Artist:  Captain Beefheart

Title:  Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)

Date:  1978

Label:  Warner Bros. Records BSK 3256

Art Direction: John Cabalka

Photography: Alec Duncan and Richard McCaffree

Painting and Drawing: Don Van Vliet

Line Up:

Don Van Vliet (C.B.): vocals, harmonica, soprano sax, whistling
Jeff Moris Tepper: slide guitar, guitar, spell guitar
Bruce Lambourne Fowler: trombone, air bass,
Eric Drew Feldman: synthesizer, Rhodes grand piano, bass
Richard Redus: slide guitar, bottleneck guitar, guitar, accordian, fretless bass
Robert Arthur Williams: drums, percussion
Art Tripp III: marimba, additional percussion

Notes:  One of my favorite outings by the Captain and the Magic Band. We get treated to the Floppy Boot Stomp right off the bat and away we go. It's got all you love about this train wreck of an artist going ahead with his version of the truth. The growling vocals, the tight group of players behind him, even as some tunes feel like they may be teetering on the edge of collapse, the darkness of the desert night captured through a prism. And both covers are graced with some art by the hand of the man himself. Good to see you again Captain.

Track Listing

Side 1

The Floppy Boot Stomp
Tropical Hot Dog night
Ice Rose
Harry Irene
You Know You're a Man
Bat Chain Puller

Side 2

When I See Mommy I Feel Like a Mummy
Owed T Alex
Candle Mambo
Love Lies
Scuction Prints
Apes-Ma