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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 923
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 05, 2006 - 01:46 am:   

Just listening to the Tim Buckley comp thats just been released, and it reminded me that Starsailor, which many consider his finest album, has never been made available on CD. Its one album I would love to be able to own and wish whatever record company owns the rights to it gets their finger out soon.

Another one would be The Lonely Lover by Gregory Isaacs.

Any more?
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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 927
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 05, 2006 - 02:08 am:   

Actually I wasnt 100% accurate, it has been released but has been deleted. Look at these prices if you dare.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00000E78G/ref=dp_olp_2/026-5840001-616 6811?ie=UTF8

Any lucky sod out there got one?
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Andrew Kerr
Member
Username: Andrew_k

Post Number: 130
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 05, 2006 - 11:31 am:   

Got an original US vinyl pressing, with the beautiful cardboard cover. Much nicer, but probably a bit more scratchy!

Have you ever come across the US TV show where he played songs from this album? Apparently it is more restrained than other shows of the time, but I would like to see it.
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abigail law
Member
Username: Abigail

Post Number: 89
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 05, 2006 - 12:06 pm:   

buckley once played a couple of songs from starsailor on a monkees christmas special in the US i believe
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Andrew Kerr
Member
Username: Andrew_k

Post Number: 131
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 05, 2006 - 06:04 pm:   

He played 'Song to the Siren' (just him + guitar) on the Monkees show (67?). Unfortunately he is miming, but its a nice version, quite different from the Starsailor version that came out some 3 years later. There is a verison on the Rhino handmade release 'Work in Progress', which provides a fascination insight into the process of development of songs from that time.

What a voice.
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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 930
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 05, 2006 - 07:20 pm:   

Here we go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JAT859NotE
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spence
Member
Username: Spence

Post Number: 793
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Friday, October 06, 2006 - 09:21 pm:   

Remastered Smiths albums, with outtakes and extras.
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jerry hann
Member
Username: Jerry_h

Post Number: 270
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 04:31 pm:   

Complete Peel Sessions-The Fall
Bawlers,Brawlers and Barstards-Tom Waits
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Michael Bachman
Member
Username: Michael_bachman

Post Number: 251
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 05:32 pm:   

Captain Beefheart - Lick My Decals Off Baby
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 182
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 08:23 pm:   

Michael, Lick My Decals off is wonderful. I much prefer it to Trout Mask Replica. YouTube has the original advertisement for it

http://www.youtube.com/v/LRlmTzDyw7s
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C Gull
Member
Username: C_gull

Post Number: 49
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 08:36 pm:   

Jerry - Complete Peel Sessions is available on CD - I have it.
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 650
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 08:51 pm:   

Cichli, thanks for the link! It never would have occurred to me that there would be any Beefheart on YouTube. Woe is uh me bop, woe bop uh rebop woe.
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Michael Bachman
Member
Username: Michael_bachman

Post Number: 254
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 09:36 pm:   

Game Theory - Lolita Nation. Although a fellow Robyn Hitchcock buddy of mine burned me a copy a few years back.

A reissue on cd of Starsailor would also be high
on my list as well. My older sister had Happy/Sad on vinyl, which I used to listen to every once in a while.

Cichli and Randy, how are the other Beefhearts? I only have TMR. Isn't Doc At The Radar Station and a couple others well worth picking up? Beefheart and Zappa together in the same high school must have been pretty wild!
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spence
Member
Username: Spence

Post Number: 800
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 09:37 pm:   

The Colourfield albums.
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 183
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 - 09:43 pm:   

yeah, Randy, there's lots of interesting stuff there - the video for ice cream for crow and the Letterman interviews (though Letterman appeared to be playing him for laughs)
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 915
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:03 am:   

Fuzzy Warbles box set - a mere 80 bucks...too rich for my blood!
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 652
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 12:56 am:   

Michael, run don't walk, to get a copy of the CD of "Clear Spot." Hopefully you can get the issue that couples it with Beefheart's other great accessible record "The Spotlight Kid." This is always the entry point I recommend. It can be a little spotty and both original albums were best on side two, but there is so much on each of them that is bona fide God's-eye in quality. To be perfectly honest I seldom actually listen to TMR. I share Cichli's regard for "Lick My Decals Off" and that's one of the first Beefheart albums I loaded onto my iPod but it's still a bit too obtuse to make a good introduction. Go on YouTube and listen to "Click Clack;" it comes from "Spotlight Kid." Unfortunately the video doesn't pick up the whole song.

