WR

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - :: :: The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts :: :: Issue # 154 :: :: Tuesday, April 25th, 2000 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "phil howitt" <philhowitt@beeb.net> Subject: Facelift Magazine Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 20:43:58 +0100 A MESSAGE TO ALL FACELIFT READERS PAST AND PRESENT Facelift, as you will know, is a magazine that has covered the Canterbury music scene since 1989. Most readers will have heard nothing for me since issue 19 came out about 2 years ago. I thought I should give people an explanation. The main reason for inactivity on the Facelift front is for that the last two and a half year my day time job has rather taken over my spare time, meaning I am working many evenings and weekends, with little time left over for other things. I don't intend to work this way for long (!) but, all things considered, I've figured it may be time to call it a day. I moved out of the city (Manchester) a year or so ago, and my priorities are increasingly becoming spending more time outdoors, and less time in front of a computer screen. Plus there are other reasons for stopping doing Facelift, not least the fact that the vibe of the magazine has very much been taken over by the Internet (and all power to it too). So, there will be one last Facelift, issue 20. This has been the intention since last summer, but I've just not had time to do anything about it. The likelihood is that it will come out in summer or late 2000. This will be mainly a celebration of 20 issues and 10 years (now 11) of the mag, with a couple of interviews thrown in. For Facelift's many subscribers, I am not intending to run off with your subscriptions! After issue 20 I will be sending refund cheques for any outstanding amounts to UK readers. For overseas readers it will not be practical to refund subscriptions in the form of IMOs, so I will be offering them refunds in the form of our very many back issues. This could apply to UK readers too if anyone is interested. Plus if anyone new is coming across this message who wants to buy any back issues, please contact me - I could do with clearing a bit of space in my cellar! I do not intend to full disappear - don't discount the possibility of a website appearing or contributions towards the many excellent mags, websites and organisations related to Canterbury/Gong music. And I do thank everyone for their continuing support and understanding during the last two years of virtual silence on my part. I hope to send on Facelift 20 at some point in the near future. In the meantime I have new contact details to pass on: my e-mail address is: philhowitt@beeb.net and my postal address is Phil Howitt, 23 Nutclough, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 8HA If you'd like to stay in touch via e-mail, please forward your e-mail to the above e-mail address. See you all at a Gong gig in the near future! Phil [I would like to personally thank Phil and all his fellow scribes at FACELIFT for what can truly be called an education in Canterbury music. Without their work since 1989, there would be no CALYX, and no WR. Hats off to you, Phil! - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gary & Vicki" <gvstring@email.msn.com> Subject: The MUFFINS Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 22:38:29 -0400 PRESS RELEASE RE: THE MUFFINS 2000 REUNION ROAD SHOW April 1, 2000 - The Muffins, one of the best known progressive groups ever to come out of Washington, DC, announced they will be playing two east coast concerts this year, and one in Rome, Italy.: PHANTASMAGORIA in Wheaton, MD, USA on Friday July 14th, and.... Saturday July 15th at The KNITTING FACTORY in New York. Friday, July 14th 2000 $TBD at the door; show begins at 8 pm, at Phantasmagoria Other artists TBD 11319 Elkin St., Wheaton, MD (near Washington DC) (301) 949-8886 By Metro: Red line/Glenmont to Wheaton ExitBy Car: 495 to Georgia Ave. North/Wheaton Exit; North on Georgia Ave; Right on University Blvd; Right on Elkin St; Phantasmagoria is on left at #11319 Elkin St. Saturday, July 15th at the KNITTING FACTORY, NYC, consult http://www.knittingfactory.com for details.The Muffins have also been invited to represent the Knitting Factory at the Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival in Rome during