Here’s an extensive list of the vinyl and CD releases of Beefheart material that is of dubious origin.
Love them or loathe them bootleggers have provided the Beefheart fans with quite a number of goodies over the years. Some boots are quite exceptional, others are just dreadful. Find out which are which here.
This list also includes those releases that exist due to loopholes in the copyright system, legitimate labels taking a chance because no one seems to be protecting Don’s musical legacy.
Now that almost anyone can burn some CDs and create their own mini-bootlegging operation there are many more titles out there. These ‘burnlegs’ are often produced in very short runs and are next to impossible to keep track of and equally difficult to get hold of. So, in the majority of cases these are not included here apart from one or two exceptions. Then there’s the file sharing and torrents … but that’s another story and is not part of this list except, again, for a few special collections!
If you can supply information about other bootlegs that are out there, or can add something to what we have here please contact Steve on steve@beefheart.com
The list below is in reverse chronological order – the most recent release is at the top. If you’re looking for something specific you might prefer checking out the A-Z listing.
The Early Years 1959-69
Year recorded: various
Year released: 2017
see full info
Trout Mask House Sessions 1969
Year recorded: 1969
Year released: 2017
see full info
Live from Reseda 1981
Year recorded: 1981
Year released: 2016
see full info
Live At Knebworth Park – Saturday 5th July 1975
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2016
see full info
Warner Bros. Outtakes
Year recorded: 1970-72
Year released: 2016
see full info
Plastic Factory
Year recorded: 1966-68 and 1973
Year released: 2015
see full info
The Muffin Man Goes To College Vols. 1 & 2
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2015
see full info
Live in Kansas City 1974
Year recorded: 1974
Year released: 2015
see full info
Full Moon – Hot Sun Live in Kansas
Year recorded: 1974
Year released: 2015
see full info
Transmission Impossible
Year recorded: various (1960s to 1980s)
Year released: 2015
see full info
Batlight Clearkid 1970s
Year recorded: various 1970s
Year released: 2015
see full info
Live in Cowtown Kansas City
Year recorded: 1974
Year released: 2015
see full info
Live German TV 1972
Year recorded: 1972
Year released: 2015
see full info
Rough Raw and Amazing
Year recorded: 1972
Year released: 2015
see full info
Full Moon In Cowtown
Year recorded: 1974
Year released: 2014
see full info
Live from Vancouver 1973
Year recorded: 1973
Year released: 2014
see full info
Live from Paris 1977
Year recorded: 1977
Year released: 2014
see full info
Providence College, Rhode Island 1975
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2014 (CD) & 2015 (vinyl)
see full info
Live 1966-67
Year recorded: 1966 – 68
Year released: 2014
see full info
Live from Harpos
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 2014
see full info
Frank Freemans Dance Club and other rarities
Year recorded: 1968 + various
Year released: 2013
see full info
The Lost Broadcasts
Year recorded: 1972
Year released: 2013
see full info
Rarest Previously Unreleased 1970s Live And Studio Tracks
Year recorded: 1970 and 1972
Year released: 2013
see full info
Son of Dust Sucker
Year recorded: 1976
Year released: 2012
see full info
The Nan True’s Hole Tapes Volume 3
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2012
see full info
An Ashtray Heart
Year recorded: mainly 1981
Year released: 2011
see full info
The Nan True’s Hole Tapes Volume 2
Year recorded: 1972
Year released: 2011
see full info
Merseytrout (vinyl)
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 2011
see full info
A Whirlpool of Korn and Meat – Volumes 1 and 2
Year recorded: 1959-81
Year released: 2011
see full info for Volume 1
see full info for Volume 2
Trout Mask Live
Year recorded: 1971-80
Year released: 2011
see full info
Translucent Fresnel – The Nan True’s Hole Tapes Vol. 1
Year recorded: 1972-73
Year released: 2011
see full info
Water Turning Black
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2011
see full info
Muffin Man Goes To College
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2010
see full info
Russian flexi discs
Year recorded: various
Year released: various
see full info
InterZappa Overdrive
Year recorded: 1969
Year released: 2008
see full info
CB and his MB live in GB
Year recorded: various
Year released: 2008
see full info
Boston Music Hall 27/04/1975 (Late Show) 200 Years Special
