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Thread: Captain Beefheart - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)

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    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    Captain Beefheart - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)

    A return to form after the failed commercialism of the mid-70s, yet also trying new things at the same time. I still haven't heard the Bat Chain Puller release that came out in the last couple of years. What do the originally recorded versions of the songs here (and ones from the next two) sound like in comparison to the re-recordings?
    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

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    I never managed to get a hold of the reissue, all I know it’s a great ablum containing some of my favorite Beefheart tracks: Floppy, Tropical, Harry, You Know You’re a Man, Owed t’Alex, Love Lies…man, they all kick derrière, Pierre!
    "Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."

  3. #3
    CHRIST! CAN'T YOU GUYS LET IT GO FOR JUST ONE SECOND AND CONCENTRATE YOUR ENERGY AND EFFORTS ON THE OVERWHELMING RELEVANCE OF OUR THREE ONGOING THREADS ON THE RRHOF CONSPIRACY AGAINST US AND OUR IDENTITIES?











    [Uhm... I actually prefer the original Shiny Beast to BCP, but I guess I'm in a minority; I'd even say it's my single fave post-Decals]
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

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    I’m glad they finally inducted that Henry Miller guy.
    "Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."

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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    it's my single fave post-Decals
    Clear Spot, baby! That's prolly my fave Beefheart ablum.
    "Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."

  6. #6
    I find the original recordings of many of the songs here to be superior to the Shiny Beast versions. The BCP reissue has more warmth and punch to these ears, plus the Captain's voice sounds a lot better here too.
    A vie, a mort, et apres...

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    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    CHRIST! CAN'T YOU GUYS LET IT GO FOR JUST ONE SECOND AND CONCENTRATE YOUR ENERGY AND EFFORTS ON THE OVERWHELMING RELEVANCE OF OUR THREE ONGOING THREADS ON THE RRHOF CONSPIRACY AGAINST US AND OUR IDENTITIES?
    I bet Beefheart gets in before Yes.
    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

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    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    Doc at the Radar Station - now there's your comeback!

    Though this one has two of my all time favs - "Floppy Boot Stomp" and "When I See Mommy I Feel Like a Mummy"

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    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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    I like both but the Zappa version lacks Bruce Fowler.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by zravkapt View Post
    I bet Beefheart gets in before Yes.
    Remind me to initiate a thread called, like, Hail to the Hall.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

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    Quote Originally Posted by zombywoof View Post
    Doc at the Radar Station - now there's your comeback!
    SUE EGYPT!!!!!!!
    "The woods would be very silent if the only birds that sang were those who sang best..." - Henry David Thoreau

  12. #12
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Why, what did Egypt do?

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    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Triscuits View Post
    Why, what did Egypt do?
    They used a mellotron in a non-symph-weenie way.

    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by zravkapt View Post
    They used a mellotron in a non-symph-weenie way.
    Yupz, like UZero did on CdD and Art Bears on The World As It Is Today, as well as Frith solo on Speechless - the same machine in fact, stationed at Sunrise studios in Kirchberg. Beefheart's mellotronist was the inimitable Eric Drew Feldman, who also played his 'tron on Snakefinger's Manual of Errors. Phil Lithman (Snakefinger), who was of course British, even referred to his music as 'progressive' when not doing his blues-rock act. Tell THAT to the punters of both tablesides!

    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  15. #15
    When you say original, you mean the one that Zappa etc held till now?
    Then I prefer the non-original...
    Fantastic album for these ears, perhaps even his best since I can play it whenever I want and dont need a "special mood" like trout mask replica...

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by flytomars View Post
    dont need a "special mood" like trout mask replica...
    I can empathize with that. I knew a guy who sported "Tropical Hot Dog Night" as his ringing tone on the cell for many years, which always kept him at arm's length with the hipsters. I'm not so sure if that'd been the case if he'd had "I Want a Woman Who Will Hold My Toe Until I Have to Go".
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  17. #17
    I'm glad BCP is finally available in wonderful fidelity but I definitely love SB (BCP) more. I think getting a second shot at delivering those songs vocally did wonders for Beefheart's delivery, and the band/orchestrations on SB (BCP) are just so nutritious - and the sound is incredible. It's a masterpiece I think. Of course Doc at the RS is also beyond reproach. What a freakin' 1-2 punch those albums were, an amazing (maybe unprecedented?) late career rebound.

  18. #18
    Member Guitarplyrjvb's Avatar
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    Listening to SB (BCP) now! Love the tune "Ice Rose".
    Last edited by Guitarplyrjvb; 12-18-2015 at 06:14 PM.

  19. #19
    Spun Doc today.

    It's still fantastic. It always will be.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  20. #20
    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mkeneally View Post
    an amazing (maybe unprecedented?) late career rebound.
    I think recent Swans can fit into that rare category.
    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

  21. #21
    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mkeneally View Post
    Of course Doc at the RS is also beyond reproach. What a freakin' 1-2 punch those albums were, an amazing (maybe unprecedented?) late career rebound.
    Yeah, Mike! It was you who convinced me to give Doc at the Radar Station another shot and I've really fallen in love with it.

  22. #22
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    Shiny Beast, man. This thread made me play it again and again and again the last two days. I can’t fathom any way to improve it. My cheapo CD sounds great, no need for any other version really.

    “Tropical Hot Dog Night” was the first ever Beefhart song I heard. A bandmate of mine (a major Henry Cow freaker) gave me a CB mixtape in the early 90s and that song was the opener; the cassette didn’t leave my car’s tape player for months.

    Doc at the Radar Station and Ice Cream for Crow don’t quite reach the same level as Shiny Beast for me, although I do like them. The only two Beefheart ablums I still haven’t heard are Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans & Moonbeams (except for the wistful “Observatory Crest”, which I love). Am I missing out? Are they really as horrible as everyone says?
    "Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."

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    Member Dok's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by at least 100 dead View Post
    The only two Beefheart ablums I still haven’t heard are Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans & Moonbeams (except for the wistful “Observatory Crest”, which I love). Am I missing out? Are they really as horrible as everyone says?
    Not to me but I didn't have the expectations a lot of folks did back then as to what the Captain was or should be. Of the two, I really like B&M as does Kate Bush apparently. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluejeans_%26_Moonbeams

  24. #24
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    I listened to BCP today to refresh my memory. Excellent as it is, it kind of sounds like stripped-down demos compared to the exuberant colors of Shiny Beast. The trombone and marimba really make that album...along with, of course, the genius of Mr. Van Vliet.

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by at least 100 dead View Post
    The only two Beefheart ablums I still haven’t heard are Unconditionally Guaranteed and Bluejeans & Moonbeams (except for the wistful “Observatory Crest”, which I love). Am I missing out? Are they really as horrible as everyone says?
    Not at all, it's just that they don't sound like "real" Don V.V. records. In that sense they kinda remind me of those final two GGiant albums; sure the voice and to some extent even the sound is there, but something essentially doesn't add up. But as with those, both the Beef records in question have a cuppa goodies on 'em (IMO anyway).
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

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