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Beefheart: Through the Eyes of Magic Hardcover – 11 Jan. 2010

by John French (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 132 ratings
A no-holds barred account of working with Beefheart drawing on new reminiscences and interviews with all the key players from inside and around the Magic Band and the cross pollinated Mothers of Invention (masterminded by Frank Zappa). Among those interviewed are Jerry Handley, Jim Sherwood, Alex Snouffer, Art Tripp, Doug Moon, Mark Boston (Rockette Morton), Roy Estrada and Merrel Fankhauser. In depth, honest and full of remarkable revelations, Through the Eyes of Magic is also littered with startling, previously unreleased photos.
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  1. Print length
    880 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Proper Music Publishing Ltd
  4. Publication date
    11 Jan. 2010
  5. ISBN-10
    0956121217
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0956121219
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Product description

Review

This book tells one of the most incredible sagas of 20th century music. --Mojo

Book Description

Few names carry such formidable mystique and rabid cult status as Captain Beefheart, who led various lineups of his Magic Band to make some of the most startling, ground-breaking albums of the last century. In 1982, he retired to concentrate on painting, leaving the mythology he’d stoked himself to grow untamed over the years.

John French is better qualified than anyone to talk about Beefheart, joining the Magic Band in 1966 at the age of 17 just before recording their Safe As Milk debut album, finding himself plunged into a tyrannical regime which would dominate his life for the next 14 years as he played a major role in eight subsequent albums, including translating the mindblowing avant-blues assault of 1969’s Trout Mask Replica into readable music for the Magic Band from the Captain’s piano poundings under torturous conditions he likens to a cult.

Spanning nearly a thousand pages, French’s remarkable memoir starts with a vivid description of the rarely-documented early 60s Lancaster garage-rock scene which also spawned names like Ry Cooder and Beefheart’s childhood friend and later nemesis Frank Zappa, whose appearances in the book will enthrall his own legion of fans. As his spellbinding, often shocking tale unwinds, he encounters names including jazz giant Ornette Coleman, Jim Morrison and Paul McCartney, writing with dry, sometimes surreal humour and disarming honesty about his old boss and even himself, occasionally bringing in his old Magic Band comrades to jog his memory.

The book is packed with new revelations, many previously-unseen photos and enough anecdotes to keep the Beefheart faithful ruminating for years, French finally crystallising and bringing to life over 40 years of legend and speculation in what has to be the ultimate book on the mercurial genius of Captain Beefheart.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Proper Music Publishing Ltd
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 11 Jan. 2010
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 880 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0956121217
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0956121219
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.32 kg
  • Best Sellers Rank: 1,136,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 132 ratings

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John French

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
132 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this book to be a fascinating read that provides valuable insights into Captain Beefheart's extraordinary band. Moreover, the narrative style is engaging, with one customer noting how it brings Beefheart's world to life. However, the pacing receives mixed reviews, with one customer mentioning issues with dead wood and repetition.

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InsightReadabilityNarrative stylePacing
13 customers mention ‘Insight’12 positive1 negative

Customers find the book provides valuable insights into the extraordinary band, with one customer noting it reveals a huge amount of insider detail.

"...The book is stuffed to the gills (ahem) with facts, anecdotes and opinions, not only from John French but from various Magic Band members- each one..." Read more

"...Also, whereas John has gone into great detail about the background and roots of the group, shedding light on people not often mentioned in relation..." Read more

"...And yet, I had to have this weighty tome full of absolutely incredible detail...." Read more

"The Ultimate factual book about Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, written by the former drummer and musical collaborator with Don Van Vliet,aka,..." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Readability’11 positive1 negative

Customers find the book fascinating to read, with one describing it as the finest rock memoir of all time.

"...Nevertheless, this is a great read about one of the most fascinating, influential and unique groups to ever emerge in the big wide ocean of artistic..." Read more

"...A fascinating read. B sure to look out for John touring from time to time with The Magic Band playing all Beefheart stuff." Read more

"...I chose this door stop of a book and really enjoyed it...." Read more

"This is a fascinating, epic book...." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Narrative style’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative style of the book, with one review noting how it provides an extremely candid look at Beefheart's experiences and opinions, while another mentions how it brings his world to life.

