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:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - :: :: The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts :: :: Issue # 36 :: :: Wednesday, January 8th, 1997 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Daelken@aol.com Subject: Didier Malherbe Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 07:18:04 -0500 Hello, I'm just working on a Didier Malherbe Page. It's http://members.aol.com/pbensusan/malherbe.htmlPerhaps you would like to make a link on your Canterbury-Site ? Ansgar ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Patrick Little <pjl@MATH.AMS.ORG> Subject: re: WR#35 Date: Fri, 03 Jan 1997 08:50:38 -0500 (EST) > From: Datboy > Subject: Hello there .... [SNIP]> "Esther's" is the "Pig" and "Orange Skin Food" sections. [SNIP]> "Out-Bloody-Rageous" is the second section in 15. It cuts where they go > into "Eamonn Andrews" on Third. [SNIP]> "Slightly All The Time" is the bit where they're really playing > "Mousetrap." As a new recruit to "the Machine", I am in confusion over some of the song titles off of II and III. I have the cd versions, and tracks like "Esther's...", "Mousetrap" and "Backwards" aren't listed. Were they listed on the original lps? Luckily I have the Peel Sessions and live cds to help me sift through it all! Patrick ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Biffyshrew@aol.com Subject: Re: Soft Machine Singles Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 09:48:50 -0500 [In WR#35, Datboy <whatthat@vnet.net> wrote:]>Soft Machine did in fact release further singles other than Feelin Reelin >Squeelin / Love Makes Sweet Music. > >They were: > >Joy of A Toy / Why Are We Sleeping >Save Yourself / Lullabye Letter>As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still / Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening >Hibou Anemone & Bear / Esther's Nose Job >Out-Bloody-Rageous / Slightly All The Time I have a U.S. single of "Teeth" (3:30 edit). This is a white label DJ singlewith the same track on both sides; I don't know if there was ever a stock version. I seem to recall that "Soft Space" also came out as a single (in France?) divided into parts one and two. Your pal,Biffy the Elephant Shrew @}-`--}---- ...visit me at http://users.aol.com/biffyshrew/biffy.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: neato@pipeline.com Subject: re: gong story, pt. 1 Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 10:26:14 -0500 Hello Aymeric... Two absolutely essential sources are Allen's book - "Gong dreaming" - which covers the era of your posting in great detail, and the Gilli Smyth booklet accompanying her "Politico-Historico-Spirito" CD on Voiceprint...this goes into deep chronological specifics - According to the latter, it was Dieter Gewissler on violin at Amougies, not Gerry Fields..in addition she does not list Christian Tritsch as being there (he not joining till january 70) - Additional footage (for Amougies film) was shot by Laperrousaz a month later at the Chateau du Thiel I recently turned up a rare book of poetry from the late 60's by Ziska Baumand Loren Standlee written soon after their return from Europe... Very much a product of the times. Cheers All my mistakes were once acts of genius neato@pipeline com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Henry Potts <henry@bondegezou.demon.co.uk> Subject: Gong'77 Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 23:00:14 +0000 [In WR35, Aymeric Leroy wrote:]>Yet another obscure event about which little detailed information seems>available : the Gong Family Reunion in Paris, May 28th 1977 [...]