Egads! The Return Of Barryman!

Hey kids, we’re back from the wonderful parallel universe that is Argentina.
I could write a thousand lines to describe our fantastic journey on my beloved azerty keyboard, but as clichés go, “a picture is worth a thousand words” is right up there with the best of ’em.

So here, in a nutshell, I present to you a concise pictorial of our stay in Kirchnerismo Central:

Sharl & Lucas

Barryman

Argentine Steak

Whoa. That went fast, didn’t it.

Frank Zappa – The Pier, NYC – August 26th, 1984

It always strikes me as unusual when Frank Zappa actually states that a concert is going to be a very long one – like the The Palladium show on October 31st, 1978:
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Frank Zappa – Let’s Move To Cleveland solos – 1984, Los Angeles

Frank Zappa and the Teenage Rockin’ Combo whips it out on “Let’s Move To Cleveland” in Los Angeles on July 21st, 1984.

Teenage Rockin’ Combo:

Frank Zappa – lead guitar, lead vocals
Ike Willis – rhythm guitar, vocals
Ray White – rhythm guitar, vocals
Napoleon Murphy Brock – saxophone, flute, vocals
Bobby Martin – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
Allan Zavod – keyboards
Scott Thunes – bass
Chad Wackerman – drums

Does Doo Belong In Bop? – Frank Zappa, a Memorial Barbecue

Everyone knows the soft spot I hold for Zappa Tribute Bands of all shapes, sizes and origins. This Finnish group of musicians performing the Zappa Tribute, “Does Doo Belong In Bop? – Frank Zappa, a Memorial Barbecue” Live at the Doo-Bop Club in Vasa, Finland, on December 11th, 2008, is no different. Quirky, humorous, eccentric – at most they bring a special zeal to Zappa’s compositions (which brought a definite smile to my own face), and at very least, another in a very long list of tribute bands despised by GZ and the Zappa Family Trust.
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Supertramp – Crisis? What Crisis?

One of the most overlooked albums of the 1970s, in my opinion, is Supertramp‘s 1975 release ‘Crisis? What Crisis?‘ which was often relegated to the bargain bins of record stores. I’ve never understood why progressive rock fans weren’t more accepting of this album. It definitely deserves more accolades than it has received.
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Captain Beefheart VPRO Radio Interview, 1980

beefheartcigar

During the European leg of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band‘s tour promoting ‘Doc at the Radar Station‘, Don Van Vliet was interviewed by VPRO Radio (Amsterdam) on November 1st, 1980 (no doubt prior, or just after the infamous Paradiso show during which Beefheart was heckled by a drunken patron).

Anyone interested in discovering what Beefheart fans find so appealing about Don Van Vliet need only listen to this interview. His peculiar individualism shines throughout while he playfully teases his interviewers. It’s clear that a lot of what Vliet says goes right over their heads. I suppose the same can be said about Beefheart’s music. Either you get it, or you don’t – it’s that simple.

Beefheart VPRO Interview (Part 1)
[audio:http://www.killuglyradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Captain-Beefheart-VPRO-Radio-Amsterdam-Interview-1-Nov-1980-01-Part-1.mp3]
Beefheart VPRO Interview (Part 2)
[audio:http://www.killuglyradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Captain-Beefheart-VPRO-Radio-Amsterdam-Interview-1-Nov-1980-02-Part-2.mp3]
Beefheart VPRO Interview (Part 3)
[audio:http://www.killuglyradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Captain-Beefheart-VPRO-Radio-Amsterdam-Interview-1-Nov-1980-03-Part-3.mp3]

In addition, I recently came across an interview of John ‘Drumbo’ French – interviewed in mid 2005, when French was fronting a reformed Magic Band, and touring in support of their CDs ‘Back To The Front‘, and ‘21st Century Mirror Men‘ – on the weblog, The Funky Goat:

He [Vliet] was in competition with Frank Zappa, I think that’s one of the reasons he went so far out. Frank was actually playing accessible music. Another thing was that being in Frank’s band had a sort of prestige, the instrumentalists would go on and play in other groups, they were wanted. Who was going to want a Beefheart musician? Half the public didn’t even think we knew how to play!”

A very illuminating interview for any fan of Beefheart’s music. Read the transcribed interview here.

Zappa & Beefheart – The Torture Never Stops (Bongo Fury Tour 1975)

In his 1975 Bongo Fury Tour with Frank Zappa‘s band, Captain Beefheart delivers his blues-infused vocals in what I feel is the quintessential version of “The Torture Never Stops” (part one, above; part two, below). I’ve heard other vocalists sing this song, but besides the Zappa sung version, only Don Van Vliet ever truly made this song his own. I’ve always wondered why this version wasn’t released on ‘Bongo Fury‘ and then released so late (almost like an afterthought) on ‘You Can Do That On Stage Anymore, Volume 4‘ and ‘Cheap Thrills‘?
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