Henry Cow appreciation society

Tom Ozric wrote: ^ There's no 'Off The Map' on my LP - just Groningen, Groningen Again etc. Ruins is amazing. Did Tim use a Farfisa ?? Something which looks like it had flowers printed on it somewhere ?? You know, some of these guys couldn't afford (or didn't wAnt to use) Hammonds or Gibsons, just some nondescript cheap organ and put it through all sorts of effects......... The organ section of Living In The Heart Of The Beast is MASSIVE - even a Pipe Organ wouldn't achieve that power.

Well, they could afford Gibsons. Fred Frith used a Gibson ES-345 exclusively. It was and is one of the highest quality electric six-string instruments out there. The new ones go for at least 4000 dollars right now, the vintage ones even up to 30 000 dollars. I wish I could own a copy or that very instrument sometime in my life.

As to Tim's organ, it was Farfisa Compact Duo. The very same that Rick Wright used. At first, I found its sound a bit disturbing and (as you said) cheap. However, it grew on me and I really love it now. He built a custom cab for it with a few tweaks.

In the gatefold of the Concerts album, I really love their stage setting - like a homely lounge-room, somewhere cosy. Greaves' bass kills !! Actually, HC are one band where one could speak for hours about each instrument, sound and player.
Frith plays the bass on most of Western Culture - he gets a strange, almost 'rubbery' sound. Georgie Born was outstanding on 1/2 The Sky. Gosh, this thread is forcing me to bring out all my Cow records tomorrow. Maybe even Art Bears.
If one adores Daggie, there's some interesting albums she's realised herself - I came across Supply And Demand whilst flipping through a crate of random 80's LP's back in the 90's, then got Tank Battles on CD, which I enjoyed more than her first.
I once had an album by Daggie and Kevin Coyne, entitled Babble. I really didn't dig it. It was jettisoned promptly.
And I swear that I saw Dag's name on a Paul Young album !! Maybe backing vocals on 1 or 2 tracks ?? Either that, or I was tripping.....

Flight123 wrote: My 6th form band tried to imitate the Cow's stage setting with lamp shades, etc.  Well, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  I am not sure all my band mates were quite with me! Pre-internet, one relied on the music press for information so the 2nd time I saw the Cow in 77, we were hugely disappointed to turn up at the venue to find Dagmar had retired from touring due to ill health. However, the concert was a belter but the only vocal track was 'Viva Pa Ubu'.  Luckily, I got to see her again some 37 years later at the Lindsay Cooper tribute shows...!

They don't have lamps here, but also a very cool stage setup.


Ooh, I've got one with lamps

This is the gatefold of Concerts, isn't it?

Man, they were such cool people!

Tom Ozric wrote: ^ Uber-cool. Love the pic with Georgie on bass Thanks. Ooh, so Tim's decked his organ out with clouds, not flowers (like I thought.....)

Have a look, Georgie plays bass here, too

Tom Ozric wrote: Thanks again !! I'm amazed that there's any footage of this phenomenal band at all. Watching Cutler flap his arms around every beat is fun - and they're bizarre beats too. Lindsay looks cute (as does Goergie). On a side - Georgie played 'cello in National Health (Squarer For Maud) and a sensational track off Bruford's Tornado album (Gothic 17).

From what I can remember, when Georgie joined Henry Cow, she didn't have much experience with bass guitar at all! However, she learned the instrument quickly.

^ You don't know how lucky you are !!
^^ Her understanding of ''cello obviously helped her with the bass - I don't even want to attempt 1/2 The Sky.........(but then, I'm an untrained, hopeless bassist.....)

^ Man, it truly sux living 'Down Under'. We really are the ass-end of the world somewhat.....
There are countless bands I listen to and just get right into (to name 2 extremes ; Kajagoogoo and Meshuggah, both mean a lot to me, and not just because.......) but there are a precious handful of bands that are in my heart and soul (2 more extremes ; Sade and Henry Cow). I can't explain why, it just 'is'..........

 Yassss! I finally found all ten volumes of The Road on the internetz. And boy, is it a long listen! So far, I have listened to the first two discs and it seems far more interesting than Concerts.  Anyway, I'm glad I was able to find the album online instead of spending 70 bucks for each boxset without knowing what it is. I will try to write a review of Volumes 1-5 this weekend if I manage to listen to the whole. So far, the first disc was outstanding. You get all of the nice flavors from the first album with some newer elements. There is even Dave Stewart's talking there somewhere! Anyway, a great listen!


Edited by ALotOfBottle - August 26 2017 at 03:05

^ Wish Dave played some of his blowing Fuzz-Hammond solos there............
I did give an attentive listen to Concerts, and it was amazing. It has been quite a few years since I spun the entire thing, usually just side 1 and I'm done. Side 2 with Wyatt and Riding Hood and Ruins is pretty cool, the 3rd side of 29 minutes of improv (with Dagmar sounding like she's being murdered about half-way through) is O.K., Side 4 is quite superb and exciting, even having a section of .....Heart Of The Beast somewhere there. Tim's organ just blows - actually, lots of his organ throughout, more than I remember. I'm sure he distorts and fuzzes it beyond recognition - just when you think it's not an organ, Frith comes in with a distinctive lead that makes those odd sounds as coming from Tim. That's it, I was about to listen to Yes, now it's gonna be Unrest. Cancel all my previous posts on various threads...........

^ Nine Funerals.....on side 3 ???   Still haven't picked that..... Got Tim's organ section of LITHOTB somewhere on side 4......... Very difficult and challenging where improv is concerned.
Also, there's many bands doing this Cow complex improv styling since LegEnd. Really, they (the few I have) pale in comparison to HC. No one will come up to their kneecaps..........
Currently spinning Unrest - Greaves' piano is fading on Half Asleep..... Now Ruins has kicked in.....
See ya'