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!".
