WR

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - :: :: The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts :: :: Issue # 142 :: :: Monday, November 15th, 1999 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: GHodges223@aol.com Subject: Absolute Zero Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 04:38:27 EDT Thanks to Aymeric for the continued efforts in keeping followers of this music informed. Through this list, and this list only, I found out about the concert last Saturday by Pip Pyle, Aislinn Quinn and Enrique Jardines, a.k.a. Absolute Zero. I was skeptical, I admit, that the concert would take place - there was no publicity that I could discern - though I did send a copy of WR#140 to a radio programmer at KPFA, pushing to get the word out on a calendar of events on Sunday nights of new music. It wasn't mentioned there, but may have been some other time on the beleaguered station's air during the week. Nevertheless, I called several times Saturday to the Boathouse, on Lake Merced in SF, only to have several staff members not know who was playing, or whether there was music happening in the evening at this "sports-bar". One worker was nice enough to give me good directions on how to get there so I risked the long drive, really expecting it not to happen. To my amazement, not only did the performance take place, but the opening act was TRAP, a splinter group from the progressive/classical US group Cartoon. Gary Parra on drums, with a keyboardist Warren Gale or Dale(?) who doubled on saxophone/clarinet/bass clarinet, and guitarist/mandolinist Chris Miller or Smith (sorry I'm butchering names here). They played a great set, including new originals, a medley of Cartoon compositions, an amazing klezmer hora(?) that started with acoustic instruments (Chris on mandolin, Parra on accordian, Warren on clarinet) and evolved into an electric klezmer piece (with the musicians switching to elec. guitar, drums and keyboards)- truly frenzied. They ended their set with a nice rendition of Frank Zappa's "Peaches en Regalia". Only about 20 people at most were there at that point, including members of the band's family - understandable with the lack of promotion. TRAP and Absolute Zero had spent several days together in California, with Pip, Aislinn and Enrique taking a side trip into Mexico - for some sort of Tijuana tequila adventure where Aislinn had broken her foot (I believe I heard something about a donkey ride, but I could've been dreaming). She soldiered thru their set of music, playing keyboards, flute, samples with her crutches alongside her. Their set was a blistering barrage of sound; Pip Pyle's drumming was infinitely more muscular and driving than I ever would've imagined. I sort of pictured him as a vertical drummer approaching the kit from above with precise patterns, but it was rather more grounded from below (and maybe within) with a style that seemed to integrate him with the kit - more organic perhaps. Very impressive playing, with an amazing energy level - he basically never stopped. Enrique Jardine's playing matched Pip's in that same grounded feel on "Basse au Contraire"- an electric bass style with electronics that could switch from a lead electric guitar sound in the middle range, to a traditional bass sound- working on solos, then switching to riffs in mind-boggling odd tempos on tunes he had written and co-written. All musicians shifted gears in an intuitive way, in the manner I've seen great jazz musicians perform. Aislinn ran her voice through a harmonizer - which reminded me at times of Laurie Anderson, other times of Dagmar Krause, but mostly her own Irish streetwise character dominated. Sort of cabaret-style, politically-slanted words- at one point singing about "10 centavos", "a lousy dime" and how she was tired and hungry. Most of the other words were lost in the sound mix, not because the sound was muffled, but that the energy level of the three almost never let up.Some of the music was tonal, in traditional tempo- even with a tango at one point. A lot of it was atonal or maybe polytonal, but largely grounded in the percussion end in a force of nature. Toward the end, it was great to see the members of TRAP, dancing in their seats, clapping in pure joy at some of the time signatures Absolute Zero were shifting through, that they fully appreciated. There was enough repetition to make things infectious, but enough complicated patterns to make it mandatory to listen. For an encore, they invited the members of TRAP up for a jam, in which Pip and Enrique laid the foundation, Parra added emphasis from an abridged drum set on the side, Warren and Aislinn had a percussion clapping duel when they weren't laying top tracks with woodwinds and keyboards. A driving mix of sound. All in all, great