CAPTAIN BEEFHEART KARAOKE PARTY

One of the indisputable giants of weirdo music, Captain Beefheart, died this past December, as most of you doubtless know. Some have said that since he'd been retired from music for so long, his death shouldn't be much of a shock. But I've been listening to Beefheart so much in recent years that he did feel like an immediate presence - he's the rare artist from my boyhood that I listen to more now then I did then. Took me a while to fully absorb him. After I got increasingly into Delta blues and free jazz, then I could see where the good Captain was coming from.
As a belated tribute, here's a pretty good sounding (as bootlegs go) collection of instrumental mixes of his 1970 "Lick My Decals Off Baby" album. I love the opportunity to really hear The Magic Band's twisted, knotty instrumental skillz in all their glory. Don't be put off by the horn skronk on the first two tracks - they get a-rockin' and a-rollin' shortly thereafter.

Captain Beefheart &The Magic Band: "Lick My Decals Off Baby" (instrumental mixes)

1. Japan In A Dishpan
2. Japan In A Dishpan (take 2)
3. Woe Is A Me Bop
4. Space Age Couple
5. Petrified Forest
6. Flash Gordon's Ape #2 [some vox on here, actually]
7. Doctor Dark
8. I Love You, You Big Dummy
9. Japan In A Dishpan (bass and Drumbo version)
10. Flash Gordon's Ape
11. Lick My Decals Off Baby
12. Japan In A Dishpan (take 4)
13. Bellerin' Plain
14. Clouds Are Full Of Wine
15. Big Toe #25
16. The Buggy Boogie-Woogie
17. Flash Gordon's Ape #1

• Captain Beefheart - Vocals, clarinet, saxes, harmonica
• Zoot Horn Rollo - Guitar, glass finger guitar
• Rockette Morton - Bassius-o-pheilius
• Drumbo - Drums, broom
• Ed Marimba - marimba, percussion, broom