‘‘The master must speak to you’’

The small matter of an interview with Captain Beefheart

by Byron Coley
This interview with Don Van Vliet was Yeah. They play together as though Diane Arbus. Jan! (whistles) She’s got to
conducted in New York City in they’d been doing it for a long time. hear this because she loves Diane Arbus.
November 1978, shortly after the release Where’s my horse, Jan? You know that
of Shiny Beast. It was only assigned (by NY The thing about them is that they won’t Stravinsky called me to his house while I
Rocker) the day before it happened and work. Which is fantastic. My other was doing a thing called “Trout Mask
represents my first “professional” q&a. groups, in the past, have fallen into work Replica”? Laura Huxley called and wanted
For that reason, some of the follow-ups patterns. When that happens, that’s it, I me to go meet him. She said, “The master
are pretty lousy, and yr humble leave. But these guys – it ain’t work to must speak to you.” And I didn’t go.
interviewer was more intimidated than he them. That’s excellent. Why put pyjamas Because of the fact that I was deeply
should have been. The questions were on somebody and then turn on the lights? involved in that album. The people I was
cobbled together during an all night I’m in seventh heaven with these guys. I with…if I would have left at the time they
drinking session with my old friend & just wish that I wasn’t ill – did you see me probably would have run right out the
fellow Beefheart devotee, Robert Carey. over there? doors. So I didn’t go and I’ve never
We didn’t have any “research materials” forgiven myself for that. You know I sold
apart from the records, so we just went Yeah. Aldous Huxley a vacuum cleaner, an
and saw the show at the Bottom Line, Electrolux.
wrote some stuff down, and I walked that Well, maybe you didn’t see me the night
long Warner Bros. hallway to the when the monitor machine went out. A good one?
interview room somewhat like a lad on
the way to the gallows, clasping a copy of The soundman seemed very harried. Oh, very good. I wouldn’t have done it
Joseph Spence’s Good Morning Mr. Walker otherwise. I have a hard time selling
(and maybe the Orchid Spangiafora EP) He was a nice guy. But you know how anything. But that was one thing that was
under my sweaty arm. sound is, for god’s sake. Why do you worth it, because it had a little bag – at
Parts of this were transcribed at think he [points to photographer] takes that time there was a little paper bag and
the time and ran in NYR, but it was only pictures? Sound is a shit. Hey, want to it just sealed off and you could dispose of
during a recent spate of research on the trade one of those for a Balkan Sobranie? it so easily. But I didn’t even know it was
Magic Band that the interview tape was These are really good. They don’t hurt him when I met him. But after a few
fully transcribed. It’s curious because it your throat. minutes I thought – this fellow is an
must have been one of Don’s first awfully powerful, unusual individual. He
interviews with the “new wave” press and I think there are some okay American could hardly see. He was very tall, but
he’d obviously been told to say that he cigarettes. stooped over. “I want that,” he said. I
liked any band that was mentioned who said, “Well, I assure you sir, this thing
he’d never heard. Later interviews were Camels. sucks.” It was kind of corny, but I had
rather less accomodating of this stuff. As read “A Brave New World Revisited” and
the tape begins rolling we’re talking about I like Chesterfields. I had seen a picture of him. So by the
some art film… time I got to say that to him I knew it was
They’re good. him. He was great. Up in Lano,
Don: Yellow is so hard to deal with. California, up near Pearblossom in the
I’m hoping I can save enough coupons to high desert. He wrote a thing up there
BC: Not if you’re colour blind. get a big house. called “The Crows of Pearblossom”. That
guy wrote some stuff. An Englishman
But yellow is…Van Gogh dealt well with Get an iron lung. [to photographer] Did coming that far out of himself is amazing.
yellow, but so many painters have really you ever meet Diane Arbus? Have you been to England? Then you
blown it in my opinion. know what I mean. The idea of him being
P: Yeah, I did once. able to get through all that school. [to
Well, I saw it on a black & white TV set, photographer] Where did you go to
so I missed that part. Um, how did you D: I knew you did. I’m a bit of a school?
get this current band together? clairvoyant -- just a bit of one. But I knew
that you had. And by god wasn’t she P: Rhode Island School of Design.
Thank you for calling it a current band. great? Shit. Goddamn. She didn’t even
Because the thing is that they really do think man or woman or anything, she was I’ll bet it’s good. They do some good
have a current, don’t they? above all of that. When she shot…what things back here. Do you know…what’s
did she say? Are you listening Jan? He met his name, Jan? He does black and
white…god, I’ve been talking so much Have you heard Pere Ubu? gonna call you liar.” What do I think of the
around here. What is the name of that, new wave and punk rock movement, is
Jan? Arthur what? They’re pretty good, aren’t they? What that what you want to know? I think it’s a
about the Weirdos? damn good idea that they get rid of that
Jan: Rudow. R-U-D-O-W. fixated heartbeat. But I hope they don’t
I’m not that into them. avoid the fact that the heart is what
Rudow, he’s with Newsweek. He’s the pumps the blood. But I think it’s nice that
assistant editor or something. We ate at I’m not either. Not after what I heard they’re delving into the fact that now
this restaurant. What was the name of about their nazism and facism. It reminds music has no investigative qualities and
that restaurant? me of that orange juice chick, what’s her no word transformation and a lot of these
name? things that I hear have no regard for any
J: I’m going to go in the other room and kind of research or any kind of breaking
read. Anita Bryant. down of cataracts. I may get hardening of
the arteries, but I’ll never get hardening of
At the show the other night you mixed a Uggh. the eyes. Quote. And people should have
lot of old material with the new. Do you the right to make their own preferences.
