Don Van Vliet, (1941-2010) was better known to his numerous fans as ‘Captain Beefheart.’ He was a legendary and enigmatic figure in rock music. Unapologetically an artist, rather than a pop star, he produced groundbreaking and uncompromising music.
From the age of three he painted and sculpted, and had an obsession with animals and the natural world. As a teenager he was friends with Frank Zappa, and as early as 1963 they recorded a demo under the name ‘The Soots’ but it was unsuccessful.
His first album, ‘Safe as Milk’ came out in 1967, and Hunter Davies’ biography of The Beatles notes that John Lennon was an early fan.
The most important LP of Captain Beefheart’s career was the Frank Zappa produced ‘Trout Mask Replica‘ that came out in 1969. Its mixture of blues, free-form improvisation and heavily structured Van Vliet avant-garde compositions proved too much for many listeners but eventually ensured him a place in the history books. High profile fans of this album include the late John Peel, who would remain a champion of Beefheart’s until he died.
In 1972 Captain Beefheart released two albums; ‘The Spotlight Kid’ and ‘Clear Spot’. He also toured the UK and continental Europe with the Magic Band, even performing two concerts at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall.
On April 12th, in the middle of the European leg of the tour, Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band stopped off at the Beat Club studios in Bremen, Germany to film a session for later transmission. Of the four songs filmed that day only one track has ever been broadcast.
The band at that time included: Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) vocals, harp; Rockette Morton (Mark Boston) guitar and bass; Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill Harkleroad) guitar; Orejon (Roy Estrada) bass; Ed Marimba (Art Tripp) drums; and Winged Eel Fingerling (Elliot Ingber) guitar.