September In The Rain

"September in the rain" from the "People Powered: Concerts For Corbyn" The Dome Brighton 16th December, with Robert Wyatt, Paul Weller, Danny Thompson and others (?).

Would have loved to be there, and hoping for some high quality videos!


Added 18 December:

"Mass medium" and talk by Robert right here.

"Blues in Bob Minor" right here.

And as mentioned in a comment:
The other musicians on stage were Steve Pilgrim and Ben Gordelier.

People Powered: Concerts for Corbyn

Tonight is the first concert in a national series called "People Powered: Concerts For Corbyn".

"A wide range of incredible artists will be performing at Brighton Dome, including a collaboration between the legendary Paul Weller, Robert Wyatt and Danny Thompson, a performance by the iconic band The Farm, roots reggae with Ghetto Priest, psychedelic pop with Temples and the singer songwriting magic of Kathryn Williams, and many more".

More info over here (where I also stole the text and picture).

Oh My - More French Music!

Two videos were embedded here from Youtube -

But HEY - where did those videos go?
I´ll leave the blog post anyway, to keep the the little info we have here:

Here are some French artists I know nothing about, but they throw some Robert Wyatt into the mix!

First - Barbara Carlotti: Le Chant des Machines "with a mix of "Sea Song" by Robert Wyatt and "Stay" by Rihanna" (YouTube)!?

Second - O: Azerty "with a mix of "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys, "Sea Song" by Robert Wyatt and "Le Clan des Siciliens" by Ennio Morricone" (YouTube)!

Sea Song(e)s

Damn my rusty French, but this looks and sounds interesting!

A work (only live?) freely inspired by Robert Wyatt's album "Rock Bottom".

Musicians:

Sophia Domancich - piano, keyboards
Bruno Tocanne - drums
Antoine Läng - vocal, effects
Rémi Gaudillat - trumpet, flugelhorn

More info over here.

Check out Sid Smith's 1h30min Canterbury Scene Podcast From The Yellow Room. All the usual suspects.

WEEK-END MIXTAPE #3: Robert Wyatt

Robert Wyatt presents favorites from Bertold Brecht, Bernard Bresslaw, Pavarotti + James Brown, Archie Shepp, Zaz, Nina Simone, Danny Kaye and more in a mixtape for WEEKEND_festival.

A couple of records

Just a reminder here about a couple of records already mentioned in the blog.

- The Great Divide´s beautiful "Ibrahim" featuring Robert Wyatt. A few copies left on AmazonUK. And it is a 10".
Album scheduled for release in 2017. Just this track with Wyatt I hear.

- Sporran´s glam version of "Shipbuilding" on 7". A Costello/Langer song as you know, but just as much Robert Wyatt´s.
I got my copy from Trigger Museum, transparent vinyl and all!

The Fiction Aisle

A cover of "Lullaby for Hamza" by Brighton band The Fiction Aisle from their "Live at Lick" (Chord Orchard 2015). It´s track no. 4.

"Limited editon hand-numbered cassette EP featuring three tracks recorded live in session at the Lick Warehouse, Brighton, October 2015, plus a bonus home-recording of Robert Wyatt's Lullaby For Hamza".

Band members (taken from their Facebook site): Thomas White, Louis Macgillivray, Adam Kidd, Alan Grice, Holly Fitzgerald, Jordan Duggie, Damo Waters, Craig Chapman

Thanks for the tip Arie!

Dwiki Dharmawan covers "Forest"

Dwiki Dharmawan covers Robert Wyatt and Alfreda Benge´s "Forest" on his new album "Pasar Klewer" (MoonJune 2016).

There are two versions, one with vocals by Boris Savoldelli and one instrumental.

More info on tracks, band members and how to buy over at MoonJune´s Bandcamp.

Sporran: Shipbuilding

Have you heard this glam version of Shipbuilding?

On YouTube they claim it is "a sensitive cover version". Agree?

Anyway, it is possible to order a new 7" now from Trigger Museum Records.

Soupsongs at Musicport 2016

Some video material has been uploaded from "Soupsongs (The songs of Robert Wyatt)" at Musicport 2016.

