Quote:
Originally Posted by boo boo
I like my Zappa, Residents, Henry Cow, John Zorn and Mr. Bungle.
So no, it's not just because I think Beefheart is "weird and pretentious", though I do think he's very pretentious, the problem is people shouldn't confuse challenging music with great music. While the bands I mentioned do things outside of the norm they're still very talented composers and musicians, which is not the opinion I have when it comes to Beefheart, a think his band does most of the work anyway.
He had some talented backing musicians, Zoot Horn Rollo had some great guitar licks and Trout Mask Replica wouldn't have been sh*t without him I don't think.
Beefheart himself was an interesting personality, that goes without saying, I don't however consider him a musical genius. I appreciate his massive influence but that can't stop me from liking just about everything Beefheart influenced more than Beefheart himself.
Besides, the best stuff he did was when he sang for Zappa.
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i still don't understand how people can be so belabored under the impression that there were ANY pretensions to Beefheart's music, let alone culling him under the same garbage banner that's befitting of 99% of prog bands.
i liken TMR to other material Frank Zappa's produced with the underlying difference that it's entirely devoid of cynicism and sarcasm. there's still the trademark Beefheart humor that makes him such a heartwarming character. and it seems overtly cynical to challenge him with being showy when TMR represents the same acute character that created it.
as for his status as a musician, no, i don't consider Van Vliet a musical "genius." but at the same time there was hardly any virtuosity imposed upon his music; he eschewed traditional technique and structure for his own peculiar brand of delivery. and that, perhaps, is why so many artists look upon him with fond eyes; that he learned to create a world unto himself without resorting to limit himself within socially acceptable norms.