Captain Beefheart Album by Album thread *

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by vinyl diehard, Jan 18, 2018.

  1. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    "A Carrot is as close as a rabbit gets to a Diamond" goes back to the Spotlight Kid sessions where it was called Balladino. Dirty Blue Jean as a title goes back to the Brown Wrapper Strictly Personal sessions and the lyrics and music to the Clear Spot sessions (although a primitive blues version was recorded during the Spotlight Kid sessions). Lyrically Run Paint goes back to Spotlight Kid and Best Batch Yet and Sue Egypt ( Suzy Murder Wrist) had instrumental versions then as well.

    So a lot of recycling or perhaps better phrased re - imagining and refining of some older ideas. Don never let a riff or lyric idea he liked go - it would reappear in a different song or different form later.
     
    vinyl diehard likes this.
  2. Denti

    Denti Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    Tied for my second favorite Beefheart. Stellar record.
     
  3. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    I believe this was the first Beefheart album I heard, so, yes, it's in my top 2 or 3 favourite of his albums.
     
  4. PIGGIES

    PIGGIES Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Not listened to this album for years, must rectify soon:)
     
    Jack Keck likes this.
  5. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    This album fitted so well into the post punk thing, in a way no other artist of this vintage could have managed, though Neil Young gave it a go. If you were listening the Fall, Gang of Four, Pere Ubu, PiL, the Birthday Party etc then this album was a perfect fit.
     
  6. vinyl diehard

    vinyl diehard Two-Channel Forever Thread Starter

    Have to listen to this one again this evening to refresh myself.
     
  7. Quasimodo

    Quasimodo Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago
    Love this album; but I always skip Brickbats, Telephone, & Sheriff of Hong Kong
     
  8. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Craziness, "Sheriff of Hong Kong" is one of the greatest Beefheart tracks!
     
  9. Fantastic album from start to finish.
     
  10. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Is this the only one he painted the cover for?
     
  11. mcchocchoc

    mcchocchoc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    Ice Cream For Crow features a painting of his on the cover and Spotlight Kid has some paintings on the back cover. Lick My Decals Off, Baby also has a painting on the back cover.
     
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  12. merterhenz

    merterhenz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berlin
    Also Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller). Victor Hayden – the Mascara Snake – did the cover painting for Bluejeans And Moonbeams.
     
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  13. Theslipperman

    Theslipperman Active Member

    Location:
    Isle of sky
    Denti and mcchocchoc like this.
  14. vinyl diehard

    vinyl diehard Two-Channel Forever Thread Starter

    Bump the beef!
     
    Scope J and Beatnik_Daddyo'73 like this.
  15. lou

    lou Fast 'n Bulbous

    Location:
    Louisiana
    While the songs are great - there really isn't a song I dislike on Doc - his vocals on this album are not the best and at times distract from or diminish the song. In particular the high end of his range shouting vocal he used on Tropical Hot Dog Night reappears on Ashtray Heart, Dirty Blue Gene and Telephone, and the Run Paint vocal sounds strained as well.

    Don actually sings Ashtray Heart better on Saturday Night Live:

     
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  16. Vangro

    Vangro Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    There's no doubt that a lot of the warmth and depth had gone from his voice by this stage but I think he compensates for it very well by using different voices and techniques. That strange hoarse shouty voice on "Ashtray Heart" et al is kind of ridiculous but it suits the material which has a harsh, astringent quality. By the way, that version of "Ashtray Heart" on SNL is awesome, never heard it before.
     
    lschwart likes this.
  17. merterhenz

    merterhenz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berlin
    Wow, the band is on fire!
     
  18. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    I remember seeing that broadcast when it first aired. I was so excited to see Beefheart on national TV, and wasn't disappointed. My friends thought it was noise. Philistines.

    They also did "Hot Head" on that show.
     
    Jack Keck likes this.
  19. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    About...20 years ago (Jeez!) Comedy Central re-ran the early 80's SNL's and this episode was on everybody's radar. (See what I did there?)
     
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  20. englishbob

    englishbob has left the SH Forums...19/05/2023

    Location:
    Kent, England
    Sorry to back track on the thread, but I find it pretty disgusting that Trout Mask Replica can not be bought on any available physical format right now.
     
    drift, RandelPink, Blue Note and 2 others like this.
  21. Denti

    Denti Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    50th anniversary next year. Hope to see something like a reissue, maybe with the rehearsal tracks as bonuses?
     
  22. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    Wasn't Malcolm McDowell the host?
     
  23. mcchocchoc

    mcchocchoc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon
    That would be great. Also actually possible, as Ahmet Zappa has mentioned releasing a box set of "all things Beefheart".
     
  24. asdf35

    asdf35 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin TX
    I really appreciate Don's dedication to weirdo poetry over all these albums (especially on his last album).
     
  25. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    Yup.
     

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