Captain Beefheart RIP
tedalvy@aoldotcom
guardian.co.uk/music/2010/dec/18/captain-beefheart-died-provocative-
unpredictable
Captain Beefheart Quotes
Don Van Vliet and Ted Alvy got into a bar fight in Arcata, California
Circa 1974 and were thrown out into the street. Alvy told Captain
Beefheart that he would end up like Charles Mingus. Van Vliet got very
upset and threatened his young fan. Alvy meant it as a compliment.
The first time I saw Don Van Vliet as Captain Beefheart was July 22,
1967 at The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (Tickets $3, $4, $5).
The poster shows The Yardbirds headlining, with Moby Grape, Captain
Beefheart & His Magic Band, Iron Butterfly and West Coast Pop Art
Experimental Band on the bill.
Jim Salzer of Santa Barbara, California produced the concert. He is
best known for a great record store in Ventura, Califonia and
producing amazing concerts in Santa Barbara like Jimi Hendrix right
after Monterey Pop Fest.
I remember the addition of the Strawberry Alarm Clock to open the
concert as their hit single Incense And Pepermints was on its way to
Number One (for one week only) on The Billboard Magazine Top 40
Survey. They walked off with their own PA System, not knowing that it
was to be used for all the acts.
So, my memory is of Don Van Vliet singing through a guitar amp. I was
familiar with Yellow Brick Road b/w Abba Zaba.
Then Keith Relf sang through a guitar amp performing Yardbirds songs
mostly familiar to us. This was the first time we saw Jimmy Page use a
violin bow on his electric guitar.
I do not remember any other acts, but that was the sixties, man...
Peace, Ted Alvy
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