Captain Beefheart, RIP

After a 20-year battle with multiple sclerosis, cult hero and legendary eccentric rocker Don Van Vliet, a.k.a Captain Beefheart has died at the age of 69 (he would have been 70 next month).

Captain Beefheart influenced bands like Nirvana, The White Stripes, Beck and The Pixies.

As a long-term collaborator with Frank Zappa, he was well known for mixing blues with free jazz and absurdist humour.