Here is "Alliance" (the start missing - I guess).

I don´t know the full band here, but some of them should be Sarah Jane Morris and Jennifer Maidman on vocals, Larry Stabbins on sax, Liam Genockey on drums and Annie Whitehead on trombone.

Paul Weller, Robert Wyatt To Play Concert For Jeremy Corbyn

Clash writes: Paul Weller, Robert Wyatt To Play Concert For Jeremy Corbyn.

"Paul Weller and Robert Wyatt are amongst the artists who are set to play the opening instalment of PEOPLE POWERED: Concerts For Corbyn.
The concert series has been pieced together by music writer Lois Wilson, live music figure Paul Phillips, and Unison Officer/Brighton Momentum Organisers Sarah Pickett and James Ellis.
The first show takes place at Brighton's Dome venue on December 16th, and features an all-star band led by Paul Weller.
Excitingly, the line up features Robert Wyatt, with the legendary singer set to come out of retirement to support Jeremy Corbyn."

From Uncut (Added to the blog post later same day):
Paul Weller forms supergroup with Robert Wyatt, Danny Thompson to play concert for Jeremy Corbyn.

The Age of Self

Robert Wyatt´s "The Age of Self" in Hebrew - from the film "Cast-Offs".

Musicians: Avi Belleli and Galia Hai (I believe, according to YouTube).

Oops! All links gone

Sorry, but it seems like Google have done some upgrading and changes on Blogger, at least here!

All my links to blogs and other sites seem to have vanished all of a sudden.

I´ll see if I can get at least some of them back in not too long.

The Great Divide : Ibrahim (10" - 2016)

An excerpt from the new single Ibrahim, by The Great Divide (featuring Robert Wyatt). To be released on 10" Vinyl on The Interrupting Sheep - 16th September 2016.

Some info fro The Great Divide´s Facebook:
"Gerald Clark, with various musicians, usually including Eric Young & Tim Robertson + various great singers and guests (including Maria Payne, Bea Weiss Leclere, Daniel Fletcher and Robert Wyatt)".

My order on Amazon is a 12"!? A limited 10" I´m missing?

HOBO Plays Robert Wyatt

Hey, this is happening tonight (10 September 2016) in Mantova (Italy)!

Here is the result of translating Italian into English on Google Translate (from this site):

"To draw a portrait of Wyatt - stimulated by the questions of Giorgio Signoretti - will be Alessandro Achilli, the Italian journalist who more than any other has been able to learn about the amazing love story that binds the English artist in our country, even taking care of the translation the two fundamental wyattiane biographies of Michael King (False Movement) and Marcus O'Dair (Different Every Time). To enrich the meeting some valuable live performance by the duo Hobo Massimo Guintoli and Heloise Manera, in addition to the screening of video materials not easy to find".

Matching Mole live on Cuneiform

"Smoke Signals compiles all previously unreleased performances - selected & sequenced by Robert Wyatt biographer Mike King - from the band's most intense gigging period. The set list is mostly drawn from Little Red Record.." Released May 22, 2001.



"In 2001, Cuneiform released Smoke Signals, a collection of unreleased performances. The band was so pleased with that album that when one of the members came across a forgotten live show on tape - identified simply as "March, 1972", they immediately contacted us, and March is the result. Recorded live in Europe 3/72.." Released September 17, 2002.

Listen or buy over at Bandcamp.

The band:

- Robert Wyatt - drums
- Phil Miller - guitar
- Dave McRae - electric piano
- Bill McCormick - bass


Covers by: Tom Recchion.

Slapp Happy will perform with Faust

Now how about this?! Slapp Happy to perform with Faust at Cologne's Week-End Festival in November!

Slapp Happy is Dagmar Krause, Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad.

Blurbs by Robert Wyatt, Brian Eno and John Peel.

Campo Teatrale - Saggio di Canto del 9 Maggio 2016 - Sea Song (Robert Wyatt)

A theater version of Robert Wyatt´s "Sea Song"? Seems like it.

