Peter's music has been heard on hundreds of radio stations and has been on SiriusXM rotation for over a decade. As a multi-award winning artist, Peter's music has also topped Billboard's Classical and Crossover charts.
For Captain Beefheart, a maverick-artist-musician, who was not just a complicated man but highly demanding and by most accounts very difficult to deal with. It was appropriate that Beefheart's Magic Band was to prominently feature a bassist as accomplished, bold and adventurous as Mark Boston, a.k.a Rockette Morton.
Born on July 14, 1949, Mark began life in the small town of Salem, Illinois before his family moved out to Lancaster, California when he was 13. With a bassist and steel player for a father, Mark gained a great appreciation for country and bluegrass along with the R&B and rock’n’roll that was on the rise. Within a year of the Boston clan moving out to Lancaster, Mark befriended a young guitarist by the name of Bill Harkleroad.
At a time when the bass guitar was seen as the dummy’s instrument, Mark left quite an impression on Bill with his talent and equipment, leading to the two joining forces to form BC And The Cavemen. With Mark’s mother sewing some outfits for them, the band developed a decent reputation, and the two would also play in a band with Jeff Cotton and John French known as Blues In A Bottle. And then a local hero came calling. Or perhaps screaming and howling!
In that same Lancaster scene, Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band were making a big splash as a top flight blues rock outfit, with 'Safe As Milk' having made a strong impression and 'Strictly Personal' being a strong record as well. But even with a sound that was speaking to people, one that perhaps would have been a more pragmatic one as far as a career goes, Don Van Vliet just wasn’t meant for conventional norms.
The Captain had all these ideas, ideas far too out for many, including early members. He needed new musicians, younger and more impressionable ones that wouldn’t object to his ideas. Already having John and Jeff in the band, now 'Drumbo' and Antennae Jimmy Semens, he then recruited Bill, dubbed Zoot Horn Rollo. And on bass, he found Mark Boston, who took the name Rockette Morton due to his love of outer space. And the classic Magic Band was born.
Trout Mask Replica (TMR) wasn’t an easy album to make. Yet even with all the bizarre ideas and the difficulty in preparing those ideas into music, Mark was a total champ through it all. The Beefheart sound is one of great dichotomy, and Mark can capture all of it. He’s so tight and precise, and yet there’s this raw grit and dirt. He’s highly intelligent and sophisticated in his playing, and yet there remains this childlike sense of wonder and curiosity.
He takes after all the great traditional American music, yet out into a whole other realm of time and space. The bass traditionally serves the role of grounding the harmony while locking in with the drums to provide a foundation, yet Mark’s playing often serves as another melody line in the music. In a lot of ways, he’s like a third guitarist that just happens to be playing bass.
The TMR on its own is a legacy few can compete with, and yet Mark contributed to more classic records like "Lick My Decals Off, Baby", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Clear Spot". There on Decals, you get the equivalent of Godfather II. With Mother Art Tripp on marimba and drums rather Jeff on guitar, you get an album that captures a great deal of TMR's brilliance while being brilliant in its own unique way.
Then you get to 'The Spotlight Kid', with bass godliness on cuts like “When It Blows Its Stack”, resulting in a bass solo that often opened shows, yet Mark proves himself just as talented on traditional in-the-pocket styles as demonstrated on cuts like “I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby”. And that thing about bassists being failed guitarists? In the 'Clear Spot', with Mark taking guitar and the rhythm section now being a mini Mothers reunion of Art and Roy Estrada, yet nobody missed a beat. Throughout the record, Bill and Mark’s kinship really shines, their weaving right there with what Bill and Jeff had done, or what was done with Alex St Clair early on.
Of course, dealing with Don was quite a task of its own, so it’s inevitable that Mark and the others would all end up departing by 1974. He and Bill soon formed a group of their own called Mallard. For two albums, the first with Art and having some writing help from John French 'Drumbo', Mallard showed itself a pretty decent blues rock outfit. And giving that it was Mark who finally had a chance to create something that was truly his own rather than helping some achieve their vision, it’s understandably the work that he takes pride in. And over time, he’d end up making a solo record and create some cool artwork of his own, as well as performing with 'Drumbo' in the reformed Magic Band, allowing the music to live and breathe on stage again.
