Comments on: Frank Zappa :: CNN Crossfire, 1986

By: Benjy

Benjy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:37:28 +0000

“Millions of dollars… millions of dollars, Mr. Lofton.” The man was a hoot.

By: Rock Dad

Rock Dad — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:17:27 +0000

I used to work on the floor in a record store that served a pretty diverse clientele. We sold tons of Garth Brooks and Ani Difranco. Anyway, what always surprised me was that people were more upset about the four letter words than the ideas that were expressed. The first Guns n Roses LP had a picture on the inside of a woman that was about to be raped by a robot. I never had a parent return that. What parents usually brought back was rap music with lots of swearing. They didn’t return radical stuff like Ani Difranco, who only swears occasionally (and doesn’t use the Parental Advisory label.) Any kid who listens to Ani Difranco is going to be a lot more free-spirited and “troublesome” than a kid that listens to the same rap every other kid likes.

I loved FZ and even voted for him once right before he died. I think he missed the point in one way. He talked about free political speech, but all he seemed to be doing was trying to shock people by being dirty. I’m not sure if there is much of a difference between his “Stevie’s Spanking” and 2 Live Crew. Frank’s subversive stuff was back in the 60s and he didn’t need to swear to get his point across. Think about it. What’s going to turn a “normal” kid “rotten”–all that anti-consumerism stuff from the early Mothers albums, or the juvenile stuff about hookers and hairbrushes from the 80s? I think Frank’s arguments against the PA labels would have been much stronger if it was obvious to more people that there was a purpose to his swearing.

By: FZ on CNN « Chamblee54

FZ on CNN « Chamblee54 — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:14:53 +0000

[...] Dunwoody resident Aquarium Drunkard weighs in today with a nifty video. It is Frank Zappa, appearing on a TV show discussing censorship. FZ more than holds his own, and makes many good points about the nature of [...]

By: Satisfied '75

Satisfied '75 — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:10:10 +0000

frank’s comment about the fascist theocracy coupled with Hunter S. Thompsons last book basically sums up where we are presently in America.

By: DougoBlue

DougoBlue — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:23:52 +0000

Frank’s insights were always pretty much on the mark. If he were alive today the world would almost certainly be a better place for all of us.

By: Noordwijk…. deel 1 « 3vandaag

Noordwijk…. deel 1 « 3vandaag — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:39:38 +0000

[...] Op de site AquariumDrunkard een alleraardigste paneldiscussie over censuur, in het bijzonder censuur ten aanzien van die [...]

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:31:52 +0000

His comment about putting sex vs violence in TV, and that violence usually wins out, is also very prescient. Check out “This Film Is Not Yet Rated” which discusses how in the US, lots of sex will get you a bad rating, but violence is fine, while in Europe, sex is more open but violence will get a film a more adult rating (I’m paraphrasing of course)

It also talks about how completely aribritrary the MPAA’s decisions are, which is fascinating (and quite frightening)

By: Daniel Edlen

Daniel Edlen — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:00:56 +0000

Re-action is rarely the way to go. It’s usually out of fear or lack of understanding, and it usually serves to give power to that which it’s against. That’s why eastern beliefs teach listening and letting through, as in judo, help the opponent carry a punch through ’til they fall on their face. Don’t fight back.

So, censorship is a strong form of fighting back and only gives attention to that which it’s trying to deny attention. Those being censored are strengthened in their resolve that what they’re saying warrants response. This is what escalates conflict into war.

Peace.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:27:36 +0000

Frank’s comment about the fascist theocracy was pretty prophetic considering where we are today. And I’m a conservative, for crying out loud. I no longer associate myself as a Republican any longer due to the theocratic ties that Frank was talking about way back on this clip. That’s what struck me, particularly.

By: Jonathan Zero

Jonathan Zero — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:08:53 +0000

Thanks for posting this. The world has not been in the same since Zappa died.

By: Frank Zappa on CNN’s Crossfire in 1986 « The Plummet Onions

Frank Zappa on CNN’s Crossfire in 1986 « The Plummet Onions — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:45:55 +0000

[...] album from Bob Dylan Frank Zappa on CNN’s Crossfire in 1986 24 September 2008 Excellent post over at Aquarium Drunkard about Frank Zappa as the spokesman for the beleagured music industry in [...]

By: sean coon

sean coon — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:25:22 +0000

or better yet, how exactly does an “explicit” sticker work when kids are downloading music as opposed to purchasing it in a physical format? not that it necessarily “worked” in stores either…

john lofton was pretty scary in terms of his desire to protect other people’s children. turn that scenario on its side just a bit and have him walk into an elementary school with the same frothing desire to teach and work with children, and he’d look like a pedophile in the eyes of most seasoned administrators.

i love zappa’s response to lofton at 6:14: “you wanna spank me here, c’mon, what are you trying to do? … i love it when you froth like that.”