It has been a long time since Don Glen Vliet retired his Captain Beefheart persona back in 1982. Although his heyday was short lived, his influence in experimental rock has proved long lasting. Bat Chain Puller should serve as an honorable way to remember the late musician, giving fans never-before-released tracks from recording sessions back in 1978.
Like many records that surface decades after they were recorded, Bat Chain Puller fell victim to a legal dispute. Though the record was briefly shopped around to a couple record labels and countless bootleg versions have surfaced over the years, it never saw an official release. The legal dispute involved Frank Zappa, who served as the executive producer on the album, as well as being both a collaborator and a competitor to Captain Beefheart.
On Captain Beefheart’s birthday, January 15, Bat Chain Puller will finally see an official release. The original twelve tracks, along with three bonus cuts will be included. Zappa Family Trust has made pre-orders available via the Barfko-Swill online store.
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