think that’ll make it harder for this band But some of Ubu’s older stuff uses And believe me a lot of people don’t have
to develop its own identity? musettes and really has a kind of “25th the right, it seems that people are trying to
Century Quaker” feel. take that right away from people. Well,
I don’t think so. Because I thought it Anita Bryant – people hater. And the
would just be a nice idea to see a band It does? I’ve got to hear some of that stuff. people love her. Present company
playing those things I did on “Trout I haven’t heard it. I can’t afford to buy it. excepted, I’m sure we hate her. But man,
Mask” and “Lick My Decals off Baby” and Are you kidding? Me? How can I afford to there’s an awful lot of people who don’t.
smiling and laughing. Those other guys buy that stuff. But Devo have one of my And that’s frightening at this point. This
were having so much work playing that entire drum parts on their songs. But why is 1978. Isn’t it frightening? That’s the
stuff that they were brittle. That was part do they put the Rolling Stones’ thing that scares me more than anything.
of the mystique -- the fact that other than “Satisfaction” together with “Ant Man
Rockette Morton they were all rigid. Bee”? I read in a paper in San Franscisco that
These people are superior. I hate to say she had been voted the worst woman in
superior for god sake. You know, mother All their original stuff was written on the world by schoolkids.
superior. But they are definitely way above electronic drums. Supposedly their old
the thought patterns of those people. drummer is building them a new set That’s encouraging, but that’s just in San
Some of those people had quite a few right now. Francisco. San Francisco has always been
prejudices and things like that, which tolerant of everything hasn’t it? New York,
stamps out any kind of creativity. Do you think that’s good? I wonder about too. I love New York.
electronic drums. That’s kind of
So there will be less old stuff played after frightening. Can you imagine a cat with a There are some spots in the middle of
this tour? steel pad… the country that are okay, too.

Definitely. But it’s kind of hard to not With wheels. Man, I wouldn’t want to be in any of
play a few of those things. You heard them. Would you? You know where Ezra
them hollering for certain requests. I said, Eeewww, ewww…I hate to see people Pound was from, right? Nebraska or
“You paid six dollars for a jukebox?” avoid the heart like that. I like something. The idea that somebody like
What could I say? I’m trying to weed out Stockhausen, a lot of his stuff. I like him Ezra Pound could come out of Nebraska
those older things. I have so many new better than I do his music, I think, him was quite amazing to me. Most people
things that it would be absurd to play himself. down in Texas say, “It don’t hurt ‘em.”
those old things for much longer. I didn’t When they burn those cows. Good god,
do “Big Eyed Beans from Venus”. That’s What sort of things were you doing What do you think of that? Think of any
quite a thing right there, to get by with before “Safe As Milk”? brand.
not doing that. And they didn’t say that
much. Well, they said a few things. (fake
I did a thing called “Out of the Frying Pan The new album seems to be heading off
yells) “Big Eyed Beans.” There was quite a
Into the Fire”. It was about the fellow that in a new direction.
chorus. invented blood plasma, I mean the usage
of it. They let him bleed to death in the Well, I’m gone, man. I’m gone. I couldn’t
After “Dropout Boogie” you made a street, a black man. That’s what I meant even put out an album. After you do
kind of pointed remark about the new by that, which is pretty frightening. It says, something like “Lick My Decals Off,
wave, Devo specifically. “Go downtown/I walk around/The man Baby” – meaning, get rid of the labels –
comes up says he's gonna put me down/You try the labels get rid of you. It’s the truth.
