WR

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - :: :: The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts :: :: Issue # 40 :: :: Sunday, February 9th, 1997 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi everyone, Sorry for the unusually long delay in bringing this issue over to you. I've been very busy lately and things I intended to write (reviews of several new releases, continuation of the Gong story) got postponed. Well, they won't make it this time. Hopefully soon, though. Meanwhile, please enjoy the following interview with Phil Miller about the new In Cahoots album which as you know I enjoy *very* much ! AN INTERVIEW WITH PHIL MILLER February 8th, 1997 (Q) Was there a conscious effort from you to go back, on this new album, to a more "progressive"/rehearsed, less jazzy/improvised direction, in comparison to previous albums ("Live In Japan" and "Recent Discoveries"), or is it just the result of the new material having been played on tour prior to recording it, in contrast to the 'hurried-up' sessions for "R.D." ? (A) Well, there was indeed a conscious decision on my part to go towards a CD with less of a jazz-orientated rhythmic feel. On "Parallel", there is quite a bit of variety in this respect. "Live In Japan" is really a snapshot in time of what the band was into; not really the ultimate performance of those pieces. An interesting document hopefully with some substantial playing from the band.As for "R.D." is was a CD done in a hurry. Events beyond me or for that matter anybody else conspired to cut down the time I had allowed myself to finish off the working and rewriting.We had this madman living above us creating mayhem and noise - the 'neighbour from hell' syndrome - and it threw me out of schedule. I like to rewrite things, iron out a few wrinkles; change things that need it. So there were elements or areas in the writing where things are perhaps at a lesser standard than I might like to have achieved. It would have been better to have spread events over a longer time span, perhaps a few extra gigs to feel more at home with the material might have been beneficial. I believe we did six gigs and four days rehearsal besides all the other stuff one does at home as it were.I will say that a lot of work was put in by all the other musicians concerned and that has to be recognised. Anyway, there are some positive aspects to deadlines, finite budgets, limits of somesort make you finish projects rather than be in a perpetual state of being where nothing you do is ever either finished or good enough. You can go the other way where you rehearsed the life out of something. It is good to ensure that there is enough of that sense of freshness you get when you first play a piece more or less right when you finally record it. (Q) There had been a one-off tour of Japan in 1991 with the same sextet line-up, but this is the first time In Cahoots is permanently a 6-piece band. Do you wish to keep it this way ? Did you think it was possible to dispense with keyboards, then reckoned it was a problem ? (A) The sextet version of InCa simply has a larger scope for me and increases one's options. Writing specifically for a duet of, say, guitars, is for me much more difficult than for a six-piece. Also it is always nice to have keyboards in the line-up, especially with someone as good as Peter Lemer who can play the fiendish bits easily and make them less fragile. The keyboards are an efficient instrument and can play most things. Ideally I'd like to keep this line-up intact for all the gigs but that depends on availability and money to an extent.So that is why I have been happy to do gigs as a quintet, quartet, trio or duo. That way you develop the pieces and your knowledge of them and how to adapt them for the required line-up. However, it does help in the guitar duo setting that Fred T. Baker is such a virtuoso because it is really like having two players sometimes. (Q) Regarding the 'horn section' approach with Elton and Jim, I'm wondering whether you were in any way frustrated of never working with a sax player on a regular basis during the whole of the seventies, with Matching Mole, Hatfield and National Health ? (A) No, I wasn't. In respect to Mole and Hatfield it was a case of focusing on what was there really, rather than having any need for a particular sound or instrumentation that wasn't available. Elton and Jim work and blend so well together you feel a bit naked when they're not there. They make a telling contribution to the music. (Q) Could you tell us what other projects you're working on, and whether gigs with any of these line-ups are forthcoming ? (A) Well, Short Wave will be doing some gigs in France in september. I always like to play with Didier so I am looking forward to that. Hopefully we may get around to organising some recording sessions in conjunction with the gigs. We have been thinking of doing some pieces at home on our respective computers and multi-tracks as opposed to a band playing