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  ::                                                              ::
  ::                     - WHAT'S RATTLIN' ? -                    ::
  ::       The Weekly Digest for Canterbury Music Addicts         ::
  ::                          Issue # 72                          ::
  ::                  Thursday, November 6th, 1997                ::
  ::                                                              ::
  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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From: Aymeric Leroy <bigbang@alpes-net.fr>
Subject: Photos needed
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 1997 19:17:51 +0000

Oops ! This morning I did a bit of cleaning up, via FTP, on the Calyx site, and accidentally erased a number of photo files, the ones that appear in the profiles section. I managed to stop before it was too late, but lost the following pictures :
- Kevin Ayers             - Laurie Allan
- Lindsay Cooper          - Mark Hewins
- Mel Collins             - Mike Howlett
- Mike Ratledge           - Mike Wedgwood
- Mireille Bauer          - Mont Campbell
- Neil Murray             - Patrice Lemoine
- Patrice Meyer           - Peter Lemer
- Phil Lee                - Phil Miller
- Pierre Moerlen          - Pip Pyle
- Pye Hastings            - Richard Coughlan
- Rick Biddulph           - Robert Wyatt
- Sophia Domancich        - Steve Hillage
- Steve Miller            - Tim Blake
- Trevor Tomkins

I know that some people have downloaded lots of stuff from the site. If this includes some or all of the above pics, I'd be most grateful if you could write to me and tell me if you have. Otherwise, I'll have to re-scan them, which is possible but... time-consuming !

Thanks in advance,
A.L.

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From: <552982@pnet.energia.co.jp>
Subject: chart action of SHLEEP
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 14:42:35 +900

                
Hi readers! some notes from Hiroshima (Sure, Hiroshima!) again.

                 *** chart action of SHLEEP ***

In the first week of October, SHLEEP was ranked 7th in the weekly chart of Virgin-Mega Tokyo and still keeps 20th last week.
Is Japan stranger than Robert???

                                             From Hiroshima with peace,

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From: Henry Potts <henry@bondegezou.demon.co.uk>
Subject: For What's Rattlin'
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 23:47:32 +0000

TV satirist Victor Lewis-Smith has a new series on Channel 4 in the UK entitled "TV Offal", with music by Dave Stewart. The theme tune is sort of in the style of National Health... well, very vaguely... I don't know if Stewart helped with the humorous songs in the programme as well.
--
Henry

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From: Jeff Ryan <jsrtheta@colorado.net>
Subject: Wyatt's "Shleep" - US availibility
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 17:47:27 -0700 (MST)

Anyone know where I can find Shleep in the U.S.?

Jeff Ryan

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From: Sid Smith <sid.smith@virgin.net>
Subject: Quiet Sun - a review
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 1997 07:59:25 +0000

Quiet Sun
Mainstream
Blueprint BP246CD

In the early 70's, Quiet Sun were wide of lapel, long of hair and scarf and desperately short of any interest from the Great British Public. This was a group who were going to go places.  Sadly for us, none of them were to go in the same direction.  

Matching Mole called to bassist extrordinaire Bill McCormack and fame beckoned to guitarist Phil Manzanera in the shape fly eye glasses, lurex and Roxy Music.   For drummer Charles Hayward, the relative obscurity of the tragically under rated noise terrorists, This Heat, awaited.  For keyboard player Dave Jarrett, sadly only obscurity.  

However fate and good fortune provided an opportunity for this group to come together posthumously, as it were.

It is to Manzanera's credit that when the opportunity came to re-form the group for a one off recording during the making of his 1975 Diamond head solo set, he did so.  The fact that the album received a string of positive reviews (including Melody Maker's album of the month) proved that Manzanera's faith in the group was not based on sentiment or nostalgia alone.

Though somewhat rushed (i.e. recorded over a couple of evenings of studio down time) the resulting music is an exhilarating blend - part fusion and part progressive and more than a hint of the Canterbury sound.

Imagine the Soft Machine "Third" era minus brass but with an electric guitar that sounds somewhere between Robert Fripp and Fred Frith and you'll have some indication of what Quiet Sun were up to.  

Probably more Rock than Jazz, there's a lot of furrowed - brow riffing on this album particularly on the opening Sol Caliente and Trot where the guitar is perfectly augmented by Bill MacCormick's splendid fuzz bass (very Hugh Hopper-ish) adding a lot of depth and roughness to the proceedings.  

The intense eddies that make up Bargain Classics (penned by Dave Jarrett) show off the break neck speeds which the quartet were able to get into.  Further turbulence is provided by Charles Hayward, whose furious drums and percussion are consistently inventive and add to the overall urgency of the piece.  