>- Strontium 90 : Mike Howlett, Andy Summers, Sting, Stewart Copeland This event is mentioned in the book section of The Police's "Message in a Box" and was central to the band's birth. The concert is dated as May 29th. The Police had only just formed, consisting of Sting, Stewart Copeland and Henri Padovani. They had released their first single ("Fall Out") on a miniscule budget provided by Copeland himself and had began touring. Then, to quote the book: "Mike Howlett invited Sting to sing with his new band, Strontium 90 [...] [The Gong Reunion was] A remarkable affair staged in a circus tent to an audience of 5,000, in every respect it was the antithesis of punk. But when Howlett's drummer cried off at the last minute, Stewart went along to help out - and protect his investment." Sting and Copeland met Summers, already playingwith Howlett. Quoting Copeland: "Mike Howlett wanted to steal my group, so I stole his group!" Summers left Howlett and quit his place in Kevin Ayers' band, Padovani was fired and Summers joined The Police. -- Henry ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "John S. Einarson" <jeinarso@MINET.gov.MB.CA> Subject: Progressive-related Vinyl Date: Sun, 05 Jan 1997 10:12:34 +0000 Hello, I have an extensive collection of progressive andprogressive-related original vinyl albums that I'm looking to sell. Ihave all the original Caravan albums including the US Verve first albumplus an autographed copy of For Girls Who Grow Plumb, the Hatfield'sdebut album, Turning Point's Silent Promise, Soft Machine's debut wheelcover album and the early Softs albums, Henry Cow, Galliard on the DeramNova label, Denny Gerrard's Sinister Morning, the two original High Tidealbums on Liberty, Trader Horn's Morning Way, both original Treesalbums: On The Shore and Garden of Jane Delawney on CBS, Still Life'sonly album on Vertigo, the early Jade Warrior albums, all the Isotopealbums plus Gary Boyle's solo album The Dancer on coloured vinyl,Ashkan's In From The Cold on Deram Nova, autographed Argent albums, theearly Van Der Graaf albums on Dunhill, Probe and Charisma includingtheir debut on Fontana, Seventh Wave's Psi-Fi and Things To Come albums,Tranquillity plus much much more. All are in excellent to very goodshape. Anyone out there who might be interested in these? Please let me know. Thanks. JE ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Musart" Subject: Miller/Hewins Hatfield gig ! Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 12:57:51 GMT [taken from the "noticeboard" page of the MUSART website :] * Recording and Concert in 'the Old Church' Hatfield on Sat. 11th Jan 1997 * A Very special line up with....* Steve Miller, Piano... Mark Hewins, Guitars.... Phil Miller, Guitars* the Concert is in the evening, but everyone is welcome to the afternoon session of the recording, beginning 14.00pm MUSART website : http://musart.co.uk/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Aymeric Leroy <bigbang@alpes-net.fr> Subject: The History Of Gong, Part 2 Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 13:01:50 +0000 [cont'd from WR#35] Sometime in 1970, the band made an attempt to start over again, which was ultimately successful. Allen and co moved back to the South of France, living in a sheepfold in the Drome region, which was later bought and renovated by Kevin Ayers. In October 1970, one Michael Brown reinforced the band on sound effects and vocals, following the departure of Daniel Laloux. He appeared on the French radio program 'Pop 2' on January 5, 1971, sharing vocals with Daevid and Gilli. A few local live performances gave a new confidence to the band who started work on a new repertoire. Gong moved again, this time to Voisines, a little village near Sens (Yonne), in a big house named Pavillon du Hay. Helped by the then-emerging non-profit associations like 'Rock Pas Degenere' who organized tours for such bands as Magma, Crium Delirium or Babylone, a French tour of youth/cultural centres was undertaken. There was finally light at the end of the tunnel. This period ended with a performance at Paris' Palais des Sports with Kevin Ayers and the Whole World sharing the bill. It ended with a furious jam between sax players Malherbe and Lol Coxhill. Meanwhile, in January 1971, Daevid Allen went back to London to record yet another of the three solo albums he was to produce for Byg. This time, Karakos insisted that at least another ex-Soft Machine member be involved. Robert Wyatt happened to be around, and agreed to take part. Thus the core line-up for the album was Allen on vocals and guitar, Robert Wyatt on drums and Archie Legget on bass. Also involved were Christian Tritsch and new acquaintance Pip Pyle, previously in Delivery and Chicken Shack. During the sessions, Allen