This was originally written as a comment on a Facebook post by guitarist and Beefheart alumni Gary Lucas, in response to his posting of a pretty Godawful piece on TMR by Rylan Fischer, for Parade.
Oh dear!
Despite the disappointing frequency of such responses to TMR, it still always galls me to read such lazy drivel.
To describe the music Beefheart and his musicians made around this time (which ought to include Lick My Decals Off, as well) as like a child banging on a piano is such an insult to the skill and musicianship it took to make this unusual music.
And it’s far more revealing of the ignorance of the writer than illuminating of the music itself; so the journalist here is actually the inept one.
This sad and hoary old line of ‘thinking’ (?) is the same as when people declare that five year olds are as good at art as Picasso.
Beefheart and Picasso both harness aspects that appear (esp’ to those with a less nuanced understanding) simple, or ugly, or abrasive, or nonsensical, etc.
But there’s a massive difference, as well. These elements are filtered through a much more mature aesthetic sensibility, in a way that – to the surprise of many – may actually be a harder art than simply playing by the usual rules. E.g. transcribing reality more photographically, in art, or abiding by the normal rhythmic and harmonic conventions in music.
There’s far more music out there, ranging from the sonic Hell that is some Free Jazz, to a lot of shiny surfaced pap Pop, that is – IMHO – really and truly awful.
TMR and Decals are, in places, challenging and unconventional. But they’re also, in places, very much part of evolving traditions. The amount of Blues in there is terrific.
Beefheart really was an artist. Not just because he literally went on to swap painting for music, but in his poetic vision.
And, having interviewed John ‘Drumbo’ French, years ago, I know – and people need to realise -Beefheart’s musicians were/are skilled and dedicated artists in their own right, on their instruments.