The Canterbury Scene - Progressive Rock

Anyone listen to Canterbury music? Such as Soft Machine, Camel, Caravan, Hatfield and the North and Gong.
When I first got into Progressive Rock music, I was a senior in high school. Wikipedia aided me in discovering The Canterbury Scene. I downloaded a track and was hooked. Also, there are three great books about the Soft Machine and Gong that are supposed to be out of this world. One of them is called Outbloodyrageous. Another is a two volume book written by Daevid Allen of Gong. I think Outbloodyrageous is still on Google Books for a full reading.

 

I love all those groups mentioned! Truly awesome music...

 

Loved Caravan. Saw em at Durham and Newcastle.

This is my fave Caravan song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW_KztxNuJM"]YouTube - Caravan - The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again (BBC 1974)

 

That's definitely a very fun song. Really though, you can't go wrong with their 2nd album through their 5th album, but nothing tops their 2nd album IMHO as a whole, and it has one of the best album titles ever:

 

I could never get much into Caravan, Camel, but I dig Gong...in other words I dig prog when there's plenty of psychedelia in it and less pompous symphonic crap

 

Looks like you forgot one: Egg

Became a lifelong fan about a year ago. It's too bad this band had a short life span. Only three albums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxezPzBIq8g"]YouTube - Egg 1970 Fugue in D minor

 

Before Egg existed there was Arzachel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SI7DOCRvdc"]YouTube - Arzachel - Garden of Earthly Delights (1969)

 

I saw Daevid Allen inKansas City in 91.Amazing concert! I still have his autograph, a prized possession.

And Learyiszeman, I'm am also surprised as well as delighted that someone as young as you likes Canterbury music.Thanks for mentioning those books. I think I'll order them


[QUOT lE=Learyiszeman;6385087]Anyone listen to Canterbury music? Such as Soft Machine, Camel, Caravan, Hatfield and the North and Gong.
When I first got into Progressive Rock music, I was a senior in high school. Wikipedia aided me in discovering The Canterbury Scene. I downloaded a track and was hooked. Also, there are three great books about the Soft Machine and Gong that are supposed to be out of this world. One of them is called Outbloodyrageous. Another is a two volume book written by Daevid Allen of Gong. I think Outbloodyrageous is still on Google Books for a full reading.[/QUOTE]

 

henry cow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsV83mdzdPk"]YouTube - Henry Cow - Teenbeat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT-J7eEZxkM"]YouTube - Bittern Storm over Ulm - Henry Cow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=374qf7xCFkY"]YouTube - Henry Cow - Beautiful as the Moon

 

National Health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82Z9L3cTDRE"]YouTube - National Health : experimental prog fusion grouphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82Z9L3cTDRE"]

 

Have you heard the Soft Machine album Land of Cockayne(1981)? It features original members Karl Jenkins and John Marshall and some awesome guests including Jack Bruce and Alan Holdsworth. Amazon has it for $14.99, but it's worth every dime

 

This is a great one.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mciI_izIXCM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mciI_izIXCM"]YouTube - CAMEL PRESSURE POINTS(pressure points live)

 

Among the aforementioned bands I very much like Soft Machine and National Health. My other favorites are Isotope, Gilgamesh, and Hugh Hopper's solo albums. Also, there was a great band called Nucleus, which wasn't technically Canterbury, but many musicians who played there later became active members of the Canterbury scene, especially Soft Machine.

That album is certainly good, but, well, it's too structured and relaxed for them, I would say. And for me it definitely lacks Mike Ratledge's piano.

As far as I know, there are at least three types of people who love Soft Machine's music - some are fond of their early, pre-Elton-Dean's stuff, others of the free jazz era of 1971-1973, and yet others of the progressive years of 1974-1982. As for me, I belong to the second group, preferring live albums, but I love the progressive albums as well, and also I am happy to add that, in my opinion at least, what they've done during the last decade is not worse and maybe, I dare say, even better than the endeavors of the classic times, which can serve as a reminder that not every reunion of a classic rock band is just a nostalgic, sentimental event. They still, despite everything, play and compose such a powerful music that sometimes I simply can't believe it.

 

So far, I am familiar with Camel and Gong out of those bands. I have been into progressive rock for at least 12 years now, but have mainly been interested in what they call the 'symphonic' breed (Genesis, King Crimson, Moody Blues). I personally dislike that label, as it makes those bands sound 'old-time-y' which they definitely are NOT. But, I definitely plan on some more of the bands the OP mentioned when I get enough money to buy more albums.

 

This is the best music of all time. Caravan's first and second album, Soft Machine's Third (Heavenly fuck, Moon in June!), Gone, Hatfield and The North, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen, Pye Hastings!!!!

...

Just the greatest...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f08VwWQY0T8&feature=fvst"]3:Moon In June 1/2 - YouTube

 

canterbury prog is fantastic. i saw caravan live last year. truely epic!!

 

Cool listening - time to update my playlist = MeThinks