May 1, 2009 Playlist

 

May Day Special
 
"Little Red Record" by Matching Mole (1972)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Matching Mole  "Little Red Record"  1972 (UK)
This week's show falls on the first day of May, thus the theme of the monthly special is "May Day", a date of great significance for both pagans and communists!  So fittingly, the CAOTW this week is Matching Mole's Little Red Record, which features a cute cover depicting the band members in the style of Maoist propaganda.  Matching Mole was a "Canterbury scene" supergroup founded by singing drummer Robert Wyatt after he left (or was kicked out of) The Soft Machine, and also features the talents of guitarist Phil Miller (Hatfield & The North, National Health), bassist Bill MacCormick (Eno & Manzanera collaborator) and originally David Sinclair (Caravan, Hatfield & The North, Camel) on keyboards, though he was replaced by David MacRae (Nucleas) for this, their second album.  Stylistically, they were perhaps the loosest of the Canterbury groups, playing a whimsical brand of progressive jazz rock that was mostly instrumental.  This particular album is also quite notable in that it marked the first joining forces of Brian Eno (guest synthesizerist) and Robert Fripp (who produced the album.)  Sadly, this was to be the group's final recording, as Robert Wyatt fell from a window in 1973 and has been paralyzed ever since.  (And by the way, Wyatt actually is a genuine "card-carrying member" of the Communist Party of Great Britain.)
Here's  some footage of Matching Mole live in 1972, around the time of this record -- and here's a trippy clip of The Soft Machine live in 1971 , and also live in 1967, from the days when Wyatt was in the band.  And finally, here's a rather unique moment in pop history:  after his accident, Wyatt had a hit single in the UK with his version of the Monkees' "I'm a Believer", and performed it on TV in his wheelchair!

(N) = New Release
         
Artist Song Album Year (label) Country
Spirit Taurus Spirit 1967 USA
Led Zeppelin Stairway To Heaven "Runes" a/k/a "Zo-So" a/k/a "Led Zeppelin IV" 1971 UK
Blue Oyster Cult Then Came The Last Days Of MAY Blue Oyster Cult 1972 USA
MAY Blitz In Part The 2nd Of May 1971 UK
 
 
Black Widow In Ancient Days Sacrifice 1970 UK
Procol Harum Repent Walpurgis Procol Harum 1967 UK
Louise Huebner
(with "cybernetic music" by Louis & Bebe Barron)		 Orgies: A Tool Of Witchcraft Seduction Through Witchcraft 1969 USA
Coven For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Witchcraft Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls 1969 USA
Blood Ceremony Hymn To Pan Blood Ceremony (N) 2008 (Rise Above) Canada
Venom Witching Hour Welcome To Hell 1981 UK
 
   
Queen (Brian MAY) The Prophet's Song A Night At The Opera 1975 UK
Jade Warrior MAY Queen Last Autumn's Dream 1972 UK
AC/DC Stormy MAY Day Black Ice (N) 2008 (Columbia) Australia
   
 
Gang of Four Capital (It Fails Us Now) B-side 7" single 1981 UK
Gang of Four To Hell With Poverty! A-side 7" single 1981 UK
Killdozer Enemy Of The People Uncompromising War On Art Under The Dictatorship Of The Proletariat 1994 USA
Free Kitten
(Kim Gordon, Julie Cafritz, Yoshimi) 		Bananas Inherit (N) 2008 (Ecstatic Peace) USA/Japan
Rodriguez
 		Only Good For Conversation Cold Fact (N) rec. 1970 (2008 Light In The Attic) USA
Matching Mole Righteous Rhumba
   / Brandy As In Benge		 Matching Mole's Little Red Record
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		 1972 UK
Alan Price Poor People O Lucky Man! (original soundtrack) 1973 UK
 
 
Curtis MAYfield Get Down (single version) The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield
(full length version of Roots album)		 1971 USA
Muddy Waters Let's Spend The Night Together (Rolling Stones) Electric Mud 1968 USA
Toots & The MAYtals Pressure Drop The Harder They Come (original soundtrack) 1973 Jamaica
Rush Rivendell Fly By Night 1975 Canada
 
 
The Grateful Dead Alligator
  --> Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)
  --> Feedback		 Recorded live at L.A. Shrine Auditorium August 23
(bonus material on The Golden Road CD box set)		 1968 USA
 
 
Incredible String Band Dust Be Diamonds Changing Horses 1969 UK
       
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