“It felt like he was running from something,” Zappa would remember. But his was not a race against an opponent. He was determined to stay ahead of the thing that pursued him, the echo of dismissal and underestimation, as if the mediocrity he must outdistance were his own.

Bill and I had always talked about how life is just a ride. If you really believe that, then death shouldn’t be seen as an awful thing.

Undertow a study in contradiction, a balance of heavy metal and soft cadence, a lyrical paradox that not only demanded attention but invited participation.

the imperative to fearlessly face both joy and sorrow in order to transform personal pain into healing and enlightenment.

I’m hoping that I’m not out here for nothing. You’re looking for acceptance in whatever form it might take, whether it’s a young German lady smiling at you, or some guy who’s excited because a song blew his mind, or an older dude who came to the show with his younger brother. You didn’t expect he’d like this music, but somehow it resonated with

once you understand the nature of nature, you can let go of difficulties and sign on for the ride—knowing that it’s just a ride.

I’d learned that night that if you’re professional, if you mean it, it doesn’t matter if there’s five people in the audience or 500,000, they’ll feel it. That honesty translates.

Our actions weren’t directed at anybody in particular. But we’d been so beaten down, and finally there was light.

Maynard’s scream rose that night with new intensity, a deeper sincerity born of elation and triumph. His was a cry of retaliation for a lifetime of misunderstanding—a wall of defiance against hurdles that might lie ahead. And his strong, sure song continued into the first gray dawn of the New Year.