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:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? - :: :: The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts :: :: Issue # 65 :: :: Sunday, August 31st, 1997 :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bomnueter@t-online.de (Ulrich Bomnueter) Subject: Shleep info Date: Sat, 23 Aug 1997 13:17:58 +0200 Here's some more info on Robert Wyatt's new album 'Shleep', due out end of September. The following infos are quoted from a beautiful 24-page press info, including lots of drawings by Alfreda Benge, all of the lyrics, all this on coloured paper (which I only have hard-to-read xeroxes of). The Recording ------------- Phil Manzanera's generous hospitality gave me enough time in the Gallery, his studio on St. Ann's Hill in Chertsey, to work with Jamie Johnson on this bunchof songs, without having to keep a nervous eye on the clock while trying to make music. And Jamie's patience and musical intelligence meant I was able to relax and concentrate as if at home. For someone for whom recording in studios produces near-panic, their contributions were invaluable. Also, I was really lucky that a few really classy musicians were able to come along and blow some fresh wind into my sails: old friends like Annie Whitehead, Evan Parker, Brian Eno and Phil Manzanera himself, and new friends like Gary Azukx, Chucho Merchan and Paul Weller. I already had Chikako Sato on tape with Philip Catherine for a project that Jo Bogaert began in Belgium. A lot of the time though, it was just me and Jamie beavering away, with Charles Rees joining us for the mix to unravel the mysteries of the mixing chamber. I thank them all. The Songs --------- The songs are collaborations too: some the result of writing words for other people's tunes, some written to Alfie's words, and in the case of 'Alien', actually written *with* Alfie.Apart from her souvenir snapshots of a visit to Madrid with her pa, Alfie's words arrived in and around our wooden dacha at Humberston Fitties. The fitties are on the Humber Estuary opposite Spurn Point, a vital resting place for migrant birds and home to many others. 'September the Ninth', for example, was an unusually early day on which many hundreds of swallows gathered around our dacha and rested awhile before disappearing into the blue yonder. It was a rare moment of pure awe for us. The imagery of 'Alien' comes, I think, from emphathisingwith the extra-terrestial trajectory of the swift.My own words mostly struggled onto paper from endless weeks of fevered insomnia, which left me with an almost insatiable craving for the abyssal ooze of deep, deep sleep. The Musicians ------------- GARY ADZUKX, who has sung with Phil Manzanera but now plays studio mostly (for spectacular club events), was visiting the studio and shwoed me the African djembe drums, so I got him to play them for us on 'Alien'. A natural. I met PHILIP CATHERINE in Brussels over two decades ago, when I breifly joined him on stage during a party to mourn his last free night before having to donational service. Belgium has a unique guitar tradition (Django, Rene Thomas) of which Philip is a stunning example. BRIAN ENO has helped me out often before, on record (Matching Mole, 'Little Red Record','Ruth is Stranger than Richard'), and also in other important ways. A 21st century virtuoso, I think. Brian produced 'Heaps of Sheep', and decided a guitar was needed. JAMIE JOHNSON came up trumps. He's a real musician in his own right, (plus he knows Orion when he sees one), and made recording seem easy by taking care (with his clever pal Charles Rees) of the difficult bits. A helpful but non-judgemental engineer: (do you know how rare that is?) PHIL MANZANERA, our very own man in Havana, (from whose tune 'Frontera' I was once allowed to extract a torrent of useful phrases in Castillian) gets a wonderful guitar sound. He's also full of very useful ideas. One of Phil's best ideas was to invite CHUCHO MERCHAN over to give us a couple of bass lines. He wears little glittering chains as shoelaces: serious stuff.He has ears like greased lightning, but doesn't make a big deal of it. The last time I got EVAN PARKER to enhance one of my little pieces was over ten years ago (on Paul Haines' poem 'Curtsy', for his 'Darn It' CD). Here on tenor ('September the Ninth'), as well as soprano saxophone. There is no more formidable saxophonist playing today. "How come you're up a tree, if you want to catch fish?", is one of Chikako's wise sayings. CHIKAKO SATO has brought a touch of class and magic to the out-of-the-way country town where I now live, breaking out of the classical mould to play violin (and viola) with such diverse musicians as Grimsby jazz pianist, Leo Solomon and ....well...me. Hearing his wonderfully fresh recent trio work, it's worth remembering that PAUL WELLER has negotiated