It's not all blood and thunder though.  A gentle self deprecating humour pervades the set.  The delightful "Rongwrong" with vocals and lyrics by Hayward, sound akin to Robert Wyatt bumping into Syd Barrett.  They provide a welcome respite from the instrumental fury.  And titles such as "Mummy was an asteroid, daddy was a small non-stick kitchen utensil" show that the band do not take themselves too seriously.

Whilst the talent and prowess of MacCormick , Manzanera and Charles Hayward are well known, keyboardist Dave Jarrett is for me at least, a bit of a mystery. A strong composer and player, it is his contribution which binds the whole lot together.  The rhapsodic piano solo on "Trot" from Jarrett,  the spiky Farfisa stabbing on "asteroid"  and the Ratledge - esque noodlings on "Bargain Classics" are a joy to hear. Where is he now ?

Mainstream provides an evocative testimony to the style of music that was then and is largely now,  uncommercial but very rewarding.  Its varied timbres (no doubt bolstered by the presence of Brian Eno throughout the recording) and strong sense of melody connects to the music of Soft Machine, Matching Mole, Hatfield, National Health etc., and is more than worthy of your attention.

Congratulations to Blueprint for getting this off the costly Japanese import circuit and onto shelves at a price you can afford.  Take the plunge and buy this record.

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From: "Pedro Sena" <art@accces.com>
Subject: My Gong concert review in WR#67
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 1997 04:17:01 -0800

At the top of the issue? Thanks... I am honored. I just wish that we could get more of that scene around here. Sean Ahearn, of Pangea Music, who brought GONG around, is trying to get Brand X around as well, but I do not know that he has the courage, or the resources, to bring it into an area like Portland, or even Seattle.

I asked, Johhny, who comes with Gong on their tours, and seems to manage GAS, why we could not get the Canterbury families all together on one bus or two and make a full round through the west coast of the US, or equivalent... I think it would be a great show when we could tie up several hours of Caravan. with Kevin Ayers, Soft Machine, Richard Sinclair, Hugh Hopper, for example ... and Johhny's response was "too many large egos" ... and they do not want to sit together in the same room... that's when it all gets really sad.

I realize that I am requesting a lot, but it would be a treat, if once in my life, and I am sure others feel the same, I could see, some of the people that have inspired me so much the past 20 years. It is just sad, when the desire to take things into another possible level, gets in the way of the music... for which the fans are the ones to suffer... heck, I haven't been able to find a CARAVAN album in fifteen years. Or a Kevin Ayers in almost 20 years. I did get lucky once, and found Richard's Caravan of Dreams in a dump shop for a few minskens... that's luck.

Anyone else have a link to where these things can be found in the US or am I dreaming up the wrong tree?

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From: Phil Howitt <phil@facelift.sonnet.co.uk>
Subject: Spice girls
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 97 19:22:07 +0000

Hi Aymeric

One thing I thought might interest you and your readers (particularly Martin  Wakeling) and add to the 'what is Canterbury and what isn't?' debate.

Martin, in the most recent issue of the ace Ayers zine 'Why Are We Sleeping'  suggested somehwat mischievously that it was only a matter of time before we  (more specifically, Facelift magazine) made a connection between the Canterbury scene and the Spice Girls. Well, it seems that others are already doing it for me.

Evidence piece no 1: the recent Guardian interview with Robert Wyatt was published on the same page as a feature on various Spice Girls impersonators

Evidence piece no 2: the adverts running for the current issue of Q magazine carry a quote from a Spice Girl saying 'Gong? Aren't they an indie band?'

'Nuff said

All the best

Phil Howitt

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From: Age Rotshuizen <age@xs4all.nl>
Subject: Elton Dean's first album on CD
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 1997 11:50:53 +0100 (CET)

Hello Rattlers,

Just to inform you, Cuneiform is going to re-release Dean's first solo album
on CD! It will be released in late 1998, probably with bonustracks.

[Steve Feigenbaum tells me that this is not 100% certain yet and that he only has Elton's verbal consent - AL]

I recently noticed a bootleg (?) in the shops called "Moon in June" by the 7 piece Soft Machine. Don't buy it! The booklet suggests that it is a live-concert in London, but it's just the first part of the BBC Sessions in a poor sound-quality.

Age,
Amsterdam.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~age/

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From: Bomnueter@t-online.de (Ulrich Bomnueter)
Subject: Austrian (!) Wyatt tribute album
Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 21:54:29 +0100

[In WR #71, Raymond (RAYMBEN@aol.com) asked:]
>Does any one know how to get a copy of the Wyatt tribute album that was done
>in (I think) Australia?  A portion of it is excerpted on "Shleep" and sounds
>good.

