Politics - Revision history

Spider of Destiny at 15:05, 23 July 2026

2026-07-23T15:05:31Z

Spider of Destiny at 22:16, 1 July 2026

2026-07-01T22:16:16Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 16:38, 1 November 2021

2021-11-01T16:38:29Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 05:28, 5 September 2021

2021-09-05T05:28:19Z

PopFanDoug: /* Attempts of political parties to approach Zappa as their endorser */ They approached him to be a nominee.

2020-11-14T21:56:52Z

Attempts of political parties to approach Zappa as their endorser: They approached him to be a nominee.

Spider of Destiny at 19:24, 14 November 2020

2020-11-14T19:24:54Z

Spider of Destiny: Clean-up.

2020-11-14T07:23:09Z

Clean-up.

PopFanDoug: who Z would've wanted as Veep & AG

2020-10-08T17:37:26Z

who Z would've wanted as Veep & AG

PopFanDoug: Considered 1992 candidacy

2020-10-08T16:30:31Z

Considered 1992 candidacy

PopFanDoug: replace dead link

2018-05-22T22:06:51Z

replace dead link

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-__NOTOC__
+[[File:Don't Forget To Register To Vote.jpg|500px|thumb|right|Frank Zappa's message in the sleeve of ''[[Fillmore East, June 1971]]'' (1973).]]
 '''Politics''' are a running theme in Frank Zappa's music, as well as a recurring subject in interviews. His most political albums are ''[[Freak Out!]]'', ''[[Absolutely Free]]'', ''[[We're Only In It For The Money]]'', ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' and ''[[Broadway The Hard Way]]''.
-Zappa was known for encouraging people to register to vote and even had voter booths installed at concerts during his 1988 tour.
+Zappa was known for encouraging people to register to vote (among others in the sleeve of ''[[Fillmore East, June 1971]]'') and even had voter booths installed at concerts during his 1988 tour.
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 ==Cultural Ambassador==
-Zappa did agree to become Cultural Ambassador of [[Czechoslovakia]] in the 1990s. He travelled to the country and had various conversations with recently-elected president [[Václav Havel]]. However, his plans were thwarted by pressure by the U.S. government and multinationals to ''either do business with us or with Frank Zappa''.
+Zappa did agree to become Cultural Ambassador of [[Czechoslovakia]] in 1990. He travelled to the country at the invitation of [[Michael Kocáb]] and had various conversations with recently-elected president [[Václav Havel]]. However, his plans were thwarted by pressure by the U.S. government and multinationals to ''either do business with us or with Frank Zappa''.
 ==Presidential ambitions==
-Frank Zappa at one point considered running for U.S. President. For more information see ''[[The President]]''.
+At the turn of the 1980s into the 1990s, Frank Zappa considered running for U.S. President. For more information see ''[[The President]]''.
 ==Zappa about politics==

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 ==See also==
 * ''[[The Frank Zappa Column?]]''
 * ''[[Ode To Gravity - Frank Zappa: World Affairs Commentator]]''

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:38, 1 November 2021
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		+	__NOTOC__
		+
	'''Politics''' are a running theme in Frank Zappa's music, as well as a recurring subject in interviews. His most political albums are ''[[Freak Out!]]'', ''[[Absolutely Free]]'', ''[[We're Only In It For The Money]]'', ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' and ''[[Broadway The Hard Way]]''.		'''Politics''' are a running theme in Frank Zappa's music, as well as a recurring subject in interviews. His most political albums are ''[[Freak Out!]]'', ''[[Absolutely Free]]'', ''[[We're Only In It For The Money]]'', ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' and ''[[Broadway The Hard Way]]''.

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:28, 5 September 2021
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	'''Interviewer''': '''Perhaps many musicians simply aren't concerned with political issues.'''		'''Interviewer''': '''Perhaps many musicians simply aren't concerned with political issues.'''

