The Hot Rats Book

I ordered this knowing what it was and with no illusions that it would be the definitive be all end all making of Hot Rats. The photos were great, the story was cool, the condition the book came in was terrible. It was thrown in a box and just bouncing around loosely inside. It was filthy inside and out with black marks and smudges all over. The pages were wavy like the book suffered moisture damage. And if that wasn’t enough the book itself (not the box, just the book) reeked of what smelled like motor oil. Seriously. There was no oily substance and the box itself was fine with no signs of moisture, oil, or any of the filth that was on the book. It really did look like a used book that was not taken care of. Go figure. Apparently others have had the same issue. So I returned it and I’ll be buying it somewhere where I can look at the actual copy I’m paying for before handing over my money. I suggest you do the same.

This book is a lot different than I was expecting. I was expecting this book to be exclusively pictures, but the majority of it is a printed interview with a guy named Bill Gubbins who spent a week with Frank during the time that Hot Rats was recorded. Bill was a teenager at the time and took the photos in this book during that week, and never published them until now. At first I was a little disappointed that there weren't more photos was wondering what I just spent my money on, but as I read Bill's story and heard about his visit with Frank, I gained so much insight into Frank as a person. I've been a Zappa fan for a couple of decades now, and and I'm well acquainted with the bulk of his music, but the more I learn about him as a person, the more I am inspired by him. I feel like this is a really cool book that shows a more personal side of Frank that I wouldn't have otherwise gleaned. If you buy it only expecting lots of pictures, you'll be disappointed. But if you buy it with the intention of hearing a cool story and seeing a new side of Frank and how much he truly cared about his fans, along with some never before seen photos of him and Ian Underwood and the studios where Hot Rats was recorded, I think you'll be pleased.

The book takes you back to 1969 when Frank Zappa, only 29 himself, allows an Ohio college kid to photograph and witness much of the recording sessions of the acclaimed Hot Rats album. Written as an interview between Frank’s son Ahmet and the college kid, Bill Gubbins, fifty years after the photos were taken, the story is very compelling and works well with these never before seen images. This isn’t a deep exploration of the album, but rather an insight to the man, Frank Zappa and his effect on a star-struck journalist/fan. Highly recommended.

This was never intended to be an in depth log of everything that happened during the recording of this epic album. Sure, it would be nice to have something like that. What this is is basically a journal of one extremely lucky and articulate fan that got to spend a week in Zappa's home, BY HIS SIDE during the making of Hot Rats. He was given free access to take photographs and ask any questions he wanted. The story is fascinating and warm and gives a lot of insight into what being there was really like from a true fan's perspective, and what Frank was like as a person. What is not to like about that! We are lucky to have this account, and it is a very nice presentation. I'm very happy to add this to my collection of music books. If you have been a fan of Hot Rats for 50 years like I have, you will be happy to have it too.

I bought this used so I don’t know how new ones are but while my copy isn’t the greatest (cause again its used) I can guess that new ones are fantastic cause the one I got sent is also fantastic

If you like Frank Zappa at all, even if you didn't love this album, which, if you like Frank Zappa I don't know how you couldn't but I do understand there are some periods that people like him for another's not, Then you will love this book. I bought the CD set to go with it and when I listen to the CDs and read the book it's almost like I am back there during the recording session. This is quite exhaustive and about as complete as I think it could be. Job well done.

Yes....I have to agree that if I'd paid $40 for this I would have been angry. BUT at the new lower price ($20 - ish) it's a pretty good read, and has some cool previously unseen photos. After reading this I would say I think I can see a few of the problems that made this a bit of a "lesser" book. One would be that opportunities are missed here over and over....for example , the guy that visited Frank (now grown-up) says he interviewed Zappa and that he gave some interesting answers....BUT then NONE of the interview he did with Frank is even given ! It could have made an interesting "side bar" type of read. Another thing would have been to add in "other folks" stories about the sessions. Maybe little tid-bits from the players who are mentioned in the text ? BUT the one big thing I realized made this book a bit of strange read for me is that Ahmet (who interviews Gubbins about his Zappa visit) makes this book more about wanting to know about his dad previous to his birth! My problem with this is that as a fan of Frank Zappa ....I am not very interested in that angle of the story. I'm sure Ahmet loves the book....and his sometimes intrusive comments in the writings,...but as a Zappa fan I want the focus less on Ahmet's interest in " ...what was Dad doing?" , and more in the over all picture and feel of that era in Frank Zappa's musical career.I'm sorry Ahmet, but it may have been better if you let someone else interview this man....or at least let someone else do some of the questioning? As it is this book could have been a lot more "universal" in appeal if it's vision and scope were pulled back from it's sharp "family historical focus".This could have had some other band members and people related to the sessions interviewed to add to it story line. Even little anecdotal pieces could have broadened the focus.Buy it cheap....take it for what it is,...a picture book with Ahmet searching out his Father's past. If Ahmet only remembered that other people were going to read this too...it might have been more rewarding for us "non-family members".

I'm happy with the purchase.

A great book based on truly unique experience during the Hot Rats recording sessionsRemarkable photosA must have for any Zappa fan

Book i s excellent, but amazon packaging is very sub par and unprotective of books such this that dont have a single plastic protection.

bellissime le foto inedite! da quando l'ho ricevuto lo sfoglio quasi tutti i giorni

I ordered this and the Hot Rats Sessions simultaneously back in October 2019. Sessions arrived in January - and, to be honest, it was a bit of a disappointment (6 CDs of bits and pieces - no high resolution, no alternative album (except the one we already have), no 5.1 mix - just a stupid board game. I presumed that this would be a detailed essay on the sessions, with a few interviews sprinkled in (with surviving musicians) - there was no information at the time of the promotion. What this is is a whole bunch of photos of Frank Zappa - lying around, buying coffee, playing instruments and an almost unreadable interview with the photographer. There is NO WAY that I would have bought this book in a shop or if I could have previewed it on Amazon. Buyer beware - the Zappa trust made a mess of the Hot Rats 50th anniversary products (and I love the original album, even the 1980s reissue).