Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band | Ice Cream for Crow | Promo Video | 1982

This video is a new restoration of the Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) self-directed promo video for Ice Cream for Crow, the title track of his final album, released 40 years ago this month in 1982.

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Ice Cream for Crow is the twelfth studio album by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, released in October 1982. It is the last Don Van Vliet recorded before abruptly retiring from music to devote himself to a career as a painter. The final line Van Vliet prophetically sings on the title track is, “That’s it, now you can go”.

Praised by legendary DJ John Peel, as one of Beefheart's best albums, it spent a mere two weeks in the UK album charts, reaching number 90, and failed to make the US Billboard Top 200.

The promotional video for the title track of the album is a wondrous thing. Don Van Vliet’s idiosyncratic personality looms large, among the striking scenes of desert landscapes, tumbleweeds, Van Vliet’s paintings, a moonlit night and the Magic Band enthusiastically miming. Also seemingly prophetic; the last scene of the video has Van Vliet pulling a blind down on himself, as the music fades.

The video was filmed on 7 August 1982, in the Mojave Desert, California, near where Don Van Vliet lived with his wife. It was directed by Van Vliet with Ken Schreiber and cinematography by Daniel Pearl (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre).

The video was rejected by MTV for being "too weird" on submission. However, it was shown on an 11 November 1982 David Letterman show on NBC-TV, when Van Vliet was guesting. “I really appreciate you showing it”, Van Vliet told Letterman, "I don't want my MTV if they don't want my video", he added, in reference to MTV's "I want my MTV" marketing campaign of the time. After showing a brief segment of the video, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause and Van Vliet looked pleased. The Letterman segment can be viewed here:    • Captain Beefheart on Letterman, Novem...  

The Ice Cream for Crow video now has a permanent home in the film and video collection of the Museum Of Modern Art (MOMA).

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The music of Captain Beefheart first came to me at around about the time of Ice Cream for Crow, from several directions and eras. At that time, I had a tape of a radio interview with The Birthday Party’s Nick Cave and Tracey Pew, wherein they played some of their favourite music. One of the tracks was from the 1980 Captain Beefheart album Doc at the Radar Station. The track seemed so brilliant to me, I quickly acquired the album. Also, I had heard that Beefheart’s first album Safe as Milk, and his 1969 double album Trout Mask Replica, were both essential in any self-respecting music fans collection. I confess, I got on better with Safe as Milk, than Trout Mask Replica. The latter took me almost 20 years to even vaguely understand, and then finally adore. And in 1982, the Ice Cream for Crow video was shown on one of the UK music TV shows – I presume the Old Great Whistle Test. A friend videotaped the broadcast, and we watched it many times.

Like so many classic music videos, I had never seen a decent quality version of the clip. I was unable to find a high quality original to work with, so what I’ve created here is not as good as I would like, but it should look okay on your smartphone, at least.

Thanks for watching, hope you dig it!

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Credits

Video Source:
Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band | Ice Cream for Crow | Promo Video | 1982 | Directed by Don Van Vliet | Produced by Ken Schreiber | Camera Daniel Paerl | Edited by Wayne Hyde

Audio Source:
Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band | Ice Cream for Crow | From the album Ice Cream for Crow | Recorded May–June 1982 at Warner Brothers Studios, North Hollywood, California | Released September 1982 | Virgin (UK) | Virgin/Epic (US)

Musicians:
Don Van Vliet | vocals, harmonica | production
Jeff Moris Tepper | guitars
Gary Lucas | guitars
Richard Midnight Hatsize Snyder | bass
Cliff R. Martinez | drums, percussion

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Always more videos to follow, so please keep your electric eye on me babe!

I don't own the rights, and I'm not making any money out of this etc. Just a fan making videos for other fans.

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