over twenty years in the rock business and still comes up smelling of roses! I've always loved his style and integrity from a distance, and his intense vitality close-up came as an invigorating bonus. After all these years, I have just half a dozen rock heroes, and Paul is one of those few. Finally, I want to thank ANNIE WHITEHEAD for her conscientiousness, musical acuity and singing trombone tone. It was remembering the way she shadowed Ernest Mothle's bass line on Jerry Dammer's arrangement of 'Wind of Change' that convinced me that she was the ally I needed on, for example, 'Out of Season'. Look out for her own recordings like 'Naked' and 'This is Rude'. Half the musicians on 'Shleep' had already worked with Annie. Hear why. Robert Wyatt" ------------------------------------------------------------------------> Ulrich 'Bommel' Bomnueter e-mail: bomnueter@t-online.de <> WWW: home.t-online.de/home/bomnueter/ <------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mark Bloch <markb@echonyc.com> Subject: Wyatt/Shleep Date: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 13:13:45 +0100 Aymeric and friends... I received a card from Robert Wyatt. He tells me that ENO played on cuts 1.Heaps Of Sheeps and 9. Sunday In Madrid and that he played on AND also produced 2. The Dutchess. I guess that means Wyatt produced the rest himself...(?) Meanwhile, he called the song 7. Alien, "the centerpiece" of the CD and that is the only cut where Phil Manzanera joined him. The entire project was recorded at Manzanera's studio in Chestray Surrey, UK. Anyone know anything about that? (including the correct spelling?) I am interested to hear about 5. Free Will And Testament (which we were told last time by the very informative Stuart Maconie ) previously appeared on the Hugh Hopper & Kramer album, 'A Remark Hugh Made', with a slight change of lyrics. Anyone know tyhat song? Who is Paul Weller? Apparently he wrote the track. I'd be interested in any details anyone knows... Looking forward to hearing it! Thanks to all who have contributed information... Mark Bloch ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: kurdilla@hq.rtis-c.com (Dan Kurdilla) Subject: Gilgamesh reissue Date: 25 Aug 97 10:45:21 EDT Hello, Aymeric, I just got the new reissue of the first Gilgamesh record. It's a mid-price CD from Virgin, and is packaged with typical lack of care/effort/interest. The booklet interior reproduces the musicians' photos, but nowhere in the package does it show the musicians' names! I went to the Calyx on-line discography to refresh my memory as to who was drumming. Even so, I was glad to get it. I've been waiting for a chance to get it at a reasonable price for more than 15 years. Best regards, Dan Kurdilla ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Phil Howitt <phil@facelift.sonnet.co.uk> Subject: various Date: Mon, 25 Aug 97 16:58:59 +0000 Hi Aymeric A couple of things to pass on. Firstly, I had a phone call from Hugh Hopper a while back about various things - mainly his new album with Kramer entitled 'Huge', out on Blueprint. Really annoyingly I've mislaid the piece of paper with various notes I made, but Ithink I'm right in saying that the gigs scheduled for Short Wave in France inSeptember aren't now on - you might want to contact the venues directly. Iremember thinking when the Ayers/Caravan date came out that it clashed. I haven't been to the Lomax in Liverpool, but I know that Martin Wakeling has seen the Twiddlies, so he'd be a good person to ask. Something else worth mentioning, I pretty much concurrently received a couple of Third Ear Band artefacts - a 'Live' album on Voiceprint and a biog from Stampa Alternativa, the Italian publishers. I knew about the Lyn Dobson connection with Third Ear Band, but wasn't quite prepared for how mindblowing the music would be. A genuinely mystical band, playing long extended instrumental pieces based on repetition (many of the pieces are entitled 'ragas' in the old Indian tradition) with occasional wordless vocals (from Dobson, who also plays flute and sax). He wasn't involved with the original band (based around percussionist Glen Sweeney) but seems to have been ever-present during their last outings a few years back. Blueprint also put out another Third Ear Band album back in April which I'm trying to get hold of. An unexpected direction for an ex Soft Machinist. Have you heard the Gong 'You' remixes? (Gliss records - the new GAS label) High plaudits for the Shamen's reworking of 'Master Builder' and the Orb's very impressionistic tackling of 'A PHP's advice' - stretched out to 8minutes. Also Glo's 'Magic Mother Invocation' (incidentally, Glo - Gilli Smyth/Steffy Sharpstring's astonishing first album 'Even As We' is re-released alongside the You remixes), and the very fine Global's 'Isle of Everywhere').'You Remixes' is a double CD, with another single