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Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet on January 15 1941 in Glendale, California ) is a Painter and retired musician, best known by the Pseudonym '''Captain Beefheart'''. His musical work was mainly conducted with a rotating assembly of musicians called the '''Magic Band''', which was active from the mid-1960s through to the early 1980s. Van Vliet was chiefly a singer, but was also a capable Harmonica player, and occasionally played noisy, untrained Free Jazz -influenced Saxophone . His compositions are characterized by their odd mixtures of shifting time signatures and by their surreal lyrics, while Van Vliet himself is noted for his dictatorial approach to his musicians and for his enigmatic relationship with the public. Van Vliet joined the newly forming Magic Band in 1965, quickly taking over as bandleader. Their early output was rooted in 2006 . Since the end of his musical career around 1982, Van Vliet has made few public appearances, preferring a quiet life in his Mojave Desert home, and he has concentrated on a career in painting. His interest in art dates back to a childhood talent for Sculpting , and his work—employing what has been surmised as a "neo-primitive abstract-expressionist aesthetic"Delville & Norris, p. 22.—has received some international recognition. He is reportedly suffering from the long-term illness Multiple Sclerosis . Meanwhile, several of Van Vliet's former band members have reformed as a group, and since 2003 they have once again been performing and touring as The Magic Band . EARLY LIFE Van Vliet's father, who was of ''. Van Vliet claims his parents discouraged his interest in sculpture, turning away several Scholarship offers and through their moving from California. Van Vliet remained interested in art; his paintings, often reminiscent of Franz Kline 'sOhrt, Roberto (1993). " The Painting of Don Van Vliet ". In ''Stand Up to Be Discontinued'', Cantz, ISBN 3893225951., were later featured on several of his own albums. While studying at Antelope Valley High School in 2006 . the first appearance of the Beefheart name. Van Vliet's stage name came from a term used by his Uncle Alan. Alan had a habit of exposing himself to Don's girlfriend, Laurie. Alan would Urinate with the bathroom door open and, if she was walking by, mumble about his Penis , saying "Ahh, what a beauty! It looks just like a big, fine beef heart." Zappa, Frank & Occhiogrosso, Peter (1990). ''The Real Frank Zappa Book''. Fireside. ISBN 0671705725. In a 1970 interview with '' Rolling Stone '', Van Vliet requests "don't ask me why or how" he and Zappa came up with the name. He would later claim in an appearance on Late Night With David Letterman that the name referred to "a beef in {Link without Title} heart" about how humans were treating the environment. Van Vliet enrolled at Antelope Valley Junior College as an art major, but left the following year. After managing a chain of shoe stores, Van Vliet relocated to Cucamonga , California to reconnect with Zappa, who inspired Van Vliet's entry into music performing. Van Vliet was reportedly quite shyZappa, Frank (March 1977). ''International Times''., but able to imitate the deep voice of blues singer Howlin' Wolf and in possession of a "remarkable" four-and-a-half Octave vocal range". Eventually growing comfortable performing, he learned Harmonica , and played around southern California, at dances and small clubs. PROFESSIONAL MUSIC CAREER Van Vliet had previously worked with local groups such as The Omens and The Blackouts. In early 1965 he was contacted by Alex Snouffer , a local Lancaster Rhythm And Blues guitarist. Together they assembled the first Magic Band, and at this point Don Vliet became Don Van Vliet, whilst Alex Snouffer became Alex St Claire. Nearly all the musicians Van Vliet worked with were given stage names, which became more bizarre over the years. The first Magic Band was completed with Doug Moon (guitar), Jerry Handley (bass) and Vic Mortenson (drums — soon replaced by Paul Blakely). Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band signed to A&M Records and released two 1966 singles, a version of Bo Diddley's "Diddy Wah Diddy" followed by "Moonchild" written by David Gates. Both were local Los Angeles hits. The band was by now beginning to play "underground" venues such as the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. Some time in 1966 demos of what became the '' Safe As Milk '' material were submitted to A&M. Jerry Moss (the M in A&M) reportedly described the new direction as "too negative" and they were dropped from the label. But by the end of 1966 they were signed to Buddah Records and John French had joined as drummer. French would be the mainstay of the band until 1971, and returned twice after that (1975-77 and 1980 - he now leads the reformed Magic Band). French