I had a completely different artist in mind for this week’s listening session before the sad, untimely passing of poet, painter, musician and all round iconoclast, Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart).
It wasn’t too difficult, though, to pick my favourite concert from the many that I’ve collected through the years. Each had their own very special charm (even those with the Tragic Band backing Beefheart). It came down to a choice between Beefheart’s 1980 Paradiso show in Amsterdam, and the one I’m presenting today. This particular show, quintessential live Beefheart in my opinion, shows Vliet and the Magic Band at the top of their game, verbally and musically (fortunately caught live and mixed directly to a 2-track stereo reel-to-reel tape).
Listening to the follow tracks, you’ll probably agree that Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band‘s November 18th, 1978 performance at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, Long Island, New York is one of the major performance highlights of Vliet’s astounding career:
Tropical Hot Dog Night
[audio:SBN_20101226_01 Tropical Hot Dog Night.mp3]
Nowadays A Woman’s Gotta Hit A Man
[audio:SBN_20101226_02 Nowadays A Woman’s Gotta Hit A Man.mp3]
Owed T’ Alex
[audio:SBN_20101226_03 Owed T’ Alex.mp3]
Dropout Boogie
[audio:SBN_20101226_04 Dropout Boogie.mp3]
Harry Irene
[audio:SBN_20101226_05 Harry Irene.mp3]
Abba Zaba
[audio:SBN_20101226_06 Abba Zaba.mp3]
Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles
[audio:SBN_20101226_07 Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles.mp3]
Old Fart At Play
[audio:SBN_20101226_08 Old Fart At Play.mp3]
Well
[audio:SBN_20101226_09 Well.mp3]
Ice Rose
[audio:SBN_20101226_10 Ice Rose.mp3]
Moonlight On Vermont
[audio:SBN_20101226_11 Moonlight On Vermont.mp3]
The Floppy Boot Stomp
[audio:SBN_20101226_12 The Floppy Boot Stomp.mp3]
You Know You’re A Man
[audio:SBN_20101226_13 You Know You’re A Man.mp3]
Bat Chain Puller
[audio:SBN_20101226_14 Bat Chain Puller.mp3]
Apes-Ma
[audio:SBN_20101226_15 Apes-Ma.mp3]
When I See Mommy I Feel Like A Mummy
[audio:SBN_20101226_16 When I See Mommy I Feel Like A Mummy.mp3]
Veteran’s Day Poppy
[audio:SBN_20101226_17 Veteran’s Day Poppy.mp3]
Safe As Milk
[audio:SBN_20101226_18 Safe As Milk.mp3]
Suction Prints
[audio:SBN_20101226_19 Suction Prints.mp3]
Line-up:
Don Van Vliet: Vocals, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, harmonica and whistling.
Jeff Moris Tepper: Guitar and slide guitar.
Richard Redus: Guitar, slide guitar, slide bass and accordion.
Eric Drew Feldman: Bass guitar, synthesiser and keyboards.
Bruce Fowler: Trombone, air bass.
Robert Williams: Drums, percussion.
Mary Jane Eisenberg: Shake bouquet.
Goodnight, Captain.
Great show, UG. Thanks.
Good Choice, UrbanG.! (This doesn’t have that disturbed audience member’s heckling either, unlike Paradiso ’80.)
[quote comment=”19510″]Good Choice, UrbanG.! (This doesn’t have that disturbed audience member’s heckling either, unlike Paradiso ’80.)[/quote]
Indeed! I discovered it nearly impossible to edit out that distracting heckler completely from the 1980 Paradiso show, which is unfortunate because otherwise it’s one of Beefheart and the Magic Band’s great performances. Why the venue didn’t toss the asshole out I’ll never understand. Perhaps they think heckling is a given right in Amsterdam?
is there a torrent of this show available anywhere?
Excellent quality two disc was once available from Rhino Handmade. Is it still in print? “I’m Going To Do What I Wanna Do”
[quote comment=”19581″]is there a torrent of this show available anywhere?[/quote]
[quote comment=”19582″]Excellent quality two disc was once available from Rhino Handmade. Is it still in print? “I’m Going To Do What I Wanna Do”[/quote]
While Rhino Handmade only produced a limited edition hard copy of this show, they still offer downloads in mp3 ($13.99), and flac, wma, and apple lossless formats ($20.99) at:
http://www.rhino.com/shop/product/captain-beefheart-and-the-magic-band-im-going-to-do-what-i-wanna-do-live-at-my-fathers-place-1978-us-release
Ah, thanks for that.
It must certainly be heresy to not like Captain Beefheart,
but I don’t like Captain Beefheart.
That’s not exactly true, I love a few things that he has done, but most of it are pieces that I cannot listen to consistently.
Hey, I used to love Led Zep, too.
Not anymore.
[quote comment=”19694″]It must certainly be heresy to not like Captain Beefheart,
but I don’t like Captain Beefheart.
That’s not exactly true, I love a few things that he has done, but most of it are pieces that I cannot listen to consistently.
Hey, I used to love Led Zep, too.
Not anymore.[/quote]
What exactly do you like besides the funky sounds they pipe into the homes for aging baby boomers these days?
Oh, I dunno. Ever heard of a band called “GO FUCK YOURSELF”?
I love that band!
What about a band called machine gun fellatio?
[quote comment=”19884″]Oh, I dunno. Ever heard of a band called “GO FUCK YOURSELF”?[/quote]
Indeed, I have! Didn’t they open for “TAKE A JOKE, PLEASE”?
That said, I’m always open to suggestions for future listening sessions. It’s always easier to say what one does not like than what one does not. Whether it’s Led Zep, Beefheart, Return To Forever, or more recent music, what I like about music transcends time and the fads and trends of taste and fashion. Music is music. Whatever turns you on is good. I’m not here to change your mind or tastes, just present what’s available (and Zappa related).