Album

Clear Spot

Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band

1972 · Rock, Blues

15 collectors on Gatefold own this

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Clear Spot by Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band

Clear Spot is a Rock album by Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band, originally released in 1972. On Gatefold: 49 pressings tracked, owned by 15 collectors.

About

Clear Spot is the seventh album by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, originally released on LP in 1972 in a clear plastic sleeve. Though Beefheart is known to have been interested in more commercial success - hence his decision to work with producer Ted Templeman who had produced such artists as Carly Simon and Van Morrison - Clear Spot did not chart at all in the UK and only reached #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. Separately, the two albums are only available as vinyl LP reissues. The cover photo shows band members in the control center of the Planetarium of Griffith Park Observatory, Los Angeles, California. 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 featured on the soundtrack of the 1998 film The Big Lebowski. Professional Reviews ★★★★☆ - AllMusic 5/10 - Piero Scaruffi.

via Last.fm

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Tracklist

Side A

  1. A1Low Yo Yo Stuff3:38
  2. A2Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man3:45
  3. A3Too Much Time2:46
  4. A4Circumstances3:11
  5. A5My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains2:57
  6. A6Sun Zoom Spark2:11

Side B

  1. B1Clear Spot3:35
  2. B2Crazy Little Thing2:35
  3. B3Long Neck Bottles3:17
  4. B4Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles2:54
  5. B5Big Eyed Beans From Venus4:23
  6. B6Golden Birdies1:37

Sound DNA

  • Rock
  • Blues Rock
  • raw
  • restless
  • bohemian

Album notes

Discogs page for these notes (opens in a new tab)

Clear Spot was first released as a 12-track vinyl in the UK between Aug & Sept 1972 as K 54007 (MS 2115). As MS 2115 in the USA. (DJ single USA promo pack for the album: Clear Spot (opens in a new tab)).
The vinyl was either 'loose' or contained in a white poly-lined wallet, at the outlet's discretion. This was contained in a specially-produced clear plastic wallet with a 'Clear Spot' logo embossed on the flap. Within this was a 2-sided white card insert with black & white print - photo on front, credits on reverse. No 'Clear Spot' logo appeared on this insert. The release package in this form, with minor variations (such as insert being 2 pieces, glued back-to-back as one) and with respective catalog IDs, was issued in Australia, Canada, France (one-sided insert), Germany & the USA.
By the close of 1972 the 'limited quantity' of embossed wallets had expired. The 2nd issue did not have embossing and the 'Clear Spot' logo was printed on a white reissue cover (Grey, Black or Pale Blue; Depending upon country or reissue dates throughout vinyl's history). The 2nd issue labels in the UK ('mustard' rather than light brown) also had the addition of the small Warner logo & a new text layout (containing literals). "8-track" editions, with re-ordered titles, appeared in the UK, USA & Canada in 1972. Cassettes also exist, together with a 1972 issue 7" reel recording. Since 2000 'specialist' vinyl has been produced of this release. It has also been 'paired' as a 'double release' with other Beefheart recordings over the years, most notably with "The Spotlight Kid".
"Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles" is in the soundtrack of the 1998 film 'The Big Lebowski'.
The title track "Clear Spot" features in the 2007 film "Things We Lost In The Fire"
Engineer Donn Landee was nicknamed "Mit" during recording because, in Vliet's words,"...he caught everything we threw at him"*.
*[ZigZag interview April '73].
The insert photo was taken in the control center of the Planetarium of Griffith Park Observatory, Los Angeles, California. The last line of "Golden Birdies", in typical Vliet spontaneity, references the Webcor (opens in a new tab).

Credits

The people behind it.

Performers

  • BlackberriesBACKING VOCALS
  • Don Van VlietEFFECTS , HARMONICA, VOCALS, WRITTEN-BY HARMONICA VOCALS
  • Ed MarimbaDRUMS, OTHER , PERCUSSION DRUMS, PERCUSSION DRUMS, PERCUSSION, OTHER
  • Milt HollandPERCUSSION
  • OréjonBASS BASS GUITAR
  • Rockette MortonPERFORMER , RHYTHM GUITAR RHYTHM GUITAR BASS
  • Zoot Horn RolloLEAD GUITAR , SLIDE GUITAR , MANDOLIN LEAD GUITAR , STEEL GUITAR , MANDOLIN LEAD GUITAR , STEEL GUITAR , SLIDE GUITAR , MANDOLIN
  • Jerry JumonvilleARRANGED BY
  • Russ TitelmanGUITAR
  • Ted TemplemanARRANGED BY

15 collectors on Gatefold own this · 49 pressings tracked on Gatefold

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