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{{Short description|Captain Beefheart's backing band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = The Magic Band
| image             = The Magic Band @ Band On The Wall, Manchester 29-5-2014 (14121740677).jpg
| caption           = The Magic Band at a reunion show in [[Manchester]], England in 2014
| origin            = California, USA
| years_active      = 1964–1982<br>2003–2017<ref name="beefheart.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.beefheart.com/the-magic-band-farewell-tour-2017/|title = The Magic Band Farewell Tour 2017 – Captain Beefheart Radar Station}}</ref>
| genre = [[Blues rock]], [[avant-rock]]
| associated_acts   = [[Captain Beefheart]]<br>[[Frank Zappa]]<br>[[The Mothers of Invention]]<br>[[Mallard (band)|Mallard]]<br>[[Gary Lucas]]<br>[[Ant-Bee]]
|label = 
* [[A&M Records|A&M]], [[ABC Records|ABC]], [[ATP Recordings]], [[Buddah Records|Buddah]], [[Blue Thumb Records|Blue Thumb]], [[Mercury Records|Mercury]], [[Pye Records |Pye]], [[Reprise Records|Reprise]], [[Straight Records|Straight]], [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]
| past_members      = See [[The Magic Band#Members|members]]
}}
'''The Magic Band''' was the [[backing band]] of American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist [[Captain Beefheart]] between 1967 and 1982. The band was formed by guitarist [[Alex St. Clair]] with Beefheart as the lead singer; eventually, they morphed into a backing band for him. The rotating lineup featured dozens of performers, many of whom became known by nicknames given to them by Beefheart. In 1974, Several members left to form the short-lived group [[Mallard (band)|Mallard]].<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1595}}</ref> In 2003, the Magic Band reformed without Beefheart, who had died in 2010, and continued until 2017.

==Origins==
The members of the original Magic Band had come together in 1964. At this time [[Don Van Vliet]] (later 'Captain Beefheart') was the lead singer of the group, which had been brought together by guitarist and former classmate [[Alex St. Clair]]. As in many emerging groups in California at the time, there were elements of [[Psychedelic music|psychedelia]] and the foundations of contemporary [[hippie]] counterculture. In this early incarnation they were a [[blues-rock]] outfit.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ankeny |first1=Jason |title=Captain Beefheart – Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/captain-beefheart-mn0000988638 |website=AllMusic |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref>

The group was promoted as "Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band", on the premise that Captain Beefheart had "magic powers" and, upon drinking a [[Pepsi]], could summon up "His Magic Band" to appear and perform behind him.<ref>Courtier, Kevin. ''Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica (33{{fraction|1|3}})'', p. 32, London: Continuum Press (2007)</ref> The strands of this logic emanated from Vliet's Beefheart persona having been "written in" as a character in a "teenage operetta" that friend [[Frank Zappa]] had formulated,<ref name="Gruntpeople">{{cite web | url=http://www.beefheart.com/zigzag/gruntpeople/index.html | title=Captain Beefheart vs. the Grunt People | access-date=March 17, 2007 | publisher=The Captain Beefheart Radar Station | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070407111704/http://www.beefheart.com/zigzag/gruntpeople/index.html | archive-date=April 7, 2007 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> along with Van Vliet's renowned "Pepsi moods" with his mother Willie Sue and his generally spoilt teenage demeanor. The name "His Magic Band" changed to "the Magic Band" in 1972.

The group played numerous car-club dances and [[juke joint]] gigs, and won the [[Battle of the Bands]] at the Teenage Fair, an annual event held at the [[Hollywood Palladium]] in the 1960s.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bzj_AgAAQBAJ&q=magic+band+wins+teenage+fair+hollywood+palladium&pg=PT121|title=Beefheart: Through The Eyes of Magic|last=French|first=John "Drumbo"|date=2010-01-11|publisher=Proper Music Publishing|isbn=9780956121240|language=en}}</ref>  In late 1965, with Leonard Grant as their manager, the group landed a contract to record two singles with [[A&M Records]]. Musical relationships had also been struck with members of [[Rising Sons]], who would later feature in the band's recordings. Working with young producer [[David Gates]] opened up horizons for Vliet's skills as a poet-cum-lyricist, with his "Who Do You Think You're Fooling" on the flip side of the band's first single, a cover of the [[Ellas McDaniel]]/[[Willie Dixon]]-penned hit "[[Diddy Wah Diddy]]". 

