Soft Machine
What are your favorite albums by the band SOFT MACHINE?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_Machine
The self titled (debut) and Volume Two (second album) would be two of my favorites. I did like many other albums also, but by the time Elton Dean (sax), and later Karl Jenkins (sax, oboe and keyboards) joined the ranks, they had evolved into an entirely different machine...very jazzy, which was cool. But I'll be totally honest...back when I initially purchased 'Third', I must say I was a little surprised, and put off a spell. Over time, this newer jazzier Soft Machine did grow on me though. The 'Live in Paris 1970' album (also known as 'Live at the Proms 1970'), released for the first time in 1988 by 'Reckless Records' on both vinyl and CD is fantastic also. It's been reissued in more recent years as well.
Here's a few cool vintage videos...the first two are from '67 with the classic lineup of Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Hugh Hopper, and Mike Ratledge...
Hope For Happiness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwo3ht8sxJo
Excerpt/Jam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv0eN2s56cM&feature=related
I own the 2008 released DVD 'Alive in Paris 1970' which is incredible, and highly recommended:
http://www.softmachinedvd.com/
http://billsprogblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/soft-machine-1970-on-dvd.html
Here's some footage from the DVD...
Backwa:
Here's some more classic footage...Hugh and Robert let it rip...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba_Y2zRvXuQ&feature=PlayList&p=CDD4E802AB5C4FE8&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_fnBL-_-g&feature=PlayList&p=CDD4E802AB5C4FE8&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3
The mid 70's lineups with guitarists Allan Holdsworth, John Etheridge, and bassist Roy Babbington were interesting too. By this time, Karl Jenkins really seemed to take the band in an entirely different direction, and sometimes for the worse.
Prior to joining the Soft Machine, Karl had been a key member of the prog/jazz band 'Nucleus', lead by Ian Carr, who were very good at what they did...but at times I felt Karl's input was like mixing oil and water when it came to the Soft Machine. Their album 'Rubber Riff' has to be my least favorite because of this.
Though my favorite albums from that phase would be 'Seven', 'Bundles', and 'Softs'.
Guitarist John Etheridge can be heard prior to joining the Soft Machine on the three albums released by 'Wolf' (first two albums are great), a band fronted by violinist Darryl Way (of Curved Air). Allan Holdsworth was previously with the hard rock band 'Tempest' (also a very good band), and can be found backing several people during the 70's including Jean Luc Ponty, and Bill Bruford, not to mention appearing on the first album by the late 70's prog band 'UK'.
Here's some great footage of the mid 70's Soft Machine...
Floating World/Bundles (with Allan Holdsworth/guitar):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5uCGHjUWM&feature=PlayList&p=CDD4E802AB5C4FE8&index=10
Tale of Taliesin (with John Etheridge/guitar):
If you enjoy the mid 70's Soft Machine, you might want to check out the band 'Isotope', which also featured Hugh Hopper on bass...they were pretty cool. The band also featured guitarist Gary Boyle, formerly of 'Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & the Trinity':
Illusion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-NzWxq_enw
Golden Section:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m93pAMlmSzY&feature=related
Another recommendation for you is a band Robert Wyatt was part of during the early 70's called 'Matching Mole'...
The French translation for 'Soft Machine' is 'Machine Molle'...so most can see the humor in that! Lol...Love the front cover of their first album:
https://www.psychprog.com/img/imag17439.jpg
The band also featured Dave MacRae (keyboards/piano), Dave Sinclair (organ, member of Caravan), Phill Miller (guitar, member of Hatfield & the North), and Bill MacCormick (bass, member of the bands/artists Quiet Sun, Random Hold, Brian Eno, and Phil Manzanera)
Here's a few songs by Matching Mole...
Part of the Dance:
http://www.imeem.com/people/iWsurYO/music/g75ZDgVi/matching-mole-part-of-the-dance/
God Song:
http://www.imeem.com/people/iWsurYO/music/9vVxTJDy/matching-mole-god-song/
Signed Curtain:
http://www.imeem.com/people/iWsurYO/music/G34tS9eY/matching-mole-signed-curtain/
Nan Trues Hole:
http://www.imeem.com/people/iWsurYO/music/cqkqz6G9/matching-mole-nan-trues-hole/
There are so many other cool Canterbury Prog bands...I used to be fanatical about this stuff many years ago. I think you'd enjoy a good portion of it too.
Whats On My YouTube Today?
soft machine Tale of Taliesin
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