Captain Beefheart

Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet on January 15, 1941 in Glendale, California), is a musician and painter, best known under the pseudonym Captain Beefheart.

Later music

Lick My Decals Off, Baby (1970) continued in a similar experimental vein, although the two 1972 follow ups, The Spotlight Kid and Clear Spot, were much more commercial. The Magic Band left Beefheart and formed Mallard. Beefheart formed a new Magic Band and released Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans & Moonbeams; neither album was critically well received.

Related Topics:
Lick My Decals Off, Baby - 1970 - 1972 - The Spotlight Kid - Clear Spot - Mallard - Unconditionally Guaranteed - Bluejeans & Moonbeams

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In the late 1970s, Captain Beefheart found that there was a younger generation of musicians eager to work with him and capable of playing his music. In several cases they had learned his music from records before being given auditions. Keyboard player and bassist Eric Drew Feldman (who joined in 1976), guitarist Jeff Moris Tepper (who joined in 1975 or 1976), drummer Robert Williams (who joined in 1977), and guitarist Gary Lucas (who appeared on the last two Beefheart records and was also Beefheart's manager), had been Beefheart fans since their teens.

Related Topics:
Eric Drew Feldman - Jeff Moris Tepper - Gary Lucas

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Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (1978) was largely regarded as bringing the group back to form after the lacklustre releases of the early 1970s, featuring once again the innovative and eccentric style of the earlier albums. The excellent Doc at the Radar Station (1980) helped establish Beefheart's late resurgence as possibly the most consistently creative period of his musical career. In this period, Beefheart made several appearances on David Letterman's program, and performed on Saturday Night Live.

Related Topics:
Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) - 1978 - Doc at the Radar Station - 1980 - David Letterman - Saturday Night Live

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After Ice Cream for Crow (1982), Beefheart retired from music and became a critically acclaimed painter.

Related Topics:
Ice Cream for Crow - 1982

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In recent years, Vliet has become somewhat reclusive and abandoned music, stating he can make far more money painting. His artwork is as extreme and innovative as was his music, and commands high prices, as well as comparisons to Pablo Picasso and Franz Kline. Some of his recent sounds and noises were captured on his guitarist Moris Tepper's album Moth to Mouth.

Related Topics:
Pablo Picasso - Franz Kline

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Vliet currently lives in Northern California, and is reportedly suffering from multiple sclerosis or a similar condition.

Related Topics:
California - Multiple sclerosis

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The Magic Band, fronted by John French, reformed without Beefheart in 2003.

Related Topics:
The Magic Band - 2003

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