Well, I was teasing. I wouldn’t stop to succeed to fulfill your need/You get hit by a Pete Johnson is one who fortunately
progress. car the people watch you bleed/Out of the signed me to Warners.
frying pan into the fire/Anything you say they's
What happened when you got off gave him the complete freedom to play Did Mary Jane do her own choreography
Warners before? whatever he wanted on guitar, which I for that?
thought he should get. He never got it
Terrible things. It was a power of attorney with Frank. He’s really great. He wrote She did that herself and in about ten
thing. I had signed a power of attorney “Don’t Bogart That Joint”? minutes. She got that stuff at a food store,
thing to an attorney in Los Angeles. I had She’s good, man. That is a great dancer. I
a corporation called God’s Golfball, What does Elliot do now? think she’s the best living dancer. The
which was referring to the game of truth has no patterns, but I think maybe
business. A golfball is supposed to stay up He lives in Hollywood, right across the she is the best. I know she sure as hell can
high in the air. But he signed me off of street from a windows-darkened-up think. And that’s the sixth time she’s ever
Warner Brothers, the son of a bitch, in bookstore, one of those places – played maracas. The sixth time. She’s
the middle of the night. gynecology shots and whatnot -- trophies. never been out with a band, never played
But he lives there on Santa Monica Blvd., an instrument. Man, that I find really
Cheap son of a bitch. down from the Pink Pussycat, which is uplifting. She dug Eric Dolphy. She did a
Not that cheap. It’s taken me a lot to get really funny. But he just plays all the time. piece that no one would ever do, to a
out of it and I don’t have a lot. He’ll play again with me. He will. I think thing that Dolphy did that was pretty far
he’s one of the greatest melodicists of out. He was really hip. It was thing called
Was that about the same time as the guitar who ever lived. He’s been a “Senor something”. I can’t remember the
split-off of the band as Mallard? tremendous influence. name of it. I knew Dolphy. I hope he
doesn’t come down and get me for this,
Weren’t they a bunch of quacks? They What’s the deal on the original “Bat because I can’t recall the name of the
ducked. With a name like that you can’t Chain Puller”. Is it different than this tune. Probably because I write so many
fly, but you can duck. That’s what I think. one? tunes, all of the time.
I mean, imagine it. Imagine six years of
being with people. And they left five days Oh, definitely. Glen Kolotin was the So she just came along with Bruce, pretty
before a tour of the United States and engineer on this album and man, I think much?
Europe. That’s pretty nonchalant. Or he’s one of the better living engineers. He
something else. did Stravinsky’s last album. On this album Yeah. She likes my music.
you can hear everything. Isn’t that
Who played drums on “Trout Mask”? amazing. I wish on “Trout Mask” you Everybody likes your music.
could hear everything.
Well, the thing with that is that Herbie I don’t think everybody likes my music. If
Cohen didn’t put who played drums on You weren’t happy with the way it came everybody liked my music they wouldn’t
that, sort of casual again. But obviously out? buy orange juice from that damn woman
it’s Drumbo. If anybody didn’t know we were talking about.
that…you knew that. You know you knew Well, the idea of being able to do an
that. God, anybody’d know him. album like that in that time was amazing. Do you listen to any new music?
I was lucky to have gotten it out. I was
What do you think of covers of your lucky that Frank gave me the opportunity Well anybody who’s going on at all now
songs, like the Tubes’ “My Head Is My to get it out. How it was merchandised used to be a lot better. I was in England
Only House”? was disgusting, but I can’t put that on and I played a thing in France – a festival.
Frank Zappa. What could he do about There were 10,000 people in the rain, and
I thought at first that it was awfully nice. I that? It’s just business. I mean, he’s being me under a thing where the rain didn’t
even played harp on a thing on that sued right now. You know that? He’s hit me. I was feeling sorry for people in
album called “Golden Boy” and they locked out of one of the places he owns. the rain. Things like that are hard if
turned it way down. And I played soprano He’s in a big lawsuit. Not by Warner you’re at all feeling. I apologized at least
on a thing called “Cathy’s Clone”. I like Brothers, but by an unmentionable jerk. I 12 times, I probably bored everyone to
the girl who wrote it. I think she wrote don’t even want to mention his name. I tears. That’s not good business. God that
that good. And I was really playing. I told don’t think the press should have his was horrible. It’s wonderful to see people
her, “I like what you’ve done. And I’ll name in it. I wouldn’t want to give the out in the rain, but not with me under a
really play for you.” And I played it. I unmentionable character fuel of any kind. canopy. Do you know how cold it was
really thought it would be on there, but it that night? It would freeze the fur on a
was turned down, way down. I don’t want What’s “Apes Ma” about? fishing pole, I’ll tell you that. Contact
anybody to govern me. That I didn’t like It’s obvious, isn’t it? “You’re eating too lenses would be frightening in that kind
too much. much/You’re going to the bathroom too much, of cold. I think it must have been at least
Apes Ma/And Apes Ma, your cage isn’t 10 below.
How about “Alice in Blunderland” by getting any bigger, Apes Ma.” That’s self-
Henry Kaiser’s band? explanatory. I think that’s fairly good You did a cover for the album “Blorpe
poetry. Essette”.
Well, that’s Elliot Ingber’s solo, really. I
did that for Elliot. I put that together and
 Well, that’s it. That’s what I am. That’s had these ones for seven years. They last
why. It’s all textures and stuff. forever. I find that these are cheaper than
any other way. You just revamp these
Have you ever heard Joseph Spence? things and they look brand new. If I
wanted to really shine these things and
I’ve never heard of him. What does he dye them they’d look brand new. But this
do? fellow is so good that he’s definitely an
artist. You should get some of these. His
He’s a guitar player from the Bahamas. name is Travis and you should go see him.

