Canterbury Binge: 2024

[calyx]

The ‘vocal obbligato’ first emerged as far as I can see on the version of Little Red Riding Hood recorded live at Drury Lane on September 8 1974 (as Steve points out). This was just before Wyatt went into the studio between October 1974 and March 1975 to record Ruth is Stranger Than Richard, from where Muddy Mouth (above) comes. And then, on May 21 1975, Wyatt was recorded singing Little Red Riding Hood with Henry Cow in London (heard on Concerts) and again in Rome on June 27 (the Hamburg disc of the Henry Cow boxset). So, in answer to your query, the vocal obbligato did come before the Henry Cow concerts but not before the recording of Rock Bottom, which took place between February and March 1974.

I agree with the above (save for the fact that Ruth... was recorded in March 1975, but did feature an outtake - Sonia - from the sessions for the shelved Yesterday Man single recorded in October 1974, so it wasn't sessions spread over that entire period). The only thing I would add is that at one point after Drury Lane, there were plans for a tour by Hatfield with Robert as special guest, and there is a possibility that a tentative rehearsal took place where this song was rehearsed. Someone from Hatfield must have told me, but I'm afraid it's one of the two members that are no longer with us. Sadly, of course, that tour never happened - would've been great (Jimmy Hastings was also going to be part of it).

[Batchman]

Talking about Ruth Is Stranger than Richard -- and maybe this belongs more properly on one of the album/CD threads --

The album (when I first bought it on vinyl as soon as it came out) consisted of a "Side Ruth" and a "Side Richard." I just ASS-U-ME'd that Side Ruth (beginning with Soup Song) was the first side and Side Richard (with the Muddy Mouth suite) was the second, and that's how I listened to it. Cut to many years later when I re-bought it as a CD; I was surprised to find that Side Richard was programmed to precede Side Ruth. I guess they were going by the principle of ascending strangeness order rather than the sequence of names in the title.

Now that I listen to individual tracks in my digital library rather than putting on an entire album (vinyl or CD) this is no longer of consequence to me. But it certainly raised questions about the flow/structure of the album. The Ruth-Richard sequencing will always seem more natural to me.

Addendum: I just checked Wikipedia, which lists Sides Ruth and Richard in my originally presumed order and says:

Reissues from 1998 onward have the track order reversed, with "Side Richard" first and "Side Ruth" second.

I bought my CD copy in the 2000s (as part of a reissue at the same time as Rock Bottom), so now I am wondering who made that decision.

[calyx]

I bought my CD copy in the 2000s (as part of a reissue at the same time as Rock Bottom), so now I am wondering who made that decision.

Definitely Robert himself - he made the same decision for Matching Mole's "Little Red Record". In both cases reversed on the subsequent reissues. That was around the time he put out "Dondestan Revisited", a radically remixed version of "Dondestan", so he was in the mood of revising his part releases. In all these instances, I personally prefer the albums as originally released.

[chalkpie]

I dig the Greatest Misses compilation disc, really nice mix of stuff. Plus the extended (I think?) "I'm a Believer"....

[chalkpie]

Definitely Robert himself - he made the same decision for Matching Mole's "Little Red Record". In both cases reversed on the subsequent reissues. That was around the time he put out "Dondestan Revisited", a radically remixed version of "Dondestan", so he was in the mood of revising his part releases. In all these instances, I personally prefer the albums as originally released.

So the original Dondestan on vinyl would be a nice acquisition? I guess I've only ever heard the Revisited because of the cd.

[Batchman]

I dig the Greatest Misses compilation disc, really nice mix of stuff. Plus the extended (I think?) "I'm a Believer"....

Is there anything on His Greatest Misses that isn't available elsewhere on a released album/CD? If "I'm a Believer" is present in an extended version, that would be one such instance.

[Progatron]

canterbury lego 1.jpg

canterbury lego 2.jpg

canterbury lego 3.jpg

canterbury lego 4.jpg

canterbury lego 5.jpg

[interbellum]

[calyx]

So the original Dondestan on vinyl would be a nice acquisition? I guess I've only ever heard the Revisited because of the cd.