had the patience required to be able to translate Van Vliet's musical ideas (often expressed by whistling or banging on the piano) for the other players. In French's absence this role was taken over by Bill Harkleroad. The ''Safe as Milk'' material needed much more work, and the 20-year-old Ry Cooder was asked to help. They began recording in Spring 1967, with Richard Perry producing (his first job as producer). Cooder did not hang around long after the album was recorded. The album was finally released in September 1967. In August, guitarist Jeff Cotton was recruited and the Snouffer/Cotton/Handley/French line-up began recording for the second album around November. It was intended to be a double album called ''It Comes to You in a Plain Brown Wrapper'' with one disc recorded live (or live in the studio). What finally emerged in October 1968 was '' Strictly Personal ''. After the album was released Van Vliet, in interviews, constructed a myth which alleged that the tapes of the album had been remixed by Bob Krasnow without the band's knowledge, and further, that he had ruined it by adding modish psychedelic effects (phasing, backwards tapes, etc). In fact this was likely Beefheart's hasty rebuttal to some negative reaction to the album from some quarters, but the myth has persisted, and is included as fact in Jason Ankeny's All Music Guide biography. This was also the period in which Van Vliet started creating his own myth, for example, by saying in an interview that having not slept for a year, he'd dreamed the whole ''Strictly Personal'' album in one 24 hour sleep. The second, "live" part of the planned double was released in 1971 under the title '' Mirror Man ''. ''Trout Mask Replica'' of the album's lyrics.]] Full article: Trout Mask Replica Regarded by many as Van Vliet's masterpiece, '' Trout Mask Replica '' was released in November 1969 on Frank Zappa's newly formed Straight Records label. By this time, the Magic Band included guitarist Bill Harkleroad and bassist Mark Boston . However, Van Vliet had also begun assigning nicknames to his band members, so Harkleroad is better known as "Zoot Horn Rollo", and Boston as "Rockette Morton", while John French becomes "Drumbo", and Jeff Cotton is "Antennae Jimmy Semens". The group rehearsed Van Vliet's difficult compositions for eight months, living Communally in conditions Drum mer John French described as "cultlike".http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/drumbo/paullewis.htm The 28 songs on ''Trout Mask Replica'' draw on Blues music, Bo Diddley , Free Jazz , and Sea Shanties but the relentless practice blended the music into an Iconoclast ic whole of conflicting Tempi , harsh Slide Guitar , loping drumming, and honking Saxophone and Bass Clarinet . Van Vliet's vocals range from growling blues singing to frenzied , American and international Politics , the Holocaust , Love and Sexuality , Steve Reich , Gospel Music , Conformity . Although the album was effectively recorded live, Van Vliet recorded much of the vocals whilst isolated from the rest of the band in a different room, only being in partial synch with the music by hearing the slight sound leakage through the studio window. Chusid, Irwin (2000). ''Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music'', pp. 129–140. London: Cherry Red Books. ISBN 1901447111 Van Vliet used the ensuing publicity, particularly with a 1970 ''Rolling Stone'' interview with Langdon Winner , to promulgate a number of myths which have subsequently been quoted as fact. Winner's article stated, for instance, that neither Van Vliet nor the members of the Magic Band ever took drugs, but guitarist Bill Harkleroad later discredited this. Van Vliet also claimed to have taught both Harkleroad and bassist Mark Boston from scratch; in fact the pair were already accomplished musicians before joining the band. Critic Steve Huey writes that the album's influence "was felt more in spirit than in direct copycatting, as a catalyst rather than a literal musical starting point. However, its inspiring reimagining of what was possible in a rock context laid the groundwork for countless experiments in rock surrealism to follow, especially during the punk/new wave era." Matt Groening has written that his first reaction to ''Trout Mask Replica'' was that it was "the worst thing ever heard", but now lists the album as one of his favorites. Groening, Matt (December 1993). "[http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/groening.htm Plastic Factory ". ''Mojo''. Later music '' Lick My Decals Off, Baby '' (1970) continued in a similarly experimental vein. The LP sees the addition of Art Tripp III to the band, who had joined from the Mothers of Invention, playing drums and marimba. ''Decals'' was the first record on which the band were credited as "''The'' Magic Band", rather than "''His'' Magic Band"; journalist Irwin