July 2000. The lineup will be the Muffins' best known - Tom Scott, Paul Sears, Billy Swann and Dave Newhouse. The internationally acclaimed Muffins recorded several albums during the 1970s and early 1980s, including 2 with Fred Frith- " <185>", (Fred was Producer) and "Gravity". (The Muffins were guests) Some Muffins records have been reissued by Cuneiform Records. The Muffins share influences as diverse as Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, Messiaen, Stravinsky, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, SUN RA, King Tubby, and The Yardbirds. They have also collaborated as a group or individually with an equally diverse assortment of notables , including Peter Blegvad, Fred Frith, John Greaves, Yochk'o Seffer, The Urban Verbs, Pepe Gonzalez, Skeleton Crew, 9353, and even Firesign Theaters' Proctor and Bergman. They also made it to Broadway, performing a concert at Symphony Space with Marion Brown. (ref: Miles Davis) The Muffins recorded during the early 1990s for "Unsettled Scores", a Cuneiform Records double CD project that included Hugh Hopper, Kit Watkins, Doctor Nerve and Univers Zero. A new Muffins record is planned for release in 2000. The Muffin's work has been reported by Rolling Stone, The Boston Phoenix, The Washington City Paper, Fanfare, The Daily Californian, Option, Downbeat, and countless other periodicals. There was an internationally renowned scene in Washington DC years before Minor Threat, and stylistically it couldn't have been more different: America's most accomplished answer to European progressive rock. The [Muffins were one of the] scene's two best bands.... The Muffins had the instrumentation of a jazz ensemble: woodwinds, piano, bass and drums..They took as models the jazz-rock hybrids of Soft Machine, Henry Cow, and Magma, as well as the pioneers who'd inspired them in turn, such as Eric Dolphy and Sun Ra. They were particularly interested in collective improvisation, and ultimately a group vocabulary evolved that not only gave them more range in their compositions, but allowed them to sound cohesive even at their most free...[regarding] the speedcore double saxophone passages....you could mistake it for the Art Ensemble of Chicago at John Zorn tempo.... - (Boston Rock) "...The Muffins were America's best musical secret. They had chops, writing ability, and talent galore... the live stuff.. is immensely impressive..." - (Option) "Combining elements of free jazz, New Music and rock & roll, The Muffins were one of the smartest and most capable bands of the 70s." - (Covert Culture Sourcebook) "[the Muffins were an] extraordinary chapter in progressive rock history... How fresh and utterly original this still sounds now .." -( i/e) "For the uninitiated,The Muffins were a Washington DC based band who existed from about 1973 to '81... Their highly energized and experimental sound went far to define the new American progressive sound that emerged in the late seventies..." - (Expose) "The Muffins were an American band whose aesthetic derived partly from Uncle Meat-era Zappa and British progressive bands like ELP, Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Egg and Caravan They successfully re-processed all this into a melodic, often manic style of their own..And the Muffins had a sense of humor, too. None of that dour, self conscious arty farty stuff for these guys." - (Soundings) "Ah, The Muffins, long lost souls of the Henry Cow-meets-National Health progressive axis... the Muffins were another much-aligned and virtually-ignored American progressive band not content with aping Great Britain's former icons but intent on breathing continued life into the then moribund U.S. progressive/fusion scene. They infused their feisty brand of instrumental acrobatics with dense interplays of guitars, organs, reeds, clarinets and myriad percussions, setting the wild potpourri of instruments adrift in a sea of truly innovative arrangements that often lasted less that three minutes. And thought the Muffins were economical in time, they hardly were in ideas - the Muffins crammed more virtuosity into their music than an army of laissez-faire fusionists with a rack of keyboards and a thirty-minute-per-side limit. It seemed like only the inimitable Mr. [Fred] Frith was cognizant enough to recognize their talents in those rather desolate years... -(i/e) "Their sound is