From YouTube:

"Il maestro Francesco Lori alla fine dell'esibizione dice: "eh, il coraggio dell'artista ...".
Che tradotto, significa "eh sì, ci vuole proprio un bel coraggio a fare una cosa del genere !".
E io di "bel coraggio" ne ho da vendere (della serie ”nonostante l’età, sono senza vergogna" !) :-)"

Please comment if you know more about this performance.

Unpublished interview with Robert Wyatt

Hibou, Anemone & Bear (again!) pointed me towards an unpublished 2007 ("Comicopera" time) interview with Robert Wyatt, now posted on swench.net.

"-Even though there is a lot of love, loss and war on Comicopera, I don’t find it a depressing album.

- There are a few comic moments on this record although they probably escape most people’s attention. People think I’m depressing because of the beard and the wheelchair. If they could see me as I really am in my head, which is some kind of reckless little monkey scampering around in the trees, they’d be much closer to the mark quite frankly."

North Sea Radio Orchestra: The British Road [Official Video]

"North Sea Radio Orchestra: 'The British Road' (Robert Wyatt).

Download only single available 05/08/16;
taken from the fourth NSRO album 'Dronne' released 09/09/2016"

A Mixtape For You #3: Julia Holter

Check out Julia Holters mixtape, including John Cage: "Experiences No. 2" - sung by Robert Wyatt.

Tracklist and words from Julia Holter over at bantmag.

North Sea Radio Orchestra

Copied from SoundCloud:
"Taken from their new album 'Dronne' (THM004 release date 09/09/2016) here is North Sea Radio Orchestra's cover version of Robert Wyatt's 'The British Road'.
In 2014 NSRO were invited to perform at the Nuits de Fourviere festival in Lyon France - performing the music of Robert Wyatt."

And you may also want to revisit this blog post from 2015 to hear John Greaves and Élise Caron cover "Alifie" with the North Sea Radio Orchestra.

Ben Bryden: Glasgow Dreamer

Ben Bryden´s CD "Glasgow Dreamer. The Music of Ivor Cutler" (Roncador 2016) has been mentioned a couple of times already in the blog, but now it is here.

You get instrumental jazz versions of seven Ivor Cutler songs (including favorites like "I got no common sense" and "I worn my elbows") and three tracks by Bryden in the spirit of Cutler. The Cutler songs are picked from "Velvet Donkey", "Dandruff" and "Jammy Smears".

I found it in my mail box yesterday and it sounds nice! Streamed on Spotify for those who have access.

The band: Ben Bryden (ts), Reinier Baas (g), Tom Berkmann (b) and Mark Schilders (dr).

Soft Machine live in Croydon (1970)

See thebluemomentcom (July 25, 2016), where Richard Williams writes about a Soft Machine concert (he nearly missed) at Fairfield Hall in Croydon, January 4th, 1970.

The concert was later released on the album "Noisette" (Cuneiform, 2000).

The band: Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge and Lyn Dobson.

Grey Lotus

My Dutch is pretty weak, but trying to read the piece "Drukke tijden voor Grey Lotus" through Google Translate I conclude that this band regularly play Robert Wyatt songs at their concerts!

In 2014 they also released "In Tribute To Robert Wyatt (Live)" on BandCamp, with the tracks "Sea Song", "Shipbuilding", "Memories" and "Out of the blue".

The musicians:

Daan Arisz - Guitar
Joost Verhagen - Vocals
Judith Wesselius - Vocals
Otto de Boer - Double Bass
Niels van der Weiden - Piano & Synthesizer
Lars van der Weiden - Drums
Eoin Roberts - Violin
Roelof Ruis - Accordeon

I had trouble embedding the BandCamp album (follow link above), so here is a track from SoundCloud instead:

Bertrand Burgalat & Robert Wyatt - This Summer Night

Let´s hear it for the summer!

Clip directed by Daniel Klein
Bertrand Burgalat & Robert Wyatt - "This Summer Night" , ℗ & © 2007 Tricatel

And if you like, Bertrand Burgalat & Robert Wyatt - "This Summer Night (Solenzara Mix)" right here, from the CD "Inédits" (Tricatel 2011, 2014 ??).

