Frank Zappa Similar Artists

Captain Beefheart - 60% match to Frank Zappa

King Crimson - 48% match to Frank Zappa

Arguably progressive rock’s definitive exponents, King Crimson was formed in January 1969 out of the ashes of the eccentric Giles, Giles And Fripp. Robert Fripp (16 May 1946, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England; guitar) and Mike Giles (b. 1 March 1942, Bournemouth, Dorset, England; drums) were joined by Ian McDonald (b. 25 June 1946, London, England; keyboards), before fo Read more

Gentle Giant - 41% match to Frank Zappa

Formed in 1969 by the Shulman brothers; Derek (11 February 1947, Glasgow, Scotland; vocals/guitar/bass), Ray (b. 3 December 1949, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England; vocals/bass/violin) and Phil (b. 27 August 1937, Glasgow, Scotland; saxophone), on the collapse of their previous group, Simon Dupree And The Big Sound. Kerry Minnear (b. 2 January 1948, Shaftesbury, Dorset, England Read more

Gong - 41% match to Frank Zappa

Although not officially applied to a group until 1971, the name Gong had already appeared on several projects undertaken by guitarist Daevid Allen (Christopher David Allen, 13 January 1938, Melbourne, Australia), a founder member of the Soft Machine. After relocating to Paris, Allen recorded two idiosyncratic albums before establishing this anarchic, experimental ensemble. G Read more

Soft Machine - 41% match to Frank Zappa

Founded in 1966, the original line-up was Robert Wyatt (Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945, Bristol, England; drums/vocals), Kevin Ayers (b. 16 August 1944, Herne Bay, Kent, England; vocals), Daevid Allen (b. 13 January 1938, Melbourne, Australia), Mike Ratledge and, very briefly, guitarist Larry Nolan. By autumn 1967 the classic line-up of the Soft Machine’s art-r Read more

Henry Cow - 40% match to Frank Zappa

This uncompromising left-field rock band was formed in 1968 at Cambridge University, England by Fred Frith (17 February 1949, Heathfield, East Sussex, England; guitar, violin, piano, voice) and Chris Cutler (b. 4 January 1947, Washington, DC, USA; drums, piano, voice). Tim Hodgkinson (b. 1 May 1949, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; keyboards, alto saxophone, clarinet, voice), Read more

Magma - 39% match to Frank Zappa

Atomic Rooster - 38% match to Frank Zappa

Formed in 1969 at the height of the UK progressive rock boom, the original Atomic Rooster line-up comprised Vincent Crane (21 May 1943, Reading, Berkshire, England, d. 14 February 1989; organ), Nick Graham (bass) and Carl Palmer (b. Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer, 20 March 1950, Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, England; drums). Crane and Palmer had just departed from th Read more

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - 38% match to Frank Zappa

One the most prominent supergroups of the early 70s, ELP comprised Keith Emerson (2 November 1944, Todmorden, Lancashire, England; keyboards), Greg Lake (b. 10 November 1947, Poole, Dorset, England; vocals/bass) and Carl Palmer (b. Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer, 20 March 1950, Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, England; drums). Formerly, the super-trio were, respectivel Read more

Van der Graaf Generator - 38% match to Frank Zappa

This UK rock band’s name was suggested by its first drummer Christopher John Judge Smith who, with keyboard player Nick Pearne (sometimes credited as Peame) and songwriter Peter Hammill (5 November 1948, Ealing, London, England; vocals/guitar), formed the band at Manchester University, England, in 1967. The name was intended as a tribute to the late American physicist R Read more

Dweezil Zappa - 36% match to Frank Zappa

5 September 1969, Hollywood, California, USA. Dweezil is the son of the legendary Frank Zappa. However, it was not his father’s guitar playing that prompted Dweezil to form a band, but Eddie Van Halen. Unfortunately, this obsession led to an almost direct copy of his hero’s style, right down to wielding identical guitars and dressing the same. However, Dweezil stil Read more

Jethro Tull - 36% match to Frank Zappa

Jethro Tull was formed in Luton, England, in 1967 when Ian Anderson (10 August 1947, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland; vocals, flute, piano) and Glenn Cornick (b. 23 April 1947, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England; bass), members of a visiting Blackpool blues group, John Evan’s Smash, became acquainted with Mick Abrahams (b. 7 April 1943, Luton, Bedfordshire, England; guitar Read more

Mahavishnu Orchestra - 33% match to Frank Zappa

Led by guitarist John McLaughlin (4 January 1942, Yorkshire, England), between 1972 and 1976 the Mahavishnu Orchestra played a leading part in the creation of jazz rock fusion music. Mahavishnu was the name given to McLaughlin by his Hindu guru Snr i Chimnoy, and the unit’s early work showed the influence of Indian ragas. The first line-up included several musicians who Read more

Caravan - 31% match to Frank Zappa

Formed in Canterbury, England, in 1968, Caravan evolved from the Wilde Flowers, a seminal local attraction that had included Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers and Hugh Hopper, all later of the Soft Machine. Pye Hastings (21 January 1947, Tomnavoulin, Bamffshire, Scotland; guitar, vocals), Jimmy Hastings (flute), David Sinclair (b. 24 November 1947, Herne Bay, Kent, England; keyboard Read more

Yes - 31% match to Frank Zappa

During the progressive music boom of the early 70s, Yes were rivalled only by Emerson Lake And Palmer and Genesis for a brand of classical-laced rock that was initially refreshing and innovative. They evolved into a huge stadium attraction and enjoyed phenomenal success until punk and new wave came along in 1977 and swept them aside. After regrouping in the 80s, the band weathe Read more