According to Gary Lucas in a 1996 interview for Seconds magazine, Frank Zappa and Don Van Vliet's last meeting was embarassing and distressing. Frank owned the rights to Bat Chain Puller, tracks from which Don wanted to use on Ice Cream for Crow. After some fruitless negotiation Don and Gary decided to confront Zappa face-to-face and ask for the use of the material. Zappa refused, saying, "Unless you buy all the masters back from me, it's not worth it for me to split up the set. It won't be worth that much out there in Beefheart-land."

Frank Zappa is generally acknowledged to have been a shrewd businessman and none of Captain Beefheart's Bat Chain Puller has yet been released. Nor has even more Captain Beefheart material which some people suspect is contained in the famous Zappa vaults. It is now, of course, to Frank Zappa's widow that any question of permissions should be addressed and anyone having anything to do with Frank Zappa's music is aware of this.

It is strange then, that when on Saturday a street in Berlin was renamed after Frank Zappa, the organisers of the accompanying festivities were in receipt of a letter from lawyers representing Mrs Zappa. Somehow it had escaped the organisers attention that there were protocols to be followed in dealing with the widow of a famous composer, as Ed Mann, former Frank Zappa stalwart, explained to Kill Ugly Radio.

I am told that the celebration of the street-naming was, however, a great success.

Photograph of Frank Zappa Strasse sign © Peter Laskie 2007

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 6:09 PM  - 4 comments - post a comment

Paris Hilton & Captain Beefheart, a new record by Knights of Infinite Resignation was released this week on the Next Best Records label.

The record was inspired by this picture of Paris Hilton holding a copy of Trout Mask Replica. You may remember that about a year ago we mentioned the picture here. Since that time the image has been reproduced at countless websites and blogs. Screenshots of some of these reproductions were even used in a video.

The photograph has been a source of much wonder and speculation, astonishment and disbelief, and not least mirth and dismay. Could Paris Hilton, icon of everything shallow, really appreciate the complexities of Trout Mask Replica? For some fanatics Captain Beefheart's iconic album is at the opposite end of the musical and cultural spectrum from Paris Hilton's world. "Cognitive dissonance" and "cultural juxtaposition" are just two of the less rude comments which have been applied to the image.

Knights of Infinite Resignation have taken this high art/low tart idea and turned it into a song of frustrated love and cultural reconciliation. In a pastiche of Jan & Dean, the lyrics tell of the admiration of an indie-music loving teenage boy for his unattainable schoolmate Paris Hilton. They leave school and go their very different ways, until one night the narrator comes across Paris guest-DJ-ing in a pretentious bar. "You put Trout Mask Replica on, the paparazzi was dismayed, and you've been blowing minds to this day."

Although the singer on this record is no Jan or Dean the songs hook is more than equal to the best of surf music . The chorus line, "Paris Hilton and Captain Beefheart" is so catchy and is used so humourously that once heard it is very hard to shake off. This might just make the record essential listening for more than Captain Beefheart (or Paris Hilton) trivialists.


Another self-penned song completes the release which is downloadable from your local digital retailer. A cover of Pere Ubu's Ice Cream Truck is included on the CD.

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 12:36 PM  - 0 comments - post a comment

A number of Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa albums and CDs have been donated for a charity raffle and signed by some of the musicians who recorded them. The raffle is in aid of the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF).

Kitty Tripp, organiser of the raffle, says that among those who have donated so far are John French (Drumbo), Mark Boston (Rockette Morton), Cal Schenkel, Bill Harkleroad (Zoot Horn Rollo), Denny Walley, Roy Estrada (Orejón), Jimmy Carl Black, Ed Mann and, of course, Art Tripp (Ed Marimba himself).

There is no quality grading of the items to be won, so expect vinyl to be well played and CDs to have been opened for signing. Tickets cost $5.00 each and can be bought through PayPal. The draw takes place on August 25 at Satori in Mobile , AL . Ticket holders are invited to attend. Winners who cannot be present will be sent their prizes.

Full details are at satoriarf's myspace page.

Updated 31 July to show a signed vinyl Clear Spot. Click on the image for details.

Posted by derek@beefheart.com at 7:14 PM  - 3 comments - post a comment