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Rating: 
Summary: It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper
Review: After reading Captain Beefheart interviews for decades it's refreshing to hear what the other guys in the Magic Band have to say about creating their innovative music.
This book is a very rare glimpse into the Magic Band by one of their most talented members.
I found this book to be very informative since most Beefheart fans know little about the history and creation of this music. Beefheart prefers to shroud his work in mystery, but Zoot Horn Rollo is here to tell the tale. I enjoyed his book a lot.
Rating: 
Summary: A Typical Music experience in a Unconventional Band
Review: Sounds like Zoot is tooting his horn about a lot of bad experiences in The Magic Band, mainly not getting paid, or given credit for his writing work. His bitterness has obviously influenced his insight on his Beefheart years. An interesting, but short read for a Beefheart fan that sort of leaves you wanting more. Reportedly drummer John French is writing a book too. It will be interesting to compare his version of the story with Zoot's.
Rating:
Summary: Good perspective for Beefheart afficionados
Review: The "Trout Mask Replica" era Magic Band were an amazing group of people that did amazing things during an amazing time. This wonderful book takes us into that central place. Harkleroad has a weird way of expressing himself, like he's so involved in his music that he has all these strange shorthand terms he's had to coin. It's great. I also got a big kick out of Harkleroad's put down of guitar "god" Jimmy Page. Great book for anyone interested in Beefheart and his music, and experimental music in general.
Rating:
Summary: Love Over Gold. Zoot Apparently Didn't Get Either From CB.
Review: This is a fascinating glimpse into Planet Beefheart. Bill Harkleroad was Beefheart's guitarist (and quite possibly co-composer), and he's written something that will be enjoyed by all of us Beefheart fans. Zoot's attitude towards the music varies a bit: he loves Lick My Decals Off (rightly), has a guarded respect for Trout Mask, loathes The Spotlight Kid (have to disagree with him on that one), really likes Clear Spot, and utterly dismisses Unconditionally Guaranteed (quite rightly). As a writer, Zoot is a great slide-guitarist. The anecdotes and discussion about the music are mostly enjoyable, and sometimes very disturbing. Unfortunately, the book lacks real cohesion. As a previous reviewer stated, this book is more of a conversation with Zoot than a literary work. Bill Harkleroad seems awfully bitter about the Captain after all these years (probably justifiably), and I feel that this book was written in order to, at least partially, close a chapter in Bill's life. In any event, thanks to both Zoot and the Captain for creating some of the greatest music of the twentieth century.
Rating:
Summary: For the Beefheart fanatic...
Review: This is a very worthwhile book if you want to know what REALLY happened during the time that the CB band was first formed. At least, according to Zoot Horn Rollo, this is how it was... Not that I doubt Zoot, you understand. I just think that he has his view, and the Captain has his, and everyone has their own... Nevertheless, I imagine most of what Zoot says here is a fairly accurate portrayal of those early Beefheartian times... and for that, it is very enjoyable, very interesting reading... If you're a fan of Beefheart and his music, you've got to read this. It's the only book in town, for the time being. "There are only 40 people in the world, and 5 of them are hamburgers." - Don Van Vliet -Dr. Whitestein was here on 05/26/00
Rating: 
Summary: More like a chat in a bar than a book
Review: While Captain Beefheart fans will eat up the song-by-song dissection of the group's most important albums, this short volume is a brutal read. There is no vision or point of view here beyond Harkleroad's gentle attempt to reclaim some musical contributions that have been credited to the Captain. Is he disillusioned? Proud? Philosphical? Bored? You never really find out as he vaccilates between light bitterness and grudging admiration for Beefheart, a.k.a. Don Van Vliet --- a man whose personality is so poorly conveyed that you never get a sense of what he was really like. For example, Harkleroad talks about Van Vliet's brainwashing and manipulation without ever really explaining what those tactics involved. Shockingly, Harkleroad had a collaborator who supposedly put the whole thing together. Clearly, this collaborator is no editor: grammatical mistakes and sloppy errors pop up way too often. The best way to approach it is to imagine you are buying Zoot a few rounds at the local bar, Beefheart collection in hand, and asking him to reminisce.
Rating:
Summary: Good perspective for Beefheart afficionados
Review: Zoot Horn Rollo,aka Bill Harkleroad fills the gaps in Captain Beefheart's murky history without the worshipful reverence of the Captain's followers or the dismissive smugness of his detractors. As guitarist in a 'cult of personality' band,Bill was forced to render his leader's artistic vision into musical form. This process seems to have been full of struggle,and a bitter tone creeps in from time to time,despite his obvious affection and respect for Beefheart's huge talent(and ego). A good insider's account of an enigmatic group. Most readers,however,will be put off by the conversational tone of the book,which seems to have been poorly ghostwritten. The thoughts and feelings of the author come through clearly,but I was left feeling more like I'd heard an interview than read a personal account. I am a fan of Harkleroad's guitar playing,and interested in his musical history,so I found it interesting and it did fill in many unknowns for me. Those not familiar with Captain Beefheart will be bored. A cult book for a cult band.
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