Does he just do that constant beat? Man I But I never have enough money.
hate that heartbeat being driven into my
mind like that. That, I think, has got to The thing is, you should save it and get a
change. That’s what all of the drums pair of these. You’ll never forget it. You
things I’ve ever done have tried to do – to don’t even know you have feet. Think
change that. Because if that doesn’t about not knowing you have feet. You’d
change to some degree – and I think it love it. That’s the thing – get away from
won’t be changed by electronics and I the feet and the head is fine. Because the
think that it won’t be changed with foot touches everything and that does it
mechanicals – that’s why no electric up here. When I paint with these things
drums. They could just hook you right on… I have a pair that I do nothing but
into GE. paint in. And I can completely get out of
here with these things. You know who
What kind of influences do you see on told me about these? It was a fellow, when
your music? I was five years old, named Eden Ahbez –
they call him The Nature Boy. He wrote
None. Never. You know why? Because it the song “Nature Boy”. Really good song
would be a distortion of a prism – a color (whistles it). I’m so hoarse. I whistle with
distortion. I think that an artist should be my vocal cords, real unusual whistling.
exactly what he is or she is. I don’t think But I’m so hoarse from this tour that I
that influences… can’t really keep in tune, which is
frightening. Because I sing with my vocal
Everybody takes in so much cords. If I go (whistles) then I know I’m
Oh, Ace and Deuce. I like those guys. not going to be able to sing, until I can
information.
They seem to be among those people who whistle in tune. Although that was in
have a hold. Which is why I did that. I I don’t. There’s books that I’d love to read tune. But you see there’s a restriction on
was quite annoyed by the fact that he put tuning. People like music to be in tune
– love to read. But I don’t want to get
“Blorpe Essette” right in the middle of my because they’ve heard it in tune all the
influenced by them. I think it would stop
drawing. I think he could have found time. Like a camera – the way it’s going to
me. [to photographer] I can see what you
some other way to do that. He’s a nice be is the way that the camera is
do being an awful bombardment. It’s a
guy. constructed. I tried to break out of that
hard act, one of the hardest. Have you
had any exhibits? on an album called “Trout Mask Replica”.
Are you familiar with the Residents? I really tried to break that down. I made it
P: I had one in New Orleans. all out of focus. I untuned the piano I
They’re pretty damn good. I like them. I
wrote it on. One musician – I mean really
think they’re really quite good. But I don’t
I know a fellow that just went down there. a musician – Art Tripp came in and said,
have much time to listen to anything. I’m
He was sitting at a bar…did you hear that “I’ve got to fix some of these keys.” I said,
doing this and doing that and training
horn? It threw me right out of my thought “Oh, no.” He went to the Manhattan
this and training that and trying not to
pattern. He sells space shoes in San School of Music. So I got an Erector Set,
train anything. An artist is probably the
Francisco. You’d love this guy. He’s when he was going to join my group. I
one who kids himself most gracefully.
incredible. And I think they make the best said, “Well, this is a test. Form means
Because somebody doing what I’ve
space shoes. Have you seen Murray’s space nothing to me. Just take this Erector Set,”
created in an awful responsibility. It puts
shoes? They’re like these things – they get – I’d built a little thing. And I said, “Now
me in a sort of jail.
moulded to your foot. They feel so good. squeeze this Erector Set.” Because he’d
But this guy up here is the best. The best gone to the Manhattan School of Music
Are you still doing sculpture?
I’ve ever seen. I’m going to have three or he was very form-minded. Although it’s
four pairs made. I don't know how I'll pay better than Julliard, where for most
Oh yeah.
for them, ’cause I probably won’t have people they just make a mould. But I said,
enough money to walk after paying for “How does that feel?” He says, “It’s
Your music is very sculptural.
these shoes. They’re so expensive –a horrible.” I said, “Well, then, am I right?”
hundred and a quarter apiece. But I’ve He said, “Oh, that’s right.” So that was
better. I’m going to start lecturing soon at an answer. I just think that everybody’s Cleanliness is next to godliness. I really
all the colleges and stuff. And the thing is different. Somebody just being there and think that. And I think that they’re wrong
I’m going to start telling people the way I trying to project exactly what they think, about that. I mean, not too much
do music. Because I have a different way just standing there. I don’t know whether cleanliness, because your skin would fall
of doing music. I’m a sculptor. And it distinction is going to do it, although I’d off. I’ve had to take so many showers after
does definitely pour form that. like to hear it. coming off stage on this tour that my skin
is getting so dry I find myself just putting
Do you think they’ll get it? Are you looking for ways to break it on this cream. And the only thing I can
down? use is Tom’s and it costs so damn much.
