From Genesis P. Orridge to Oh Bamalam

I seem constantly to be linking here to Gary Lucas website because of the seemingly endless Captain Beefheart related information to be found there. At his tour page, for example, you can check out how the 2009 Fast ‘n’ Bulbous tour is shaping up. Three European concerts of Captain Beefheart compositions are so far listed for March – in Holland, Czech Republic and France. There will be more news of that tour later I’m sure.

Gary recently mentioned at his blog that the only punk/new wave band checked by Captain Beefheart/Don Van Vliet as being any good was Throbbing Gristle, which was news to me.

I soon found an interview with Genesis P Orridge in which Genesis placed Don Van Vliet alongside Aleister Crowley, William Burroughs, Brion Gysin, and Brian Jones in his pantheon, so I asked Gary about this mutual admiration.

Gary told me that someone came up to The Magic Band at York University during their soundcheck in November 1980 and asked Don if he rated any of the punk or new wave groups. He scoffed at them all (this was the period of “case of the punks” and Don’s general derisive attitude toward the whole thing–ie “the new wave is just an old Toni” (a “toni” was a kind of permanent wave hair application goo for women) but then said the only group he liked and respected was Throbbing Gristle.

Genesis later told Gary that he had heard from someone close to the band that Don used to paint listening to Throbbing Gristle’s Second Annual Report.

Now for the plug. Gary is keen for it to be known that his new digital only EP Rise Up To Be is out on digital portals worldwide through IODA (including emusic, rhapsody, and iTunes) . This is a collection of some of his original compositions which he gave to Jeff Buckley (one of Gary’s first singers in Gods and Monsters, in 1992), music that became the instrumental basis for some of the well-known Lucas/Buckley songs like Grace and Mojo Pin. More information is available at Promonet and a free track can be downloaded here.

Also, The Du-Tels (Gary Lucas and Holy Modal Rounder Peter Stampfel) salute their favourite presidential candidate in a video clip at YouTube.

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