When Captain Beefheart died late last year, the rock and roll canon lost one of its few true innovators. Born Don Vliet in 1941, Captain Beefheart's music married early rock primitivism and Delta blues aesthetics with psychedelic free jazz and avant-garde classical music create a sound that, while not always the easiest listen, is wildly influential to this day. The Captain's genius has been proclaimed by everyone from Bono to David Lynch. His 1969 masterpiece with The Magic Band , is widely considered one of the finest rock albums ever made and every true music fan owes it to themselves to listen to it at least once. Don't feel bad if you can't make it all the way though. Like we said, it isn't the easiest listen.

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