any FZ intervies references regarding Soft Machine in general or Robert Wyatt specifically?

marc rosen

unread,

Jan 17, 2014, 5:54:15 PM1/17/14

to

Hey All,
I've been away for a while and it's nice to be back but I thought I'd ask if anyone here has any references to interviews where Frank talks about Soft Machine or Robert Wyatt. Links or pasted references are welcome. I've ocassionally wondered what it might have been like if Frank and Robert teamed up, assuming Robert never broke his back.
Thanks in advance for any input.
Marc

henryd...@gmail.com

unread,

Jan 17, 2014, 7:27:13 PM1/17/14

to

I used to have an illustrated bio of Robert Wyatt years ago, in it was a Zappa quote. I can't remember the exact wording but I recall it was something like "Soft Machine is one band I would never play with." I put the exact quote in a message on this news group around 2000 or before - and Biffy asked me where I had found the quote, and being a fount of all knowledge he probably still knows it.
I don't think a collaboration was likely Marc :-)

A little Robert Wyatt story; I stood behind him at the entrance to the 1969(?) Marquee Jazz and Blues festival, Plumpstead(?) race couse. The official guy wouldn't let Robert in. He was pleading that he was the Soft Machine drummer and they were the first act - more pleading and he was let in. A train load of hippies from Victoria Station to Plumpstead. Great days!
Martin Higgs........

Just remembered, I think the FZ quote came after the festival that was held in Belgium where the Softs, Beefheart and maybe FZ performed.

henryd...@gmail.com

unread,

Jan 17, 2014, 7:35:03 PM1/17/14

to

On Friday, January 17, 2014 10:54:15 PM UTC, marc rosen wrote:

This was probably the book that had the FZ quote
Wrong Movements: A Robert Wyatt History
by Mike King. 2001, pub: SAF

Martin.......

henryd...@gmail.com

unread,

Jan 17, 2014, 7:43:18 PM1/17/14

to

Forth coming Robert Wyatt bio

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/marcus+o27dair/different+every+time/9398220/

Charles Ulrich

unread,

Jan 18, 2014, 6:20:30 AM1/18/14

to

In article <93393399-c21b-40c4...@googlegroups.com>,

henryd...@gmail.com wrote:

> On Friday, January 17, 2014 10:54:15 PM UTC, marc rosen wrote:
> >
> > I've been away for a while and it's nice to be back but I thought I'd ask
> > if anyone here has any references to interviews where Frank talks about
> > Soft Machine or Robert Wyatt. Links or pasted references are welcome.
>

> I used to have an illustrated bio of Robert Wyatt years ago, in it was a
> Zappa quote. I can't remember the exact wording but I recall it was something
> like "Soft Machine is one band I would never play with." I put the exact
> quote in a message on this news group around 2000 or before
>

> Just remembered, I think the FZ quote came after the festival that was held
> in Belgium where the Softs, Beefheart and maybe FZ performed.

In 2000, you said Belgium '67, but then corrected yourself:

> Just found my Wyatt book "Wrong Movements", and I got the country and
> venue wrong :( Seemingly September '67, Amsterdam, Holland
>
> Mark Boyle:
> "We were supposed to open for The Mothers Of Invention at the
> Concertgebouw but Frank Zappa wouldn't let us, saying 'Anyone can open
> for the Mothers...except The Soft Machine.'

--Charles

J. Roshi

unread,

Jan 18, 2014, 11:45:45 PM1/18/14

to

The comment is quoted in King's "Wrong Movements" (as someone else mentioned). The exact quote is "Anybody can open for the Mothers - except the Soft Machine." I just moved, so the book is still packed in a box somewhere, but I believe it's from the early SM days (with Ayers in the band), and I always understood it in the context of "I'm not afraid of any opening act blowing the Mothers offstage, except for them."

Dirk Van de moortel

unread,

Jan 19, 2014, 6:12:47 AM1/19/14

to

That makes perfect sense.
Way back, up to 1970 Zappa's BWS and SM Vol2 were among my
favourite albums.

Dirk Vdm

Dirk Van de moortel

unread,

Jan 19, 2014, 6:24:33 AM1/19/14

to

I definitely must rephrase this:
BWS and SM Vol2 (both pre-1970) are still two of my all time favourite
albums.

Dirk Vdm

Martin Higgs

unread,

Jan 19, 2014, 1:44:40 PM1/19/14

to

On Friday, January 17, 2014 10:54:15 PM UTC, marc rosen wrote:

Maybe if...
Abye Sea Song
Moon Unit in June
Slightly All The Time is Money
Rockxy Bottom & Elsewhere
Have You Ever Bean Mr Green Genes?
Ruth Is The Perfect Stranger Than Richard
Elvis Has Just Left The Ship Building
Catholic Architecture Girls
Absolutely Free Will and Testament

--------
Geoffrey Farmer pays goofy tribute to Frank Zappa at Nottingham Contemporary
http://www.culture24.org.uk/art/art456952