I Think I'm A Beefheart

[zappa61]

Hello Friends,

I don't know if we have any Captain Beefheart fans here in the Garden, but I would like to point out that PJ's song I Think I'm A Mother shares musical qualities with Mr. Beefheart's song Drop-Out Blues. I know PJ is a fan of Captain Beefheart, and I enjoy her using his style of music, so if you get a chance give them a listen and see what I mean.

[DrDark]

^ Welcome aboard zappa61! I came to PJ by way of being a long time Beefheart fan. There are quite a few connections between PJ and Don.

Polly has employed Eric Drew Feldman in her tours since 1995. When he has not been in her band, Eric's band (Knife and Fork) has opened for her on tour. Jeff Moris Tepper has opened for her on tours since at least 1998. Polly actually played bass for Moris for a handful of gigs in LA in 2006. Polly is one the few who actually speak with Don regularly (or at least did). Polly has said she previews a lot of her work in progress for Don over the phone.

Polly's friend/producer/mentor/collaborator John Parish is also a huge Beefheart fan. Polly claims to have taught herself guitar at least in part by listening to Doc at the Radar Station.

There's more here:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=60


A more oblique connection is John Frusciante from the RHCP. Polly's guitarist for the 2004 tour was Frusciante collaborator Josh Klinghofer. Here is Frusciante and Flea doing a great rendition of Peon (from Lick My Decals Off Baby):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbtzmQC2FKQ

Flea and Anthony are PJ admirers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpb-DFBZgA

PJ has collaborated with Mark Lanegen. Here is Mark's cover of Clear Spot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LTI1-xl7_U

[zappa61]

Great info Dr.Dark! I had no idea PJ and Don spoke to one another on a regular basis!

I knew she had collaborated with Eric Drew Feldman and Jeff Moris Tepper, and I think is it's great that is is working with Ex-Members of the infamous Magic Band.

I feel you can definitely hear a lot of Don technique in Dance Hall At Louse Point, and A Woman A Man Walked By among many other places.

Dare I say, maybe Don could create cover art for PJ's next album. Imagine That!

Thanks for the welcome and links.

[DrDark]

Unfortunately Don can no longer draw. His last artwork was done about 10 years ago. He is believed to have Parkinson's disease

[sau]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9eTwPgl0GU

Oh, so that's why you're Dr. Dark! I never knew the connection, which proves how little I know about Captain Beefheart.

Hello zappa, by the way.

Here's Frank on Crossfire in 1986. I haven't watched all of it but he obviously annoyed Robert Novak (involved in the Valerie Plame leak in 2003) with his lyrics. No bad thing. Typical of the way the 'political class', and some journalists act like they are part of the 'political class', try to convince the public that art is so dangerous when the real dangers to the country are in the 'political class'...this would have been around the time of the Iran Contra deals being done, amongst other things. Blimey, I got a bit 'heavy' there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISil7IHzxc

[zappa61]

I appreciate the gesture sau, but I have watched that Crossfire video about a million times.

That video was part of Zappa's quarrel with the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), lead by Tipper Gore, to try and stop music censorship.

Zappa had many good and logical points to make during this time. May I recommend watching the Frank Zappa Debates Candy Stroud videos on youtube.

The whole to-do ended up with a "optional generic warning label" on record albums.

The label is on Uh Huh Her and some other PJ albums. It's the Parental Advisory: Explicit Content label.

Some records company's use these, but it is NOT necessary.

[DrDark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9eTwPgl0GU

Oh, so that's why you're Dr. Dark! I never knew the connection, which proves how little I know about Captain Beefheart.

Lick My Decals Off is arguably Don and The Magic Bands' best effort. Yes, even better than TMR. It's ironic that (legitimate) CD version of this are so rare. I bought my copy from eBay and it's likely a fake. I didn't care, I had to have it again once I left vinyl behind. As I understand it, there has been some sort of legal problem (for the last 20 years) with it and the Zappa family trust that have kept it from being re-issued.

[zappa61]

http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/albums ... decals.htm

This link shows the releases of Lick My Decals Of Baby

[Rufus T]

Thanks for posting the Zappa Crossfire. "Why should I smile? I'm sitting here with you." Great stuff.

[DrDark]

http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/albums/official/decals.htm

This link shows the releases of Lick My Decals Of Baby

Right, the last legitimate CD release was the 1989 Rhino or 1991 Enigma releases. These are expensive:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Captain-Beefheart-L ... 5886307700

Not being that much of a strict collector, I got a dodgy CD for a lot less. It sounds fine.

[zappa61]

Wow, your not kidding!

$75 for a used CD. The most I ever paid was $48 for a used GTOs CD.