Collecting Zappa is treacherous business, even for the die-hard fan - for the uninitiated it is on a par with sticking your head into a bucket of piranha fish.  Even his very best work, (Uncle Meat, Freak Out, Hot Rats, We're Only In It For The Money, and Weasels Ripped My Flesh, to name just a few), is replete with dreadful flaws and grandiose missteps.  The best rule of thumb is to seek out the earlier material, steer towards the more musically oriented work, and avoid the infantile humor and curmudgeon-ish political rants.  This is harder than it sounds.