I don't understand Captain Beefheart.

What's to understand? You like or you don't. Many don't but I do. Here is one my favorites.

 

I like lots of things that I feel no obligation to defend. If it's not harming anyone, like on. Or don't

 

well one thing that makes it kinda impressive from an objective standpoint is that it's not really random at all. it's all very composed and they performed it the same way every time. no improvisation at all, except for captain beefheart's own sax/harmonica solos which were purposely random.

it's a mistake to think that there's something to "get" about captain beefheart. as he himself would have said, "you've had too much to think!" part of his appeal is his complete uniqueness, and if you can get accustomed to the weirdness you'll find that it's kickass music the likes of which no other human has ever produced. i like his voice and lyrics especially.

 

I don't understand the Captain. And I certainly don't "get" him.

But I love his stuff. He is like a glimpse into an alternative human condition that doesn't apply to the rest of us.

In a world where so often the main difference between artists is electronic, marketing or technique driven, the Captain stood (almost) alone.

And for the OP, it's ok not to get or like the Captain (or anyone else). I will say, however, that much of his music is the most heavily rehearsed performance art of all time, to the point (if the stories are true) of an almost cult like slave labour.

Mike

 

Back in the day, I used to go to a club called Horatio's Green Onion in San Diego and watch a band called Buckwheat. The keyboardist from that band, Michael Smotherman, ended up playing in the "The Tragic Band" after Beefheart and the Magic Band suddenly parted ways just before a tour. Also, guitarist Dean Smith played in Buckwheat and another band, Dean Hawley and his Crew, that I used to go see at The Voyager when I was in the Marines. Here's a video of Captain Beefheart with Smotherman on keys and Smith on guitar.

One of the fans' complaints about the Tragic Band was that they didn't have the feel for Beefheart's music that the former band had. Others apparently felt they made the music a little more commercial and liked it. (Paraphrasing from internet info.)

 

ftfy

 

I once heard Beefheart referred to as the missing link between Howlin Wolf and Ornette Coleman. He mixed rhythm and blues with free jazz

 

I saw Beefheart on this tour at Town Hall in NYC. It wasn't that they were bad players, but not the old favorites and they were not the magic band and to me it seemed the crowd was more upset with the new music - an attempt at being more commercial and really not as good as the earlier and even later songs.

The crowd gave the Captain a hard time and he left after a few songs ending the set very early. Me, I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and let them play but was overruled.

 

"What's he doing in there?"

 

I enjoy the artiness and humor. Also, when I see mommy, I do feel like a mummy.

 

Thanks for the link, good stuff.

 

I like this one lots.

 

Oh man, some of favorite Zappa stuff is the stuff with Beefheart on it. Hot Rats, Muffin Man, yeah. Good stuff.

As was said earlier, don't over think it. If you don't like it, that's just fine too.

 

Yeah the stuff on Bongo Fury with Zappa has some good moments for sure.

 

nothing random at all about beefheart's music. all the parts are either written or sung-and-transcribed by Don to his players. all this has been covered in interviews and music press for decades.
many people get thrown by their seemingly "odd" time variations within phrases and sections, but it's good refreshing stuff in a hammer-headed world of modern pop rhythms.

 

Nowadays people use the word "random" to mean what we meant when we said "off the wall".

 

That's the gist of what I got from internet comments. I never saw Beefheart, but I know Smotherman and Smith are pretty good musicians.

 

Favorite moments with The Captain: