RIP: Captain Beefheart

Don Van Vliet —the cantankerous, visionary musician known as Captain Beefheart— died today, Friday the 17th of December, in a Northern California hospital. Van Vliet had long suffered from multiple sclerosis, and his death was caused by complications from the illness. He was 69 years old.

Growing up in the Mojave desert, Van Vliet was a childhood prodigy as a sculptor and painter. As a teenager, he grew interested in music, and formed a friendship with a young Frank Zappa that would lead to a long working relationship.

As Captain Beefheart, Van Vliet assembled a rotating cast of musicians, dubbed His Magic Band, who he would command over in a kind of directorial, conceptual role. Beefheart records were steeped in the blues, but were radical, avant-garde works that exploded familiar blues and rock'n'roll forms in a fashion influenced by free-jazz.

His 1969 double LP, Trout Mask Replica, stood out as one of the best albums of the 1960s, and is regarded by many as one of the greatest records ever made.

After releasing the acclaimed Ice Cream for Crow in 1982, Van Vliet retired from music, and never returned to the stage. Instead, he turned to his painting, and carved out an impressive, three-decade career as a visual artist.

In his absence, the Magic Band continued playing, often appearing at ATP Festivals, where their influence on a younger generation was obvious. Those openly inspired by Captain Beefheart include The White Stripes, The Kills, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, The Minutemen, The Fall, Liars, and countless others. Legendary BBC DJ John Peel said, of Van Vliet: "If there has ever been such a thing as a genius in the history of popular music, it's Beefheart."

Photo © Anton Corbijn