Blabber 'n' Smoke

1981 UK tape White Patterns On Her Dress on Funky Weird Tapes FW001
19?? UK vinyl Various Artists : We Couldn't Agree On A Title on ICR001

Funky Weird produced a series of deliberately lo-fi (before the term was used) cheaply recorded tracks and released them on cassette only.

This is the only cover version of Blabber 'n' Smoke I have come across. It's not bad considering the guitars and drums are being played in what seems to be an attempt at out of tune punk version of the 'Trout Mask' sound.

The compilation album is of artists who recorded at London's Street Level studio.

Thanks to Arild Stromsvag for finally ending my search for a copy of this tune.

Dropout Boogie

2004 CD Dropout! on Bad Afro Records AFROCD021
2004 vinyl Dropout! on Bad Afro Records AFROLP021

Included on a covers album of some of the band's favourite obscure (and not so obscure) sixties garage band songs.

There are notes on each song. This is what they say about Dropout Boogie:-

"Safe As Milk ... if you don't know this record, you really should check it out - no matter what kind of music you normally listen to. Once we listened to DROPOUT BOOGIE at least 30 times in a row, while driving from Oslo to Copenhagen in our little van. No shit!"

Their version of the song strips it back to the basics with distorted vocals, and guitar solos where the original broke for a waltz interlude.

The cover of the album shows the band sittiing around grooving to a portable turntable surrounded by singles, albums and girlie mags. Top of the pile of albums is Safe As Milk.

Zig Zag Wanderer

1987 US Vinyl New Campfire Songs on Primitive Man Recording Co IRS39097

Originally formed in 1984 to perform singer/songwriter/guitarist Jeff Davis' songs, the L.A.-based Balancing Act was built around acoustic guitars, distinctive harmonies, intelligent, quirky songs, and an assorted array of instruments such as melodica, recorder and even a shortwave radio. Even though the band forged its sound around acoustic-based songs they also employed touches of atonality and rhythmic twists.

You can watch them perform Zig Zag Wanderer on Youtube - recorded at the University of Texas in 1987

Frying Pan

This cover from a band based in Nimes, France. Sorry but I haver no otehr information.

Thanks to Jean Michel Thiriet for sending this to me.

Tropical Hot Dog Night

1990 UK CD The Big Beat on Cooking Vinyl COOKCD 024

Thanks to Derek Laskie for spotting this one - he comments "this succeeds for me despite the slightly embarassing growly vocal at the start. Includes flutes, fiddle, trombone and tuba breaks and rocks in at 4:51."

Harry Irene

2003 Belguim CD Live on Universal 986-5925

Tom Barman (of Belgian rockers dEUS, who've referenced Beefheart often - see their entry in Connections) in a side project with Guy van Neuten released a live acoustic double album. They play some dEUS songs and a number of covers. Their version of 'Harry Irene', recorded in Rotterdam in 2002, is fairly true to the original but is piano driven.

Ashtray Heart

1995 Canadian CD You People Are Sick on Basketcase International BC-1

These Canadians open up another case of the punks and give the song a hard rock outing. Pity the rest of the album is so nihilistic!

Gimme Dat Harp Boy
Sun Zoom Spark

see Fast 'n' Bulbous Tribute Album

The Beat Poets, formed in 1986, were "... Scotland's Premier Surfin' Instrumental Rock & Roll Band" led by Tom Rafferty. They have turned up on a number of tribute albums. Tom had been a member of The Primevals (who were also on the Fast 'n' Bulbous album) and bassist Big John Honeyman played for both The Beat Poets and The Primevals.

Tom Rafferty told the Radar Station about their Beefheart influence and the links between the two bands:-

I'd like to clarify the Beat Poets/ Primevals connections. The Primevals are led by Michael Rooney, my good friend, and have been since 1983. I was in the band for the first 3 years. I left, on good terms, and formed The Beat Poets. The Primevals are a rock & roll band steeped in American music, blues, jazz, rock & roll, - the Clyde is their Delta. The Beat Poets are a surf band - Dick Dale is one of our guiding lights ( we supported him when he came over to Scotland). So we don't sing.

Big John Honeyman helped the Beat Poets out one night when our regular bass player was ill. It worked so well that we kept him. John now works as both a Beat Poet and a Primeval.

The point I'd like to get across is that although the bands are good friends and have shared some members over the years, we are different - the Primevals are Michael's gang, the Beat Poets mine.

