Zoot Horn Rollo
With Captain Beefheart and his Magic BandLeeds University May 1973Photo: Alastair Thompson
With Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band
Leeds University May 1973
Photo: Alastair Thompson
Background information
Birth nameBill Harkleroad
Also known asZoot Horn Rollo
Born (1949-01-08) January 8, 1949
Palmdale, California
United States
GenresExperimental rock, rock, blues
Occupation(s)Musician, instructor, producer
Instrument(s)Guitar, mandolin, accordion
Years active1968–present
LabelsStraight, Reprise, Proper
Websitewww.zoothornrollo.com

Bill Harkleroad (born January 8, 1949), known professionally as Zoot Horn Rollo,[1] is an American guitarist. He is best known for his work with Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band. In 2003, he was ranked No. 62 in a Rolling Stone magazine list of "the 100 greatest guitarists of all time".[2]

Early life

Born in Hawthorne, California, Harkleroad was trained as an accordionist as a child but changed to guitar in his teens.

Career

In nearby Lancaster, California, he became involved in local bands. With a future member of the Magic Band, Mark Boston, he joined a band named B.C. & The Cavemen (with Ernie Wood, vocals/guitar and Bruce Newkirk, drums). The two later played in the group Blues in a Bottle along with the future Magic Band guitarist Jeff Cotton. He joined the Magic Band in 1968 after the departure of Alex St. Clair.

After recording Trout Mask Replica and several further albums, he left in 1974, with several other band members, to form Mallard. His book, Lunar Notes, describes some of the tensions that contributed to the split between Captain Beefheart and the other band members.

After the break up of Mallard, Harkleroad had a limited involvement with the music community as a performer. He continued his involvement in another capacity, however, as a record store manager and guitar instructor in Eugene, Oregon.

On November 27, 2001, he released We Saw a Bozo Under the Sea. In 2008, John French (a.k.a. Drumbo) released an album City of Refuge on which Harkleroad played guitar on all twelve tracks.

In 2003, he was ranked No. 62 in a Rolling Stone magazine list of "the 100 greatest guitarists of all time".[2]

In 2013, Harkleroad contributed lead guitar to a psychobilly track on the Eugene-based band Cherry Poppin' Daddies' album White Teeth, Black Thoughts.

Discography

With Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Studio albums

Year Title Notes Magic Band personnel
1968 Strictly Personal
  • Released in October 1968
  • Label: Blue Thumb (US), Liberty (UK)
  • John French
  • Alex St. Clair
  • Jeff Cotton
  • Jerry Handley
1969 Trout Mask Replica
  • Released on June 16, 1969
  • Label: Straight
  • John French
  • Jeff Cotton
  • Bill Harkleroad
  • Mark Boston
  • Victor Hayden
1970 Lick My Decals Off, Baby
  • Released in December 1970
  • Label: Straight
  • John French
  • Bill Harkleroad
  • Mark Boston
  • Art Tripp
1971 Mirror Man
  • Released in April 1971 (recorded 1967)
  • Label: Buddah
  • John French
  • Alex St. Clair
  • Jeff Cotton
  • Jerry Handley
1972 The Spotlight Kid
  • Released in January 1972
  • Label: Reprise
  • John French
  • Bill Harkleroad
  • Mark Boston
  • Art Tripp
  • Elliot Ingber
1972 Clear Spot
  • Released in October 1972
  • Label: Reprise
  • Bill Harkleroad
  • Mark Boston
  • Art Tripp
  • Roy Estrada
1974 Unconditionally Guaranteed
  • Released in April 1974
  • Label: Mercury (US), Virgin (UK)
  • Bill Harkleroad
  • Mark Boston
  • Alex St. Clair
  • Mark Marcellino
  • Art Tripp

Singles

Year Single Album
1970 "Pachuco Cadaver" / "Wild Life" Trout Mask Replica
1972 "Too Much Time" / "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains" Clear Spot
1974 "Upon the My-O-My" / "Magic Be" Unconditionally Guaranteed

With Mallard

  • 1975 Mallard
  • 1976 In a Different Climate

Solo

  • 2001 We Saw a Bozo Under the Sea
  • 2014 Masks

Bibliography

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

References

  1. ↑ "Zoot Horn Rollo, horoscope for birth date 8 January 1949, born in Long Beach, with Astrodatabank biography - Astro-Databank". Astro.com. October 24, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "62: Zoot Horn Rollo". The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
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