Tag Archives: John French

Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band: Doc At The Radar Station

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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

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Mirror Man

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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
  • Jeff Cotton– guitar
  • Mark Marcellino – keyboards
  • Jerry Handley – bass
  • John French– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Don Van Vliet.

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

Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band: The Spotlight Kid

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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
  • Winged Eel Fingerling(Elliot Ingber) – guitar
  • 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
  • Drumbo(John French) – drums, percussion
  • 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

Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica

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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