−	'''Zappa''': ''"Well, I think it behooves them to have political thoughts, but let me make a definition clarification here. I say politics is the entertainment branch of industry, and government is what we need. We have a diverse population in the United States, with all kinds of different needs that have to be taken care of. That is the righteous function of government. Politics is bullshit, basically. Politics is involved with salesmanship. Government is involved with statesmanship. And I do make a distinction between those things. If you are making political statements, remember, you are not addressing the real needs of government. You're just talking about the Madison Avenue aspect. So think about that difference. Just a friendly reminder, in case somebody does decide to speak up."''- Quoted from ''[[Sample This!]]'', [[Jim Aikin]] and [[Bob Doerschuk]] for [[Keyboard]], February 1987.	+	'''Zappa''': ''"Well, I think it behooves them to have political thoughts, but let me make a definition clarification here. I say politics is the entertainment branch of industry, and government is what we need. We have a diverse population in the United States, with all kinds of different needs that have to be taken care of. That is the righteous function of government. Politics is bullshit, basically. Politics is involved with salesmanship. Government is involved with statesmanship. And I do make a distinction between those things. If you are making political statements, remember, you are not addressing the real needs of government. You're just talking about the Madison Avenue aspect. So think about that difference. Just a friendly reminder, in case somebody does decide to speak up."''- Quoted from ''[[Sample This!]]'', [[Jim Aikin]] and [https://www.facebook.com/bob.doerschuk Bob Doerschuk] for [[Keyboard]], February 1987.

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:56, 14 November 2020
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−	==Attempts of political parties to approach Zappa ~~as their endorser~~==	+	==Attempts of political parties to approach Zappa==

	The U.S. political party, ''The [[Wikipedia:Libertarian Party (United States)\|Libertarian Party]]'', approached Zappa in 1988 to seek their presidential nomination. Zappa decided that while he agreed with them on some issues, he could not endorse their entire platform, so he declined. Zappa said,<blockquote> ''"I can't really stand up and support your platform whole heartedly because some the stuff you have in here is either wrong or stupid. And, in order for me to be a candidate for your party, would they, in fact, nominate me if I couldn't be an ideologue and go the whole 9 yards."'' He added it was doubtful they would support you at the convention if you didn't just spew the whole thing. And said; ''"Well, I'm not your bot. Thanks a lot. Goodbye."'' <ref>[http://archive.is/7ypkg Frank Zappa '88, by Dave Turner].</ref></blockquote>		The U.S. political party, ''The [[Wikipedia:Libertarian Party (United States)\|Libertarian Party]]'', approached Zappa in 1988 to seek their presidential nomination. Zappa decided that while he agreed with them on some issues, he could not endorse their entire platform, so he declined. Zappa said,<blockquote> ''"I can't really stand up and support your platform whole heartedly because some the stuff you have in here is either wrong or stupid. And, in order for me to be a candidate for your party, would they, in fact, nominate me if I couldn't be an ideologue and go the whole 9 yards."'' He added it was doubtful they would support you at the convention if you didn't just spew the whole thing. And said; ''"Well, I'm not your bot. Thanks a lot. Goodbye."'' <ref>[http://archive.is/7ypkg Frank Zappa '88, by Dave Turner].</ref></blockquote>