CD on the way - so many artists were asked to have a stab at remixing. About half of what I've heard is top notch. Other artists involved include Moodswings, System 7 (Hillage/Giraudy), Youth, Astralasia, 808 State - a high class line-up. Now a question for you - reiterating one of those in WR - is Soft Headactually out - I got the impression from something you wrote earlier that youhadn't heard the extra tracks. No-one seems to have seen it. I wanted to check this before I get back on to Cadillac. All the best for now, Phil Howitt [Yes, the Soft Head CD is out - well, at least they must have printed ONE copy, as I have one. It's a digipack, released by Ogun. It seems I'm not the only person to have come across a copy (a couple of months ago in Paris), but it really seems it's not well distributed - AL] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: HuskerDeux@aol.com Subject: live Short Wave tapes? Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 16:12:58 -0400 (EDT) Would like to hook up with someone who has a copy of any Short Wave dates, on cassette or cd. Billy Francis (334) 626-6222 fax (334) 626-6224 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Strong Comet <cometail@netvision.net.il>Subject: Wyatt - Shleep More Information Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 06:54:06 +0300 More information on the new album, which expected to be highly featured in many music magazines through out Europe and the rest of the world.Guests appearances on the album are Brian Eno, Paul weller, Evan Parker, Phil Manzenera and Annie Whitehead.Trade 2 will release a limited 7" single of 'Free Will And Testament' in October, and Hannibal have announced a re-issue programme of most of Wyatt's back Catalogue at some point next year. I wonder if some extra tracks will be added to these re-issues. There will be more to come... Regards, Strong Comet cometail@netvision.net.il ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Aymeric Leroy <bigbang@alpes-net.fr> Subject: CARAVAN on tour in Holland Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 17:11:10 +0000 Dear Friends, Thanks to the endless efforts and dedication of Jasper Smit and his Continental Caravan Campaign (CoCaCamp), in collaboration with Double You Concerts, CARAVAN will be performing two exceptional concerts in the Netherlands in late September, 1997. CARAVAN will perform with the classic line-up of Pye Hastings, David Sinclair, Geoffrey Richardson and Richard Coughlan, augmented by Jim Leverton, Doug Boyle and Simon Bentall. They will play a selection of classics (such as "For Richard" and "Nine Feet Underground") and new songs from their latest studio album "The Battle Of Hastings". Two gigs have been set up : September 27th : UTRECHT, Tivoli September 28th : GRONINGEN, Oosterpoort Currently under negociation is a performance of PHIL MILLER'S IN CAHOOTS as opening act, with a special line-up including Pip Pyle, Peter Lemer and Fred T. Baker. This has yet to be confirmed. The ticket price for either concert is 25 Dutch guilders. There is a special offer if you order 3 tickets or more from CoCaCamp : you will get a free double-CD of the Tivoli gig. Pre-ordering is warmly recommended, by cheque or IMO, to the following address : CoCoCamp, Tielstraat 112, 1107 RC Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You can also contact them at : +31 20 697 84 33 (phone) or +31 299 42 99 85 (fax). An additional (free) performance will take place on the 27th at 1.30 pm : Geoffrey Richardson and Jim Leverton will play selections from their duo release "Follow Your Heart" at the "O'Connol's" Irish pub at Jansdam 3, near Tivoli. It will evolve into a greeting and meeting with all members of CARAVAN (as long as soundcheck duties allow). Information about staying and lodging is available on request from either CoCaCamp or myself (<bigbang@alpes-net.fr>). You can also contact the venues directly : TIVOLI : +31 30 231 1491 (phone) +31 30 231 8840 (fax)OOSTERPOORT : +31 50 368 02 47 (phone) +31 50 368 02 46 (fax) petersik@noord.bart.nl (e-mail) For updates and additional information on CARAVAN, check out : http://www.alpes-net.fr/~bigbang/caravan.html and http://www.alpes-net.fr/~bigbang/caravanholland.html Thanks for your attention, Aymeric ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Age Rotshuizen <age@xs4all.nl> Subject: Canterbury Top 100 List Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 15:24:48 +0200 (CEST) Dear Rattlers, I'm starting a Top 100 List of Canterbury Albums on my web-site (A site that also contains a beautiful Wyatt Discography). For this purpose I need your help! I want everyone who's willing and able tosend me a top 10 list of his/her favourite Canterbury Albums (I know, it'shard to choose, but hey, life is harsch). Use only albums that are in the Canterbury Discography. Please send your top 