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2008
see full info
Poet Rock Musicians of the Desert
Year recorded: various
Year released: 2007
see full info
Live at Bickershaw Festival
Year recorded: 1972
Year released: 2007
see full info
The Captain’s Last Live Concert Plus
Year recorded: 1981
Year released: 2006
see full info
Shiny Beast Outtakes and Backing Tracks
Year recorded: 1978
Year released: n/a
see full info
The Spotlight Kid Outtakes
Year recorded: 1971-72
Year released: 2005
see full info
Prime Quality Beef
Year recorded: 1967 & 1974
Year released: 2005
see full info
Live ‘n’ Rare
Year recorded: 1972 – 80
Year released: 2004
see full info
Dichotomy
Year recorded: 1966 – 78
Year released: 2003
see full info
Paradiso, Amsterdam 1980
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: various
see full info about the various vinyl and CD releases
Somebody In My Home
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 2001
see full info
Abba Zaba Atlanta
Year recorded: 1978
Year released: 2001
see full info
Hoboism
Year recorded: 1970 – 80
Year released: 2000
see full info
Case Of The Punks
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 2000
see full info
Merseytrout – Live In Liverpool 1980
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 2000
see full info
No Bacon For Breakfast
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 2000
see full info
Live at The Golden Bear 31/1/81
Year recorded: 1981
Year released: 1999
see full info
Country Club, Reseda 1981
Year recorded: 1981
Year released: 1999
see full info
The Captain Live in Liverpool (2CD)
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 1998
see full info
El Paso or Die
Year recorded: 1975
Year released; 199?
see full info
Bongo Fury In El Paso
Year recorded: 1975
Year released; 199?
see full info
An Evening With Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart
Year recorded: various
Year released: 1998
see full info
Out Here Over There
Year recorded: 1968-69
Year released: 1998
see full info
Hot Beef Injection
Year recorded: various
Year released: 1997
see full info
Live At My Father’s Place
Year recorded: 1978
Year released: 1995
see full info
The Early Years 1959-1969
Year recorded: 1959-69
Year released: 1995
see full info
Live At The Radar Station
Year recorded: 1978-80
Year released: 1994
see full info
If You Got Ears
Year recorded: various
Year released: 1994
see full info
Don’s Birthday Party
Year recorded: 1981
Year released: various
see full info about the various vinyl and CD releases
The Original Bat Chain Puller
Year recorded: 1976
Year released: various
see full info about the various vinyl and CD releases
Puller Man
Year recorded: 1963-74?
Year released: 1994
see full info
Captain Hook
Year recorded: 1974
Year released: 1993
see full info
Crazy Little Things
Year recorded: 1974
Year released: 1993
see full info
The New York Hot Dog Night
Year recorded: 1978
Year released: 1992
see full info
Violent Rape
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 1985 & 1987
see full info
Los Botas Graciosas Marchan Sobre Polonia (Various, features Beefheart)
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 1982
see full info
Best Batch Yet
Year recorded: 1981
Year released: 1981
see full info
Easy Teeth
Year recorded: 1978
Year released: 1981
see full info
T’anks For The Mammaries (Various, features Beefheart)
Year recorded: 1966, 75
Year released: 198?
see full info
It’s Too Hard – It’s Beefheart
Year recorded: 1966 & 80
Year released: 198?
see full info
Hot Dog Night
Year recorded: 1974 & 80
Year released: 198?
see full info
Live at My Fathers Place Vol.1 & Vol. 2
Year recorded: 1978
Year released: 198?
see full info
What’s All This Booga Booga Music?
Year recorded: 1973
Year released: 198?
see full info
Avalon ’66
Year recorded: 1966
Year released: 198?
see full info
Another Chapter From the Lives and Times of Captain Beefheart
Year recorded: 1966-71
Year released: 1989
see full info
The Lives & Times of Captain Beefheart
Year recorded: 1963-80
Year released: 198?
see full info
Electric Poetry Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (aka Through The Eyes Of A Genius)
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 198?
see full info
A Token Of My Extreme
Year recorded: 1975
Year released: 198?
see full info
Flavor Bud Living
Year recorded: 1980
Year released: 1980
see full info
Chronicle
Year recorded: various
Year released: 1979
see full info
Metal Man Has Hornet’s Wings (aka Confidential)
Year recorded: 1963-74
Year released: 1976
see full info
GULP (Various, features Beefheart)
Year recorded: 1965
Year released: 196? / 197?
see full info