music from a concert hall I never knew existed. The owner of the sports-bar where TV's are always blasting the current US games amidst pool players (who you could hear loudly in between the songs), from the posted article at the entrance, is a jazz (early big band) musician, a friend of Woody Herman's, who apparently built this concert hall for his own band. In the article he blasted the Beatles, saying he didn't understand or like their music, but I noticed at one point the employees were playing a Beatle song - I guess the boss wasn't home. I also noticed they turned up the canned music when the concert started, ostensibly to try and drown out the cerebral music. In a sense, this venue itself, though it was adequate, didn't really give the music the respect it deserved. It kind of reminded me of how Ian Chippett had described the In Cahoots concert at Argenteuil - a bar with a small cavern concert hall - not much more than a glorified dive. I was going to follow Pip Pyle to the bar afterwards, but I was a bit leery of asking possibly annoying questions after the massive workout. I remember in the 70's after seeing Caravan at the old tiny Keystone club in Berkeley, talking to Pye Hastings and Geoff Richardson (both very friendly) and joking about how so many people asked them about when Hatfield and the North were coming to tour, but how Richard Coughlan was a bit taken aback by the intrusion of these kids asking for autographs. He needed some silence. I decided to leave Pip alone. The concert was a modest $12.50 for the 2 bands and they had some recordings for sale, including Pip's 7-Year Itch, I believe, but I had just placed an order, including that one, with Wayside (what a great catalog), so I didn't buy anything. Besides I was low on cash, and I'm a notorious cheapskate. I do however, try to support true art and artists who take risks. I still find it hard to believe that the musicians of Absolute Zero could financially manage this tour, even though it wasn't a big one. I find it inspiring that they can and did do it. I look forward to their future recordings. BRING IN CAHOOTS TO THE US!!! Gary Hodges/Northern California ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lino D'Intino <SueD@trgins.com> Subject: Whats Rattlin Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999 13:03:41 -0400 Hi, Big fan of Canterbury music scene, past and present. Just wandered on to Musart site. I am definately interested in the newsletter described. I host a radio program, where I play LOTS of Canterbury and related music. Being from Canada, the music is/was very difficult to find, as well as news and such. Your newsletter will be great for me and my listeners. The station where I do my show is CFBU 103.7 fm. Brock University. we broadcast across the Niagara Region. There is a website : http://www.cfbu.niagara.com , where it can be heard on Real Audio. My show is called Flashback and is on every Friday at 12 NOON, Eastern Standard Time. If you love progressive music, you might want to check it out. Thanks for your time, and please let me know what to do or send to receive this newsletter. Lino D'Intino ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Rae <raejonnymac@yahoo.com> Subject: Faust in NYC Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 10:33:37 -0700 (PDT) Hello All, I know that these guys are only remotely connected to the Canterbury scene via their past participations with the Slapp Happy/Henry Cow gang, but I was fortunate enough to travel down to NYC to witness the recent FAUST show at the Knitting Factory this past October 18th. I must admit that I am a fan of the older, classic 1970's material, and have not heard any of the more recent output; not expecting to hear any of the old classics, I went there with a pretty open mind, not really knowing what to expect... perhaps the drill, as I had seen previous gig pictures from the flyers, but surely no re-hashing of "the classics." Well, I ended up being pleasantly surprised! For the most part, the show was non-stop, with the exception of a solo bass bit while the others caught a cigarette break... the soundscape bounced back and forth, from rock-oriented "jams" to noisier, drawn-out improvisations. Instrumentation was unique as well; lots of metallic percussives, along with parts of the traditional drumkit... electroacoustic-style live sound-processing, along with a conventional keyboardsetup, electric guitar, and a monster of a bass player, who also played some passages on the flute... no encore, but the show began, and ended, with a pre-recorded soundscape tape. The band, a sextet, seemed to be having a good time playing, and the audience went away quite happy as well; the majority in attendance were younger, so I hope that is an indication that FAUST