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 ==Attempts of political parties to approach Zappa as their endorser==
-The U.S. political party, ''The [[Wikipedia:Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]]'', approached Zappa in 1988 to seek their presidential nomination.  Zappa decided that while he agreed with them on some issues, he could not endorse their entire platform, so he declined.  Zappa said,<blockquote> ''"I can't really stand up and support your platform whole heartedly because some the stuff you have in here is either wrong or stupid. And, in order for me to be a candidate for your party, would they, in fact, nominate me if I couldn't be an ideologue and go the whole 9 yards."'' He added it was doubtful they would support you at the convention if you didn't just spew the whole thing. And I said; ''"Well, I'm not your bot. Thanks a lot. Goodbye."'' <ref>[http://archive.is/7ypkg Frank Zappa '88, by Dave Turner].</ref></blockquote>
+The U.S. political party, ''The [[Wikipedia:Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]]'', approached Zappa in 1988 to seek their presidential nomination.  Zappa decided that while he agreed with them on some issues, he could not endorse their entire platform, so he declined.  Zappa said,<blockquote> ''"I can't really stand up and support your platform whole heartedly because some the stuff you have in here is either wrong or stupid. And, in order for me to be a candidate for your party, would they, in fact, nominate me if I couldn't be an ideologue and go the whole 9 yards."'' He added it was doubtful they would support you at the convention if you didn't just spew the whole thing. And said; ''"Well, I'm not your bot. Thanks a lot. Goodbye."'' <ref>[http://archive.is/7ypkg Frank Zappa '88, by Dave Turner].</ref></blockquote>
 ==Cultural Ambassador==
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 ==Presidential ambitions==
-As early as 1971, interviewed during [[Roelof Kiers]]' ''[[Frank Zappa (1971 Documentary)]]'' Zappa considered running for President, but felt having to stay in [[The White House]] for four years was something he couldn't bring himself too.
+Frank Zappa at one point considered running for U.S. President. For more information see ''[[The President]]''.
-In a 15 April 1991 radio interview with [[Charles Amirkhanian]], ''[[Ode To Gravity - Frank Zappa: World Affairs Commentator]]'', Zappa discussed the possibility of running for U.S. President and having [[John Cage]] and Noam Chomsky as cabinet members: ''"The only thing I'm worried about is that since John Cage is macro-biotic, he won't be available for the Cabinet now."''
+''" I think politics is a valid concept, but what we have today is not really politics. It's the equivalent of the high school election. It's a popularity contest. It's got nothing to do with politics – what it is is mass merchandising. I think politics is a valid concept, but what we have today is not really politics. It's the equivalent of the high school election. It's a popularity contest. It's got nothing to do with politics – what it is is mass merchandising."'' - Quoted from ''[[Frank Kofsky interviews FZ]]'', 1969.
-''"I think pop music is the new politics, and the only valid politics. A lot of the things wrong with the world today could be put right by musicians quicker than they could by politicians."'' - ''[[Frank Zappa. Reviled, Revered Mother Superior]]'', Chris Welch, [[Melody Maker]], 5 October 1968.
+''"I watch the politics in the States go by and gag over it once in a while. I get involved in it as much as I am an artist and I say what I like about the environment in which I produce my work. To get out in the street and wave a flag is a waste of time, definitely a non functional gesture. It doesn't alter any condition and if you want to be a hippy on the weekends and you want to be involved and don't have anything much to do – go to a demonstration. A lot of people misconstrued the early albums because they didn't see that I was criticizing both sides of the fence. On one hand I have ''[[Bow Tie Daddy]]'' talking about this dude who drinks and goes home in his Lincoln, and then the discussion about the flower punks. And all that album did was alienate the flower punks. I haven't dropped the social stuff. Only the blatant stuff has gone. Political social stuff can exist on a non-vocal level. In a more subtle way. I don't want to carry on doing the same thing for ever."'' - 'Quoted from ''[[It's all in self-defence]]'', Jonathan Green Friends, 22 November 1969.
 ''"Most of my songs are not political, they are sociological. It's more a bane to my existence. People said I was talking about political stuff, and the only thing that I can see is remotedly political is "[[Brown Shoes Don't Make It]]", 'cause that's about legislators."'' - ''[[Mother In Lore]]'', Patrick and Barbara Salvo, Melody Maker, 5 January 1974.
 ''"Well, I don't think politics – or the personality game of politics – really does matter. They're all working for the same company. It's hard to tell one from the other. That's just a charade. [In the 1960s] anybody who thought he had an ideal was used by the people who were supposed to be removed. Peace marches and things like that were social events more than they were real idealistic, "Hey, let's go do something" situations. You could get laid at a peace march, too. After the march, you grabbed a girl with a stinking blanket, and it was something to do. That's what it was all about. Now, you can go to a disco and do the same thing – and you don't have to smell that blanket."'' - [[Interview: Frank Zappa]], Charlene Keel, Genesis, April 1979.
 ''"Politics isn't the answer to everything. That's like the 1,000 clowns at the circus who get out of the tiny car, and you're supposed to be amazed. That's what politics is. They don't really stick their heads in the tiger's mouth. Politics is a bunch of show and blow for people who don't understand. The real decisions are not conducted at the polling place; they're conducted over a glass of Perrier in some luxurious resort where people with lots of bucks decide how they're going to chop up the world."'' - ''[[He's Only 38 and He Knows How to Nasty]]'', Clark Peterson, Relix, November 1979.
 ''I've always thought that democracy was a good idea. I've always thought that if you're going to have a political system, that's the one that's the most in phase with how people actually think and how they like to live their lives if government would leave them alone. And so I think that it's something that's worth supporting."''
 - ''[[Frank Zappa's Crusade – 25 Years And Counting]]'', Drew Wheeler, Billboard, May 1990.
 ==See also==

