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In: Bat Chain Puller
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This is the Beefheart album very few people are going to hear unless the record and management companies involved with the Captain get moving. It sees Don Van Vliet returning to an area somewhere between ‘Trout Mask Replica’ and ‘Clear Spot’, undoubtedly his most satisfying period. Possibly to prove the claim that he created the sound of his original Magic Band, the Captain has found himself an unidentified band and – guess what! They sound just like a Magic Band. Not the Magic Band, but they go a long way to rediscovering the drive from years past. The album opens with the title track ‘BatRead More →

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In: Grow Fins, Music articles and interviews, The Dust Blows Forward, The Legendary A&M Sessions
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It takes an outsize ego to make great art. By all accounts that was the case with Don Van Vliet, a.k.a. Captain Beefheart, leader of the quintessential cockeyed rock ‘n’ roll band. Creators of perhaps the most obscure critically revered rock record of all time, 1969’s “Trout Mask Replica,” California’s Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band epitomized rock’s version of art for art’s sake. Misunderstood – even openly reviled – in its day, the band has been an inspiration for such disparate musicians as PJ Harvey, Joan Osborne, Tom Waits and the late Jeff Buckley. This month, Revenant Records, a small, meticulous reissue label inRead More →

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In: 1971 Detroit Tube Works, Grow Fins, Multimedia
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Hmmm… is this the very best surviving clip of Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band? I think it could be. Copies of this amazing footage have circulated for many years amongst collectors but the quality has not been the best. Now that Reelin In The Years have gained ownership of the film they have made it available but you have to put up with their watermark throughout … it’s definitely worth it for the superior quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUa5DcDmc48 Recorded on 15 January 1971 at WABX Studio, directed by Chuck Reti. (Incorrectly dated on the video). Available on the enhanced disc of Grow Fins but not in suchRead More →

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In: Ice Cream For Crow, Multimedia
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There was also a great promotional video for the title track of the final album, with its striking shots of  desert landscapes, Don’s paintings, tumbleweeds and the Magic Band earnestly miming with no leads connected to their guitars. Filmed on 7 August 1982 in the Mojave Desert, California. Directed by Don Van Vliet with Ken Schreiber; cinematography by Daniel Pearl (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The video, an uncommon concept at that time, was explained by Don as being a more favourable alternative to a promotional tour, leaving him free to get on with the rest of his life. Too weird for MTV at the time, itRead More →

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In: 1972 Beat Club, Multimedia, The Spotlight Kid
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For many years, a classic performance of I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby from German television show Beat Club in 1972, circulated among fans. Then in 2012 the full 29 minute performance was released on DVD by Gonzo Media as The Lost Broadcasts but very rapidly became unavailable again once more. However, some of it is available to view on YouTube; the whole band are just incredible here and it’s hard not to be dumb struck by some of the vocals: DVD track list Mascara Snake (Bass Solo) Click Clack 1 Click Clack 2 Golden Birdies Band Introductions I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby 1 I’m Gonna BooglarizeRead More →

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In: Multimedia, Safe As Milk, Telly and other filmed footage
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On 27 January 1968 Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band performed on the beach at Cannes, France, in front of the Martinez Hotel. They were in Cannes to perform at the MIDEM music festival. It was filmed for the French TV show Bouton Rouge. The videos of Electricity and Sure ‘Nuff ‘N Yes I Do are a fantastic document of a tight band on the rise: (Note: this film of Sure Nuff is in black and white – not sure why – but good quality as it’s been uploaded by Ina.fr who own the original footage. Sadly they haven’t made Electricity available.) This video ofRead More →

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In: Lyrics, Safe As Milk
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Zig zag wanderer, zig zag wanderer (rep.) You can huff, you can puff You’ll never blow my house down You can zig, you can zag Ole house gonna stay, gonna stay around (rep.) You can jump, you can holler Never lose what ah found Heaven’s free, ‘cept for a dollar You can zig, you can zag Ole house gonna stay, gonna stay around (rep.) The zig zag wanderer had a zig zag child Zig zag traveller fathered mercy mild Found his Queen in Nature’s scene Quenched his thirst where he’d never been Zig zag wanderer (rep.) You can dance, you can prance These ole timbers got strong beams HideRead More →

