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MP3: Mike Watt – Dirty Blue Gene (Captain Beefheart cover) from Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish (2003)

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MP3: Captain Beefheart – Dirty Blue Gene from Doc at the Radar Station (1980)

In my review of Mike Watt’s brilliant performance Saturday night (outshining even the massive Dinosaur Jr.), I remarked that he bears some startling similarity to Captain Beefheart.  From the scorched-raw vocals, to the frenetic free-jazz breakdowns soaked in punk rock, there were just too many instances of this parallel for it to be coincidence.

I love it when I’m right.  Behold, a little searching unearthed Mike Watt contributing an extremely faithful cover of “Dirty Blue Gene” to a 2003 Captain Beefheart tribute comp titled Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish.  The original was a classic Beefheart track: blistering, mind-bending instumentals (only outdone by the lyrics themselves) that congeal into an oddly satisfying and remarkably funky groove.

I think it pretty much speaks for itself.

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