New Soft Machine Album and Tour

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Hugh
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New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby Hugh » 11 Jul 2018, 19:48

NYC - In support of their forthcoming new album, British music legends Soft Machine will embark on their first North American tour since 1974 in October 2018, followed by the second North-American leg of the tour in January/February 2019. In concert, their set list will include material from all parts of the band's repertoire from 1970 onwards, but this is emphatically not a nostalgia act resting on its laurels. Last weekend Soft Machine played their first two shows in North America since 1974 (it was in 1974 they toured USA and Canada during the Bundles/Allan Holdsworth era). Both shows, at the Montreal Jazz Festival and Quebec City, were exceptionally well received by the enthusiastic audience and local press.

Hidden Details is a new studio album of Soft Machine, recorded at the late great Jon Hiseman's Temple Studio in Surrey, England, last December 2017, and it will be released in September 2018 on MoonJune Records (North America; on CD and HD Download), on John Etheridge's Dyan Records (UK/Europe on CD, and iTunes), and on Vivid Records (Japan), exactly 50 years since the release of the band's 1968 debut album The Soft Machine. Limited and highly collectible vinyl edition of only 200 coloured vinyl (orange, blue and tour edition orange & blue marbled) will be released on the Dutch label Tonefloat, on September 8, 2018.

“'Hidden Details' is very much the product of an active, contemporary sounding outfit striking out with its own agenda. Though informed by the past, the music here is neither weighed down nor beholden to it. Animated with the same ineffable and inquisitive spirit that has always made this group throughout its fifty years such a compelling experience, it’' good to have a new Soft Machine with us in 2018. The yearning tenderness of 'Heart Off Guard' and the come-down reveries of 'Broken Hill' and 'Drifting White' showcase the more intimate aspects of Soft Machine's personality while in contrast, 'One Glove' gives the more pugilistic side of John Etheridge's playing an outing. The terse angularities of the title track and 'Life on Bridges' highlight a fearless disposition, as does the buzzsaw interplay heard during 'Ground Lift' and 'Flight of the Jett,' both featuring Roy Babbington's decisive interventions. The surging lyricism of 'Fourteen Hour Dream' flirts with an almost popish sensibility, underscoring the sense that this is a quartet that is fundamentally at ease with itself. The return of what some older fans of the band have called 'cosmic tinkles’'– the appearance of layers of cyclical electric piano motifs – is especially welcome. Their brief manifestation on 'The Man Who Waved at Trains' and Third-era, 'Out-Bloody-Rageous,' both stone-cold Mike Ratledge-composed classics, adds an extra spacey dimension to the overall sound. Travis' use of looping technology with his flutes creates its own beguiling world and can be heard to powerful effect on the beautiful and enigmatic 'Breathe,' where his hovering notes are underpinned by Marshall's oblique yet atmospheric percussion.” - Sid Smith

Soft Machine:
JOHN ETHERIDGE - guitar
THEO TRAVIS - sax, flute, Fender Rhodes
ROY BABBINGTON - bass guitar
JOHN MARSHALL - drums
with special guest GARY HUSBAND drums on selected dates


photo by Geoff Dennison

2018 North American Tour Dates:
October 6 - Orion Studios - Baltimore, MD, USA [John Marshall on drums]
October 7 - Theater Of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA, USA
October 9 - Roxy's & Duke - Dunellen, NJ, USA
October 10 - Darryl's House - Pawling, NY, USA
October 12 - The Iridium - NYC, NY, USA
October 13 - The Iridium - NYC, NY, USA
October 14 - The Iridium - NYC, NY, USA
October 16 - Mod's Club - Toronto, ON, Canada [Gary Husband on drums]
October 17 - The Tralf - Buffalo, NY, USA [Gary Husband on drums]
October 18 - Beachland Music Hall - Cleveland, OH, USA [Gary Husband on drums]
October 19 - The Irving Theater - Indianapolis, IN, USA [Gary Husband on drums]
October 21 - Progtober Festival - Reggie's - Chicago, IL, USA [Gary Husband on drums]
October 22 - Shank Hall - Milwaukee, WI, USA [Gary Husband on drums]

