Tag Archives: Don Van Vliet

In November 1974.

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In November 1974, “Mercury” label released “Bluejeans & Moonbeams”, the ninth Captain Beefheart album. It was recorded in August 1974, at “Stronghold Sound Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Andy DiMartino.  The album cover was a painting by Victor Hayden.

Personnel:

  • Captain Beefheart(Don Van Vliet) – vocals, harmonica
  • Dean Smith – guitar, bottleneck guitar
  • Michael Smotherman – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Ty Grimes – percussion
  • Ira Ingber – bass
  • Bob West – bass
  • Gene Pello – drums
  • Jimmy Caravan – keyboard, star machine
  • Mark Gibbons – keyboards

Track listing:

  1. Party of Special Things to Do – Don Van Vliet, Elliot Ingber
  2. Same Old Blues – J. J. Cale
  3. Observatory Crest – Don Van Vliet, Elliot Ingber
  4. Pompadour Swamp – Don Van Vliet
  5. Captain’s Holiday – Feldman, W. Richmond, S. Hickerson, C. Blackwell
  6. Rock ‘n Roll’s Evil Doll – Don Van Vliet, Mark Gibbons, Ira Ingber
  7. Further Than We’ve Gone – Don Van Vliet
  8. Twist ah Luck – Don Van Vliet, Mark Gibbons, Ira Ingber
  9. Bluejeans & Moonbeams – Don Van Vliet

In October 1972.

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In October 1972, “Reprise” label released “Clear Spot”, the seventh Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band album. It was recorded in1972 at “Amigo Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Ted Templeman and Don Van Vliet.

Personnel:
• Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) – vocals, harmonica, “wings on Singabus”
• Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill Harkleroad) – guitar, slide guitar, mandolin
• Rockette Morton (Mark Boston) – guitar, bass
• Ed Marimba (Art Tripp) – drums, percussion
• Roy Estrada – bass
• Milt Holland – percussion
• Russ Titelman – guitar
• The Blackberries – backing vocals

Track listing:

All ltracks by Don Van Vliet.
1. Low Yo Yo Stuff
2. Nowadays a Woman’s Gotta Hit a Man
3. Too Much Time
4. Circumstances
5. My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains
6. Sun Zoom Spark
7. Clear Spot
8. Crazy Little Thing
9. Long Neck Bottles
10. Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles
11. Big Eyed Beans from Venus
12. Golden Birdies

In August 1980.

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In August 1980, “Virgin” label released “Doc at the Radar Station”, the eleventh  Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band studio album. It was recorded in June 1980, at “Sound Castle Recording Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Don Van Vliet. The album cover was painted by Don Van Vliet, and was ranked at number 49 on “Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Album Covers” list.

Personnel:

  • Captain Beefheart(Don Van Vliet) – vocals, Chinese gongs, harmonica, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet
  • John French– slide guitar, guitar, marimba, bass, drums
  • Jeff Moris Tepper– slide guitar, guitar, nerve guitar
  • Gary Lucas– guitar, French horn
  • Eric Drew Feldman– synthesizer, bass, mellotron, grand piano, electric piano
  • Robert Arthur Williams– drums
  • Bruce Lambourne Fowler– trombone

Track listing:

All tracks by Don Van Vliet.

  1. Hot Head
  2. Ashtray Heart
  3. A Carrot is as Close as a Rabbit Gets to a Diamond
  4. Run Paint Run Run
  5. Sue Egypt
  6. Brickbats
  7. Dirty Blue Gene
  8. Best Batch Yet
  9. Telephone
  10. Flavor Bud Living
  11. Sheriff of Hong Kong
  12. Making Love to a Vampire with a Monkey on My Knee

In May 1977.

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In May 1977, “A&M” label released “Now”, the third Tubes album. It was recorded in 1976, at “His Masters Wheels” and “Funky Features” in San Francisco, “The Record Plant” in  Los Angeles; “The Record Plant” in  Sausalito,  and was produced by John Anthony.

Personnel:

  • Fee Waybill- vocals
  • Bill “The Swami” Spooner- guitar, vocals
  • Michael Cotten – synthesizer
  • Mingo Lewis – drums, percussion
  • Prairie Prince- drums
  • Roger Steen – guitar, vocals
  • Re Styles – vocals
  • Vince Welnick- keyboards
  • Rick Anderson – bass
  • Bud Scoppa – voices
  • Don Van Vliet- soprano saxophone
  • Harry Duncan – harmonica
  • Roberta Burger – violin
  • Don Wood – engineer, production assistance
  • Roland Young – art direction
  • Michael Cotten, Prairie Prince – design

Track listing:

  1. Smoke (La Vie en Fumér) – Bill Spooner, Michael Cotten, Vince Welnick
  2. Hit Parade – Bill Spooner, Vince Welnick
  3. Strung Out on Strings – Bill Spooner, Roger Steen, Michael Evans
  4. Golden Boy – Bill Spooner, Michael Evans
  5. My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains – Don Van Vliet
  6. God-Bird-Change – Mingo Lewis
  7. I’m Just a Mess – Bill Spooner, Roger Steen
  8. Cathy’s Clone – Fee Waybill, Bill “The Swami” Spooner, Michael Cotton, Mingo Lewis, Prairie Prince, Roger Steen, Re Styles, Vince Welnick, Rick Anderson
  9. This Town – Lee Hazlewood
  10. Pound of Flesh – Ron Nagle, Scott Mathews
  11. You’re No Fun – Michael Cotten, Vince Welnick

 

In April 1974.

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In April 1974, “Mercury” label released “Unconditionally Guaranteed”, the eighth Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Hollywood Sound” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Andy DiMartino.

Personnel:

  • Captain Beefheart(Don Van Vliet) – vocals, harmonica
  • Alex St. Clair– guitar
  • Zoot Horn Rollo(Bill Harkleroad) – guitar, glass finger guitar
  • Rockette Morton(Mark Boston) – bass
  • Art Tripp– drums, percussion
  • Mark Marcellino – keyboards
  • Andy DiMartino – acoustic guitar
  • Del Simmons – tenor sax, flute

Track listing

All tracks by Don and Jan Van Vliet and Andy DiMartino.

  1. Upon the My-O-My
  2. Sugar Bowl
  3. New Electric Ride
  4. Magic Be
  5. Happy Love Song
  6. Full Moon, Hot Sun
  7. I Got Love on My Mind
  8. This is the Day]
  9. Lazy Music
  10. Peaches

In April 1971.

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In April 1971, “Buddah” label released “Mirror Man”, the fifth Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band studio album. It was recorded October-November 1967, at “TTG Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Bob Krasnow.

Personnel:

  • Captain Beefheart – vocals, harmonica, oboe
  • Alex St. Clair Snouffer– guitar
  • Jerry Handley – bass
  • John French– drums
  • Jeff Cotton– guitar
  • Mark Marcellino – keyboards

Track listing:

All tracks by Don Van Vliet.

  1. Tarotplane
  2. Kandy Korn
  3. 25th Century Quaker
  4. Mirror Man

In January 1972.

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the_spotlight_kid

In January 1972, “Reprise” label released “The Spotlight Kid”, the sixth Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Don Van Vliet and Phil Schier.

Personnel:

  • Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) – vocals, harmonica, jingle bells
  • Drumbo(John French) – drums, percussion
  • Zoot Horn Rollo(Bill Harkleroad) – guitar, slide guitar
  • Rockette Morton(Mark Boston) – bass, guitar
  • Ed Marimba/Ted Cactus(Art Tripp) – drums, percussion,  marimba,  piano, harpsichord
  • Winged Eel Fingerling(Elliot Ingber) – guitar
  • Rhys Clark– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Don Van Vliet except where noted.

