Guest book » Guestbook part 14: 2004

Brilliant site! Videos excellent.

When I was 12 i heard my dad’s album and fell in love with the music. Got my first tape when i was in the service and have been adding to it since. Happy to find a site devoted to beefheart.

It took about 25 listenings of Trout Mask before I “got It”. Years later I heard Matt Groenig (Simpsons) say the same thing! Wish I could get an update on the Capt.’s health.

The best site by far and the captain is soooo gooood

Hello, this message is for one of your rock’in members Levi Ethan Cecil. This is Shawn Steinman from Kitchener Ontario saying what’s up man!!! -I apologize for this message not being Beefheart related.

merci pour tout

Hey Don, Monique and Stevie are glad you are still making music. Felicitations on your anthology of your amazingly memorable body of work. I don’t own a computer but I am translating by phone to Monique’s childhood best friend. I’ll be back when I can if you want to contact me send it through her e-mail address. Hugs, Stevie

i am 15 and have only just been introduced to beefheart’s music, through safe as milk. They rock

Listened last night to The Magic Band Live on BBC Radio 1 on the John Peel show – They were absolutely fantastic!!!!!

I’m a distant cousin of Don’s and remember visiting him when we were elementary shool age. He had clay sculptures of animals lined up on the ledge above his bed.

Hi. Great Site. Greetings from Germany.

I had always had a passing interest in Beefheart more as a curiosity than a real artist, thanks to this website I have now recognised the man to be one of the great artists of all time. Thanx for helping me to see the full scope of beefheart’s genius, keep up the the good work.

Kind of like a field guide to obscure roadside weeds and their kin, with emphasis on the varied and interesting personalities. The smells of old scarecrow’s clothes and composted inactive fields.

Don Van Vilet’s work is exquisite.

Mesmerizing!Thanks

Only just discovered this site and submitted a story about when i met Don in 1986. Have been a Beefheart fan since I firsdt heard Electricity back in `68. So good to read some of these messages and realise that youngsters are getting into Beefheart all these years later. Just goes to prove what we older ones always knew – you can’t keep genius down!! Let’s all hope that Don and Jan are enjoying their solitude and (hopefully) looking into this site occasionally to see that their effort and poetry live on.

I had to investigate after seeing a great performance of the Captains on the “Old Grey Whistle Stop” dvd.

Hey, I’m a huge fan of Mr.Vliet and his music has inspired me in every way,I know he said u can only get inspired and only listen to artist who is dead, that’s bullshit. Like listen to ” Gimme that Harp Boy ” and tell me that’s not Howlin’ Wolf’s Spoonful…just sped up, the man was way before his time and certainly under-appreciated, I grew up in the wrong era, all I listen to is ” old ” music. From Ornette to Muddy, to Howlin’ Wolf to the Captain, music is my life,. I’ve writen about 20 songs now and am seriously looking to start a band not just a cover band but a band that can hold there own, I play guitar and the blues harp and vocals. Feel free to drop me a line if your interested in joining a band or just to talk about one of the greatest artist I’ve ever heard ! Up here in canada nobody’s heard of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band …unless u mention Frank Zappa…for shame. The best Magic band would have to be one of the first including, Jeff, Alex, John,Jerry and Don.Mirror Man and Stricty Personal though poorly mixed is still steller. I look forward to hearing from one of the few fans out there soon. All the best. J.K

Still a Beefheart fan , after all these years

What can I say but thanks to John Mark Denny Gary and Robert for last years gigs, and for fulfilling my hopes for a repeat performance this year, and for all that has made it part of my everyday life since I discovered it all in 1971 then aged 16.5 Ta and Love.

The Captain is responsible for all my tastes in culture. He made me go see the big world before retreating back to the cornfield. Thanks, Mr. Van Vliet

john peel is groovey

Just saw the Magic Band at the Liquid Rooms Edinburgh last night. Verdict – utterly astonishing! I won’t sully the experince by trying to describe it any further! Just, please please please come to Glasgow next time!!

Saw The Magic Band in concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London last night. The support band were The Fall, who I could have happily missed, but The Magic Band? Something else. What a wonderful band. They played with such pleasure and I’m sure they could have played on and on and on with freshness and delight. John French is very humble about his vocals but he need not be. We all know he’s not Beefheart and he does just fine. Delighted to hear Mirror Man played. Diddy-Wah-Diddy was the opener and what a fine place to start. Many enthusiastic thanks to The Magic Band for a truly memorable night;it was an honour to be there.

tour,tour,tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A birthday is as close as a Beef gets to a carrot. Have a happy one Capt.

Happy Birthday Mr. Vliet I wish I never grew up and I had a collection of Beefheart from before I could speak and I thought that evolution was THAT vocal range…