2019 North American Tour Dates:
January 24 - Freight & Salvage - Berkeley, CA, USA
January 25 - Flynn's - Santa Cruz, CA, USA
January 27 - Alberta Rose Theater - Portland, OR, USA
January 28 - Triple Door - Seattle, WA, USA
January 29 - Triple Door - Seattle, WA, USA
January 31 - The Baked Potato (2 shows) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
February 1 - The Baked Potato (2 shows) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
February 2 - Scottsdale Performing Arts Center - Scottsdale, AZ, USA
February 4-9 - Cruise To The Edge - Key West, FL / Cozumel, Mexico

2018 confirmed shows in Japan & Europe:
July 7 - Montreal Jazz Festival - Monument National - Ludger Duvernay - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
July 8 - Salle Jean-Paul Tardif - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
July 28 - Billboard Live Tokyo - Tokyo, Japan (2 shows) [special guest Gary Husband, keyboards]
July 29 - Billboard Live Tokyo - Tokyo, Japan (2 shows) [special guest Gary Husband, keyboards]
July 30 - Billboard Live Osaka - Osaka, Japan (2 shows) [special guest Gary Husband, keyboards]
September 6 - Cosmopolite - Oslo, Norway
September 8 - De Boerderij - Zoetemeer, The Netherlands
September 9 - Musikbunker - Aachen, Germany
September 10 - Franzis - Wetzlar, Germany
September 12 - Muhle Hunziken - Rubigen, Switzerland
September 13 - La Casa Di Alex - Milano, Italy
September 14 - Club Il Giardino - Verona, Italy
September 16 - Porgy & Bess - Vienna, Austria
September 17 - Museum - Bratislava, Slovakia
September 18 - Akropolis - Prague, Czech Republic
September 19 - Kulturbanhof - Jena, Germany
November 3 - Marlow Theater - Canterbury, UK
November 6 - Sage - Gateshead, UK
November 8 - Green Hotel - Kinross, Scotland, UK
November 9 - Hebden Bridge Townhall - Hebden, UK
November 10 - The Trade's Club - Howden, UK
November 16 - Borderline - London, UK
November 17 - West End Center - Aldershot, UK
November 18 - Lews Con Club - Lewes, UK
November 20 - Epic Studios - Norwich, UK
November 22 - Trading Boundaries - Fletching, UK
November 25 - Talking Heads - Southampton, UK
December 15 - Peppel - Zeist, The Netherlands
December 16 - Harmonie - Bonn, Germany

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Hightea
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby Hightea » 11 Jul 2018, 22:06

Nice write up hugh!
Sort of a stretch stating Soft Machine's first tour of america since 74. This really isn't the band that one thinks of as Soft Machine and other incarnations of the band have played america(although not toured). Either way I'm even more pumped for these shows, I've got tickets for
October 10 - Darryl's House - Pawling, NY, USA but might have to add another date most likely one of the Iridium dates
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Hugh
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby Hugh » 11 Jul 2018, 22:16

Cut and paste from press release - I can’t take any credit for the content.

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never/ever
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby never/ever » 14 Jul 2018, 09:44

They played CttE a few years ago and it was pleasant if a bit unadventurous at times.
Look forward to seeing them next year.
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby naughty boy » 14 Jul 2018, 14:38

never/ever wrote: pleasant if a bit unadventurous at times


isn't that what you goons thrive on?
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby never/ever » 14 Jul 2018, 22:48

ORORORO wrote:
never/ever wrote: pleasant if a bit unadventurous at times


isn't that what you goons thrive on?


No, that's your forte.
Imagination, for fuck's sake....
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Nikki Gradual
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby Nikki Gradual » 14 Jul 2018, 23:04

Ok, Etheridge joined in the mid-'70s, Travis less than a decade ago, Babbington wasn't a proper member of Soft Machine until 7, was Marshall ever an official member?, and Gary Husband has fuck all to do with fuck all. Respect some of them though I might, this is not Soft Machine. I mean, I don't necessarily demand Wyatt, Ratlegde and Ayers, but FFS.
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never/ever
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby never/ever » 14 Jul 2018, 23:23

They have been playing under the name Soft Machine Legacy, which is fair enough....John had been honest enough to talk about this as a different version of Soft Machine.
The later albums of SM were polite attempts to recreate something close to the classic albums of before but never really resonated with me. It's amiable and certainly technically good (Travis is a great addition, versatile and proficient) but no scratch on the wild Wyatt-years.
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby zoomboogity » 16 Jul 2018, 23:47

Nikki Gradual wrote:was Marshall ever an official member?


