In early / mid 2000 John French called on Radar Station visitors for some help writing his book, Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic...

John French, aka Drumbo, is currently writing his own book about the Magic Band, which is likely to take the form of a greatly extended version of his contribution to the book in the Grow Fins box-set, featuring numerous and extensive interviews with other Magic Band members interspersed with his own commentary. Provisionally titled Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic this will cover the history of the Magic Band from the inside.

The author called on Radar Station visitors in early / mid 2000 to send him their questions and suggestions for the book, to ensure that he included the details that you wanted to know. Many responded to this appeal and John French would like to pass on his sincere thanks.

Many of the questions were of a very specific nature and couldn't be easily covered in the format of a biographical book. Since they were also very interesting questions well worth addressing, John suggested that his answers could be made available at the Radar Station as a preview to the book.

Here are the results - virtually all your questions along with John's illuminating and fascinating answers. Many thanks to all concerned, especially John French, for making this such a worthwhile exercise!

• Introduction by John French

1. Questions from Eric Clark
   John's drum style. Tunings and favoured equipment.
2. Questions from Joe Ashworth
   TMR drum rhythms. Rehearsals. TMR live. Don's emotions. Zappa's bonding effect. Drugs. Don's lyric writing.
3. Questions from Robert
   Post-Trout Mask possibilities.
4. Questions from Duncan Lockerbie
   Drugs. Don's psychic ability.
5. Questions from Cisco Garcia
   Abuse.
6. Questions from Bob Jennings
   The "post-Szabo Archtop period".
7. Questions from Bruno Ghezzi
   Bass clarinets.
8. Questions from Basil Storey
   Dancing to the Magic Band.
9. Questions from The Artist Who May Become Known As John Ellis
   Changes to the song lyrics. Heckling incidents. Animal from The Muppets.
10. Questions from Pierre Antaya
    Antelope Valley. Ecology. John Parr. Strictly Personal guitar styles. Band input. Disappointment with Spotlight Kid. Don and science. Drummers who influemnced John.
11. Questions from Robert Carey
    Trout house. Musical influences. Band members' personalities. Band's thoughts on Trout Mask. Difficulties creating Trout Mask. Who wrote the music? Ex-members' music. Don's vision. Decals, BJ&MB & Mallard. Debra Kadabra. Voices on Trout Mask. Don and money.
12. Questions from Steven Ceiro
    Don's rhythmic ideas. Don's musical training. Improvisation. Multiple time signatures.
13. Questions from Dan Mellamphy
    John's thoughts on Tom Waits.
14. Questions from Matt Janovic
    Don's meeting with Ornette Coleman.
15. Questions from Hans van Hulst
    Day-to-day life in the Trout House.
16. Questions from John Wilby
    Stage-names.
17. Questions from Jarkko Nevalainen
    Jeff Moris Tepper.
18. Questions from Michael H
    Don's thoughts on other artists. Influences on TMR drums. Don and religion. The relationship between lyrics and music.
19. Questions from Wingnut
    Train-hopping.
20. Questions from Steven Vacca
    Don's ex-girlfriend Laurie.
21. Questions from Monique / Michael Cohen
    Don and Frank. The Beatles. Strictly Personal. John's work with Richard Thompson.
22. Questions from Marshall Needleman Armintor
    TMR's commercial potential.
23. Questions from Basil Storey part 2
    Band rehearsals. Recruitment of musicians.
24. Questions from John Wilby
    Beefheart's influence on other musicians. Greg "Ella Guru" Davidson.
25. Questions from Ralf NygÂrd
    Drugs.
26. Questions from Paul Lewis
    Transition from blues to avant-garde. 'Field recording' approach of TMR.
27. Questions from the 5th Procurator of Judea
    Steve Reich.
28. Questions from John Mackenzie
    John's transcriptions of Don's ideas. Magic Band line-up changes.