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Thread: Canterbury Binge: 2021

  1. #226
    From e-mail correspondence with Bill MacCormick -

    "...[Robert] quite often didn't engage the snare and did this very often as I recall. He seemed to prefer the sound of the snare drum as just a higher pitched drum rather than a traditional snappy snare sound."

    Here is some interesting stuff that John Trimble, a fellow RW fan and drummer/artist in his own right, wrote while we were in correspondence when I was writing my book. Unfortunately it was a bit too specialised to be used more than "in spirit", but it fits right in with the present discussion :

    "[On] Little Red Record Wyatt uses his snare drum with the snares flipped off, normal snare tone is not used once, unheard of for that time. Although he is using his standard late Soft Machine set-up on his Ludwig kit – 24” bass drum, 14” rack tom-tom, single 18” floor tom-tom and snare -- he is obviously looking for a non-jazz, non-rock tonality. For live performances, at least, he made three adjustments. First, he took a smaller crash cymbal and placed it under his larger ride cymbal in a rather unconventional placing both on the right hand side of his bass drum. Second, he returned to using his 16" crash cymbal above the hi-hat. This allowed him more varied cymbal tones which are evident on the live recordings in particular. The third change was sonically disappointing. At some point during or after making Little Red Record Robert removed the bottom head from his rack mounted tom-tom which negated the inherent resonance of the drum. This was very in vogue in the early 1970’s with a lot of rock drummers doing the same, John Densmore of the Doors, as an example. But sadly it just kills the tone of the drum."

    Conversely, "on the Matching Mole debut Robert has excellent drum set tone still similar to [Fourth] although not nearly as well recorded. Tight, crisp snare, full resonating tom-toms and a heavier use of cymbals and cymbal washes. Even in this somewhat murky recording Robert rises above it in cliché-free drumming. His snare drum tone alone is worth the price of the album."
    Calyx (Canterbury Scene) - http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr
    Legends In Their Own Lunchtime (blog) - https://canterburyscene.wordpress.com/
    My latest books : "Yes" (2017) - https://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/yes/ + "L'Ecole de Canterbury" (2016) - http://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/lecoledecanterbury/ + "King Crimson" (2012/updated 2018) - http://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/kingcrimson/
    Canterbury & prog interviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdf...IUPxUMA/videos

  2. #227
    I used to play drums (very badly) - what I hear in Wyatt's playing is close to what I started trying to do (but wasn't good enough to). It often sounds to me like he's playing a/the tune with the drums, rather than playing the beat or rhythm. In this way, the usual relation between keeping time, then playing fills, doesn't really happen. He's almost consistently playing fills, but they're not "filling".

  3. #228
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Amazing info - thanks Aymeric.

  4. #229
    Great, Aymeric!
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  5. #230
    There was an interview with Wyatt in Modern Drummer in the 90's or 00's. I can't remember much of it but he mentioned that he played the snare drum with snares turned off on the entire Little Red Record.

  6. #231
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Rotters Club on vinyl, a fatt Edradour natural cask strength pour, and a little ...oh yeah!

  7. #232
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Oh man I just had the greatest listen to Rock Bottom in my life. Yes I'm drinking single malts and some but this album is an absolute work of art. Its so personal, surrreal, atmospheric, thoughtful, yet odd, very English, and just overall so beautiful. What a journey for Robert back then, and this became something different than what he had intended. Yet its total perfection, I would never change any moment of this album. Its a very different facet of Canterbury yet its Robert Wyatt who is Canterbury.

  8. #233
    Rock Bottom is wonderful. I'm sitting down with some rye whiskey at the moment, and listening to Dai Kaht (and before that, Richard Pinhas' Mu). But after this is done, I'm gonna queue up Rock Bottom again -- the timing is perfect. It's late at night, and it's really cold outside.

    The ending of "Sea Song" never fails to get to me...

  9. #234
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post
    Oh man I just had the greatest listen to Rock Bottom in my life. Yes I'm drinking single malts and some but this album is an absolute work of art. Its so personal, surrreal, atmospheric, thoughtful, yet odd, very English, and just overall so beautiful. What a journey for Robert back then, and this became something different than what he had intended. Yet its total perfection, I would never change any moment of this album. Its a very different facet of Canterbury yet its Robert Wyatt who is Canterbury.
    A journey every time with this album, it never lets you down.
    Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.

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  10. #235
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    Quote Originally Posted by aith01 View Post
    Rock Bottom is wonderful. I'm sitting down with some rye whiskey at the moment, and listening to Dai Kaht (and before that, Richard Pinhas' Mu). But after this is done, I'm gonna queue up Rock Bottom again -- the timing is perfect. It's late at night, and it's really cold outside.

    The ending of "Sea Song" never fails to get to me...
    Love "Rock Bottom" too and right now, I'm playing "Mu" by Pinhas and Co.: great album and late discovery!

    Best!
    Pura Vida!.

    There are two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind. ∞
    Duke Ellington.

  11. #236
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    I have gone from the most recent Softs (Baked Potato) straight back to the oldest, or close to it, with Hux' BBC 1967-1971. I've been enjoying the whole thing from the oldies like Clarence and H4H to the killer versions of Moon in June and Virtually, and Eamonn Andrews. Great tune named after a British talk show host??!