Gavin Esler In Conversation with Robert Wyatt

And here it finally is, the video from Gavin Esler In Conversation with Robert Wyatt at University of Kent (6 April 2016)!

Music by Soupsongs:

Annie Whitehead - trombone and vocals

Jennifer Maidman - lead vocals and guitar

Sarah Jane Morris and Cristina Dona - lead vocals

Brian Hopper and Mark Lockheart - saxophones

Tim Harries - bass

Janette Mason - keys

Liam Genockey - drums

'Pardon me, I'm very drunk'

I just read: Marcus O'Dair (2016). 'Pardon me, I'm very drunk': alcohol, creativity and performance anxiety in the case of Robert Wyatt. Popular Music, 35, pp 207-221.

Unfortunately it is not open access, so you have to check if your local library has a subscription (or jump over here to buy).

The scholarly article´s title is pretty descriptive of course, and the story of Robert Wyatt and his alcohol use (and misuse) is seen in context of the literature on the topics mentioned in the title.

The conclusion? Even if the alcohol use led to dependency, and at times a strained relationship with Alfie, it might have helped him "to overcome performance anxiety and to enhance at least some stages of creativity". But it might have been partly due to placebo!

I´m A Believer

Today just a bit of bragging!

Thanks to my daughter Maja, who was in Japan earlier this year, I finally got this Japanese promo of Robert Wyatt´s Virgin single from 1975 "I´m a believer (N. Diamond) / "Memories" (H. Hopper)"!

Musicians on this one (as always check Une Discographie de Robert Wyatt!):

- Robert Wyatt - vocals, piano,
keyboards

- Dave MacRae - piano on I'm
A Believer
- Fred Frith - guitar, violin
- Richard Sinclair - bass
- Nick Mason - drums.

Musical Couples on Late Junction

Check out the episode of Late Junction on BBC Radio 3 where "Verity Sharp celebrates avant-garde musical couples ahead of tomorrow night's "wedding session" from Matana Roberts and Seb Rochford. Robert Wyatt explains how lyrics written by his wife Alfie have stretched him as a musician...".

Robert Wyatt and "Cuckoo Madame" is on after about 73 minutes.

28 days left to listen!

L’isola di Wyatt

It seems like a Robert Wyatt tribute will be held in Italy 26 June.

Since I´m a big fan of Google Translate, here is some of the info (from Italian Umbria 24) in not so beautiful English:

"Moon in June with a tribute to Robert Wyatt, onstage former CIS and Cristina Donà"

"The second edition of "Moon in june", scheduled Maggiore island on 25 and 26 June 2016, it will be presented during a press conference to be held Monday, June 6 at 11 am at Palazzo della Penna in Perugia".

"So Sunday, June 26, together for a show designed for the occasion, entitled 'The island of Wyatt' will meet some members of the CIS (Francesco Magnelli - Massimo Zamboni - Giorgio Canali - Ginevra Di Marco) along with Brunori Sas and Cristina Donà".

Psychic Temple "Plays The Music For Airports"

This one might interest you! A new take on Brian Eno´s "Ambient 1: Music for Airports" (1978), based on the track "1/1", on which Robert Wyatt played piano.

Head on over to Bandcamp to check out (and buy) Psychic Temple´s "Plays Music For Airports" (Joyful Noise 2016).

It´s not exactly ambient, but sounding really good in my ears.

Musicians:

Tabor Allen - drums
Philip Glenn - Hammond organ
Danny T. Levin - trombonium, euphonium, marching baritone, valve trombone
Paul Masvidal - electric guitar
Curt Oren - baritone saxophone
Cathlene Pineda - Wurlitzer electric piano
Sheridan Riley - drums & percussion
Chris Schlarb - electric guitar
Kris Tiner - trumpet
David Tranchina - double bass

The Canterbury Scene

I found this on Twitter today, and later saw that it was 4 years old, but so what?

Here is The Nimbus Hour (MixCloud) and almost 90 minutes of "The Canterbury Scene - Featuring Robert Wyatt, Soft Machine, Kevin Ayers, Hugh Hopper, Daevid Allen".

