***Captain Beefheart***

[mjzee]

My copy of Bat Chain Puller just arrived today from the Barfko-Swill site. Though you couldn't tell from the site, this is a nice package. It has an elaborate booklet containing pieces of Don's artwork and extensive notes by John French and Denny Walley, along with a heartfelt note by Gail. The disc has the 12 original tracks, plus an alternate mix of the track BCP, Candle Mambo, and an 8-minute performance by Don and Denny Walley of their co-written "Hobo-Ism." Sound quality is very good, which is to be expected since it was made from the original master tapes. The only caveat is the cost: with shipping, it came to $28. Still, I'm glad I got it.

There's really a site called Barfko-Swill?

Do you have a link?

It's the Zappa Family website and emporium:

Barfko-Swill

[jlhoots]

My copy of Bat Chain Puller just arrived today from the Barfko-Swill site. Though you couldn't tell from the site, this is a nice package. It has an elaborate booklet containing pieces of Don's artwork and extensive notes by John French and Denny Walley, along with a heartfelt note by Gail. The disc has the 12 original tracks, plus an alternate mix of the track BCP, Candle Mambo, and an 8-minute performance by Don and Denny Walley of their co-written "Hobo-Ism." Sound quality is very good, which is to be expected since it was made from the original master tapes. The only caveat is the cost: with shipping, it came to $28. Still, I'm glad I got it.

There's really a site called Barfko-Swill?

Do you have a link?

It's the Zappa Family website and emporium:

Barfko-Swill

Thanks - I think.

[mjzee]

Listening to Bat Chain Puller some more...I really like it. I think I'm in love with it. If this had come out in 1977 as expected, it would have really revived his career. It flows very well as an album; has a ruminative aspect to it. Makes more sense than Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) - in contrast, that sounds harsher, more forced. One big difference is that Drumbo is all over this one; I think he really brought a cohesiveness. This sounds like the same artist that made Trout Mask - a little older, a little wiser, but still the same guy. A pleasure to listen to; I highly recommend it.

[Д.Д.]

I have both, and actually like the Shiny Beast more (except that I have to crank up the bass on it), if only for 'Tropical Hot Dog Night'. And you have Bruce Fowler there.

Meanwhile, I have read an excellent Beefheart biography by Mike Barnes - it's really well written, and gives quite a comprehensive overview of Van Vliet's personality and music. Sad and hilarious at times, it also devotes quite a bit of space to love-hate (but mostly love) relationship between Beefheart and Zappa.

Credit to Mr Barnes for keeping it updated (my Kindle version is the third revised edition since the initial release in 2001).

Couple of my favorite Beefheart videos:

Excellent live performance from 1971: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=4DSWY7cvSBI

And to demonstrate what a phenomenal voice he had - here is him singing old blues called 'Black Snake' a cappella on radio (love his comment in the end that he just can't sing into the microphone because 'it's too little' ): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3Hmj69c0yA

Edited September 1, 2012 by Д.Д.

[mjzee]

Great pix! Thanks for posting.

[BFrank]

Anyone know anything about OCTA#GRAPE?

FB profile:

About

globby glob songs with fur amps

Basic Info

Joined Facebook 11/29/2011

Release Date nOWmOREtHANeVER2012

Genre hazy rabbits foot jams

Members:

amp fur - Galaxalag

tambourine bandit vocal - Antarctica

keystrokes - Sister Brotherfight

drumbo - Mama's Kisses

Hometown san diego

Record Label holy kiss rex

General Manager John French

Current Location san diego

[Д.Д.]

Zappa Family Trust is reissuing Trout Mask Replica later this year: http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=971_15167

[7/4]

Zappa Family Trust is reissuing Trout Mask Replica later this year: http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=971_15167

remaster...sounds interesting. looking forward to reviews.

[mjzee]

Interesting. It's been out on Reprise all these years (afaik, it's never been out of print). I wonder about the legalities.

[7/4]

Interesting. It's been out on Reprise all these years (afaik, it's never been out of print). I wonder about the legalities.

I guess the ZFT has that sorted out. Either they have the right or a legal team powerful enough to fight it.

[Steve Reynolds]

Can't wait to hear it in modern remastered sound

[Д.Д.]

It actually seems to have gone OOP recently. My Reprise CD sounds just fine to me, so I think I will skip.

[7/4]

They were planning this...bastards!

[mjzee]

Captain Beefheart Live 1968 - Dusty Groove

[mjzee]

Trout Mask arrived today from the ZFT. I compared one track (Moonlight On Vermont) to the Reprise CD, and the new release sounds much more vivid and punchy. On another, Ella Guru, the bass just whacks you upside the head! Listening now to Hair Pie: Bake 1, and the clarity is stunning. The packaging is very similar to the Reprise CD. Gail added a note: "The years in storage in Warners were not kind to Trout Mask Replica. The masters seriously suffer from oxide loss, primarily at the head of each of the four master reels. Fortunately, FZ had Dick Kunc make "safeties." These actually sound better than the Originals and are in excellent condition but alas, incomplete. This edition of Trout Mask Replica is from the ZFT Vault protection copies, transferred at 96K 24B, except for Frownland and Hair Pie: Bake 2 which are from the original damaged master tapes transferred to direct stream digital at UMRK." That must mean ZFT is in possession of the Reprise tapes, clearly resolving any question of copyright ownership. On the intriguing side, the new release clocks in at 78:54, while the Reprise CD totaled 79:05; why the difference? Finally, the ZFT disc wouldn't play in my Marantz CD deck; I had to make a disc copy using Toast. I hope Gail doesn't sue me for making a copy!

(edited to correct typo)

Edited January 15, 2014 by mjzee

[7/4]

All the positive reviews are making this sound very attractive!

[Head Man]

Will this become available through "normal" outlets at some time in the future? It doesn't seem to be showing up at Amazon at the moment.

[mjzee]

I do think that's a shame. Reprise never let it go out of print and it was widely available, which meant people could be exposed to it (witness all the befuddled reviews on Amazon). Now, who's gonna know to go to the ZFT website?

[7/4]

Happy Birthday Don Van Vliet.

[mjzee]

Release date January 21:

[7/4]

I'll have to get this. The Magic Band is well trained.

[mjzee]

Release date February 3:

[Д.Д.]

Release date January 21:

Listened to it on Spotify (https://play.spotify.com/album/4SWVa1MvrkRL8JMY9f9IZo) - it's really good.

[mjzee]

Spotlight Kid/Decals era rehearsal tape.

Beefheart at Ungano's, 1/26/71. My first Beefheart show; I was 15.

Edited July 12, 2014 by mjzee

[mjzee]

Release date November 11:

In the legendary Captain Beefheart discography, attention usually focuses on the carefully wrought, experimental music heard on Trout Mask Replica. As a consequence, the three stellar albums recorded soon after Lick My Decals Off, Baby, The Spotlight Kid and Clear Spot are often overlooked.

Rhino intends to change that with a four-disc collection that revisits the albums Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) recorded with the Magic Band in the early Seventies. It includes all three albums, which have been remastered for the first time, as well as an entire disc featuring 14 previously unissued outtakes from that era.