1. NAME:                Eric McClure

2. DATE OF BIRTH:           June 7, 1977

3. OCCUPATION:                  Student, Writer

4. PLACE OF RESIDENCE:             San Diego

5. YEARS AS A FAN:                 2 years
 
6.  BEEFHEART ALBUMS IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE:

      SAFE AS MILK : ___________________=5
      MIRROR MAN : ____________________
      STRICTLY PERSONAL :  _____________
      TROUT MASK REPLICA : ____________ 2 (esp. Pachuco Cadaver!)
      LICK MY DECALS OFF BABY :  _______1
      SPOTLIGHT KID : _________________ =6
      CLEAR SPOT : _____________________ 4
      UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED :  _
      BLUE JEANS & MOONBEAMS :_______
      SHINY BEAST :   ___________________  3
      DOC AT THE RADAR STATION :    ____=5
      ICE CREAM FOR CROW :  __________=6
     Legendary A & M Sessions                             =6

7. TOP 10 OTHER ACTS:
1. Louis Armstrong
2. Tom Waits
3. Los Lobos
4. Tom Ze
5. Television
6. Ray Charles
7. Tricky
8. My Bloody Valentine
9. Portishead
10. Stevie Wonder

9. HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND,
AND WAS THERE A PARTICULAR SONG THAT MADE YOU SEE THE LIGHT?:
A couple of years ago,a friend of mine left this odd answering machine message that
I rewound and listened to at least 20 times. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. It was
just a guy with a folksy, yelping voice discussing apocalyptic images like he was reminiscing
at a High School Reunion. Of course, I simply had to corner my friend and force the necessary
information about this man. Well, it was "The Dust Blows Forward and the Dust Blows Back."
My friend loaned me Trout Mask, and I didn't like it very much. At first. I think that was too big
of a dive into the deep end of dark pool made of port wine. I needed some sips.
As synchronicity would have it, I bought the soundtrack to "The Big Lebowski,"and heard
"Her Eyes are a Blue Million Miles." The stark contrast between Trout and that song set my mind
a-spinnin all samadhi-like. So I went and bought the first album I could find... which was
"Ice Cream For Crow." After a few straight listens, I found myself adoring it. Initially I compared
his music to King Crimson, Pere Ubu, Primus, and Tom Waits... not realzing until later that those
bands wouldn't have existed as they did without Vliet. Nowwhenever I listen to them, I compare
them to their grandaddy.
Her Eyes are a Blue Million Miles was the kicker, but really, the song that put me way over the top
was Floppy Boot Stomp.
 

10. NUMBER OF BEEFHEART  GIGS SEEN,  AND WHICH YEARS:         none
 

11. ART SHOWS VISITED:           none

12. ANY CONTACT WITH DON?:            none, I don't count my Ouija board, it lies.

13. MUSICAL ABILITY / TRAINING:
Untrained self-taught harmonica (before I ever listened to Beefheart I dug
Charles Musselwhite) and vocals.
 
14. ANY OTHER INFO YOU WISH TO ADD?:
I also read poetry and do some performance art.
I am 22, so I guess I am culled from a new crop of Beefheart fans, and I am no less avid
than any other. In more ways than I can count, his music and art inspire my everyday creative life
and show me that art is the grand rubber eraser of boundaries.