"Trout Mask Replica" by CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND (October 1969 USA 2LP set on Straight Records and November 1969 in the UK on Straight Records (both in Stereo) - featuring guitarist William (Bill) Harkleroad as Zoot Horn Rollo, Guitarist Jeff Cotton as Antennae Jimmy Semens, Guitarist Doug Moon, Bassist Mark Boston as Rockette Morton, Bass Clarinet player Victor Hayden as The Mascara Snake, Sound Recordings by Richard (Dick) Kunc and Drummer John French as Drumbo (June 2004 UK/EUROPE Reprise Records CD Reissue/Re-Pressing) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Dream Of A Octafish..."

It seems bizarre (if you'll forgive the Zappa and Beefheart label-associated pun) that in June 2020 – a full 51 years after this notorious, revered and in fact much reviled double-album was first released at the end of 1969 – that CD variants of it appear to only number two and both carry the same 1989 reissue catalogue number and barcode just to confuse us jagged-rock junkies. A potted explanation...

The first UK/European CD pressing from March 1989 is Reprise 927 196-2 (Barcode 075992719629) and is known as the RSA Pressing. It can be identified by the Matrix Number on the playing side of the actual CD in the run-out plastic, 927196-2 RSA. It has the 20-page booklet, a young Beefheart pictured on the CD label, 'Manufactured in Germany by Record Service GmbH Alsdorf' on the CD label and 'Manufactured in Germany, Fabrique en Allemagne TELDEC Record Service GmbH' on the rear inlay.

The only other issue I know of is June 2004, known as the Cinram Re-pressing. Again it comes with a 20-page booklet, Beefheart photo on the CD label and the label/inlay credits. But the CD Matrix is 759927196-2.4 06/04 V2 on the rim of the playing surface. The nutty thing is that for such an iconic album, neither claims a Remaster and both still have the same catalogue number and barcode. And of course you can't really tell from the outside which pressing is which until you turn the actual CD over...

Anyway, let's get to the Sixties Avant Garde Rock, Psych, Musique Concrete and Experimental Dream of a Octafish extravaganza that is the Troutster...

UK re-released June 2004 (itself reissued September 2006) – "Trout Mask Replica" by CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND on Reprise 927 196-2 (Barcode 075992719629 – Cinram Pressing with CD Matrix 759927196-2.4 06/04 V2) offers the full 1969 2LP Set Remastered onto 1CD and Plays out as follows (79:06 minutes):

1. Frownland [Side 1]

2. The Dust Blows Forward 'N The Dust Blows Back

3. Dachau Blues

4. Ella Guru

5. Hair Pie: Bake 1

6. Moonlight On Vermont

7. Pachuco Cadaver [Side 2]

8. Bill's Corpse

9. Sweet Sweet Blues

10. Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish

11. China Pig

12. My Human Gets Me Blues

13. Dali's Car

14. Hair Pie: Bake 2 [Side 3]

15. Pena

16. Well

17. When Big Joan Sets Up

18. Fallin' Ditch

19. Sugar 'N Spikes

20. Ant Man Bee

21. Orange Claw Hammer [Side 4]

22. Wild Life

23. She's Too Much For My Mirror

24. Hobo Chang Ba

25. The Blimp (Mousetrap Replica)

26.  Steal Softly Thru Snow

27. Old Fart At Play

28. Veteran's Day Poppy

Tracks 1 to 28 are the double-album "Trout Mask Replica" - released October 1969 in the USA on Straight Records 2 STS 1053 and November 1969 in the UK on Straight STS 1053 (both Stereo only).

Featuring Captain Beefheart on Lead Vocals, Tenor and Soprano Saxes and Horns, guitarist William (Bill) Harkleroad as Zoot Horn Rollo, Guitarist Jeff Cotton as Antennae Jimmy Semens, Guitarist Doug Moon, Bassist Mark Boston as Rockette Morton, Bass Clarinet player Victor Hayden as The Mascara Snake, Sound Recordings by Richard (Dick) Kunc and Drummer John French as Drumbo. It didn't chart in either country.

Famously original American copies came with a booklet that the UK issues didn’t have. Those lyrics and cartoon drawings are repro’d in the 20-page booklet but there are no mastering credits.

It's not an idle statement to say that Beefheart's "Trout" is the very definition of a Marmite Record - love it or loathe it. Let's put it this way, and what follows is no word of a lie. When we worked in Reckless Records at the Upper Street branch in the Nineties and Naughties - about 6:40 pm with a 7pm closing time, we'd slap on "Trout Mask replica" and by five-to seven, its discordant angular avant garde jagged rhythms had the shop cleared of all customers n fifteen minutes flat. Never failed. In short, this double was never an easy listen and if I'm honest, I think half of the 'unmitigated genius' reviews are full of a substance you find in the Margate drains - and I don't mean Fairy Green Liquid. "Ella Guru" and "Orange Claw Hammer" will (like much of it) test your patience and tickle your fancy at one and the same time. And even if there is no mastering credit, this CD sounds pretty damn good.

Magic band stalwarts Bassist Mark Boston and guitarist Bill Harkleroad left to form MALLARD in 1974 with Vocalist Sam Galpin and ex Zappa/Mothers Drummer Art Tripp. They made two albums on Virgin in 1975 and 1976 while the Captain himself was at the famous British label too. But this is where it all started proper...

The dust blows forward and the dust blows back. You can't help thinking that Don Van Vliet was always going forward while the rest of us try to catch up - half a century later...