Chusid interprets this change as "a grudging concession of its members' at least semiautonomous humanity." The next two records, '' The Spotlight Kid '' and '' Clear Spot '', both released in 1972, were much more conventional. In 1974, immediately after the recording of '' Unconditionally Guaranteed '', The Magic Band, which had by then coalesced around the core of John French, Art Tripp III, Bill Harkleroad and Mark Boston, decided they could no longer work with Van Vliet, who was by all accounts a severe taskmaster. They left to form Mallard . Van Vliet quickly formed a new Magic Band, which had a much slicker, more mainstream sound, and who therefore were referred to (by unkind fans) as the Tragic Band. ''Unconditionally Guaranteed'' and its follow up '' Bluejeans & Moonbeams '' (1974) have a completely different, almost soft-rock sound to any other Beefheart record and neither was critically well received. The friendship between Frank Zappa and Van Vliet over the years was sometimes indistinguishable from rivalry (Zappa had called Beefheart a year before their colloboration on Bongo Fury, "an asshole") as musicians drifted back and forth between Van Vliet and Zappa's groups. (Miles, 2004). Their collaborative work can be found on the 1975 album '' Bongo Fury '', along with Zappa rarity collections '' The Lost Episodes '' (1996) and '' Mystery Disc '' (1996). Also notable is Beefheart's vocal on "Willie the Pimp" from Zappa's otherwise Instrumental album '' Hot Rats '' (1969). From 1975 to 1977 there were no new records (the original version of ''Bat Chain Puller'' was recorded in 1976 but has never been released). In 1978 a completely new band was formed (consisting of Richard Redus, Jeff Moris Tepper , Bruce Fowler , Eric Drew Feldman and Robert Williams). These were from a younger generation of musicians eager to work with him and extremely capable of playing his music. In several cases they had been fans for years, and had learned his music from records before being given auditions. '' Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) '' (1978) was largely regarded as a return to form, featuring once again the innovative and eccentric style of the earlier albums. '' Doc At The Radar Station '' (1980) helped establish Beefheart's late resurgence as possibly the most consistently creative period of his musical career. In this period, Van Vliet made several appearances on David Letterman 's program, and performed on '' Saturday Night Live ''. The final Beefheart record, '' Ice Cream For Crow '' (1982), was recorded with Gary Lucas (who was also Van Vliet's manager), Jeff Moris Tepper, Richard Snyder and Cliff Martinez . This line-up made a video to promote the title track which was rejected by MTV. Soon after, Van Vliet retired from music and established a new career as a painter. CURRENT LIFE AND PAINTING Van Vliet currently lives in northern in New York City, describes Van Vliet as a "really incredible painter" whose work "doesn't really look like anybody else's work but his own" and art critic John Rogers agrees that Van Vliet is "one of the art world's more renowned Abstract Expressionists ". LEGACY Beefheart has been the subject of at least one 's 2002 album ''Moth to Mouth'' and on 2004's ''Head Off''. The Magic Band , fronted by John French, with Denny Whalley, Mark Boston and Gary Lucas, reformed without Van Vliet in 2003; and in 2005 toured the UK, playing a selection of small venues. Influence Van Vliet's music has been vastly influential. were great fans of Beefheart's music, and were arguably among the few to effectively synthesize his music with their own, especially in their early output, which featured disjointed guitar and irregular, galloping rhythms. The early albums of XTC sound very much like Beefheart's instrumental style crossed with classic post-Beatles pop-rock songwriting. Many musicians who have worked with Captain Beefheart consider it to be the formative experience of their lives as musicians (despite the rigours of Beefheart's unorthodox methods). Some of these alumni have subsequently found collaborators who also seem to have been touched with Beefheart's creative spirit. Since Beefheart left the music business, Eric Drew Feldman has played with Snakefinger , Pere Ubu , PJ Harvey and Frank Black . Gary Lucas has played guitar and collaborated with Jeff Buckley . Moris Tepper has also worked with PJ Harvey, and has collaborated with Tom Waits and Frank Black. In 2000, The White Stripes released a limited (1300 copies) red-and-white 7" vinyl disc on Sub Pop records' Singles Club. The disc, '' Party Of Special Things To Do '' contained covers of three Captain Beefheart songs: "Party of Special Things to Do", "China Pig", and "Ashtray Heart". DISCOGRAPHY Studio albums
Compilations and live albums
Singles
NOTES REFERENCES
EXTERNAL LINKS
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