Henry Kaiser has put together this video tribute for Elliot featuring some solo guitar inspired by Elliot’s time in the Magic Band and a group version of Alice in Blunderland originally performed in 1995. The video also includes contributions from Scott Colby, Max Kutner plus Jimmy and Morgan Agren.Read More →
Here at the Radar Station we were saddened to learn of the death of Elliot Ingber on 21st January, he was 83. This is Don’s simple but expressive sketch of ‘Mean E’ taken from the cover of The Spotlight Kid album also included this poetic sketch, also by Don : No B.O. for this boy it’s like a winged eel fingerling crawling thru lime jello it’s like chrome black eyebrow rolled out real long a paper brow magnifying glass fried brown, edge scorched, yoked like a squeak from a speaker behind forehead of the time, licorice schtick open tube of valuable JuJuBees. Our short tributeRead More →
Back in October of 1971, I went to see Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band at the Gymnasium at Tuft’s University in Medford, Mass. This gig was shortly prior to the early 1972 release of their THE SPOTLIGHT KID album. I was 19 years old and I had seen earlier incarnations The Magic Band of going back to 1967. I had all the Beefheart albums in my record collection, and I knew all the songs. Something was different at this show; there were new songs and there were unprecedented improvised blues-rock guitar solos on many of the tunes – from a guy with long hairRead More →
“The Winged Eel slithers on the heels of today’s children” —Don Van Vliet, Beatle Bones ’N’ Smokin’ Stones Elliot Ingber (or Winged Eel Fingerling as he was a known during his time with Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band) has the distinction of being one of the only of the celebrated guitarists who passed through the ranks of The Magic Band to enjoy total freedom—free reign, as it were– to improvise long psychedelic guitar solos by Don Van Vliet — a band leader notorious for insisting that his musicians pretty much stick to the notes and forms laid down in their marathon rehearsals. Elliot is probablyRead More →
My perspective will be different than most who knew Elliot as was in the band for just a few weeks in 1975, the Knebworth band, Soundstage Show public television and the Roxy, Hollywood. I also did some recorded jams with Beefheart, Jimmy Carl Black, Elliot and myself. He was a serious guy. He worked hard on his guitar parts to be exact. I sometimes switched back and forth between guitar parts from the albums. Elliot never complained about having to then switch his guitar parts. One night I stayed at Elliot’s home. He had a lot of dental floss strands draped over a door knob,Read More →
Sad news today: Elliot Ingber just passed away. I first met Elliot a few days after Ry Cooder quit the band in June of 1967 after the Mt. Tamalpais Fantasy Fair incident. Don Van Vliet and I went to the famous “Log Cabin” on Laurel Canyon Blvd. There was a party going on, but we went into a room there that I think was Miss Christine’s room. It was filled with amps and drums, and a guy who looked a great deal like King Neptune was playing lead. Don and Elliot were already acquainted, apparently. The band was “Fraternity of Man.” Elliot asked Don toRead More →
Elliot the wonderful hipster!!…. He became a respite from “ THE HOUSE” for me and because it was just us working on the tunes we would go off into blues land. Those were the best moments for me because he was in his element. One time we were rooming together in Manhattan and we had the window open, he asked me “what key is New York in?” I told him definitely F# … with a long pause I added “minor” … he was thrilled! I had so many funny times with him. We hadn’t connected for many years and a few years back we hadRead More →
I’ve had the thrill of hanging out with various affable weirdo geniuses from the Magic Band over the decades, but the strangest meet-up was a dozen years ago with Elliot Ingber. Guitarist pal Henry Kaiser was visiting L.A., and he invited me to tag along for a super-secret clandestine rendezvous with Winged Eel Fingerling himself. (Henry had first seen Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band perform in 1971, and Elliot’s searing guitar solos were so galvanizing that the next day Henry bought his first guitar and changed his life. You can hear Henry’s band Monster Island play “Alice in Blunderland” on a 1976 7-incher.) AccordingRead More →
Vic was the band’s drummer during 1965 taking over from Paul Blakely playing with them locally as well as in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Hawaii. Vic told the Radar Station : I went on active duty on 28 December, 1965. When I was in ‘Nam, I was a Commissioned Officer, a Second Lieutenant, a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer of the 297 th. Transportation Company in Nha Trang in 1966. He can be heard on the demo of Call On Me released on the Grow Fins compilation. Vic says he wrote the music for that song but didn’t get the credit when it wasRead More →
If you don’t already have a copy of John French’s (almost) definitive book, Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic, then here’s your chance as The Last Music Company are reprinting it. An essential read for any fan of Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band. It will be available from 23 April 2021 in Europe and from 2 September in the US in hardback and digital formats. If you having any doubts about getting a copy then read my review of it here : Review of Through The Eyes Of Magic Alongside the book they are also releasing a limited edition vinyl version of John’s excellentRead More →
