Robert Wyatt - Different Every Time

[per anporth]

The new (authorised) biography of Robert Wyatt by Marcus O'Dair has just been published.

As John Kelman indicated elsewhere, this is a very thorough & engaging account of Wyatt's life, covering in more or less equal measures his career up to his fall, & then his career afterwards.

As you'd expect, Robert comes across as a charming, remarkable man, & a musician held in the highest esteem by more or less everyone who has worked with him. For sure, as you read, you'll find yourself scurrying into your collection to listen again to records you may have not heard for a while - or, otherwise, seeking out recordings you don't have on the internet. (He has collaborated on hundreds of recordings by other artists, far more than one might ever have realised.)

Overall, I think it's a good book, definitely worth reading if you have any interest in Wyatt's work at all. It feels rather rushed over the last 30 pages or so (covering the last 3 or 4 years, including the delightful lp Robert made with Ros Stephens & Gilad Atzmon) - but other than that, I would say that O'Dair has done an excellent job - a story rigorously researched & well told.

Some quirks - the Softs get a slightly rough ride, especially from the time of Elton Dean's entry into the band as a full time member - this is partly a bias towards "songs" that O'Dair has, but may also be an effect of the hurt that Wyatt still clearly feels about the way he was treated during the last year or so as a member of the band he set up. O'Dair also clearly prefers the post 74 recordings made by Wyatt, & these are treated in rather greater depth than the pre 74 lps. Finally, if your politics don't align with those of Robert & Alfie (& it's another of the book's merits to pay due homage to Alfie, both as a partner in life for Robert, & a partner in his work), you may find stretches of the second part of the book less amenable than the first half.

[mkeneally]

Very nice post, thank you!

[Conti]

Nice post indeed. I am definitely going to buy this book in London in two weeks.

[walt]

I'm enjoying it,so far.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Like others stated; very good post. The case with Wyatt's sacking from the Softs is a subject that has begged to be told more thoroughly, so I'm actually looking forward to that (no matter my respect for the Softs as such). As for the politics, I have far lesser problems with his overall radical approach than his fraternization with Atzmon, whose musical talents are considerable but whose own "politics" remain dubious to say the least.

Really, really anticipating this read.

[Steve F.]

The case with Wyatt's sacking from the Softs is a subject that has begged to be told more thoroughly....

Yes, but you are - of course - only getting one side of the story, no matter how you look at it, from the book, since it is only RW's words in the book.

And RW himself tells it differently in various accounts. I haven't read the book yet, so I haven't seen this particular account of it yet.

And, thinking about it after I posted the above, I'm not sure how much more there is to tell. I mean, I know. Aymeric knows. Anyone who has read the various interviews over the years, old and new & the Soft Machine book by Graham Bennett knows. You can discuss it, but I don't think there is more 'information' to be had.

It's like wanting more information on why a couple broke up. Some things defy a unbiased accounting. People fall out of harmony. Bands also fall out of harmony.

I mean, you might get more ugly stories. you might reveal more pained feelings. You might get more look into the workings of bands in general than you had before.

But what happened and why is pretty much well documented by all parties. I haven't read it, but I can't imagine that there is anything new to be said in a RW biography, and that this is just another recounting of RW's (very) bruised feelings.

YMMV

[Trane]

Yes, but you are - of course - only getting one side of the story, no matter how you look at it, from the book, since it is only RW's words in the book.

And RW himself tells it differently in various accounts. I haven't read the book yet, so I haven't seen this particular account of it yet.

And, thinking about it after I posted the above, I'm not sure how much more there is to tell. I mean, I know. Aymeric knows. Anyone who has read the various interviews over the years, old and new & the Soft Machine book by Graham Bennett knows. You can discuss it, but I don't think there is more 'information' to be had.

It's like wanting more information on why a couple broke up. Some things defy a unbiased accounting. People fall out of harmony. Bands also fall out of harmony.

I mean, you might get more ugly stories. you might reveal more pained feelings. You might get more look into the workings of bands in general than you had before.

But what happened and why is pretty much well documented by all parties. I haven't read it, but I can't imagine that there is anything new to be said in a RW biography, and that this is just another recounting of RW's (very) bruised feelings.

YMMV

Indeed, I have read Bennett's Out-Bloody-Rageous (never finished it though, and Idoubt what else can be said about that issue... Especially now that Elton and Hugh won't be there to answer, and Mike will probably abstain from comment, as he's done for the better of three and a half decade.

Since I'll be in London for the LC homage festival on the 2&st, I'll drop by the book publishing conference on the 23rd, so I'll probably buy that new book as well.

[Scrotum Scissor]

The deulsional "objectivity principle" is certainly not an issue here; what interests me is whether he reflects upon his own version and how this has been presented through the years.

[calyx]

Basically, there is no single topic he is less inclined to discuss.

When he has talked about it, he has made contradictory statements, i.e. "I decided to leave the band" v/s "they kicked me out". Ditto "Moon In June" on "Third" - "I asked Mike and Hugh to play on it, but they refused" v/s "I didn't dare ask them, I knew they hated the song anyway" etc. etc.

Robert is too emotional about certain issues to be a reliable witness about them. Then again he's not the only one getting some facts of his own life wrong 45 years after they've happened. And remember he went through much of this period with a lot of alcohol in his body - not to best way to accurately remember what you've done after you've done it.

[Steve F.]

The deulsional "objectivity principle" is certainly not an issue here; what interests me is whether he reflects upon his own version and how this has been presented through the years.

