Rockette Morton

In 1963, after moving to Lancaster, California, Boston joined up with future Magic Band member Bill Harkleroad (aka Zoot Horn Rollo) in a band named B.C. & the Cavemen.

He was given the nickname "Rockette Morton" by Captain Beefheart after becoming a member of the Magic Band. Morton played on five of Beefheart's albums: Trout Mask Replica (produced by Frank Zappa in 1969), Lick My Decals Off Baby (1970), The Spotlight Kid (1972), Clear Spot (1972) and Unconditionally Guaranteed (1974). He originally played bass guitar, but switched to rhythm guitar after bassist Roy Estrada joined the band.

File:Rockette Morton and Feelers Rebus.jpg AKA Feelers Rebo at The Fleece, Bristol, in 2013]]

In the book Lunar Notes: Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience, guitarist Bill Harkleroad details some of the tensions that arose between Beefheart and members of the band. These tensions led to a split in 1974, when Rockette Morton left to form Mallard with bandmates John French, Bill Harkleroad, and Art Tripp. Mallard released two albums, Mallard (1975) and In A Different Climate (1976). Following the band's demise, Morton continued performing in various groups as guitarist and bassist.

Morton released a solo album, Love Space, in 2003, about which he wrote: "If you enjoy listening to this music even half as much as I enjoyed recording it, I did my job."{{cite web|title=LoveSpace liner notes|url=http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rockette|website=CD Baby}} It was recorded at his music studio in Aiken, South Carolina.

Prior to the album's release he was featured in an article in the music magazine Stomp & Stammer (October 2002), titled "The Ring of Rockette Morton", in which he self-identified as "a space nut" and being "pro-space". He was 52 years old at the time and was living in a mobile home, decorated with alien and rocket ship models.{{cite journal|last1=Calder|first1=Jeff|title=THE RING OF ROCKETTE MORTON|journal=Stomp & Stammer|date=October 2002|volume=7|issue=12|url=http://www.swimmingpoolqs.com/jeff-calders-personal-archive/the-ring-of-rockette-morton/|access-date=15 October 2014}}

In 2003 Morton and other former members of the Magic Band regrouped and embarked on a world tour, performing Captain Beefheart's music. They have continued to tour regularly as the Magic Band since then.

• Trout Mask Replica (1969)
• Lick My Decals Off, Baby (1970)
• The Spotlight Kid (1972)
• Clear Spot (1972)
• Unconditionally Guaranteed (1974)

• Mallard
• In a Different Climate

• Love Space (2003)

• Ant-Bee: Electronic Church Muzik (Barking Moondog, 2011)

{{Reflist}}

• Harkleroad, Bill (1998). Lunar Notes: Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience. Interlink Publishing. {{ISBN|0-946719-21-7}}.

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050819093335/http://www.beefheart.com/datharp/albums/mbmembers/boston.htm Extensive Biographical Information]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090424085729/http://www.tedalvy.com/mallard.htm Mallard (band) web pages online since 1995]

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{{Captain Beefheart}}

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Category:1949 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Salem, Illinois

Category:American rock bass guitarists

Category:American male bass guitarists

Category:The Magic Band members

Category:American rock guitarists

Category:American rhythm guitarists

Category:20th-century American guitarists