Van Goo play some spiritedly excellent cover versions of various Trout Mask Replica songs. They don’t often do it live but they will be performing on Saturday 8 October at 10pm. You can find them at Freddie’s Bar, 627 5th Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn NY or get a taster on YouTube.Read More →
Gary Lucas brings his celebration of Don’s life to Montreal, Canada as part of the Pop Montreal International Music Festival. It starts at midnight on 24 September at the unlikely venue of the Cinema L’Amour. Guests include Mary Margaret O’Hara , Dan Levitin, Chloe Lum, Jonathan Cummins plus others.Read More →
Some great news just in from Sundazed Records (thanks to Andy Bean for passing it on): *LIVE RECORDING OF THE LEGENDARY AND INNOVATIVE MAGIC BAND’S 2005 REUNION! Famously forged in a cauldron of intense artistic pressure, the Magic Band emerged as a group unlike any other in popular music. Under the tenacious tutelage of Don Van Vliet, better known as Captain Beefheart, this strikingly innovative unit took their music to unexplored places, creating a musical language all their own. Throughout the band’s chaotic history with Beefheart, drummer John “Drumbo” French served as the chief translator, deciphering the Captain’s often cryptic instructions into a discernable directionRead More →
John French has just confirmed these dates for a Magic Band tour at the end of the year: Wednesday 30 November – The Scala, London Friday 2 December – Button Factory, Dublin Saturday 3 December – The Kazimier, Liverpool Sunday 4 December – All Tomorrows Parties, Minehead Monday 5 December – The Pavilion, Falmouth Wednesday 7 December – The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham Thursday 8 December – The Irish Centre, LeedsRead More →
I know there’s a few other collectors of Don’s exhibition catalogues out there. So I thought you might be interested to know that a friend of the Radar Station has decided to sell his collection on ebay. He’s just put nine catalogues up there – view the items ps: I’m happy to let you know about this because I’ll not be bidding as I have these already!Read More →
Here’s a few Beefheart bootlegs that have been sighted recently. Follow the links for the usual Radar Station overview: A Whirlpool of Korn and Meat – an incredible eight discs in two volumes of all manner of goodies – volume one – volume two Muffin Man Goes To College – a two disc set of a show from the Bongo Fury tour The Nan True’s Hole Tapes Volume 2 – the latest offering from the lads at OzitRead More →
Flowers for Summer is a group exhibition being held at the Michael Werner Gallery, 4 East 77th Street, New York, NY 10075. Starts 30 June 2011 and finishes 10 September 2011. At least one of Don’s canvases – Wrought Iron Cactus – is being shown. Other artists include: Hurvin Anderson, Georg Baselitz, James Lee Byars, Lovis Corinth, Aaron Curry, Enrico David, Peter Doig, Thomas Houseago, Jörg Immendorff, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Per Kirkeby, JeanFautrier, Lucio Fontana, Fernand Leger, Eugène Leroy, Markus Lüpertz, A.R. Penck, Francis Picabia, Pablo Picasso, Sigmar Polke, Kurt Schwitters and FélixVallotton. “With painting and sculpture, the artists in Flowers for Summer engage theRead More →
The Bowery Poetry Club in New York is the venue for another Beefheart tribute concert. Gary Lucas will be heading the event but it’s not one of his Symposium shows. This is going to be a musical tribute covering all albums from Safe As Milk to Ice Cream For Crow. It’s on Saturday 4 June, starts at 8pm and costs only $10 (all proceeds to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society). Check out the Bowery website for more details about who else will be performing. It’s also going to be streamed on the web.Read More →
Graham’s already tweeted about this but I thought I’d pull it together into the blog. Robyn Hitchcock is running round the country with a Captain Beefheart tribute … he’s performing the Clear Spot album in its entirety with his Imaginary Band. The dates and venues are: 3 June – London The Garage 4 June – Cheltenham Wychwood Festival 5 June – Bath Spiegeltent 26 June – Glastonbury Festival Hitchcock is a great Beefheart fan and you can watch an interview with him on the Wychwood Festival site where he talks about Don and his other influences. He’s already covered a few of Don’s songs inRead More →
There’s a new book just been published (in French) called Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band(s) written by Benoit Delaune. It looks at how some of the most amazing ‘free’ music ever made was produced under the most controlled of conditions. Find out moreRead More →
A previously unknown video clip of Don and the boys from 1980 has surfaced on YouTube. Sadly it’s only a very short piece but sees them ripping into Ashtray Heart in Rotterdam.Read More →
If you don’t get the chance to visit the exhibition – INK – of Victor Hayden (aka The Mascara Snake) artworks at the East Austin Art Gallery in Texas then you can get a look at some of them which are currently being sold on ebay by the gallery. Here’s the series of recent ink drawings being sold at a reasonable price and here’s some older more elaborate stuff for those with deeper pockets I blogged about this rare exhibition of Victor’s work last month.Read More →
The latest Beefheart release of dubious origin from Ozit is a double vinyl collection of live tracks from 1972 and 1973 called Translucent Fresnel … Before you waste your money read our reviewRead More →
Ant-Bee, aka Billy James, has a new cd out. It’s called Electronic Church Muzik on Barking Moondog Records and includes guest appearances from many notable musicians. Former Magic Band members Bill Harkleroad (Zoot Horn Rollo), Mark Boston (Rockette Morton) and Jimmy Carl Black (Indian Ink) all make an appearance. Other well-known names include Jan Akkerman (Focus), Peter Banks (Yes/Flash), Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth (Gong), Michael Bruce (Alice Cooper), Napoleon Murphy Brock (Zappa), Don Preston, Bunk Gardner, Buzz Gardner, Motorhead (Mothers of Invention), Moogy Klingman (Todd Rundgren’s Utopia). Check out these videos: ‘Child of the Moon’ by Ant-Bee (1997) ‘The Girl With The Stars InRead More →
Here’s a rare event … Victor Hayden, aka The Mascara Snake, has an exhibition celebrating his work from the past 30 years. There is also an opportunity for the first time to buy one of the 150 drawings he has decided to let go for $150. Venue: East Austin Art Gallery 2235 East 6th Street Unit 105 Austin, TX 78702 Date: 16 March through April 2011 The opening night event, which Victor will be attending, is on 16 March and starts at 7pm (until 12am). Beer and wine will be served. A documentary is currently being filmed about Victor at the same time. In theRead More →
It took a while for the main music mags to react to Don’s death because of their advanced editorial deadlines. Here are some of them that have produced tributes of significance: Record Collector #385 February 2011 In their ‘Not forgotten’ obituary section Kris Needs (former Zigzag editor) has written a very good piece. It is only one page but it packs a lot in The Word #96 February 2011 An eight page spread, ‘A fish out of water’, that has some good points with Mark Ellen looking at his art as well as his music but also disappoints (the David Hepworth piece) by perpetuating aRead More →
Illustration copyright: Nulsh 2011. Used with permissionRead More →
My friend Art Tripp nailed it head to toe and I just can’t say it any better. Time erased all the injustices and I am left with all the incredible lessons learned. Such a rare and tremendously creative talent. I have to say it has taken me many years to recognize how truly rare a person he was. You have to be here awhile, or at least I did, to know Don Vliet’s don’t just happen. Don’s gone but look what he left us. Don’s gone and we’re next. Bill Harkleroad 19 December 2010Read More →
In 1984 Don and I had renewed our friendship for many years in north California after we’d both left the music biz. Our homes were only about a mile apart. He came to my office periodically for chiropractic treatment, and we’d also get together frequently just for laughs. In the late 1980’s he seemed to be developing some neurological symptoms which were resistant to cure from chiropractic adjustments. I told Don and Jan that he needed a consultation with a neurologist. He refused to go, and Jan was unable to convince him. Around 1992 he and I had a falling out. As a result, IRead More →
We’re very saddened to hear that Don has passed away. He has succumbed to complications with the multiple sclerosis that he’s been suffering with for many years. Our thoughts go out to Jan. The world has lost a unique individual. Update: 11am 19/12/2010 I have been too upset to write much as yet so have just been watching all the wonderful tributes coming into our blog here and elsewhere across the web. I do hope Don, and Jan, were aware of the great love and respect in which they are held. Don’s music has been my companion since 1967. Safe As Milk changed my viewRead More →