Fasano Jazz 2016: John Greaves omaggia Robert Wyatt

A video has surfaced from John Greaves´ concert "Confidential" at Fasanso Jazz 2016 (mentioned in the blog in April). The video is not high quality, but check out half an hour with John Greaves & Annie Barbazza.

You may also read the piece "Fasano Jazz 2016: John Greaves omaggia Robert Wyatt" at osservatoriooggi.it (if your Italian is OK).

The full concert song list here:

"Al Teatro Sociale ha presentato alcuni tra i suoi brani più belli oltre ad omaggiare, naturalmente Wyatt. God Song, Walking on eggshell, Words one hone one, The thunder thief, Swelling Valley, un medley in francese che ha compreso Seguidille, Logique, Rose c'est la vie e Saturne, e ancora Dead Puets, The trouble with happiness, Summer onice, The same thing, Green duse prima che sul palco comparisse la cantante italiana Anna Barbazza con cui Greaves ha inciso l'albeum "Piacenza". I due hanno proposto Hell's despite, The song, Sea song sino alle finali How beautiful e Earthly powers".

The Future Eve

In December 2014 we had a post on the track "KitsuNe" (sound clip removed), a piece by Robert Wyatt and The Future Eve.

Now we may read this on The Future Eve´s site (thank´s Arie!):
"A worldwide release of [ Robert Wyatt & The Future Eve ] is confirmed ! ( CD/LP )".

Fasano Jazz and Robert Wyatt

Check out the program for Saturday 14 May at the Fasano Jazz 2016:

Sabato 14 maggio 2016
ore 21.00
Teatro Comunale Sociale
Via Nazionale dei Trulli
Fasano

“TO ROBERT WYATT WITH LOVE”

Presentazione “Different Every Time” di Marcus O’Dair (Giunti)
incontro con Alessandro Achilli (curatore della edizione italiana),
modera Donato Zoppo

concerto di JOHN GREAVES:
“Confidential”
(pianoforte e voce)

The London Ear: Robert Wyatt Special

I was made aware of The London Ear´s "Robert Wyatt Special" on Soundcloud via Twitter the other day. Here Ben Thompson and Marcus O´Dair talk their way through Robert Wyatt´s career with the Wyatt biography as a background, and of course they play lots of great music.

The program has been on SoundCloud for more than a year and was broadcasted in 2014 after the book came out obviously.

Good show!

Re-pressings of Wyatt albums

Domino will re-press some Robert Wyatt albums on vinyl.

"Shleep" (1997) and "Comicopera" (2007) are scheduled for May 2016 release.
More of them to come?

May be preordered from Burning Shed.

Max Richter: Songs From Before

Deutsche Grammophon recently reissued Max Richter´s "Songs from before" on vinyl.

It was originally released by 130701 in 2006.

Robert Wyatt is reading short passages from several of Haruki Murakami´s books.

A sad and beautiful album!

Vivien Goldman

Staubgold will release a Vivien Goldman sampler called "Resolutionary (Songs 1979–1982)" on May 20th.

More info on Goldman and the release over at Staubgold´s site, where you also can hear "Launderette" (Rough Trade 1981) with Robert Wyatt on percussion.

"Resolutionary takes us through Vivien’s first three musical formations: first as a member of experimental British New Wavers The Flying Lizards; next as a solo artist, with her single “Launderette,” featuring postpunk luminaries; and then as half of the Parisian duo Chantage, with Afro-Parisian chanteuse Eve Blouin".

L'école de Canterbury

Aymeric Leroy´s 736 pages long book on the Canterbury scene, "L'école de Canterbury", will be for sale from April 15th!

The book is only in French so far, so some of us have to wait for an English version (to come?) - or start working on our French studies.

Preface by Jonathan Coe.

Ten Songs That Saved Your Life

Robert Wyatt chooses ten tracks from the same record for Ten Songs That Saved Your Life, and we copy (with a few changes) from their site:

"Les Double Six (bmg France/RCAVictor) i. These are on a cd re-issue of two original LPs. the rhythm sections include Daniel Humair [drums] and Georges Avanitas [piano].

