Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart

We’ve lost one of the pillars of twentieth century music. Don Van Vliet — Captain Beefheart — died yesterday.

Most people never heard of him. Out of the people who heard his music, most of them probably gave a quick listen and then went “WTF?!?!?!?” The simplest description I can think of is: a cross between Delta Blues, jug band music and avante-garde jazz, with Howlin’ Wolf on vocals, and the zaniest most out-there lyrics of all time.

Again, that description is much too oversimplified. As little-known as he was, he’s had a profound effect on today’s music. (I’m not talking about the pop drivel you hear on the radio.) Almost every progressive/experimental/”New Wave” (remember that term from the late ‘70s?) musician — and that includes Frank Zappa — has been influenced by Captain Beefheart.

I never knew much about him; he kept a very low profile. Most of his fame — what there was of it — probably came from collaborating with Frank Zappa. I have two of his Zappa/Beefheart albums — Bongo Fury and Hot Rats. The only Captain Beefheart album I have is Trout Mask Replica.

Yesterday Tom Waits said:

“[Captain Beefheart] was like the scout on a wagon train. He was the one who goes ahead and shows the way.... He drew in the air with a burnt stick. He described the indescribable. He's an underground stream and a big yellow blimp.”

Don Van Vliet has spent the last few decades concentrating on abstract painting instead of music. He was supposed to be such a slave-driver and a perfectionist, it was hard to find musicians willing to work with him. He himself once said:

“Part of why I stopped doing music was because it was too hard to control the other people I needed to play the stuff, and I'd had enough animal training. When it comes to art, I have a real streak of fascism. I want it to be exactly the way I conceive it, and if one line is changed it's like, 'Hey, the hell with it, I don't need it.'“

He died at age 69 — complications from multiple sclerosis.

Here are some more links to Captain Beefheart.

Here are some YouTube links. And HERE are most of the tracks from Trout Mask Replica.

R.I.P.

Congressional Democrats: Do Something or Get the F#$&#$#! Out

E.J. Dionne has a blunt message for our Democratic “leaders” in Congress. He also has some sympathy for their self-created dilemma. Yes, it’s hell to be a spineless boneless jellyfish.

As he puts it: “Republicans chortle as they block Democratic initiatives — and accuse the majority of being unable to govern. Rank-and-filers are furious their leaders can't end the Iraq war.”

The Democrats can't pass any legislation because Republicans keep stalling their bills with one parliamentary move after another. This fact by itself should be a PR advantage for the Democrats. But as usual, they just lie back and let the Republican Spin Machine paint them into a corner. “Tax and spend,” “they don’t support our troops,” “nanny state,” yada yada yada.

Republicans seem to know zillions of obscure parliamentary rules that can be invoked on every possible occasion. “It’s Tuesday and we haven’t had lunch yet. Section 37D Paragraph 24 clearly states…”

So why can't the Democrats do this? Congressional Republicans had Clinton practically paralyzed during the last six years of his presidency. What do they know that the Democrats don’t know? Or maybe they have spines and the Democrats don’t.

Dionne says: “In an ideal world, Democrats would pass a lot of legislation that Bush would either have to sign or veto. The president would have to take responsibility for his choices.”

Fortunately for Dumbya, his Congressional drones are protecting him from any personal responsibility. Since they keep most legislation from even getting to his desk, he can just sit there spilling whiskey and learning songs about Condi. (Bonus Question: Name the Tom Waits song alluded to in the previous sentence.)

And the Democrats’ razor-thin majority in the Senate isn't helped when Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd and Barack Obama are too busy running for president to be bothered with their mundane jobs in the Senate.

No wonder people are fed up with the two party system. Oh, there're some differences between the two. On the right we have a bunch of stormtroopers marching in lockstep. On the left, a bunch of spineless blobs call out “how high sir?” whenever the stormtroopers say “Jump!” And jumping without a spine ain't easy.

Do the Democrats stand a chance in 2008? According to Dionne, this is what they have to do:

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid should ...use the Christmas break to come up with a joint program for 2008. They could start with the best ideas from their presidential candidates in areas such as health care, education, cures for the ailing economy and poverty-reduction. Agree to bring the same bills to a vote in both houses. Try one more time to change the direction of Iraq policy. If Bush and the Republicans block their efforts, bring all these issues into the campaign. Let the voters break the gridlock.”

cross-posted at Bring It On!