Ah, the Internet is a strange place for beings both alive and dead.
You see, back before the Northeast Underground joined forces with the Valley Advocate in January, my blogging persona already existed via wordpress.com. And before changing locations, one of the last posts I wrote for my old site was a short tribute piece connecting the passing of musician/ artist Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart) to the anniversary of the death of Minutemen songwriter and guitarist D. Boon.
Little did I know then the potential impact such an innocuous story could have. I mean really, how often does a blogger think they have the potential to reach an audience beyond the grave?
But sure enough, months later the following comment was posted on my Beefheart/ Boon story:
“Last night the Captain came to me in my dream. He said he was ‘going to the northeast’ because people like him in the northeast. He wants you to know he is ok. I don’t even believe in shit like that, nor had I ever heard of your site before. But I wondered if it meant anything so I put it in Google. If anyone believe[s] in that shit he says he is better now. He certainly looked well.”
And then Friday, there was this.
Go ahead. Try it. To this day if one types “Captain Beefheart” and “northeast” into Google my old post is the first link that pops up.
So, such unusual circumstances beg the questions: Did Captain Beefheart really reach out to one of his fans after his death? And what indeed are the odds that somewhere in the country a Captain Beefheart fan dreamt of a connection between Van Vliet and the northeast after I posted a tribute to the Captain on my Northeast Underground blog?
The whole situations is almost enough to give one the willies, or at the very least a good case of the “Abba Zaba’s.”
Listen to the song “Abba Zaba” by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band here:
Still, all things considered, rest in peace Captain. I’m glad the other side is treating you well. Just cool it with the spooky stuff okay? And tell D. Boon I said hi.
For more information on Captain Beefheart please visit www.beefheart.com.
Plus, don’t forget to follow the Northeast Underground on YouTube and Twitter:
