Softs
Encyclopedia
For softs as commodities, see Commodities.
Softs is a 1976 album by the British
psychedelic
, progressive rock
and jazz
/fusion
band Soft Machine
who were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene
.
John Etheridge
replaced Allan Holdsworth
on guitar shortly after the release of the previous album, Bundles
, and Alan Wakeman
, cousin of keyboardist Rick Wakeman
, took over saxophone duties from Karl Jenkins
. Karl would play keyboards exclusively from this point onward. This change was necessitated by the departure of the group's last founding member, Mike Ratledge
, who left in March 1976 before the sessions were completed, and can be heard on two tracks, but is not credited as a member of the group. Wakeman and bassist Roy Babbington
left the group not long after the album was released, Wakeman having been a member for less than six months.
with
Softs is a 1976 album by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
band Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
who were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
.
John Etheridge
John Etheridge
John Michael Glyn Etheridge is a British jazz/fusion guitarist associated with the Canterbury Scene....
replaced Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
on guitar shortly after the release of the previous album, Bundles
Bundles (album)
Bundles is a 1975 album by the British psychedelic, progressive rock and jazz/fusion band Soft Machine.On Bundles, only keyboardist and founding member Mike Ratledge is left of the early Soft Machine line-ups...
, and Alan Wakeman
Alan Wakeman
Alan Wakeman is an English saxophonist, known for his work in Soft Machine during 1976, appearing on the album Softs. He is a cousin of the keyboard player Rick Wakeman....
, cousin of keyboardist Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, took over saxophone duties from Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
. Karl would play keyboards exclusively from this point onward. This change was necessitated by the departure of the group's last founding member, Mike Ratledge
Mike Ratledge
Michael Roland "Mike" Ratledge is a British musician. Ratledge was part of the Canterbury scene and a long-time member of Soft Machine.-Biography and career:...
, who left in March 1976 before the sessions were completed, and can be heard on two tracks, but is not credited as a member of the group. Wakeman and bassist Roy Babbington
Roy Babbington
Roy Babbington is a rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock/jazz fusion band Soft Machine.-Biography:...
left the group not long after the album was released, Wakeman having been a member for less than six months.
Side one
- "Aubade" – 1:49
- "The Tale of Taliesin" – 7:15
- "Ban-Ban Caliban" – 9:19
- "Song of Aeolus" – 4:29
Side two
- "Out of Season" – 5:30
- "Second Bundle" – 2:35
- "Kayoo" (John MarshallJohn Stanley MarshallJohn Stanley Marshall, better known as John Marshall, born 28 August 1941 in Isleworth, Middlesex, is an English drummer. He was a founding member of the jazz rock band Nucleus and has worked with various other jazz and rock bands and musicians, among them J.J...
) – 3:25 - "The Camden Tandem" (John EtheridgeJohn EtheridgeJohn Michael Glyn Etheridge is a British jazz/fusion guitarist associated with the Canterbury Scene....
/ Marshall) – 1:50 - "Nexus" – 0:47
- "One Over the Eight" (Jenkins / Marshall / Etheridge / Alan WakemanAlan WakemanAlan Wakeman is an English saxophonist, known for his work in Soft Machine during 1976, appearing on the album Softs. He is a cousin of the keyboard player Rick Wakeman....
/ Roy BabbingtonRoy BabbingtonRoy Babbington is a rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock/jazz fusion band Soft Machine.-Biography:...
) – 5:26 - "Etika" – 2:21 (Etheridge)
Personnel
- Roy BabbingtonRoy BabbingtonRoy Babbington is a rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock/jazz fusion band Soft Machine.-Biography:...
– bass guitar - John EtheridgeJohn EtheridgeJohn Michael Glyn Etheridge is a British jazz/fusion guitarist associated with the Canterbury Scene....
– acoustic and electric guitars - John MarshallJohn Stanley MarshallJohn Stanley Marshall, better known as John Marshall, born 28 August 1941 in Isleworth, Middlesex, is an English drummer. He was a founding member of the jazz rock band Nucleus and has worked with various other jazz and rock bands and musicians, among them J.J...
– drums, percussion - Alan WakemanAlan WakemanAlan Wakeman is an English saxophonist, known for his work in Soft Machine during 1976, appearing on the album Softs. He is a cousin of the keyboard player Rick Wakeman....
– soprano and tenor saxophones - Karl JenkinsKarl Jenkins-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
– piano, electric piano, pianette, string and Mini-Moog synthesizers, orchestrations
with
- Mike RatledgeMike RatledgeMichael Roland "Mike" Ratledge is a British musician. Ratledge was part of the Canterbury scene and a long-time member of Soft Machine.-Biography and career:...
– synthesizer on (3, 4)