By:
On:
In: Blog, New releases
With: 7 Comments

The Sundazed label is continuing its run of quality Beefheart with the release of a ‘definitive’ MONO version of “Safe As Milk”.  Many fans prefer the original mix of the band’s first album and this looks like THE one to pick up if you can’t afford one of the 1967 copies. The album is going to be released on 180 gram vinyl and on CD. The vinyl will have all the artwork, including the bumper sticker, that graced the original Buddah disc. There will be liner notes by David Fricke. It’s already being listed by some online sellers for pre-order although the official release dateRead More →

By:
On:
In: Blog, Books
With: 0 Comments

Bill Harkleroad’s recollections of his time with the Magic Band and Mallard – Lunar Notes written with Billy James  – has been out of print for a number of years and has commanded stupid prices on eBay. If you don’t have one, there’s now the opportunity to pick up a copy for only £9.99, thanks to the excellent Gonzo Multimedia who republished it on 22 July. (Note: This is a straight republish and doesn’t contain any new or additional material.) Check out the Radar Station review of the original publication Buy it from Gonzo Multimedia Listen to Gonzo’s phone interview with Billy JamesRead More →

Gideon Coe

By:
On:
In: Multimedia, Music
With: 0 Comments

BBC Radio 6’s Gideon Coe will be playing a Beefheart concert on his evening show Wednesday 22 May (starts 9pm BST). It’s not clear what it will be although our best guess is the 1968 Peel sessions. If you miss the show I think it should be available via the BBC 6 website – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sjs73 (Thanks to Nulsh for the heads-up)Read More →

By:
On:
In: Memorabilia
With: 3 Comments

We have mentioned the Beefheart/Zappa Commemorative box set put together around Freddy Banister’s book “There Must Be A Better Way” a few times before, and its contents have been expanded recently again. The collection now also includes a CD of Frank Zappa’s Grand Wazoo at The Oval in 1972 and a Beefheart programme from the 1972 tour, making it a total of eight Beefheart CDs, four Zappa CDs, two DVDs, one book, one programme and assorted items of memorabilia …and the price remains £49.99. For more information, please see the Rock Music Memorabilia website and/or email info@rockmusicmemorabilia.comRead More →

By:
On:
In: Music, New releases
With: 27 Comments

Zappa.com have announced their intention to release the “definitive” Trout Mask Replica in May 2013; initially on CD but with a vinyl edition “coming soon”. Available for preorder now, Zappa.com states: The Legends of Lancaster (California) converge. Two albums Produced by Frank Zappa are registered with the National Preservation Board (Library of Congress). This is one. Note: We here at UMRK determined that the TMR Master was damaged somewhere in the years of its return orbit. The Vaultmeister created almost in its entirety a new Master from our own Vault safety copies. And as if that wasn’t enough chocolate for your Sunday sundae, we hadRead More →

By:
On:
In: Mirror Man, Song notes
With: 0 Comments

Steve Brewster writes about the opening lines “Baby Percy told Elixir Sue / Listen to me baby / I’m gonna tell it to you”: Don was referring to a common product in the USA in the 1950s – Percy Medicine and their mascot “Baby Percy”. I’m sending a photo of the box for the stuff that clearly shows who Baby Percy is.Read More →

By:
On:
In: Bluejeans And Moonbeams, Lyrics
With: 1 Comment

I’ve been hoping on Monday’s Some-how’s and moon days Sundays and some days Never seen the sun days I’m trying and always And running in between Bluejeans and Moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams I’ve been working I’ve been loving Under ‘neath the moon stone sky I know there’s many thing I’ve never seen Blue Jeans and Moonbeams Mondays and moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams I’ve been hoping on Monday’s Some-how’s and moon days Sundays and some days Never seen the sun days I’m trying and always And running in between Bluejeans and Moonbeams Bluejeans and Moonbeams I’ve been working I’ve been loving Under ‘neathRead More →

By:
On:
In: Bluejeans And Moonbeams, Lyrics
With: 4 Comments

Further than we’ve gone The stars sing a song Together That only lovers can hear Come up close to me lover Under heavens beautiful cover We’re here at last Open up And let our love appear Further than we’ve gone The stars sing a song Together That only lovers can hear Come up close to me lover Under heavens beautiful cover Open up And let our love appear (1974) Kindly transcribed by Jory.Read More →

By:
On:
In: Bluejeans And Moonbeams, Lyrics
With: 6 Comments

While the city was busy We wanted to rest She deiced to drive up to Observatory Crest We just saw the concert and heard all the best We went on a ride We got outside The sand was hot She wanted to dance We went ’round and ’round at Observatory Crest Thought we saw flying saucers and all of the rest Pawns in high Spain from Observatory crest While the city was busy We wanted to rest She deiced to drive up to Observatory Crest We just saw the concert and heard all the best So the only thing to do Was to drive upRead More →

By:
On:
In: Magic Band reunion
With: 2 Comments

To celebrate the launch of the new improved Radar Station I have a couple of interviews to share with you all – one is from one of the newest Magic Band members, the other is with one of the original founder members. First up here is an interview I did with Eric Klerks at the end of 2012. Eric gives up a bit of background about himself, how he came to be in the band and what he thinks about listening to and playing Beefheart’s music. Read the interview with Eric I was particularly interested in some of Eric’s explanations of the Magic Band music in technical terms (althoughRead More →

