Captain Beefheart

Don Van Vliet (/væn 'vli?t/, born Don Glen Vliet;[2] January 15, 1941 – December 17, 2010) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. He conducted a rotating ensemble called the Magic Band, with whom he recorded 13 studio albums between 1964 and 1982. His music blended elements of blues, free jazz, rock, and the avant-garde with idiosyncratic rhythms, absurdist wordplay, and his wide vocal range.[3][4][5] Known for his enigmatic persona, Beefheart frequently constructed myths about his life and was known to exercise an almost dictatorial control over his supporting musicians.[6] Although he achieved little commercial success,[7] he sustained a cult following as a "highly significant" and "incalculable" influence on an array of new wave, punk, and experimental rock artists