Don Van Vliet - Winterland 1973

By:
On:
In: 1973 Winterland, Photos
With: 0 Comments

These were very kindly sent to me by Dr Stephen Jove, taken during the Magic Band’s set supporting the Mahavishnu Orchestra at Winterland, San Francisco, 31st March 1973. The first was taken by Ryk Ekedal, and the second by Stephen. Many thanks for their permission to feature them here. Copyright held by the photographers, Ryk Ekedal and Dr Stephen Jove. Used by permission, not to be reproduced for commercial use. If you would like to get hold of prints of these photographs, please e-mail Stephen.Read More →

Don Van Vliet - Frankfurt 1972

By:
On:
In: 1972 Frankfurt, Photos
With: 1 Comment

I received an e-mail from Thomas Harms in June 1998 in which he had kindly included a few photographs of the Magic Band live, and the Spotlight Kid himself. He included the following note with the pictures: I keep these photographs (all taken by a friend of mine) framed on my wall. I was 16 at the time. As you see, one is a backstage-photo, the others are on-stage-shots. They were all done at the Magic Band´s concert in Bremen in 1972, if I remember correctly. I think it was at The Lila Eule (The Purple Owl). The people in the pictures seem to beRead More →

Don Van Vliet, Mark Boston

By:
On:
In: 1971 Albuquerque, Photos
With: 0 Comments

These photographs were all taken by George Bullfrog in the summer of 1970 at a Magic Band show in Albuquerque, and he has kindly given us permission to feature them here. Many thanks to George for these fantastic photographs of the Captain in action. (c) George Bullfrog, 1970 If you are interested in purchasing a print of any or all of these pictures then please contact George at bllfrog@concentric.net for details.Read More →

By:
On:
In: 1972 Beat Club, Multimedia, The Spotlight Kid
With: 3 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Multimedia, Safe As Milk, Telly and other filmed footage
With: 4 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, Safe As Milk
With: 0 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Safe As Milk, Song notes
With: 0 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)
With: 0 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, Safe As Milk
With: 2 Comments

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

By:
On:
In: Ice Cream For Crow, Lyrics
With: 0 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, Trout Mask Replica
With: 0 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, The Legendary A&M Sessions
With: 2 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, The Spotlight Kid
With: 0 Comments

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, Safe As Milk
With: 1 Comment

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 →

By:
On:
In: Lyrics, The Spotlight Kid
With: 0 Comments

When it blows its stacks He ain’t nowhere t’ be found When ah wolf’s claws wear way down Better watch out there’s ah man eater around Hide all the women in town When it blows its stacks All you girls make no mistake He’s as cold as ah snake sleepin’ in the shade He takes um out Out on an iceberg Hand ’em ah Ronson ‘n says I’ll see you around When he straighten up They all bend down He don’t bow t’ bad water He don’t pussy foot around When it blows its stacks He ain’t nowhere t’be found (1972) Originally made available atRead More →