Captain Beefheart
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Review
Barnes gets the story, and with the full participation of those brave musicians who attempted to interpret Beefheart's sometimes otherworldy methodology.' The Times
Review
Barnes gets the story, and with the full participation of those brave musicians who attempted to interpret Beefheart's sometimes otherworldy methodology.' The Times
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Mike Barnes spent 5 years researching the life & art of Don Van Vliet & those associated w/ him thru various editions of Magic Bands & companions. He has done a good job in making something well worth reading, hard to put down, that compliments the best music ever made. He doesn't try to make Beefheart a saint or run him down either, just tries to paint a balanced even picture which is difficult since DVV was rarely balanced or even. Of course getting the facts staright is near impossible since Don would always speak laterally in another dimension in interviews, always wanting to make his story even more interesting than it already was. Normally song by song analyses don't work but here I think Mike's observations are well thought out & helpful, I never really understood Hobo Chang Ba for instance until now. There are a few pages of photos hidden in the middle & the cover photo by the great Cal Schenkel. Whislt Don himself did not collaborate on the book project, luminaries like Bill Harkleroad [Zoot], Gary Marker & Alex St Clair did & many opinions are presented. Overall, it's well done & it reminds of the greatness of the music, whilst the chapters about his temporary decline in 1974 were slightly depressing. A thorough enough discography is included @ the back too. If you are someone who is obsessed or curious about the poetry, painting & energy of DVV, I say "if you got eyes, you gotta read it!".
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Barnes is to be admired for attempting to demolish some of the layers of myth surrounding Don van Vliet - admittedly, Beefheart built most of them himself!
His biography is strongest on Vliet's early years, his curious friendship with Zappa, and the early albums - it starts to fall apart a little after the two "commercial" albums and treats the later recordings as being little more than a coda made up of existing material.
There is some interesting and rather moving content on van Vliet's post-retirement life as a painter.
All in all, a biography that doesn't fawn over van Vliet, that tries to be reasonably objective, that tries to debunk some of the more absurd myths and treats his words and music seriously. Pretty much mandatory reading for any real Beefheart fans.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A must have for Don Van Vliet fans. This book does an excellent job exploring, explaining and questioning the legend of Captain Beefheart. No easy task, given all of the colorful exaggerations and off the wall statements Van Vliet has thrown at the press, or anyone else interested or inquiring about his life or art(s), over the years. Wonderfully compliled, and interesting throughout. It is also carefully compassionate towards Van Vliet's reclusiveness, and his painting career. There is an obvious respect for Van Vliet and the decisions he has made. Don Van Vliet is a true artist in every respect, and this book is a wonderful document of his life and accomplishements as a musician, poet, painter, and legend.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good read
I got this for my boyfriend who is a Beefheart fan. He read it and thought it was very good. He could tell it was written by a writer.
Published 28 days ago by Alchemist
Captain Beefheart
Decent, well written and interesting book, but I'd have liked to know more about Beefheart's world. There was plenty about the music and occasionally the track-by-track analysis... Read more
Published 29 days ago by Stephen
A great introduction
This book provides a great narrative for a fascinating artist but barely scratches the surface in terms of giving us any insights into the man himself. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. N. A. Sherreard
enlightening and absorbing
A really superbly written biography. The author's enthusiasm for his subject is tangible. One warning: I read the bulk of the book on holiday and with no access to DVV's ouvre;... Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. Humphries
excellent
I've just read this and enjoyed it, although the truth is that I'm much more looking forward to reading John "Drumbo" French's "Beefheart".... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Hugh Crawford
Tapered, also bulbous
An absolutely essential read for anyone who, like myself, has struggled with the labyrinthine Trout Mask Replica. Now I can see what it was about. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2008 by Smitty Werbenjaegermanjensen (real name)
A Great Big Onion of A Book
This is a marvellous biography of one of rock music's most mysterious and inspirational figures. Barnes writes succinctly and with authority: He obviously knows his subject... Read more
Published on 5 July 2005 by William Frederick O'Brien
A too-linear approach to a great lateral-thinking artist.
Captain Beefheart is a thorough book by an articulate author whose researches I felt I could trust. This was one biography I didn't want to put down because the story of Don Van... Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2000 by Ethan Roach
Getting to Grips with a Octafish
A lot of rubbish has been written about Captain Beefheart and most of it can be traced back to Captain Beefheart. Read more
Published on 22 Aug 2000
Do I like it? Sure 'nuff 'n yes I do...
This is an excellent, absorbing and very readable book. Mike Barnes obviously writes from a the point of view of an fan but never lets his obvious appreciation of DVV's music... Read more
Published on 29 July 2000
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