Fate and circumstance, not for the first time, would befall the band's success upon its release – which coincided with a singles cover of the same song by [[The Remains (band)|the Remains]].<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.discogs.com/Captain-Beefheart-His-Magic-Band-Diddy-Wah-Diddy/master/184483 |title=Beefheart vs The Remains |work=Discogs.com |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> The A&M deal also brought some contention between members of the band, who were torn between being an experimental "pop" group and a purist blues band.

The initial line-up of the Magic Band that entered the studio for the A&M recordings was not that which emerged by the second release, "Moonchild", also backed by a Vliet-penned number, "Frying Pan". The original Magic Band was primarily a [[rhythm and blues]] band, led by St. Clair, along with Doug Moon (guitar), Jerry Handley (bass), and Vic Mortenson (drums), the last being rotated with and finally replaced by Paul "P.G." Blakely. For the first A&M recording, Mortenson had been called up for [[Active duty|active service]] and St. Clairstood in on drums, with a recently recruited Richard Hepner taking up the guitar role. By the time the single was aired on a pop television show, P.G. Blakely was back in the drum seat. He then left for a career in television and was replaced by [[John French (musician)|John French]] by the time the band cut their first album, as the first release on the new [[Buddah Records]] label.

A 12" vinyl 45rpm mono EP/mono mini-cassette tape was released in 1987, with the four tracks of the two singles, plus "Here I Am, I Always Am" as a fifth previously unreleased song. This release was titled ''The Legendary A&M Sessions'', with a red-marbled cover and (later) members Moon, Blakely, Vliet, St. Clair and Handley seated in a "temperance dance band" photo-pose.

Personnel in the Magic Band for Beefheart's first album, ''Safe as Milk'', were Alex St. Clair, Jerry Handley and John French. Earlier meetings with the Rising Sons had secured them the guitar and arranging skills of [[Ry Cooder]], which also brought about input from [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]] on percussion, and guitar work from Cooder's brother-in-law [[Russ Titelman]]. Further guests to this line-up included [[Milt Holland]] on percussion and the all-important and controversial [[theremin]] work on "[[Electricity (Captain Beefheart song)|Electricity]]" by [[Samuel Hoffman]]. It was perhaps this track, above the others, which caused A&M to view the band as "unsuitable" for their label with music that was seen as weird and too psychedelic for popular consumption. A&M dropped them and the album was recorded for [[Buddah Records]], with the band signed to [[Kama Sutra Records]]. 

Most of the tracks on this album were co-written with Van Vliet by [[Herb Bermann]], whom Vliet initially met at a bar gig near Lancaster.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite web |first=Graham |last=Johnston |url=http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/herb1.htm |title=The Captain Beefheart Radar Station – Herb Bermann interview pt 1 |work=Beefheart.com |access-date=February 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020115103/http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/herb1.htm |archive-date=October 20, 2008  }}</ref> Bermann would later write for [[Neil Young]] and script an early [[Steven Spielberg|Spielberg]]-directed television medical drama. [[Gary Marker|Gary "Magic" Marker]] (the "Magic" added by Beefheart) was involved in early session work for this release, with an unfulfilled suggestion that Marker might produce the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Captain-Beefheart-His-Magic-Band-Grow-Fins-Rarities-1965-1982/release/819304 |title=''Grow Fins'' CD box set booklet p.38 [also in vinyl set booklet]. |work=Discogs.com |date=April 3, 2009 |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> Marker would later lay down two uncredited bass tracks for ''Trout Mask Replica'' before being replaced by [[Rockette Morton|Mark Boston]].

