Saturday, December 18, 2010

The Seminal Captain Beefheart

In tribute I listened to the "Trout Mask Replica" album in its entirety this morning. That was tough. I still think that "The Old Fart at Play" (who is now breathing freely I hope) is the Captain's masterpiece, but "Well" ("...my mind cracked like custard...") and "Orange Claw Hammer" also moved me. Captain Beefheart got MS and died on December 17, 2010. I was surprised to hear about it on National Public Radio. I didn't realize that he was an icon. I am extremely different and not always diffident but this guy's bizarrinality was too much even for my mirror. I give NPR credit for the mention of his death. They even played a little of his stuff.



MS is a horrible quagmire of a disease. My wife's favorite sis died of its complications. Judi II. The II is for Gemini, she was. I've had cancer and I was lousywithit. But multiple sclerosis? Plez i donwanthatone Sir. Try to rest in peace now Cap'.



Anyway, I'm not supposed to have dessert at breakfast. But since Frank Zappa produced "Trout..." I followed it up with "Freak Out". The beyond amazing F. Z. didn't have enough money yet to produce the Mothers' first album, so thanks to Tom Wilson. Tom died in 1978, too young (47, heart), as did Frank (52, prostate) in 1993. Frank's "Trouble Every Day" is one of the best songs ever written. Where? Duh, top five? Don't worry no one ever really listened to "Trouble...".



Sorry, as P----- H---- sang, I'm just ramblin' on and on and on. I guess in held twas in I. And now I'm too stuffed to eat my (lunch) pizza. I'm a stuffed pizza? Or should I just stuff it? You just don't understand me and all that other stuff they hand me.



Don't worry about my loss of nomenclature and structure and punkuation and Spelling. It's part of the tribute to a mosunusualman. Don't be too hard on me. I like Beethoven too.



I almost blew off "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" writing this. I did catch the fact that "road kill" stuffed toys are now available. Don Van Vliet wouldn't have approved of that. Well maybe in a song.



So ends my rant 'n' roll. If the Cubs would just win the World Series the world could end. 'Cause Voice is missin' Janis, Guitar is missin' Jimi, and right now I'm missin' Cap'n and his Mother.



Jim William is so bozo.



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