Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Video Archive

Don't know what to do with these files? Find out at the Radar Station's brief guide to audio and video. These videos can mostly be comfortably viewed at 'double size' - try it!

  • King Kong - Mothers of Invention - 10,121K. Recorded live at the BBC in 1968. This is ten minutes of Frank Zappa at his very best, highly recommended. I've included it here partly because it is so good, but also due to the high quota of Beefheart collaborators featured in it. Sound and picture quality are tops.
  • Magic Foot Dances - 5,429K. A bizarre oddity featuring nothing other than the Magic Band's feet (I kid you not) recorded at the same time as their 'Detroit Tubeworks' late 1970/early 1971 television appearance (see the enchanced CD with Grow Fins). The original sequence was silent, however I have dubbed Hair Pie over the top for your added enjoyment.
  • Lick My Decals Off Baby Banned Advertisment - 3,791K. A classic, unmissable Beefheart clip.
  • The Spotlight Kid Advertisment - 929K. Virtually identical to the above.
  • I'm Gonna Booglarize Ya Baby - 5,584K. Recorded live for German TV's Beat Club in 1972. A superb performance, made unmissable for the Captain's bizarre appearance. Sound and picture quality are tops, guaranteed to be givin' you the willies.
  • Big Eyed Beans From Venus - 4,022K. Appeared on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 - the music is merely dubbed over the top of an impressive live sequence featuring a cloaked Beefheart stalking the stage at The Rainbow. Sound and picture quality are good, though it is a shame that the original audio from the performance hasn't survived.
  • This Is The Day - 4,131K. From the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1974, featuring the Tragic Band. Don't download it if you don't want to - like the soppy old goat that I am I happen to love this song.
  • Eye Witness Documentary - 7,549K. From 1980. - Back soon.
  • Saturday Night Live - 22nd November 1980 - audio and video files!
  • Ice Cream For Crow - 5,541K. The official, award winning video from 1982 directed by Daniel Perle. Picture and sound quality are excellent.
  • David Letterman Interview 1982 - 9,561K. Unmissable, excellent quality sound though the picture is quite jerky and stuttery. Don't let that put you off.
  • David Letterman Interview 1983 - 10,819K. Unmissable, excellent quality.
If anyone has a top quality version on the European video PAL standard of any items not featured here and would be willing to lend me the tapes for a short time, please let me know.

Captain Beefheart

Many thanks to Benjamin Horrendous and Detlef Juergens for providing the tapes which make up the bulk of this archive. Thanks to Michael Scott for sending me the photograph at the top of this page.

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