Clear Spot
Encyclopedia
Clear Spot is the seventh album
by Captain Beefheart
and the Magic Band, originally released on LP
in 1972 in a clear plastic sleeve.
After Trout Mask Replica
, which was critically acclaimed but sold poorly, each of the group's following three albums was slightly more conventional than the one before. However, Beefheart wanted more commercial success – hence his decision to work with the widely respected team of producer Ted Templeman
and engineer Donn Landee who also created hits for artists such as The Doobie Brothers
, Carly Simon
and Van Morrison
. Clear Spot gathers together much of the lyrical material that Vliet had created or formulated at the beginning of The Spotlight Kid
recordings.
The original release of the album was in a specially-produced clear plastic sleeve. The title 'Clear Spot' was embossed on the front flap, with the record clearly visible inside without a liner. This reflected the title: a "clear" cover with the black vinyl disc as a visible "spot." The original concept was for this to be a clear vinyl, but shelved due to financial constraints. The package also included a white card insert, with the band name and credits. For the UK this was a single weight card, but in the US issues this was back-to-back card with radius corners at the foot. Upon expiry of these covers, for reissues and in other countries, a traditional white sleeve was employed with the title printed [as per image]. The insert (or subsequent cover) shows a photo of Vliet & band members in the control center of the Planetarium of Griffith Park Observatory
, Los Angeles, California. It was Griffith Park
and its zoo
which had earlier inspired a young Vliet.
Clear Spot did not chart in the UK but did reach #191 on the Billboard Top 200. On CD
, the album is now available only as a "two for one" with its predecessor The Spotlight Kid
, giving an overview of the work created when the band were in Felton
and then nearby Trinidad
, CA. Separately, the two albums are only available as vinyl LP reissues. In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Big Eyed Beans from Venus" at number 53 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 film The Big Lebowski
, and was later covered by The Black Keys
and Shortstack.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
and the Magic Band, originally released on LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
in 1972 in a clear plastic sleeve.
After Trout Mask Replica
Trout Mask Replica
Trout Mask Replica is the third album by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released in June 1969. Produced by Beefheart's friend and former schoolmate Frank Zappa, it was originally released as a double album on Zappa's Straight Records label...
, which was critically acclaimed but sold poorly, each of the group's following three albums was slightly more conventional than the one before. However, Beefheart wanted more commercial success – hence his decision to work with the widely respected team of producer Ted Templeman
Ted Templeman
Ted Templeman is an American record producer.-Career:He began his career in the mid 1960s in the Santa Cruz area as a drummer in a band called The Tikis. At the suggestion of Lenny Waronker, the group decided to change their name. Harpers Bizarre was born in 1966, with Templeman switching to...
and engineer Donn Landee who also created hits for artists such as The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:...
, Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
and Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
. Clear Spot gathers together much of the lyrical material that Vliet had created or formulated at the beginning of The Spotlight Kid
The Spotlight Kid
The Spotlight Kid is the sixth album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, originally released in 1972. It is the only album formally credited solely to Captain Beefheart. Often cited as one of the most accessible of Beefheart's albums, it is solidly founded in the blues but also uses...
recordings.
The original release of the album was in a specially-produced clear plastic sleeve. The title 'Clear Spot' was embossed on the front flap, with the record clearly visible inside without a liner. This reflected the title: a "clear" cover with the black vinyl disc as a visible "spot." The original concept was for this to be a clear vinyl, but shelved due to financial constraints. The package also included a white card insert, with the band name and credits. For the UK this was a single weight card, but in the US issues this was back-to-back card with radius corners at the foot. Upon expiry of these covers, for reissues and in other countries, a traditional white sleeve was employed with the title printed [as per image]. The insert (or subsequent cover) shows a photo of Vliet & band members in the control center of the Planetarium of Griffith Park Observatory
Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory is in Los Angeles, California, United States. Sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in L.A.'s Griffith Park, it commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin, including downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest...
, Los Angeles, California. It was Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
and its zoo
Los Angeles Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo , is a zoo founded in 1966 and located in Los Angeles, California. The City of Los Angeles owns the entire zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals...
which had earlier inspired a young Vliet.
Clear Spot did not chart in the UK but did reach #191 on the Billboard Top 200. On CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, the album is now available only as a "two for one" with its predecessor The Spotlight Kid
The Spotlight Kid
The Spotlight Kid is the sixth album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, originally released in 1972. It is the only album formally credited solely to Captain Beefheart. Often cited as one of the most accessible of Beefheart's albums, it is solidly founded in the blues but also uses...
, giving an overview of the work created when the band were in Felton
Felton, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Felton had a population of 4,057. The population density was 891.2 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Felton was 3,691 White, 25 African American, 29 Native American, 69 Asian, 11 Pacific Islander, 60 from other races, and 172 from...
and then nearby Trinidad
Trinidad, California
Trinidad is a seaside city in Humboldt County, located on the Pacific Ocean north of the Arcata-Eureka Airport and north of the college town of Arcata...
, CA. Separately, the two albums are only available as vinyl LP reissues. In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Big Eyed Beans from Venus" at number 53 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 film The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski is a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff Lebowski, an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, who is referred to as "The Dude". After a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is introduced to a millionaire also named...
, and was later covered by The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
and Shortstack.
Side one
- "Low Yo Yo Stuff" – 3:41
- "Nowadays a Woman's Gotta Hit a Man" – 3:46
- "Too Much Time" – 2:50
- "Circumstances" – 3:14
- "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains" – 2:55
- "Sun Zoom Spark" – 2:13
Side two
- "Clear Spot" – 3:40
- "Crazy Little Thing" – 2:38
- "Long Neck Bottles" – 3:18
- "Her Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles" – 2:57
- "Big Eyed Beans from Venus" – 4:23
- "Golden Birdies" – 1:36
Personnel
- Captain Beefheart - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, "wings on Singabus" (apparently referring to the flapping noise you can hear when he says the word Singabus, in "Golden Birdies") - Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill HarkleroadBill HarkleroadBill Harkleroad, known professionally as Zoot Horn Rollo , is an American guitarist. He is best known for his work with Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band...
) - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Rockette Morton (Mark Boston) - guitar, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ed Marimba (Art TrippArt TrippArthur Dyer Tripp III is a chiropractor and former musician best known for his work as a percussionist with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band.-Early career:Tripp grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and started playing drums in...
) - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Orejón (Roy EstradaRoy EstradaRoy Estrada is an American musician and backing vocalist, best known for his bass guitar work with Frank Zappa and for co-founding Little Feat.-Biography:With drummer Jimmy Carl Black and Ray Collins, Estrada was an original member of Frank Zappa's...
) - bass - Milt HollandMilt HollandMilt Holland was an American drummer, percussionist, ethnic musicologist, and writer in the Los Angeles music scene who pioneered the use of African, South American, and Indian percussion styles in jazz, pop and film music, traveling extensively on those continents to collect instruments and to...
- percussion - Russ TitelmanRuss TitelmanRuss Titelman is an American record producer and songwriter. He has to date won three Grammy Awards. He earned his first producing the Steve Winwood song "Higher Love", and his second and third for Eric Clapton's Journeyman and Unplugged albums...
- guitar - The Blackberries - backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...