R.I.P Captain Beefheart

kerash

Rolling Stone just confirmed on twitter
http://twitter.com/RollingStone/

Dec 17 2010 04:45 PM ET

Captain Beefheart, a.k.a. Don Van Vliet, dies at 69
by Simon Vozick-Levinson
Categories: In Memoriam



Avant-garde rock legend and visual artist Don Van Vliet, who performed under the name Captain Beefheart, passed away today at age 69. A representative of New York City’s Michael Werner Gallery, which hosted several shows of his paintings, confirms the sad news to EW. Van Vliet died of complications from multiple sclerosis at a hospital in Northern California.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/12/17/captain-beefheart-dies/

Teclo

RIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqRHr5pEIFU

KnifeWRENCH

I'd just gotten into Captain Beefheart this year. I have Trout Mask Replica, Safe as Milk and Ice Cream for Crow, and was looking forward to investigating more of his stuff.

Obviously it's sad that he's gone but by all accounts he hadn't been well for a few years. So at least it's good that he's not ill anymore.

Rigsby

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

Obviously it's sad that he's gone but by all accounts he hadn't been well for a few years.

This is true. Also, AFAIK, he had become a recluse in recent years and had only been seen by a handful of people in that time.

He will be sadly missed.


R.I.P. Captain .

builttospill

RIP...may he go fast n' bulbous into the night.

Latchy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12024652

Just saw this myself on the bbc website ,my brother got me into Captain Beefheart and HIS debt albuM , Safe as Milk is classic

RIP

Funkfield

There goes another one of the greats.

R.I.P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21voUGVzym4

JerryHandbag

Damn shame, picked up Safe As Milk earlier this year as an intro to his music, some seriously funky stuff on that album. RIP.

higamos hogamos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCSPf5Viwd0

RIP

The coolest musician who ever lived.

higamos hogamos

And again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLdRh7qdi

tony1kenobi

Orange Claw Hammer.A true classic.Sleep well Captain.You sailed good.

Kinski

Legend.

wandatowell

indeed, this is bad news

smokedeels

Real shame, I hope he wasn't in too much pain towards the end.

I remember coming across him in my teens, I didn't really "get it" but I liked it... a few years later when I did finally "get it" he became one of my all time favourites.

He left behind a fantastic body of work, timeless stuff too.

Moonlight on Vermont and Autumn Child stand out as two of the greatest songs ever written, im-very-ho.

ArtSmart

one of the very greats .

cHaTbOx

); how does it feel to be driftin away from your own steering wheel

old_aussie

RIP Don.

Unconditionally Guaranteed was my fav album.

Kold

Died on my birthday.

Hootanany

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQP9QjNjeR4&feature=related


Great song Rip
I always liked the song about a vain girlfriend he once had: "She's too much for my mirror".

Teclo

RTÉ haven't heard about this yet... or maybe they have but just didn't know who he was... from an organisation that goes into a week's mourning if a boy band member says adieu...

Nailz

Goddammit, I loved that man and his music, indeed a huge loss to music.

RIP Captain Beefheart...

Dan Dare

Teclo wrote: »

RTÉ haven't heard about this yet... or maybe they have but just didn't know who he was... from an organisation that goes into a week's mourning if a boy band member says adieu...

RTE were exactly the same when Syd Barrett died in 2006 and Rick Wright died in 2008. In contrast to the BBC.

I have Trout Mask Replica and a copy of the (much derided by hardcore fans) From Moonbeams to Blue Jeans.

Jay Pentatonic

I loved his voice in frank Zappa's song "Willie the pimp"
R.I.P.

Rigsby

Teclo wrote: »

RTÉ haven't heard about this yet... or maybe they have but just didn't know who he was... from an organisation that goes into a week's mourning if a boy band member says adieu...

Dan Dare wrote: »

RTE were exactly the same when Syd Barrett died in 2006 and Rick Wright died in 2008. In contrast to the BBC.

Well whatever RTE do or dont do, they cant plead ignorance, as I have emailed them asking if they are going to do a tribute programme on him.

I'm not holding my breath though. :rolleyes:

James T Kirk

BBC4 will be the channel to do the man justice.

R.I.P.

thenakedanddead

A brief mention on Rté ten yesterday

Rigsby

Rigsby wrote: »

Well whatever RTE do or dont do, they cant plead ignorance, as I have emailed them asking if they are going to do a tribute programme on him.

thenakedanddead wrote: »

A brief mention on Rté ten yesterday

Probably would not have even got that, but for my email. I'd say that is all, as far as RTE are concerned. :rolleyes:

smokedeels

The Guardian have been very good with Beefheart tributes, some wonderfully affectionate and detailed articles on their website this week.