Bear in mind that the record companies were always trying to get Mr. Van Vliet to do something normal and commercial. He made one or two half-hearted attempts on "Clear Spot/Spotlight Kid" but it's mostly glorious abstract jazz/blues Beefheart. After those albums he did two "normal" records in the mid-70s which totally put me off him and because of that I never really came back to his newer records. One is called "Unconditionally Guaranteed" and I can't remember the name of the other one. Avoid them at all costs. I can't say anything about the final stage of Beefheart records because my disappointment over the perceived sell-out drove me away in such despair. I eventually picked up a copy of "Shiny Beast" long ago but it seemed like proper Beefheart run through the proverbial fax machine. Wonder what I'd think now. The video for "Ice Cream for Crow" on YouTube is the first time I've heard that and it sounds like honestly good Beefheart so maybe I'll finish up the late releases.

Later, AFTER you get "Clear Spot/Spotlight Kid," go for some of the earlier things like "Safe As Milk"--which is very accessible and entertaining but misleading as to what he'd soon be sounding like--and "Mirror Man" and finally "Decals." Oh, and "Strictly Personal." That used to be hard to find on CD and I don't have it in that form but it must be available by now. I have a CD of alternate takes of some of the tracks from that album; it is entitled "I May be Hungry but I Sure Ain't Weird" or something like that.

Cichli?
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 184
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 08:27 am:   

That really was a definitive piece for anyone who needs an introduction to Beefheart, Randy. We should have a seperate place on the message board to keep posts like that.

The only thing I would only add that, personally, I find 'Trout Mask Replica' disappointing. It is the entry point for many people and I'm sure many never listen to him again. I bought 'Safe as Milk' initially and then 'Lick My Decals' off. I spent months working through the latter. It was worth it! I then bought 'Trout Mask Replica' and really haven't warmed to it in the same way. Maybe it needs more work.

Also, there are 'The Legendary A&M Sessions' which are more interesting than legendary, demonstrating the Captain's early influences such as Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley.
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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 965
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 09:11 am:   

Cichli, interesting you mention the Howlin Wolf influence, the Captain definetely rips off the Wolf vocally.
I think Trout Mask is one of those albums that has attained misplaced legendary status because some journalist(s) probably hyped it years ago, it then started getting in to these "best 100 albums ever" type polls and then punters like us think "oh, I must buy that, its a classic". Safe as Milk and Clear Spot/Spotlight Kid are definetely Beefheart "must haves" imo
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jerry hann
Member
Username: Jerry_h

Post Number: 271
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 09:35 am:   

Interesting I started with Trout Mask and never went back but I was quite young then and I think this sometimes make a difference.
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 185
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 10:27 am:   

Kevin - that's a topic for another thread isn't it - overhyped 'classic' albums and their alternatives !

In this case 'Lick My Decals Off' is superior to Trout Mask Replica, though, I guess TMR must have sounded utterly novel when it first came out. Lick My Decals off follows the same idea, but is a much more coherently realised, I think.

And Tom Waits took from both Beefheart and the Wolf. Does the thread of influence end there? I don't know anyone who is really influenced by Tom Waits.

Jerry: Time to try again, this time following Randy and Kevin's advice!
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Michael Bachman
Member
Username: Michael_bachman

Post Number: 256
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 02:52 pm:   

Speaking of which, I hear from the Robyn Hitchcock mailing list that Astralwerks is reissuing Doc at the Radar Station and Ice Cream for Crow very soon. No word on Decals though.

I'll order Clear Spot for sure!
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Kurt Stephan
Member
Username: Slothbert

Post Number: 706
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 05:36 pm:   

Cichli, I'm not sure I agree that Tom Waits hasn't influenced anyone. I definitely heard some Waits influence on the last Modest Mouse album. It wasn't done well, but it was there. And I can't think of names right now, but I've heard a number of American alt-country and indie types who betray some definite Waits influence. Also, while vocally it isn't apparent, I think Elvis Costello has been influenced by Waits's music--hence his use of a lot of Waits sidemen on "Spike" and others.
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 186
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 07:11 pm:   

Hi Kurt, I must listen to that Modest Mouse Album. I guess I feel that certain artists go down a route that is so original that it's hard to assimilate their work without sounding derivative.