Yes, he joined halfway through recording 5 and stayed to the end. Wikipedia sez 1971–1984, 2015–present.

Anyone who would even care enough to see Soft Machine in 2019 can see who the line-up is and decide for themselves. You know you won't see Allen, Ayers, Wyatt, Holdsworth, Hopper or Dean, for starters, and most likely not Ratledge either. I (and Hightea) saw the debut gig in 2002, when they used the name Softworks. The line-up was Holdsworth, Dean, Hopper, Marshall. Then they went with the Legacy thing, then dropped that, and now, if Etheridge, Babbington and Marshall want to use the name so they can tour and finally get themselves out here, I can go with that. The latter period gets a lot of short shrift from longtime fans - for me, the writing often lacks on those records. But it's not about the records, it's about these four guys in a room, ready to create music in the moment. John Marshall is a really exciting drummer when he gets going. The place near me is this nice jazz club that holds less than 100, so every seat is up close. They're doing four shows there. Might go to more than one, sounds like a fun night out.
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby naughty boy » 17 Jul 2018, 00:06

If a dog, a cat, a budgie and the fella who played triangle on a track on Asia's second album got together and went on tour, somebody here would pay to see 'em.
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby zoomboogity » 17 Jul 2018, 00:41

Yeah, but again, it depends on when each one joined the group.

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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby zoomboogity » 17 Jul 2018, 01:27

And whether you still rate them once the ferret joined.

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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby toomanyhatz » 17 Jul 2018, 01:47

I posted this on my fb page and immediately the question came - will Wyatt be joining them? Uh...no.

Clearly this is not the original band doing a victory lap. But then again, the bulk of their recorded and live career is exactly what they're doing now - improvisation in the moment with solid musicians. It's not like they have "hits" to play. Or I guess they have a few, but I think the current band deserves the name as much as anybody does. Certainly nobody that was with them before 1970 seems interested in laying claim.

Not that I expect magic, but, close enough to the intent that they've carried for over 40 years now, and probably the best people currently both available and interested in carrying it on. So I'm probably going to go.
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby naughty boy » 17 Jul 2018, 11:59

zoomboogity wrote:And whether you still rate them once the ferret joined.


:)
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Hightea
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby Hightea » 17 Jul 2018, 15:26

ORORORO wrote:If a dog, a cat, a budgie and the fella who played triangle on a track on Asia's second album got together and went on tour, somebody here would pay to see 'em.


first off I wouldn't see the original members of Asia the band sucked.

In regards to this Soft Machine version - it sounds interesting and unlike many I happen to like several versions of this band not just the 60's stuff. Yes these members aren't in the original band or bands that actually they all played together. However JOHN ETHERIDGE, THEO TRAVIS, ROY BABBINGTON and JOHN MARSHALL are all members of what we call the Canterbury scene of musicians which is something I'm a fan of and in the USA rarely get anyone over here all these years. Hell last time Soft Machine members came to america I had to fly to Seattle to see them. I've never seen Roy or John live and have been fans of both since the 70's so that also has it going for me.

So next time you feel to comment maybe you should understand where fans of a band come from. ;)

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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby zoomboogity » 18 Jul 2018, 06:31

There will probably a fair share of guitar solo extravaganza, but I hope they do a lot of the Terry Riley loop stuff as well (Out-Bloody-Rageous, The Soft Weed Factor, The Floating World). That stuff can be really mesmerizing if you're in the mood for it.

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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby Spock! » 18 Jul 2018, 20:53

Hightea wrote: I've never seen Roy or John live and have been fans of both since the 70's so that also has it going for me.

So next time you feel to comment maybe you should understand where fans of a band come from. ;)





I've only seen John live once - he was playing with Stephane Grappelli in a Django Reinhardt style and marvellous he was too. He had a solo spot in which he stretched out a bit in a less Reinhardt manner. I was hugely impressed with him, clearly a master, at the time had no idea that he had played with Soft Machine of whom I knew little anyway. I'm hoping to make the Southampton gig, as you say a great group of Canterbury musicians, should be making some excellent music.
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Re: New Soft Machine Album and Tour

Postby LMG » 22 Jul 2018, 10:13

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