"