University of Virginia Library

Unbent Sax

At the first number's conclusion
Captain Beefheart took the stage,
carrying his unbent soprano
saxophone and wearing a red
leather blazer, dark shirt, and tie.
With Beefheart on vocals and sax,
the band performed extended
versions of "When Big Joan Sets
Up" and "My Human Gets Me
Blues" from the album Trout Mask
Replica; "Abba Zaba", Beefheart's
first composition; and from his
latest album, "I Want a Woman
Who'll Hold My Big Toe".

All of the group's songs are
quite beyond literal description,
but nonetheless some attempt can
be made. Beefheart is the key to
the group. He plays his sax by
putting the end of it over the
microphone, and blowing and
fingering in a manner which would
appear to be random. It is
unrandom enough, however, that
Zoot Horn Rollo can derive a sort
of anti-melody from it on his
guitar, from which the marimba
and other guitar can create some
sort of chording. The Mascara
Snake on drums seems to take his
rhythm directly from Beefheart,
and Rockette Morton's bass,
anti-tonal, anti-structured, floats
about in the rest of the groups'
sound.

Within the menage of songs were
solos by Rockette Morton, playing
chords, single notes, and
combinations of the two on bass;
The Mascara Snake on drums; Ed
Marimba, who used his marimba
much as other bands use a organ or
piano; and some excellent bluish
harmonica by Beefheart. Eel, a
newcomer to the group, played his
guitar in a style which compared
favorably both technically and
imaginatively to that of Eric
Clapton. Throughout the set,
despite the wildness of the music,
the group appeared to be
completely together.

The atmosphere created by the
performance is difficult to describe.
The audience response was limited
for the most part to many peering
eyes and confused minds; a good
portion of the crowd was incapable
of applause during the band's
pauses. Many people, judging from
some of the band's movements,
especially Rockette Morton's
supposed them all to be on cocaine;
however, Beefheart is reportedly a
no-drug man, and the band was
probably straight — well, unstoned.
It is doubtful drugged musicians
would have the capacity to play as
the Magic Band did.