You are right, though, about the Waitsian sound on some of the tracks on Spike, particularly tracks with Mark Ribot's guitar sound.

The only other group that I suspected may have been influenced by Waits are the Pogues, believe it or not. Shane McGowan's lyrics are often poetic in that old time Sinatra ballad style, which Tom Waits has taken to another dimension. I could imagine Tom Waits singing 'Rainy Night in Soho' (with an out of tune organ and a marimba, of course). Shane, of course, is a 'master' of the slurred delivery which Tom Waits had been doing for years.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 920
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 08:07 pm:   

Being a huge, psychotic fan of both Elvii and Waits, I gotta say that I don't think EC was influenced in any significant way by TW, despite freely admitting his fandom of Waits' work. It goes back to what you said about originality, Cichli. Elvis is just too original to be that influenced by other artists, even those of Waits's stature. There are, however, many superficial musical aspects that Elvis incorporated into his work, particularly on Spike and Mighty Like a Rose - the aforementioned Marc Ribot (his solo records are astonishing, btw - particularly the Latin flavored ones), TW's percussionist, etc...

I also think too much is made of the Beefheart connection to Waits...once again, there are superficial resemblances, particularly in the most recent, avant-garde-y phase of Tom's work. But Waits made many great albums (6 or 7?) before he had ever even heard CB. On those excellent, jazzy, piano based pieces of balladry, I believe Louis Armstrong was probably the greatest influence.

It was Waits' wife, Kathleen, who introduced him to Captain Beefheart. And while it could be argued that that gave TW artistic license to go down some riskier paths, TW's work is, IMO, a thousand times better, richer and more resonant than CB's. Though Waits' lyrics go off on some bizarre flights of fancy, they still retain that humanistic, heartful touch that makes them compelling for me, as opposed to Beefheart's Dadaist, alphabet soup jumbles...I've never slept with a whore in Singapore, or gotten drunk with a pack of midgets, or chowed down on Filipino box spring hog, yet I feel an emotional connection to the songs these images come from. They move in a way I've never been moved by Captain Beefheart.
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Kurt Stephan
Member
Username: Slothbert

Post Number: 712
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 08:42 pm:   

Well said, LK. For me, the superficial vocal resemblance is the only significant link between the two. I think Waits's musical experiments are coming from somewhere different than Beefheart's. I didn't know Kathleen had introduced Waits to Mr. Van Vliet--interesting piece of trivia. I'm not that well versed on Beefheart (I've heard about four of his albums), but I couldn't agree more that there's a detached Dadaism in Beefheart that's very different from Waits's evocative and often moving narrative songwriting.

I have it on good authority, however, that you do have an Eyeball Kid locked up in the guest bedroom of your home.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 924
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 08:59 pm:   

I can't comment publicly on the Eyeball Kid, but I will confess to having consumed a few Chocolate Jesuses in my day...
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 187
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 09:09 pm:   

Whats he building in there?
What the hell is he building in there?

LK, as much as I like Tom Waits, his songs too often verge on comic-book sentimentality for me - the old one-legged hooker with a heart of gold thing.
I really like your description of Beefheart's music as a dadaist alphabet soup jumble - brilliant!
But that's why I like it. Putting Beefheart on is like blowing off the old cobwebs...

I think Beefheart influence on Tom Waits can be heard in how he is not afraid to play with dissonance, noise and unconventional instrumentation. Swordfishtrombones is the starting point. When I played it for the first time, I was sure the cassette player was chewing up my tape.

I think Tom Wait's biggest influence since SwordFishTrombones has been the operas of Brecht and Weill.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 926
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 10:01 pm:   

I often use the "what's he building in there?" line about my noisy upstairs neighbors who always seem to be conducting endless "La Cucaracha" marathons...

I grew up on comic books, so maybe that's why Waits appeals to me so much, though I wouldn't really call anything he's ever done sentimental, as such. It's way too hard-nosed for that. None of the characters in his songs are ever portrayed in soft-focus, gauzy light - their portraits are always very unflinching, like the song "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis". It's full of very heartbreaking and real details...or, the protagonist of "Tango Till They're Sore", who seems of good enough cheer until you realize he's planning to off himself...I like the way his stuff is anchored in evocative imagery that actually has, if you dig deep enough, real, specific meanings, like "jacks or better, or "walking Spanish"...which is not to say his approach is superior to Beefheart's, just that it's what moves me. His stuff can definitely be a little cartoon-y though, or maybe like something from a very f-ed up circus.

