Captain Beefheart | Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) | Album

Released in 1978, Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) is widely considered the "comeback" album that restored Captain Beefheart's (Don Van Vliet) artistic reputation. It marked a return to his avant-garde roots following two critically panned, more "commercial" attempts in the mid-1970s. The album has a complex history tied to the "lost" Bat Chain Puller sessions. Recorded in 1976 and produced by Frank Zappa, the original Bat Chain Puller was never released during that era due to legal disputes involving Zappa's management. Under the new title Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller), Van Vliet re-recorded much of that material with a fresh Magic Band lineup.

Captain Beefheart's 1978 album Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) features cover art by Don Van Vliet himself. Van Vliet was an accomplished artist and sculptor who created the cover art for several of his albums also including 'Doc at the Radar Station'.

Artist Website: beefheart.com

More by Artist: Captain Beefheart

Related Artists: The Magic Band, Frank Zappa, Mallard, Zoot Horn Rollo

Collections: Artful Albums