I think it will go into their minds. I think You know how much this Tom’s cream
everybody who has ever…do you hear All the time, but I don’t have to break it costs? $1.75, and I’ve had to use so much
those horns? Do you hear them? Well, down because I’ve never been fixated and of it – my hands are cracking from
then, of course they hear my music. I’m lucky. I never went to school in my holding the microphone, playing the
Everybody hears my music. It’s a matter of life. teeth. It’s just amazing what goes through
whether they want to or not. Everybody and what happens. The good things are so
hears everything. Like, I don’t believe that Not even when you were a little nipper? damn expensive. Only a few of the wrong
people say they don’t hear that horn when people usually get them.
that’s there. That’s what gets me. What Not even when I was a little nipper. I wet
the hell are they doing? What are they my pants when I mother took me to The wrong people have all the money.
doing? People must know they’re wrong. kindergarten. So I did a kindergarten – Yeah. And that’s how they get it. The
They must know that some of things that wet my pants and got violent, ’cause I higher you go the rarer the vegetation.
they’re doing are so far back that a train wanted to get the hell out of there. We Salvador Dali said that. Although I don’t
don’t go there. They must realize that and were playing with blocks and I wouldn’t know where he got it. I think I‘ve read
yet they still have the same concept. I’m do it. And I never did do it. Just wouldn’t that in a classic of one sort or another. An
talking about preference. Like weight, do it. Never. older classic. What do you think about
fascism, they don’t change, man. Who in that? Am I right or wrong? Although there
the world can say one thing is the same is no right or wrong. The truth has no
way? You heard that horn, but you heard patterns. I put that on “Tropical Hot Dog
it differently than I heard it. Maybe. And Night”.
you heard it different. That’s what I
mean. I’ve gotta start writing. I’m gonna I don’t know, I have a tendency to think
get political and then I won’t be worth a of it in terms of hair. And since I’m
shit. All those stupid people in high places going bald…
– that’s politics. That is politics – stupid
people in high places. A beatnick poet in What? You’re going bald? You mean you
Santa Monica, when I was 13 and Frank won’t be able to have a new wave? But
Zappa was 13, he was with me – we were What do you do about people who have doesn’t it all come down to preferences
the same age – and we heard this guy and gone through years of that structuring? and decisions? And don’t they create a
he says, “If you don’t mind stupid people girdle? Although some girdles are pretty
in high places, you’ll love the Well, I told you what I did with Art. I did hip looking – I mean those old Playtex
government.” He had a pair of dark that to see if he really thought that was girdles, oh man! Woooo! Where in the
glasses and a suit. I stood up and I said, not a painful technique, mentally. And hell can one get some garments around
“Yeah. Woo. I agree with you.” They physical is mental, to a degree. It helped here? I like baggy clothes because they
almost kicked me out of the club. Now, him. allow more breathing. But I would. I
why would they almost take me out of the wrote “Big Joan”.
club if they had somebody like that there What about the rest of the people?
saying things like that? There are so many And there it ends. We print this interview in
contradictions. So right there I knew that When I play I play to everybody. The fact its entirety, word for word, without apology,
the guy who tried to take me out of there is that I wouldn’t select myself to be explanation or justification because I honestly
for standing up and saying that was…it’s playing to fixation. Let’s just hope that believe, sure ’nuff and yes I do, that Don Van
so crazy. this new wave is not fixated. That is the Vliet is the greatest living American artist
thing that worries me about it. Maybe working within or without the field of music.
But can you get them to realise or admit they will fixate themselves within trying to Since I also have a sneaking suspicion that
it? sell their records and whatnot. And use Byron Coley is the greatest living American
too much shock value. Which I think is rock critic, it’s a source of great personal pride
I wonder. I really wonder. Lysergic Acid not the answer. Because shock value is…it to be able to achieve two ambitions at once
was one way that people got out of certain would be a pity if they let this one fall. and feature them both in the Terrascope… Phil
things. But the thing is it’s too fast, you Man, if they drop the ball this time, like McMullen, October 1999.
can’t see what’s happening because it’s these people did – ewwww. That’s a
too unnatural. Again, I’m back to the shame, because they have some good
drums. You see, I don’t think that that’s ideas. Soap is not one of them, though.
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND – when Harkleroad first joined up in ‘68, there were plans to
GROW FINS: RARITIES (1965-1982) completely re-record Strictly Personal and that in fact two of
(Revenant REV210 5CD box) the numbers for Troutmask were recorded separately with
BILL HARKLEROAD – LUNAR NOTES: ZOOT HORN Rising Sons bassist Gary Marker playing on ‘em! (More
ROLLO’S CAPTAIN BEEFHEART EXPERIENCE about whom later). Harkleroad also delivers an indispensible
(SAF Publishing pbk 0-946719-21-7)
track-by-track breakdown of each of those aforementioned
To paraphrase Paul Krassner, I’m not sure where to begin. I albums. Where he’s less successful – and this is where co-
feel like I’m about to suck off an elephant or something. writer Billy James should’ve come into his own – is in giving
Yeah, Beefheart: just where do you start? And what’s not more details of the tours, especially the overseas ones, and
already been said? 17 years after the guy’s last official record more local colour: something John French pleasingly
and it seems like every day somebody’s dropping his name, achieves in his own take on the Beef experience in the
whether it’s Noel Gallagher or that airhead DJ Jo Whiley Revenant box. Then again it seems that members of this
who not long ago made a complete fool of herself on TV by particular Magic Band could go for weeks without seeing
admitting she’d never heard Troutmask Replica and being daylight!