  1. I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby
  2. White Jam
  3. Blabber in Smoke – Don Van Vliet, Jan Van Vliet
  4. When It Blows its Stacks
  5. Alice in Blunderland
  6. The Spotlight Kid
  7. Click Clack
  8. Grow Fins
  9. There Ain’t No Santa Claus on the Evenin’ Stage
  10. Glider

In December 1970.

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captain_beefheart_-_lick_my_decals_off_baby

In December 1970, “Straight Records” label released “Lick My Decals Off, Baby”, the fourth Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band album. It was recorded May 1970, at “United Recording Corporation” in Hollywood, and was produced by Don Van Vliet.

Personnel:

  • Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) — vocals, bass clarinet, tenor sax, soprano sax, harmonica, back cover painting
  • Zoot Horn Rollo— electric and glass finger guitar
  • Rockette Morton— bassius-o-pheilius
  • Drumbo— percussion, broom
  • Ed Marimba— marimba, percussion, broom
  • Peacock Ink — album concept
  • Ed Thrasher— art direction, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Don Van Vliet.

  1. Lick My Decals Off, Baby
  2. Doctor Dark
  3. I Love You, You Big Dummy
  4. Peon
  5. Bellerin’ Plain
  6. Woe-is-uh-Me-Bop
  7. Japan in a Dishpan
  8. I Wanna Find a Woman That’ll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have to Go
  9. Petrified Forest
  10. One Red Rose That I Mean
  11. The Buggy Boogie Woogie
  12. The Smithsonian Institute Blues (or the Big Dig)
  13. Space-Age Couple
  14. The Clouds Are Full of Wine (not Whiskey or Rye)
  15. Flash Gordon’s Ape

On June 16, 1969.

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Captain_Beefheart_And_His_Magic_Band_-_Trout_Mask_Replica

On June 16, 1969, “Straight” label released “Trout Mask Replica”, the third Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band album. It was recorded August 1968 – March 1969, at “Sunset Sound Recorders” and “Whitney Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Frank Zappa. The album is highly regarded as one of the most influential albums in the history of the 20th century. ”Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Trout Mask Replica” at number 60 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel

  • Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) – vocals, bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophone
  • Frank Zappa – speakin voice
  • Zoot Horn Rollo – guitar, flute
  • Antennae Jimmy Semens – lead vocals, guitar
  • Doug Moon – acoustic guitar
  • Don Preston – piano
  • Rockette Morton – narration, bass guitar
  • Cal Schenkel – bass guitar, narrator, design, photography
  • Roy Estrada – bass guitar
  • Gary Marker – bass guitar
  • Drumbo (John French) – speaking voice, drums, percussion
  • Arthur Tripp III – drums
  • Ian Underwood – alto saxophone
  • Bunk Gardner – tenor saxophone
  • Buzz Gardner – trumpet
  • The Mascara Snake – vocals, bass clarinet
  • Dick Kunc – effects, engineer
  • Ed Caraeff – photography

Track listing

All tracks by Don Van Vliet

  1. Frownland
  2. The Dust Blows Forward’n the Dust Blows Back
  3. Dachau Blues
  4. Ella Guru
  5. Hair pie: Bake 1
  6. Moonlight on Vermont
  7. Pachuco Cadaver
  8. Bills Corpse
  9. Sweet Sweet Bulbs
  10. Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish
  11. China Pig
  12. My Human Gets Me Blues
  13. Dali’s Car
  14. Hair Pie: Bake 2
  15. Pena
  16. Well
  17. When Big Joan Sets Up
  18. Fallin Ditch
  19. Sugar’n’Spikes
  20. Ant Man Bee
  21. Orange Claw Hammer
  22. Wild life
  23. She’s Too Much for My Mirror
  24. Hobo Chang Ba
  25. The Blimp
  26. Steal Softly Thru Snow
  27. Old Fart at Play
  28. Veteran’s Day Poppy