Supersister - Present From Nancy

**calyx** · 07-24-2014

Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate

Funny - today I realised that I actually heard them live at Roskilde Festival in 1974.
I googled Roskilde Festival 74 today, and found that one of the bands I liked then, and remembered

, was from Holland, and was in fact Supersister, and they then reminded me somewhat of Soft Machine, but wasnt quite up there. I remember their bassplayer had a red Gibson Les Paul bass with low impedance pickups (not a common instrument).

No wonder they reminded you of Soft Machine, since Supersister was always Softs-influenced AND they had ex-Softs Elton Dean playing sax at that point. Sadly no recordings survive of this line-up, apart from one or two poor quality boots.

**zombywoof** · 07-24-2014

Originally Posted by Sunhillow

It is. How is it you've been hiding under a stone?

Seriously though, if you like this one, chances are you will like To The Highest Bidder even better, and you'll probably really like Pudding and Gisteren too. Although Iskander is somewhat different, that one is good too. I always praise the 2001 live-album Supersisterious, but that one seems out of print for ages. PM me if you want me to Dropbox it.

I've got Pudding and I liked it slightly less, but it was still great. Highest Bidder is next!

**Scrotum Scissor** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Highest Bidder is next!

This is my fave; it's practically a flawless album, AFAIC. When "Higher" finishes off, it's arguably amongst the most sublime points of release I ever heard from a 70s progressive rock record.

BTW, as a token to their status back then, Camel entitled the second track from Mirage - "Supertwister" - in the band's honour, apparently because Andy Ward kept talking about how much the song reminded him of the Supersister sound. And boy, it does.

As for why they aren't more loved with the "prog crowd", the answer remains that there hardly exists any such thing anymore - just "crowds" adhering to very specific bands or stylistic directions. Play a historically seminal progressive band like Soft Machine (say, "Teeth" or "Dedicated to You...") to your average self-declared "progger", and check the reaction.

**Modry Effekt** · 07-25-2014

This my fave mexico song

**Kcrimso** · 07-25-2014

Great band. All their albums are good but my favourite is probably Iskander (not popular opinion I know!).

**Scrotum Scissor** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by Kcrimso

Great band. All their albums are good but my favourite is probably Iskander (not popular opinion I know!).

I really love that one too! They were still doing their "abbreviated Canterbury" thing, only now steering more into Gong/Hatfield waters than Softs/Caravan, I think. And Charlie Mariano was almost always good.

The final SSister record, Spiral Staircase, was pretty much the creation of Sacha van Geest (their now returned flute player), and is more of a musical play moving even further into goofy Gong terrain. But it's actually better than often rumoured, especially if seen as more of a "project" kinda work separate from the other albums.

**Levgan** · 07-25-2014

Robert Jan Stips played in Moscow with the band Nits last year and I used this opportunity to have a big interview with him (largely about Supersister rather than Nits, although we did cover some of his post-Supersister activities as well). He turned out an extremely friendly, polite and fun person and have been answering my questions for 2 hours or so. The resulting interview is online, but sadly only in Russian, though I feel I should probably translate it into English one day 'cause I haven't seen the Supersister story covered anywhere in such a great detail (which is absolutely Robert Jan's credit, not mine).

BTW Nits were/are a very good band as well (largely outside the "progressive rock" context, though flirting with it every now and then), and their concert was quite incredible. As for Supersister, sadly not one but two of the original members already left us, and as such, all prospects of another reunion are futile - Robert Jan told me it just doesn't feel comfortable for him playing these songs with different musicians. However, he performs some of these pieces alone on the piano during his solo gigs in the Netherlands.

I simply adore the first two Supersister albums (14-15 Gnosis-wise for me) and very much like everything else as well. I find myself listening to these non-English Canterbury-inspired works (like Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates, Picchio dal Pozzo and many others) even more often than to the classic UK records that spawned them.

**Esoteric** · 07-25-2014

Robert is indeed a very lovely guy and I really love Supersister,

**ashratom** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by Levgan

I simply adore the first two Supersister albums (14-15 Gnosis-wise for me) and very much like everything else as well. I find myself listening to these non-English Canterbury-inspired works (like Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates, Picchio dal Pozzo and many others) even more often than to the classic UK records that spawned them.

Precisely my viewpoint as well

**Trane** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by Levgan

I simply adore the first two Supersister albums (14-15 Gnosis-wise for me) and very much like everything else as well. I find myself listening to these non-English Canterbury-inspired works (like Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates, Picchio dal Pozzo and many others) even more often than to the classic UK records that spawned them.

Yeah, The Nits are a,n above-average Alt Rock band

......... as to your Western-Europe list, let me add Pazop, Recreation, Cos and Kandahar... all from Belgium

**Rarebird** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by Levgan

Robert Jan Stips played in Moscow with the band Nits last year and I used this opportunity to have a big interview with him (largely about Supersister rather than Nits, although we did cover some of his post-Supersister activities as well). He turned out an extremely friendly, polite and fun person and have been answering my questions for 2 hours or so. The resulting interview is online, but sadly only in Russian, though I feel I should probably translate it into English one day 'cause I haven't seen the Supersister story covered anywhere in such a great detail (which is absolutely Robert Jan's credit, not mine).

BTW Nits were/are a very good band as well (largely outside the "progressive rock" context, though flirting with it every now and then), and their concert was quite incredible. As for Supersister, sadly not one but two of the original members already left us, and as such, all prospects of another reunion are futile - Robert Jan told me it just doesn't feel comfortable for him playing these songs with different musicians. However, he performs some of these pieces alone on the piano during his solo gigs in the Netherlands.

I simply adore the first two Supersister albums (14-15 Gnosis-wise for me) and very much like everything else as well. I find myself listening to these non-English Canterbury-inspired works (like Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates, Picchio dal Pozzo and many others) even more often than to the classic UK records that spawned them.

If you want to hear some progressive Nits, try to find Torni.

**Scrotum Scissor** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by Trane

......... as to your Western-Europe list, let me add Pazop, Recreation, Cos and Kandahar... all from Belgium

Abraxis too (although not squarely, but damn - if there was one I'f hoped would get a CD reissue now) - and *some* Placebo. And just a tiny bit of Lagger Blues Machine.

And Travelling plus Forgas from France. And Axis from Greece. And a few more...

**zombywoof** · 07-25-2014

Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor

This is my fave; it's practically a flawless album, AFAIC. When "Higher" finishes off, it's arguably amongst the most sublime points of release I ever heard from a 70s progressive rock record.

BTW, as a token to their status back then, Camel entitled the second track from Mirage - "Supertwister" - in the band's honour, apparently because Andy Ward kept talking about how much the song reminded him of the Supersister sound. And boy, it does.

As for why they aren't more loved with the "prog crowd", the answer remains that there hardly exists any such thing anymore - just "crowds" adhering to very specific bands or stylistic directions. Play a historically seminal progressive band like Soft Machine (say, "Teeth" or "Dedicated to You...") to your average self-declared "progger", and check the reaction.

Great, I'll pick it up on my next LaserCD order. Thanks!

I agree with you there. Last night, I played "Hope For Happiness" and "Joy For a Toy" on my radio show and someone in the chat described it as 'post rock'!