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In: Safe As Milk, Song notes
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In 2001 Gary Marker wrote to say the following: Zig-Zag Wanderer was a specific reference to the popular rolling papers of the same name. (“You can huff, you can puff…” doesn’t ring any faint, tinkling bells and conjure up any smoke-drenched images?) I probably read this a while back on the Beefheart newsgroup: someone was confused about the bass line on “Zig-Zag Wanderer” and wanted to know if anyone had transcribed it. Well, one of the difficulties in figuring out the bass part on that song is probably because – and if you listen carefully you can hear it fairly clearly – there are threeRead More →

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In: Lyrics, Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
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Ah you know you’re a man Yeah, she makes you understan’ Yeah, you know you’re a man Yeah, you know you’re a girl about the same time About the same time I know I’m a man, You know you’re a girl Ah, we’re starting to… Deep down in yr heart you know you’re a girl When I know I’m a man Way down deep in yr heart Way down deep in my heart I got a glow Way down deep in my heart, yer hear me? Yeah, you hear me cryin’ out to you We’re already in love When we’re starting to glow We’ve gotRead More →

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In: Lyrics, Safe As Milk
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Around the corner the wind blew back I followed the yellow brick road – It ended up at black-board black, I was taught the gift of love Smilin’ children, painted joy Sunshine bright, girl n’ boy Bag a’ tricks, n’ candy sticks Peppermint kite for m’ toy Yellow brick black-board black Keep on walkin’ n’ don’t look back I walked along happy n’ them came back, I followed the yellow brick road, Lost n’ found, I saw y’ down, alter-bound , alter-bound, I was taught the gift of love. Yellow brick road took m’ load, Sunshine girl, sunshine girl, come t’ my abode 1-2-3-4-5 miles long Know ah can’tRead More →

The Witch Doctor Life as imagined by OpenAI

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In: Ice Cream For Crow, Lyrics
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When the Witch Doctor Life throws his silent bones some are crowned kings while others lose their thrones When the Witch Doctor Life throws his silent bones small “O” mouths scream and run to Mama Kangaroo insecure pouches wherein hide beggars and drones and babies and bums and buzzards Mama crouches and smiles her old useful smile and old ego roars – laughs yesterday’s gasses while children and angels gasp and follow a shepherd on crutches When the Witch Doctor Life throws his silent bones some flee the dream some turn to stone and the children sing and the heavens ring worn by the shepherdRead More →

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In: Lyrics, Trout Mask Replica
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Wild life along with my wife I’m goin’ up on the mountain fo’ the rest uh m’ life ‘fore they take m’ life ‘fore they take m’ wild life ‘fore they take m’ wife They got m’ mother ‘n father ‘n run down all my kin Folks I know I’m next Wild life along with m’ wife I’m goin’ up on the mountain fo’ the rest uh m’ life ‘fore they take m’ wild life ‘fore they take m’ wife? wife? ‘fore they take m’ wife Wild life wild life wild life Wild life wild life wild life I’m goin’ up on the mountain alongRead More →

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In: Lyrics, The Legendary A&M Sessions
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Who do you think you’re fooling With these things you’re doing You’re gonna start a scandal burn that midnight candle Now who do you think you’re fooling Honey it ain’t me-oh, no! You’re as sweet as candy Just as cute as can be You don’t think I know it But you sure do show it Now who do you think you’re fooling Baby it ain’t me-no! You don’t understand girl you’re living in a mans world You thought you couldn’t stand me Now you try to brand me Now who do you think you’re fooling Honey it ain’t me Oh no it just ain’t meRead More →

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In: Lyrics, The Spotlight Kid
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She serves me flowers ‘n yams ‘N in the night when i’m full She brings me white jam ‘N I don’t know where I am In the meadow she brings me Like ah bee she stings me ‘N I don’t know where I am Clouds clingin’ to us ‘N the sun lookin’ through us ‘N in the night when I’m full She brings me white jam ‘N I don’t know where I am (1972) Originally made available at Justin Sherill’s Home Page Replica.Read More →

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In: Lyrics, Safe As Milk
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Where there’s truth, a green valley steams cottonwood Where there’s peace, a little cloud of music gleams brotherhood Where there’s love, I’d be a boy if I could Where there’s woman, I’d hold her when I should Where there’s woman Where there’s woman honey wine Where there’s woman lovin’ time Where there’s love, for a lover of my kind Where there’s evil, a hounds tooth bears white Where there’s good, is where I’ll be tonight Where there’s love, there burns eternal light Where there’s woman, I’ll take her without spite Where there’s woman Where there’s woman honey wine Where there’s woman lovin’ time Where there’sRead More →