Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) was released July 1978, only in the USA & Canada. It did not appear in the retail European market until 1980. A highly anticipated album, this official release is in fact a mix of new songs and a 'remake' of material from an album that never saw official release, entitled "Bat Chain Puller", hence the sub-title.

The original (Bootleg example: Original 1976 Shiny Beast Version) was begun after Vliet's renewed association with Zappa on Bongo Fury and was funded by Zappa. However, the resultant tapes were retained by Zappa due to legal 'asset & financial wrangles' resulting from his management & business departure from Herb Cohen in 1976. The "Bat Chain Puller" tapes (which have a different band line-up) remained in the ZFT vaults, although 'quality' & 'poor' bootlegs appeared, until the original work was issued by the ZFT in 2012 as Beefheart* - Bat Chain Puller.

Issues of "Shiny Beast" on the Virgin label CDs have the album title below the image, which has a border rule. Text layout & color is also different on this label's remastered version. Three artworks by Vliet were used for the sleeve design. "Green Tom" painting on the cover (1976), an untitled color sketch on a bread bag (1976) on back cover, and a line illustration on the back of the inner sleeve (1976) - also used on CD disc.