A unique figure in rock history, Frank Zappa was an avant-garde composer, satirical/Dadaist lyricist, doo-wop connoisseur, uncompromisingly demanding bandleader and wicked guitarist. He may have looked like a hippie in his long hair and iconic moustache and soul patch, but Zappa was a stern anti-drug workaholic who composed musique concrète alongside Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow, releasing over 60 albums all told. Aside from this considerable impact, he even entered rock lore: a fan burned down the Montreux Casino during a Mothers of Invention show in 1971, inspiring Deep Purple to write Smoke on the Water. Zappa memorably (and eloquently) testified in Congress against music censorship and stood out as a sardonic, scathing and devoted spokesman for artistic and personal integrity. RIP Uncle Frank.