Name: Harvest Albums 1975-1978
Brand: Soft Machine

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

ESOT9478206.2

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: Yes

Format detail

U.K. Import, Remastered Box Set Edition

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Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2022-09-30

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

5013929478206

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Total Cap

3 / CD / Extended format: Yes / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Soft Machine

Genre US

60s & 70s

Label US

esoteric

Soft Machine is an English rock and jazz band from Canterbury, formed in mid-1966. The band was named after the novel "The Soft Machine" by William S. Burroughs. Led by Australian artist Daevid Allen, the group was influenced by the emerging Beat Generation and the music philosophies of Sun Ra. They started as a free-jazz outfit called the Daevid Allen Trio before evolving into Soft Machine with members Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, and Kevin Ayers. Their eponymous album released in 1968 is considered a classic of the late 1960s psychedelic era.

The band gained popularity on London's psychedelic scene and performed at various iconic venues such as The Marquee and UFO club. They also took part in notable events like the '14 Hour Technicolor Dream' alongside Pink Floyd and Velvet Underground. Despite several lineup changes over the years, Soft Machine continued to push boundaries with their experimental sound.

Today, Soft Machine remains active with current members John Etheridge on guitar, Theo Travis on saxophone/flute/piano, Fred T. Baker on bass (since 2022), and Asaf Sirkis on drums (since 2023). Their music continues to captivate audiences with its unique blend of rock and jazz influences.

Digitally remastered and expanded three CD box set. After recording five highly acclaimed albums for the CBS Records label, Soft Machine signed a licensing deal with EMI's progressive imprint, Harvest Records in 1974 and would record two further studio albums and a live album for the label over the next three years. Bundles was the band's first for Harvest and featured a line-up of Mike Ratledge (keyboards), Karl Jenkins (oboe, piano, soprano sax), John Marshall (drums), Roy Babbington (bass) and new member Allan Holdsworth (guitar). An accessible collection, Bundles featured Holdsworth's considerable guitar playing talents and opened a new chapter for the band, and attracted much praise upon release. By the time Softs was recorded, Allan Holdsworth had departed the group. The album would feature Karl Jenkins (keyboards), John Marshall (drums), Roy Babbington (bass) and new member John Etheridge (guitar), along with saxophonist Alan Wakeman. The album also saw the final appearance on a Soft Machine album by Mike Ratledge whose synthesizer contributed to the pieces 'Ban-Ban Caliban' and 'Song of Aeolus'. Soft Machine's final album for Harvest was the classic 1978 live record Alive &amp; Well Recorded In Paris. The band's line-up had changed once more by this point and comprised Karl Jenkins (piano, electric keyboards, synthesizer), John Marshall (drums), John Etheridge (acoustic and electric guitars) and new members Steve Cook (bass guitar) and Ric Sanders (violin). The album was the result of several nights of excellent concerts staged at Le Palace Theatre in Monmartre, Paris in July 1977.

Harvest Albums 1975-1978

Music US