Don Van Vliet was born to be a cult artist. Van Vliet, higher identified to most of us as PJ Harvey, pioneered an unhinged, experimental type of rock ‘n’ roll. He by no means made a lot business affect, however he impressed generations of artists. One of these artists was young Polly Jean Harvey, who grew up listening to Beefheart as a result of her mother and father had been followers. Apparently, Van Vliet was additionally impressed by PJ Harvey — or, no less than, by PJ Harvey’s cat.
Don Van Vliet died in 2010, after a years-long battle with a number of sclerosis. He was 69. Nine years earlier than his dying, Van Vliet wrote “Man Can’t Anticipate Cat,” a poem about PJ Harvey’s cat Garden. Just a few weeks in the past, Harvey spoke at London’s Michael Werner Gallery, which was opening an exhibition of Captain Beefheart’s work. During her speech, Harvey learn “Man Can’t Anticipate Cat” to the group.
At the opening, PJ Harvey informed the group that Don Van Vliet wrote “Man Can’t Anticipate Cat” based mostly on pictures that Harvey despatched him of her and her cat: “Don loved cats. You might know of Garland. He wrote a song about his own cat called ‘Hey Garland, I Dig Your Tweed Coat,’ which was on Ice Cream For Crow. My cat was named Garden, probably sort of in homage to Garland, and he moved in with me when I was living in Bristol.” The poem could be very brief, and it’s about Harvey — “a lovely young dark-haired girl” — almost as a lot because it’s about Garden. Harvey posted the video on her accounts this morning, and you may watch it beneath.