told by fellow Radio 1 jock John Peel to toddle off home For any self-respecting Beefheart fan, owning the Revenant
and buy a copy. Don Van Vliet’s reputation as one of few box set has to be like winning the fucking lottery. Sad but
truly innovative musicians to have changed the face of rock true, a day has scarcely passed since 1968 without me in
music is assured as we go into the 21st century – but what some way thinking about the Cap’n. A European
kind of price did he and his fellow Magic Band members perspective is perhaps all that the accompanying book to the
have to pay to achieve it? At the time of writing the Cap, or boxed set lacks – David Fricke’s American angle for once
as he now prefers to be called, Don Van Vliet, is an simply isn’t enough. I’d stick my neck out and say that
acclaimed painter but far from well man, whilst most of his without the support of his Euro fans, especially the hordes
ex-musicians have given up making the kind of ground- of disciples here in Britain, Beefheart would not have got as
breaking music we grew to love and treasure so highly. far as he did. For the sake of overseas and younger readers,
Perhaps the best place to begin is with Bill Harkleroad’s let me explain how difficult it was back in the late ‘60s to
recent kiss-and-tell memoirs of his time as guitarist with avoid Beefheart’s music over here. A lot of that credit has to
what many consider to be the ultimate Magic Band - the one go to John Peel, without whom it’s just possible the Captain
that made Troutmask, Decals, Spotlight Kid and Clear Spot. & co might’ve remained little more than the property of
It’s a worthy prelude to Revenant’s hugely anticipated 5-CD record collectors, a Nuggets style rock band or a freak in the
and book boxed set. Aside from the recent TV vein of Wildman Fisher or the GTOs. Back then if you were
documentary, this is the first serious attempt to put all that seriously interested in ‘alternative’ or even just interesting
remarkable music into perspective – books on Beefheart are music and you lived in the UK, Peel’s Night Ride and Top
not every day occurrences! Since messrs Boston, Snouffer, Gear programmes were one-stop shops to find out just what
Tripp and Harkleroad (aka Mr Zoot Horn Rollo) quit the was happening, and since his return from the US in mid-67
band in early ‘74, tales of Beefheart’s alleged beastly Peely had mercilessly plugged the Cap and His Magic Band;
inhuman behaviour towards his fellow musicians have indeed it was on Top Gear that I first heard ‘Beetle
circulated widely in rock’n’roll circles. So as you might Bones’N’Smokin’ Stones’ live in session. Coupled with this
imagine, the Cap doesn’t come out of this tome unscathed. fact was that shortly afterwards Liberty released a cut-price
Harkleroad takes us into the intensely insular world of those sampler called ‘Gutbucket: An Underworld Eruption’ whose
years, ‘68 thru ‘74 (and after, with tales of Mallard – his post opening track was ‘Gimme Dat Harp Boy’ from Strictly
Beefheart band which need their own separate piece and re- Personal – this cheapo comp found its way into every
evaluation; but not here). The suffocating atmosphers of school, college, squat, club and army hut across the country
rehearsal rooms, band houses and recording studios are and Beefheart’s name was soon on everyone’s lips. Then
unremittingly recreated: he tells of the desperate way in again all discerning music followers were also reading ZigZag
which the band had to survive on no pay and handouts mag by this time, whose very pages were littered with articles
from friends and family in order to create those incredible and references to the Captain, I mean the mag’s very name
albums. Back then it was easy to assume that being signed to was inspired by a darn Beefheart song!! It was true to say
a major label and touring regularly, not to mention all the you couldn’t escape from Beefheart madness as the 60s
critical acclaim going their way, that it was fat city for these turned into the 70s in Britain – the cheap’n’cheerful Marble
guys – the sense of relief they must have felt to break free Arch label put Safe as Milk at the reach of even the most
from just the poverty (let alone Don’s mind games) when hard-up fan by re-releasing it for around 17/6 (about 85
they finally got financially fucked over once too many times pence nowadays). The much-maligned blues boom also
is almost palpable in these pages. But this biog isn’t just a threw up some decent bands who took their cue from
catalogue of moans and groans – we finally get to Lancaster’s finest: outfits like Screw and Stackwaddy – the
understand the whole process of how Troutmask came to latter a cruder version of those early Beefheart incarnations
be. As we might’ve guessed it was a far lengthier and more that had recorded for A&M, belting out slovenly versions of
complicated experience than Don always claimed it was. things like ‘Sure Nuff “n”Yes I Do’ - shit, no wonder Peel
And more collaborative! I was very interested to learn that couldn’t resist signing them to his Dandelion label! Most
interesting of all was the Edgar Broughton Band, the one
blues-boomer to make the connection between Howlin’ were major technical problems with the sound. Whatever, I
Wolf and Beef’s space-age blues. They practically based their came away numb and disorientated!! Yet six weeks later I
image on CB&TMB right down to Edgar’s gravel-rinsed saw the same line-up play a remarkable set that exuded fire
bark and huge black Uncle Remus hat. And their ‘Drop-out and humour and confirmed all that I had ever supposed
Boogie’ was not only a live favourite but formed the basis for Beefheart music was all about – and I was sitting in a tent in
what became one of the Harvest label’s strangest 7” releases! a muddy field hundreds of yards from the stage! I’m talking
Hip pirate radio station Geronimo even devoted all of one about the Bickershaw Pop Festival near Wigan – two tracks
Saturday night’s broadcast to a Beefheart special in May from the Cap’n’s set there grace CD 5 of the Revenant box.