heavily jazz influenced, but solidly rooted in progressive rock... early on [they] could be compared to ... Soft Machine circa "Third" or the instrumental flights of early Caravan. As time went on, their sound became more improvisational sounding, jagged and experimental, full of fiery urgency, and moved more in RIO directions... a masterful crew of top-notch musicians." - (Expose) "bristling with great music of power, complexity and inventiveness which would put many more 'well-known' bands to shame. [Their] improvisations... show how well the band can perform together, in that they barely sound improvised, and their studio work is tight and complex.. If... you've not heard them before, let yourself in for a treat." - (Facelift - England) "This stuff is in-your-face over-the-top music. With a healthy disdain for anything remotely resembling "progressive music", the Muffins generally squeaked, squawked, and giggled (musically speaking) through their songs, taking no prisoners. ..If you're a big fan of Moving Gelatine Plates and you don't have anything by the Muffins, shame on you." - (Music Uncovered) "anyone with a taste for adventurous art rock or jazz should dig it...The playing's impeccable, soulful, swinging and spacey... casual and uncontrived... even at its most extreme playing." - (Boston Rock) "The Muffins were one of the most innovative fusion bands to emerge from the USA during the late-70's, and whilst resembling Henry Cow in many ways, and also with notable Zappa/Mothers of Invention influence, their complex style also drew them close to the Canterbury sound." - (Audion- England) "This is inspired insanity. Frenzied, friction filled music, blasting out into the air.... This is a melting pot of rock, jazz, and complete insanity...a must buy." Music Uncovered "The influences of The Muffins includes the Canterbury scene (a strong Soft Machine presence, Hatfield, etc) and Henry Cow/Fred Frith. In fact, Frith was important to the development of the band. The Muffins were the backing band on Frith's "Gravity"...Frith also produced [The Muffins'] "185"... If you've never heard The Muffins, you should. The band... eschew the general SymphoProg copycat syndrome, preferring to go for complex, improvisational works instead.. [which] makes these works some of the best to come from the USA." - (Gibraltar) END ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Mark Hewins" <hewins@musart.co.uk> Subject: For WR Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 08:07:16 +0100 Hello WRattlers Very sorry though to hear of Phil Howitt's intention to call it a day after the next issue of 'Facelift' (#20). Thanks for all your hard work over the last 10 or so years Phil, you deserve free tickets to any gig you want ever to see! Good luck in the future. It must be gratifying to see how many people have taken up the torch of furthering 'Canteresque' Music. For me the 'Canterbury Music Scene' has always been a loose conglomeration of many, many Musicians who just happen to work with each other - not particularly the Bands they work in; Bands belong to a pop related 'Genre' way of thinking.What always interested me in 'Canterburyness' is the complete spread of styles across Musical genres....... (There's something for everyone) With that in mind,My new entirely FREE Electronic Music album is now out on the web (not techno).This music was composed using Interactive phase distortion and is almost entirely made up from the 'resultant' sounds. Caution; it may not be suitable for faint hearts or some 'prog/pomp rock' fans though. MP3/Flash is required before you can download... B I G B I G S P A C E S http://musart.org/mp3/spaces For completists; cat.#; MUSART XCD 106 (9 tracks) I would like to mix this in 5:1 surround sound, any suggestions?Also I would love to perform it live, but I know of no organisations who promote this type of Music. P&L>Mark Hewins http://musart.co.uk/muso1.htm As my friend Ken Elliot, (7th Wave) once said; "who wants to design their music to a three minute slot aimed at twelve year olds, mums & the armed forces." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Mark Hewins" <hewins@musart.co.uk> Subject: REBELA FREE MP3 Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2000 07:39:29 +0100 Hi A & the W-Readers Here's another FREE MP3 REBELA: MORE INSTRUMENTAL VERSIONS (ReMix by Paul B) 4th April 2000 (TRACK # 4) MILLIONAIRE (5.65 Mb - 128Kbs MP3) --Players on this track-- Lol Coxhill; Soprano Sax (solo) Jim Dvorak; Trumpet Martin Shaw; Flugelhorn Gilad Altman; Alto Sax Theo Travis; Tenor Sax Errol Kennedy; Drums Paul Bhattacharjee; Bells Pete Brown; Conga Joe Cang; Bass Bob Loveday; String Sections Robbie T; Electric Piano & Synth Mark Hewins; Electric & Acoustic Guitars Alan R Dunn; Accordian This mix is instrumental and does not include Lady June's performance. P&L>M ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Luc P.© <luc.pilmeyer@skynet.be> Subject: New videos with Music by Mark Hewins Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 05:19:55 +0200 Dear Music Lovers Once again, I'm proud to get the Music of Mark Hewins on one of my new videos: "Apollo" which talks about Moon Odissey at http://users.swing.be/sobek http://www.pilmeyer.8m.com (videos page) http://www.sobekvideo.be.tf Mark kindly provided me with the remix of Super String by BIG BIG SPACE that you can also hear at http://musart.co.uk/noticbd.htm where there's also all kinds of cool things Best thoughts to all Luc Sobek http://www.pilmeyer.8m.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Frank Blades" <frank@ents24.com> Subject: Angel Air To Rerelease Holdsworth's Debut Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 10:51:37 +0100 Hi Aymeric, News update from Angel Air which I think the Canterbury list would be interested in: Angel Air are poised to re-release 'IGGINBOTTON's 1969 album Igginbottom'sWrench. If, like me, you are still unimpressed, let me point out thatIgginbottom was the starting point for one Allan Holdsworth - and I thinkthat will make you will prick up your collective ears!!! This is taken from the Angel Air website... ---TRACK LISTING: The Castle - Out Of Confusion - The Witch - Sweet Dry Biscuits -California Dreamin' - Golden Lakes -Not So Sweet Dreams - Is She Just A Dream? - Blind Girl - The Donkey When you've got Allan Holdsworth in your line-up, we're not talking averagesixties beat combo. Holdsworth is the guitarist's guitarist who has becomeone of the most respected jazz-fusion players. But back in 1969, togetherwith three young men from Bradford in Yorkshire, he formed the band known as 'Igginbottom.Producing and managing the band at this time were three guys from one of thesixties most successful "pop" bands "The Love Affair": bassist MichaelJackson, drummer Maurice "Mo" Bacon and keyboardist Morgan Fisher. Accordingto Jackson "The music they were playing was like nothing I had ever heardbefore, and the standard of their musicianship was incredibly high." Theirfirst London gig was at the renowned Ronnie Scotts Club in the company ofsuch legends as Barney Kessel. For Morgan Fisher: "These musicians werelight years ahead of the rest of us - all I felt we could do was to make sure that everything was well recorded."Back in 1969 the late Ronnie Scott wrote in the original sleevenotes:"'Igginbottom are unique and completely original...They may well bethe first group that has, completely naturally and unselfconsciously,evolved out of the ever-converging directions of good pop and jazz"."Disc & Music Echo" described the original album as "...by any standards,quite exceptional..." Judge for yourself and investigate this first-to-CDrelease for a jazz fusion masterpiece, with extensive and informative sleeve notes by Dale "Buffin" Griffin (Mott The Hoople). --- The Angel Air website is at http://www.angelair.force9.co.uk and you cancontact them at peter@angelair.force9.co.uk. That aren't normally associatedwith Canterbury rereleases, although if you like the 60/70s classic rock era then check out the rest of the catalogue... Frank -- Frank Blades Ents24.com Tel: +44 (0)117 973 0548 Tel: +44 (0)117 973 0152 http://www.ents24.com The UK Entertainment Centre ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: gong-gas <jonny@planetgong.co.uk> Subject: GONG-RELATED GIGS and EVENTS Date: Wed, 29 Mar 00 23:16:56 +0000 GONG...APRIL UK TOUR Daevid, Gilli, Mike H, Theo, Chris and Gwyo. Switch Doctor David Id will be at the controls to ensure total open communication from the Planet Gong is established.Thur 27th April Exeter. Phoenix Arts Centre Gandy St, Exeter. tel 01392 667 080 http://www.exeternet.freeserve.co.uk/ambience.htm TRIO MALHERBE, EHRLICH, SHEHAN...FRENCH DATE Sat 29th April France, Foire de