Mimi Perrin and her friends digested what was already great instrumental music and found the human voice inside. it had been done before and has been done since. But les double six, with their comprehensive thoroughness, epitomise this craft at its inspiring (to me) peak."

You may find the album on Amazon and a bit more info on Wikipedia. This is all new stuff to me.

Robert Wyatt University of Kent Talk

Tweets and photos from Gavin Esler 'In Conversation' with Robert Wyatt at University of Kent to be found on twitter accounct @UniKentEvents.

I asked them if we could hope for some audio/video recordings, and the answer was:
"Absolutely - the event was filmed. We'll put something online in the next few weeks! :)".

Gavin Esler 'In Conversation' with Robert Wyatt

A reminder! It´s happening Monday April 4th, University of Kent:
Gavin Esler 'In Conversation' with Robert Wyatt.

Live music will be performed by Soupsongs.

Ron Geesin: An Improvised Life

This one went below my radar; a documentary on Ron Geesin called "An Improvised Life" (premiered in October 2015). It features contributions from Pete Townshend, Peter Gabriel, David Gilmour, Robert Wyatt and Bridget St. John.

The film is going to be shown at Filmic in Bristol on May 8, with a Q & A with Ron Geesin.

Words take the place of meaning

Richard Elliot has written a chapter called "Words take the place of meaning: sound, sense and politics in the music of Robert Wyatt" in the book "The Singer-Songwriter in Europe.
Paradigms, Politics and Place" (Edited by Isabelle Marc, Stuart Green) (Routledge 2016).

See also a previous blog post on the book "Litpop: Writing and Popular Music", with Elliot´s chapter "You can’t just say “words”’: Literature and Nonsense in the Work of Robert Wyatt".

Soft Machine - Third (Transparent vinyl)

Music on Vinyl released a 180 gram audiophile vinyl edition of Soft Machine "Third" 2016-03-21. Limited pressing of 1000 numbered copies on transparent vinyl.

Robert Wyatt's '68 - Stream

Cuneiform Records just tweeted this (@cuneiformrecord):
"Robert Wyatt's '68 is now available as a full-length stream for you to fully preview the album before you buy it!"

Well, if you don´t have it already, stream it and buy it!

The Progect 2nd International Conference on Progressive Rock

An international progressive rock conference is going to be held at University of Edinburgh on the 25th, 26th and 27th May 2016.

You will soon be able to find the full programme here.

Paul Carr is presenting a paper on Matching Mole at the conference, and has posted the abstract in his blog.

The Calais Music Caravan Benefit Show

The Calais Music Caravan Benefit Show is happening at Cafe Oto Saturday 12 March (info on Cafe Oto´s site):

A fundraiser for The Calais Music Caravan, including the world premiere of LAST by Caroline Kraabel, featuring pre-recorded vocals by Robert Wyatt.

“All of us are migrants or the descendants of migrants – people who moved to find something and to get away from something (the two ideas are just a switch of perspective apart).

A while ago I wrote a song about some aspects of being a migrant, in order to make of it a longer piece for pre-recorded voice and improvising orchestra; Robert Wyatt agreed to record this short but very heartfelt song, which appears several times in various ways through the piece.

Tonight’s performance will include a first version of LAST, played by these most exceptional of improvising musicians and directed by myself".

Ivor Cutler (15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006)

Here is a blog post in memory of Ivor Cutler who died 3 March ten years ago.

I think this world needs his music and writings more than ever. Beautiful, serious and witty as it is.

Since it is also the World Book Day in UK and Ireland today, a wish: Let´s have some kind of anthology, collected writings or a biography in not too long. Anyone?

Fish

Fish
are not
very bright
not
by my standards.
They
never had any
reason to grow
brains. For
one thing
it´s hard
to read
under water and
the paper gets too wet
to handle and
there isn´t the light and
fins let books slip and you´d
have to hold the
pen in your mouth.

People
who say
"A school of fish"
are
taking
advantage of
their limited
intelligence to poke cruel
fun.

You let
fish be.

Or eat them.

From Ivor Cutler: A Flat Man. With drawings by Phyllis April King (Trigram 1977).


