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Van Vliet enrolled at Antelope Valley Junior College as an art major, but decided to leave the following year.

He once worked as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, during which time he sold a vacuum cleaner to the writer Aldous Huxley at his home in Llano, pointing to it and declaring, " Well I assure you sir, this thing sucks.

" After managing a Kinney's shoe store, Van Vliet relocated to Rancho Cucamonga, California, to reconnect with Zappa, who inspired his entry into musical performance.

Van Vliet was quite shy but was eventually able to imitate the deep voice of Howlin ' Wolf with his wide vocal range.

He eventually grew comfortable with public performance and, after learning to play the harmonica, began playing at dances and small clubs in Southern California.