| Bluejeans & Moonbeams | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1974 | |||
| Recorded | August 1974 Stronghold Sound Recorders, North Hollywood, CA | |||
| Length | 36:50 | |||
| Label | Mercury (US), Virgin (UK) | |||
| Producer | Andy DiMartino | |||
| Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B− [2] |
Bluejeans & Moonbeams is the ninth LP by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in 1974. Despite its uncharacteristically mainstream sound the album failed to chart.
Having no musical training or instrumental experience, throughout his career Van Vliet had relied on a musical director within the band who could translate his often unorthodox ideas into a form that was musically playable. This role had been successively filled by Alex St. Clair, John French, and Bill Harkleroad on his previous albums. With the entire Magic Band having quit after the recording of his previous album he no longer had such an intermediary. As a result, the album is generally considered the nadir of Van Vliet's musical career. One of the musicians, Micheal Smotherman, said "Don was just as confused as he could be throughout the whole process ... I would push his face up to the microphone and he would start singing. And when it was time to stop I would pull him back gently." [3]
The album does, however, have its influence: an early White Stripes EP entitled Party of Special Things to Do (2001) contains three Beefheart covers, including this album's opening track. Kate Bush in a Smash Hits interview considered this one of her top ten albums. [4] Mercury Rev covered "Observatory Crest" for a BBC session in 1999, which was released as B-side on their "Little Rhymes" single in 2002.
John French listened to the album again in 2017, his apparent first listen since the album's release, and exclaimed that Van Vliet sounded almost lost in places, as if he didn't "really know exactly where to sing" – and that "it must have been difficult for him to function in that environment". According to French, Van Vliet said himself that the only good part about the album was the cover art by his cousin, Victor Hayden. [5]
The album cover is a painting by Van Vliet's friend and cousin Victor Hayden, who featured on Trout Mask Replica with the nickname Beefheart bestowed upon him, The Mascara Snake.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Party of Special Things to Do" | Don Van Vliet, Elliot Ingber | 2:48 |
| 2. | "Same Old Blues" | J. J. Cale | 4:00 |
| 3. | "Observatory Crest" | Van Vliet, E. Ingber | 3:32 |
| 4. | "Pompadour Swamp" | Van Vliet | 3:32 |
| 5. | "Captain's Holiday" | Richard Feldman, Walt Richmond, Stephen Hickerson, Chuck Blackwell | 5:43 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rock 'n Roll's Evil Doll" | Van Vliet, Mark Gibbons, Ira Ingber | 3:20 |
| 2. | "Further Than We've Gone" | Van Vliet | 5:31 |
| 3. | "Twist ah Luck" | Van Vliet, Gibbons, I. Ingber | 3:22 |
| 4. | "Bluejeans & Moonbeams" | Van Vliet | 5:02 |
The musicians in this version of the Magic Band appear on no other Beefheart album. Several of those who had played on Unconditionally Guaranteed and earlier albums had left to form Mallard.
The personnel for "Captain's Holiday" are Tulsa musicians Chuck Blackwell - drums; Steve Hickerson - guitar; Richard Feldman - bass and Walt Richmond (of The Tractors) - piano. They are credited as the composers of the track. They played with Leon Russell; JJ Cale amongst others The track was reportedly found on a discarded reel in the studio. The harmonica on the track is not played by Captain Beefheart (by his own admission).
Don Van Vliet was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as the Magic Band, he recorded 13 studio albums between 1967 and 1982. His music blended elements of blues, free jazz, rock, and avant-garde composition with idiosyncratic rhythms, absurdist wordplay, a loud, gravelly voice, and his claimed wide vocal range. Known for his enigmatic persona, Beefheart frequently constructed myths about his life and was known to exercise an almost dictatorial control over his supporting musicians. Although he achieved little commercial success, he sustained a cult following as an influence on an array of experimental rock and punk-era artists.
Trout Mask Replica is the third studio album by the American band Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released as a double album on June 16, 1969, by Straight Records. The music was composed by Captain Beefheart and arranged by drummer John "Drumbo" French. Combining elements of R&B, garage rock, and blues with free jazz and avant-garde composition, the album is regarded as an important work of experimental rock. Its unconventional musical style, which includes polyrhythm, multi-octave vocals, and polytonality, has given the album a reputation as one of the most challenging recordings in the 20th century musical canon.
John Stephen French is an American drummer and former member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, where he was known by the nickname Drumbo. He was the principal drummer on several of Beefheart's albums, including 1969's Trout Mask Replica, for which he also acted as arranger. He later released several albums as a solo artist as well as with the collaborative group French Frith Kaiser Thompson.
Lick My Decals Off, Baby is the fourth studio album by American musician Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in December 1970 by Straight and Reprise Records. The follow-up to Trout Mask Replica (1969), it is regarded by some critics and listeners as superior, and was Van Vliet's own favorite of his albums. In his words, the title credo of the album was an encouragement to "get rid of the labels", and to evaluate things according to their merits.
