The Magic Band

Profile:
A rotating assembly of musicians dedicated to interpreting, recording or performing the concepts and works of songwriter Don Van Vliet, both in support of his performing persona Captain Beefheart and as a solo unit. Members of an early line-up of The Magic Band (who performed without Vliet at Blue Lakes) also formed the short-lived Mallard. After Vliet's retirement, in 1982, members of the The Magic Band were reformed in 2003 by drummer John French, who also took on the vocal role. As such they released :
- The Magic Band - Back To The Front (ATP 2003)
- The Magic Band - 21st Century Mirror Men (Proper 2005)
- The Magic Band - Performing The Music Of Captain Beefheart - 1: Oxford, U.K. June 6, 2005 (Sundazed 2011)
- The Magic Band - Plays The Music Of Captain Beefheart (Live In London, 2013) (Proper 2014)
and a number of live DVDs.

The original Magic Band, formed by guitarist Alexis Snouffer in the mid-sixties, had become a popular rhythm n' blues group "Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band". By the release of their debut album "Safe As Milk" there was much conflict within the group, leading to dramatic changes in its musical direction. With the founder members gone and a troubled trail of label-changes and contract disputes, Don Van Vliet emerged to take control in new directions with his Frank Zappa produced opus "Trout Mask Replica". This was followed by eight further official albums, released under his Beefheart persona, until his retirement in 1982.

On completion of the album "Unconditionally Guaranteed", on which Magic Band founder Snouffer reappeared, the entire band once again had disputes with Vliet and departed. A replacement ensemble was quickly formed for the album's 1974 tour. Lacking full understanding or rehearsals of the Beefheart catalog, this line-up is often cuttingly referred to by passionate followers as 'The Tragic Band'.
Sites:
Members:
Variations:

Artist

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Albums

L-1-5001 Safe As Milk — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band* - Safe As Milk (Album, Comp) Buddah Records L-1-5001 US 1967 Sell This Version
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LBS 83172, LBS 83172E Strictly Personal — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* - Strictly Personal (Album) Blue Thumb Records, Blue Thumb Records, Blue Thumb Records LBS 83172, LBS 83172E UK 1968 Sell This Version
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STS 1053, 2 STS 1053 Trout Mask Replica — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* - Trout Mask Replica (Album) Straight, Straight STS 1053, 2 STS 1053 UK 1969 Sell This Version
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6420, RS 6420, RS-6420 Lick My Decals Off, Baby — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Lick My Decals Off, Baby (Album) Straight 6420, RS 6420, RS-6420 US 1970 Sell This Version
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2318 026 Mirror Man — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* - Mirror Man (Album) Buddah Records 2318 026 Germany 1971 Sell This Version
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REP 54 007, MS 2115, K54007 Clear Spot — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Clear Spot (Album) Reprise Records REP 54 007, MS 2115, K54007 Germany 1972 Sell This Version
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MC8-1-709 Unconditionally Guaranteed — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Unconditionally Guaranteed (Album) Mercury MC8-1-709 US 1974 Sell This Version
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XBLY 840.057, 840 057 Bluejeans & Moonbeams — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Bluejeans & Moonbeams (Album) Virgin, Virgin XBLY 840.057, 840 057 France 1974 Sell This Version
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BSK 3256 Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) (Album) Warner Bros. Records BSK 3256 Canada 1978 Sell This Version
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202 870-320, 202 870 Doc At The Radar Station — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Doc At The Radar Station (Album) Virgin 202 870-320, 202 870 Germany 1980 Sell This Version
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VL4-2236 Ice Cream For Crow — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Ice Cream For Crow (Album) Virgin VL4-2236 Canada 1982 Sell This Version
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BVCM-35052 The Mirror Man Sessions — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* - The Mirror Man Sessions (Comp, Album) Buddha Records BVCM-35052 Japan 1999 Sell This Version
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none Grow Fins: Rarities (1965-1982) — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band* - Grow Fins: Rarities (1965-1982) (Album) Revenant none US 1999 Sell This Version
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MSIF 7746 Merseytrout (Live In Liverpool 1980) — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Merseytrout (Live In Liverpool 1980)(CD, Album) MSI (2) MSIF 7746 Japan 2000 Sell This Version
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RHM2 7741 I'm Going To Do What I Wanna Do (Live At My Father's Place 1978) — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - I'm Going To Do What I Wanna Do (Live At My Father's Place 1978) (Album) Rhino Handmade RHM2 7741 US 2000 Sell This Version
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MSIF 7928, BF6003 Dust Sucker — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Dust Sucker (Album, Comp) Milksafe Productions MSIF 7928, BF6003 Japan 2002 Sell This Version
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ATPRCD7 Back To The Front — The Magic Band The Magic Band Back To The Front (Album) ATP Recordings ATPRCD7 UK & Europe 2003 Sell This Version
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PRPCD026 21st Century Mirror Men — The Magic Band The Magic Band 21st Century Mirror Men(CD, Album + DVD-V) Proper Records (2) PRPCD026 UK 2005 Sell This Version
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CDVR2238, 00946 368577 25 Live London '74 — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Live London '74(CD, Album, RE, RM) Virgin, EMI CDVR2238, 00946 368577 25 UK 2006 Sell This Version
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MAR 061136 Amsterdam '80 — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Amsterdam '80 (Album) Belle Antique MAR 061136 Japan 2006 Sell This Version
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LP 5217 It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart + His Magic Band* Captain Beefheart + His Magic Band* - It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper (Album) Sundazed Music LP 5217 US 2008 Sell This Version
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LP 5326 Performing The Music Of Captain Beefheart - 1: Oxford, U.K. June 6, 2005 — The Magic Band The Magic Band Performing The Music Of Captain Beefheart - 1: Oxford, U.K. June 6, 2005 (Album) Sundazed Music LP 5326 US 2011 Sell This Version
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OZITLP 8008 Translucent Fresnel Live 72/73 - The Nan True's Hole Tapes - Vol. 1 — The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band - Translucent Fresnel Live 72/73 - The Nan True's Hole Tapes - Vol. 1(2xLP, Comp) Ozit-Morpheus Records, Dandelion Records (3) OZITLP 8008 UK 2011 Sell This Version
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LP 8017 Live At The Bickershaw Festival 6th May 1972 — The Magic Band Don Van Vliet & The Magic Band Don Van Vliet & The Magic Band - Live At The Bickershaw Festival 6th May 1972(2xLP, Album, Ltd, Num) Ozit-Morpheus Records, Dandelion Records (3) LP 8017 UK 2013 Sell This Version
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PRPCD116 Plays The Music Of Captain Beefheart (Live In London, 2013) — The Magic Band The Magic Band Plays The Music Of Captain Beefheart (Live In London, 2013) (Album) Proper Records (2) PRPCD116 UK 2014 Sell This Version