Grow Fins
Created | Updated Mar 25, 2002
You would be excused for thinking that Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band was Don van Vliet in the role of Captain and anyone else who happened to be on stage or in the studio at the time as the Magic Band. But this was not how the concept was originally born, as the extensive notes in the Grow Fins anthology of the Band’s work explains. It was Don Vliet’s uncle who originally commented on Don’s penis as being the size of a beef-heart (this quote is confirmed elsewhere), and the term Beefheart became local argot for a well-endowed man or one with a reputation as a lover. Vliet’s friendship with Frank Zappa is documemted in the Grow Fins set and ubiquitously in LA rock lore. Zappa originally suggested the idea of a quasi comic-strip hero who, by drinking on a Pepsi would make his Magic Band appear - to be known as CB & His MB. He actually suggested it to a mutual pal, Vic Mortensen who was the drummer in an earlier lineup of the band - The Omens, but it wasn’t long before the name was adopted. It may well have been this casting into the central role which made Vliet, a non-musician, assume the central position that he did, and set the dynamics for the most momentous revolution ever to hit rock music.
Vliet had a creative past which should have warned the hip would-be entrepreneur that this was the guy to watch. As an 8 year-old (accounts vary as to exact age) he was presenting a kid’s TV program where he would visit the zoo and sculpt the animals he saw there. His father was apparently unhappy with the direction his career was taking and put a stop to it. Back to college. Drop out, drop out.
Anyway, there we are back in 1967 or 68 and four blues/rock musicians and one non-musician but creative wizard have managed to cut a couple of singles which went down well locally, plus an interesting debut album. The LSD was going down well too, and frequently (according to the Grow Fins booklet, but contrary to everything Vliet ever admitted to the press). I know who I believe. Somehow round about this time and onwards into 68 and 69 evolved the most original, complex, surreal and mind-boggling music ever to be filed under ROCK. I know that rock is an idiom and that most classical musicians don’t have much time for it, but this really is one that transcends genres. Likewise all you jazzers out there, give this a try.
Here are some milestones from CB&HMB’s career
First: Debut album - Safe As Milk - Notable for ‘Electricity’ during the recording of which Vliet allegedly destroys 2 Telefunken microphones with the power of his voice. Years later he repeats this feat on a television chat show to prove it. My personal favourite is ‘Autumn’s Child’ a kind of mini-opera with theremin, time changes galore and quirky slide guitar.
Second: Strictly Personal. This is where psychedelia begins. The ‘Grow Fins’ notes claim that John French (drummer, long time ally, supporter, latter-day guitarist, arranger, and man we have to thank for the entire GF chronicle ) came to Vliet with a little minor-key tune which became the basic theme for ‘Trust Us’. Well Thank You John. The outstanding track amongst the many brilliant oeuvres, this was Vliet’s answer to the Rolling Stones’ ‘We Love You’, which was their answer to the Beatles’ ‘All You Need is Love’ which was their answer to EVERYTHING. (The sense of that last sentence borrowed from French’s GF entry.) Every second of this album is outright psychedelic brilliance. I’m not going to get into any debates about what Vliet, Zappa, Krasnow (the producer) and everybody with an opinion subsequently said about the production. Just listen to it from the point of view of the musicians involved and you have total psychedelia.
Third: Trout Mask Replica. This is where psychedelia ends. Which is good news. Apparently this album involved masses of drilling of the musicians with much creative input from Vliet in the form of directions to French, but little in the way of putting in an appearance and making the chaps feel that you are there for them. The musicians spent 10 - 12 hours a day grafting at getting the parts down for the creations that Vliet was throwing at them. If you are used only to normal rock forms you are going to find Trout Mask Replica not just odd but totally severely challenging. There is some way, however, in which it is real music and repeated listening becomes very rewarding. You are on your own from here on in.
Fourth: Lick My Decals Off Baby: Originally banned by radio stations who did not understand the harmless significance of the title: i.e. ‘I dont want you to put any labels (decals) on my music.’ This is CB&HMB’s most musically accomplished and finely honed album. Ex-Mother Art Tripp is in there stroking the marimba, some of the rough edges of Trout Mask have been refined, arrangements are even tighter, and the cover art is perfection of the Magic Band aura. This is the one. Just you try and find it though. Ha ha.
Next: CB&HMB went on to release more albums through the 70s and 80s with varying degrees of success. (Fans talk in hushed tones of the ‘Tragic Band’ of 1974 and Unconditionally Guaranteed, and Bluejeans and Moonbeams.) let us not forget, however the unreleased and magnificent ‘Bat Chain Puller’, ‘Doc at the Radar Station’ and the final ‘Ice Cream for Crow’ as well as recordings by former Magic band members.
After next: Vliet retired from the music business in 1982 to concentrate on the painting which was gradually taking over as his main artistic preoccupation. For a few years he maintained that his band was ready to resume touring at the drop of a hat, if only people would be receptive to his music. The latest recordings on Grow Fins, suggest that indeed, people were not taking him seriously enough. However, most recently, it seems he is suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and is unlikely ever to take to the stage or studio again. John French is still active with colleagues like Henry Kaiser and English folk-oriented artist Richard Thompson (his ‘Blood and the Ink’ on his ‘Crazy Backwards Alphabet’ LP is a perfect reprise of the Magic Band Sound and Jeff Moris Tepper of Bat Chain Puller fame, records regularly. Visit www.beefheart.com and find your way to ‘Filtered thru Dust Speakers’ if your appetite has been whetted. There you will find free, downloadable music and video of the Magic Band.
