By 1975, Don Van Vliet (Beefheart) had managed himself into somewhat of a financial disaster by a series of appalling contractual decisions and record company screw ups. He'd actually got himself into a position where he couldn't tour and couldn't record under his own name.
Frank Zappa, an old school friend of Van Vliet's had seemed a sort of nemesis to him in many ways, maybe it was his commercial success, maybe it was the musical methods. Zappa was a methodical, rigorous and intense band leader, you needed real stamina to rehearse with his bands. Beefheart more like an inspired authoritarian with his. It's easy to see how that partnership could be highly infllamable.
But being their history was long and Zappa had seen Van Vliet's talent before, he'd produced rocks groundbreaking Trout Mask Replica back in 1969 with The Magic Band and Beefheart, Frank had wanted to see Van Vliet survive his present depression.
The two stories of exactly how the liaison actually came about are unsurprisingly conflicting but it had started just before the tour with Beefheart guesting on Zappa's 'One Size Fits All' album in June 75.
Despite the inevitable difficulties of getting Beefheart in the right frame of mind and musical discipline Zappa eventually got the balance right for the forthcoming tour. Beefheart was to do the main vocals on 6 or so numbers, plus soprano and harmonica.when needed.
The moment the tour began it was fraught. Ego, obstinacy, frustration from Zappa. Alloofness, cynisism, obstinacy from Van Vliet.
By the time the tour got to El Paso neither were talking. Zappa wouldn't have anymore to do with him, and Van Vliet was spending his time with the ever present sketch book and continually producing drawings of Frank with horns, as in the devil. A fine mess.
But they did get that recording that night in Texas. There never was a studio CD but on May 20th in Austin there was Bongo Fury
From the moment the roar of 'Debra Kadabra' starts the set off to the final voice of Zappa closing the concert at the end of 'Muffin Man' there is a sense you'll never hear anything quite like them again.
Here is Muffin Man.
