This album seems to be an intermediate step between the accessibility of Clear
Spot and the discordance of Doc At The Radar Station. A good step coming from
either album.
Graham Johnston:
Some of Beefheart's finest songs are contained on this stuning album. I've
heard Owed T'Alex a million times, but it still sets my spine a-tingling on every
listen. Tropical Hot Dog Night is a wonderfully strange 'good-timey' tune - stick
it on whenever you're going to a party and you'll have much more fun. Of his excellent
three final albums, this is by far my favourite. Every side of Beefheart you could
ever want to hear is on Shiny Beast.
Pictures from the record sleeve:
Paper bag illustration from the back of the CD and record:
This illustration is from the CD booklet, also appearing as a black on
yellow illustration on the CD itself:
Shiny Beast from 26th January 1979
edition of Down Beat.
Releases
1978 US Original on Warner Bros BSK-3256
PROMOTIONAL COPY NOT FOR SALE in circular logo stamped in gold
on front cover - normal record although appears to have different matrix - plain
paper inner standard issue.
1978 US 8 Track on Warner Bros. Scan kindly sent to me by Malcolm Riviera
who runs the 8 Track Heaven website.
1980 UK Original on Virgin V2149
1981(?) Australian Original on Virgin V2149 by CBS Records
Australia Ltd. (CBS MX 194968/9) - White Label Promo
with This record is manufactured for the purpose of promotion
only. It remains the property of CBS Records Australia Limited
and is not for sale printed on centre label and stamped
in gold on cover. Inner sleeve has lyrics, drawing and photos
of band and Copyright control 1981 at lower right.
1985 UK Re-issue on Virgin OVED 68
198X UK CD on Virgin CDV 2149
1991 US CD on BIZARRE/STRAIGHT R2 70365 - Distributed by Rhino
Records - Picture Disc CD (Beefheart art) - lyrics - with US "long
box'
1993 Japanese CD on Warner Music Japan WPCP5741 - with Japanese
liner notes by YUASA Manabu.
2006 UK on Virgin/EMI CDVR2149
A well remastered release with excellent new sleevenotes by Mike
Barnes. Pity they didn't include the lyrics like the original
vinyl. Of the five remastered Virgin albums this one has benefited
most. I always thought the album sounded a bit muffled but here
it's much brighter and has more presence ... definitely worth
upgrading your copy.
Early copies of the sleeve of this remaster carried a curious
error ... writing credits for 'Tropical Hot Dog Night' were given
to a 'Michael Brook'. This is, of course, wrong and should ahve
been corrected in later printings.
Help us out:
If anyone is able to complete or update any of the information
above, then please do get in touch.