I think Beefheart really did open him up in a lot of ways, not just musically, but lyrically as well...he never divested himself completely, though, of the old, melodic Tin Pan Alley Tom.

I definitely hear the Brecht/Weil influence...

Semi-related note: have you ever heard his version of "Hi Ho, it's off to work we go"? I foolishly traded in the disc that contained it, but will redress that wrong when the "Orphans" set comes out.
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 188
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 - 10:22 pm:   

Yes, the dwarf's marching song. It's on some Disney land compilation thing I have stored away back in Ireland. That's an intense version - the dwarf's sound like they are bunch of serial killers working on the chain gang. Poor snow white.
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 654
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 02:26 am:   

"dadaist alphabet soup?" feh.

I hate printed lyrics but I gotta come to the defense of my Captain:

"There ain't no Santa Claus on the evenin' stage
there ain't no way t'pull the curtain 'n hide from hunger's rage
there ain't no town t' stop in
there ain't no time t' stop in
there ain't no straw for my horse
there ain't no straw for my bed
there ain't no comfort in cold boards
there ain't no rumors or food for my stomach
'n someday I'm gonna be saved
'cause I gotta eat 'n drink 'n breath 'n sleep
'n I'm a slave
down in hominy's grotto there's ah soul die'n 'n leavin'
every second on the evenin' stage
there's ah soul die'n 'n rottin' 'n pickin' some new kinda cotton
with his fingers broken 'n his heart 'n back 'n forgotten
there ain't no Santa Claus on the evenin' stage."

That song never did seem detached to me. At his best, Beefheart's lyrics are like his paintings. Seemingly slapdash but subconsciously suggestive.

This thread does remind me that I need to check out Tom Waits because I never have. I always slagged him off as some Hollywood bum poseur.
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Pádraig Collins
Member
Username: Pádraig_collins

Post Number: 678
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 03:36 am:   

Randy, I recommend you start with the Waits compilation Beautiful Maladies 1983-1993: the Island Years. It's got 23 tracks on a single disc and is a fine introduction to his work (even if Island did drop him prior to releasing it!). You shouldn't have any problem getting it in Amoeba.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 930
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 04:37 am:   

Oh Lordy, I've drawn the Randy "feh"..forgive me, sir...

That is quite a set of white man's blues you quote there...."hominy's grotto"!

I would second the recommendation of Beautiful Maladies and add a compilation of his earlier years called "Used Songs"...if neither of those compilations move you, then Tom Waits is not for you.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 931
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 04:41 am:   

ps - Though he did live in Hollywood, I think he's originally from San Diego, if that helps any...

And now, he lives in Sonoma County, someplace...

It seems that people don't often move out of California once they get here...
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 189
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 07:38 am:   

LK, as an amateur guitarist (aren't we all) I found Marc Ribot's sound on SwordFishTrombones inspirational. I'd never heard a guitar played like that before.

Were you referring to Marc Ribot Y Los Cubano Postizos earlier? That's a brilliant and beautiful album. Would you recommend any others?

I saw him about 18 months ago playing with John Zorn in a small theatre here in Trento. It was John Zorn's band but Ribot stole the show.

Randy, if you haven't guessed, I would recommend SwordFishTrombones to start with rather than the Beautiful Maladies collection. Maybe that's a personal preference - I prefer to start with an album that captures a particular sound/idea rather than a compilation.
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 658
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 04:19 pm:   

Thanks, I will check out Waits on my return. My notion of him as a Hollywood bum poseur dates from the days when he used to live at the Tropicana Lodge and haunt Duke's Coffee Shop with Rickie Lee Jones. Just an unfair prejudice of mine, one of many.

And no, Hardin, we don't leave CA. That's why there's 35 million of us, and counting . . . .

