Experimentalobit: Captain Beefheart

Sad news coming through this evening, as the death of Captain Beefheart has been confirmed.

There can't be anyone who ever listened to the Peel programmes on a regular basis who remained ignorant of the work of Don Van Vliet, even if not everyone was entirely convinced. Trout Mask Replica was the sort of album that boys who couldn't get girlfriends steadfastly but erroneously believed was a cure for, rather than a symptom of, their girlfriendless status; a testament to a time when both artist and audience put a bit of effort into records.

Beefheart was 69; he died from complications related to MS. His death was announced earlier this evening by one of the galleries that had exhibited his more recent work as a painter.