"...He pulls few punches and is extremely candid about his experiences and opinons, but it is all balanced with a sympathetic hindsight approach that..." Read more

"...Untold stories from the inside describes in detail their friendship, background and what made them unique...." Read more

"...beyond all odds and to the point of near-insanity, in bringing Beefheart's world alive...." Read more

"ULTIMATE BOOK ABOUT CAPTAIN BEEFHEART...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Pacing’0 positive3 negative

Customers criticize the pacing of the book, with one mentioning issues with dead wood and repetition, while another notes problems with punctuation errors.

"...(there are a lot of typos and punctuation errors)..." Read more

"...detailed throughout this book - the episodes of abuse, lying, incompetence, bullying and brainwashing [which Harkleroad hints at in Lunar Notes] - I..." Read more

"...could have stood some incisive editing, but the dead wood and repetition is a minor imperfection set against the extraordinary insights into the..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Bug DeLug
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Trout Mask Replica of Beefheart books.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2010
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    First of all, let me just say that this thing is HUGE. Some Nearly 900 pages of pure Beefheart from a significant member of the Magic Band, and all of it is invaluable to us real fans. The book is stuffed to the gills (ahem) with facts, anecdotes and opinions, not only from John French but from various Magic Band members- each one interviewed in some detail by the author. Bill Harkleroad (Zoot Horn Rollo) reviewed the book on the American Amazon site and raved about it. He of course published his own memoirs some years back (Lunar Notes) but this book virtually renders that lightweight book obsolete.

    John French is a likable guy and gives great insight into what it was like to be a member of Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. There are loads of anecdotes about Don Van Vliet that will have any real fan salivating throughout. He even ends the book with a critical analysis of the Beefheart discography- a track by track guide where he recalls what he can about the recording process (if he was involved) and summary and opinion elsewhere. At times he comes across as quite bitter but when you read about what he went through, that is more than understandable. He goes into great detail about what Bill Harkleroad only hinted at. The book begins with Don Van Vliet poking him with the sharpened end of a broomstick and lambasting him for tampering with and trying to make his music more commercial. How many rock memoirs begin that oddly?

    In my opinion this is the finest rock memoir of all time. An absolute must for Beefheart and Zappa fans alike. Actually, if you are a fan of music in general you should be buying this. Don Van Vliet has always been an enigma, but this book goes some ways to revealing what he was really like, without there ever being any worry about the shine coming off the apple. Get it now whilst it is still in publication- a lot of Beefheart books no longer are. £12.99 for a 900 page hardback book all about Beefheart and the boys? It's a steal.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Mr DJW
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four star punctuation but a Five Star Read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2010
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This is a great book that explodes many of the myths perpetuated about Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band (most of which were spread by the Captain himself). It is a frank, illuminating and entertaining read of the formation and evolution of the group, containing interviews from many of the major players and several more obscure ones too, largely tied together from author/drummer/arranger John French's personal perspective. He pulls few punches and is extremely candid about his experiences and opinons, but it is all balanced with a sympathetic hindsight approach that makes this book much less of a bitter rant about the poor treatment and seemingly unending bad luck of a superb musician who deserves so much better, and more of a healing experience which doesn't fail to move the reader.

    The main reason I've only given this four stars however is because it could have done with some thorough proofreading (there are a lot of typos and punctuation errors), and also possibly some textual editing - John's writing style is very conversational, which is great, but over the course of the book it seems that many sentences and recollections are repeated. This increases the further into the book you get, giving the disconcerting impression that you've read the book before. I would hope that maybe a second printing would address these issues.

    Also, whereas John has gone into great detail about the background and roots of the group, shedding light on people not often mentioned in relation to The Magic Band (such as various contemporaries of the early/mid 60's Lancaster scene), it mentions almost nothing of the so-called 'Tragic Band' era, between the Magic Band splitting from The Captain in 1973 to Don joining Frank Zappa's band in 1975. It would have been interesting to get John's perspective on this much maligned era in the history of Don Van Vliet. However, John himself admits that as he wasn't involved with the group between leaving in 1972 and rejoining in 1975, he has little to say on the matter. But considering how much research he put into other aspects, it's a shame.

