Is Captain Beefheart Still Alive?

In the video "Ice Cream For Crows," the setting is the dark of night under a bright, full moon and the blazing brightness of the Arizona desert. Suddenly a man with tasseled hair and wild, crazy eyes appears, singing about giving ice cream to crows.

This is the typical kind of video for artist, writer, sculptor, and rock musician Don Van Vliet, otherwise known as Captain Beefheart.

Captain Beefheart attended one half day of kindergarten before he decided that formal schooling was not for him. He began sculpting at a very early age and was awarded a scholarship, but did not go.

Instead, he stayed in his room for a period of five years and did not come out. His parents pushed a tray of food underneath his door and if he liked it, he ate it. If he didn't, he fed it to the birds.

During the early years, he also started painting, mostly in acrylics and then later in oil. He also learned how to play the harmonica. Being extremely shy, he was coaxed into playing in a band by the legendary Frank Zappa. With albums like "Trout Mask Replica", "Blue Jeans and Moonbeams", and "Bat Chain Puller", it's plain to see where he got his influences.

He mostly plays harmonica in the band, but occasionally he will play the sax and the piano. According to Wikipedia, he's also known for the dictatorial way that he treats members of his band. The band, known as the "Magic Band," consists of a number of musicians that rotate in and out of the band, including a fellow by the name of "hat size."

Speaking of hats, the good Captain is also known by the number of hats that he wears. As a matter of fact, he is rarely seen without one on his head.

During an appearance on the old David Letterman show, he stated that he currently lives in an old trailer in the heart of the desert in California, but has plans to move to Arizona because it is hotter there. He then confessed that it was all made up. He didn't want anyone to know where he lives because he's a recluse.

Captain Beefheart did most of his music in the late '60s and early '70s but has since retired to work on his painting and sculpting. He rarely makes any public appearances anymore and no one really knows where he lives.

Other than an occasional showing of his artwork at galleries in New York city, he has pretty much disappeared out of the public view. He still has various fan sites ion the net and you can listen to some of his recordings there.

It seems that his personal life has eclipsed the videos.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Beefheart