When I first saw Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band way back in 1967 (could that really be fifty years ago?) I was a young kid of 18 and they were certainly the weirdest band on the planet. Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart brought his Acid Drenched Desert Blues all the way from the Mojave to London.
The were the most exciting band I have ever seen live – way up there with Hendrix, Doors, the Who and even Roy Harper.
I have constantly shouted the truth peacefully ever since.
From the first moment I heard them I was hooked. When I saw them live my mind was blown. What a voice. What a driving sound. What lyrics. What supreme weirdness. They had it all.
When I first saw the Magic Band reformed long after the Captain had fled the scene I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was blown away. You couldn’t replace the Captain but John French was almost as good and the band were just as mind-blowing. That first band had 5 original members. Over the years they dropped away. Until here in 2017 there is just John French as an original. But he was the guy who organised the music and it shows. The guys that have come in are all brilliant.
I miss Rockette Morton, Denny Whalley and Gary Lucas and I would have loved to have seen my old hero Zoot Horn Rollo one last time but not to be. But Eric and Max were superb. Jonathan and Andy gave it a firm based. The band still rocked.
John “Drumbo” French – Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Sax, Drums
Eric Klerks – Extended Range guitar, BKP Vocals
Max Kutner – Guitar and Slide guitar
Jonathan Sindelman – Keyboards
Andy Niven – Drums
This was supposedly the farewell tour. I hope it isn’t. But if it is it has been a great run. I’ve had another twelve years of Magic music. Something I never thought would happen. It’s been brilliant. Despite the sound problems in Leeds, which really pissed John off, it all sounded great to me and I had a brilliant evening.
Thank you so much guys.
Here’s a few photos I took in Leeds:
