John French recalls one of the earliest appearances on television of Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, on the Woody Woodbury Show in November 1967. Johns comments are from The Drumbo Club facebook group page: This show came to mind this morning. Bob Krasnow had gotten us this spot on a new daytime talk show, The Woody Woodbury Show. I remember him from when I used to babysit my neighbors kids when I was 13. I went through their LPs one night and found one of his party records. The jokes were very risque for the early sixties... Two women in a bar: Bill dresses so nicely doesnt he? Reply, Yes, and quickly too! Anyway, we played this show as a paying gig during the period when we were rehearsing for what became known as The Mirror Man Sessions at TTG studios. We were living in Tarzana ( in the chicken coop houses) and it was very close to the time we moved to Woodland Hills into the small cottage just down the street from what I call The Trout House where Trout Mask Replica was written and rehearsed. I remember not even having clean clothes for the show. We had no washer and drier, so everything was washed in the bathtub. Ugh. At that time, musical acts just lip-synched their music, and we were no exception. Woody came in to meet us in the makeup room and suggested some gag answers to get things moving. One was John, Ill ask you who does your hair? and you reply Marty Allen! As soon as he left, Don completely nixed all his ideas and told me, when he asked you who does your hair reply Albert Einstein, which is MUCH hipper. They had a curtain covering the small area where we had set up the drums and had unplugged mics to lend to the authenticity of the lip synching. I was the only one onstage when they announced the group and when the pulled back the curtains, it was my first view of the set which was pretty basic -- a big dark sound stage with some bleachers. As soon as the curtain opened, people started laughing -- not just a little, but really hard. I was a little taken aback --are they laughing at me? I was thinking..., then, it dawned upon me that Dons friend Gary Lambert had painted a perfect replica of the Gerbers baby on the front kick head. Afterward, we were called up and stood behind the couch where the guests sat. Wood asked me the hair joke and I answered with Dons suggestion. It was like you could hear a pin drop. Woody looked at me, a little surprised, as he was expecting the coached answer. I thought, I should have done what he asked and not listened to Don. The whole section with us on it was a flop except for Jerry Handley, who just talked and was himself. He came off well, connecting with our host and the audience really liked him, as did Woody. Later, we watched the show, and it was evident that Don didnt remember the lyrics -- his lips were doing one thing, and the words another. No winner of the lip synch contest here... Alex especially would have done better to remain mute with Don a close second. https://facebook/groups/110161780727/ tv/shows/the-woody-woodbury-show/november-9-1967-1380426/cast/
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:36:40 +0000
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