By:
On:
In: Reunion
With: 0 Comments

If you have been lucky enough to catch any of the Magic Band reunion shows since 2009 you will have seen two new faces in the band – drummer Craig Bunch and guitarist Eric Klerks. These guys have taken on the daunting task of stepping into some big shoes and playing this complex music live to audiences of committed Beefheart fans. And if you have seen them, then like me you will know they have both acquitted themselves extraordinarily well, playing with passion, precision and commitment. I thought it was about time we found out what it was like for them being a part of the MagicRead More →

Rolled Roots Gnarled like Rakers

By:
On:
In: Art
With: 1 Comment

A new exhibition of drawings by Don Van Vliet is about to open at Galerie Michael Werner in Trebbin, Germany. The exhibition runs from 21 January 2013 until 22 March 2013 at: Galerie Michael Werner Märkisch Wilmersdorf Alte Parkstraße 3c 14959 Trebbin Tel: +49 33731 32010 Fax: +49 33731 32012 Email: galeriewerner@michaelwerner.de I’ll update this post as soon as I have more information. If you attend the exhibition, please do tell us about it!Read More →

By:
On:
In: beefheart.com
With: 29 Comments

All ready for the 72nd anniversary of Don Van Vliet’s birth, I am delighted to present an all new Radar Station website. Apart from the content (much of which has been expanded, revised and brought up to date but in essence remains the same) it’s entirely new: new design, new structure, new way of doing things. I do hope you like it. It’s been the product of about 18 months of incessant clicking whenever I have been able to around work, family and general life stuff. The new site currently contains a massive 2,610 items which perhaps helps to explain just why it’s taken meRead More →

By:
On:
In: Tenuous, Tributes
With: 3 Comments

If you’re in Portland, Oregon on Thursday 17 January take a trip out to Belmont Station “Portland’s Premier Beer Store and Bier Cafe”. In one of their regular beer tasting evenings you’ll be able to sample a Captain Beefheart Beer. Here’s how they describe it: Captain Beefheart is a collaborative brew between Jason McAdam of Burnside Brewing and Alex Ganum of Upright, both of whom can be described as meat enthusiasts. In their own words: “The idea behind Captain Beefheart was to create a complex beverage with savory flavors rooted in the kitchen. We started with a malty copper colored base and added Turkish bayRead More →

Gary Lucas and Nona Hendryx

By:
On:
In: Magic Band people, Music, Tributes
With: 4 Comments

The World of Captain Beefheart is a special concert featuring Gary Lucas with the 60 piece Metropole Orchestra performing symphonic Beefheart. Date: Sunday 17th February 2013 Venue: the main hall of Amsterdam’s Paradiso Special guest vocalist for the night is legendary Nona Hendryx (pictured below with Gary), who is also a big Beefheart fan. This event has been put together by Co de Kloet (the Dutch radio presenter who did the last lengthy interview with Don on the phone in the early 90’s). It will be broadcast live on Co’s radio show on national Dutch radio, NTR. It is also being filmed for possible broadcast. ViewRead More →

By:
On:
In: Magic Band people, Magic Band reunion, Music, Tributes
With: 39 Comments

Updated: 26 Jan 2013 Woo hoo! Yes, prepare to be booglarized again … the guys are back in the UK for another tour. So far the following dates have been set up: March 2013 1 – Concorde 2, Brighton 2 – Arts Centre, Colchester 4 – The Fleece, Bristol 5 – Robin 2, Bilston, Wolverhampton 6 – The Continental, Preston 7 – Band On The Wall, Manchester 9 – Arches, Glasgow 10 – HMV Picture House, Edinburgh 11 – The Cluny, Newcastle upon Tyne 13 – Erics, Liverpool 14 – The Duchess, York 15 – Sub89, Reading 16 – Under The Bridge, Fulham, London ForRead More →

By:
On:
In: Memorabilia, Music
With: 3 Comments

If you haven’t got a copy of the Beefheart/Zappa Commemorative box set put together around Freddy Banister’s book “There Must Be A Better Way” then there are perhaps further reasons to get a copy. Two more stealth recordings of Frank Zappa concerts have now been added to the set: 1970 Frank Zappa at the Bath Festival and 1978 Frank Zappa at the Knebworth Festival. This makes it a total of 10 CDs (7 Captain Beefheart and 3 Frank Zappa), plus the T shirt and poster which are still included … and the price remains £49.99.Read More →

By:
On:
In: By or about Don Van Vliet
With: 0 Comments

Paperback : 300 pages No publisher Published 2012 Overview by Steve Froy The title pretty much says it all about this book. This is a collection of around 40 articles, reviews and interviews about and with Don van Vliet over nearly five decades. From the 1966 ‘Great Gnome Biography’ press kit by Derek Taylor to the text of Bono’s chat on the phone with Don in 2001 (don’t let put off you though!). Originally published in music magazines, some well known and others more obscure, all of the pieces are available on this website or on others around the net but they’ve now been convenientlyRead More →

By:
On:
In: Magic Band members
With: 2 Comments

A number of musicians have played on various Beefheart albums but have not necessarily been members of the Magic Band. They have been session players brought in to provide a particular instrument or sound. Here’s a brief list of who they were, what Beefheart albums they contributed to and other albums they may have released. The Blackberries backing vocals on Clear Spot A trio of female backing vocalists for hire who seem to have been busy doing session work during the 1970s, often 2 or 3 sesions a day. The mainstay of the group was former Ikette Venetta Fields. A number of other girls wereRead More →