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-In 1991 Frank Zappa considered running for [[the President]] of the U.S. in 1992 as an independent, but his illness prevented him from pursuing that further.  Zappa wanted Ross Perot as his vice-president, and Alan Dershowitz as his attorney general.  In 1992 and 1996 Perot ran for president as an independent himself.<ref>[https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2019-07-09/that-time-frank-zappa-considered-running-for-president-with-h-ross-perot That time Frank Zappa considered running for president with H. Ross Perot as his veep].</ref>
+'''Politics''' are a running theme in Frank Zappa's music, as well as a recurring subject in interviews. His most political albums are ''[[Freak Out!]]'', ''[[Absolutely Free]]'', ''[[We're Only In It For The Money]]'', ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' and ''[[Broadway The Hard Way]]''.
-==Libertarianism==
+Zappa was known for encouraging people to register to vote and even had voter booths installed at concerts during his 1988 tour.
 ==References==
 <references/>
-[[Category:Politics]]
+[[Category:Conceptual Continuity]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:37, 8 October 2020
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−	In 1991 Frank Zappa considered running for [[the President]] of the U.S. in 1992 as an independent, but his illness prevented him from pursuing that further.<ref>[https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2019-07-09/that-time-frank-zappa-considered-running-for-president-with-h-ross-perot That time Frank Zappa considered running for president with H. Ross Perot as his veep].</ref>	+	In 1991 Frank Zappa considered running for [[the President]] of the U.S. in 1992 as an independent, but his illness prevented him from pursuing that further. Zappa wanted Ross Perot as his vice-president, and Alan Dershowitz as his attorney general. In 1992 and 1996 Perot ran for president as an independent himself.<ref>[https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2019-07-09/that-time-frank-zappa-considered-running-for-president-with-h-ross-perot That time Frank Zappa considered running for president with H. Ross Perot as his veep].</ref>

	==Libertarianism==		==Libertarianism==

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:06, 22 May 2018
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	==Libertarianism==		==Libertarianism==

−	The [[Wikipedia:Libertarian Party (United States)\|Libertarian Party]] is an American political party. They approached Zappa in 1988 about seeking their presidential nomination. Zappa decided that while he agreed with them on some issues, he could not endorse their entire platform, so he declined. Zappa said,<blockquote> "I can't really stand up and support your platform whole heartedly because some the stuff you have in here is either wrong or stupid. And, in order for me to be a candidate for your party, would they, in fact, nominate me if I couldn't be an ideologue and go the whole 9 yards." And, he said it was doubtful they would support you at the convention if you didn't just spew the whole thing. And I said; "Well, I'm not your bot. Thanks a lot. Goodbye." <ref>Frank Zappa '88 by Dave Turner ~~[http://www.afka.net/articles/1988-02_Buzz.htm~~]</ref></blockquote>	+	The [[Wikipedia:Libertarian Party (United States)\|Libertarian Party]] is an American political party. They approached Zappa in 1988 about seeking their presidential nomination. Zappa decided that while he agreed with them on some issues, he could not endorse their entire platform, so he declined. Zappa said,<blockquote> "I can't really stand up and support your platform whole heartedly because some the stuff you have in here is either wrong or stupid. And, in order for me to be a candidate for your party, would they, in fact, nominate me if I couldn't be an ideologue and go the whole 9 yards." And, he said it was doubtful they would support you at the convention if you didn't just spew the whole thing. And I said; "Well, I'm not your bot. Thanks a lot. Goodbye." <ref>[http://archive.is/7ypkg Frank Zappa '88, by Dave Turner]</ref></blockquote>