Rock critic Ken Tucker says that the talented musician often subverts his often good music to make dumb, dirty jokes. Whether you think Zappa is a genius or a jerk will determine whether you'll invest in Rykodisc's new collections of his live performances.
Before starting his anarchic, avant-garde band the Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa wrote chamber music and played in lounge bands. His new memoir explains how he went from a freelance guitarist to an unwitting rock star.
Zappa's avant-garde band, the Mothers of Invention, failed to get much airplay, in part because of their explicit lyrics. Zappa now divides his time between studio composition and live performance. He is politically active, and has fought against censorship and encouraged his fans to register to vote.
Kent Nagano conducts the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. He's known for performing lesser known, experimental works, including pieces by Olivier Messiaen and Frank Zappa. Contrary to many other musicians, he doesn't place much value in recordings, and believes the only way to fully appreciate a work is to witness it performed live.
Television critic David Bianculli reviews two new CBS sitcoms: "Normal Life," starring Frank Zappa's kids, Dweezil and Moon Unit Zappa, and "Sydney," starring Valerie Bertinelli of "One Day at a Time" fame. Bianculli says one is pretty good, and the other needs some polishing.
McKay's new album My Weekly Reader is a collection of covers of songs made famous in the 1960s. The range of material is wide — from the Beatles' "If I Fell" to Frank Zappa's "Hungry Freaks, Daddy."
TV critic David Bianculli says USA Today: The Television Show is glitzy and stupid and, unlike the newspaper, doesn't give viewers the chance to skip past what they don't like.
If you've watched cartoons in the past few decades, you probably know Billy West's voice: He's played Philip J. Fry and Zapp Brannigan on Futurama, plus Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in Space Jam (and more). West explains how he comes up with his voices -- and demonstrates a few of his favorites.
Father Ralph Beiting's ministry serves the poor of the Appalachian region, which he says was overlooked by the reforms and social programs of the 1960s. He links poverty to the degradation of family life. Despite the difficulties associated with his work, Beiting has fallen in love with the area and its people.
Independent film director, writer and editor Mark Rappaport. His newest film is "From the Journals of Jean Seberg," about the actress Jean Seberg. The movie is a "fictitious autobiography" and places Seberg's life and work in a political context of the 1960s. Seberg's life ended in a tragic suicide. She grew up in Iowa, was best known for her role in Jean Luc Godard's "Breathless," and Otto Preminger's "Saint Joan." In the 60s she got involved with the Black Panthers.
Ron Rash's best short stories from the past 20 years take you to a land apart psychologically and geographically. His writing is powerful, stripped down and very still.
While on tour for her album, Over and Even, Shelley stopped by WHYY to play some of her songs along with accompanist Nathan Salsburg. She tells Fresh Air's Sam Briger she's always wanted to perform.
The novelist once said that science fiction is a branch of children's literature -- an assertion he largely stands by today. Nonetheless, he makes a concerted effort to write for adults, using the genre to satirize serious topics. His newest book for young readers is called The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars.
Medical journalist Jeanne Lenzer warns that implanted medical devices are approved with far less scrutiny and testing than drugs. As a result, she says, some have caused harm and even death.
Author of new-wave sci-fi — and the much-loved children's story The Brave Little Toaster — took his life last week. Fresh Air remembers the novelist, poet and critic.