I loved Zappa's music -- not all of it, but probably most of what I heard. He was an inspiration, too, as a composer (something I guess I dabbled in for a while...I did get a 'useless' degree in Composition, ha!). But he was inspiring for either bringing the 'popular' world into the 'classical' (or vice versa, depending on how you see it). I used to compose 'complex', avant-garde (whatEVER you want to call it) stuff for my pop music bands...we'd be playing ska in a club, with the horn section harmonized in stacked perfect fifths, or whatever, through-composed arrangements, etc. Or I'd bring the band into the concert hall, to play along with the 'orchestra.' Zappa was definitely a pioneer of that, and a major influence.

As far as the text component or sometimes political (?) messages of his went, however, he had a habit of overstatement. The most convenient analogy that comes to mind right now are the people who put up pictures of Pres. Obama with a 'Hitler' mustache. Even if I disagreed with their critique of the president, I would be open to listening to their points of view. But when you pass people on the street corner with pictures of Hitler-Obama, how can you talk to them? Likewise, Zappa's presentations were sometimes like that and, more so as I am older, I find them to be....dare I say?,,,,immature. He was great had making artistic 'connections', but sometimes I think he *abused* what he used. An opinion.

His musical ideas were of far greater interest than his texts and dramatic stuff.