To mark the album’s 45th anniversary Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) is being given a special release for Record Store Day 2023 on Rhino/Warner Records. Released on vinyl (just black as far as I can see) and cut from the original master tapes this will be a double album package. Disc One is the original album as released in 1978. The more interesting part of this release is Disc Two which features twelve demos, rough mixes and alternate versions recorded at the Shiny Beast sessions but have not been officially available before. The track list for Disc Two is : C1 Suction Prints (Demo) [Instrumental]Read More →

Ah you know you’re a man Yeah, she makes you understan’ Yeah, you know you’re a man Yeah, you know you’re a girl about the same time About the same time I know I’m a man, You know you’re a girl Ah, we’re starting to… Deep down in yr heart you know you’re a girl When I know I’m a man Way down deep in yr heart Way down deep in my heart I got a glow Way down deep in my heart, yer hear me? Yeah, you hear me cryin’ out to you We’re already in love When we’re starting to glow We’ve gotRead More →

Tropical Hot Dog Night Like two flamingoes in a fruit fight Ev’ry colour of day Whirlin’ around at night I’m playin’ this music So the young girls will come out To meet the monster tonight Tropical Hot Dog Night Like two flamingoes in a fruit fight I don’t wanna know ‘bout wrong or right I don’t want to know – I’m anywhere tonight Tropical Hot Dog Night Like two flamingoes in a fruit fight Like steppin’ out of a triangle Into striped light Striped light, striped light Tropical Hot Dog Night – Everything’s wrong, at the same time it’s right The truth has no patternsRead More →

Stupid heart, cupid heart Where will you go from here? Magnetic ring, magnetic draw Ooh, what you got me into? I’m a wolf, chrome craw Leavin’ you now – I’ll write ya, ma Takin’ a putt up to Carson City Well, if you hear me howlin’ Wehell, sittin’ pretty Tasted nitty gritty Puttin’ on into Carson City Sparks, tattoos, two tats and a toot Helmets, crosses, and a patch to boot Engine hot, pipes burn white Glad I’m not home tonight Five miles back I took a spill – Thought I almost paid my bill Makin’ my putt to Carson City Party time with theRead More →

Stopped by your house, saw your lamp lit Not a sign of you in it Where could you go at this hour? Has all our love lost its power? I said I’d be here with a flower Streetlamps flutter like fireflies I wish I hadn’t a told you all of those love lies Where could you go at this hour? Has all our love lost its power? I miss you more hour by hour The roses seem to smell sour Streetlamps flutter like fireflies I wished I hadn’t a told you all of those love lies Stopped by your house, saw your lamp lit NotRead More →

Harry Irene were a couple that lived in the green Harry Irene were a couple that ran a canteen Ran a canteen Ran a canteen Two people Harry and Irene like you never seen The floor was made of oak, the door was smokey gray Their tuna sandwiches would turn the dark into day They sold wine like turpentine to painters They took to social life like props to aviators Harry Irene were a couple that ran a canteen Harry Irene were a couple that lived in the green Ran a canteen Ran a canteen took Harry for all of his green and Irene HarryRead More →

The floppy boot stomped down into the ground The farmer screamed ‘n blew the sky off the mountains Eye sockets looked down on the chestbone mountains ‘n the sun dropped down, ‘n the moon ran off, His heels ‘n elbows pale as chalk ‘n all the comets collided ‘n blew t’ dust For fear they’d be seen. ‘n the sky turned white in the middle of the night ‘n the sky turned white in the middle of the night ‘n the big floppy boot stomped down into the ground ‘n the red violin took the bow to do the hoodoo hoe-down ‘n the red violinRead More →

Candle shy, candle weep Fly, hot candle, leap Candle roll and fold in ball Candle large, candle small Your threads of fire burning up, Your feathers of fire winning night And turning light, and turning light Light deepest night for me, and steer for me Spin and spin Then and then When I’m dancing with my love the shadows flicker up above Up above the shadows do the Candle Mambo Candle roll and fold in ball Candle blur, candle whir Candle her, candle her While your lights are spinning round, Your feathers of fire winning night And turning light, and turning light Candle crack, candleRead More →

Bat chain Puller Bat chain puller Puller, puller A chain with yellow lights That glistens like oil beads On its slick smooth trunk That trails behind on tracks, and thumps A wing hangs limp and retrieves Bat chain puller Puller puller Bulbs shoot from its snoot And vanish into darkness It whistles like a root snatched from dry earth Sodbustin’ rakes with grey dust claws Announces its coming into morning This train with grey tubes That houses people’s very thoughts and belongings. Bat chain puller Puller puller This train with grey tubes that houses people’s thoughts, Their very remains and belongings. A grey cloth patchRead More →