I should also add that the Beat Poets have been led by Tom Rafferty and Keith Bruce! (It's only fair - he's been with me since the start!)

Both bands were big fans already, in particular Michael Rooney - we shared a flat together for some years and he regularly blasted out Trout Mask Replica, Clear Spot, Safe as Milk - he introduced me to the magic of the Captain during the early 80s.

The Primevals regularly played both China Pig and Crazy Little thing live. I did a few gigs back with the Primevals helping out when their regular guitarists have been unavailable, and the set included China Pig one time, and Hard Workin Man, which I've seen them play a lot. The Primevals are still gigging - I was back in the lineup when we proudly supported the Nomads 18 months ago. The Beat Poets are heading back into the rehearsal rooms soon - work commitments have been in the way, but I'm back home now.

Hard Work Drivin' Man

1988 Australia 7" Hard Work Drivin' Man // Elvis Impersonator Blues / I Love
You Because on Red Eye RED17
1988 Australia vinyl Sour Mash on Red Eye REDLP5
1989 Germany vinyl Sour Mash on Red Eye / Normal REDLP5
1990 Australia CD Sour Mash on Red Eye / Polydor REDCD5)
1991? Australia CD Live Volume Two on Oblivion Records ORCD9102 (cover),

An (in)famous Australian band featuring Kim Salmon of The Scientists and Tex Perkins of The Cruel Sea. Thanks to Werner Ahrensfeld for the information who added the comment "This version is excellent in my opinion."

Grow Fins

2002 various dates live - unreleased

Beck has performed this song live on two occasions at least; on 24 February 2002 at the Knitting Factory, Hollywood, CA and on 17 August 2002 at Zellebach Theatre, Philadelphia (this version can be heard on Youtube.)

Ashtray Heart

This track is included on the Genus Records' Mama Kangaroos tribute album.

Run Paint Run Run

This track is included on the Genus Records' Mama Kangaroos tribute album.

Sure Nuff 'n' Yes I Do

1996 German CD Cataract Jump on Fritz FR952014-1

Jimmy Carl Black (aka Indian Ink) teams up with blues guitarist Richard Farrell for this album and covers the classic blues tune that Don revamped for 'Safe As Milk'.

See also Chadbourne & Black and The Muffin Men.

A carrot is as close as a rabbit gets to a diamond

1999 US 7" This Is A Prayer on Kill Rock Stars KRS-352

A band comprising Mike Watt (firehose; Minutemen), Nels Cline and Bob Lee. Clear orange-coloured vinyl with picture sleeve. Watt has this to say on the back cover "... w/much due respect to captain beefheart (don van vliet) for all his wondrous tunes"

Here I Am ( I Always Am)

2008 US 7" I Got Mine / Here I Am( I Always Am) on V2 Records VVR5051097

I'm Glad

2008 unreleased

This blues rock duo from Akron have previously covered another song with a Beefheart connection - 'Grown So Ugly'. But they've now chosen two unusual songs to cover.

The version of 'Here I Am' on the b-side of a single was recorded at Suma Studios but the song has been a regular fixture in their live setlist through most of 2008.

'I'm Glad' was recorded one day at Dan Auerbach's house and has somehow escaped onto the internet. It's a raw version similar to the original and played at the same languid pace until a scorching guitar kicks in about halfway through which ratchets up the intensity levels.

Here I Am ( I Always Am)

1994 US 7" w/ Searchin' on In The Red Records
1994 US vinyl I Got A Baaad Feelin' About This on In The Red Records ITR027
1994 US CD I Got A Baaad Feelin' About This on In The Red Records ITR27
199? Australian CD Up All Night AuGoGo Records ANDA 188CD

Electricity

2009 UK CD Love Bomb on Sunbeam Records SBR2CD5049

This UK psychedelic band released several fine albums in the late 60s. On this previously unreleased collection of live tracks recorded between 1967 and 1969 is their cover of Electricity. It says it was recorded in August 1967 in Sweden. I don't doubt the venue but the date seems very unlikely as Safe As Milk wasn't issued in the US until September 1967!

Crazy Little Thing

199? US CD To Jam is Human, to Gig Divine

This Californian club band released their version on a live cd. I have no other details about this.