French worked on five more Beefheart albums, while St. Clair worked with Beefheart on and off on three more albums. [[Zoot Horn Rollo|Bill Harkleroad]] joined the Magic Band as guitarist for ''Trout Mask Replica'' and stayed with Beefheart through May 1974.

==Relationship with Beefheart==
While appearing humorous and kind-hearted in public, by all accounts Van Vliet was a severe taskmaster who abused his musicians verbally and physically. Vliet once told drummer John French he had been diagnosed as a [[paranoid schizophrenic]] and thus he would see nonexistent conspiracies that explained this behaviour.<ref name="Zappafripp">{{cite web|author=teejo |url=http://www.freewebs.com/teejo/argue/johndress.html |title=Don't argue the Captain |work=Freewebs.com |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> The band members were reportedly paid little or nothing. French recalled that the musicians' contract with Van Vliet's company stipulated that Van Vliet and the managers were paid from gross proceeds before expenses, then expenses were paid, then the band members evenly split any remaining funds—in effect making band members liable for all expenses. As a result, French was paid nothing at all for a 33-city US tour in 1971 and a total of $78 for a tour of Europe and the US in late 1975. In his 2010 memoir ''Beefheart: Through The Eyes of Magic'' French recounted being "...{{nbsp}}screamed at, beaten up, drugged, ridiculed, humiliated, arrested, starved, stolen from, and thrown down a half-flight of stairs by his employer".<ref name="diskant">[http://www.diskant.net/features/john-drumbo-french-through-the-eyes-of-magic-review-and-interview/ "John "Drumbo" French: Through The Eyes Of Magic review and interview"] diskant.net. Retrieved April 7, 2010.</ref>

The musicians also resented Van Vliet for taking complete credit for composition and arranging when the musicians themselves pieced together most of the songs from taped fragments or impressionistic directions such as "Play it like a bat being dragged out of oil and it's trying to survive, but it's dying from asphyxiation."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=axuUrjcnX5sC&q=1844494128|title=Captain Beefheart|publisher=Omnibus Press|last=Barnes |first=Mike|year=2000|isbn=1844494128 |page=59}}</ref> John French summarized the disagreement over composing and arranging credits metaphorically:<ref>{{harvnb|Barnes|2001|pp=815–816}}</ref>{{fails verification|date=March 2025}}

{{blockquote|If Van Vliet built a house like he wrote music, the methodology would go something like this ... The house is sketched on the back of a [[Denny's]] placemat in such an odd fashion that when he presents it to the contractor without plans or research, the contractor says "This structure is going to be hard to build, it's going to be tough to make it safe and stable because it is so unique in design." Van Vliet then yells at the contractor and intimidates him into doing the job anyway. The contractor builds the home, figuring out all the intricacies involved in structural integrity himself because whenever he approaches Van Vliet, he finds that he seems completely unable to comprehend technical problems and just yells, ''"Quit asking me about this stuff and build the damned house."''...When the house is finished no one gets paid, and Van Vliet has a [[housewarming party]], invites none of the builders and tells the guests he built the whole thing himself.}}

Most of the group quit after the recording of ''[[Unconditionally Guaranteed]]'' in 1974, owing to years of allegedly abusive treatment by Beefheart, lack of compensation, and dissatisfaction with his new crossover direction. Beefheart's subsequent recordings in the late 1970s would enlist a new cast of younger musicians under the Magic Band heading.

==Reunion==
Receiving only a "grumpy" reception from Van Vliet,<ref name="diskant"/> the Magic Band re-formed in 2003 with [[John French (musician)|John French]] on drums, lead vocals and harmonica, [[Gary Lucas]] and [[Denny Walley]] on guitars, [[Rockette Morton]] on bass, and [[Robert Williams (drummer)|Robert Williams]] on drums for the vocal numbers. The impetus came from [[Matt Groening]], who wanted them to play at the [[All Tomorrows Parties festival]], which he was curating. For their subsequent European tour, Williams left and was replaced by Michael Traylor.

[[John Peel]] was initially skeptical about the re-formed Magic Band. However, after he aired a live recording of the band playing at the 2003 All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) festival on his radio show, he was at a loss for words and had to put on another record to regain his composure. In 2004 the band did a live session for him at his home "Peel Acres".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/2000s/2004/ |title=Radio 1 – Keeping It Peel – Sessions – 2004 |publisher=BBC |access-date=February 11, 2010}}</ref> They played over 30 shows throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, and one in the United States.<ref name="beefheart2006">{{cite web |url=http://www.beefheart.com/blog/2006/09/magic-memories.html |title=Captain Beefheart Up Sifter: Magic memories |work=Beefheart.com |access-date=February 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817131033/http://www.beefheart.com/blog/2006/09/magic-memories.html |archive-date=August 17, 2009  }}</ref> They also released two albums: ''Back to the Front'' (on the London-based [[ATP Recordings]], 2003) and the live album ''21st Century Mirror Men'' (2005).

The group disbanded in 2006 but re-formed in 2011, with Lucas and Traylor replaced by Eric Klerks and Craig Bunch respectively, to play at ATP once again. which was due to take place in November.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atpfestival.com/events/jeffmangum.php |title=ATP curated by Jeff Mangum |work=Atpfestival.com |access-date=July 18, 2011}}</ref> The festival was postponed until the following March but they honored the other UK and Ireland dates which had been booked to coincide with it, the new line-up being dubbed "The Best Batch Yet". They returned to play the rescheduled ATP and more UK gigs in March 2012, followed by a European tour in September and October. They toured Europe again in 2013 and 2014.

The re-formed band's repertoire was initially drawn mainly from the ''[[Clear Spot]]'' and ''[[Trout Mask Replica]]'' albums, with some of the latter's songs performed as instrumentals, allowing the intricacy of the instrumental parts to be heard, where they had previously been obscured by Beefheart's vocals. During subsequent tours the setlist was expanded to include a more representative selection of Beefheart's repertoire. French described the set as "a play which should be rolled out from time to time".

==Members==
{{div col}}
===Original run===
====Classic era====
* [[Alex St. Clair]] – guitar, drums, musical director {{small|(1964–68; 1972–74; died 2006)}}
* Jerry Handley – bass {{small|(1964–68)}}
* [[John French (musician)|John French]] (Drumbo) – drums, vocals, guitar, musical director {{small|(1966–69; 1970–71; 1975–76; 1977; 1980)}}
* [[Jeff Cotton]] (Antennae Jimmy Semens) – guitar, slide guitar, vocals {{small|(1967–69)}}
* [[Zoot Horn Rollo|Bill Harkleroad]] (Zoot Horn Rollo) – guitar, slide guitar, musical director {{small|(1968–74)}}
* [[Rockette Morton|Mark Boston]] (Rockette Morton) – bass, guitar {{small|(1968–74)}}
* [[The Mascara Snake|Victor Hayden]] (The Mascara Snake) – bass clarinet {{small|(1968–69; died 2018)}}
* [[Art Tripp]] (Ed Marimba) – drums, marimba, percussion, piano, harpsichord {{small|(1969–74; session guest:1969, 1978)}}
* [[Elliot Ingber]] (Winged Eel Fingerling) – guitar {{small|(1970–71; 1971–72; 1974–76; died 2025)}}
* [[Roy Estrada]] (Oréjon) – bass {{small|(1972–73; session guest:1969)}}

