Sometimes i question weather Captain Beefheart was a madman or a genius. He was probably a lot of both.

SOME of his stuff is so disjointed and so not mainstream that i can somewhat understand why he probably didn't sell millions and millions of records.

Artistically though, Capatin Beefheart was one of the best. Hands down.

He and his band had this quirky sense of rhythm that was pretty amazing.


Captain Beefheart's (and his band) more mainstream stuff has this bluesy, country, jazzy, rock sound. His more experimental stuff had all those elements but they were less restrained.

Honestly when i think of bands like Gang of Four, Wire, The Pixies, PIL, Talking Heads, Oingo Boingo, Killing Joke(a little), and a lot of Indie bands(especially the ones in Seattle), i think of Captain Beefheart.... Especially in those bands guitar playing.



P.S Some of Capatin Beefhearts stuff sounds like Hip Hop sample material.

Video has animals/meat being buchered so warning

When i See Mommy I Feel Like A Mummy(Shinny Beast, Bat Chain Puller, 1978)

Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles(Clear Spot,1972)

Run Paint Run Run(Doc At The Radar Station, 1980)

My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains(Clear Spot,1972)

Bat Chain Puller(Shinny Beast, Bat Chain Puller, 1978)

[Edited 1/4/14 1:38am]

,,,

Ndeed! Makes sense that he and Zappa were classmates...

...

BTW, my favorite is "My Head Is My Only House" (Unless it Rains")

Years back, Everything But The Girl did an acoustic cover of that tune...

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Everything But The Girl - "My Head Is My Only House (Unless it Rains)"

...

....

One of my favorite Beefheart cuts:

I just ordered this footage on DVD under the title The Lost Broadcasts. It's the best live Beefheart stuff I've ever seen or heard.

Amazing stuff Y'all !

What u guys posted just shows how eclectic Captain Beefheart and his band really were.

One thing though. If he and his band had chosen 2 go in a more traditional musical direction they probably could have been HUGE. They were just that good. The band was sometimes a little sloppy but they had the chops, and Beefheart had the voice for them 2 be a great traditional Blues, New Orleans Jazz or Rock N Roll band. IMO, behind Beefhearts sometimes wild singing he did have a good voice. Especially for NO Jazz and the blues.

@ dopedog. I hear what your saying about Trout Mask.



I think TMR was his best selling album and although i can listen 2 it i don't think its his best album and its not one of my favorites.

I would say my favorites are Shiny Beast, Safe As Milk, Clear Spot, Strictly Personal, Doc At The Radar Station, Bongo Fury(with frank zappa) and Unconditionally Guaranteed.

Those albums just sound better 2 my ears than TMR.

[Edited 1/10/14 0:01am]

I love beefheart! of course it was thinks to Zappa that i discovered him. He may seem mad... but i think he has a method to his madness. And he has made some great experimental music. And, his voice was very unique. Not pretty... kind of ugly but in a good way.

I absolutely LOVE Trout Mask Replica, and the somewhat similar followup Lick My Decals Off Baby. It's his most extreme album, hell one of the most extreme albums ever made. I'm not always in the mood but when I am, it is the funniest, sexiest, most rocking album ever made. Part of art rock is "rock" and TMR rocks.

In fact when I really love that stuff is when I am depressed or overwhelmed by problems. There was point after my father in law died when I left Bellerin Plain on repeat in the car stereo for about a week. It was just as chaotic and nutty sounding as the thoughts swirling around my own head, and it felt good to listen to it.

Listening to a lot of Trout Mask Replica this week. For those that are curious avout this album but finding it difficult, I'd recommend starting with a short list of songs. Don't try to take the whole thing at once, or even from start to finish. The first three songs are among the most out-there on it.

I'd start with a short play list of the most melodic/ accessible ones which IMO are:

Ella Guru

Moonlight On Vermont

Pachuco Cadaver

When Big Joan Sets Up

She's Too Much For My Mirror

Sugar N Spikes

Steal Softly Thru Snow

Veterans Day Poppy

Then once you get used to those, start checking out the others.

bobzilla77 said:

Listening to a lot of Trout Mask Replica this week. For those that are curious avout this album but finding it difficult, I'd recommend starting with a short list of songs. Don't try to take the whole thing at once, or even from start to finish. The first three songs are among the most out-there on it.

I'd start with a short play list of the most melodic/ accessible ones which IMO are:

Ella Guru

Moonlight On Vermont

Pachuco Cadaver

When Big Joan Sets Up

She's Too Much For My Mirror

Sugar N Spikes

Steal Softly Thru Snow

Veterans Day Poppy

Then once you get used to those, start checking out the others.

I may very well try that. I'm one of those types who's always found TMR impenetrable, which has always frustrated me because I'm a guy who loves ugly music.

[Edited 2/15/14 9:07am]