If you’re a Beefheart fan, how can you not love Rockette Morton? Not only a uniquely talented bass player but such a great stage presence full of joy, along with a lovably quirky personality and such a sweet guy. Easily one of my favorites from Magic Band members, you can’t help but smile when thinking about Mark. He’s been through some rough weather, including his health scares, and yet he’s still the same Mark we’ve known and loved all the years.
Happy birthday Mark! Thank you for all you have given us and look forward to more.
___________________
Patrick Moore is a freehand drawing artist and freelance music writer.
The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: When you think of cab and truck driving, you think of Punjabis. Canada is no exception. In fact, Punjabis claim to dominate the trucking industry in Canada.
Nachhattar Singh Chohan, Toronto area’s known community leader who is the founder president of the Indian Trucking Association, is one such typical success story in the trucking industry in Canada.
``We Punjabis control more than 60 percent of all trucking operations in Canada. There is a perpetual shortage of truck drivers and mechanics and new Punjabi immigrants fill this need,’’ says Chohan who came to Canada in 1980 from Budhi Pind near Hoshiarpur in Punjab.
Like any new immigrant, he says he too struggled in his earlier years as he worked in factories before finding his true calling – trucking.
``When I started my own company in the mid-1990s, there were only a few Indians in this business. Punjabis are famous for one thing – if one starts something, everyone follows him. That’s how they have entered the trucking business here and virtually taken over it,’’ says Chohan who operates his own fleet of truck-trailers under the name of CH TransX.
[caption id="attachment_77599" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Nachhattar Singh Chohan.[/caption]
Explaining the fascination of even well-qualified Punjabi immigrants for the trucking business, he says, ``Punjabi immigrants come to Canada to make money and make it very fast. But the only jobs available to them are in factories where they can’t make more than $400 to $500 week. However, as a trucker driver, they can easily make between $4,000 and $5,000 a month. I have drivers who make even up to $7,000 a month. From truck driving, many have gone on to start own transport companies.’’
Giving another reason, he says, ``Trucking is a tough business. But Punjabi immigrants are ready to rough it out. That’s they have succeeded beyond any imagination. Some of them have even more than 500 truck-trailers today. We have created thousands of jobs for Canada.’’
Chohan’s own story is typical of most Punjabi truckers in Canada. ``I worked with a brake manufacturing companies for 13 years - from 1980 to 1993. While working in that company, I got an offer from the Toronto Star newspaper to become their delivery man. Initially, they gave me their own delivery van. After some time, they asked me to buy a van and then they asked me to buy a bigger truck to delivery more newspapers. When I went to buy the truck, the dealer charged $25,000. But the dealer had bought it for just $10,000 from a transport company. I happened to meet the man who had sold this truck to the dealer. He offered to sell second-hand trucks directly to me at a much cheaper rate. I said okay. That’s how I started in trucking. First, I bought four trucks from him and then kept adding.’’
[caption id="attachment_77600" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Nachhattar Singh Chohan in his office in Mississauga.[/caption]
He says his reputation as a community leader started fetching him freight orders from major companies.
But as his trucking business grew, Chohan says he personally became familiar with the problems faced by Punjabi truckers at the hands of the transport, police and border officials.
``That’s why formed the Indian Trucking Association in 2008. The mainstream media and government officials interacted with us as they wanted to educate themselves about our problems.’’ Though not all their problems have been solved, they pay attention to our grievances, he says.
``The growth of the trucking industry around the Punjabi community has also fostered a sense of identity and togetherness among our people,’’ claims Chohan who for years sponsored Canada’s hugely successful TV programme called Insight Into Sikhism. (Updated version from the first article that appeared on December 12, 2016)
READ NEXT: Don't make the mistake of migrating to Canada, it's fool's paradise
READ NEXT: How Punjabi in Canada became the third most spoken language
Mike: they got over a billion people, their like rabbits, I'm not racist but we need to share the earth not dominate it.