Paris. Fete des Jazz GONG...NORWAY Daevid, Gilli, Mike, Theo, Chris and Gwyo. First pixie visit to Norway since 1974!Sat 29th April Norway, Bergen. The Garage. tel: (+47) 552 150 60 GONG...FRANCE Gnomes For May with Daevid, Gilli, Mike, Theo, Chris, Didier & Gwyo.Thur 4th May France, Paris. La Cigale, 120 bd de Rochechouart, 75019 Paris. tel: 01 49 25 89 99 (Mon-Sat 12h to 7h.) Visa cards only. GONG...LONDON SPECTACULARDaevid, Gilli, Mike, Theo, Chris, Didier & Gwyo plus guests, Visual Bliss decorations, etc. And all at the scene of many a fantastic Gong gig in the 70’s with a sprung dance floor.Sun 7th May UK, London. Hammersmith Palais. tel 0208 748 6520 GONG...MAY UK FESTIVALS Daevid, Gilli, Mike, Theo, Chris and Gwyo. 12th/13th May Malvern. Fringe Festival. tbc 26th-29th May Dorset, Blandford. Festival. tbc INVISIBLE OPERA Co of TIBET...UK MAY FESTIVAL Mon 29th May Devon, Broad Clyst. Millenium Festival. DAEVID ALLENS UNIVERSITY OF ERRORS...JUNE/JULY EUROPEAN TOURFirst chance to see the psychedelic extravaganza that are the Errors in Europe. Thur 1st June Netherlands. tbc Fri 2nd June Belgium, Brussels. 3rd-7th June Germany, Norway, Sweden. tbc. Thur 8th June Denmark, Copenhagen. tbc. 9th-11th June Germany, Denmark. tbc. Mon 12th June Switzerland, Winterthur 13th-20th June Italy, Germany. tbc. Wed 21st June Belgium, Liege. Wed 28th June Belgium, Diksmuide. 29th-30th June Netherlands. tbc. 1st-5th July UK, 3 or 4 dates. tbc. THEO TRAVIS QUARTET...UK DATES with David Gordon, Andy Hamill and Marc ParnellFri 2nd June Farnham, Downbeat Club, The Maltings. tel 01252 715 546 Sat 3rd June London, Barbican Foyer. 5.30pmSun 4th June Croydon, Gun Tavern, Church St. 1 pm5th-10th June London, Ronnie Scott’s Club. tel 0171 439 0747Sun 16th July Dorset, Swanage Jazz Festival. tel 01929 442 885 GONG...UK GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL Daevid, Gilli, Mike, Didier, Chris and Gwyo. Gong at Glastonbury for the first time since 1971! They headline on the Sunday night at the end of the festival. Where else is there to be?Sun 25th June Glastonbury Festival. Green Fields, Avalon Stage. INVISIBLE OPERA Co of TIBET...UK GLASTONBURY FESTIVALIt can’t be Glastonbury without the Invisibles in some guise or other in attendance.Fri 23rd June Glastonbury Fest. Green Fields, Croissant Neuf Stage-2.30. GONG...JULY FINNISH GIGDaevid, Gilli, Mike, Theo, Chris and Gwyo. The push to be the first band to play at the North Pole continues...getting further North all the time!Fri 7th July Finland, Imatra. Big Band Festival. GONG...JULY FRENCH FESTIVAL DATES Daevid, Gilli, Mike, Didier, Theo, Chris and GwyoThere may be other French Festival gigs just before this confirmed date. Tues 25th July France, Arles. MIMI Festival. MAGICK BROTHERS...AUGUST FRENCH FESTIVAL DATE Daevid, Graham Clark and Mark Robson twinkle in the sunshine. 25th/26th July France. Les Amis de la Pouventail. tbc ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** AND OTHER GOOD GIGS... ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ==> SLAPP HAPPY <======================================================== [D.Krause-P.Blegvad-A.Moore] May 13/14/16/17 & 26/27/78 - Tokyo, Star Pine's Cafe (Kichijoji) May 19 - Sapporo, Bessy Hall (Sapporo) May 20 - Kyoto, Kyoto Univ. Seibu-Kodo Information: Eyewill: tel/fax +81-3-5485-6490 mailto:kjeyewill@aol.com ==> MAGMA <============================================================== 30TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWS: May 12/13/14 Paris, Le Trianon (80, boulevard Rochechouart) + Projects: Early May - US tour + South American dates European tour - hopefully sometime this year + Christian Vander Quartet: Apr 27/28/29 - Paris, Le Sunset Official website: http://www.seventhrecords.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- END OF ISSUE 154_________________________________________________________________________ WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ?_________________________________________________________________________ CALYX - The Canterbury Website http://perso.club-internet.fr/calyx THE ULTIMATE ONLINE CANTERBURY DISCOGRAPHY http://perso.club-internet.fr/calyx/cantdisco 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)* All contributions are welcome! Please write to: CALYX@club-internet.fr_________________________________________________________________________