I'm not sure he remembers from month to month what his own version is. I think it's a gut reaction. Sometimes it is very negative and sometimes it is surprisingly positive; don't forget I have successfully negotiated the release of a large number of Soft Machine titles that he is involved on, all with his full permission and blessings, and there are times when he has told me how much he enjoyed one or more of them. Really.

Like running into a great lost love; how you feel running into them has a lot to do with how you are feeling when you run into them.

The single most important sentence that can be said about this:

Robert is too emotional about certain issues to be a reliable witness about them.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I can definitely identify with that sentiment.

What always did surprise me with all those archival (live) releases, was the (presumably relative) goodwill of Mike R. that allowed for them to appear at all.

[Steve F.]

What always did surprise me with all those archival (live) releases, was the (presumably relative) goodwill of Mike R. that allowed for them to appear at all.

I don't know what Mike thinks of our releases that he is on - I have literally spoken 3 sentences to him in my entire 20 year 'career' together with him.

But he always responds positively to my proposals about the releases and always signs the contracts promptly.

[per anporth]

don't forget I have successfully negotiated the release of a large number of Soft Machine titles that he is involved on, all with his full permission and blessings, and there are times when he has told me how much he enjoyed one or more of them. Really.

Like running into a great lost love; how you feel running into them has a lot to do with how you are feeling when you run into them.

I'd prefer not to "over-determine" any readings of the book - which is, I should stress, very sensitively written - it is most definitely the case that Ratledge, Hopper (&, to an extent, Dean) do not come out of the book badly as individuals. What the book does very well is to depict the underlying currents, both personal & musical, that manifested themselves in the parting of ways of Wyatt from the rest of the band. There is no sense of judgementality, & no sense of pretending to present something like an objective statement of record.

What does come through, very powerfully, on the one hand is just how emotionally affected Wyatt continues to be by his exit from the band, & how much this has impacted both on his personal life & on his music - this is, in fact, one of the main foci (focuses?) of the book. But, also, as Steve says, it affords a number of moments for reflection back on the music, from a distance in time (some positve, some negative).

Whatever your expectations, I think that, if you read the book, you will come away with a new understanding of, & perhaps also new respect for, Robert's character.

***

On another theme - there's a lovely reference to Jerry Dammers (I think), in the midst of a series of speculations about how Wyatt has managed to continue to be so creative, to explore so many new musical territories (even whilst struggling with a kind of ongoing writer's block) - the suggestion is that, in some way, Robert's aversion to playing life has contributed to this, the point made by Dammers being, that it is the repetition that grinds you down (ie the playing, night after night, of the same tracks, the same way - that kills the creative spark).

[alucard]

Robert Wyatt will present the book "life on stage" during the London Jazz Festival together with Marcus O'Dair at the Queen Elizabeth Hall the 23 of November.

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/wha...rt-wyatt-87546

[alucard]

The Wire put an interview with Robert Wyatt and Marcus O'Dair followed by an Q&A on their website as audio file (downloadable) it's highly amusing! btw including comments about the Soft Machine split.

http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/in-co...rt-wyatt-33901

[Trane]

The Wire put an interview with Robert Wyatt and Marcus O'Dair followed by an Q&A on their website as audio file (downloadable) it's highly amusing! btw including comments about the Soft Machine split.

http://www.thewire.co.uk/audio/in-co...rt-wyatt-33901

Is there anymore reasons to go to the conference of Nox 23rd?

[alucard]

Hugues, To ask Robert Wyatt if you can touch his beard ;-)

[loosefish]

Just finished reading this. What a remarkable man!

I love Robert and his music, but i now realise i've never heard Dondestan or Old Rottenhat or indeed either of the albums by Matching mole. I know what i'll be listening to the next few days.

Is Flotsam-Jetsam considered the best of the ep/guest/rare tracks compilations? I need to get through that stuff as well

[Steve F.]

I love Robert and his music, but i now realise i've never heard Dondestan or Old Rottenhat or indeed either of the albums by Matching mole. I know what i'll be listening to the next few days.l

I think Old Rottenhat is his masterpiece, personally.

Is Flotsam-Jetsam considered the best of the ep/guest/rare tracks compilations? I need to get through that stuff as well

Maybe at the time, but, generally, I think the CD of "Different Every Time" is better.

[mogrooves]

i've never heard ... either of the albums by Matching mole.

Run, do not walk (particularly re: LLR)......

[calyx]

Is Flotsam-Jetsam considered the best of the ep/guest/rare tracks compilations?

No. It contained a lot of material that was unreleased at the time but has since seen the light of day in sometimes much better quality - there are some exceptions like the "Old Rottenhat" outtake "War Without Blood".

I quite liked the "Going Back A Bit" double-CD that Virgin put out around the same time (mid-1990s) - it has some material by Soft Machine and Matching Mole plus various rarities. The new "Different Every Time" collection is similar although it's just one CD, with a second CD of guest appearances on others artists' albums. There is also "His Greatest Misses" which is a pretty good summary of just his solo career.

[walt]

Maybe at the time, but, generally, I think the CD of "Different Every Time" is better.

+1.

[walt]

Gramavision issued a single cd collection"Compilation" in 1990, featuring tracks from Old Rottenhat and Nothing Can Stop Us.I forgot i still had this.

Having "Strange Fruit" and "At Last I Am Free"(from Old Rottenhat) in your collection,whatever format you can get it on,is the way to go.

[Dave (in MA)]

Run, do not walk (particularly re: LLR)......

I consider March, Smoke Signals and On The Radio as essential as the studio records.

[walt]

i've never heard Dondestan

For me,the tracks "Sight Of The Wind" and "Catholic Architecture" by themselves render Dondestan a must purchase.I rate these two tracks among the best things Wyatt has recorded.