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Topic ClosedHenry Cow appreciation society
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ALotOfBottle View Drop Down
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2016 at 01:51
"GuiderTells Of Silent Airborne Machine" - that's such a great track, too! It's divided into three basic parts with a name and a last name.

Here is one of the versions (although not the one from the Box Set, so not as good quality).


I would guess I like it so much, because on this very track, Henry Cow is Canterbury scene!


Edited by ALotOfBottle - May 31 2016 at 01:52
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Points: 1399 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2016 at 03:36
Could be from the John Peel session (April 73).  'Would You Prefer Us to Lie' in the Box Set from 77 is still very Canterbury.
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2016 at 03:49
Originally posted by Flight123 Flight123 wrote:

Could be from the John Peel session (April 73).  'Would You Prefer Us to Lie' in the Box Set from 77 is still very Canterbury.

I like to divide Canterbury into three narrow categories.
  • the song-based a la Caravan, Matching Mole's debut, some of Robert Wyatt's solo, Khan.
  • jazz-fusion Canterbury, so bands like National Health, Soft Machine, (don't know where Hatfield and the North would go), Gilgamesh, Matching Mole's Little Red Record.
  • The sophisticated, eclectic Canterbury of Egg, Henry Cow, Supersister, Moving Gelatine Plates.
That is just how I like to have it. I absolutely adore the third option, although all are great.

I'll have a look at 'Would You Prefer Us to Lie'. I can't remember the song at the moment.

Edited by ALotOfBottle - May 31 2016 at 03:50
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2016 at 10:21
I also forgot to mention that Henry Cow are without a doubt responsible for some of the coolest track titles ever if you ask me. "Nirvana For Mice", "With the Yellow Half Moon and Blue Star", "Guider Tells Of Silent Airborne Machine", "Cycling Over the Cliff", "Upon Entering The Hotel Adlon", "Bittern Storm Over Ulm", "Cafe Royal", "Off the Map", "Keeping It Warm in Winter" just to name a few.
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Points: 15926 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2016 at 13:52
LegEnd is a Canterbury sounding album in my books !! The other albums not.
Gosh, I love the debut......
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 00:58
Originally posted by Tom Ozric Tom Ozric wrote:

LegEnd is a Canterbury sounding album in my books !! The other albums not.
Gosh, I love the debut......

Yes, Legend is without a doubt a classic Canterbury scene album. Not only by the sound, but by the circles Henry Cow were in during the period. Unrest does have some slight elements of Canterbury sound, namely on "Half Asleep Half Awake". But, yes, I also love Legend. It's probably one of my Top 5 albums. A masterwork.

When one listens to the first CD of the box set, you can see how many ideas the band wanted to transport to their debut album (for which they had limitations as to time). For example, "Excerpt from With the Yellow Half Moon and Blue Star" is actually an excerpt, not a piece by itself. It is really unbelieveable how twenty-something year-olds could be so intelligent and create something so intricate and complex.

"My mind is blown, my mind is absolutely blown."
                                                                         -John Peel
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Points: 15926 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 03:03
Just spun Unrest. Another great album. There's some 'grating' sounds in Ruins that cut right through the soundscape - I think Tim's just about blown his organ up
John Greaves is a fantastic bassist.
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 03:21
Originally posted by Tom Ozric Tom Ozric wrote:

Just spun Unrest. Another great album. There's some 'grating' sounds in Ruins that cut right through the soundscape - I think Tim's just about blown his organ up
John Greaves is a fantastic bassist.


I am listening to John Greaves' 1977 work Kew. Rhone. as we speak and it really is a testimony for how much of Henry Cow's early sound he was responsible for. A very complex album, but highly recommended, a bit like a crossover between Unrest and In Praise with Robert Wyatt-esque arrangements. Peter Blegvad plays guitar there and is responsible for the lyrics. There is also a female singer, Lisa Herman, whose voice is similar to Dag's, but also has something of The Northettes.

Next up, disc 1 of the 40th Anniversary Box Set LOLLOL Man, I love those recordings.
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Points: 1399 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 05:47
I am not sure I would totally agree with the analysis of Kew. Rhone. although it is a great album and a lost classic.  In terms of musical settings, to me at least, it sounds closer to Slapp Happy unsurprisingly, but more complex and closer to jazz in arrangements (not surprising given Bley/Mantler's involvement - but would agree 'Half Asleep Half Awake' provides an antecedent).  One of my favourite ever songs was the first result of the Greaves/Blegvad partnership: 'Bad Alchemy' off Desperate Straights.  I once put that on a pub juke-box and chuckled as the room started to empty...
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 05:54
Originally posted by Flight123 Flight123 wrote:

I am not sure I would totally agree with the analysis of Kew. Rhone. although it is a great album and a lost classic.  In terms of musical settings, to me at least, it sounds closer to Slapp Happy unsurprisingly, but more complex and closer to jazz in arrangements (not surprising given Bley/Mantler's involvement - but would agree 'Half Asleep Half Awake' provides an antecedent).  One of my favourite ever songs was the first result of the Greaves/Blegvad partnership: 'Bad Alchemy' off Desperate Straights.  I once put that on a pub juke-box and chuckled as the room started to empty...