    It is also a pity that the book says nothing whatsoever about both the reformation of The Magic Band and the making of his own solo album 'City Of Refuge', despite the fact that said album is advertised on the book's dust jacket! It would seem that Proper (the company who published both the book and the album) were in a hurry to release the book so as to coincide with the release of the album, potentially maximizing promotion and sales for both. A shame that this resulted in a book that was still in need of some editing and misses out 'the ending' so completely! I have since heard that John's original idea had been to release his memoirs as two volumes - maybe this would have included the more recent chapters in the story, who knows?

    Nevertheless, this is a great read about one of the most fascinating, influential and unique groups to ever emerge in the big wide ocean of artistic expression called Rock Music, and along with Bill Harkleroad's book 'Lunar Notes' gives insight into the truth of the compositional aspects of this band's remarkable body of work, and how much of a collaborative process much of it actually was, thereby finally giving credit where credit has been long overdue.

    Anybody remotely interested in Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band should read this book, and anybody who cares about great artistic achievements of the 20th century should be hailing John 'Drumbo' French as the wizard who did much to make the album 'Trout Mask Replica' the extraordinary, possibly unsurpassed musical statement that it is. And i haven't even mentioned his drumming. Please buy this book and help the man make some money - No one (excepting some of the other Magic Band members) has done more to earn it.
    27 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • K. Doyle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedic
    Reviewed in the United States on 22 April 2010
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    My first impression of the book was "dang, this is a telephone book." It's an impressive volume, over 800 pages, and both the typeface and margins are relatively small.

    After reading the book, it strikes me that Mr. Van Vliet is some combination of NPD and OCPD (Narcissistic and Obsessive Compulsive personalies). It's a shame that noone involved knew much of anything about his father, his having passed away before this story begins. I suspect he may have been a perfectionist, with high expectations of his son, and probably a tyrant towards his mother, a trait that Don then inherited. But that's all speculation at this point. Suffice it to say, that Don was a serious "my way or the highway" control freak, exhibited little empathy, and did not take change foisted upon him or criticism very well, and all ideas are considered his own.

    Don may have modelled himself after Salvador Dali, evidenced by the surrealist anti-rationalism of having "too much to think," among other things. Beefheart persisted with beat-generation sensibilities at a time when the hippies were in vogue, yet many of his fans, like myself, were hippies at the time. He marched to the beat of a different drummer, and that drummer was John French, for the most part.

    It is undeniable that the body of work that resulted from his output filtered through the talents and sensibilities of those whom he was able to muster, is one of the most astonishing in the entire history of the arts. Whatever else you can say about Beefheart and the Magic Band, it's not just that there's nothing like it, it can be almost completely alien.

    My first reaction to Trout Mask Replica was, "these guys have got to be kidding." It sounded like banging on trashcan lids at first. But a high-school kid, having spent my limited allowance money on a double album, had to listen to it a few more times before giving up on it. After all, Zappa thought it was interesting and Zappa had credibility. I then noticed something important about it-- it's not the pure random cacophony that it first appeared, in fact it's actually extraordinarily sculptured. The casual and playful nature of Beefheart's vocals belies the carefully crafted music underneath. On second listen, I thought, "I wish he would shut up for a minute so I can hear the music better." Fortunately, on a few tunes, he did just that, clearly revealing that things are not accidental. Eventually it all made its own sort of inexplicable sense. I later went on to see the band live in the LA area in a couple of its incarnations, and I don't think I've ever met a musician of any sort and around my age, who is unfamiliar.

    John French's book covers a phenomenal amount of detail, and is a must for anyone interested in the story of Beefheart and the band. This is a tome designed to document for posterity (he even carefully defines some basic terms that today are obvious to most of us, but may not be 50 or 100 years from now). Some will probably say it is in need of some editing, but I think it accomplishes its goal admirably, and I found it entertaining reading throughout.

    Even those of you less interested in the specific artists here but are interested in the music business in the 1960s-through 1980s will find some facinating information here-- every horror story that could possibly have happened to a travelling band in that time frame happened to these guys at least twice. What it probably won't tell you is what they should have done different, but it's too late for that now anyway, as the business is somewhat different now-- and there's a little insight into that here as well.

