I see what you're saying. I don't think "the band" had as much to do with it as you are claiming.

This happened with "Strictly Personal" too. Don initally claimed that all the phasing effects were done without his permission/knowledge, but John French says that's b.s.

There's nothing New Wave about "Doc." Fucked-up mellotron is New Wave? Come on.

The "Doc" and "Shiny Beast/Bat Chain" bands were both great. The "Ice Cream" band was good too, but not an improvement on those bands.

katie, a douchebag wrote:I see what you're saying. I don't think "the band" had as much to do with it as you are claiming.

I wouldn't blame anyone, except Zappa for his grudgefulness over Shiny Beast.

Nothing Beefheart ever did was a sure bet, so we should be grateful for whenever he decided to play something in the studio and grateful for which ever band put up with him enough to cut the record. Some of the songs on his last three releases were over ten years old, and only put there because he was made to feel comfortable.

big_dave wrote:Some of the songs on his last three releases were over ten years old, and only put there because he was made to feel comfortable.

I think it was mainly because his lyric/songwriting well had run dry.

Who said Beefheart's attempt to fit in with New Wave would sound anything like New Wave?

It has the same relationship that his "music videos" for Ice Cream For Crow and Decals have to actual music videos.

katie, a douchebag wrote:I think it was mainly because his lyric/songwriting well had run dry.

From what I can tell his painting and poetry at the time was still awesome.

big_dave wrote:Who said Beefheart's attempt to fit in with New Wave would sound anything like New Wave?

It has the same relationship that his "music videos" for Ice Cream For Crow and Decals have to actual music videos.

katie, a douchebag wrote:I think it was mainly because his lyric/songwriting well had run dry.

From what I can tell his painting and poetry at the time was still awesome.

Yeah, if anything, new wave took his ideas. It is only right that he reclaimed them at the time.

There are so many bands I listen to now that were influenced by the Captain, I can't even start to count them all.

Virtually every post-punk band of any consequence was influenced by him.

He is one of the two or three biggest influences on post-punk bands that there is, and may in fact be the biggest. And I am including the Velvets and Stooges in that category.

His painting and poetry is awesome also, no doubt about it.

As I write this, I am listening to "Bat Chain Puller".

Mark Hansen wrote:

big_dave wrote:Who said Beefheart's attempt to fit in with New Wave would sound anything like New Wave?

It has the same relationship that his "music videos" for Ice Cream For Crow and Decals have to actual music videos.

katie, a douchebag wrote:I think it was mainly because his lyric/songwriting well had run dry.

From what I can tell his painting and poetry at the time was still awesome.

Yeah, if anything, new wave took his ideas. It is only right that he reclaimed them at the time.

There are so many bands I listen to now that were influenced by the Captain, I can't even start to count them all.

Virtually every post-punk band of any consequence was influenced by him.

When asked if he ever heard punk rock or post punk: "No I haven't, why would I pick through my own vomit?"

Mark Hansen wrote:He is one of the two or three biggest influences on post-punk bands that there is, and may in fact be the biggest. And I am including the Velvets and Stooges in that category.

In case anyone is unsure what I meant, I refer to the Stooges and Velvets as bands who influenced others, not bands influenced by Captain Beefheart.

Safe as Milk, WF 0

Doc at the Radar Station.

cesb wrote:Doc at the Radar Station.

Mike is, once again, correct-a-mundo.