Lick My Decals Off, Baby is simply not a composition which readily lends itself to being performed. So when I found Puttanesca's video of one of their Lick My Decals Off, Baby rehearsals at their MySpace page I wrote to ask them to send me all sorts of obsessively interesting details about it.

Weba Garretson, the group's vocalist, promptly responded with an an engaging account of their work on the piece and included a scan of part of the transcription they used (click on the image for a readable version).

Decals is an evolving process for us. The version on the CD is similar to the rehearsal, though it sounds quite a bit better on the CD....however the arrangement keeps evolving as we perform it. The groove section at the end "this song ain't no sing song..." has gotten longer, Joe has added another riff on the guitar and now we have tenor sax and the ending has become a jumping circus blues...

Beefheart relates to Puttanesca because we're into writing songs that use noise, dissonance and angular harmonies but are rooted in the blues....I guess you could call it the "abstract blues."I saw Beefheart when he played the Whiskey in 1981 and he's been an inspiration ever since. I loved the way he went from being an excellent blues singer into this Shammanistic character.

As far as Lick goes, it took us a while to figure it out as a group. How to count the song was the big challenge for us. Where is the one? and then the bridge section, with all it's variations of 2/4, and 6/4...we were completely confused until Joe Baiza (the guitar player) sat down and wrote the whole thing out, note by note...and then the lyrics...the way Beefheart delivers them in a voice that swings up and down...it took me a long time to figure out a way to sing in my own way. I didn't want to imitate his delivery. When I understood what he was saying, about the totality of desire "I wanna swallow you whole....everywhere it's pink..." and that the song wasn't merely salacious "this song ain't no..." I started to get a clue. There's a comical tone to his voice, but what he's saying is very serious. For me that's the key.

I think what we're really enjoying at this point is discovering the organic thread that goes through the whole song and makes the very distinct sections flow together. that's a point you can only reach by playing it over and over again. We plan to do another video soon, keep updating people on our progress. We're having fun.

Puttanesca's CD, Puttanesca, is issued on Catasonic Records. Lick My Decals Off, Baby is one of 11 tracks on the CD which combine an angular jazzy instrumental structure with Weba Garretson's rounded sexy vocals. Sample tracks can be heard at Puttanesca's MySpace page, at their website and at CDBaby.

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 9:34 PM  - 0 comments - post a comment

We received a mail from Michael Traylor about a new project which involves Mark Boston. Here it is:

Just a note to let you know that Rockette and I have been working on a studio CD with a blues artist name Roger "Hurricane" Wilson....the CD should be released some time in early summer..

Rockette played bass and I played drums and am producing the project...one notable point is that we are doing a new arrangement of Sure Nuff and Yes I Do...there is some fun material such as a version of Exodus originally recorded by the Ventures...stay tuned for updates and links to the CD when available....This is the second CD I have produced for Roger...the first, released in November 2006, is getting airplay on many independent and internet music stations in the US and including the UK and New Zealand...It is called "The Way I Am"...this CD is more acoustic where as the next will be electric...I really enjoy working with Mark and we are planning some possible concerts later in the year to debut the new CD in and around the South East United States....check out my new MySpace site and my new updated swampmonk site is almost complete with new pictures and info on upcoming projects....

I'm especially interested to note at Michael's MySpace blog that one of his upcoming projects involves slide guitarist Jimmy Ågren, who many visitors here will remember contributing to the Swedish Captain Beefheart Tribute CD which also featured Freddie Wadling on vocals.

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 9:33 PM  - 0 comments - post a comment

Shiny Beasts is a compliation of the early work of acclaimed comic book artist Rick Veitch. The title is taken from Rick's 1981 creation, Shiny Beast, which according to Stephen Bissette in his MYRANT page is more than just a nod to Captain Beefheart. Stephen describes at some length just what it is about Captain Beefheart which inspires Rick Veitch and himself. Many of us fondly remember Stephen Bissette's work Big Eyed Beans From Venus which included lettering by Rick Veitch.

Mike Lorah's interview with Rick Veitch about Shiny Beasts is available at newsarama.com. Shiny Beasts will be published in April.

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 9:32 PM  - 0 comments - post a comment

Here's a photograph of the Van Vliet Flower Group's tour waggon parked up at one of northern Englands newest music venues, the Don Van Vliet Lounge (click on the pictures for larger images).






Sadly, the Van Vliet Flower Group is a multinational wholesaler of flowers and is not yet the name of a Captain Beefheart tribute band. The Don Van Vliet Lounge is just one of a suite of rehearsal rooms named after old musicians at the newly opened Rock and Roll Circus in Leeds.

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 9:31 PM  - 1 comments - post a comment