Thanks to Kitty Marimba we’re able to get a look inside Art’s Magic Band Scrapbook. Well, it was actually Art’s mother, Jay, who took most of the photographs and put them in an album but it’s now in Art’s possession. Jay herself does appear in a couple of the photographs. I have done what I can to tidy up the scans and to enhance the faded colours of the original photographs. However, they are what they are … but it’s a rare glimpse of life on the road with the Magic Band during 1971 and 1972 … I hope you enjoy them. To fit themRead More →
The Radar Station is pleased to present this fascinating article by Art Tripp, aka Ed Marimba, aka Ted Cactus, drummer and percussionist for both Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and Beefheart’s Magic Band. Here he gives his take on what it was like to work for both these very different musical geniuses. Thanks to Kitty Marimba for helping to make this happen. ————————————————————————————— Zappa vs. Beefheart: What Were They Really Like? by Art Tripp “Hi, Art, this is Dick Kunc here. I was telling Frank about you, and we’re wondering if you could come down to Apostolic Studios on Friday?” “Sure, Dick. What should I bring:Read More →
“That’s right, The Mascara Snake!” The Radar Station was saddened to hear that Victor Hayden (aka The Mascara Snake) had died on 7th December 2018. His death was announced by Pamela Des Barres on her Facebook page. She had known Victor since high school and called him her ‘soulmate’. In recent years she had acted as agent for his artwork. However, she gave no details about the cause of his death but Steve Brewster contacted us to tell us the tragic news that Victor had been hit by a van ten days ago and never recovered. Victor was Don Van Vliet’s cousin. During the lateRead More →
Around July 2017 John French was invited to take part in the Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta in October to celebrate the music of Captain Beefheart with a collection of local musicians. This was an exciting opportunity for John to not only perform in the US but also to present some of Don’s songs with an extended band, horns, back-up singers and even a concert level theremin player! The Radar Station was unable to attend the show but we know someone who did and he has sent us this review of the event. Review by Patrick Grant Threadgill’s is a bar/restaurant/music venue in Austin, Texas havingRead More →
Back in 1964 when Alex Snouffer was looking to start up the band that would ultimately become Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band the first person he contacted and asked to join him was Jerry Handley. They had already had some experience of playing together, enjoyed the same blues-based music and got on well together. Jerry was to become the bass player. He played on all the early singles plus the “Safe As Milk”, “Strictly Personal” and “Mirror Man” albums. By all accounts he was an easy going and modest kind of guy (still is, in fact!) Incredibly Jerry has never been interviewed before … unlessRead More →
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 →
Robert was still in high school when he first met Don and became his roadie for a week in Boston during the Tragic Band days. At one particular club they played Dr John was auditioning drummers and Robert put on a display of what he could do. Although he didn’t get the gig with Dr John he seems to have impressed Don. When Robert moved out to California he managed to get Don’s phone number and spoke to him for hours on end. One day Ed Mann, Zappa’s percussionist called him to let him know Don was auditioning drummers. And as Robert told us: WhenRead More →
Denny Walley was born in Pennsylvania and lived for a time in New York before his family moved him to Lancaster when he was about 12 (around 1955) – his father was transferred with his job in an aircraft company. At this time Denny was playing the accordion for which he’d found a natural affinity and which his parents had allowed him to take lessons. In high school Denny hooked up with Frank Zappa through Frank’s brother Bobby often driving them to music rehearsals despite being only 14 or 15. Although he knew of Don Vliet he wasn’t acquainted with him at this time. DennyRead More →
Arthur Dyer Tripp III grew up in Pittsburgh, he was a drum major at Mt Lebanon High School and in 1962 became percussionist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. After moving to New York he met up with Frank Zappa and joined the Mothers of Invention. When John French left the Magic Band in 1969 Art was asked to join as drummer. (Unintentionally he had played on Trout Mask Replica when Zappa used a Mothers track as backing to ‘The Blimp’). Drumbo returned to help out on the Lick My Decals Off Baby album which enabled Beefheart to make use of Art’s skills on the marimbaRead More →
Michael took on the daunting task of drumming for the Magic Band reunion tours when Robert Williams was unable to carry on playing with them. This allowed John French to take on vocal duties. Michael’s introduction to the band came from Mark Boston. The two of them had played together for many years in a band called Duck which toured US military bases around the world. He’s also played with country singer Leon Everette (as did Mark) and Denny King (another famous Lancaster musician). Michael had auditioned for the drum slot in the Magic Band in 1976 after having met Don but wasn’t able toRead More →