Apes-Ma, Apes-Ma Remember when you were young Apes-Ma? And you used to break out of your cage? Well you know that you’re not Strong enough to do that anymore now And Apes-Ma… The little girl that Named you years ago died now And you’re older Apes-Ma Remember when she named you And it was in the paper Apes-Ma? Apes-Ma, Apes-Ma You’re eating too much And going to the bathroom too much Apes-Ma And Apes-Ma, your cage isn’t getting any bigger Apes-Ma (1976) Originally made available at Justin Sherill’s Home Page Replica.Read More →

1978 US Original on Warner Bros BSK-3256 PROMOTIONAL COPY NOT FOR SALE in circular logo stamped in gold on front cover – normal record although appears to have different matrix – plain paper inner standard issue. 1978 US 8 Track on Warner Bros. Scan kindly sent to me by Malcolm Riviera. 1980 UK Original on Virgin V2149 1981(?) Australian Original on Virgin V2149 by CBS Records Australia Ltd. (CBS MX 194968/9) – White Label Promo with This record is manufactured for the purpose of promotion only. It remains the property of CBS Records Australia Limited and is not for sale printed on centre label andRead More →

Let there be great rejoicing among the multitudes of Beefheartians: the Captain has returned to the land of the Warner Brothers. For some inexplicable reason this bizarre genius shines on this new LP after several years of uneven recordings for another company (Mercury). Now Beefheart fans who remember the past glory of classics like Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby can once again look ahead to recordings by the Magic Band. Beefheart is a completely well rounded artist who paints the graphics for his covers, writes music and lyrics, and sings and plays several instruments. His lyrics arc to ’70s rock musicRead More →

The album is certified Grade A 100% Beefheart. After three years without a record contract, Don Van Vliet, one of the seminal figures of contemporary music, is back with a new band and a new album easily the equal of anything he’s done before. Well, not quite a new band – Art Tripp guests on marimba whimsey, and Bruce Fowler, who accompanied Zappa and Beefheart on tour several years ago, contributes brass raspberries courtesy of his blind-staggered trombone. The remainder consists of the customary complement of zig-zagging slide guitars, leapfrog bass and slightly sneaky off-kilter percussion. Beefheart’s band plays its collective ass off, and forRead More →

“I like the records I did when I was on Warner Bros. I liked Warner Bros. A lot of people there were real nice to me. Some of them even understood me.” Captain Beefheart While he was making his new record, Captain Beefheart stayed at a San Francisco-Japanese hotel, with a steam bath right in the room. “It’s nice,” commented the Captain. “I don’t have to go down with everybody else and show my white body. I don’t like that too much.” Glancing at the television on a recent Saturday afternoon, Beefheart spied the smooth cupola of Joe Garagiola’s head superimposed over the Midwestern typhoonRead More →

All songs (unless noted differently) Produced by Don Van Vliet and Pete Johnson (or vice versa) for Shiny Beast Productions Engineered by Glen Kolotkin Assisted by Jeffrey Norman Mastered by Phil Brown Recorded at The Automatt, San Francisco, CA Mixed at Wally Heider Recording San Francisco 1. The Floppy Boot Stomp Don Van Vliet: Vocals Jeff Moris Tepper: guitar and slide guitar (right channel), chorus Bruce Lambourne Fowler: trombone Eric Drew Feldman: sythesizer and rhodes, chorus Richard Redus: guitar, slide guitar & fretless bass (L & both channels), chorus Robert Williams: drums, chorus 2. Tropical Hot Dog Night Don Van Vliet: Vocals, whistling Jeff MorisRead More →

Recording details Date – 1978 Studio – Automatt, San Francisco Producer – Don Van Vliet, Pete Johnson Engineer – Glen Kolotkin, Jeffrey Norman Musicians Don Van Vliet – vocals, harmonica, sax Jeff Moris Tepper – guitar Richard Redus – guitar, bass, accordion Eric Drew Feldman – bass, piano, synthesiser Bruce Fowler – trombone, air bass Robert Arthur Williams – drums Art Tripp – marimba, percussion See Leach’s Listings for a thorough guide to who did what on Shiny Beast, compiled for the Radar Station by Jasper Leach. Track list The Floppy Boot Stomp Tropical Hot Dog Night Ice Rose Harry Irene You Know You’re A Man BatRead More →