I don't know about vinyl because I don't do vinyl (or know if something's available in that format or not), but in terms of mixes, yes, I do recommend the original mix. But perhaps it's only because that's the one I heard first. I'm not saying the remix is a disaster or anything, I just prefer the 1991 mix.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

I did not see anyone mention the indispensable, self-titled album by Dave Lawson's band Samurai. Seems to be a lost classic. It stands up to anything listed here!

[interbellum]

I did not see anyone mention the indispensable, self-titled album by Dave Lawson's band Samurai. Seems to be a lost classic. It stands up to anything listed here!

Just re-read the review I wrote in 2008 when this album, together with Web's I Spider (from 1970), was re-released by Esoteric. In that period I heard more rocking Canterbury Scene-like music in the compositions of Web that on the album Lawson made after that with Samurai. But both are worth checking out indeed.

[interbellum]

Just spinning National Health's Missing Pieces inspired by Dave Stewart's take on the track The Lethargy Shuffle on the Korg-sampler The Best Of 01/W.

[Steve F.]

^^^^^

In my extremely biased opinion

The band version blows away the Korg demo version.

And i still have that Korg disc somewhere .

[interbellum]

^^ Yes, it really does, doesn't it? The Korg-version is a curiosity, a nice to have (heard) as is the Korg-sampler.

[pb2015]

As I might have mentioned earlier, I'd guess the Korg track is in a similar style to the modernized version of "The Collapso" Stewart did for the NH Complete CD (mostly by himself, but with Pip Pyle programming the drum parts and Phil Miller playing guitar) that I think I've only played once.

[interbellum]

As I might have mentioned earlier, I'd guess the Korg track is in a similar style to the modernized version of "The Collapso" Stewart did for the NH Complete CD (mostly by himself, but with Pip Pyle programming the drum parts and Phil Miller playing guitar) that I think I've only played once.

I guess you mean The Apocalypso (CD2-5)? I'll check the track later; haven't spinned Complete for ages (apart from the seperate LP's and CD's).

[Piskie]

This looks promising
https://amarxe.bandcamp.com/album/to...s2SaEhkOz0VQbM

[calyx]

This looks promising
https://amarxe.bandcamp.com/album/to...s2SaEhkOz0VQbM

Yes, great stuff. Like a previously unheard early 1970s Canterbury album, with all the right sounds and ideas. I heard the whole thing and recommend it.

[Progatron]

^^ Intriguing!

[interbellum]

Dave Stewart's Inside The Music books now as download:
https://burningshed.com/store/daveba...ume_1-download
https://burningshed.com/store/daveba...ume_2-download
https://burningshed.com/store/daveba...ume-3_download

[interbellum]

Yes, great stuff. Like a previously unheard early 1970s Canterbury album, with all the right sounds and ideas. I heard the whole thing and recommend it.

I also hear some classical influences (Bach? although Stravinsky is mentioned). Thanks for thr recommendation.
https://amarxe.bandcamp.com/album/to...s2SaEhkOz0VQbM

[interbellum]

This looks promising
https://amarxe.bandcamp.com/album/to...s2SaEhkOz0VQbM

Tom Penaguin plays a cover of Soft Machine's Gone Sailing, written by Allan Holdsworth:

[chalkpie]

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/henry-c...tionary-album/

Henry Cow – ‘In Praise of Learning’: Britain’s most revolutionary album?

[Batchman]

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/henry-c...tionary-album/

Henry Cow – ‘In Praise of Learning’: Britain’s most revolutionary album?

I'd never heard that story of how Peter Blegvad created lyrics to Living in the Heart of the Beast which Tim Hodgkinson rejected in favor of his own and how that influenced Blegvad to quit the joint arrangement. Is there somewhere to read more about this?

[pb2015]

This site has a quote about it. Probably also discussed in the World Is A Problem book.

http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr/mus/blegvad_peter.html