Monday, August 15, 2011

Captain Beefheart - 1978 - Shiny Beast Demos


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2 comments:

Dr. Forrester said...

Captain Beefheart
and the Magic Band
1978 SHINY BEAST DEMOS
Van Nuys California

1.Suction Prints
2.When I See Mommy, I Feel Like a Mummy
3.The Witch Doctor Life
4.Candle Mambo

Running Time: 14 minutes 8 seconds

Don Van Vliet - vocals, harmonica, soprano sax, whistling
Jeff Moris Tepper - slide guitar, guitar
Bruce Lambourne Fowler - trombone, bass
Eric Drew Feldman - synthesizer, Rhodes piano, grand piano, bass
Richard Redus - bottleneck guitar, guitar, accordion, fretless bass
Robert Arthur Williams - drums, percussion


Source: Multi track reel > Stereo mixdown reel > Cassette > Revox B-77 (me) > Fostex CR200 >
EAC-Wav > (minor editing with NERO) > CD Wav > Flac (Level 8)



I had heard of the “legendary” Captain Beefheart, but knew little about him outside that he was somehow associated with Frank Zappa.
One day in 1977 I met this guy at the record store I worked in (Robert Williams) and he is bragging that he is the drummer for the magic band and that Don had just dropped him off at our little record store in the middle of the San Fernando Valley (Slipped Disc Records).
I told this guy to have the Captain come in the next time, thinking that I was calling his bluff.
The next day I look up and this man is walking into the store and he is radiating so much energy that you could tell that this had to be “the Captain Beefheart”. Don was very friendly and spent the rest of the day telling us stories about his life and selling records to an unsuspecting public. He was really enjoying himself in an atmosphere were nobody knew him (can I have the new Madonna single?).
He hung around until closing time when we all went down the street to El Indio, an all night taco stand with a bar in the back.
We drank beer and ate tacos with Don while he continued telling us stories of Brian Jones and life on the road with the Rolling Stones.
We heard the next day that Don came home so late that he had landed in the doghouse with his wife and couldn’t go out to play with us anymore.
After this I started going to the storage facility where the band was practicing their new material.
Sometimes Don was there other times just the band.
I did not fathom how lucky I was at the time.
These are my memories of an encounter with a magical person.
I have respected the wish that these tapes be private for over 30 years.
This is the first time I have shared them.
I also had a very nice copy of the 1974 version of Bat Chain Puller
but I see that those sessions are now available at the Beefheart web site so pick it up as it is very interesting also.
Mike Martin 3/2010
Flying M Productions

August 15, 2011 at 7:27 AM
Certifiablockhead said...

The decision to release these tapes honors Don and everyone involved. I find great joy with them...

October 2, 2011 at 9:26 PM

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