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No Commercial Potential: The Saga Of Frank Zappa Paperback – August 22, 1996

by David Walley (Author)

7 customer reviews

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For nearly thirty years Frank Zappa (1940–1993) pursued an idiosyncratic but influential course in music—rock, jazz, and classical composer (releasing over fifty albums); founder of the Mothers of Invention; guitarist, conductor, and producer; as well as social satirist, sonic scientist, First Amendment champion, and all-around iconoclast. This updated edition of David Walley's cutting-edge classic includes a new foreword, a substantial chapter carrying the Zappa saga through his death from cancer, an afterword, bibliography, discography, videography, and guide to Zappa on the Internet. From 1960's Freak Out! to the posthumous Civilization Phaze III, No Commercial Potential offers converts and connoisseurs the most practical and penetrating book ever written on the musical phenomenon known as Frank Zappa.

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Once considered the best biography on American composer Frank Zappa available, David Walley's No Commercial Potential: The Saga of Frank Zappa still contains the most compelling and accurate portrait of Zappa at the beginning of his career. The latest edition has been updated by the author--which is odd, as Walley seems almost completely disenchanted with Zappa in the closing chapters--to quickly gloss over the last two decades of Zappa's life up to and including his death in 1993. The gold of this biography is still the original material from the seventies, which Walley wrote after spending a great deal of time with his subject. Anyone interested in Zappa and his music will not want to miss this fascinating, firsthand account of the man in what many consider to be the prime years of his career. Anyone interested in a broader view of Zappa's life will also want to investigate Ben Watson's astounding intellectual analysis of Zappa's work, The Negative Dialects of Poodle Play, the collected offerings of The Frank Zappa Companion, and the word from the man himself, The Real Frank Zappa Book.

From the Back Cover

For nearly thirty years Frank Zappa (1940-1993) pursued an idiosyncratic but influential course in music - rock, jazz, and classical composer (releasing over fifty albums); founder of the Mothers of Invention; guitarist, conductor, and producer; as well as social satirist, sonic scientist, First Amendment champion, and all-around iconoclast. This updated edition of David Walley's cutting-edge classic includes a new foreword, a substantial chapter carrying the Zappa saga through his death from cancer, an afterword, bibliography, discography, videography, and guide to Zappa on the Internet. From 1960's Freak Out! to the posthumous Civilization Phaze III, No Commercial Potential offers converts and connoisseurs the most practical and penetrating book ever written on the musical phenomenon known as Frank Zappa.

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Product details

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press; Updated edition (August 22, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0306807106
ISBN-13: 978-0306807107
Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.6 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 7 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,302,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #823 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Biographies > Rhythm & Blues
- #957 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Biographies > Jazz
- #983 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Blues

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Steve Marson

For Hungry Freaks!

March 31, 2001

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

David Walley third and last edition of NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: THE SAGA OF FRANK ZAPPA was published in 1995. After reading the 1st edition in 1972 (hot of the press) and in the spirit of "Absolutely Free," I immediately gave my copy to the organist of a rock band called The Last Rite (well known in Columbus, Ohio at the time). He, of course, was delighted and still has the book. Thus, when I saw the 3rd edition availabl, I immediately purchased it. However, this time, I won't give it away.
If you are like me, when you read this SAGA, you'll get flashbacks to your youth. It's a great book for those of us who want to remember the 60's and 70's.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same" is a truism that hits the reader right between the eyes. I was stunned when I realized Zappa's freedom of speech struggle did not change over his entire life course. It is a book filled with paradox. Although the serious theme of freedom of speech is found in the book, it includes much to make one giggle. I read the entire book on an airplane and caught myself laughing aloud.
I enjoyed reading NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: THE SAGA OF FRANK ZAPPA just as much as I did the first time.

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Valuable Counter-Opinions For Your FZ Mythology

February 26, 2001

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is an adequate follow-up read to The Real Frank Zappa Book. This book is valuable to the FZ fan as it takes a slightly revisionist approach. The opinions are not always positive, and there are some unpleasant things said. Yeah, the hard-core Zappa fan-atic might find this unpalatable, but there's nothing here serious enough to put the book down.

