<<< see answers 6 - 10

11) Give a URL for a website where you can download a Beefheart ring-tone. (You should be able to hear the tone when you click on the link.)

http://www.maf.fi/ringtones/tones/966.mp3 or http://uk.fun4me.com/english/ringtones/tones/966.mp3

12) Name the Spanish concerto from 1940 which was adapted by an American trumpeter in 1959. Some of this music was used in "Sugar n Spikes" in 1969.

"'Sugar 'N Spikes' half conceals another one of Van Vliet's favourite tunes. It starts off on an agitated Delta blues rhythm but the mood swiftly changes as the singing guitar lines shadow the vocals in the chorus. This section is constructed around a melody lifted directly from Miles Davis and Gil Evans's version of Joaquín Rodrigo's 'Concierto De Aranjuez' from 'Sketches Of Spain' (1959), an album he and Zappa used to listen to as teenagers." - from Mike Barnes' book 'Captain Beefheart'.

13) A major part of Don Van Vliet's 1965 composition 'Frying Pan' was incorporated into a 1973 song by a famous American rock band who still play that song in concerts today. Name the band, the song title and the album on which it originally appeared.

The drummer on Captain Beefheart's 1965 recording of 'Frying Pan', Alex Snouffer, says that the song, "was just a takeoff on a Delta blues thing. Don wrote the words, we threw three chords together, and that was it."

Albert Bouchard, the drummer on Blue Öyster Cult's 1973 reworking of the 'Frying Pan' riff, acknowledged that Beefheart had inspired their song but added that the riff goes a long way back to some early blues/jazz piece of the mid to late fifties.

'The Red and The Black' is on the BÖC album 'Tyranny and Mutation'. An earlier BÖC cut, 'I'm On The Lamb, But I Ain't No Sheep', also used the riff.

The Swedish band The Nomads evidently spotted the Blue Öyster Cult 'Frying Pan' connection. In 1986 they re-named themselves The Screaming Dizbusters to issue a single with Vliet's 'Frying Pan' on the B-side. '7 Screaming Dizbusters' is a BÖC song title.

Thanks to Bolle Gregmar of The Blue Öyster Cult fan club for telling me about his conversation with Albert Bouchard.

14) 'Tropical Hot Dog Night' is music from a tropical island, occupies one CD of a 2 CD set, and is not a Don Van Vliet composition. It is played on a traditional instrument with vocal accompaniment. Identify the album.

Singapore Gwa by Tsuha Koutoko

"Stunning double CD is contender for the best Okinawan album of 2000. Disc 1, Singapore-Gwa, is a glorious blend of Okinawan sanshin with guitar, drums, bass, organ, sax, tuba and more, with warm vocals, singing songs of emigrating to Singapore by boat, and other emigration songs. Disc 2, Tropical Hot Dog Night,is a straight, traditional, sanshin and vocal set." - from the record company's online catalogue.

15) In which present-day unauthorized Rolling Stones cover band is there a guitarist who worked with Captain Beefheart?

Mark Banning plays Ronnie Wood in The Unauthorized Rolling Stones (or The URS). He kindly e-mailed me twice, in February and March 2004, in response to my questions about the time he played with Captain Beefheart.

"I played with Don a short time around '74 or '75. We talked for hours at a time on the phone at which time he asked me to join this band. It was a tough decision because I had just formed my dream band. Don came out and played with my band at a gig in the Lancaster/Palm-dale area, close to where he lived at the time. A reel to reel tape was recorded that night of the performance. Unfortunately, I never got a copy of it. I know that several copies of it exist somewhere. I remember we played a very cool version of "Evil" by Howlin' Wolf and an even cooler version of "Willie The Pimp" by FZ that must have been somewhere between 20 - 45 minutes long! I marvelled at how close Don sounded like the Wolf, and his soprano sax chops on "Willie". I could swear I heard 2, possiibly 3 notes at the same time out of his horn! I've never heard anything like it before or after that night. I was also extremely happy with my guitar playing that night. It's very possiible that Zoot was there, and Sally Struthers, too. Don gave me tickets to his new years show at the LA Forum with Frank shortly after this gig. (Maybe that will help you to know what year it was.) Could you let me know if you have heard a live recording that fits this description? I didn't use any fictitous names with him, but one might be attached with that recording. I hope that this answers your questions. I haven't spoke to Don since that era."

"Thanks for the help. It was prior to the Zappa/Beefheart show at the LA forum '75 that I played with Don. To my knowledge, there was no connection to Sally Strothers and Zoot, other than being under the same roof. The name of the band was "Thumbs". Keyboardist John Thomas was in that band. He went on to play with Bruce Hornsby, and a cast of thousands. Bassist Tim Myers went on to work with Michael Jackson and David Bowie doing synthesizer mods. Vic Beach played drums and Jan Wolfe played keyboards and woodwinds. I never rehearsed with Don in his band. I don't know how he heard my playing, but it must have been with Thumbs playing often in the Antelope valley or by word of mouth. John and Tim were friends of Zoot and Drumbo. I played a lot more experimentally than I do with the Unauthorizers. (Duh!) It would be so cool to hear that recording again."

Thanks to Mark Banning for his mails and to Steve Froy for clarifying dates. If anyone has information about the tape please get in touch.