Friday, December 17, 2010

Don Van Vliet is Dead

Don Van Vliet died today. I found the music of his band Captain Beefheart when I was about 19 years old in 1989. It was a shock at first. I found it difficult to align the broad strokes and viscous warbles with what I had been taught to believe was music before then. As I and my friends embarked out on our own version of bush bohemianism we took Beefheart with us. Like medallions for skinny warriors of sacred sound Beefheart really took you somewhere else. Removed you from the dull surrounds of suburban resignation and armed you with a jeweled psychedelic shell. We became beautiful minds in the land described to us by Beefheart. His art shall live on forever. His genius was a pure thing.


Ice Cream for Crow by Captain Beefheart

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