10 (& those of your friends) to: age@xs4all.nl Visit the Top 100 List of Canterbury Albums at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~age/top100.htmlVisit my Wyatt Discography at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~age/rw-main.html Thanks, Age Amsterdam ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Pierluigi Marchetti" <pmarchet@iol.it> Subject: Robert Wyatt in Turin Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 04:53:59 +0200 It's confirmed: Robert Wyatt will partecipate in a meeting (Music Storiessection) for the 1997 Music Fair in Turin (October 18) . This is the url ofthe official Fair website (also in English and French, but not at themoment, from what I saw): http://www.prosaloni.com/musica97/home.html Pierluigi ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RGreen5755@aol.com Subject: Gong Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 17:07:11 -0400 (EDT) I have a question. I was reading through some boards the other day andsomeone mentioned tapers at Gong shows. Do they actually allow that at theirshows? They will be here (Seattle) next week and I know someone who could tape it for me. Any information about this... Much appreciated Bob Green ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Stephen Edberg <sbedberg@ucdavis.edu> Subject: CALYX website Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 14:17:52 -0700 (PDT) I just wanted to say "thanks for the website"...I found it while searchingfor Gong-related items and then unearthed all sorts of connections toHenry Cow, Magma and other bands I was introduced to in high school in the late 1970's. L have a radio show on our campus radio station KDVS (www.kdvs.org; onRealAudio at http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/dspc/kdvs.ram), and I'm going to do a show soon (in 2 weeks or so) focusing on Canterbury. Thanks again - - steve edberg ------------------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** FORTHCOMING CANTERBURY-RELATED CONCERTS ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * [for more info : check out the 'Concerts' page of CALYX - see URL below] GONG - JAPANESE TOUR [Allen-Smyth-Malherbe-Sharpstrings-Howlett-Moerlen] Sep 02 - Nagoya, Club Quatro Sep 03 - Kyoto, Taku-Taku Sep 04 - Osaka, Club Quatro Sep 05 - Tokyo, Liquid Room Rave Party KANGAROO MOON Sep 05 - Narbeth, Pembrokeshire (UK), Queen's Hall Sep 06 - Frome (UK), One World Festival Sep 10 - Southampton (UK), Joiners Arms Sep 12 - Plymouth (UK), The Cooperage GONG - AMERICAN TOUR (WEST COAST) [Allen-Smyth-Malherbe-Sharpstrings-Howlett-Moerlen] Sep 09 - tba (USA) Sep 10 - Seattle, WA (USA), The Phoenix Sep 11 - Vancouver (Canada), Starfish Sep 12 - Portland, OR (USA), Crystal Ballroom Sep 13 - Eugene, OR (USA), WOW Hall Sep 14 - Santa Cruz, CA (USA), BreakroomSep 15 - San Francisco, CA (USA), Great American Music Hall Sep 16 - West Hollywood, CA (USA), Billboard Live Sep 17 - Orange County, CA (USA), The Coach House CARAVAN - UK & DUTCH DATES [Hastings-D.Sinclair-Richardson-Coughlan-Leverton-Bentall] Sep 19 - London (UK), Astoria (with Kevin Ayers)Sep 27 - Utrecht (Netherlands), Tivoli (with In Cahoots - tbc)Sep 28 - Groningen (Netherlands), Oosterpoort (with In Cahoots - tbc) GROVERELLA with GRAHAM CLARK Sep 26 - Manchester (UK), Night & Day IN CAHOOTS [Miller-Lemer-Baker-Pyle]Sep 27 - Utrecht (Netherlands), Tivoli (with Caravan) (tbc)Sep 28 - Groningen (Netherlands), Oosterpoort (with Caravan) (tbc) GONG - UK TOUR [Allen-Smyth-Malherbe-Sharpstrings-Howlett-Moerlen] Oct 01 - Liverpool (UK), Lomax Oct 02 - Leeds (UK), Irish Centre Oct 03 - Manchester (UK), NIA Centre Oct 04 - Morecamble (UK), Dome [with Kangaroo Moon] Oct 05 - Sheffield (UK), Leadmill Oct 16 - Stoke-on-Trent (UK), Wheatsheaf Oct 17 - Bristol (UK), Bierkeller (tbc) Oct 18 - Oxford (UK), Zodiac (tbc) Oct 19 - London (UK), The Forum [with Whirl-y-gig] Oct 20 - Birmingham (UK), Irish Centre Oct 21 - Cambridge (UK), Junction KANGAROO MOON Oct 04 - Morecambe (UK), Dome [opening for Gong] BON LOZAGA/CARYN LIN BAND - U.S. TOUR Oct 30 - Red bank, NJ, venue tba Oct 31 - Medford, NJ, venue tba Nov 01 - Harrisburg, PA, venue tba Nov 05 - Ithaca, NY, venue tba Nov 06 - Albany, NY, venue tba Nov 07 - Boston, MS, venue tba Nov 12 - Providence, RI, venue tba Nov 13 - New York, NY, venue tba Nov 14 - Philadelphia, PA, venue tba Nov 15 - Baltimore, MD, venue tba Nov 28 - Warrenton, VA, venue tba Nov 29 -Washington, DC, venue tba DAEVID ALLEN - SOLO US TOUR November (tba) GONG - EUROPEAN TOUR [Allen-Smyth-Malherbe-Sharpstrings-Howlett-Moerlen] Spain, Italy, Sweden - late Spring 1998 (tba) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF ISSUE #65 _________________________________________________________________________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' ? 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