Captain Beefheart made one of rock music's strangest albums with his band. Trout Mask Replica came out during 1969 and mixed jazz with blues and garage rock sounds. Critics call it one of the greatest records ever made. Don Van Vliet led the group as Captain Beefheart and ruled his musicians with strict control. Frank Zappa produced the album but did not create the music itself.
Bassist Rockette Morton joined the Magic Band right before recording started. The musicians lived together for nine months cramped inside a small California house. They practiced music for entire days without stopping and sometimes stayed awake for three days straight. Beefheart changed songs whenever he wanted and made band members start over constantly. Morton wore out several bass guitars because he had to use metal fingerpicks for the complex parts.
The band recorded 20 songs during just eight hours with a tiny budget. They lived on food stamps and government cheese without regular pay. Morton says the album represents amazing art even though making it was difficult. Safe As Milk remains his favorite Beefheart record but he agrees Trout Mask Replica stands among the best albums anyone ever created. The Library of Congress later inducted the record for its cultural importance.
Bassist Rockette Morton joined the Magic Band right before recording started. The musicians lived together for nine months cramped inside a small California house. They practiced music for entire days without stopping and sometimes stayed awake for three days straight. Beefheart changed songs whenever he wanted and made band members start over constantly. Morton wore out several bass guitars because he had to use metal fingerpicks for the complex parts.
The band recorded 20 songs during just eight hours with a tiny budget. They lived on food stamps and government cheese without regular pay. Morton says the album represents amazing art even though making it was difficult. Safe As Milk remains his favorite Beefheart record but he agrees Trout Mask Replica stands among the best albums anyone ever created. The Library of Congress later inducted the record for its cultural importance.