The most important thing to gather from this offering is that CB&HMB is not just another ‘My band is the greatest’ type page. This is creation on another level. Looking round H2G2 I find that plenty of researchers feel the same way about people in other genres.
Grow Fins is available in HMV stores at the admittedly steep price of £60 (for a 5 Cd set). But it will be more expensive after the introductory offer. This gives you the biography, the 5 Cds, including the Quicktime playable Video CD.
Alternatively go for: The Mirror Man Sessions or Safe As Milk (the recently re-issued Buddah CDs of material recorded in 1967-68)
The classic album: Trout Mask Replica - widely available.
Vliet had a creative past which should have warned the hip would-be entrepreneur that this was the guy to watch. As an 8 year-old (accounts vary as to exact age) he was presenting a kid’s TV program where he would visit the zoo and sculpt the animals he saw there. His father was apparently unhappy with the direction his career was taking and put a stop to it. Back to college. Drop out, drop out.
Anyway, there we are back in 1967 or 68 and four blues/rock musicians and one non-musician but creative wizard have managed to cut a couple of singles which went down well locally, plus an interesting debut album. The LSD was going down well too, and frequently (according to the Grow Fins booklet, but contrary to everything Vliet ever admitted to the press). I know who I believe. Somehow round about this time and onwards into 68 and 69 evolved the most original, complex, surreal and mind-boggling music ever to be filed under ROCK. I know that rock is an idiom and that most classical musicians don’t have much time for it, but this really is one that transcends genres. Likewise all you jazzers out there, give this a try.
Here are some milestones from CB&HMB’s career
First: Debut album - Safe As Milk - Notable for ‘Electricity’ during the recording of which Vliet allegedly destroys 2 Telefunken microphones with the power of his voice. Years later he repeats this feat on a television chat show to prove it. My personal favourite is ‘Autumn’s Child’ a kind of mini-opera with theremin, time changes galore and quirky slide guitar.
Second: Strictly Personal. This is where psychedelia begins. The ‘Grow Fins’ notes claim that John French (drummer, long time ally, supporter, latter-day guitarist, arranger, and man we have to thank for the entire GF chronicle ) came to Vliet with a little minor-key tune which became the basic theme for ‘Trust Us’. Well Thank You John. The outstanding track amongst the many brilliant oeuvres, this was Vliet’s answer to the Rolling Stones’ ‘We Love You’, which was their answer to the Beatles’ ‘All You Need is Love’ which was their answer to EVERYTHING. (The sense of that last sentence borrowed from French’s GF entry.) Every second of this album is outright psychedelic brilliance. I’m not going to get into any debates about what Vliet, Zappa, Krasnow (the producer) and everybody with an opinion subsequently said about the production. Just listen to it from the point of view of the musicians involved and you have total psychedelia.
Third: Trout Mask Replica. This is where psychedelia ends. Which is good news. Apparently this album involved masses of drilling of the musicians with much creative input from Vliet in the form of directions to French, but little in the way of putting in an appearance and making the chaps feel that you are there for them. The musicians spent 10 - 12 hours a day grafting at getting the parts down for the creations that Vliet was throwing at them. If you are used only to normal rock forms you are going to find Trout Mask Replica not just odd but totally severely challenging. There is some way, however, in which it is real music and repeated listening becomes very rewarding. You are on your own from here on in.
Fourth: Lick My Decals Off Baby: Originally banned by radio stations who did not understand the harmless significance of the title: i.e. ‘I dont want you to put any labels (decals) on my music.’ This is CB&HMB’s most musically accomplished and finely honed album. Ex-Mother Art Tripp is in there stroking the marimba, some of the rough edges of Trout Mask have been refined, arrangements are even tighter, and the cover art is perfection of the Magic Band aura. This is the one. Just you try and find it though. Ha ha.
Next: CB&HMB went on to release more albums through the 70s and 80s with varying degrees of success. (Fans talk in hushed tones of the ‘Tragic Band’ of 1974 and Unconditionally Guaranteed, and Bluejeans and Moonbeams.) let us not forget, however the unreleased and magnificent ‘Bat Chain Puller’, ‘Doc at the Radar Station’ and the final ‘Ice Cream for Crow’ as well as recordings by former Magic band members.
After next: Vliet retired from the music business in 1982 to concentrate on the painting which was gradually taking over as his main artistic preoccupation. For a few years he maintained that his band was ready to resume touring at the drop of a hat, if only people would be receptive to his music. The latest recordings on Grow Fins, suggest that indeed, people were not taking him seriously enough. However, most recently, it seems he is suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and is unlikely ever to take to the stage or studio again. John French is still active with colleagues like Henry Kaiser and English folk-oriented artist Richard Thompson (his ‘Blood and the Ink’ on his ‘Crazy Backwards Alphabet’ LP is a perfect reprise of the Magic Band Sound and Jeff Moris Tepper of Bat Chain Puller fame, records regularly. Visit www.beefheart.com and find your way to ‘Filtered thru Dust Speakers’ if your appetite has been whetted. There you will find free, downloadable music and video of the Magic Band.
The most important thing to gather from this offering is that CB&HMB is not just another ‘My band is the greatest’ type page. This is creation on another level. Looking round H2G2 I find that plenty of researchers feel the same way about people in other genres.
Grow Fins is available in HMV stores at the admittedly steep price of £60 (for a 5 Cd set). But it will be more expensive after the introductory offer. This gives you the biography, the 5 Cds, including the Quicktime playable Video CD.
Alternatively go for: The Mirror Man Sessions or Safe As Milk (the recently re-issued Buddah CDs of material recorded in 1967-68)
The classic album: Trout Mask Replica - widely available.