1970. See what I mean? They played at some unearthly hour on Sunday morning – I
But it wasn’t all plain sailing. With Beefheart, there was seem to remember sandwiched between Family and the
no middle ground. The Cap’n’s music especially post-Strictly Flamin’ Groovies, but they were superb and Don was the
split us decisively into two camps, into those that loved it happiest onstage I ever remember seeing him be – the (sun
and those who hated it (most of my mates). For a bit I zoom) spark and dazzling virtuosity of the band was
wobbled on the fence – when one of my circle finally confirmed by a mate literally sat on the side of the stage who
procured Troutmask in the autumn of ‘69, we got off easily reckoned it was the greatest performance he’d ever seen,
on the humour of stuff like ‘The Blimp’ and the album’s especially Mr Zoot Horn Rollo’s. The following Monday
sole “blues” track ‘China Pig’, in effect a solo vehicle for ex- evening – and just to ram home that point about blanket
band member Doug Moon. Harkleroad throws up a really coverage – on the six o’clock local TV news, Granada
interesting fact about this in his book. Apparently Doug was Reports (watched by several million people in the North
visiting the Magic Band house up in the Hollywood Hills West), there was Don and wife Jan being interviewed about
one night during the album rehearsals and knocked out a art and painting by a young Tony Wilson. Beefheart’s effect
blues tune, just off the cuff. Don reacted to it positively, on young England was immense, I remember researching
turned round and harangued messrs Rollo, Morton and my Greasy Bear piece in 1990 and ex-band members CP Lee
Drumbo for not being good enough to play in a and Steve Whalley both separately telling me about what an
conventional 12-bar style – and they just stared back in influence CB&TMB was back then, not just in the way they
amazement having spent the previous nine months impacted on Greasy Bear’s image (the big hats etc) but on
“unlearning” all that conventional shit! By that stage they Mancunian youth as a whole. I can’t help thinking that here
couldn’t even play that normal kind of stuff to save their in the UK, we psychically succoured the Cap with a kind of
lives! But as regards some of the other tracks on there, well I undying affection until he retired. And I know a bunch of
had no experience of free jazz and it was hard going – it was people who’ll never ever have a bad word to say about the
no easy leap from the acidified blues of Strictly Personal to ‘tragic’ band that toured here in ‘74. They even thought
hearing Don and his cousin the Mascara Snake squawking dwarf saxophonist Del Simmons was a divine piece of
on their horns at the full moon on Troutmask. This was Beefheartian madness!!
