Guest book » Guestbook part 02: October 1998 to January 1999

I’ve just got online this year, but the beef has been part of my life since 7th grade. When everyone else was listening to Led Zep 2, I was reviewing Lick My Decals Off Baby. In college for an English verbal project taking a song with great imagery, I chose Pachuco Cadaver. I smiled so big I cracked my chin. I have a picture disk on Virgin from Unconditionally Guaranteed. Of course the gem of any collection would be Shiny Beast. I’m a bat chain puller, and I owe t’ alex, and of course I’m tight with Harry Irene, BUT I NEED SHINY BEAST. Sincerely, Danny Jack

Dear CheeseHeart! Hi from Russia. Your sounds is very great!

One of the best dimples on Gods golfball

The best web site I’ve come across. I have just downloaded some Bat Chain Puller MP3s and now I find the Mothers Video !!!!! The BEST !!!

Happy birthday Captain… been a loyal fan since 67… great to see you’re on the web… your songs have been a big inspiration since the past sure is tense have to go now… got a pain in my window see ya at The Radar Station.

Don – Thanks for being born! You’ve given me a lot of pleasure and inspiration. Happy birthday!!!!

We were so pleased to finally find a site that pleased us upmost, the Captain’s site. This encounter was, so we discovered, on his birthday. We, who so often listen to and are inspired by his music, are so very very happy to have found some new recordings and everything else. Long live Captain Underground and the Velvet Beefheart. Greetings, from Marcel and Carolien from Alice is Back (a band from The Netherlands)

One of the best sites I have ever visited!

When my brother showed me the inner sleeve of ‘Strictly Personal’ when I was about 7, I definitely had too much to think.

Since it hasn’t rained or manured for over 2 hours, I thought I’d drop you a line as silent as ink, letting you know how wonderful your site is. So bring me my scissors and those on waters! I’ve been digging Beefheart’s work, music & painting, ever since I was a squid eating dough from a polyethylene bag way back in high school, ca.1973. It’s great to see a site that doesn’t blabber ‘n smoke; complete, well laid out & easy to navigate. Now this is flavor bud living! Mr van Vliet, thank you for the years of original and thoughtful inspiration. I’ve had my human gets me blues ever since you disappeared from the music scene, eventhough I understand the reasons. May fortune smile on your future endeavors.

What a miraculous website! As a fellow artist, I have always looked to Don van Vliet’s piercing neo-dadaistic musings, to gauge my own creativity. When I bought my first Captain Beefheart album, “Lick My Decals Off, Baby”, in 1974, I was 16 years old, and didn’t know who Captain Beefheart was only that the song titles and expressionistic painting shown on the back cover were intreguing. I found Captain Beefheart’s asymmetrical music to be shocking, engaging, amusing, and brilliant. I realized after repeated listens that the songs on the album were in fact oral paintings. “Lick My Decals Off, Baby”, and “Trout Mask Replica” taught me to approach art, music and poetry with fearless new insight. (O, Captain, my Captain, thank you for being so bravely avant-garde in a world hostile to such inventive visionaries. You are my mentor). Over the years I have had good luck with replacing all of my Captain Beefheart vinyl records with CD versions, but I had always wished that there was an album or two of live concert material showcasing Don’s “Trout Mask Replica” period. I regrettably never had an opportunity to see Captain Beefheart live on stage. Now I’m elated to learn about the Captain Beefheart CD box set project including so many unreleased live recordings. Thank you, thank you thank you!

Thank you for creating this site, “I Love You, You Big Dummy.” I have been a fan of Captain Beefheart since 1970 and am in the process of replacing all of my old scratchy vinyl with new CD’s. I couldn’t find “Lick My Decals Off, Baby” but lo and behold, I found it on your fantastic website and downloaded it. T’is a miracle. A million thanks. SUN ZOOM SPARK, SUN ZOOM SPARK!

The most interesting and complete artist I encountered in my teens, 1970s all thanks to JW

Great page. Still remember the last gig in Paradiso, Amsterdam The Netherlands and the trip I made with Beefheart and Gary Lucas to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Please take a look at my homepage!

