In 1980, gonzo rock journalist Lester Bangs found Don Van Vliet (1941-2010) living in a trailer in the Mojave Desert. The 39-year-old musician, better known as Captain Beefheart, had fallen on hard times. But maybe the times before had not been particularly good. He was already a cult icon. His records, in particular the 80-minute-long magnum opus Trout Mask Replica, were passed around with hushed admiration, music to blow your mind.
