Captain Beefheart - for experienced fans of captain beefheart aka don van vliet and the magic band

the crackling cyberverse of
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & the MAGIC BAND

caution: electricity may be hazardous to health

WHAT'S SO HEAVY !?

the CONTENT: * news * site guide * interviews * stories * pictures * lyrics * discography * bootlegs * collectors items * re-releases * band line-ups * gig logs * concerts * books by * books about * fanzines * magazines * media shows * coming soon * history * thunderbolts * new works * the magic band reunion RELATED: * cover versions * curiosa * band members * links CAPTAIN BEEFHEART: * guest appearances DON VAN VLIET: * poetry * hand writings * drawings * paintings TOOLS: * donations * (to come) funshopping * money-changer * time converter * if you're looking for something in particular, try an intra search

the NEWS!

03.03.2012
NEW MAGIC BAND BACK TO THE WORLD FRONT
in a few days the NEW MAGIC BAND (the follow-up to the reunion band) will start with a series of six concerts in england, before preparing for some worldwide performances later this year. in april it will play japan (sic) and in september even the usa, although both gigs are part of festivals with only 'all-bands tickets'. and if things go as planned, somewhere in autumn the guys are visiting the mainland of europe....

re: bat chain puller
the sons of zappa had a serious delay with manufacturing the long-awaited bat chain puller record. while fast yankees already have received heir copies by now, the orders from people outside the states just have been sent off last week. so the ceedee should arrive at the fans overseas every moment. that is: if the customs don't want to rob some undeserved money from you - which process easily can take up to a(nother) month!

18.12.2011
BAT CHAIN PULLER !!!
HURRAY! HURRAY! after a very long wait of over thirty-five years captain beefheart's legendary lost album BAT CHAIN PULLER will finally be brought out next month! and not as another shitty bootleg, but as an official release from the original tapes! although the website where you can pre-order this must have doesn't provide any useful details, the 'project' was supervised by denny walley and john french - who both play on it....
by the way, i hope the ceedee has a better-matching front than the advance version presented at the moment:

24.11.2011
LIFE AFTER DON....

almost a year has gone since don van vliet died, but the lives of captain beefheart fans went on, off course. immediately after his death numerous websites and blogs boomed with messages, soon followed by papers and magazines from all over planet earth. most of the printed text wasn't quite new or shocking, but some publications contained interesting pictures which never have been seen before! there even were so many suction prints, it was necessary to add a separate page to the bibliography concerning those special OBITUARIES.

in april, when the shock wave was somewhat calming down, a text-only book about CAPTAIN BEEFHEART AND HIS MAGIC BAND(S) written by BENOÎT DELAUNE was published in france. including a last-moment remark on don's passing, the 150-pages handbook in fact is a compressed synopsis of john 'drumbo' french' liner notes to the 'grow fins' set and his collection of memories 'through the eyes of magic' and the biography by mike barnes. so, it is a neat manual - if you can read french.

the death of don and all the fuzz it caused also 'inspired' the just mentioned MIKE BARNES, who already had revised his book about CAPTAIN BEEFHEART (the biography) several times , to extent it with the new fact. or as the publisher, omnibus press, stated:
Following Don Van Vliet's death Mike Barnes will look to reassess his legacy through new interview material and with reference to reports and eulogies that appeared in the media. He will also be putting Van Vliet's reclusiveness over the last two decades in context, now that it has been officially revealed that he was suffering from multiple sclerosis - his friends and representatives have always denied that he had a long term illness.
the latest version has been published august last and if you like to buy this next edition you should be sure the isbn is (978)1780380766, because the book has the same cover as previous issues.

meanwhile, the usa record company sundazed worked on a special release of óne of the concerts THE MAGIC BAND gave during their continuing reunion. except as a digital download the label also brought out the performance at the zodiac in OXFORD, U.K. - JUNE 6, 2005 as a double elpee! and on ceedee! at spots the sound of the concert by line-up #4 wasn't perfect, but the conviction and enthusiasm during the complete set make an indelible impression (at least to me). the album isn't for completists only, but an attractive memory for those who attended their shows ánd a good introduction to the 'music of captain beefheart' for people who never were or will be able to hear it being played live (due to occupations or travelling distance).

that live release coincidentally is some sort of warming-up for the short so to say 'MEMORIAL TOUR' in england and ireland by the current line-up of THE MAGIC BAND (without the extremely busy gary lucas). the series of seven concerts in 2011 and - at the moment - one in 2012 starts next week....
if you can be there, don't miss it (and send me your reports and /or pictures for this website, please)!

[unnecessary but clarifying personal note about my beefheartmania:
i must admit that this update is much too short and much too late! but i think i have some good excuses for the lack of web activities over the last five years:
* i wrestled much longer with the burn-out which hit me than i expected, and it still has an unpleasant effect on my life (getting tired quickly, and having trouble with concentrating). however, i kept on collecting all possible beefheart goods and filing loads of facts....
* half a year ago i had to leave my rented house because it will be demolished - they call that 'urban-renewal' - and since then i'm very busy re-equipping and furnishing my new home. which also means i haven't fully organized my 'captain beefheart museum and research room' yet, although a fantastic circumstance is that i now have twice the space for it!....
thank you for your understanding and patience.]

18.12.2010

DON GLEN VLIET
also known as
DON VAN VLIET
but mainly as
CAPTAIN BEEFHEART

born 15 january 1941 - died 17 december 2010

picture by anton corbijn

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like his alter ego CAPTAIN BEEFHEART said in his musical farewell:

SKELETON MAKES GOOD

there's so many things to feel and see while you're awake
they're just out of reach, out of grasp, yeah out of reach
and just as many, maybe more, the minute that you sleep

skeleton makes good

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