Mike: This is an old conversation so it will go unnoticed. You won't for long.
Altaf ali: hyy sir i am Altaf ali
leave in Jammu City
i am heavy vehicles driver
i am passed 12 with medical stream
i need job in driver canada
my whatsapp number and calling
8825083126
Thomas: Yes Gene you hit the nail on the head, I'm a licensed private investigator and white living in the gta I saw alot of sketchy things, in Brampton the private driving Schools charge very little for training in regular licensing (cars) the instructors are paying the testing agents to pass the students, as far as truck driving there is huge potential for smuggling you name it they'll smuggle it, you don't see it on the news but it's quite predominate
Anti Indian: It's frigging Trudeau's fault. he got so much money from them when him and his family visited Punjab. They are like roaches.
Dave: concur
Revving Up the Engines, Part 3 of The Great Canadian Protest – CollinWynter.Org: […] the #vaccinevendetta, one wonders? Rupa Subramanya provides an expose into the truckers which is dominated by Punjabi drivers- the south asian face of white supremacy, apparently- and notes of the Freedom […]
Richard.martin: And, their spelling and grammar is so.. irritating. Those idiots seem so patronising. This is among their pathetic skills.
Rick: If Punjab is so good, let them go and live there.
Wayne Curr: These cunts are doing the same here in Australia
sajid abbas: respected sir Peace be upon you.
i am sajid abbas and am 38 y/O and am from pakistan.i alredy do job in (IESCO) islamabad electric supply company as a line man assistant.
i send my CV on many websites of canada for relevant job for last 2 years but no reply.the salary i got 38,000pkr is not enough for me and my family in pakistan that,s why i trye to go canada for any other helper job but no one help me.
pleas sir help me if you can.
i do anything leagal for my family becous am a hard worker.
6e: Tery ma di laan penchod!!!
Jasvir singh khalsa: Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh ji..
sir, i am living in punjab.i m complete my study.i have a licence and i am totally intrested in driving.i want to become a successfull person so i can give my parents all the happiness..plzz give me a one chance..thanks..cont.70352-00065
Gene: They underbid all the jobs, imported drivers from India (sometimes housing up to 10 at a time), got their licences given to them for a fee and took over the industry. Now the roads are unsafe and the government won’t do a damn thing about it.
Our provincial government did nothing and made matters worse by allow private run businesses to hand out licenses and they couldn’t keep up with the corruption from India. Now these companies only hire if your skin is brown and you work for nothing.
Diversity is division and importing voters is the work of a tyrant leader. Canada is finished because we have no spirit of fight in us.
Hardeep Singh: Hanji Mai India toh wa I want immigrate to Canada as heavy truck driver I have experience of 25 - 29. Years I malso a Sikh who wants immigrate with loyal regional sikhism people at Canada for a good carrier ,/MOB. 9304390273
Navjot singh: Sir, I need a truck driver job in canada
Plz help me & support me.
I will work very hard .
Mb.9981003986
Email [email protected]
Gurtej singh: I want to talke to you .plz give me u r mobile number .or plz call me my mobile no 91 9814101944 .
Steve: As a driver of 28 years we wonder why are highways the way they are these. It's because of these ragheads and pakis that so many rules and regulations have been brought in that makes it so that nobody wants to drive anymore. It's too bad our government can admit it. Because that wouldn't be politically correct and they would look like the racist even though it's the truth. And nobody has the balls to say it. They're always on their phones and they are a menace on our highways
Richard: That’s exactly why there has been such a increase in accidents. Move freight as cheap as possible. Good drivers aren’t cheap and cheap drivers aren’t good. Until the government does something about this, the deaths on our hwys will continue to increase.
