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Update: 15 Oct 2015 It was touch and go there for a while with this project going right to the wire but it’s good to see that it has been fully funded. Great work from all the fans who contributed! ——————————————————- With one Indiegogo crowdfunding project successfully completed the band have set up another one! This time it’s for another DVD called Singing Through You which is a recording of the 2013 show at London’s Under The Bridge. A fine venue and by all accounts a very fine show. The release of this on DVD has been talked about for a while now, and hopefully itRead More →

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Updated: 3 Sept 2015 Great news – after only 4 days this has already reached its target! ——————————————————- John French has started a crowdfunding project on Indiegogo to finance the release of The Magic Band’s latest DVD. Called Magnetic Draw this is a two disc set which includes, on one disc the concert performed at “The Engine Shed” Lincoln, UK on 23 May 2014, and on the other interviews with all the band members. All monies raised will go to the production of the DVD, and more importantly all profits will go directly to all the Magic Band members who have taken part. Here’s  a chance for allRead More →

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Regular visitors to the old Radar Station will remember the fairly large bootleg section we had and have probably been wondering what happened to it. Well, it fell through the cracks during the move… I’ve been rummaging around and have redone all the information we used to have. I’ve updated it, added new entries and some new images. I’ve also created a new A-Z listing to make it easier for you to track down a particular item. All the Beefheart and the Zappa/Beefheart bootlegs are now listed in one place plus the section has been renamed “Unofficial releases” to include all those ‘grey area’ releases thatRead More →

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The Mystery Man from The Magic Band. Yes, indeed, here’s something to look forward to. Due to be published around 8 June Beefheart’s co-songwriter, Herb Bermann tells his story about the songs and how they came to be written. It also includes an introduction from John French and an interview with Herb conducted by the Radar Station’s former newshound Derek Laskie. Available from the publisher and I have been told that they will only be selling one copy per person. Published by Brass Tacks Press, this is what they have to say about the book: THE MYSTERY MAN FROM THE MAGIC BAND: Captain Beefheart collaborator’sRead More →

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Catching up on three remastered CDs and a couple of vinyl boots. The Japanese seem to follow their own odd agenda of releasing Beefheart albums. However, when they do it’s usually worth checking out, especially when they remaster anything. And that’s what we have here. Lick My Decals Off, Baby At the back of 2014 (yes, I know, but I’ve only just got hold of a copy) they released a remastered version of ‘Lick My Decals Off, Baby‘. It’s packaged in a jewel case with booklet containing lyrics in English and Japanese. It has been remastered by Ryuichi Tanaka (Mixer’s Lab) at Warner Music Mastering. This isRead More →

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Here are two recent interviews with John ‘Drumbo’ French which are worth checking out. The first can be found at the No Apologies Blog, a Christian oriented blog: https://noapologiesallowed.wordpress.com/2015/02/19/naa-interview-with-john-drumbo-french-the-beefheart-drummer/ This is a text interview where John mainly talks about his Christian faith. However there is plenty of other stuff to keep the Beefheart fan interested. (Thanks to Joshua for contacting the Radar Station about his interview with John). The second interview is a 30 minute audio piece at The Trap Set which focuses on talking to drummers. “Joe Wong talks to John “Drumbo” French about blazing a singular path with Captain Beefheart, slipping under theRead More →

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Album reviews and Magic Band interviews 90 pages A5 Publication Wisdom Twins Books 2015 Printed to order for each customer Publicity blurb: A 90 page album guide to the music of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, with words from Art Tripp, John Drumbo French, Robert Williams, Zoot Horn Rollo, Cliff Martinez and others. Radar Station Overview: As the title so succinctly puts it this is a book of Beefheart album reviews and Magic Band interviews. A fairly slim volume at only 90 pages it keeps to the point and avoids pretentious waffling. As the author says in his introduction “I haven’t gone to writeRead More →

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The third in the series of live shows released by Gonzo Multimedia. Song List 1. Suction Prints 2. Low Yo Yo Stuff 3. Nowadays and 4. Woman’s Gotta Hit a Man 5. Abba Zabba 6. Band Intro 7. Sugar ‘n’ Spikes 8. Peon 9. I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby 10. Old Black Snake 11. Alice in Blunderland 12. I’m a King/Sugar Mama 13. Mirror Man 14. Big Eyed Beans from Venus 15. Golden Birdies The Radar Station Overview This is the third in Gonzo’s releases in their series “Somewhere Over…” or “Live From…”series . They can’t seem to make their mind up which one to go with so have used both – one onRead More →

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Sun Zoom Spark has been one of the most anticipated Beefheart releases for a long time. Subsequently it which has a lot of expectations to live up to. It has certainly created some controversy amongst fans which has rebounded unfavourably on Rhino. Here’s what we think of it at the Radar Station: Read the Sun Zoom Spark: 1970 to 1972 reviewRead More →

