Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

This is not Don Van Vliet. It is only a tribute myspace run by a fan of his work.



Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band ripped out an insane blend of edgy psychedelic guitar-driven rhythm and blues with a healthy dosage of not-so-sublime hilarity derived from spoken word performance art.



Drawing from a diverse range of influences, Captain Beefheart (real name Donald van Vliet) created music occasionally dubbed "avant garde blues": a loud, complex weave of guitar work, unusual percussion, free jazz solos, and surreal lyrics. His 1969 album, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica, produced by Frank Zappa, is his best known album, and its overwhelming strangeness leads many people to dub it one of the least accessible albums of all time. His 1970 album, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off, Baby is considered his masterpiece among most of his hardcore fans.



Van Vliet left the music business in the early '80s to focus on his artwork. Though the influence of his music is almost immeasurable, his art career has arguably been more successful. His paintings often command prices in excess of $50,000 (US).



The current whereabouts of van Vliet are a mystery. Most accounts have him living somewhere in the Mojave desert. Rumours of a chronic illness - usually attributed as MS - persist but are unconfirmed.