Captain Beefheart - London 1974
List Price:
Our Price: $7.58
You Save: $7.40 (49%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.06 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: Captain BeefheartEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Import, Live
CD Release Date: 1998-09-07
Music Label: Mpg [Movieplay Gold]
Soundtracks:
- Mirror Man
- Upon The Me On My
- Full Moon Hot Sun
- Sugar Bowl
- Crazy Little Thing
- This Is The Day
- New Electric Ride
- Abba Zabba
- Peaches
Music reviews of London 1974
Music Review: I aint got the Blues no more I said
Rating: 2 Stars
Last week I decided that I would devote my in-car listening to the Magic Captain. Starting off in chronological order of release with Safe as Milk I progressed with some considerable satisfaction to Clear Spot.
I should make my position clear. I love this man's voice and his music and have done since my school days when I was introduced by my two friends, Dave Prosser and Mike Kirby, the first a Beefheart afficionado while the second a Frank Zappa devotee. My school days were long ago before Van Morrison moved to America.
Anyway, when I came to this album I was deeply saddened. Having seen Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band finally perform at the wonderful but wet Bickershaw Festival in the North West of England in 1972 and been suitably impressed I bought but quickly resold Unconditionally Guaranteed not too long a time later. Bluejeans and whatever went the same way and when the next tour came around from whence this album is drawn I was devastated to hear these sort of performances.
The bad news about this album is the band. From the point of view of yer average rock band these guys are not too bad...if you want them to play Status Quo "tunes". They are a competent standard blues/rock type of band. In the view of this fan, they do not even begin to measure up to a true Magic Band. Now it is often said by some that Beefheart is a bit of a con and that many of us are somewhat delusional when we talk of his genius and how his music is awful but the truth of the matter is that when you listen closely to the music you can clearly discern the patterns within. In order to play tht music the musicians themselves must be more than just competent, they must have the talent and virtuosity that these guys clearly do not have.
The one good thing about this album is the sound of the Beefheart voice. I was struck at the outset when the first strains of music are heart leading into a severley curtailed Mirror man that the Captain Beefheart of old seems a little restrained and timid. The songs are clearly delineated and structeured into a standard rock form with the ubiquitous riffs, steel and solo guitars strewn throughout while the singing is clearly more restrained if not melodic. Not that anything is particularly wrong with that. The sun zoom spark is clearly missing.
As far as I am concerned the Captain could sing about toilet paper for all I care and I would love it. Howver, here it is only that restrained and rather restricted voice that we hear and not the wide diversity of singinging grunts growls and hoops that we have become accustomed too while also being exposed to that famous vocal range.
One reviewer called Spotlight Kid/Clear Spot the most accessible of Beefhearts work. I fundamentally disagree with that reviewer as this little trinity of Unconditionally/Live in London/Bluejeans is the more accessible.
This album is for completists only. I may represent the absolute nadir of Beefhearts career but as albums go it is still way ahead of many others.
Description of London 1974
This CD can be considered somewhat rare now.Alternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $149.98
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $99.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $202.44
Similar CDs
Captain Beefheart - Mirror Man SessionsRelease date: 2008-03-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.56
Price in other shops:
Captain Beefheart - Dust Blows Forward: An AnthologyRelease date: 1999-08-17; Music CD
Best price: $999.99
Captain Beefheart - Merseytrout: Live in Liverpool '80Release date: 2000-05-30; Music CD
Best price: $9.59
Price in other shops:
Captain Beefheart - Strictly PersonalRelease date: 1995-03-20; Music CD
Best price: $5.61
Price in other shops:
Captain Beefheart - Bluejeans & MoonbeamsCAPTAIN BEEFHEART; Release date: 2006-08-14; Music CD
Best price: $8.48
Price in other shops:
Captain Beefheart - Unconditionally GuaranteedCAPTAIN BEEFHEART; Release date: 2006-08-14; Music CD
Best price: $5.51
Price in other shops: