Dating from 1958 or '59, this spectacular item, according to FZ, probably marks the recorded blues-singing debut of the teenaged, yet-to-be-christened Captain Beefheart, Don Van Vliet. It was taped in an empty classroom at Antelope Valley Jr. College in Lancaster, Calif., with FZ on lead guitar (an instrument with which he had been acquainted for only about six months), and Frank's former guitar teacher, brother Bobby, on rhythm guitar. (...) The tale of a lover spurned in rather surreal fashion, "Whirlpool's" lyrics were improvised by Vliet (...). Said Vliet: "Frank and I had a good time. We were just fooling around."
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