There’s so many things to feel and see while you’re awake…

Don Van Vliet / Captain BeefheartCombining elements of free jazz, blues and rock, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band produced what is commonly regarded by critics and fans as one of rock’s few truly original bodies of work.

Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) retired from the music industry after 1982’s Ice Cream For Crow album to concentrate on his primary love – paint.

The Radar Station is a purely fan-run site which aims to document every twist and turn in the tale of this unique individual.

Header photograph copyright Anton Corbijn, used with kind permission.

Don Van Vliet: 1941-2010 – tributes and fond farewells

Recent blog posts

By:
On:
In: Audio interviews, Blog, Magic Band people
With: 0 Comments

Gregg Brendian celebrates his 100th Progcast with a special interview with both Bill Harkleroad and Art Tripp. As well as a fascinating discussion of life in the Magic Band and Mallard there’s also some interesting excursions into the world of avant garde music in general. A great listen. Related posts: 2023 : My Back Pages interview with Bill Harkleroad 1999 : Bill Harkleroad interview 2020 : The ProgCast interview with Zoot Horn Rollo Bill Harkleroad writes about DonRead More →

By:
On:
In: Blog, Magic Band people
With: 0 Comments

The Mosae Zappa – Overnight Sensation – event celebrating the music and life of Frank Zappa is taking place over the next weekend – Friday 24th – Sunday 26th November – at various venues across Landgraaf-Heerlen in the Netherlands. Special guest for Saturday 25th November is the ever busy Gary Lucas who will be performing at De Oefenbunker. Gary promises a set full of Beefheart music as well as showing scans of his art. Visit the Mosae Zappa website   Related posts: Gary Lucas UK Tour 2018 Gary Lucas Beefheart Tribute on Facebook Gary Lucas article about Don and Frank Gary Lucas’s Pandemic Tribute toRead More →

By:
On:
In: Blog, Tributes
With: 1 Comment

Bury Art Museum & Sculpture Gallery are hosting an unusual Beefheart related exhibition from 11th November 2023 to 17th February 2024 called Rooms to Live. Rooms to Live is a collaborative piece by artists Derek Tyman and Andy Webster centred around two interrelated sculptural installations – Trout House Replica and So the Red Rose. As the name suggests, Trout House Replica recreates the interior of the Los Angeles Woodland Hills house where Beefheart dictated his legendary Trout Mask Replica album to the long suffering Magic Band. This space is being used throughout the exhibition as a performance space for musicians. As well as live performancesRead More →