Richard: It's the need for GREED that leaves most indian drivers in the ditch, most of you drive too fast for winter conditions and end up killing yourselves or other innocent people on the roads.
You don't dominate anything, and write-ups like this are why you are stereotyped.
Stop bragging about the money you make and start training your drivers to obey the rules and use speed limiters like you are supposed to.
In the trucking industry, indians are the most made fun of because of your poor track record for safety.
Maybe it's time you stop looking at it like it's a cash cow and start respecting the industry.
Jeff: As a firefighter I can honestly say that the majority of the accidents that we go to that involve a semi, there will be an Indian driving and doing something wrong.
Dean Stretch: Punjab’s applying for driving jobs, CANADA IS FULL. you have killed enough Canadians
The Boohaw: Eggsaladactly ! I was born and live in Saskatchewan -have been trucking for 15 years-the last 10 in my own rig- they're an unsafe plague-in a world where safety is absolutely number one why does our government insist on handing out licenses to the very people who have the worst driving records-quit hiding the facts Trudumb- #still waiting for the investigation facts from the tragic Humboldt bus crash it's been 8 months-we won't forget no matter how long you try to hide them. Considering who wrote this article my comments will probably never make it here
Charlotte MacDonald: If I start a Canadian Truck Driver group.....I will be called racist and discrimination will be screamed out loud.....thank you so much for migrating here and like you said "taking over"....I really appreciate putting years behind the wheel for nothing!
Dennis: Thanks for sharing that important bit!!
Vinod kumar: I need a driver job sir plz help me I am in Indian my mobile number 7899083258
Mohammed Asif: I am truck driver 10 wheels ,12 wheels ,22wheels .I want a job in your company .pls sir don't underestimate me .I will best hard work.
jasbir singh: Sikh Punjabis only. Other Punjabis are negligible in number.
Colin: I am of the understanding that most of the accidents in Ontario are caused by Punjab drivers. I work in Western Canada and they are taking over the Trucking industry here also. I get really annoyed when I am driving along and have to slow down to 70 KPH because the truck in front of me is doing this. There is a very light dusting of snow on the road and these Idiots are white knuckle driving because they are scared to death. On the Coke they are sitting at the bottom of the smasher and all the wheels are smoking and they are standing outside with a fire extinguisher and the guys at the Hope Scales are sitting and waiting for them. They are taking over the Industry at Trimac and Seaboard Transport. They will work for basically nothing and there is no chance of a rate increase because, well if you won't do it I will get these guys to do it for basically nothing.
Kenton Plett: I know this fellow some. He told me more of his story. Yes he started for Canada Post years ago. Eventually he bought his own truck. But he put the same license plate on his big truck and never got his AZ for 10 years before he got caught. He also told me that he currently keeps buying up small one owner trucking companies so that when his safety record gets too bad with his current operating name he can flip all the trucks and get a fresh start. His words,not mine. Listen folks...collisions with big trucks is up 38% this year in Ontario. And they have a 60% share in the business. These are the facts the media won't say. I reckon this comment won't stay up either.
Rob: Punjabis are destroying the trucking industry in Canada...they are the worst and most dangerous steering wheel holders in the country!
Ship each and everyone of them back to India!
Sanjib dolui: Live in India with old parent & wife they depent only on me because I am middle class family. Sir need support. 12th passed. Experience 3yrs transport driving .age 39yrs.
Amit Chadha: I want to come to CANADA as a Truck Driver . I want to earn a lot of money so that I could give my family the best life. Also I'm eager to serve the country , CANADA.
ranjodh singh: i am ranjodh singh truck driver my driving licence uae dubai da hai my school study 12th my content no.+918725046710
Shailender partap singh: I need a driver job sir plz help me.I am in India.my mobile no :- +919873517009
( AMRITDHARI GURSIKH )
Arshdeep singh: I am arshdeep singh
i have passed +2 non med
I have passed mechincal engg.
I have uae truck driver licance.
I need job
Mob. +971589205307
Whatsp .+917307122751 
