1. NAME:            Mark McNiel

 2. DATE OF BIRTH:           10/26/58

 3. OCCUPATION:           Marketing Manager - Computer Industry

 4. PLACE OF RESIDENCE:            Spring, TX (Suburb of Houston)

5. YEARS AS A FAN:             28

 6. BEEFHEART ALBUMS IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE:

       SAFE AS MILK :_____________________  7
       MIRROR MAN : ____________________ 10
       STRICTLY PERSONAL : ______________11
       TROUT MASK REPLICA : _____________4
       LICK MY DECALS OFF BABY :________ 8
       SPOTLIGHT KID :___________________ 2
       CLEAR SPOT : _____________________  3
       UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED :__ 9
       BLUE JEANS & MOONBEAMS : ______  12
       SHINY BEAST :_____________________  6
       DOC AT THE RADAR STATION : _______1
       ICE CREAM FOR CROW :____________ 5

        1 - The Beatles
        2 - Frank Zappa
        3 - George Clinton/Parliament/Funkadelic
        4 - Jerry Jeff Walker
        5 - John Prine
        6 - Keith Jarrett
        7 - Van Morrison
        8 - Joe Ely
        9 - Tom Waits
      10 - Butch Hancock

 9. HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND, AND
 WAS THERE A PARTICULAR SONG THAT MADE YOU SEE THE LIGHT?:
 Read a review of Lick My Decals Off Baby in Rolling Stone magazine and also bought a
 Warner Brothers compilation album from the inner sleeve of a Zappa album.
 The compilation album contained Old Fart at Play and The Blimp.
Old Fart remains my favorite Beefheart song.

 10. NUMBER OF BEEFHEART  GIGS SEEN,  AND WHICH YEARS:      0 (Unfortunately)
 
 11. ART SHOWS VISITED:     0

 12. ANY CONTACT WITH DON?:        No

 13. MUSICAL ABILITY / TRAINING:         Very little guitar & drums

 14. ANY OTHER INFO YOU WISH TO ADD?:
 It was extremely difficult to rate my first 6 Beefheart albums in a particular order.
Those first 6 to me can be interchangeable depending on my mood.
I did not however rank a six way tie as I felt that would be a cop out
.  My top 10 other acts are not necessarily in order with the exception of perhaps the Beatles and Frank Zappa.
 Also several of those acts (Walker, Ely & Hancock) may be familiar to those in and around Texas.
 
 The census is a good idea.  I am curious to see the results.
 Hopefully, you will be able to publish them and share them with the members.  Good work!
 Mark