Henry Cow appreciation society

I wish I could somehow get hold of pre-Legend Henry Cow recordings. There are some from just a few months before the album on the 40th Anniversary Boxset. Imagine if we had recordings from when Henry Cow played support for Gong in 1971... That would be great!

Happy Birthday Dagmar

Happy birthday to Dagmar Krause!

The Crazy World Of Henry Cow

2dogs wrote: Can I join the Henry Cow appreciation society? I've come to love their music over the last couple of years, there's so much going on there, an incredible variety of ideas and all played so well. It really was a collection of great musicians. I never know which album to listen to - perhaps Western Culture for consistency but then Dagmar had such a great voice and then there's the jazzy early stuff or the intensity of Ruins on Unrest. There's also the mass of material on the box sets which is taking me some time to digest. I had a listen to Trondheim again yesterday but it still sounds like they were down a couple of members at short notice, sitting in the dark, and making up noise as they went along . It did get more atmospheric and interesting towards the end though, I might see if I can find a reasonably long excerpt that I could enjoy more often.

Of course, you are more than welcome to join I call free beer for the new member of the collective!

^Yes, D. S. al Coda is a really good album. National Health is perhaps not in its top form, but a fantastic work regardless.

Right now I'm listening to The Muffins' debut album Manna/Mirage. They seem to be at least partly influenced by Henry Cow. Either my ears are playing tricks on me or I've just heard Tim Hodgkinson-like Farfisa and great wind playing, at times reminiscent of LegEnd. Great album and I'm suprised with that there something in their music as if never letting it become boring or sterile. Love it!


Edited by ALotOfBottle - June 04 2016 at 01:22

Tom Ozric wrote: Thinking....... " Damn you, Richard ".......... I think that after Oldfield's Tubular Bells, Branson couldn't be bothered with exceptional, stoner musicians and their craft. I know from some interview, that John Greaves replaced Neil Murray for National Health, because Neil wasn't totally comfortable playing to 'stoned audiences' and that Greaves' lifestyle fit in more with the band's than his (Neil's) - hence why Whitesnake. Then again, Neil shared a flat with Amanda Parsons for a while.....

I was lucky enough to see Greaves with National Health supporting Hillage on the 'Green' tour.  Neil Murray was an unashamed rocker who couldn't get a gig - he worked with Gilgamesh as well but left before their debut album.

Thinking....... " Damn you, Richard "..........
I think that after Oldfield's Tubular Bells, Branson couldn't be bothered with exceptional, stoner musicians and their craft.
I know from some interview, that John Greaves replaced Neil Murray for National Health, because Neil wasn't totally comfortable playing to 'stoned audiences' and that Greaves' lifestyle fit in more with the band's than his (Neil's) - hence why Whitesnake. Then again, Neil shared a flat with Amanda Parsons for a while.....

Seems we need to listen to Flight123
I can't get it - Bottle, you are 17 ??? That's FANTASTIC !!
I really do believe if a chunk of today's populace were exposed to Cow, they'd win a whole new fanbase. Really, Henry Cow are only 'obscure' coz only a small portion of folks have been exposed to them. I'm sure that the percentage of those who have given ear-time for them, most would find them fascinating. Still leaves a very small amount.

When I spin Slapp Happy - they really sound 'straight'. And totally catchy. I can't see why they weren't better known.
And if asked, I couldn't explain why it is that I listen to 'obscure' music. If it's interesting, engaging, well played and intelligently constructed then count me in. Believe me, Kajagoogoo are something like this. I've loved them for Nick Beggs, and now that he is fully involved with whatever Prog, makes the 'Goo even better. But whatever........

Tom Ozric wrote: ^ Don't start me - with this recent thread that YOU ARE responsible for ( ) - is way too cool. I wish I had someone here to share the joy of Henry Cow with (preferably of the fairer kind) but I successfully got a chick into VDGG at my work. She was more for Hammill's lyrics than anything, but I've recently mentioned HC, hopefully she seeks out Amygdala, she is curious and 'open', but I doubt I'd win her Heart.........

Hah, good luck! I don't have anyone who shares the joy of Cow's music, sadly. Or I do. A bit. A tiny bit. My dad was once big into The Residents with Chris Cutler and he likes that whole underground anti-industrial scene. And there is also my uncle, who is generally very big into music. He is mainly a fan of country, but when he was young, he was crazy about prog. Anyway, I recently forced him to listen through the whole LegEnd. He really liked it and said that it's incredibly ambitious, but it's too late for him to discover new stuff at this point in the genre, which he "abandoned" a while ago. Oh well...
Actually, you mentioned when you were 17 and thought Henry Cow was some solo 'bloke' who may have been into Canterbury - that's roughly the age I am right now.
Anyway, LegEnd is the only Henry Cow LP I have. And I'm thinking of buying another one. Unrest? Concerts? IPOL?
Be right back, flipping to the Side 2 of LegEnd. Now as I'm listening, I am thinking that there are actually only two perfect albums I've heard in my life. LegEnd and Egg's Polite Force. These two are the qunitessence of my life. Flawless, perfect in every way. Everything I would ever dream to expect from a record.


Edited by ALotOfBottle - June 03 2016 at 04:55