====Others====
* Doug Moon – guitar {{small|(1964–67; session guest:1969)}}
* Paul G. Blakely – drums {{small|(1964–65; 1966; died 1995)}}
* Vic Mortenson – drums {{small|(1965)}}
* Richard Hepner – guitar {{small|(1965–66)}}
* [[Ry Cooder]] – guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1967)}}
* Gerry McGee – guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1967; died 2019)}}
* [[Gary Marker|Gary "Magic" Marker]] – bass {{small|(1968; died 2015)}}
* Jeff Burchell – drums {{small|(1969)}}
* [[Bruce Fowler]] (Fossil) – trombone, air bass {{small|(1975–76; 1978–80)}}
* Greg Davidson (Ella Guru) – guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1975)}}
* [[Jimmy Carl Black]] (Indian Ink) – drums, percussion {{small|(1975; session guest:1969; died 2008)}}
* [[Denny Walley]] (Feelers Rebo) – guitar, slide guitar, accordion {{small|(1975–78)}}
* [[Moris Tepper|Jeff Moris Tepper]] (White Jew) – guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1976–82)}}
* John Thomas – keyboards {{small|(1976)}}
* [[Eric Drew Feldman]] (Black Jew Kittaboo) – bass, keyboards {{small|(1976–81; session guest:1982)}}
* Gary Jaye – drums {{small|(1976–77; died 2011)}}
* [[Robert Williams (drummer)|Robert Williams]] (Wait For Me) – drums, percussion {{small|(1977–81)}}
* Richard Redus (Mercury Josef) – guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1978–79)}}
* Richard Snyder (Brave Midnight Hat Size) – guitar, slide guitar, bass, marimba, viola {{small|(1980–82)}}
* [[Gary Lucas]] – guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1980–82)}}
* [[Cliff Martinez]] – drums, percussion, glass washboard {{small|(1981–82)}}

===Reunion era===
====Current====
* [[John French (musician)|John French]] – drums, vocals, saxophone, guitar, harmonica {{small|(1966–69; 1970–71; 1975–76; 1977; 1980; 2003–2017)}}
* [[Rockette Morton|Mark Boston]] – bass, guitar {{small|(1968–74; 2003–2017)}}
* Eric Klerks – guitar, bass, [[iPad]] {{small|(2009–2017)}}
* Andrew Niven – drums {{small|(2013–2017)}}
* Max Kutner – guitar {{small|(2014–2017)}}
* Jonathan Sindleman – keyboards {{small|(2016–2017)<ref name="beefheart.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.beefheart.com/the-magic-band-farewell-tour-2017/|title = The Magic Band Farewell Tour 2017 – Captain Beefheart Radar Station}}</ref>}}

====Past====
* [[Denny Walley]] – guitar, slide guitar, accordion {{small|(1975–78; 2003–14)}}
* [[Robert Williams (drummer)|Robert Williams]] – drums, percussion {{small|(1977–81; 2003)}}
* [[Gary Lucas]] –guitar, slide guitar {{small|(1980–82; 2003–09)}}
* Michael Traylor – drums {{small|(2003–09)}}
* Craig Bunch – drums {{small|(2009–13)}}
* Brian Havey – keyboards {{small|(2016)}}
{{div col end}}

===Classic era (1964-82)===
{{#tag:timeline|
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 at:15/04/1974
 at:15/11/1974
 at:15/10/1978
 at:15/08/1980
 at:15/09/1982