will continue to roll onwards. Too bad I couldn't stay for the late show!! Take care ratllers, Mike Rae ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: gong-gas <gong-gas@gpo.sonnet.co.uk> Subject: Bong of all things Gong-Nov 99 Date: Mon, 8 Nov 99 11:05:00 +0000 GIGS and EVENTS JACKIE JUNO of Witch and her multi-media show ‘Osmosis’Thur 9th Dec UK-Devon, Chagford: Endecott House. Admission by donationFurther Witch & Jackie Juno information tel:01647 231 651 GRAHAM CLARKIsthmus, Magick Brothers and Gong violinist Graham can be found playing most Thursday evenings in a salsa band in Tribecker, Manchester. It’s at the corner of Sackville St. and Witworth Rd. From 10.30 onwards TIM BLAKE Recently played in St Malo he wrote-The St.Malo concerts went really well...That is to say, synths, computer & grand piano, as in Holland... He hopes to do some more in the foreseeable future. I will let you know. SOUPSONGAlmost forgot....The Robert Wyatt tribute band with Didier, Phil Manzanera, Annie Whitehead and all, who are superb, will be playing the Festival Hall in London this month..Nov..Can't find the date right now, hope it hasn't already happened! * * * * * NEWS NEW GONG ALBUMThe new Gong studio album, "Zero To Infinity", is almost finished. Only the final editing and mastering has now to be completed. A worldwide release date of 21st Feb 2000 has been scheduled. Watching and listening to the album ease into existence has been fascinating. The Octave Doctors played their part to the full, incredibly. Yep, we are talking total open communication lines with the Planet Gong and the continuance of the story of Zero! The album brings through some familiar characters and a host of new archetypical beings. Some of those awaiting you are; The Mad Monk, Zeroid O’Purpose, Professor Paradox, Madame Theremin... and most importantly of all, the most extraordinary Gongalope. Oh yeah... and the music is just superb, pure Gong magic. DAEVID has now left the UK after a hectic few weeks recording and mixing the new Gong album and is on his way back to Australia. He’s stopped off in California to finish the editing of the second, as yet untitled University of Errors album. Which promises, unbelievably to be even better than the first one. There’s one track which is a classic. It comes at you like an express train over a hill - Roxy Music on acid to these ears. It’s rapidly racing up my own, personal internal charts of all time favourite Daevid songs. GILLI has returned to Australia after the Gong gigs in Southampton and Nancy and also recording the forthcoming Gong album. In Oz she will be working on a second Goddess T CD with Orlando and possibly doing some gigs with the band in and around Byron Bay at Christmas and New Year time. STEFFE has just about completed his Anima Rising album. It’s beautiful, way beyond Even As We Glo even. REBELAThe last Lady June project, Rebela (an autobiographical fairytale for grown-ups), among other things edges towards completion. Mark Hewins may be off to Canada soon to continue the mixing, but a few tracks have already been finished. Age Rotshuizen is the host of an MP3 of the first track of Rebela (called: Rebela). You can download this track at: http://people.a2000.nl/arotshui/Together with some Hewins solo-tracks and an Elton Dean/Mark Hewins track. Didier’s first Hadouk CD is soon to receive an American release on the Zebra label. The cover is apparently a new one. There is a new live e-mail list for Canterbury Send a blank email to mailto:calyx-subscribe@onelist.comWait for the confirmation message and confirm. To send a message to the list, mailto:calyx@onelist.com That's all there is to it. Pedro Senna has pictures of Gong from the Prog Fest , the University of Errors, Gongmatrist at much more at http://www.pacifier.com/~shamen/prog99.htm Luc Pilmeyer has some Mark Hewins tracks up at http://www.pilmeyer.8m.com GONG WEB SITESome serious work is being undertaken to improve the site, with easy online ordering, sound files and weekly updating on the agenda. We will let you know when all this is in place. * * * * * NEW AND MOST RECENT GONG FAMILY RELATED RELEASES All prices in UK pounds stirling CD Hadouk Trio -Shamanimal Celluloid 67015-2Didier’s second Hadouk CD is every bit as good as the first. Ethnic jazz, for want of a better term, packed with high class melodies and brilliant playing throughout. A joy. Price 13.50 plus carriage CD Ozrics Tentacles - Floating Seeds Remixed SMACD809Released today, remixes of the Ozrics including a thumping great, guitar tricky one by System 7 one of Sunhair, the System 7 Stargate Mix. There are also great mixes by Youth, Hallucinogen, Zion Train, Eat Static, Propellerheads and more. Price 13.50 plus carriage LP Gong - Flying Teapot Get Back GET 569Beautiful 180 gm vinyl