In addition to his work with the Mothers (and the various incarnations therein), Zappa produced a number of albums destined to deviate from the norm. Whether it was warped girl group the GTO's, or savant naif Wild Man Fischer, or his early mentoring of Alice Cooper, Zappa attempted to push the artists into uncharted territory.

Though his outside production list is relatively slight, it can be argued that Zappa's affect on modern music (a term he seemingly despised) came via his work as an artist. While Freak Out! introduced the world to Zappa's vision, he was never content to stay rooted in one musical genre for very long. Throughout his life Zappa remained true to the notion that music is a gift, and it was his responsibility as an artist to manifest that gift wherever the muse led him.

Zappa, who eschewed drugs and alcohol, but who was a lifelong smoker, died of prostate cancer December 4, 1993. He is survived by his wife, Gail, and four children including the guitarist Dweezil, and actress Moon Unit (who performed vocals on Zappa's only Top 40 hit, "Valley Girl"). Zappa was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in '95.

Virtually all of Zappa's music has been digitally remastered for CD and is available through Rykodisc, or through the official Zappa Family Trust website.

Below is a discussion of Zappa's early career and his first records, produced by the great Tom Wilson:

David Anderle was a young talent scout for MGM/Verve in Los Angeles in 1965. Frank Zappa and the Mothers performed a heady mixture of psychedelic blues rock, twisted doo wop, art noise, social commentary, and potty humor in a zone where irony twisted back on itself in an endless loop of inscrutable intentions. Anderle saw the Mothers at the Red Velvet club and was smitten. He was having a hard time getting anyone at the label to take Zappa seriously when Wilson was hired as head of East Coast A&R.

Anderle coaxed Wilson out from New York to see the band, and to Anderle's amazement, Wilson "got them" right away and the band was signed, launching the careers of both Zappa and Anderle.

Zappa has declared his allegiance to Wilson. "Tom Wilson was a great guy. He had vision, you know? And he really stood by us...I remember the first thing that we recorded was 'Any Way the Wind Blows,' and that was okay. Then we did 'Who Are the Brain Police?' and I saw him through the glass and he was on the phone immediately to New York going, 'I don't know!' Trying to break it to 'em easy, I guess."

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