was also introduced to Tim Blake, an aspiring synthesizer player, who joined Gong as live sound engineer. Pyle also joined, as Houari had decided to take some time away from Gong. Thus in March 1971 came to birth what was considered the first stable line-up of the band : Daevid Allen (vocals and guitar), Gilli Smyth (vocals), Didier Malherbe (sax and flute), Christian Tritsch (bass and guitar) and Pip Pyle (drums). The following few months were very active for Gong, both in terms of recordings (they laid down two albums at Herouville Castle, "Camembert Electrique" - allegedly worked on during the full moon phases of May, June and September - and the soundtrack to Jerome Laperrousaz's film "Continental Circus" (about ex-world motorcycle champsion Bruce Findlay), and backing tracks which were later used by Dashiell Hedayat for his album "Obsolete") and gigs : following a French tour in late May, Gong played its debut British gig at the Glastonbury Fayre festival in June, and was featured on both the film and the record of the event [rumour has it that most of Gong's contribution to the album was in fact recorded in Belgium several months later, with Laurie Allan on drums]. In late August 1971, Kevin Ayers, Allen's former Soft Machine colleague, joined Gong, having just broken up his own band The Whole World. Gong concerts during the subsequent Autumn tour (some of which also involved Robert Wyatt, for instance at the Fete de l'Humanite in Paris in October) were split into two parts : the first one was devoted to Gong material (with Ayers absent from the stage), while the second one was a mix of Gong and Ayers material, with Ayers singing his songs and alternating with Tritsch on guitar and bass. The performances usually ended with an half-hour jam based on "We Did It Again"... Towards the end of the tour (November 9th), Gong recorded a radio session for the BBC, performing Ayers' song "Clarence In Wonderland" among others. Pip Pyle left in December 1971 and went back to England, joining singer Paul Jones' backing band and a couple of other shortlived ventures until forming Hatfield and the North. He was replaced by Laurie Allan, who had already replaced him in Delivery. The following month, Kevin Ayers decided to quit, finding it difficult to adapat to the group's communal lifestyle. These line-up changes apart, that period was quite successful on the live front : Gong who managed to play more than 70 concerts in three months during the spring of 1972. But these achievements were marred once again by poor distribution. "Camembert Electrique" was almost completely ignored; only "Continental Circus", thanks to its being released on a major label (Phillips), managed to benefit from the band's growing popularity. The resulting fragile economic status of Gong incited them to try their luck in England. A tour was set up which proved encouragingly successful. Unfortunately, following further changes of personnels happened, and as a result the band began to drift apart. Guitarist Gerry Fitzgerald (ex-Mouseproof) joined for a brief spell, while Laurie Allan grew bored, feeling he knew the set too well, so in April 1972 he left and was replaced by various drummers, including Charles Hayward, formerly of Quiet Sun, and Mac Poole of the Deep Purple spinoff band Warhorse (who had shared the bill with Gong and Ayers at the Fete de l'Huma a few months earlier). As a result of all these troubles, Gong ground to a temporary halt in August 1972. [cont'd in WR#37] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim Grainger <Jim@regneag.demon.co.uk> Subject: All roads lead to Canterbury Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 00:53:09 GMT I have just discovered this wonderful list, I feel as though I have finally found home. It was 1972 that I was first introduced to the Soft Machine by my friend Fred Burk. He had spent the majority of the previous evening up a lampost in protest at his neighbours complaining about him playing their record too loud! (Fred eventually went on to become the bass player with the punk band Johnny Moped - an offshoot of the Damned who in turn took Lol Coxhill on tour with them. All roads lead to Canterbury) I though any