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Matching Mole

 Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear. He continued his role on vocals and drums and was joined by David Sinclair, of Caravan, on organ and piano, Phil Miller on guitar and Bill MacCormick, formerly of Quiet Sun, on bass. The name is a pun on Machine Molle, the French translation of the name of Wyatt's previous group Soft Machine. Their first, eponymous album was released in April 1972, the bulk of which was composed by Wyatt himself, with the exception of "O Caroline" (a Dave Sinclair composition with lyrics by Wyatt about his recent breakup with girlfriend Caroline Coon) and Phil Miller's "Part Of The Dance". For their second album, Matching Mole's Little Red Record, released in November 1972 and produced by Robert Fripp, Sinclair was replaced by New Zealand-born keyboard player and composer Dave MacRae who had already played a guest role on the first album.  Matching Mole disbanded in late September 1972 immediately upon completion of a European tour supporting Soft Machine, with Sinclair and Miller going on to form the more successful Hatfield and the North.
 Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear. He continued his role on vocals and drums and was joined by David Sinclair, of Caravan, on organ and piano, Phil Miller on guitar and Bill MacCormick, formerly of Quiet Sun, on bass. The name is a pun on Machine Molle, the French translation of the name of Wyatt's previous group Soft Machine. Their first, eponymous album was released in April 1972, the bulk of which was composed by Wyatt himself, with the exception of "O Caroline" (a Dave Sinclair composition with lyrics by Wyatt about his recent breakup with girlfriend Caroline Coon) and Phil Miller's "Part Of The Dance". For their second album, Matching Mole's Little Red Record, released in November 1972 and produced by Robert Fripp, Sinclair was replaced by New Zealand-born keyboard player and composer Dave MacRae who had already played a guest role on the first album.  Matching Mole disbanded in late September 1972 immediately upon completion of a European tour supporting Soft Machine, with Sinclair and Miller going on to form the more successful Hatfield and the North.
Matching Mole
Recorded in an abandoned CBS studio in the cold winter of 1972, this is the historical first album of Matching Mole, Robert Wyatt's immediate post Soft Machine grouping featuring himself on drums and vocals and three of the most creative musicians from the legendary Canterbury scene. Guitarist Phil Miller (Hatfield & the North, National Health), keyboardist Dave Sinclair (Caravan) and bassist Bill McCormick (Quiet Sun). Matching Mole is the quintessence of Canterbury sound. A visionary mixture o…
Live At The BBC 1972
This 1972 BBC Live recording is the perfect proof of what a band like Matching Mole could do in concert during their too short existence. The quartet playing was way more free and adventurous than in studio and the tunes were often stretched out and built to dense instrumental climaxes. Dave MacRae - electric piano, Phil Miller - guitar, Bill MacCormick - bass, Robert Wyatt - drums, vocals. A great live session from a key group in the Canterbury rock scene and an essential companion to the band'…
Little Red Record
**Edition of 500 copies, pressed on color vinyl LP with a bonus track** From the 70's Canterbury scene, one of the greatest pieces of work in the genre. Matching Mole was the first band formed by Robert Wyatt after the seminal Soft Machine experience. An incredibly tight unit featuring Phil Miller (Hatfield and the North) on guitar, Dave McRae (Nucleus) on keyboards, Bill McCormick (Quiet Sun, 801) on bass and Wyatt himself on drums and vocals. Released in 1971 Little Red Record was Mole's secon…
Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals compiles all previously unreleased performances - selected & sequenced by Robert Wyatt biographer Mike King - from the band's most intense gigging period. The set list is mostly drawn from Little Red Record, but the way the band performed the pieces live is quite different from the heavily overdubbed versions found on the studio disc. Despite their very short lifetime, Mole developed an individual sound based on the players idiosyncratic musical styles, that was a unique take on fu…
March
Matching Mole was the band that drummer/vocalist Robert Wyatt formed after he left the pioneering UK outfit Soft Machine in July, 1971. Over the course of its brief, one-year existence, Matching Mole would develop a characteristic sound, a unique take on fusion, with interesting structures that encouraged individualistic expression through solos. When one of the members came across a forgotten live show on tape -- identified simply as 'March, 1972', they immediately contacted us, and this album …
On The Radio
On The Radio is a compilation of rare BBC recordings, including 3 John Peel studio sessions and a live concert. The band includes Dave Sinclair (ex-Caravan), Phil Miller (Hatfield & The North and National Health), Bill MacCormick and Dave MacRae. This special digipack format features an original cover photograph by Robert Wyatt, who also compiled the running order. The accompanying 12-page CD booklet features extensive liner notes by Matching Mole bassist, Bill MacCormick, plus rare period photo…
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