Captain Beefheart

Born: 15th January 1941, Glendale, California, USA.  Died: 17th December 2010, Arcata, California, USA.  Captain Beefheart, aka Don Van Vliet; vocalist, harp-player, saxophonist, flautist, songwriter, lyricist, poet & painter. As a frontman of "Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band" or as artist working with or without The Magic Band the captain recorded a dozen official albums and more besides. Later on, a lot of live releases would follow - some of them perhaps not entirely official. Van Vliet's career path was also interwoven with that of Frank Zappa, and was followed by secluded 'retirement' with his wife in 1982 - when he began painting full-time. He maintained an affinity with wild life throughout his life and was a keen conservationist. He forged a successful career as a painter, exhibiting in galleries in New York, the UK & Europe, before dying of complications from multiple sclerosis. First recorded appearance: "A Low Forceps Delivery", featuring Don Glen Vliet, at Glendale Research Hospital 16:25 hours on 1941-01-15.