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Several HUNDRED? I doubt that. Either way, he's written several hundred awful songs as well. He also has released more shitty albums than almost any artist I can think of -- 3 discs of nothing but guitar solos may just be so random, off-the-wall example, but I think it's a good indication of his quality control. Don't get me wrong, Zappa was brilliant -- but he's nowhere in the same league as Beefheart. Really, it's difficult to even compare the two.. I just think Zappa had more of a brilliance encompassing everything... album art, his movies, stage performances, etc. But when it comes down to JUST music, Beefheart is easily superior. Literally nothing sounded ANYTHING like Beefheart when he came out -- you could say the same for Zappa but I don't think he turned rock upside down like Beefheart. Beefheart is probably the most important musical composer (note that he calls his songs "compositions" and not songs) since Harry Partch.
Seriously, name a Zappa song half as brilliant as "Sheriff of Hong Kong", "1010th of the Human Totem Pole", "Suction Prints", "Steal Softly Thru Snow", "Ella Guru", "Electricity", etc etc etc etc etc... Beefheart is probably the only modern musician who is deservedly called a genius.
Either way, please don't make uninformed votes, everyone. If all you've heard is "Safe As Milk" or whatever, you don't even know what Beefheart is about.
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