I've had a great time being puzzled, amazed, over and underwhelmed by Captain Beefheart's output. But ultimately fallen in love with it. He may not sit that comfortably with the rest of the music on this blog, but there again I don't think he sits comfortably in most places! Here's a documentary narrated by John Peel from 1997, so if you are a fan and haven't seen it, enjoy. If you've never heard of him, meet one of popular music's genuine eccentric and genuine unique voices. A master.
Incidentally I read the guitarist Zoot Horn Rollo's memoir of being in The Magic Band, Lunar Notes, and all in all it didn't sound like he was a happy bunny about it all, verging on the bitter. A good insight into that strange world though. When Beefheart locked them all away to detune their minds from the conventional for the album Trout Mask Replica, some blues guitarists popped in and played some wild guitar. Why can't you play like that pondered Beefheart. Zoot Horn Rollo reminded him that they used to until Beefheart got his hands on them. I lent that book to a taxi driver Magic Band fan I got talking to about Beefheart on the way home one night and completely forgot about it. He posted it in my letterbox over a year later. Respect.
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