    It explains a lot about how some of the oddest music ever devised came about, and cuts through a lot of the surrounding mythology, though I don't think that reduces the interest or value of the results in any way. It is challenging and unusual music, no matter how you cut it. In some ways, understanding it better makes it that much more amazing. I also don't think it is sufficient for anyone to use as a recipe for the creation of something similar-- a lot of what happened was centered on the individuals involved and the circumstances of the time.

    The only thing it doesn't have that would make the understanding more complete, are some examples of the original piano ideas that Don presented French with, to compare with the end results, and perhaps some transcriptions of some individual parts of some of the compositions. Unfortunately, French doesn't really have access to those anymore. Beefheart apparently has an archive, but his interest would appear to be in preserving the mythology, not dispelling it, as he might think such information would be inclined to do.

    French is quite thorough, and to the extent possible, does not present just his viewpoint of the events. Almost half of the text are comments from others involved in the process, obtained from interviews and carefully recorded. French works hard on being as accurate as possible, making it clear what is his opinion and different ways that things could be interpreted. While this may make some of it rather long, I appreciate the accuracy that the technique brings to the story. We don't get Don's side of the story, but given what is related here, that would have to be taken with a huge grain of salt anyhow. Well worth the read.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars if you're a beefheart fan, and want a really ...
    Reviewed in Canada on 4 October 2016
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    if you're a beefheart fan, and want a really big book about him and the magic band.....this is the one!
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  • Mark Thompson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Through the Eyes of Magic. . .It's Good . . .Check It Out
    Reviewed in the United States on 11 January 2016
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This is a very detailed history of the band in it's various lineups. John French has a really exceptional recall and he adds a lot of memories/insights about the people places and times so you get descriptions of those in the band, their families and friends in a way that is incidental to their impact on the band and our narrator. The trajectory of the band's social dynamic is a sad one and a lot of time is devoted in describing the sadistic and controlling tendencies of Don Van Vliet simply because that was the drama of everyday life for a long time . Though fascinating and full of that drama, it is a pretty stressful read . . .especially when you are wondering why anyone would tolerate that type of abuse. You're just reading thinking "Run Away!" It is clear that these musicians were dedicated to creating what they felt would be a very unique and powerful musical statement. I really liked hearing Doug Moon's take on their early material and comparing it to my opinions. Regarding the A and M sessions that brought us the Diddy Wah Diddy cover, he complained about the choice of "Moon Child" as the follow up single saying that "Frying Pan" would have been superior. I agree that "Frying Pan" would have been terrific but I love "Moon Child". One of my favorite tunes is Kandy Korn. French spends a good bit explaining the origin of that jam which occurred in a relatively collaborative spirit. . .so that was cool. It was great getting a feel for the opinions and perceptions of band members like Moon and Alex Snouffer and John French himself. The book has a lot of information about Don. . .he is at the center of the narrative and you can see his brilliance and limitations. It's not flattering overall but I think the words of the book reflect authentically what the author and his bandmates felt. Bill Harkleroad's "Lunar Notes" is also a good read.
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A gripping tale inside an enlightening guide to understanding the music
    Reviewed in Canada on 18 December 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is one of the most enthralling and harrowing rock and roll tales I've ever read, recounted with all the wonderment and emotion of someone that was right at the centre of it all. The only reason it doesn't have five stars is because of technical issues - it really needs a revision, mostly for typos and some syntax problems. For its length though, even that aspect isn't bad.

    I love the way Drumbo includes musicians and non-musicians alike in his virtual audience, dumbing down some musical concepts when necessary but giving enough insight and detail on the making of the amazing and bewildering art that the Magic Band made with Captain Beefheart. I was aware of Beefheart from the seventies on, mostly through his Zappa cameos, but only had one album, Doc at the Radar Station, which I loved. I acquired Trout Mask Replica more recently, which is what rekindled my desire to know more. I must say John French confirms all my suspicions as to how the music came about. It helps to know the story in order to understand how to listen to CB and the MB, and even though the details are often appalling, it brings home the truth that the meeting of these creative forces was an extraordinary, once-in-forever event, and helps explain why the music is so fascinating.

