“The year that I spent with Frank was the first and only time that I’ve ever had serious instruction”: Adrian Belew reflects on his game-changing year with Frank Zappa – and what the avant-garde musician taught him about music and the business

Adrian Belew is currently touring alongside fellow electric guitar behemoth Steve Vai – as well as bass and drums extraordinaires Tony Levin and Danny Carey – under the moniker BEAT to celebrate his King Crimson catalog.

However, one of his earliest gigs was with Frank Zappa. In a story for the ages, the avant-garde musician discovered him in 1977, while Belew was playing with Sweetheart at Fanny's Bar in Nashville. What would transpire was a year that Belew has often described as a “crash course” in music theory – and to an extent, in life.

“The year that I spent with Frank was the first and only time that I’ve ever had serious instruction,” Belew tells Guitar World as he reflects on that game-changing year. “Frank was a great teacher and very generous to me. He taught me a lot of things about many different things to do with music and the business of music.”

Belew clarifies that it wasn't just about playing odd time signatures, or doing “the wild stuff within his [Zappa’s] music”.

Rather, it was a full crash course in music business – specifically, “How to behave and have a life as a professional touring musician and recording artist who goes around the world. All of those things were absolutely unknown to me.”

Playing alongside Vai, who also went through what we might call the Zappa School of Music, Belew noticed some throughlines in their approach to both music and the business.

“I think that both Steve and I agree that when you go through what Frank teaches you, you come out the other end and are truly a high-quality professional,” he reflects.

“You know that you’ve got to play things consistently and correctly, and that you can’t mess around. The main thing that Frank wanted from you was to show up at every gig in perfect shape and do the music correctly.”

In more recent Belew news, the legendary guitarist shared his carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis and how he's recovering post-surgery.

Guitar World's full interview with Adrian Belew will be published in the coming weeks.