An alternate title to this Zappa masterpiece could be “Zappa Goes Mainstream”. A lot of important events happened in 1969. Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, Joe Namath led the New York Jets to Super Bowl victory, most of The Original Snapper Snatchers graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and Zappa introduced Willie The Pimp to the world. While this Capatin Beefheart sung ditty got most of the fame from this album it is probably its weakest link even though Sugarcane Harris’ violin screams out loud. Bassist Shuggy Otis helps make Peaches En Regalia a contender for the new Georgia state song. Jean Luc Ponty (I lost my Ponty albums in my first divorce) lends his jazzy violin magic to It Must Be A Camel. The definitive Zappa musical treatment on this effort has to be the 17 minute long The Gumbo Variations with good ol’ Sugarcane tearin’ it up alongside the guitar master that is Zappa. Many of the base jazz elements of Zappa’s music come alive in Hot Rats albeit in a psycho-rock style. If this album is too much for you (it’s not for everyone) give Zappa a chance with 1987’s Jazz From Hell which won him a well deserved Grammy. Check it out if for no other reason than to hear G-Spot Tornado and Damp Ankles. Song titles (and children’s names) were always Frank’s trademark.    AW