    Some of it is really edge-of-your-seat drama (as in, "No, he won't go back to the house will he? ...he wouldn't... HE WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE!!!"), while elsewhere the reader vicariously discovers hippy-era Los Angeles, the music business and the trials and adventures of touring the US with a decidedly uncommercial show. Drumbo's story-telling style is often humorous and succeeds in carrying us on, page after page, of which there are happily many, as the author generously provides us with the whole saga, from a number of perspectives.

    I'm sorry John had to go through all he did, but the results will be around for a long time. I'm still discovering them as I add to my collection, and many more will, and this entertaining book helps guide us through the music of Beefheart and the Magic Band, while at the same time providing a warning to steer clear of controlling and unscrupulous hucksters. Unless it's what you have to do to be part of a legend.
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  • Fred Rayworth
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
    Reviewed in the United States on 3 May 2010
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    I got three things out of reading this massive but fascinating volume. First, it was like reliving my teen childhood as we not only experienced many of the same places, but some of the same people. Second, it was a chance to get inside one of my favorite bands and learn what went on behind the scenes. Third, it was a psychological profile of a paranoid schizophrenic with severe control issues, and the effect he had on some of the young musicians under his thumb.

    John French was one of those young impressionable teens that came under Don Van Vliet's (aka Captain Beefheart) spell. Through John's eyes, you see how he let himself be manipulated. First it was because he was happy just to be in such a cool band. However, after the thrill wore off, he became enslaved to a cult-like atmosphere as Captain Beefheart tried to control every aspect of the musician's lives as he painted his sound palettes which by all accounts, had no bearing on the rules of music. While this created one of the most unique bodies of work, there were also consequences with the personalities and self esteem of the young musicians under his thumb.

    If you think this work is just sour grapes, it is not. Though John brings up some horrific behavior by Van Vliet, he also clearly still has an admiration and love for the man. Also, a lot of the story is told through interviews with other band members and associates and they confirm more than contradict everything John says.

    Though he could have bailed after a few months at the Trout Mask house (where the real abuse started), he still believed in the music, and kept at it out of sheer perseverance despite how Beefheart treated him. He quit and returned to the fold several times over the years out of not only a sense of duty, but also because he still believed in what Beefheart was doing. What is a real shame is that he and the other band members never got a lick of credit for all their hard work. Until now (and when Bill Harkleroad's book Lunar Notes came out in the 90's), many people believed all the rumors and PR put out by Beefheart that he wrote everything and "taught" the musicians every note. That is absolutely laughable.

    As I was reading this, I would sometimes shudder to think what would have happened if I'd been one of those Antelope Valley musicians caught up in this Captain Beefheart cult. True, I would have met my heroes like Van Vliet, Frank Zappa, The Mothers and the Magic Band. However, I'm not so sure that I could've survived it. I might've been part of that had I been a few years older. I guess I should count myself lucky that I was too young (I graduated two years after Bill Harkleroad, the youngest band member at that time) to be a part of all of it.

    You will not find a more detailed account of the inner workings of a cult band anywhere. Even if you were not even born when this happened, I highly recommend you read it. If you are an aspiring musician, this book should be mandatory. It will open your eyes, and hopefully prevent you from falling into many of the same traps that John did.

    Some of you may not agree with his views on religion or philosophy of life which are interspersed throughout the story, but you need to understand his viewpoint to see how profoundly it affected his actions. I really admire him for surviving it all. It is such a shame that he cannot somehow profit from all the work he did. As he says, there is just no market for that type of music anymore. With him and the other band members basically being used as musical paint brushes, they got no credit and no money for all the work they did. Today, neither John or any of the other musicians are receiving a dime in royalties or other compensation.

    The book is large, thick, and the print is small. However, there is a lot to tell and without making it two volumes, there is no other way to tell the story. The book is full of many photos never seen before. There are even detailed track-by-track notes of each song that John played on at the end of the book. Whenever I play a Beefheart album, I find myself picking up the book and leafing through the track notes as each song plays. There are things that amaze me about how some of these songs came about and how they were actually recorded.

    If you have any interest at all in music of the 60's through 80's, or are just curious as to who and what Captain Beefheart was, you must read this book. Though there are some typos and it could have used a bit more editing, none of that takes away from one of the most fascinating stories you will ever read. Highly recommended.
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