Zappa, Frank
Tinsel Town Rebellion
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

1981 2LP Gatefold Original With Custom Inner Sleeves. Cover Crease. "Tinsel Town Rebellion," Which Gave Its Name To The Lp On Which It Appeared In 1981, Constitutes One Of Frank Zappa's Best Songs From The 1980s. It Allies Witty Lyrics With A Simple But Solid Music Frame And Numerous Lilliputian Quotes That Subtly Illustrate The Subject. This Song Is About Selling Out, About The Music Tailored By Record Companies To Fit The Tastes Of The Audience Of Today -- About The Flashiness (And Emptiness) Of Pop Music: "The Tinsel Town Aficionados/come To See And Not To Hear." The Song Was Premiered Live Around April 1980 And Remained In Zappa's Set List Throughout The Decade, Although It Made Very Few Appearances During The 1988 Tour. The Original Version Contains A Lot Of Musical References, Sometimes Blatant, At Others Much More Difficult To Catch, Namely To The Doors' "Light My Fire," Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love," Devo's "Whip It," And The Theme From The Tonight Show. Arrangements Changed A Lot From One Tour To The Next. The Only Official Live Version Was Released On Does Humor Belong In Music? And Adds Winks In The Direction Of Culture Club, Barry Manilow, The Tv Show I Love Lucy, And Woody Woodpecker Cartoons. All These Are So Tightly Inserted Into "Tinsel Town Rebellion" That Distracted (Or Unaware) Listeners Won't Even Detect Them -- A Clever Tour De Force." AMG Review by Francois Couture.