My long term CD reissue wish which has yet to happen is the reissue of Lulu's two Atco albums "New Routes" and "Melody Fair." I know nobody on here thinks she's worth a %$## but those are the two records I've patiently been waiting for. They are easily the Britsoul prodigy's best, with Duane Allman, the Sweet Inspirations and the Dixie Flyers backing her up, ready access to the less obvious Gibb brothers' tunes as well as Atlantic's pet songwriters all wrapped up in Wexler/Dowd/Mardin productions. I thought maybe Rhino Handmade would do it when they started reviving some of the more obscure WEA releases and especially when they released Cher's execrable southern album. But so far no luck.
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Michael Bachman
Member
Username: Michael_bachman

Post Number: 261
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 05:10 pm:   

Hardin and Cichli, Heigh Ho (The Dwarfs Marching Song) is on the Disney compilation Stay Awake. I bought it back in 1989. It freaked out my sister when I played it for her. She has been a long time Disney store employee, and the "creep out factor" on Heigh Ho got to her.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 932
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 05:40 pm:   

Yeah, I had that disc, Michael, and foolishly traded it in in a reduction move. As I recall it was in general a pretty good disc - yet, way crappier discs made the cut and sit on my shelf as we speak....

But yeah, that version of Heigh Ho is amazing...he took a harmless little Disney song and transformed it into a vision of Hell, basically - genius!

Cichli, I'm with you - Ribot completely blows me away. Everything he plays is so fresh and completely unlike all the quitar cliches we've heard a million times...And yes, I was referring to Los Cubano Postizos. There's a sequel of sorts to that record, that I think has the same musicians, called "Muy Divertado!", that is probably even better...I have some of his quieter discs that are good, too, though I might not necessarily recommend them as heartily, like "Saints"...And, I had a great one called "Rootless Cosmopolitans" that I can no longer lay my hands on - have to see about getting that again...Ribot is also used to great effect on Spike, which it sounds like you've heard...T-Bone Burnett has used him a lot, too...the CD, "Criminal Under My Own Hat" has Ribot all over it with, once again, those jaw dropping solos quite unlike anything you've ever heard...I've never been fortunate enough to see ole Tom, but I've heard Ribot has frequently nearly stolen the show from him as well, which must take some doing...

That is, Randy, unless they move to Italy. You ARE coming back?....
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Cichli Suite
Member
Username: Cichli_suite

Post Number: 190
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 07:03 pm:   

I wouldn't say that, Randy!

Believe it or not, Lulu was the support at a Richard Thompson acoustic gig at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin in 1996. I was really surprised and pleased by what I heard that night. She played an acoustic set with a really fine guitarist she was working with at the time. It certainly opened up my ears!
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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 980
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 10:18 pm:   

Listening to Rain Dogs tonight I have to say that I think Tom Waits is massively influenced by the bold Captain. Would he have evolved from the fairly straightforward singer songwriter he started out as, and into the extremely off kilter songwriter he is now if he had not heard Trout Mask etc? Dont suppose we'll ever know for sure, and anyway if push comes to shove I cant choose between the two of them as to whos the biggest genius. They have both made at least 4 essential albums imo, and some of the rest isnt too shabby either.
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jerry hann
Member
Username: Jerry_h

Post Number: 275
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 10:36 pm:   

Can't really pick a bad Tom Waits LP really some are my favourites of all time and regularly get played. Toss up between Rain Dogs and Swordfish, but Closing Time with the beautiful Martha takes alot of beating.
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jerry hann
Member
Username: Jerry_h

Post Number: 276
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 10:36 pm:   

Wish List-what amout remastered Tom Waits LPs
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Kurt Stephan
Member
Username: Slothbert

Post Number: 720
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 10:50 pm:   

Kevin, that's a really good take on the Waits/Beefheart "debate." I have to admit that the artistic and creative leap Waits took from, say, "Small Change" and his other late '70s albums to "Swordfishtrombones" was huge, and it is possible that hearing the Captain helped inspire it, as Beefheart was having a bit of a resurgence around that time (he was even on American TV--Saturday Night Live--around the time of "Doc at the Radar Station"; he did a brilliant "Hot Head" and, I think, "Ashtray Heart").

Randy, put aside your preconceptions on Waits until you've heard at least "Rain Dogs" and "Swordfishtrombones"--you might be surprised! "Mule Variations" and "Bone Machine" are good ones too--the most recent ones haven't impressed me quite as much.
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Little Keith
Member
Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 939
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 11:05 pm:   

Rain Dogs is, if I had to choose, my absolute favorite by him...but why choose? I've loved everything he's ever done, including the early stuff, to varying degrees...I thought Alice and Blood Money were both works of pure, stone, unalloyed genius, start to finish...Real Gone I liked at the time it came out, but is it wearing as well? Probably not...