band worthy of protesting about so strongly must be good and onFreds recomendation purchased Soft Machine Vol 2 and was instantly hooked. This led to what can only be described to an addiction ever since - my record buying following (unknowingly at first) the Pete Frame Soft Machine family tree from Triple Echo and beyond. Particulary anything which has Robert Wyatt involved, whos songs still have the ability to move me after 25 years of constant listening. I have left instructions for Rock Bottom to be played at my funeral. Around 1976/7 I attended a Carla Bley concert at Dingwalls in Camden Lock, London. The venue had been booked by her as a private birthday party for a friend, but she decided turn it into a concert and to sell tickets. What a treat, among the line up were Michael Mantler, Elton Dean, Gary Windo, Brian and Hugh Hopper, I think Hugh played bass I cant remember exactly - the set but it was good stuff. As a bonus, in the audience sitting in his wheelchair was Robert Wyatt and I managed to push my way to stand next to him - but was too full of awe to thank him for the years of enjoyment his music had already given me. However Dingwalls became very full and people were shouting for people to sit down, Robert announced that he wasnt much shorter when he could stand up (a reference to Soft Machine.vol 1 Why am I so short? lyrics) then someone threw beer over us. Thats all I can remember now - perhaps someone else attended it? As evidence of my commitment I have just printed off all 34 editions of WhatsRattlin? from the Web Site and read about half - what a joy - some new bands to try , some unknown records by old favourites to seek out. Enough of me rattlin on. Keep up the great work. Jim Grainger jim@regneag.demon.co.ukwww.regneag.demon.co.uk - for all your requirements in strange vicars. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Aymeric Leroy <bigbang@alpes-net.fr> Subject: Help Requested Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 13:01:50 +0000 Dear WRers, As a result of my hard disk failure in November, I lost a lot of files, including back issues of WR. I have been able to get copies of issues 1-10 and 26 onwards, but I'm still lacking issues 11-25. I'd be happy if one of you could forward copies to me. Please e-mail me first, so I don't get 100s ! BTW, I mean issues as originally sent by me, not the sometimes edited issues that can be found on the Musart site. Thanks in advance, Aymeric L. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** FORTHCOMING CANTERBURY-RELATED CONCERTS ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [for more info : check out the 'Concerts' page of CALYX - see URL below] PHIL MILLER/STEVE MILLER/MARK HEWINS - ONE-OFF GIG (WILL BE RECORDED) Jan 11 - Hatfield, The Old Church KEVIN AYERS - BELGIAN TOUR Jan 28 - Turnout, Theater Cafe [Tel. (32) 14 43 77 37]Jan 29 - Gent, Muziek Kafee Charlatan [Tel. (32) 92 24 23 11] Jan 30 - Mol, Boulevard [Tel. (32) 14 31 37 77] PIERRE BENSUSAN/DIDIER MALHERBE DUO - FRENCH TOURJan 24 - Boulogne Sur Mer, Cabaret Sam [Tel. 03 21 87 32 69] Jan 26 - Aulnay Sous Bois, venue unknown Jan 28 - Marseille, Espace Julien [Tel. 04 91 39 29 29] Feb 20 - Nilvange, Le Gueulard [Tel. 03 82 85 50 71] Feb 21 - Metz, Les Trinitaires [Tel. 03 87 75 04 96] Mar 06 - Aubusson, L'Avant Scène [Tel. 05 55 83 88 59] Mar 07 - Bresse/Grosne, Café-Théatre [Tel. 03 85 92 67 05] Mar 08 - Montlucon, Le Guingois [Tel. 04 70 05 88 18] Mar 11 - Tours, Le Bateau Ivre [Tel. 02 47 44 77 22] Mar 14 - Paris, New Morning Mar 15 - Cholet, Le Jardin de Verre [Tel. 02 41 65 13 58] Mar 21 - Plouhinec, Café de la Barre [Tel. 02 97 36 73 73] Mar 22 - Trégastel, Tout-Couleur [Tel. 02 96 23 46 26]Mar 23 - Plouhinec, Master Class, Café de la Barre [Tel. 02 97 36 73 73] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF ISSUE #36 _________________________________________________________________________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 (MUSART) http://musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm Send all correspondence regarding 'CALYX' and 'WHAT'S RATTLIN' ?' to : bigbang@alpes-net.fr _________________________________________________________________________