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 bar:Gates text:"David Gates"
 bar:Cooder text:"Ry Cooder"
 bar:McGee text:"Gerry McGee"
 bar:Cotton text:"Jeff Cotton"
 bar:Harkleroad text:"Bill Harkleroad"
 bar:Underwood text:"Ian Underwood"
 bar:EIngber text:"Elliot Ingber"
 bar:Smith text:"Dean Smith"
 bar:Fuscaldo text:"Fuzzy Fuscaldo"
 bar:Davidson text:"Greg Davidson"
 bar:Walley text:"Denny Walley"
 bar:Tepper text:"Jeff Moris Tepper"
 bar:Redus text:"Richard Redus"
 bar:Snyder text:"Richard Snyder"
 bar:Lucas text:"Gary Lucas"
 bar:Handley text:"Jerry Handley"
 bar:Marker text:"Gary Marker"
 bar:Boston text:"Mark Boston"
 bar:Estrada text:"Roy Estrada"
 bar:Uhrig text:"Paul Uhrig"
 bar:IIngber text:"Ira Ingber"
 bar:Fowler text:"Bruce Fowler"
 bar:Feldman text:"Eric Drew Feldman"
 bar:Blakely text:"PG Blakely"
 bar:Mortenson text:"Vic Mortenson"
 bar:French text:"John French"
 bar:Burchell text:"Jeff Burchell"
 bar:Tripp text:"Art Tripp"
 bar:Grimes text:"Ty Grimes"
 bar:Pello text:"Gene Pello"
 bar:Black text:"Jimmy Carl Black"
 bar:Jaye text:"Gary Jaye"
 bar:Williams text:"Robert Williams"
 bar:Martinez text:"Cliff Martinez"
 bar:Grasso text:"Tom Grasso"
 bar:Smotherman text:"Michael Smotherman"
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 bar:French from:01/04/1970 till:01/09/1971 color:Vocals width:3
 bar:French from:01/04/1970 till:01/09/1971 color:Percussion width:7
 bar:Tripp from:01/04/1970 till:01/09/1971 color:Percussion
 bar:Tripp from:01/04/1970 till:01/09/1971 color:Drums width:3
 bar:Tripp from:01/05/1971 till:01/09/1971 color:Keyboards width:7
 bar:Tripp from:01/09/1971 till:15/03/1974 color:Drums
 bar:Tripp from:01/09/1971 till:15/03/1974 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:Grimes from:15/03/1974 till:01/10/1974 color:Drums
 bar:Grimes from:01/10/1974 till:01/11/1974 color:Percussion
 bar:Grimes from:01/10/1974 till:01/11/1974 color:Drums width:3
 bar:Pello from:01/10/1974 till:01/11/1974 color:Drums
 bar:French from:01/06/1975 till:01/05/1976 color:Drums
 bar:French from:01/06/1975 till:01/05/1976 color:Vocals width:3
 bar:French from:01/06/1975 till:01/05/1976 color:Percussion width:5
 bar:French from:01/06/1975 till:01/05/1976 color:Guitar width:7
 bar:Black from:01/06/1975 till:01/08/1975 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:Black from:01/06/1975 till:01/08/1975 color:Drums
 bar:Jaye from:01/05/1976 till:01/07/1977 color:Drums
 bar:Jaye from:01/05/1976 till:01/07/1977 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:French from:01/07/1977 till:01/08/1977 color:Drums
 bar:French from:01/07/1977 till:01/08/1977 color:Vocals width:3
 bar:French from:01/07/1977 till:01/08/1977 color:Percussion width:7
 bar:Williams from:01/08/1977 till:30/01/1981 color:Drums
 bar:Williams from:01/08/1977 till:30/01/1981 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:French from:01/01/1980 till:01/10/1980 color:Guitar
 bar:French from:01/01/1980 till:01/10/1980 color:Vocals width:3
 bar:French from:01/01/1980 till:01/10/1980 color:Percussion width:5
 bar:French from:01/01/1980 till:01/10/1980 color:Bass width:7
 bar:Martinez from:30/01/1981 till:01/08/1982 color:Drums
 bar:Martinez from:30/01/1981 till:01/08/1982 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:Grasso from:01/10/1969 till:15/10/1969 color:Keyboards
 bar:Smotherman from:15/03/1974 till:01/11/1974 color:Keyboards
 bar:Gibbons from:01/10/1974 till:01/11/1974 color:Keyboards
 bar:Thomas from:01/02/1976 till:01/05/1976 color:Keyboards
 bar:Hayden from:01/09/1968 till:28/10/1969 color:Woodwinds
 bar:Simmons from:15/03/1974 till:01/10/1974 color:Woodwinds
 bar:Simmons from:15/03/1974 till:01/10/1974 color:Horns width:3
}}