I'm Glad

2003 US CD eveningshadesprevail self released

Don's slow ballad from Safe As Milk is given a faster and more upbeat setting here making it sound like a classic sixties bubblegum happy summery chart hit that it might have been (with a hint of The Beautiful South?).

see www.janetbressler.com

This track is also included on the Genus Records' Mama Kangaroos tribute album.

This track was originally credited to Bilenky Cycle Works, then this was changed to Friends of Janet and is now credited to Janet Bressler. Janet, who was lead singer with Bilenky Cycle Works, told the Radar Station about her involvement and recording one of Don's songs:-

Steve Bilenky (guitarist for Bilenky Cycle Works) was in a band called The Notekillers. (see www.davidfirst.com for their history). The Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart were both big influences on The Notekillers... my own knowledge of Beefheart was limited to "Big-Eyed Beans From Venus", "Lick My Decals Off Baby" and "I'm Gonna Booglarize You, Baby" all of which I dug and would work quotes from into conversation - so, Captain Beefheart was always part of my lexicon even if in a small way.

When Mike Villers approached me about doing a song for the compilation, I knew that Steve would really be into covering Beefheart, and I'm basically open to anything :) ... Villers chose the song for me... I like to think of myself as a soul singer even though my own stuff is more rock'n'roll... we recorded the song as a basic soul-influenced rock tune, then Villers went back to the studio without us and added extra guitar tracks, plus horns, keyboards, and backing vocals (none of which were in our regular line-up). I loved the result... I always wished I was Otis Redding, so here was my chance to approximate that sound...

A carrot is as close as a rabbit gets to a diamond

1997 US 7" w/ Returns To The Orange Grove / Divines Water on Thrill Jockey Records THRILL041

A side project by Tortoise guitarist Douglas McCombs. Seems to be solo although Archer Prewitt helps out on the title track.

Dropout Boogie

1970 UK 7" Apache Dropout / Freedom on Harvest HAR5032
1970 Germany 7" with picture sleeve on Harvest 1 C 006-04 685
1975 UK vinyl A Bunch Of 45s on Harvest SHM2001
1992 UK CD Edgar Broughton Band Singles Compilation on Document Series CSAP CD109
1999 UK CD Harvest Festival on EMI Harvest 521198 2
2001 UK CD Out Demons Out on EMI 5310672

A inspired pairing of 'Dropout Boogie' with The Shadows instrumental hit 'Apache' - and the first Beefheart cover to be released. Actually listed on the label as 'Apache Drop Out - Apache introducing Drop Out Boogie'. Edgar Broughton has been one of the few singers to get close to any of Don's voices - much of their early work has Beefheart sounding vocals. The band were highly popular on the early '70s underground scene in the UK with their agit-prop theatrics, 'Out Demons Out' chant, general fuck-authority approach and being always willing to play at free concerts. A great live band!

By the way, 'Harvest Festival' is a 5CD various artists retrospective of the 1970s UK progressive label - a pretty drastic way to get a copy of this cover but there's some other excellent music on there too.

Too Much Time

2009 CD Lay Your Burdon Down on Alligator Records

To celebrate their 30th anniversary Buckwheat Zydeco released this album and set up a new tour. The version of Too Much time is done a straightforward competent fashion. Nothing flashy and nothing unusual ... it's not even given a zydeco twist.

I Love You, You Big Dummy

1978 UK vinyl (bootleg) Time's Up on Voto Lyn5333

One of the classic bootlegs of the Punk era. However the song is titled here as 'I Love Everybody'. It was recorded at the Buzzcocks first session in October 1976 along with other tracks that would be released on their 'Spiral Scratch' EP. Like all punk songs at this time it doesn't overstay its welcome, clocking in at 1:21 this is less than half the length of the already short original version!

The decision to record 'Dummy' must have been Howard Devoto's as he also covered it with his band Magazine formed after leaving the Buzzcocks.

1991 UK CD (bootleg) Time's Up on DIYE 2
2000 UK CD Time's Up on Mute Records Scratch2CD

Grow Fins

1995 Holland CD Bwana 3 on Munich Records MRCD174

A Dutch guitar, keyboards and saxophone trio admitted that Beefheart was an important musician but that they were not influenced by him. For this cover "we simplified the difficult rhythmic structures into a sort of ZZ Top rhythm."

Well

1992 US video Between The Teeth on Warner Music Vision 7599 38303-3

A recording of a live show in New Jersey 1992 ex-Talking Heads frontman starts off with Don's poem 'Well'. Anyone know if this was a regular feature of his shows?