I got introduced to “Safe As Milk” way back in 1967, and fell in love with the most unique sounds I’d ever heard. I tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to return the favor to other friends and awaited a second album for far too long. I finally special ordered “Strictly Personal” and was almost frightened by the sheer intensity of the songs and performances (I tuned out the heartbeats and phasing then and still do). In 1970, I was in a record store when a straight-looking guy came in and wanted to return a copy of “Trout Mask Replica”, because, he said, “It sucks.” The clerk tried to explain that you couldn’t return a record simply because you didn’t like it. I offered him $3 for it, and he finally gave in. I took it home and was crosseyed with delight. Again I tried to turn friends on to it, again with little success. Later that year, I met a pretty cool girl and I tried the acid test on her: I played TMR. SHE LAUGHED OUT LOUD at it! That, combined with a mutual love of the Kinks and the Velvet Underground, formed the basis for a marriage which is celebrating its 27th anniversary on 1/1/99. Needless to say, we bought every Beefheart album we could (we even have “Lick My Decals Off, Baby” on CD – NOT for sale!) but we never got to see him live. We have a long list of concerts we didn’t see… And we both hope that the Captain forever walks that Yellow Brick Road. Oh, yes: The site is incredible! All musicians and/or bands should have this kind of tribute.

I’ve just found this site, and after five minutes browsing I’m hugely impressed. Has a dense and professional feel to it. I’ll be back to browse at my leisure later. Note: Shouldn’t “gimmie” be “gimme”?

I can’t fully express what ‘Clear Spot’ has meant to me as a musician. Maybe thats the way all trully beautiful things are supposed to be. Mr. van Vliet, I am in your debt.

The Francis Beacon of late twentieth century Music. Will be remembered and will grow as the phenomenonology trancends commercial regognition. Love came to play. shhhhhhhhggggdddd??

The best Beefheart site on the web. Such dedication and love is humbling. Transcends much of the populist banality, like Beefheart himself. Thanks.

Beefheart tries to unmake music while making music. Everytime I avoid my head I tend to get my own music right – he’s my barometer of pushing the boat out without caring about the shore. The site is brilliant.

I`ve been searching high and low for “Lick my Decals off Baby” and now I have it cheers!

Nothing left to say about the Master. The site is fucking great though (especially the mp3 files) cheers, people.

I got started with Trout Mask Replica at 14! It explains a lot. I still love “Dust Blows Forward ‘N the Dust Blows Back”. The Captain has definately captured my imagination and influenced my offbeat sense of humor! Thanks Captain!

Hey, this is me! Heard ´bout Captain Beefheart three years ago and since then my music allways looks to Him. Nothin´more. Send me something.

Beefheart’s music still better than anything around today. I managed to see him 4 times between 1972 – 80 including the Magic Band (Zoothorn Rollo, Antennae Jimmy Semens, etc.) a class act. There will never be another artist like Don van Vliet. A truly marvellous experience!

Had the pleasure to see Captain Beefheart 4 times on stage in the 70’s! A rare treat. Sad to see him in a BBC documentary in 97. The most innovative performer this side of Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix. No doubt about it, Captain Beefheart was the man. That initial Magic Band was very special!

As soon as the Radar Station started streaming I was in the auditorium again. I’m a dirt laden old lotus-flower-child who was only a teenaged bud from the suburbs who started seeing my first concerts in SF in 1967 when I was 16. I just went all of the time and wasn’t partial to any band in particular. It’s great to find anything on the net that has it’s roots in “The City” of that time. 32 years and 1 night ago I first met MJ so this is kind of an occassion for me. I do remember seeing the Captain in 75 at Humboldt State U. with Hot Tuna. I hope that I keep finding more of the “Beautiful People” in this limitless electonic world. “Blessings be Upon You”

love the sight. yellow is hard on the eyes and hot on the mind. looking for the bbc documentary and info on the upcoming (?) box set of unreleased stuff.