live as it were. As yet this is in the design stages. Fred [Baker] and I are planning a visit to Cuba for some concerts. My friend Henk Weltevedren, who was very largely instrumental in getting us to Japan has been out there scouting for us and came back saying that there were some opportunities for us, but once again this is in the initial stages. We will be working in Holland in october/november that is for sure. We well may do some gigs there with the sax player Dick de Graaf. He may take us on his tour of Mali which could be quite unusual. As far as the trio with Pete Lemer, nothing planned as yet. In Cahoots will be working but I'm still trying to figure the 'when' part of the equation and this depends on my assuming my 'Harvey Goldsmith persona' which is not a particularly enthralling prospect. As and when things materialise which should be in the next few weeks I will be sure to keep you posted. (c) 1997 Calyx/The Canterbury Website ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Peters <100041.247@compuserve.com> Subject: Missing Pieces Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 08:58:03 -0500 Aymeric, Thanks for the information I found on Calyx about Soft Machine's Spaced - awonderful rarity for an old Soft Machine fan! While I found this one easily here (in Cologne) in the shops, I was unable to find the new National Health CD ... would you think it has been released and should be available? Michael Peters ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gérald PURNELLE <Gerald.Purnelle@ulg.ac.be> Subject: Cover of Genesis by R. Sinclair Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:29:48 +0100 For What's Rattlin' Hello everybody, A friend of mine, Canterbury afficionado, has found the site of a record shop where is mentioned a cover of Genesis' "For Absent Friends" by Richard Sinclair. The CD is called "Supper's Ready". Here is the text of presentation : "Magna Carta was working on this tribute to Genesis at the same time as the above mentioned album. I [this is Gary] helped put together two tracks - the exquisite 'Ripples' performed by the incredible voice of Annie Haslam of Renaissance, and 'For Absent Friends' performed by Richard Sinclair who, for me, epitomizes the Canterbury sound in his solo work as well as past work with Caravan, Hatfield & the North and Camel. " Here is the http adress : http://www.artist-shop.com/gary/index.htm It is possible to hear an excerpt of Sinclair's contribution (but I can't!). Gérald Purnelle [Also on this Magna Carta CD, which I have, is a performance by Peter Bardens' Mirage, with a special line-up including drummer Nick D'Virgilio, who is now rumored to be the drummer on the new Genesis album... - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Todd Ellenberg <ELLENBER@servms.fiu.edu> Subject: Looking for In Cahoots' "Parallel" Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:54:24 -0500 (EST) Hey Now! I'm new to WR, and it's great to be hanging out with fellow Canterbury music enthusiasts. Although I'm a longtime fan of old Soft Machine and most everything Kevin Ayers has ever done (and some solo Robert Wyatt, to boot), it's only been quite recently that I started enjoying the wonders of Caravan, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Matching Mole and others. (I also saw a strange concert line-up back in 1974 of Camel opening for Blue Oyster Cult...bizarre.) After reading the ecstatic reviews, I'd love to get my hands on In Cahoots' "Parallel." Thing is, it's rather difficult (at least here in Miami) to find English progressive stuff. Can anyone recommend a reliable mail order source where I could get this album and other stuff discussed around these parts? [Try Wayside Music, just ask for their catalog at CuneiWay@aol.com. There have a good selection of Canterbury-related CD's - AL] Thanks! Todd Ellenberg ps -- I'm an avid collector of live concert recordings and have a collection of 1,200+ hours. If anyone has some live recordings of classic progressive stuff, your list gets mine. pps -- Anyone from Miami on this list? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Paul Vorel <pvorel@earthlink.net> Subject: canterbury music (about the calyx site) Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 22:20:42 -0500 give the world sound samples! i love music, listening exploringplaying, but haven't the faintest clue what this music sounds like. thank you. -p [This is not a message intended for WR, but this give me an opportunity to admit that I don't have the faintest clue about how to put samples on website. I don't think I have enough space anyway. And there are of course legal problems... - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: nomad@netrover.comSubject: Lol Coxhill's "Diverse" & Keith Tippett's "Ark" on Ogun CD Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:26:32 -0800 Hello Rattlers!!! LOL COXHILL'S "Diverse" album (Ogun Records) has been released or is in the process of being re-issued on Ogun Records for the compact disc format. Check this site out (especially Jim Grainger): <http://www.shef.ac.uk/misc/rec/ps/efi/elabels.html#ogun> This will inform all of you about several re-issues on CD such as Keith Tippett's Ark, Lol Coxhill, & Elton Dean (all on Ogun Records CD re-issue program). Bye4now Rattlers, Julian "Ranting Man" (from Canada) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Henry Potts <henry@bondegezou.demon.co.uk> Subject: Dave Stewarts Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 23:39:57 +0000 [In WR#39, Aymeric Leroy wrote:]>for the forthcoming "Harbour Of Tears" tour of Camel. The line-up will>be Andrew Latimer (guitar, vocals, flute), Foss Patterson (keyboards),>Colin Bass (bass, vocals) and Dave Stewart (drums - no relation !). Presumably this is the same Dave Stewart who has drummed for Fish? -- Henry Potts [He indeed is, and I seem to understand both he and Patterson, as well as David Paton, are still playing in Fish's band, and will be featured on his new album, "Sunsets on Empire", scheduled for release in May 1997. A bit off-topic but anyway... - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: neato@pipeline.com Subject: strange gong related sighting! Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 10:36:01 -0500 hello aymeric... thought this might interest you... just got it on the loopers (digital loop delay) list: andre@monmouth.com wrote:>if you're in the NJ area - i'll be doing some live digital guitar with lotsa>looping - i have a casio and i control an ensoniq sampler and yamaha, kawai>synths. I perform in a duo called JFK's LSD-UFO and the other musician plays>digaital and acoustic drums and sampler/synth. Lots of loops, strange>sounds, noise and wonderment. Also on the bill is a guitar/violin duet>featuring original GONG violinist Dietrich Wiessler...and SILENT records'>"operation mindwipe" So, e-mail me if you're interested !!! The show is at>the Brighton Bar, Longbranch NJ 908 - 222-9684 Thur Jan 30 9:30 pm Also ->i'm interested in putting on dig-guitar shows in NJ in general.... cheers all my mistakes were once acts of genius neato@pipeline com ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: JJdarby@aol.com Subject: canterbury music Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 00:57:55 -0500 (EST) Hi there, I was most surprised to find another Canterbury music home page... Not Mark Hewins Musart links...I'm Jeremy Darby, Canterbury born and bred and recording engineer... of some Caravan, Sinclair, Hewins, Polite Force etc etc etc projects...I am currently living between Toronto Canada (where this coming Monday Feb 3rd, my 40th birthday, I am opening a new recording studio, called "The Canterbury Music Company") and New York City, where I work for among others, Lou Reed. Good luck with your enterprise, please keep me informed. Jeremy Darby ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gérald PURNELLE <Gerald.Purnelle@ulg.ac.be> Subject: Ayers Gig Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 09:31:13 +0100 Hello Everybody, Yesterday I've been in Mol, a little town in North East of Belgium, to see a confidential gig of Kevin Ayers (I had read about it... in What's Rattlin'. Thank you the Net!) That was the first time I saw him, and it was great. He was alone on stage with just one guitarist, and they played 2 hours of a very bluesy set. The voice of Ayers is still excellent, and the double guitar playing was very exciting.Among the tunes he played, I recognized Champagne and Valium, When Your Parents Go to Sleep, Audience, Lady Rachel, Super Salesman, Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes, Everybody's Sometime and Somebody's all the time Blues, Shouting in a Bucket blues, Two Goes into Four. From this you can see that Bananamour is the main album... probably the best. He played also a brand new song called "England" (it could be Belgium, he said; we agreed). At the end of the encore, he started to play Whatevershebringswesing, then after a few seconds he stopped and played Shouting in a Bucket Blues (my favourite song). Sadly, he did not play Why are we sleeping?, nor My I? Maybe next time... Canterburishly Yours Gerald Purnelle ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: PETERGIF@aol.com Subject: Caravan/Camel Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 12:38:12 -0500 (EST) I have been receiving WR for a couple of months, and there are an amazingnumber of people playing the type of music I love that I have never heard of.......As for LarryNork...I too have been searching for the first Caravan album, but I would settle for the LP....I don't know about anyone else, but I think that Andrew Latimer of Camel would be best served by contacting Peter Bardens and collaborating with him on a new album.....I love Camel, but they have been nothing short of a disappointment since Stationary Traveller, which, although there is no Bardens on this one, it seems as if the well ran dry then ( and that is a mere 13 years ago).On the other hand, Caravan's Battle of Hastings has grown on me, and I have listened to it constantly... 