Soft Machine

[Staun]

The Machine will be coming my way in support of their 50 year anniversary in October. A ways out but I can't resist. Thoughts?

[Phlakaton]

Sounds like a good night out to me.

[Steve F.]

The Machine will be coming my way in support of their 50 year anniversary in October. A ways out but I can't resist. Thoughts?

Not much point in holding out for their 100th anniversary, sez I.

[Lino]

Not much point in holding out for their 100th anniversary, sez I.

No kidding. I will go see them anywhere in a half decent travel zone. Back in the day, I discovered Fusion SM before the original SM. iirc, Softs and 7 were the first two albums I had by them. Everything changed when I snagged Triple Echo in a delete bin, and the family tree included became my record buying bible for a years after. lol So yeah, I always thought John Marshall was a cool drummer ...only wish Elton was still alive, but Theo is as good a replacement as any!

[Zappathustra]

I saw them Athens, Greece, 2008, in a basement of 200 capacity. Which was not even full. Completely no advertisement, I found out about the show by accident some hours before it took place. I had only followed them then up to Softs 4, so the only one I recognized was Hugh. A very sensitive and fragile man he seemed. The stage was some 2 feet higher than the audience. It was a very good show. If anyone knows the line-up at the time, I'd be glad to know.

[Scrotum Scissor]

They really shouldn't call themselves that. Seriously.

'Soft Machine songbook' or 'Legacy' or whatever, but not the mint name. That monumentally -legendary- band dissappeared decades ago, IMO.

[kenschwartz]

They really shouldn't call themselves that. Seriously.

'Soft Machine songbook' or 'Legacy' or whatever, but not the mint name. That monumentally -legendary- band dissappeared decades ago, IMO.

not disagreeing - and don't mean to hijack the thread - but how do you feel about gong calling themselves gong without any original members? or, perhaps more importantly, without Mr. Allen?

[Facelift]

They really shouldn't call themselves that. Seriously.

'Soft Machine songbook' or 'Legacy' or whatever, but not the mint name. That monumentally -legendary- band dissappeared decades ago, IMO.

You're absolutely right. This tour is a disgusting joke and despite being as huge a SM fan as there is, there's no way in good conscience I can support this.

[Staun]

You're absolutely right. This tour is a disgusting joke and despite being as huge a SM fan as there is, there's no way in good conscience I can support this.

I just love the music too but let me say two words here. "Musical Box"?

[Mister Triscuits]

I just love the music too but let me say two words here. "Music Box"?

I love the music, too, so I will also say two words here: "Goat Vacation." Thank you.

[Staun]

I love the music, too, so I will also say two words here: "Goat Vacation." Thank you.

Thank you sir.

[Steve F.]

You're absolutely right. This tour is a disgusting joke and despite being as huge a SM fan as there is, there's no way in good conscience I can support this.

So, don't go. They won't notice or even miss you. I guarantee it.

[Facelift]

So, don't go. They won't notice or even miss you. I guarantee it.

They probably will. And they'll miss the people I'll make certain don't attend - in the NYC area, anyway. People should know the truth about this sad-sack bunch of false advertisers glomming off a name....

[Steve F.]

They probably will. And they'll miss the people I'll make certain don't attend - in the NYC area, anyway. People should know the truth about this sad-sack bunch of false advertisers glomming off a name....

The only sad-sack here is you, Nestor.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

So, don't go. They won't notice or even miss you. I guarantee it.

I will gladly take his seat!

[chalkpie]

You're absolutely right. This tour is a disgusting joke and despite being as huge a SM fan as there is, there's no way in good conscience I can support this.

Wow, what a surprise.....

[Zappathustra]

They really shouldn't call themselves that. Seriously.

'Soft Machine songbook' or 'Legacy' or whatever, but not the mint name. That monumentally -legendary- band dissappeared decades ago, IMO.

What offensive crap that is. I called my lawyer and he said they have every right to use the name. Legal = moral = right = good, as we all know from Plato's Republic onwards.

[Steve F.]

They really shouldn't call themselves that. Seriously.

'Soft Machine songbook' or 'Legacy' or whatever, but not the mint name. That monumentally -legendary- band dissappeared decades ago, IMO.

They do it to get asses in seats.
Simple as that.
That's exactly the purpose of using 'the mint name'.

May be a shame that they have to do that, but that doesn't change the fact that they do have to do that, and that 75% of the current lineup did play in Soft Machine during an excellent (if not 'legendary') period of the band's life, and it would be 100% if Elton hadn't died (damn that death thing, anyway).

IMO

[pmrviana]

They really shouldn't call themselves that. Seriously.

'Soft Machine songbook' or 'Legacy' or whatever, but not the mint name. That monumentally -legendary- band dissappeared decades ago, IMO.

Regarding the name thing, when I first saw them in 2005 with Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, John Marshall and John Etheridge, it felt strange to me that they were using the "Legacy" name. With 3 guys who played together on "Five" plus one guy from "Softs", to me it felt 100% Soft Machine proper back then... Also, the setlist was heavily based on the Third/Fourth era, including two of the guys who played/composed on the original albums.

Of course now Hugh Hopper and Elton Dean are no longer in the band, but were replaced by Roy Babbington, who also goes way back in the Soft Machine/Canterbury history and Theo Travis, who had no prior connections but is absolutely great anyway. So I really don't see any reason why they shouldn't be using the Soft Machine name. If anything it seems weird they were not doing it before...

[DocProgger]

This thread has turned into a "Yes" thread, lol.
If I can I'm going because I have never seen any version of the band, and 3 key members is fine by me.

[Steve F.]

This thread has turned into a "Yes" thread, lol.
If I can I'm going because I have never seen any version of the band, and 3 key members is fine by me.

Excellent reasoning.

I'm going because I expect the music to be good!

[jkelman]

Excellent reasoning.

I'm going because I expect the music to be good!

Just to say, I'm with Steve on pretty much everything he has written on this thread. A band with three members of various lineups during its original run using the original name sure doesn't seem "disgusting" to me ... not to mention the unfortunate reality Steve also points out, that it'll draw far more asses into seats, being absolutely sad but true).

anyway, my 2 cents, for whatever it's worth....

[Rick L.]

I'm gonna go, but say on Progressive Ears that I didn't go.

[Steve F.]

I'm gonna go, but say on Progressive Ears that I didn't go.

Sig worthy!

[Zappathustra]

I'm gonna go, but say on Progressive Ears that I didn't go.

I would also go but that's not the point. The discussion of whether they are entitled to use the name was valid some 40+ years ago. Particularly in their case, possibly because of the magnitude of personalities of the original line-up. To have the same discussion in 2018 seems completely irrelevant - except from the very small corner of the world that PE comprises.