In one of my books I found a copy of an interview with Mr. Cutler from New Statesman (30 May 1997) called "Influences".
Here is one of the Q & A´s:
- On important matters, whose opinion - other than your own - do you trust most?
- Phyllis King and Robert Wyatt.

Mortalman feat. Robert Wyatt by Dworniak Bone Lapsa

From YouTube:
"dBL collaboration with Cornish visual artist Roger Thorp for the first instalment of the filmic backdrop to live shows.
The track Mortalman featuring Robert Wyatt is taken from the independently released album 'Fingers Pointing At The Moon' available via http://dworniakbonelapsa.com".

And click here for my blog post from January 2015.

L'homme de plusieurs vies

A documentary on Robert Wyatt by Gilles Pezerat to be broadcasted on France Culture (listen here!) (24 February 2016 23 GMT(?)).

The Wilde Flowers Reviewed

A fine review (8/10 score) of the The Wilde Flowers compilation released on Floating World in Uncut no. 226 March 2016.

A total of three pages including a Q & A interview with Robert Wyatt by Tom Pinnock.

Wyatt is putting things straight by comments so dry you have to brush them off your shoulders smiling:

Q: What part did Daevid Allen play in the development of the group? I understand he introduced you all to a lot of music and art.
A: Yes, I´ve read that too. (before going on)

Q: Kevin (Ayers) must have seemed like a very exotic character when he first appeared in your circles..did he galvanise the group?
A: He certainly added the ´e´ to Wild. For Oscar of course. I don´t recall ´exotic´ being a feature of his presence.........

One of the tracks on the CD coming with this issue of Uncut is The Wilde Flowers´ "Memories" from 1966.

Little Black Buzzer (Ivor Cutler)

Have a listen to this great cover of Ivor Cutler´s "Little Black Buzzer" by Yorkston/Thorne/Khan!

Yorkston/Thorne/Khan are James Yorkston, Suhail Yusuf Khan and Jon Thorne, and the Cutler cover is taken from their debut album (as a trio) "Everything Sacred" on Domino.

More info right here.

Left on Man

Robert Wyatt videos from BBC Four (2006) seem to come and go on the net, and I must have posted them before, but here is "Left on Man" from "Dondestan" (1991).

The band (stolen from another video still up):

Annie Whitehead, trombone, arrangements
Jennifer Maidman, vocal, electric guitar
Harry Beckett, trumpet
Larry Stabbins, saxophone
Janette Mason, piano
Steve Lamb, bass;
Liam Genockey, drums

Added 13 February:
See comment for corrections.

University of Kent Event

6 April 2016 at The University of Kent:

Robert Wyatt “In Conversation” with Gavin Esler
With music performed The SoupSongs.

"Critically acclaimed musician Robert Wyatt returns to Canterbury to reignite the Canterbury Sound and talk to BBC journalist and University of Kent Chancellor, Gavin Esler, about a music career which has spanned five decades.

Live music on the night will be performed by The SoupSongs. Robert himself has not appeared on stage for many years, but he and long-time musical collaborator Annie Whitehead have assembled this exceptional group of musicians to perform his work live."

Sea Song / Ocean In The Distance

As I already told you I had put in an order for Daevid Allen and The University of Error´s "Sea Song" cover, and it didn´t take long before I had it.

What a beautiful release this is! Great version of "Sea Song" and a fine "Ocean In the Distance" on side b, and check out the photos of Daevid Allen by Ricardo Lionhearto (!)! Innercover to the left there.

Seems like they still have some of the 445 copies (!) for sale over at Planet Gong Bazaar.

Robert Wyatt stencils

Some Robert Wyatt street art, found over at the Cartoonneros blog. More pictures there.

Made by Argentine artist "M". See also earlier blog post.

RW interviewed in Record Collector

There is a short interview with Robert Wyatt in the Talking Heads section of Record Collector no 449, January 2016 (p 27).

He would like to see The Unthank sisters in reality TV and rather not being asked too often how Syd Barrett was like!

"What fact about you may surprise fans?
I can´t see anything wrong with Justin Bieber."