Yes, he should be on every media outlet and next year should see a nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but really, was it ever about that type of mainstream acceptance, it matters little, no more than when he was alive.

I’ve – understandably – been on Beefheart kick the last few days, today I’ve been playing Doc at the Radar Station, it’s so evident on that album that every decent "post-punk band" essentially ripped off/built on Beefhart's sound.

Considering that the bulk of the material on that album (1980) is based on ideas close to a decade old and that the Captain's voice was no longer as powerful as it once was (I do like that it took on this menacing weez) it’s startling just how good it is, I really enjoy the later-era magic band because amongst the usual brilliance of Beefheart they “rocked-out” too.

Angular guitars and "off-kilter" tempos might be commonplace in Rock music now, but this lad was doing it before guys like Keith Levene, Steve Albini and the Pop Group hit double figures.

Nothing – in a rock music context - stands up to Beefheart’s work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rrw5zr1dN8

Rigsby

If you have not got it already, I would recommend this book on the "Captain". I got it a few years ago, and it's a great read.

http://www.beefheart.com/zigzag/books/barnescomp.htm

ValJester

smokedeels wrote: »

The Guardian have been very good with Beefheart tributes, some wonderfully affectionate and detailed articles on their website this week.

Yes, he should be on every media outlet and next year should see a nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but really, was it ever about that type of mainstream acceptance, it matters little, no more than when he was alive.

I’ve – understandably – been on Beefheart kick the last few days, today I’ve been playing Doc at the Radar Station, it’s so evident on that album that every decent "post-punk band" essentially ripped off/built on Beefhart's sound.

Considering that the bulk of the material on that album (1980) is based on ideas close to a decade old and that the Captain's voice was no longer as powerful as it once was (I do like that it took on this menacing weez) it’s startling just how good it is, I really enjoy the later-era magic band because amongst the usual brilliance of Beefheart they “rocked-out” too.

Angular guitars and "off-kilter" tempos might be commonplace in Rock music now, but this lad was doing it before guys like Keith Levene, Steve Albini and the Pop Group hit double figures.

Nothing – in a rock music context - stands up to Beefheart’s work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rrw5zr1dN8

Pretty great article on him here
http://www.scaruffi.com/vol1/beefhear.html#tro

padz

aw rip, just found out great musician, bat chain pulller rocks, upon the my oh my.. thers too many to name great tunes

thenakedanddead

I'm gonna try and get in on this guy. Any recommendations on where to start?

Rigsby

thenakedanddead wrote: »

I'm gonna try and get in on this guy. Any recommendations on where to start?

I'd recommend his 1st album "Safe as Milk" as an introduction, followed by "Clear Spot" and "The Spotlight Kid". The latter two can be got on the one CD.

ValJester

thenakedanddead wrote: »

I'm gonna try and get in on this guy. Any recommendations on where to start?

Definitely start on Safe As Milk, then Lick My Decals Off Baby.

KnifeWRENCH

thenakedanddead wrote: »

I'm gonna try and get in on this guy. Any recommendations on where to start?

Don't do what I did by starting with Trout Mask Replica - I think that one needs a bit of a build up to it.

Safe as Milk is an excellent album and probably the best starting point.

Rigsby

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

Don't do what I did by starting with Trout Mask Replica - I think that one needs a bit of a build up to it.

Yep, that is an aquired taste alright, as some of his albums can be.

Dan Dare

My dear wife (normally a tolerant woman) has banned the above named from being played in our house. She also detests Portishead's Third album.

Rigsby

Dan Dare wrote: »

My dear wife (normally a tolerant woman) has banned the above named from being played in our house.

It can have that effect on some people.

ValJester

Dan Dare wrote: »

My dear wife (normally a tolerant woman) has banned the above named from being played in our house. She also detests Portishead's Third album.

I used to play it to freak my ex out, good times. What's her problem with Third, though?

Dan Dare

ValJester wrote: »

I used to play it to freak my ex out, good times. What's her problem with Third, though?

I asked and was told "everything". :eek:

ValJester

Dan Dare wrote: »

I asked and was told "everything". :eek:

Play her some Can.

Quentinkrisp

His finest works IMO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTo7OgXkbe8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWNhq0dDr5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMTLfgsqekg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfNb1w7pVcA&playnext=1&list=PL0334EDE6C7CCDABC&index=16

Kold

I can see how Third would be abrasive.