The Beefheart and related links are are joy. Many thanks to those who keep the info flowing. I just finished Lunar Notes and enjoyed it. I only wish it had been much longer. I’m interested in videos from 1960s and 1970s Magic Band shows, commercials, tv appearances. I’m also interested in acquiring a cd of Lick My Decals Off Baby. I have two kids, ages 3 and 6 who are already hardcore Beefheart fans, especially Safe As Milk. They would love any Beefheart pix.

I first heard Captain Beefheart in the late 1960’s. I was pretty young and his music seemed too inaccessible for my ears. I still liked it though. It had a strange appeal, it seemed to challenge me and engage me in a way I could not compare to any other music. Now I’m old and as it happens I live very nearby Don Van Vliet. I have recently started listening to the early Captain Beefheart stuff and I like it very much. I also like his painting. I dont think they are ever showed around here in Humboldt county, thats a pity. I’ve seen Don out and around every once in a great while. Although I’m the kind of guy that is easily star struck, I’ve resisted engaging him in conversation as he seems to be a private sort of fellow. From reading a few snipits of bio and a few articles and reviews here and there it seems Don VV takes a very anti-recreational drug stance. I wonder to what extent, if any, LSD has played as an influence to his creative outlet. Does anyone have an opinion on this? I would love to hear from you if you do. Please email me. I really have enjoyed this site I think its terrific, thanks

Pull out those teeth from the gutter and spread your wings before you die inside your cocoon, CB is the better drug, Love

excellent site, I’ve been looking for rare MP3 Beefheart stuff for ages, keep up the good work

Don’s music will live forever. Well done for having this site to keep it alive.

At last I can see the mountains

The older I grow, the more I suspect that the Captain may just be god in disguise. Good disguise, though, huh?

God bless Captain Beefheart. I discovered Van Vliet when I was 9 years old and have been a fan ever since. I think he is the most brilliant of them all.

Thank you for this nice site! It´s good that you are taking care of music history so well!

Truely, I am speechless, but not printless. This is not my first encounter with this site but it may be my closest. I have been aware of the Captain since 1968 when I first heard “Safe As Milk”, which isn’t. While not a die-hardcore Beef-o-phile, I can get behind the wierd. Unfortunately, commercial outlets can’t deal with our Captain so I was stunned to find this place. I listen to the Tromblown Orch. while on line if I’m not blowing down Radio Free New Orleans (I have a jones for Crescent City sounds). This place should be required listening for young eyeballs. People are just not AWARE unless it’s force-fed through the Media strainers of propaganda and bullshit. This is why such a genius as Don remains virtually unknown and records no more. Motley shit for all but it takes an archeologist to dig for content. Thank God for the web. I’m starting to have a glimmer of hope for my grandchildren, as long as Son of Uncle Sam keeps his tentacles off this electronic vegetable garden of Eden. Keep control away from the uncontrollable, keep the web free. If we don’t, this site may not be here next time you look for it. E-mail your Senators and Incongruousmen, even if they make you laff or cry. I may be ranting but this is the last bastion of free thought. Anyway, this shit is great! Smoke some. I may be old but I’m not dead yet.

Radar Station sends very positive nrg!!!!

Hi all, I just logged in to check to see who could be my relative……maybe Captain Beefheart is who knows! All I can say is that my parents came from Holland.

About ten years ago, I was working at a small ad agency in Orlando when we hired a new writer named Richard Kunc. Yeah, the Richard Kunc. He used to bring in cassettes of Trout Mask Replica era outtakes to illustrate his numerous stories about recording the Capt. and Frank Zappa.

I’ve only been online a few weeks. I’ve spent most of the time at The Radar Station, Homepagereplica and Electricity. Well done and keep it up all of you.

There seems to be no middle ground – you either love him or hate him. I am proud to be in the first group, thank you for this marvelous experience. Ah feel like ahcid.

I just came by. It´s hard to say bye.

This site makes my planet glow a little brighter.