Well, it was my second or third listen, so bear in mind that my analisys might have been misguided.
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Points: 1399 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 05:59
Not to worrySmile  I think its great to be in touch with other Henry Cow fans.  Out of all my friends, I only know of one other I would call a fellow fan, and maybe two more that think they are OK/appreciate their music.  Kew. Rhone was one of those albums I didn't buy at the time (buying vinyl was expensive business as a teenager) and so I didn't get to hear it until many years later.
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 06:06
Originally posted by Flight123 Flight123 wrote:

Not to worrySmile  I think its great to be in touch with other Henry Cow fans.  Out of all my friends, I only know of one other I would call a fellow fan, and maybe two more that think they are OK/appreciate their music.  Kew. Rhone was one of those albums I didn't buy at the time (buying vinyl was expensive business as a teenager) and so I didn't get to hear it until many years later.

Robert Wyatt allegedly bought two copies, as he was afraid he might damage such a masterpiece. He has admitted to really liking Kew. Rhone.
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Points: 1399 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 06:10
I think Wyatt and Greaves are good friends - BTW have you heard Greaves singing a cover of 'Beautiful as the Moon' on the Alain Blesing album?
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 06:17
Originally posted by Flight123 Flight123 wrote:

I think Wyatt and Greaves are good friends - BTW have you heard Greaves singing a cover of 'Beautiful as the Moon' on the Alain Blesing album?

No! Shocked I'm checking it out as we speak.

Funny we are talking about Henry Cow appreciation society as a thing. It's just three of us really, for about 4 or 5 pages. I bet nobody besides me, you, and Tom Ozric reads the thread. Tongue
But it's just plain fun talking to other like-minded listeners! Smile
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Points: 15926 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 06:42
Kew. Rhone. is superb.
Sheez, just looking at some odd related LP's I have - there's a John Greaves solo from 1982 called 'Accident'. Quite a strange, experimental New-Wave thing with an impressive guest-list.
Then there's French, Frith, Kaiser, Thompson's album 'Live, Love, Larf and Loaf'. A very clever and quite fun album - their take on Surfin' U.S.A. is quite a blast.
I was really fortunate to have scored a beauty in Frith's 'Speechless' album. Side 1 is Frith with Etron Fou Leloublan, and side 2 with Massacre. It cost me 2 bucks. All great stuff.
Oh, I spun side 4 of HC Concerts - they sound in top form, and no doubt enjoying themselves a lot. I'm just fascinated with Tim's organ playing.
I've not met anyone yet who digs HC - a friend of mine one bought a copy of LegEnd at my insistance, and liked it for a few months then ditched it.
I guess we're always up for discussing about these phenomenal bands and musicians.
I can go off and listen to Meshuggah for days, and maybe go on a Kajagoogoo bender, but I'll always return to Canterbury
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Points: 21339 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 07:26
I'm in here reading but the depth of knowledge means I have little to add, I am enjoying it and revisit DEsperanto Straights today. Keep it up.
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https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/
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Points: 197 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 07:51
Originally posted by Flight123 Flight123 wrote:

One of my favourite ever songs was the first result of the Greaves/Blegvad partnership: 'Bad Alchemy' off Desperate Straights. 

And I'm guessing it's Blegvad who is responsible for that off-beat muted chord lick that occurs in both "Apricot" from Kew. Rhone. and "Bad Alchemy."

Originally posted by ALotOfBottle ALotOfBottle wrote:

It's just three of us really, for about 4 or 5 pages. I bet nobody besides me, you, and Tom Ozric reads the thread. 

Humph!!!
Buy this thing!
https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelPDawson
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ALotOfBottle View Drop Down
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Points: 1990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 08:20
Glad that there are actually five of us! LOL No, honestly, I really appreciate you are here and read and learn and share love for the phenomenal band that Henry Cow was!
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Points: 1399 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 08:37
Originally posted by Tom Ozric Tom Ozric wrote:

Kew. Rhone. is superb.

Oh, I spun side 4 of HC Concerts - they sound in top form, and no doubt enjoying themselves a lot. I'm just fascinated with Tim's organ playing.
 


Actually, the slow fade on 'Udine' annoys me as it sounds like Tim is letting rip at that point!
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Points: 166183 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 01 2016 at 12:57
Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

I'm in here reading but the depth of knowledge means I have little to add, I am enjoying it . Keep it up.

Basically me as well. All I can add is slobbering praise and heaping adulation, but it is by no means worthy of the legitimately interesting conversations going on here.
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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