===Reunion era (2003-17)===
{{#tag:timeline|
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PlotArea = left:120 bottom:90 top:0 right:10
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat  = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2017
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:2003
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:2003

Colors =
 id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals,_saxophone,_harmonica
 id:Guitars value:green legend:Guitars
 id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
 id:Keyboards value:purple legend:Keyboards
 id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
 id:Percussion value:claret legend:Percussion
 id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album
 id:Bars value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData =
 layer:back
 color:studio
 at:07/08/2003
 at:09/12/2005

BarData =
 bar:Drumbo text:"John French"
 bar:Walley text:"Denny Walley"
 bar:Gary text:"Gary Lucas"
 bar:Klerks text:"Eric Klerks"
 bar:Kutner text:"Max Kutner"
 bar:Boston text:"Mark Boston"
 bar:Havey text:"Brian Havey"
 bar:Sindleman text:"Jonathan Sindleman"
 bar:Williams text:"Robert Williams"
 bar:Traylor text:"Michael Traylor"
 bar:Bunch text:"Craig Bunch"
 bar:Niven text:"Andrew Niven"

PlotData=
 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,–4)
 bar:Drumbo from:start till:end color:Vocals width:3
 bar:Drumbo from:start till:end color:Drums
 bar:Drumbo from:start till:end color:Guitars width:7
 bar:Walley from:start till:06/01/2014 color:Guitars
 bar:Walley from:start till:06/01/2014 color:Keyboards width:3
 bar:Gary from:start till:06/01/2009 color:Guitars
 bar:Klerks from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Guitars
 bar:Klerks from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Bass width:3
 bar:Kutner from:06/01/2014 till:end color:Guitars
 bar:Boston from:start till:end color:Bass
 bar:Boston from:start till:end color:Guitars width:3
 bar:Havey from:01/01/2016 till:06/01/2016 color:Keyboards
 bar:Sindleman from:06/01/2016 till:end color:Keyboards
 bar:Williams from:start till:06/01/2003 color:Drums
 bar:Williams from:start till:06/01/2003 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:Traylor from:06/01/2003 till:06/01/2009 color:Drums
 bar:Traylor from:06/01/2003 till:06/01/2009 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:Bunch from:06/01/2009 till:06/01/2013 color:Drums
 bar:Bunch from:06/01/2009 till:06/01/2013 color:Percussion width:3
 bar:Niven from:06/01/2013 till:end color:Drums
 bar:Niven from:06/01/2013 till:end color:Percussion width:3

}}

==Discography==
{{Main|Captain Beefheart discography}}
With Captain Beefheart:
{| style="width:100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|- valign="top"
|style="width:50%"|
* ''[[Safe as Milk]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Mirror Man (Captain Beefheart album)|Mirror Man]]'' (1967, released 1971)
* ''[[Strictly Personal]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Trout Mask Replica]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Lick My Decals Off, Baby]]'' (1970)
* ''[[The Spotlight Kid]]'' (1972, credited to Beefheart solely)
* ''[[Clear Spot]]'' (1972)
|style="width:50%"|
* ''[[Unconditionally Guaranteed]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Bluejeans & Moonbeams]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Bat Chain Puller]]'' (1976, released 2012)
* ''[[Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)]]'' (1978)
* ''[[Doc at the Radar Station]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Ice Cream for Crow]]'' (1982)
|}

The Magic Band solo:
* ''[[Back to the Front]]'' (2003)
* ''21st Century Mirror Men'' (2005)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{AllMusic}}
*{{Discogs artist}}
*{{MusicBrainz artist}}
{{Captain Beefheart}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Band, The}}
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1964]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1981]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2003]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2017]]
[[Category:Surrealist groups]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2017 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:ATP Recordings artists]]
[[Category:Proper Records artists]]
[[Category:Virgin Records artists]]
[[Category:Dandelion Records artists]]
[[Category:Let Them Eat Vinyl artists]]