Radar Station highlights »
1969 Captain Beefheart’s wedding by Mike Bugbee
My first meeting with Don Van Vliet–whom I’ll just refer to as Beefheart–came on a rainy night about 12 hours before his wedding. It was NovemberRead More
A Crossover of a Different Colour by Kristine McKenna
Once known as avant-garde musician Captain Beefheart, Don Van Vliet has quickly won the art world’s attention as a painter The art world tends to regardRead More
A Trip To The Trout House by Angel LaCanfora
Many thanks indeed to Angel for sending along these splendid pictures and story of her and husband Chris’ visit to Woodland Hills to see the houseRead More
Beat Club television performance 1972
For many years, a classic performance of I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby from German television show Beat Club in 1972, circulated among fans. Then in 2012Read More
Captain Beefheart by Kristine McKenna
Captain Beefheart is a visionary / madman / genius who makes remarkably original music. A sculptor / painter / poet / philosopher of the primitive surrealistRead More
Captain Beefheart by Peter Keepnews
“My music is terribly personal,” Don Van Vliet says, his eyes fixed intently on me. “I think any artist is that way. I think there’s aRead More
Captain Beefheart Pulls A Hat Out Of His Rabbit by Byron Coley and Robert Carey
The stars are matter. We’re matter. What’s the diff, Zoot? Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, has emerged after six years of semi-retirement with a greatRead More
Captain Beefheart’s 10 Commandments of Guitar Playing
Budding guitarists take note. 1. Listen to the birds That’s where all the music comes from. Birds know everything about how it should sound and whereRead More
Captain Beefheart’s Far Cry by Lester Bangs
He’s alive, but so is paint. Are you? Don Van Vliet is a 39-year-old man who lives with his wife Jan in a trailer in theRead More
Crow’s Milk – Magic Band reunion documentary
Crow’s Milk is a 50 minute documentary narrated by John Peel and directed by Elaine Shepherd which covers: The Magic Band rehearsals in California in February 2003Read More
Don Van Vliet at Galerie Michael Werner on 5th May, 1985 by Carl Berger
Ahm gonna tell you the story of how I came to meet Don Van Vliet. Well, to be honest, I stood in front of him, yes,Read More
Frownland lyrics
My smile is stuck I cannot go back to your Frownland My spirit’s made up of the ocean And the sky ‘n’ the sun ‘n’ theRead More
I was a scribe for Captain Beefheart – Herb Bermann speaks part 1
First telephone interview between Herb Bermann and Derek Laskie Tuesday 13th November 2003 I’d just like to start talking about your poetry, your recent reading forRead More
I’m not even here I just stick around for my friends: The Odyssey of Captain Beefheart by Langdon Winner
“Uh oh, the phone,” Captain Beefheart mumbled as he placed his tarnished soprano saxophone in its case. “I have to answer the telephone.” It was aRead More
John French answers your questions from 2000/1
In 2000 John French, aka Drumbo, was writing his account of his time in the Magic Band, Beefheart: Through The Eyes Of Magic. The author calledRead More
John French’s tribute to Don Van Vliet
While touring in the UK in 1975, there was a concert we played in a medium sized hall somewhere lost in time, where a bus broughtRead More
John Peel interview
Welcome to my very favourite item here at the Radar Station. It’s a streaming audio interview broadcast on the John Peel show on the 24th AprilRead More
Orange Claw Hammer with Frank Zappa
This version of Orange Claw Hammer is one of my very favourite things that either Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa ever recorded. It’s an acoustic performanceRead More
Paintings featured in the 1999 Works On Paper exhibition
1999 28 January – 26 March Michael Werner Gallery, New York – solo exhibition
Poetry readings 1993
A 1993 poetry reading CD was included in the Stand Up To Be Discontinued exhibition book and later reproduced in the Pearls Before Swine book. ItRead More