I would agree that Waits took a quantum artistic leap with Swordfishtrombones, probably unprecedented honestly. And, there's not a thing wrong with his earlier albums, which I have a lot of affection for, and are, btw, much easier to play on guitar, but would he still be as relevant today, would we even be talking about him at all if he'd continued to make that same kind of album? Probably not.
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jerry hann
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Username: Jerry_h

Post Number: 280
Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 11:12 pm:   

Just had a look on Amazon and Orphan's is released on 17th of November. 3 cd box set.

LK can you remember but I think Rain Dogs and King of America were released quite close together. That was an exciting time!
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Little Keith
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Username: Manosludge

Post Number: 941
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 - 11:40 pm:   

Did you download that free track from it yet, Jerry? I don't have the URL handy, but just go to his label, Anti's website...it's magnificent - sad, but cheery, like something you'd hoist big mugs of beer to...pretty classic Waits...

Shameful to admit, but although I was all over King of America, I was too numb-nutted to really appreciate Waits at the time...took me years to love it the way I do now. I don't know if anybody else relates to music this way, but I have to be in the right emotional space to really "hear" music sometimes...
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Rob Brookman
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Username: Rob_b

Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 03:51 am:   

I've been a spy on this board for a while. I've enjoyed the discussions for months, thought it was high time I post, and this topic seems a good place to start.

My wishlist starts and ends with "Who's Landing in My Hangar" by the Human Switchboard, a great, VU-esque album from '81. Despite its stellar reputation, it's never been on CD. Ever. Which is actually kinda weird when you consider what sees print. It was on IRS; maybe there's a licensing issue.
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kevin
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Username: Kevin

Post Number: 982
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 07:54 am:   

Hi Rob, welcome aboard.
Never heard of Human Switchboard, but its a great name.
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Kurt Stephan
Member
Username: Slothbert

Post Number: 723
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 08:44 am:   

Welcome, Rob. I remember that album--I used to have it on vinyl but it didn't survive my record purges of the subsequent decade, something I really regret now. I didn't love the record, but it had some great tracks, including the vaguely "Heroin"-like "Refrigerator Door." I'm kind of surprised it hasn't been reissued, but you and I were probably among 10 people who bought it. You probably know that the leader, Bob Pfeiffer, became a record company exec (Hollywood Records), and was caught up in a sex/wiretapping involving wiretapping scandal involving Anthony Pellicano--he was arrested and apparently plead guilty to the charges, but I don't know if he did any time. Quite a change from his scrappy indie days with the Switchboard.
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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 986
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 01:23 pm:   

Looks like another record company cash in, Doc at the Radar Station and Ice Cream for Crow have been reissued. Whats the point of this if there are no extra tracks and the old ones havent been deleted?

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/5994/captain-beefheart-doc-at-the-rad ar-station-ice-cream-for-crow/
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kevin
Member
Username: Kevin

Post Number: 990
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 05:02 pm:   

Actually listening to Ice Cream For Crow just now, it struck me how much The Fall at some stages of their existance sound like The Magic Band. I would wager big money that Mark E Smith is a major Beefheart fan, allthough he does not sound like him vocally, talking purely about the music here.
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Kurt Stephan
Member
Username: Slothbert

Post Number: 724
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 05:45 pm:   

Oh yeah, I can believe Smith is a big Beefheart fan. A lot of Brits of his generation were--others who professed their love for the Captain were John Lydon, the Clash, XTC, Mark Perry, Devoto--and none of them sounded remotely like Beefheart, musically or vocally. Maybe I can hear a little influence on the guitar sound of those bands, but I think it's more about attitude and artistic freedom.
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Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 669
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2006 - 09:58 pm:   

I've always assumed that folks like the Fall, Birthday Party and Pere Ubu were big Beefheart disciples. Not copyists, disciples. They took their inspiration from Beefheart and made something of their own.
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Andrew Kerr
Member
Username: Andrew_k

Post Number: 214
Registered: 04-2005
Posted on Friday, January 19, 2007 - 08:26 pm:   

Tim Buckley's "Starsailor" US TV appearance is available here

http://musicforyoureyes.blogspot.com/

Not great quality unfortunately, but still interesting.

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