reissue of the first part of Gong’s trilogy complete original gatefold sleeve artwork. It’s fantastic. Price 12.00 plus carriage LP Arzachel - Arzachel Wah Wah Records LPS001Most recent chance to get hold of Steve Hillage’s first recordings from 1969 with this 180 gm vinyl collectors reissue. Very well done with the original sleeve and an informative insert. It’s been a few years since the last issue of these recordings and they never stay around for long. So if you want it...you know what to do. Price 13.00 plus carriage CD Here & Now - Gospel of Free-Live 76-78 GAS CD015A wild live, psychedelic experience with Here & Now’s very well remastered live recordings from the 70’s. The accompanying 32 page booklet is crammed with photographs, history and thoughts and the tall tales of those transforming times. Price 12.50 plus carriage 2LP Various bands incl. 1 side of live Gong - Wir sind der Kinder Think Progressive TPLP 1.907.053New 180 gsm collectors double LP vinyl release for a collection of live tracks from this famous German festival. Gong’s contribution is a 19 minute track called Would You Like Some Tea and was recorded in 1997. Other bands include Hawkwind, Faust, Guru Guru and Man. Is this album destined to become a Greasy Truckers type rarity of the nineties?Price 16.50 plus carriage. We also have the CD version at 13.50 plus carriage CD In Space We Trust- Spacehead Dead Ernest DERN 22Hawkwind-like full on spacerock with ex Gongster and Magick Brother violinist Graham Clark. Price 13.50 plus carriage LP Soft Machine - Jet Propelled Photograph Get Back 560New 180 gsm collectors vinyl re-release of the 1967 Soft Machine demoswith totally different gatefold sleeve artwork from any other issues. Price 12.00 plus carriage LP Daevid Allen - Bananamoon Get Back 557 Great 180 gm vinyl reissue of Daevid’s first solo LP Price 12.00 plus carriage CD Daevid Allen and Harry Williamson - 22 Meanings Gliss CD005 Subtitled the Art of Glissando Guitar Vol 1- beautiful Price 12.50 plus carriage CD Daevid Allen’s University of Errors - Money Doesn’t Make It Inner Space 7077 Price 12.50 plus carriage CD Goddess T - Electric Shiatsu UK-Voiceprint VP205CD USA-Pangea Music ? Price 12.50 plus carriage CD Brainville - The Children’s Crusade Shimmy Disc SHM5096 Price 13.50 plus carriage CD Kangaroo Moon - In Transit K. Moon KMCD4 Price 12.50 plus carriage http://www.sonnet.co.uk/gong-gas/ * * * * * Surrealist Proverb for the month: Never wait for yourself More soon, see ya end. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gary Davis <artshop@artist-shop.com> Subject: HtM IRC Chat, Camel/Rajaz Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1999 23:05:12 -0500 Hi, folks: The latest Artist Shop newsletter is out and you'll find it in its entirety at <http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm>. Excerpts of interest to Canterbury fans include: On Wednesday, November 10, at 9pm eastern/6pm pacific The Artist Shop and Talk City will be joined by Kit Watkins, Frank Wyatt, Stanley Whitaker and Rick Kennell of Happy the Man! Happy the Man is considered by many to be one of the finest American progressive bands. Their Arista releases, Happy the Man and Crafty Hands, have long been sought after by their fans and were finally remastered by Kit Watkins and reissued by One Way Records this past September adding to their existing CD catalog on Cuneiform. The progressive world has also been abuzz with news of a Happy the Man reunion to record a new album as well as a live performance already slated for next year's Nearfest! These four members of the group will be on hand to discuss the latest goings on and to answer your questions. Details on joining the chat can be found at <http://www.artist-shop.com/irc>. [Sorry for not delivering the news on time - hopefully a transcript of the chat will be available to those who missed the event ! - AL] The newsletter also details new and forthcoming releases including the latest from Camel, Rajaz <http://www.artist-shop.com/camel>! Since it's release it immediately became The Artist Shop's hottest CD with downloads of the Rajaz soundbite far outstripping anything else in the shop! Accompanying Andrew Latimer are Dave Stewart (drums) and Colin Bass (bass guitar). Also, the wonders of technology have brought about a reunion never thought possible due to the distance twixt the two musicians... keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel from Kayak has returned to Camel making a guest appearance on several tracks! Many fans will remember Ton from his previous appearances with Camel both on "Stationary Traveller" and on the 1984 video "Pressure Points." A home-loving man, Ton is not comfortable away from his family and is less comfortable with air travel. Until now, these things made