Ice Cream for Crow is the twelfth and final studio album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in September 1982. After it was recorded, Don Van Vliet retired from music to devote himself to a career as a painter. It spent two weeks in the UK album charts, reaching number 90, but failed to make the Billboard Top 200.
Unconditionally Guaranteed is the eighth LP by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in 1974. It was recorded at Hollywood Sound, Los Angeles.
The Spotlight Kid is the sixth studio album by Captain Beefheart. Released in 1972, it is the only album credited solely to Captain Beefheart rather than Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, although every member is featured, and its material is considered part of the band's repertoire. Often cited as one of the most accessible of Beefheart's albums, it is solidly founded in the blues but also uses instruments such as marimba and jingle bells that are not typical of that genre. The incarnation of the Magic Band on this album was Bill Harkleroad and Elliot Ingber, guitars; Mark Boston, bass; John French, drums; and Art Tripp, marimba. Session drummer Rhys Clark substituted for French on one track, "Glider".
Strictly Personal is the second album by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. It was originally released in October 1968 as the first album on the Blue Thumb Records label. It was released nearly a year after the band had taken to the studio to record the follow-up to 1967's Safe as Milk, and was composed primarily of material intended for an aborted double-LP entitled It Comes to You in a Plain Brown Wrapper.
Safe as Milk is the debut studio album by American music group Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released in June 1967 by Buddah Records. A heavily blues-influenced work, the album features a 20-year-old Ry Cooder, who played guitar and wrote some of the arrangements.
Clear Spot is the seventh studio album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. It was originally released on LP in 1972 in a clear plastic sleeve.
Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) is the tenth studio album by American band Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in October 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. The album emerged from production difficulties surrounding Bat Chain Puller, an album Captain Beefheart recorded for DiscReet and Virgin Records in 1976. DiscReet co-founders Herb Cohen and Frank Zappa feuded over the production of the album, because Cohen funded the production with Zappa's royalty checks. Captain Beefheart recorded a new album titled Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) due to Zappa withholding the master tapes of the original Bat Chain Puller album.
Doc at the Radar Station is the eleventh studio album by American band Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in August 1980 by Virgin Records.
The Magic Band was the backing band of American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Captain Beefheart between 1967 and 1982. The rotating lineup featured dozens of performers, many of whom became known by nicknames given to them by Beefheart. Long-time members during the band's heyday included drummer/arranger John French, guitarist Bill Harkleroad, bassist/guitarist Mark Boston, percussionist/keyboardist Art Tripp, and guitarist Elliot Ingber. Ex-members of the Magic Band formed the short-lived group Mallard in 1974. The Magic Band reformed in 2003, without Beefheart.
The Lost Episodes is a 1996 posthumous album by Frank Zappa which compiles previously unreleased material. Much of the material covered dates from early in his career, and as early as 1958, into the mid-1970s. Zappa had been working on these tracks in the years before his death in 1993.
Victor Hayden, also known by his stage name the Mascara Snake, was an American painter and musician.
"Party of Special Things to Do" is a song by Captain Beefheart from the album Bluejeans & Moonbeams (1974). It was covered and released as a 7" single by Detroit garage rock band the White Stripes. Their 7" record also contains two other covers of Captain Beefheart who, among others, was an inspirational catalyst in the creation of Jack White's distinct musical sound. The recording was released in December 2000 as part of the Sub Pop Singles Club in a limited edition pressing of 1,300 copies on half-red, half-white vinyl.
Bat Chain Puller is the 13th studio album by Captain Beefheart, released on February 22, 2012. It was recorded in 1976 by DiscReet Records, who had intended to release it with Virgin Records as Captain Beefheart's tenth studio album. It was co-produced by Beefheart and Kerry McNab.
Now is the third studio album released by The Tubes. It was produced by John Anthony. Fed up with constant meddling from Bud Scoppa and Don Wood under the direction of Bill Spooner including surreptitiously remixing a track when Anthony was not at the studio, Anthony was advised to leave the project by Jerry Moss. The head of A&M A&R Kip Cohen said that they took advantage of Anthony and believed that they overran the budget to increase their union fees. Bill Spooner took over and completed the project with the help of the engineer Wood and Scoppa.
The Legendary A&M Sessions is an extended play featuring five songs by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, recorded early in their career for their original record label A&M Records. The EP was released by the company in 1984 after Captain Beefheart had gone into retirement.
I'm Going to Do What I Wanna Do is a live album from Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. In support of the US release of his album Shiny Beast , Beefheart and the band undertook a promotional club tour. On Saturday 18 November 1978 they performed at My Father's Place in Roslyn, New York. My Father's Place was located under a motorway bridge, held about 200 people and the patrons sat at long tables and could dine whilst listening if they wished. The show was recorded and mixed directly to two-track tape. The tape was used for a radio broadcast on WLIR-FM on 11 December 1978. Rhino Records made the album available for download, after a limited release on CD. Released by Rhino on 4/22/23 on 2 vinyl LP's, limited to 5000, for Record Store Day.
Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band (1964–1982)
The Magic Band (2003–2017)
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