Zappa, the man

Zappa's work and legacy was completely defined by his personality, philosophy, and ideas. Zappa put his all into his music, and things released in certain periods of his life reflect who he was at the time, and the way he thought.

All of his songs have something to do with Zappa and who he was. From songs making commentary about things he felt strongly about, to songs about his family and children, his music wasn't just music - it was Frank. All Frank. In a world where cookie cutter love songs were the norm, Zappa was never afraid to put his all into his work.

Remember earlier in this blog when I discussed going to jail and how that affected Frank? (I think I discussed that...) This affected him his ENTIRE LIFE. He wasn't in jail for long, but themes spiking from that experience would continuously show up in his work throughout his life. He wrote about what he knew. Even his classical pieces were inspired - inspired by his life, his future, his family, his influences.

Conceptual continuity is the perfect example of how his life and legacy are completely affected by his work (or, the other way around). Everything he did - EVERYTHING - somehow tied into at least one other aspect of his life. Even things like the game show in 200 Motels tied in with events later in his life, like his appearance on Make Me Laugh.

While not all of the connections were obvious (and others not even intentional), it shows that Zappa's life was part of his opus, not just his music and compositions. Everything came full circle with Zappa.