Frank Zappa - The Torture Never Stops

I'm just gonna say it: "This mother had some invention!" Eh? EH?!I have to admit I am not the biggest Frank Zappa fan.  The most notable thing that I can remember Zappa doing was fighting the PMRC in the 80's and that Steve Vai played with him for a short time.  Other than those two items, I'm clueless.  I couldn't name a song or hum a melody, even if I had a gun to my head.  Zappa has always intrigued me, but never brought me to the point where I said to myself, "I have to check this guy out".  It wasn't until the recent release of The Torture Never Stops (TTNS), that I decided to see what all the hype was about.  TTNS is a 1981 MTV concert, filmed on Halloween, from the New York Palladium; a concert that has not been available in its entirety, until just recently.

To say Zappa and his band were eccentric is quite the understatement.   On a scale of 1 to 10, these guys were an 11 - and being that it was Halloween just made these guys even kookier.  Don't get me wrong, even though these guys look a bit off, they are all excellent musicians in their own right.   Not being a fan of the band beforehand, I feel this DVD is a good introduction in to the twisted world of Zappa.  I had heard that Zappa was a good guitarist, but never got the chance to witness his playing until this DVD, and I have to say I was impressed.  I can't say that the songs or his vocals blew me away, but I did enjoy watching he and the band do what they do.  If you're a Steve Vai fan, you will love this DVD, because you get to see some very early footage of this living guitar legend.  Also, if you listen closely, you will realize what a huge influence Zappa was on Mr. Vai.  All in all a very enjoyable watch that'll keep you entertained throughout.

Bottom Line: Zappa and his band looking freakier than ever on this Halloween bash.  A well-shot vintage video that has resurfaced for a reason...because it rocks.

 - Ragman can't believe Frank could play like that...