John ‘DRUMBO’ French on being summoned by the Cap'n . . . . . to sing! . . . . . . . . . you got ears, you gotta listen

John ‘DRUMBO French - The Magic Band, The Zodiac, Oxford 6th June 2005 ©️Andy Swapp {Canon GII digital}

 One of the greatest joys of following musicians on Facebook is their genuine and honest open reflections. John French who wrote his tremendous and fascinating book Through The Eyes of Magic on being Captain Beefheart’s longest standing drummer is no exception and we have visited his comments before (check the name links) he posted this last week. 

John can play drums like no-one else I have ever heard and is a complete master of his instrument but plays the guitar also and sings, as he has long proved by his work and reformation of The Magic Band, Beefheart’s work better than anyone left alive! 

"It was 1980.  I was watching "The Rockford Files" with friends when their phone rang.  It was a call for me from Don Van Vliet.  He wanted me to go with him to Castle Sound Studios in Glendale and sing along on "Dirty Blue Gene."  I was surprised that he wanted me to sing with him on the track.  

There had been three versions of "Dirty Blue Gene" recorded over the years.  The first was on "The Mirror Man Sessions," but never had a vocal added.  The second was an out take ( probably from "Clear Spot") that was just guitar and vocal with different lyrics.  This third one was a full band composition with yet another set of lyrics.  I had played guitar, bass, marimba and drums on "Doc," working with Feldman, Tepper, and Williams.  Now, he wanted me to sing with him.  

Of course, no rehearsal and no chance to actually plan what I was going to do meant I just had a set of unmemorised lyrics in front of me and my intuition to respond to what Don was singing.  It was tense, of course.  Exactly the way Don liked to do things: where tension was key.  I had ONE take.  That was it!  

Afterwards, he listened back to the tape and instructed engineer extraordinaire Glen Kolotkin to erase / remove all my responses that he didn't like.  I don't know why Don decided at the last minute to have me sing on that track.  I forgot the reasons that he gave on the phone.  Well, it was better than watching "The Rockford Files," I guess...” John French - FACEBOOK

John included a quiz question!

QUESTION:  Who recognises a line from this song that is in another earlier Beefheart song?

Paris, 7 November 1980 - More from the French TV Show Chorus

Captain Beefheart SUN ZOOM SPARK 1970-1972 

From Safe As Milk (first version) Dirty Blue Gene -

JOHN FRENCH