Friday 14 June 2013

CANTERBURY SOUNDWAVES EPISODES 1-7

Before Canterbury Sans Frontières was Canterbury Soundwaves a show which creator Matthew Watkins described as "exploring the so-called `Canterbury Sound`, its many roots, branches, twigs and accompanying mycelia in 28 episodes (November 2010 - January 2013). We, the little fellows hiding behind the scenes at Gonzo Web Radio are proud to announce that as well as Canterbury Sans Frontières episodes as they happen, all 28 of the back catalogue will also be hosted.

This is going to take some time, especially as I live out in the sticks with very dodgy and intermittent internet access. But they will be posted in batches of half a dozen or so, and we are very pleased to be able to announce that the first seven episodes, complete with playlists, are now available at the Gonzo Web Radio site.

Check them out!

EPISODE ONE: Looking at the origins of the so-called "Canterbury Sound": first singles, first albums, early recordings, etc LISTEN

EPISODE TWO: Digging further into the Canterbury archives... A beautiful Matching Mole obscurity, a closer look at Mike Ratledge's keyboard style, something new from the Canterbury area, Caravan's finest hour (arguably), Planet Gong, Centipede, an unlikely Northumbrian folk-style cover of a Robert Wyatt song, and quite a lot of things from 1974. LISTEN

EPISODE THREE: An unexpected guest brings out the wilder side of Caravan, Terry Riley's influence explored, an African excursion, Soft Machine unleashing total sonic mayhem on a Dutch TV audience in 1967 and several Canterbury bands covering each other's material (among other things). LISTEN

EPISODE FOUR: Hugh Hopper's first and last recorded performances (separated by 46 years and both involving Daevid Allen), Sun Ra's influence considered, the audio from some recently discovered French TV footage of Kevin Ayers and Caravan live in Paris (1970 and 1973, respectively), a rare (and somewhat muffled) glimpse of Egg live in 1970, Peter Blegvad considering the noun form of the adjective "numinous" in the midst of a wonderful bit of National Health, Robert Wyatt live (sort of) in 2003(!), and a lo-fi recording of his Matching Mole classic "O Caroline" being sung mostly in Welsh. LISTEN

EPISODE FIVE: Hatfield live in '75, Gong backing a long-forgotten French poet, cameos from William Burroughs and Robert Wyatt's young son Sam, recent Canterburyish sounds from Helsinki, and a chat with contemporary local band Syd Arthur about their own music as well as their Canterbury influences and connections. LISTEN

EPISODE SIX: Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno attacks Canterbury with his direct inject anti-jazz ray gun!! Also, Nucleus, a couple of Caravan pieces from Dave Sinclair's early 70's hiatus, the Gong Global Family goes Japanese, the short-lived Soft Machine lineup involving Australian mystery drummer Phil Howard live in Germany 1971, and more sounds from the Canterbury of today. LISTEN

EPISODE SEVEN: Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Caravan's In the Land of Grey and Pink. Also, Canterbury sounds from Belgium, something appropriately far-out from Gong's Mushroom Tapes, Kevin Ayers addressing the nation's schoolchildren in 1972, Matching Mole on French telly, two Beatles covers, two flavours of fruit jam, and a chunk of the Soft Machine's (almost) forgotten score to the 1969 London 'happening' Spaced. LISTEN

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