University of Errors: Sea Song (7-inch, 45 RPM)

I just put in an order for The University of Error´s 7" version of Robert Wyatt´s "Sea Song" with "Ocean In The Distance" on side B. You may do exactly the same over at "Planet Gong Bazaar".

"Sea Song" is a previously unreleased studio version, and this record was made to make sure that the "first of Daevid's birthdays minus the man himself would not pass un-marked".

Short sample here.

Al Berkowitz - Sea Song

Have a listen to Al Berkowitz´s version of Robert Wyatt´s "Sea Song".

Giorgio Gomelsky (1934 - 2016)

Giorgio Gomelsky died of cancer on the 16th of January.

Gomelsky, a club owner (Crawdaddy), manager (Yardbirds) and producer in the early 60s also produced Soft Machine´s first demos. These demos were recorded in April 1967, but after three days the sessions were aborted and Gomelsky kept the mastertapes. The recordings appeared on records for the first time in 1971 (Rock Generation vol 7 and vol 8 on BYG), and later on several CDs and vinyl albums titled "Jet-Propelled Photographs", "At the beginning" or just "Soft Machine". See different versions on "Un Discographie De Robert Wyatt".

These recordings are pop Soft Machine, and not considered to be among their best, bet me I like them a lot. The raw 60s feel sounds good to my ears and heart!

Here is what´s printed in Graham Bennett´s book "Soft Machine. Out-Bloody-Rageous" (SAF 2005):
"The immediate impression on listening to the tracks is that the production went to great lengths to obscure the band´s best qualities: their performing energy, the predominance of improvisation and their hybridization of disparate musical styles are conspicuous by being almost totally absent from the demos" (p 106 - 107).

OK, you are warned, but give it a try!

Dangerous Minds on Georgio Gomelsky right here and the NYT obituary here. RIP.

The Wilde Flowers

A repackaged and re-mastered collection by The Wilde Flowers seems to be out on Retroworld/Floating World, and is now expanded to include a bonus disc.

Copied from Floating World:

"The bonus disc features rare tracks by KEVIN AYRES,HUGH HOPPER and ROBERT WYATT with some intriguing newer material by BRIAN HOPPER including a re-work of the SOFT MACHINE CLASSIC “Hope For happiness” recorded by Brian in 2003.

Tracks:
Disc 1: Impotence, Those Words They Say, Memories, Don’t Try to Change Me, Parchman Farm, Almost Grown, She’s Gone, Slow Walkin’ Talk, He’s Bad For You, It’s What I Feel A Certain Kind, Memories, Never Leave Me, Time After Time, Just Where I Want, No Gain When You Lose, Impotence (alt. Version, Why Do You Care, The Pie Man Cometh, Summer Spirit, She Loves to Hurt, the Big Show, Memories(alt. version).
Disc 2: The Pieman Cometh, Mummie, That’s Alright Mama, Orientasian, Frentica, 3-4 Blues Thing in F, Slow Walkin’ Talk, Man in a Deaf Corner, Summertime, Belsized Parked, Where But For Caravan Would I, Hope for Happiness."

Also available from Amazon. Only on CD I guess.

In connection with the release Pennyblackmusic spoke to Robert Wyatt (published 24 December 2015).

"PB: As there was a “Canterbury Scene”, do you think there was also an identifiable ‘Canterbury Sound”? How would you characterise it?

RW: We knew a lot more than we could actually play."

Improgressive: Primo

This may be worth checking out: Italian duo Improgressive´s (Alberto Popolla (clarinets) and Errico Defabritiis (saxophones)) first album "Primo" (Slam 2015).

Compositions by Hugh Hopper, Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers, Phil Milller and Robert Wyatt plus a couple of King Crimson numbers.

Track list and more over at Slam Productions.

Thanks to Hibou, Anemone & Bear for spotting this.

Robert Wyatt: Biko / Amber & The Amberines single

I just got myself a 1984 test pressing of a Rough Trade 7" (RTT149) with "Biko" (Peter Gabriel) on one side and "Amber & The Amberines" (Robert Wyatt / Hugh Hopper) on the other.

Still quite reasonable prices on Robert Wyatt records for sale on eBay.