Any Henry Cow fans here?

Interesting to see so many Art Bears fans on the various Henry Cow threads.  I never really appreciated AB all that much, though I thought of Henry Cow as Gods of a sort...  especially Cutler and Frith (despite my ambivalence toward their Art Bears venture).

My fave HENRY COW albums are easily WESTERN CULTURE and the collaboration with Slapp Happy titled DESPERATE STRAIGHTS.

If one enjoys those two albums, then I would STRONGLY recommend the Aksak Maboul album "...BANDITS"  with HC's Frith and Cutler (I've yet to have heard AM's other album), and also the album KEW. RHONE. by Slapp Happy's John Greaves and Peter Blegvad.

To my mind, those are probably the 4 most exciting Avant Prog albums in my collection.  I can also recommend Frith's SKELETON CREW albums with Tom Cora.

Moving away from Frith, Cutler and Greaves, other albums from 'back in the day" that I still return to with regularity include Can's LIMITED EDITION (a limited release that was later expanded on and released as UNLIMITED EDITION), the 1st NEGATIVLAND release (back when they were more interested in music than chatter), and - if one can stretch Avant Prog to include groups like VELVET UNDERGROUND and PERE UBU (and I would), then I'd include any of their earliest albums.

I personally think Cow's "Concerts" is their best, I wished they had more official live albums out there, 

Just got back from vacation, where I listened to a lot of Henry Cow.  I would say that they are my most played band of the past few weeks.  The download service emusic is a great way to sample their records - but be warned, one of their greatest tracks, the 15+ minute "Living in the Heart of the Beast" off of In Praise of Learning is for some bizarre reason absent from emusic.

I am slowly getting used to Dagmar Krause.  On the whole, I can hear how the band might be very difficult (if not impossible) for one to digest.  I'd say start with Leg End and if something like "Nirvana for Mice" and "Amygdala" scare you away, the band is probably not for you.

James wrote: That's why buying real, physical silver discs is so much better, Pat.

Too true, although emusic is a nice way to sample.  Now that I'm this much of a fan I think it's time to shell out the $60 to get all four albums from Wayside, though.

I cannot remember, but have checked out News from Babel yet?

I've also grabbed one of their records from emusic, but haven't sampled it yet.  I'll be listening to that and probably Art Bears Hopes and Fears sometime this week.

NaturalScience wrote: James wrote: That's why buying real, physical silver discs is so much better, Pat.  Too true, although emusic is a nice way to sample.  Now that I'm this much of a fan I think it's time to shell out the $60 to get all four albums from Wayside, though. I cannot remember, but have checked out News from Babel yet? I've also grabbed one of their records from emusic, but haven't sampled it yet.  I'll be listening to that and probably Art Bears Hopes and Fears sometime this week.

Which album?  Letters Home with Robert Wyatt as guest is excellent, whilst the debut has more Dagmar Krause on it than the one track she sings on Letters Home.

Sirens and Silences/Work Resumed on the Tower.  Looks like they have Letters Home on emusic as well, I'll have to grab that.

Just downloaded Western Culture, Letters From Home, and Hopes and Fears.  I'd rather still be on the beach listening to all this than going to work tomorrow.

James wrote: Let us all know what your opionionionionionionionions are about them.  I need to listen to News from Babels debut again, as I cannot remember how exactly it sounds. I also need to have a Matching Mole marathon.

I still need to get some Matching Mole!    What kind of a Canterbury fan am I, anyway? 

I have all Matching Mole, including those live and BBC sessions, yet I've not gotten around to sticking them on yet.

And I call myself a Robert Wyatt fan?

I don't even have his good 1980s and 1990s albums yet!

Chameleon wrote: Henry Cow, you say? Eh, they're ok. I guess.

zomg d00d there the bomb lolz!!1!!