especially so when Decals came along – I think the first track From 72 onwards I was a fully-paid up Beef fan - for life. I
I ever heard off’f that was ‘Flash Gordon’s Ape’. Hang on in saw him and various line-ups play when they’d come to
there I did, though! England, followed the spin-offs, notably Mallard whose
Cut to 1972: here in Britain we had been feverishly Roundhouse show I duly trekked down to London to
awaiting Beefheart live and in the flesh since the remarkable witness, and would check out any band that would play the
‘68 shows which I’d sadly been too young to attend. He and Beefheart influence card as a matter of course. Even went to
band had made it here in ‘69 after a Belgian festival see all the exhibitions of his paintings that reached our
appearance (a snippet from which is included here on the shores. Which brings me back to this Revenant set. The
Grow Fins box) but opted to do press rather than live development of CB&TMB falls conveniently into distinct
appearances. In 1970 the organisers of the Hollywood Pop phases, all of which save the Mercury/DiMartino era are in
Festival promised us the Cap but in the end we had to make some way represented here. Material is culled from many
do with the Grateful Dead (not as bad as it might sound but different but on the whole obscure sources – there’s no
a whole different story). Finally in spring ‘72 promoter Fred direct licensing from any of the labels officially issuing
Bannister (I’d like to hear his Beefheart tales!) kept his word Beefheart product between 1965 and 1982. Bitsn’pieces will
and a comprehensive tour was announced. In a way the be already familiar to die-hard tape collectors, but there’s
timing couldn’t have been better – it was the end of hippy, still some amazing sniff-snaff here! CDs 1 & 2 cover the
pomp-rock battled with glam-rock for centre-stage. band as it evolved through early dabblings with
Anticipation for something special was keen – the conventional r’n’b (they even featured a bunch of Stones
Manchester Free Trade Hall show on April 1st sold out in covers in their early sets to get live work!) through to the
hours. For me it was the strangest concert I’ve ever attended sessions that led to Safe As Milk and Strictly Personal and
– it may have been to do with the support act Foghat who live work-outs at places like the Avalon Ballroom by which
came on and in an over-amplified 45 minutes of heads- time acid had become part and parcel of the music. Pride of
down, no-nonsense mindless boogie mercilessly bludgeoned place must go to the six tracks that start off this whole
the ears of the audience into total deafness. There was the shebang which were taken from a 1966 demo tape
intermission, followed by the ballerina, then Rockette unearthed only last year in Doug Moon’s loft. Better than
Morton’s cameo before the show started proper – a weird the A&M Sessions they show that even at an early stage the
scary evening. Was it that the entire audience were as stoned Magic Band was going way beyond the strictures of normal
as parrots, ‘cept me and my girlfriend? I’ve read since there blues music, which explains how such members as Moon
eventually were forced to leave as the sound got distinctly shanty flavour. I have a coupla minor quibbles, namely that
weirder, more dischordant and the Cap played havoc with the Bickershaw MB line-up was Harkleroad, Ingber, Boston,
those time signatures. Equally revelatory are the sleevenotes Tripp, and Boy (Orejon) Estrada (I’m taking this not just
which throw some splendid light on these early line-ups – from memory but from the 1972 UK tour programme), and
John French, who was in and out of the band more than that the 1973 European tour line-up was Harkleroad,
just about any other player, tracked down and interviewed Boston, Tripp, Alex St Clair with Boston going back to bass
all those ex-members willing to spill the beans! I was shocked full time. As a whole though this is just top notch stuff and

to learn that as part of the deal to get Ry Cooder in to play Richard Redus, guitarist in the band 77/78 has the best take
lead on Milk Gary Marker was going to produce that debut of all on Don when he observes: “I feel like Don is a
album – there were all kinds of political shenanigans going member of this very small subclass of humanity... they share
down. a certain characteristic: it’s as if they were 100%
CDs 3 & 4 ostensibly cover the rehearsal sessions and ‘psychedelicized’ all the time... they’re like windows into a
general weirdness that was going on in the wake of trying to more profound view of the cosmos. Look at it like they were
birth Troutmask – for many Beefheart afficianados this will witch doctors, with darker forces, or more magical forces...
be the real meat of the collection despite the lo-fi nature of sensitive to everything: emotions, visual impressions,
the recordings. There are few classic albums where the sounds, metaphors – very very sensitive people”. If I do
listener has become privy to all the minutae going down in have one reservation about this release, it’s this: what
the studio in the wake of recording them – CD 3’s fly-on- does Don think about the set? During his years as a ‘rock’
the-wall spyhole perspective now ensures thatTroutmask has performer Beefheart’s favourite topic of conversation was
become one of them. CD 4 contains various pieces of always how the music industry was ripping him off. If he
wacked-out dialogue recorded during these sessions – it is blocked the release in 1983 of all those stunning out-takes
also the enhanced disc of the set containing a variety of live from the Warner vaults, then surely he can only view Grow
film and TV footage, including the two numbers from the Fins with the same perspective, that it’s one more example
Cannes beach gig when messrs Van Vliet, Cotton, French, of the biz taking him for a ride. I hope I’m wrong.
St Clair and Handley played at the Midem Music Bit Where this set ultimately scores is as a testimony to the
Convention there in ‘68. Priceless stuff! Finally CD 5 takes greatness of all the many talented people who played in the
us from Decals through to 1982 when the last Magic Band various Magic Bands and who went to hell and back to help
was dissolved and Don turned to painting and drawing full Beefheart achieve his wondrous musical vision. For without
time. This is an amazing hedge-podge of delights which for the likes of John French, Bill Harkleroad and all the others,
me is capped (no pun intended) by a totally reworked this astounding music might never have reached the planet.
‘Orange Claw Hammer’ performed live on US radio in And that is something too terrible to contemplate. (reviews by
1975, presumably during the Bongo Fury tour. Here Nigel Cross)
accompanied by Uncle Frank on guitar, Beefheart renders
the Troutmask tune, originally bone accapella, into a real Photo above features (left to right) unknown, Frank Zappa, Pete
tour de force new version, bringing out the song’s true sea Frame and Don Van Vliet. Thanks to Pete for the pic!