Much to the
excitement of Captain Beefheart fans worldwide,
Gonzo Multimedia has released a rare live recording of the
Captain in concert at Harpo's in Detroit, Michigan on Dec. 11, 1980!
Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet; January 15, 1941 – December 17,
2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter, artist and poet
known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was
conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called the Magic Band
(1965–1982), with whom he recorded 13 studio albums. Noted for his
powerful singing voice with its wide range, Van Vliet also played the
harmonica, saxophone and numerous other wind instruments. His music
blended rock, blues and psychedelia with avant-garde and contemporary
experimental composition. Beefheart was also known for exercising an
almost dictatorial control over his supporting musicians, and for
often constructing myths about his life.
During his teen years in
Lancaster, California, Van Vliet developed an eclectic musical taste
and formed friendship with Frank Zappa, with whom he sporadically
collaborated. He began performing with his Captain Beefheart persona
in 1964 and joined the original Magic Band line-up, initiated by
Alexis Snouffer, in 1965. The group drew attention with their cover
of Bo Diddley's “Diddy Wah Diddy”, which became a regional hit.
It was followed by their acclaimed debut album 'Safe As Milk',
released in 1967 on Buddah Records. After being dropped by two
consecutive record labels, they signed to Zappa's Straight Records.
As producer, Zappa granted Beefheart unrestrained artistic freedom in
making 1969's 'Trout Mask Replica', which ranked 58th in Rolling
Stone magazine's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In
1974, frustrated by lack of commercial success, he released two
albums of more conventional rock music that were critically panned;
this move, combined with not having been paid for a European tour,
and years of enduring Beefheart's strict discipline, led the entire
band to quit. Beefheart eventually formed a new Magic Band with a
group of younger musicians and regained contemporary approval through
three final albums: 'Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)' (1978), 'Doc At
The Radar Station' (1980) and 'Ice Cream For Crow' (1982).
Van Vliet has been
described as “...one of modern music's true innovators” with
“...a singular body of work virtually unrivaled in its daring and
fluid creativity.” Although he achieved little commercial or
mainstream critical success, he sustained a cult following as a
'highly significant' and 'incalculable' influence on an array of New
Wave, punk, post-punk, experimental and alternative rock musicians.
Known for his enigmatic personality and relationship with the public,
Van Vliet made few public appearances after his retirement from music
(and from his Beefheart persona) in 1982. He pursued a career in art,
an interest that originated in his childhood talent for sculpture,
and a venture that proved to be his most financially secure. His
expressionist paintings and drawings command high prices, and have
been exhibited in art galleries and museums across the world. Van
Vliet died in 2010, having suffered from multiple sclerosis for many
years.
Available on CD, this extraordinary recording catches the Captain at his best; live on stage in 1980 during the
tour for 'Doc At The Radar Station'.
Track Listing:
1) Nowadays A Woman's
Gotta Hit A Man
2) Abba Zabba
3) Hot Head
4) Ashtray Heart
5) Dirty Blue Gene
6) Best Batch Yet
7) Safe As Milk
8) Doctor Dark
9) A Carrot Is As Close
As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond
10) One Red Rose That I
Mean
11) Bat Chain Puller
12) My Human Gets Me
Blues
13) Sugar And Spikes
14) Sheriff Of Hong Kong
15) The Dust Blows
Forward, The Dust Blows Back-Kandy Korn
16) Suction Prints
17) Big Eyed Beans From
Venus
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