Few people in this world are able to sing with a voice ranging from the sound of a ship horn to that of a fire alarm. Captain Beefheart quite is one of them although it took him a long time to become successful with it. In 1967 a then still totally unknown Captain Beefheart (alias Don van Vliet), together with - among others - guitar player Ry Cooder, made the elpee "Safe As Milk" which already revealed Beefheart's blues background. However, he only became somewhat better known when his youth friend Frank Zappa (Together they also invented the name Captain Beefheart) contracted him for his Straight label.

But after some albums and quarrels their collaboration came to an end. Yet Zappa has played an important role in the music Beefheart makes. Not only has there been playing the usual amount of ex-Mothers in his Magic Band (should be: ís playing - teejo), the absurd situations both describe in their songs also bear some similarities. Captain Beefheart's music is much more bluesy and earthly, however, especially on his latest album "The Spotlight Kid", a main part of which was performed during the two concerts he did with his band in the Netherlands this weekend. After Groningen, last Saturday the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam was next.

DON VAN VLIET captain beefheart
(internet version of) uncredited picture by gijsbert hanekroot

To see the fleshy Captain in person already was exciting in itself and the band also played with a lot of dedication, although the sound didn't completely stand out well due to the gear which was set tóo loud. The 'Stichting ter voortzetting van het Holland Pop Festival' ('foundation for the continuation of the holland pop festival [held in 1970 in kralingen]' - t.t.) had taken care of a surprise with a support act which consisted of two gentlemen playing singing saw and accordion. The considerably filled hall was amused and could well appreciate a singing saw preceding a sawing singer.

At the moment there are three ex-Mothers in Beefheart's Magic Band, namely Roy Estrada (bass), Arthur Tripp (drums) and Elliot "Winged Eel Fingerling" Ingber (lead guitar), accompanied by the guitarists "Zoot Horn Rollo" (Bill Harkleroad) and Mark "Rockette Morton" Boston. Wearing a long cape Beefheart sang his electric blues songs like "When It Blows Its Stacks" and "Click Clack", grunting, blaring, screaming and besides playing superbly on his mouth organ.

Together with his band which provided the main part of the intensity, and in which especially Art Tripp and "Zoot Horn Rollo" were brilliant, it resulted in some music really whipping you up: "Grow Fins" and especially "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby". Just a pity that next Beefheart switched to a very fruitless and long improvisation on soprano sax with Art Tripp on drums ('spitball scalped a baby' - teejo), because his ordinary bluesy repertoire no doubt is better.

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translation by Robert Cloos 1998

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PICTURE 8

ELLIOT INGBER winged eel fingerling
picture by ton damman

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