3 cheers for the Pye man...... Does anyone else agree with this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: lolorec@aol.com (LoLo Records) Subject: BON show dates/LoLo Records update Date: 5 Feb 1997 14:52:17 GMT BON with Hansford Rowe (bass), Vic Stevens (drums), & Bon Lozaga (guitar) will be performing:Feb. 22 PHANTASMAGORIA 11319 Elkin St. Wheatin, Md. 301-949-8886Feb. 23 THE OVERPASS 111 Cotton St. Manayunk, Pa. 215-487-1009 9pm. Also Bon is currently finishing up the new PROJECT LO cd with Happy Rhodes, Percy Jones, Caryn Lin, Chris Farr, and others. It should be available in about a month.Rumor has it that GONGZILLA will be touring this spring with special guest Pierre Moerlen along with his brother Benoit, Hanny, and Gary Husband. Be on the look out!!!!Vic Stevens is currently recording his second album for LoLo with Percy Jones, Dave Fiucszynski, and other special guests.Common Ground are also finishing up their second release with Erik Sayles, Chris Farr, and Dennis Chambers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mark HEWINS <hewins@musart.co.uk> Subject: [Answers to a few questions by moderator] Date: Sat, 8 Feb 1997 10:44:09 GMT Morning Aymeric.. Here's some news! >Do you still think the Mashu & Polite Force CDs will be available this month? Funnily enough; I have just got the first 5 copies of the MASHU CD 'Elephants in your head?' (Voiceprint) Hopper/ Hewins/Maitra .... guest Elton Dean It's out NOW! I'm pretty pleased with the print.It will be at their normal mail-order price; I think. Or in some shops. MUSART will make it available worldwide at £15 (inc.P&P) *************** MUSART says......why we offer one price CD's on the web - It makes it possible for people without a great deal of English language tobuy cheaper (or at all!) if they live; for instance, in Peru, Mozambique orRussia. We see it as the 2nd and 1st world supporting/subsidising 'non-pop'Music to the 3rd. Some countries have no record distribution chain at allanyway. The only way to send the CD's is privately, registered and insured(expensive). Otherwise the people who live in these places would only everhear poxy old bootlegs or Michael Jackson; if anything at all. *************** >Any gigs in the works ? I'm hoping to arrange some solo concerts soon. Steve Miller is very keen tocontinue working with the trio configuration with me and his brother Phil...I'm still waiting to hear from Shyamal about the MASHU gigs. I have been working on my next solo record and will go to Toronto soon tofinish it. (Some tracks have already been completed in Nashville and London)I have also been working with Erroll Kennedy (Imagination) and Robbie Tagain, for another dance project with big commercial implications.Bob Loveday (Penguin Cafe/Bob Geldof) and I have been working on sometracks. At the same time as my solo recording I'll go to New York to work with Mike Rathke (Lou Reed). Preparing a project for '98. MUSART - THE CANTERBURY SCENE MUSICIANS http://musart.co.uk/ (www) 300+webpages - 10000 hits a week ********************************************* Subscribe to "What's Rattlin'" the weekly CANTERBURY MUSIC ON-LINE NEWSLETTER***************** *********** bigbang@mail.alpes-net.fr (with the message-subscribe)************* ************ WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? BACK ISSUES - ONLINE ARCHIVE (MUSART) http://musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm... or... http://www.musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm... or... http://www.sonnet.co.uk/musart/watrat/watrat.htm ********************************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** FORTHCOMING CANTERBURY-RELATED CONCERTS ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [for more info : check out the 'Concerts' page of CALYX - see URL below] PIERRE BENSUSAN/DIDIER MALHERBE DUO - FRENCH TOUR 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] BON - U.S. DATES [Bon Lozaga-Hansford Rowe-Vic Stevens] Feb 22 - 'Phantasmagoria', Wheatin, MD Feb 23 - 'The Overpass', Manayunk, PA TERTIO - FRENCH DATE [Patrice Meyer-Emmanuel Bex-Pip Pyle] Feb 12 - Nancy, Academy Music HADOUK - FRENCH & BELGIAN DATES [Didier Malherbe/Loy Ehrlich] Feb 15 - St. Claude (39) (France) Apr 04 - Thumesnil (59) (France) Aug 02 - Dranouter, Folk Festival (Ypres) (Belgium) HUGH HOPPER BAND - FRENCH DATE [Frank van der Kooy-Patrice Meyer-Hugh Hopper-Maarten Kruiswijk] Mar 22 - Bethune (62), Le Poche * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF ISSUE #40 _________________________________________________________________________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 ARCHIVES http://musart.co.uk/watrat/watrat.htm (MUSART) http://magma.uerj.br/calyx (RIO/Zeuhl Lists) Send all correspondence regarding 'CALYX' and 'WHAT'S RATTLIN' ?' to : bigbang@alpes-net.fr _________________________________________________________________________