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A 2 CD set of the excellent show at the Le Nouvel Hippodrome, Paris in 1977. Song List Disk 1 1 Hair Pie: Bake III 2 Suction Prints 3 Low Yo Yo Stuff 4 Bat Chain Puller 5 I Wanna Fina A Woman That ‘ll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have To Go 6 Abba Zaba 7 Dali’s Car 8 One Nest Rolls After Another 9 The Dust Blows Forward and the Dust Blows Back 10 Nowadays a Woman’s Got To Hit A Man 11 Click Clack 12 Grow Fins 13 Golden Birdies Disk 2 1 Electricity 2 A Carrot Is As Close AsRead More →

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Warners have been digging in their archives and are about to release a FOUR disc collection on the Rhino label – ‘Sun Zoom Spark: 1970 to 1972‘. Due for release on 11 November 2014 this set will include remastered versions of ‘Lick My Decals Off, Baby‘, ‘The Spotlight Kid‘ and ‘Clear Spot‘ (but with no bonus tracks). The fourth disc is a collection of fourteen outtakes which have not been previously released legitimately. These are the outtakes: 01 Alice in Blunderland (Alternate Version) 02 Harry Irene 03 I Can’t Do This Unless I Can Do This/Seam Crooked Sam 04 Pompadour Swamp/Suction Prints 05 The Witch Doctor LifeRead More →

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Four new tracks released online. It’s been a while since Bill Harkleroad released any new music. Not since 2001, in fact, when We Saw A Bozo Under The Sea was issued. He has just resurfaced, along with a revamp of his website, with four new instrumental tracks each one based on a mask sculpture by Roger Evers. An interesting concept! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The Radar Station asked Bill a few questions about this new music: Can you tell us some more about the masks and the artist who created them?Read More →

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The full Avalon 1966 concert available for the first time. Song List The Avalon Ballroom, 1966 1. Down In The Bottom 2. Don’t Start Me To Talkin’ 3. The Sun Is Shining 4. Tupelo 5. Somebody In My Home 6. Old Folks’ Boogie 7. St. James Infirmary 8. Evil (Is Going On) 9. Harp Instrumental Radio Station, 1967 10. Somebody In My Home 11. Sure ‘Nuff ‘n’ Yes I Do 12. Call On Me 13. Yellow Brick Road 14. Plastic Factory 15. Sure ‘Nuff ‘n’ Yes I Do 16. Yellow Brick Road 17. Abba Zaba 18. Kandy Korn Notes Publicity blurb: Captain Beefheart & HisRead More →

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Here’s something special for you all. The first full length interview with one of the original Magic Band members, bass player Jerry Handley. Jerry has been very generous with his time to answer a whole heap of questions I asked him plus he sent me some previously unseen photographs of the early Magic Band to be included with the interview. So what are you waiting for? Read the interviewRead More →

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Okay, so why am I reviewing a book about Jeff Buckley here on the Radar Station? Well, it’s written by Gary Lucas who had, and still continues to have, a big part to play in the music of Don Van Vliet, and I think, should interest a lot of Beefheart fans. Jawbone Press : London 2013 Paperback 318 pages 22 Illustrations Originally published in Italy in Italian this is an updated English version of Gary’s story of his “time with Jeff Buckley”, in which he wants to correct the many previously published errors about their relationship and to counter the attempts at airbrushing him outRead More →

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This isn’t a review of this recent release by Chrome Dreams this is a warning. It’s not a new documentary about the relationship between Don and Frank it’s just a repackaging of the two previous titles “Under Review” and “From Straight to Bizarre” although there is nothing to tell you that on the new package or on the Chrome Dreams website. So if you already have these two DVDs don’t bother wasting money on this release, the new packaging is the only thing new about it. The card box opens up to reveal copies of the earlier DVDs in their original packaging. It smacks ofRead More →

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The Magic Band are now touring the UK and are playing a date in Germany see their site for links to buy tickets. 25 May 2014 Newcastle Upon Tyne – The Cluny 27 May 2014 Leeds – Brudenell Social Club 29 May 2014 Manchester – Band On The Wall 30 May 2014 Liverpool – Eric’s 31 May 2014 Aldershot – West End Centre 01 June 2014 Brighton – The Haunt 03 June 2014 Colchester – Colchester Arts Centre 05 June 2014 Bristol – The Fleece 06 June 2014 Hertford – Hertford Corn Exchange 07 June 2014 London – The Garage 08 June 2014 Tanworth InRead More →

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It’s almost 40 years since Don played the Troubadour in Los Angeles… and far too long since the Magic Band have played in the US. At long last a venue has had the commonsense to book the band so some of our American cousins can see what they’ve been missing. The date of the show is Monday 7th April. Find out more on the Troubadour’s Facebook page for the gig.Read More →

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Gary Lucas brings his Captain Beefheart Symposium to Mexico City on Sunday 1 December 2013 It takes place in the big public park at the Casa Del Lago at 1pm. During the symposium Gary Lucas will show rare archival footage of the band, spin unreleased tracks, project slides of Van Vliet’s paintings and drawings, discuss the history of the group and many of the great musicians who came through the ranks of The Magic Band, and illustrate Van Vliet’s quirky and idiosyncratic methodologies and techniques with a live solo guitar performance. More information is available at Gary Lucas’s website.Read More →