Monday, December 20, 2010

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - "Bat Chain Puller" Original Version, 1976 (R.I.P. Don Van Vliet)

I've never been a big Beefheart fan, or much of one at all to be honest. But his death last Friday -- also my 42nd birthday, as it happens -- seems as good an occasion as any to post my first (and most likely last) Beef boot.

Like the below-mentioned Roky Erickson, the crazy ol' Cap'n might have been a bit too far out for my taste. But most agree that Bat Chain Puller, even in its rejiggered 1978 official version, is one of his finest later works. A few of the tunes ("Harry Irene," the instrumentals "Flavor Bud Living" and "A Carrot is as Close...") are even rather pretty, I daresay. Then there are the slide guitar-powered classics "Floppy Boot Stomp" and the Hold Steady-inspiring "Owed T'Alex," which represent Beefheart at his flat-out rocking best.

Word from the Zappa estate, which holds the rights to this original 1976 version of the LP, is that an official release will finally be forthcoming in the next year. Until then, I present by far the best-sounding version available.

So git on yer trout mask, or a replica thereof, and freak out!

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART
"Bat Chain Puller" Original Version, 1976 (STU @320 kbps)
DOWNLOAD

PS -- For some rare early Beefheart, please visit my all-'60s blog, Heavy Sugar Radio.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

well then listen to 'London 1974' a live recording - a breeze for the unhip and uptight ear

Heli0tr0pe said...

Wow man wow -- unhip? Uptight? Who's the one posting the Beef boots here, and who's the one doing nothing but complaining?

Why don't you go blow a breeze outta yer ASS?

Ben Sommer said...

Agreed - uptight and unhip=Beefheart haters.

Just got into Trout Mask Replica - easier on my mature ears this time around - really neat rhythms and harmonies in there.

Heli0tr0pe said...

Nice one B -- thanks for stopping by...Happy New Year

TSM/GAC

Anonymous said...

Nice move by the Zappa Family Trust - wait until Beefheart dies and then release this piece. I had a feeling this was coming.

Heli0tr0pe said...

Wickedly clever, it is indeed -- just like FZ himself...

Cheers,
TSM

A said...

Thank you for posting this!

Heli0tr0pe said...

NP, thanks for the stop-by!

Cheers,
TSM

Anonymous said...

Any chance for a re-post? It's looking like this is OOP (along with the Trout Mask Replica remaster). Both are selling for big bucks used on Amazon right now!