watch out where the huskies go....

>>>>> ST's ALPHABETICON - Z <<<<<

Previously in the Alphabeticon: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, singles, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y

Nearly done now. This trawl through one particular set of shelves in one particular room in my house is almost over.

Almost.

We're at Z, anyway.

541. Frank Zappa - Strictly Commerical

It's a compilation album, of course. Zappa was one of those guys who have recorded so much stuff that it's almost impossible to know where to start, and so the default setting is to explore with a decent Greatest Hits album and see where you take it from there. Given that Zappa's career incorporated rock, jazz, classical and all points inbetween, and that he recorded something like 57 albums in his lifetime and another 18 have been put out since his death, this seemed like a very sensible approach to take. Actually, I haven't got around to buying anything else. Even a greatest hits seems pretty overwhelming to me. Good, but way too much to take in really. Still, "Bobby Brown Goes Down" is one of the finest (and funniest) records ever made (just check out the lyrics or YouTube if you don't believe me), and you can't really go far wrong with things like "Valley Girl", "Dancin' Fool" and "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow". Nor can you argue with someone who Václav Havel, the president of Czechoslovakia and a lifelong fan, appointed as consultant for the government on trade, cultural matters and tourism. Sadly the US Government objected and Zappa was forced to become an unofficial cultural attaché. He's still well thought of in Eastern Europe today - there's a statue of him in Vilnius.

Missing in iTunes: Warren Zevon - I was sufficiently inspired by Craig Cliff's earworms the other day to pop out and buy a Zevon compilation on CD. It's not on this set of shelves, so it doesn't count for this list, but I'm enjoying his work nonetheless.

Next week: You thought it was over but it's not.... miscellaneous / other / ephemera. Ah go on, you love it. I'm going to do C's CD tower after this too, although since she gave her Blue CD to Oxfam yesterday (which she claims she was given in the first place), it's not going to be half as much fun as it might have been.... In fact, I think this might be the reason she turfed it out in the first place.

**update**

What's happened to my ZZ Top albums? I've got at least two kicking about somewhere. I saw them live too, you know, and they were ace.....