This updated edition dates from 1996, and there is precious little this book tells about us about FZ in the years since the last edition. What the reader will notice is that the book previously was published in 1972 and 1980. It is clear that this updated edition has simply had the 28-page "I'm Not Satisfied" chapter added since the 1980 edition. The chapter's opening sentence, "Frank Zappa's last thirteen years . . ." is a dead giveaway that it's an add-on. As such, it just doesn't have any depth; the cynic in me sees a hastily-produced chapter put together to capitalize on interest in FZ after his 1993 death. (The lightweight, 25-page "Cosmic Debris" chapter covering the 1972-80 period is also a lame add-on to the original 1972 edition.) The years 1980-93 were FZ's most productive, most vocal, and most creative, and to sum up this period with a short chapter to justify an updated edition is just plain disrespectful. There are also updates to the bibliograpy, discography, and clearly a newly-added "Zappa on the Internet" section.

The book is best when discussing the early FZ/Mothers years. Keeping in mind that this book was first published in 1972, it's not surprising to see that the first 150-odd pages of this 211-page book are devoted to this period. There are lots of great quotes, photos, and graphics such as old handbills and maps. Lots of good information on the satellites in the FZ universe, such as the band members, groupies, the GTOs, etc.

The layout makes this book an easy and flowing read. It goes quickly, and is very much enjoyable. Despite some of the observations made above, I do recommend this book.

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Funkmeister G

Literary potential anyway

February 4, 2000

Format: Paperback

I have read this more than once & find it very fascinating as the man himself of course was. It is interesting to see how w/ the later editions, Mr Walley becomes less impressed w/ what Zappa is doing, quite rightly since the late 70s/80s stuff, though occasionally amusing cannot compare to the greatness of his 60s & early 70s work, the pioneering of Lumpy gravy & We're only in it for the Money, & the beautiful sounds of Burnt Weeny Sandwich, the venturing into the film world of 200 Motels & Uncle Meat [both designed to very much freak out the average viewer] + just being associated w/ the great Don Van Vliet... The best thing about the book is how it chronicles the pre-fame Frank in his high school days. Also it has a bibliography & list of fanzine addresses @ the end which makes it useful. It really makes it!

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Amazon Customer

very good. Doesn't pull punches!

April 4, 2001

Format: Paperback

Even though it's 'diluted' with the added on chapters (ie 1972-1993) the earlier stuff is excellent. This was the first book on frank zappa, the benchmark. There are lots of negative quotes included here, giving a balanced view, because david didn't want his book to become just another piece of 'promotional trash'. These quotes are mainly from captain beefheart and artie tripp, who give their own controversial views on frank's genius. Anyway, frank tried to prevent it being published because he was angry with what it said. But this is an excellent read, it gives you a great feel for what was happening in LA/America in the 60s, the freak scene and all that, also it gives excellent insight into the albums. The later stuff is given a less intensive treatment, mainly because there is a lack of enthusiasm about most of it. There is also a piercing obituary ('afterword'), with some perceptive comments. You don't necessarily have to be a zappa fan to enjoy this book. Thank you.

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January 22, 2005

Format: Paperback

This was a pretty comprehensive biography of Frank's earlier years, but the last hundred pages or so are terrible. The author simply pontificates on Frank's life and work, making judgement after judgement. This part of the book is extremely condescending toward Frank, as if the author were Frank's teacher and making notes on his final report card. This incredibly superior, pompous attitude toward the book's subject was very annoying. Including negative opinions about Zappa from people like Captain Beefheart is interesting and informative, but the author should have kept his own heavy hand out of the mix. A really good biography leaves conclusions about what kinf of guy the subject is up to the reader. Not so here, where toward the end the reader finds him/herself struggling to crawl out from underneath the heavy pile of the author's ponderous philosophy to glean any information at all about Zappa.

I did listen to all of the albums mentioned in the book, which, I guess, is all of them. I got a lot more out of listening to the records than I did this book.

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Most recent customer reviews

DrCaesar

Truly weak.

Not surprisingly, there are numerous rave "reviews" of this book here by other Amazonians. Most of these people are the types who think "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" is a...Read more

Published on July 4, 2003

Studebaker Hoch, billythemtn@geocities.com

Outside of FZ's own book, the best bio there is...

Walley's done his research, and he even writes with the wry humor Zappa would have approved of. Fascinating and entertaining.Read more

Published on December 1, 1998

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