it impossible for Ton to appear on Camel albums. Technology has ended this isolation. Andrew sent the relevant tracks to Ton on CD-ROM and Ton was able to record his keyboard parts in his own studio in Holland. The two musicians were thrilled to be able to exchange ideas via their computers, downloading musical input within minutes. So energized by this opportunity, the two plan future projects together. Overall this is an excellent album and will make Camel fans very, very happy. And if you're not yet a fan, this album will convert you. Gary ************************************************************** Gary DavisThe Artist Shop The Other Roadhttp://www.artist-shop.com artshop@artist-shop.comphone: 330-929-2056 fax:330-945-4923 SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENT ARTIST!!!************************************************************** Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: PT <normalsf@grin.net> Subject: Mushroom tour dates Date: Mon, 01 Nov 1999 22:21:17 -0800 Mushroom on tour in Germany and Switzerland new dates added: 16.11. Hamburg-Knust 17.11. Ilmenau-BC Club 18.11. Heilbronn-Mobilat 19.11. CH-Winterthur-Gaswerk 20.11. CH-Thun-Cafe Mokka 21.11. CH-Biel-Coupole 22.11 Munich - ????? 23.11. Marburg-Cafe Trauma (+Armstrong) 24.11. Frankfurt-Dreikoenigskeller 25.11. Hildesheim-Kufa Loeseke 26.11. Luebeck-Treibsand 27.11. Bramsche-Webschule 28.11. Schweinfurt-Stadtbahnhof 29.11. Mainz-Signalwerk 30.11. Riedlingen-Alte Kanzlei ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Brett Laniosh" <brett@g4nzk.demon.co.uk> Subject: Manzanera Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1999 17:18:07 +0100 Wow!Gary Davis wasn't kidding with his positive comments about Phil Manzanera's new CD Vozero. I picked it up yesterday and right from the start it impressed me a lot. Really powerful material in the superb Diamond Head vein (I rate subsequent K-Scope or Listen now as dire) but with a more "world" feel about it. Plenty of Robert Wyatt around including a lot of trumpet from the great man. The most surprising thing for me were Phil's vocals which feature throughout the record. His voice has a Wyatt feel to me and they blend magically into this record for me. I don't feel the same way about a lot of the vocals on Pip Pyles 7 year itch. Still a great record though. The only thing that would have been perfect for me would have been the inclusion of Brian Eno who was such a prominent feature of Phil's work. Still I can't have everything and do I heartily recommend Vozero. Great to see Quiet Sun's record Mainstream has been re-released. A splendid record which I have on vinyl. Brett Laniosh (http://www.g4nzk.demon.co.uk) I broke my arm trying to fold a bed. It wasn't the kind that folds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Fred Barrett <fbarrett@natcom.org> Subject: Calyx Live List Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 12:44:03 -0400 Aymeric, Per David Voci's request, I have created a live email list at Onelist.com, a free list service. Anyone who wants to join the live discussion should just send a blank emailto calyx-subscribe@onelist.com. A confirmation email will arrive: justreply to it or click the link provided. Then all one needs to do to post to the list is send emails to calyx@onelist.com The mail messages seem to reach everyone within the minute. Responding will send the reply to everyone on the list. Enjoy! If you'd like to get the word out in the next What's Rattlin', feel free. Fred ------------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF ISSUE 142 _________________________________________________________________________ WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ?_________________________________________________________________________ CALYX - The Canterbury Website http://www.alpes-net.fr/~bigbang/calyx.html THE ULTIMATE ONLINE CANTERBURY DISCOGRAPHY http://www.alpes-net.fr/~bigbang/cantdisco.html WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? BACK ISSUES - ONLINE ARCHIVE http://musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm + search engine : http://musart.co.uk/ssearch.htm * To subscribe, send me an e-mail with 'WR sub' in the subject line.* To send a message for inclusion in the next issue, send it with 'WR: [subject]' in the subject line.* If your e-mail address changes, please notify me and mention both your old and new addresses so I can remove the former and add the latter.* If you can no longer receive WR or don't want to anymore, don't forget to unsubscribe! (i.e. send me a message)* PLEASE SEND ME PHOTOCOPIES OF MAGAZINE ARTICLES, LYRICS TRANSCRIPTIONS etc.!!!(Contact me beforehand at my usual e-mail address <bigbang@alpes-net.fr>)_________________________________________________________________________