Frank Zappa may well be one of the most misunderstood musicians of his generation, a perceived bad boy of rock who was really just someone who created music he wanted without worrying about the perception of others.

That side of Zappa is brought into focus in “Eat That Question,” a fascinating documentary from Thorsten Schütte that allows the singer to tell his own story more than 20 years after his death from prostate cancer in 1993.

Schütte uses interviews and archive performances from Zappa that traces from his early musical endeavors (including an appearance on the Steve Allen show where he played the bicycle as a musical instrument) to his creation of the Mothers of Invention and his later foray into classical music to his constant fight with the music industry and his battle against Tipper Gore’s quest to put parental advisory stickers on records.

Everything is covered with Zappa’s own words, with the interviews showing the candor that made the artist so beloved by some and misunderstood by others. Watching “Eat That Question” it felt like Zappa was always the smartest person in the world, playing the interviewer with the same precision he played a musical instrument.

Zappa was a radical voice on and off the stage and “Eat That Question” gives fans a chance to relive his life, while perhaps providing a starting point for those unfamiliar with his life to appreciate him as well.

Starring: Frank Zappa

Directed by: Thorsten Schütte

Rating: R for language, some sexual references and brief nudity

Playing at: Belcourt Theater in Nashville (Opens Friday)

Grade: B+