Some while ago Terry sent the Radar Station this piece about his experiences working with Bob Krasnow and how he came close to releasing some exciting Beefheart music. For some reason it never got published on the site … so here it is at long last! Apologies to Terry for the delay … Terry has worked in the music business for many years, notably running his own No. 6 Records label and as Head of A&R at Elektra Records in the 1990s. ——————————————————————————— I have a fortunate history of receiving phone calls from people that I don’t know. Probably why my number has always beenRead More →

NTS Radio recently broadcast ‘The Magic Behind Beefheart’, an hour long look at Don and the Magic Band’s career by Imogen Eason. A great selection of music, albeit brief extracts, keep the show moving along. It includes interviews with John French and Denny Walley talking about their time in the band, about Don and Frank Zappa and about playing the music again in the reunion Magic Band. It’s not clear when these interviews were done but presumably they must be a few years old and recorded before Denny left the band – (I’m guessing 2013). Take a listen here  Read More →

Track list Grow Fins Nowadays woman’s gotta hit a man When it blows it stacks Sun zoom spark Tropical hot dog night Bat chain puller Ice cream for crow China pig Lick my decals off baby Harry Irene Big eyed beans from venus 1996 Sweden CD Ultimate Audio Entertainment UAE disc3 www.morganagren.com Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 recorded in Umea 2nd April 1995; Tracks 6 – 10 recorded in Stockholm 4th May 1995. Background “This project was put together in collaboration with the travelling exhibition [Stand Up To Be Discontinued] of Don van Vliet’s paintings. The art gallery wanted to have Don’s musicRead More →

Denny Walley was born in Pennsylvania and lived for a time in New York before his family moved him to Lancaster when he was about 12 (around 1955) – his father was transferred with his job in an aircraft company. At this time Denny was playing the accordion for which he’d found a natural affinity and which his parents had allowed him to take lessons. In high school Denny hooked up with Frank Zappa through Frank’s brother Bobby often driving them to music rehearsals despite being only 14 or 15. Although he knew of Don Vliet he wasn’t acquainted with him at this time. DennyRead More →

Many thanks indeed to Janet for taking her photos of the 2003 Magic Band’s Camber Sands show, and to her huband Denny Walley for sending them along. Here’s Denny’s message: I had my wife Janet “The Planet” take these shots. I spoke with John French this morning, and he said that you might like some of them, so here you go! It was great to meet some of the Fireparty Folks, and especially to PLAY for them. The acceptance of TMB by such a diversified audience, was overwhelming to us. We LOVED it! Dons music is too important for it not to be played andRead More →

Sent to me by Rick Snyder, this was a 1975, Bat Chain Puller-era promo shot for DiscReet Records, featuring the newly revitalised, post-Tragic, Magic Band.   L-R: Elliot Ingber, Don Van Vliet, Denny Walley, Bruce Fowler, John French (front)Read More →

In advance of the imminent UK tour a short interview with Denny Walley has appeared in the Liverpool Echo In includes the great news that a CD of unreleased Beefheart music is to be released in December … no real detail as to what the tracks are but at last ‘Hoboism’ gets a legal release!Read More →