Tom Waits: 'Captain Beefheart was innovative'

Tom Waits has offered a tribute to the late singer Don Van Vliet, who was professionally known as Captain Beefheart.

Vliet died last week at the age of 69 after a lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis.

In an e-mail sent to The Los Angeles Times, Waits touted the 'Abba Zaba' musician's status as one of rock music's true innovators.

"He was like the scout on a wagon train," he wrote. "He was the one who goes ahead and shows the way."

Waits also insisted that Vliet has taken his place among the elite artists in the history of popular music.

He continued: "He was a demanding bandleader, a transcendental composer (with emphasis on the dental), up there with Ornette [Coleman], Sun Ra and Miles [Davis]. He drew in the air with a burnt stick. He described the indescribable. He's an underground stream and a big yellow blimp."

Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band released twelve albums over the course of their 15-year career.