  12. #237

  13. #238
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick L. View Post
    Interesting! I wondered why on earth you'd sent that link until the 3.30 mark when it all became clear. I see he did a version of 'I'm a Believer' as well which draws heavily on the Wyatt arrangement of it.

  14. #239
    I've heard an unofficial Camel US concert broadcast, which is not bad. Andy Latimer announces after the first song two "new" songs from ' I can see your house. '.. I suppose it's the 79 US tour. Does anyone know who played on this tour?
    The keyboards do not sound like Dave Sinclair. Jan Schelhaas?

  15. #240
    Quote Originally Posted by alucard View Post
    I've heard an unofficial Camel US concert broadcast, which is not bad. Andy Latimer announces after the first song two "new" songs from ' I can see your house. '.. I suppose it's the 79 US tour. Does anyone know who played on this tour?
    The keyboards do not sound like Dave Sinclair. Jan Schelhaas?
    Kit Watkins & Jan Schelhaas - as on the album.
    Dave Sinclair only played on the "Breathless" tour - and, uncredited, two tracks on that album.
    Calyx (Canterbury Scene) - http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr
    Legends In Their Own Lunchtime (blog) - https://canterburyscene.wordpress.com/
    My latest books : "Yes" (2017) - https://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/yes/ + "L'Ecole de Canterbury" (2016) - http://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/lecoledecanterbury/ + "King Crimson" (2012/updated 2018) - http://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/kingcrimson/
    Canterbury & prog interviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdf...IUPxUMA/videos

  16. #241
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick L. View Post
    Very cool!

  17. #242
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    Quote Originally Posted by arturs View Post
    I have gone from the most recent Softs (Baked Potato) straight back to the oldest, or close to it, with Hux' BBC 1967-1971. I've been enjoying the whole thing from the oldies like Clarence and H4H to the killer versions of Moon in June and Virtually, and Eamonn Andrews. Great tune named after a British talk show host??!
    Amazing recording. I did disc 2 earlier today, sound quality is so good for the time.

  18. #243
    Quote Originally Posted by arturs View Post
    I have gone from the most recent Softs (Baked Potato) straight back to the oldest, or close to it, with Hux' BBC 1967-1971. I've been enjoying the whole thing from the oldies like Clarence and H4H to the killer versions of Moon in June and Virtually, and Eamonn Andrews. Great tune named after a British talk show host??!
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamonn_Andrews

  19. #244
    Supposedly Eamonn Andrews always made unlikely segues... «*And speaking of this, let’s talk about...*» and spoke of a totally different subject. So Ratledge had a link piece and called it that.

  20. #245
    Quote Originally Posted by calyx View Post
    Kit Watkins & Jan Schelhaas - as on the album.
    Dave Sinclair only played on the "Breathless" tour - and, uncredited, two tracks on that album.
    I guess while we're on the subject I'll ask, which two tracks?

  21. #246
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    National Health s/t...what can you say?

    Alan Gowen had a wild, slinky synth solo style that also reminds me of Tommy Mars, and maybe Jan Hammer with DiMeola on those records. Gowen sure liked that pitch bend! Crazy fuckin chops on that guy and a very advanced harmonic vocabulary.

  22. #247
    Member chalkpie's Avatar
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    Onto Wyatt '68.

    It's really great to hear Wyatt's kit without a ton of reverb like on Vol. 2 and astounding playing of course. Also the beginning of Moon in June: to be honest I might prefer this part with the organ and voice, he waits to introduce his piano until the "New York State" part. Its really a must-own if you love the original, a different angle on this beautiful tune. Ratledge comes in later and kills it of course. Wyatt is my hero.

  23. #248
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    Quote Originally Posted by calyx View Post
    Supposedly Eamonn Andrews always made unlikely segues... «*And speaking of this, let’s talk about...*» and spoke of a totally different subject. So Ratledge had a link piece and called it that.
    Thanks for the "link" between the talk show host and the origins of the piece. It makes sense then why EA is sometimes only two minutes... But I enjoy the EA theme when they stretch it out, like on BBC or even more on Breda Reactor.

  24. #249
    Quote Originally Posted by pb2015 View Post
    I guess while we're on the subject I'll ask, which two tracks?
    "You Make Me Smile" and "Rainbow's End". Nothing too distinctive about the keyboard work on either, and there's probably a lot of Latimer's keyboards on the latter as well.
    Calyx (Canterbury Scene) - http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr
    Legends In Their Own Lunchtime (blog) - https://canterburyscene.wordpress.com/
    My latest books : "Yes" (2017) - https://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/yes/ + "L'Ecole de Canterbury" (2016) - http://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/lecoledecanterbury/ + "King Crimson" (2012/updated 2018) - http://lemotetlereste.com/musiques/kingcrimson/
    Canterbury & prog interviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdf...IUPxUMA/videos

  25. #250
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    Quote Originally Posted by chalkpie View Post


    What a gem this is! Holy Canterbury balls.....
    Thanks for posting. Lovely.

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