The snippet on "Shleep" was taken from the following album:

The More Extended Versions: Dedicated To You, But You Weren't Listening
                            The Music Of Robert Wyatt

released on austro mechana in 1992, catalog no. EV0003

tracks are:
01. Dedicated To You, But You Weren't Listening/
      Why Are We Sleeping?  05:41
02. Little Red Riding Hood Hits The Road  04:05
03. Alifib  03:28
04. Stalin Wasn't Stalling  04:43
05. The Age Of Self  05:32
06. The British Road  06:08
07. Chairman Mao  04:41
08. Gharbzadegi  05:33
09. Justice  03:03
10. Dondestan  01:05
11. Left On Man  03:40

MEV is an Austrian (not Australian) group.

There is another album of MEV together with the German band "Cpt. Kirk &"
called "Round About Wyatt", including another bunch of Wyatt songs (songs
*by* him as well as songs he did cover versions of). Here are the details:

The More Extended Versions / Cpt. Kirk &: Round About Wyatt

released on "What's So Funny About" (Germany) in 1994, catalog no. WSFA SF 142

track are:
01. Round Midnight  02:44
02. How He Could Just Kill A Man  04:13
03. Racist Friend  03:21
04. Alliance  05:03
05. Age Of Self  03:40
06. Gloria Gloom  04:31
07. Born Again Cretin!  03:57
08. Jelly, Babies  04:32
09. Kingdom  04:16
10. Moments Of Delight  03:59
11. Venti Latir  06:14

Hope this may help you find these albums. I'd recommend both of them.

cheers
Bommel

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From: nick loebner <nickl@lsil.com>
Subject: Ad
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 1997 15:49:11 -0800

Hi Aymeric,

Can you please post this on WR:-

Vocalist required for (West London based) Canterbury "tribute" band. Good gear, own transport etc. desirable, but not necessary: fine humour and excellent musical taste a requirement!

Please email me if interested: nickl@lsil.com

Thanks!
- Nick.

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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*               FORTHCOMING CANTERBURY-RELATED CONCERTS                 *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

[for more info : check out the 'Concerts' page of CALYX - see URL below]

BON LOZAGA/CARYN LIN BAND - U.S. TOUR
Nov 06 - Albany, NY, QE2 (with Happy Rhodes)
Nov 07 - Burlington, VT, The Metro (tbc)
Nov 12 - Providence, RI, Cav
Nov 13 - Boston, MA, Johnny D's
Nov 14 - Philadelphia, PA, Old Swedes Church (with Happy Rhodes)
Nov 15 - Baltimore, MD, Orion Studios (with Happy Rhodes)
Nov 20 - New York, NY, Bottom Line (with Happy Rhodes & special guest)
Nov 21 - Washington, DC, Phantasmagoria (with Happy Rhodes)
Nov 22 - Gettysburg, PA, College
Nov 28 - Warrenton, VA, D&S Coffeehouse
Nov 29 - Arlington, VA, Iota

MASHU - FRENCH TOUR
[Mark Hewins-Hugh Hopper-Shyamal Maitra]
Nov 07 - Die, Drome (France), Festival Performance
Nov 08 - Montluçon (France), Le Gangois
Nov 09 - Bresse-sur-Grosne (France), A L'Ouest De La Grosne

PLANET GONG
[Daevid Allen-Keith Missile-Steffi Sharpstrings-Steve Cassidy-Mark Robson]
Nov 06 - Islington, London (UK), Powerhause [tel : 0181-961-5490]
Nov 08 - Ashton under Lyne (UK), Witchwood [tel : 0161-344-0321]

DAEVID ALLEN - SOLO US TOUR
Nov 16 - Wheaton, MD (USA), Phantasmagoria [11319 Elkin Street]

IN CAHOOTS
[Miller-Dean-Dvorak-Lemer-Baker-Pyle]
Dec 02 - Birmingham (UK), Conservatoire of Music [Paradise Parade]
Dec 03 - Hull (UK), Dee Street Club [tel : 01482 492868]
Dec 04 - Leeds (UK), Irish Centre [tel : 0113 2742486/2608]
Dec 05 - Old Harlow (UK), St John's Arts Centre [tel : 01279 442447]
Dec 06 - Brentwood (UK), Monkeys at the Hermit Club [tel : 01277 218897]
Dec 08 - London (UK), Vortex Jazz Bar [tel :  0171 254 6516]

GONG - EUROPEAN TOUR
[Allen-Smyth-Malherbe-Sharpstrings-Howlett-Moerlen]
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden - late Spring 1998 (tba)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                        END OF ISSUE #72

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