Henry Cow archival release coming from ReR

HENRY COW
40th ANNIVERSARY BOX SET Volumes 1 & 2
9 CDs and 1 DVD with 2 substantial books - in two solid Boxes. LIMITED EDITION.

Assembled over 15 years, this collection gives for the first time some idea of the breadth and depth of Henry Cow's work. Always very much a live band, performance was their metier, and a concert might range far - always driven by an intense dialogue between tightly knit compositions and radically open improvisation. The officially released LPs tell at best only half this story, and one purpose of this definitive collection is to set the work back into its broader context. These are all previously unreleased recordings, that include many compositions and improvisations new to anyone who only knows the official releases, documentation of a number of one-off projects and events and - where different or remarkable enough to justify inclusion - live versions of parts of the LP repertoire. Many of these recordings are high quality radio transcriptions taken directly from the original masters, others are less hi-fi, but justified we think by their historic and musical quality. And everything has been carefully transferred and re-mastered by Bob Drake to the best audio quality that current technology allows without interference or tampering. It's all a million times better than the terrible bootlegs that are swimming around. Altogether, these 9 CDs embody some extraordinary, and occasionally prescient music. Taking this box together with the officially released albums, it is possible at last to get some impression of the extensive ground Henry Cow covered in it's 10 short years. Finally, there is the DVD: 80 minutes of the 1976 Cow (with Georgina Born and Dagmar Krause) performing many unreleased pieces as well as Living in the Heart of The Beast, Beautiful as the Moon &c. This is the only known video recording in existence - professionally made, multi camera - and has not been recovered since its original broadcast (just scour U-Tube, HC is conspicuous by its total absence). And last but not least, there is a great deal of written, photographic and textual documentation. Since this will probably be the last and definitive collection, it has to be thorough. For reasons of fairness and cost we have decided to split the set into two boxes - which can be bought separately or together. VOL 1 covers the period 1971 to the 1976 Hamburg radio show which documents John Greaves' last concert with the band, as well as the extraordinary Trondheim concert from the quartet tour that immediately followed. VOL 2 takes the story through to 1978 and includes more previously undocumented compositions as well as the Bremen radio recording. The Stockholm CD belongs to this second box, which also contains the DVD.

Soft Machine 1970 on DVD!

At long last the Soft Machine DVD featuring a live performance captured by French Television in 1970 is now available to purchase. The concert was filmed in March 1970 at the Theatre de la Musique in Paris France and features the line up of

Robert Wyatt - drums, vocals
Hugh Hopper - bass
Mike Ratledge - Lowrey organ & Hohner pianet
Elton Dean - alto sax & saxello
Lyn Dobson - soprano sax, flute, voice & harmonica

The set list is below and is certainly one to get long time admirers of this most unique of British bands who are the acknowledged leaders of the "Canterbury Sound."

More details and a low quality sample can be seen at the website.

This release really is one for the fans of Soft Machine who are universally considered to be the premier group of the Canterbury Scene.

Available for the first time EVER on DVD - never released on before even on VHS the film has many plus points for the long time Soft Machine fan.

* Lovingly restored from the original master
* Sound track re mastered.
* 8 page booklet
* Extensive sleeve notes by Aymeric Leroy
* Approved by the band

http://www.softmachinedvd.com/

Part 1 :
Facelift (18:57)
Eamonn Andrews (7:17)
Backwards / Mousetrap reprise (4:08)

Part 2 :
Out-Bloody-Rageous (15:45)
RW vocal improv (2:53)
Esther's Nosejob (9:53)

Magenta METAMORPHOSIS release updates

From the band:

Magenta are delighted to announce that pre-orders on their 4th studio album Metamorphosis have begun via the Magenta shop at : www.magentamembers.co.uk/catalog

The album, will retail at £10 with free postage anywhere in the world. All pre-orders placed via the Magenta shop will be despatched from 22nd March, prior to the album's general release on April 21st. A North American edition released via Lasers Edge will come out on May 6th.

Sound clips of the album will shortly be available from our website and can now be heard via the Magenta myspace page at www.myspace.com/magentauk

We also pleased to announce that we have a special treat for Magenta fans. The Metamorphosis Collection DVD contains over 3 hours of fascinating material filmed over the last few months during the making of the album, including a Dolby 5.1 surround sound mix of the entire album. The DVD contains the following:

1. Making of Metamorphosis Documentary. (52.55)
This includes footage filmed during the recording of the CD and interviews with the album's key contributors
2. Inside the Mix with Rob Reed (55.34)
Rob Reed behind the mixing desk revealing what makes each track tick.
3. Interview with Rob and Steve Reed (21.00)
Rob and lyricist Steve Reed talk about the origins and concept behind the album
4. Interview with Steve Reed (9.09)
Steve Reed talks about the lyrics and concepts behind each track
5. Complete Dolby 5.1 Surround Mix (53.00)
The whole album presented exclusively in glorious Dolby 5.1 surround sound
6. Prekestolen Video (3.43)
Studio Montage video of the Prekestolen track

The DVD will be in one format - NTSC - and will cost £13, with free postage worldwide. For the time being it will ONLY be available via the Magenta shop, prior to a general release later in the year. The DVD can be pre-ordered now, and will be despatched from 22nd March, at the same time as the album.

..and we've now added a download of the first 12 minutes of The Ballad of Samuel Layne, available from the front page of the Magenta website at www.magenta-web.com or by following this link:

www.magenta-web.co.uk/mp3/samuellayne.mp3

Magma Mythes et Legendes IV info...and a touch more

(from HERE)

The last in the Myths & Legends series of DVDs, EPOK 4 brings this brilliant retrospective cycle, covering 35 years of musical creativity, to an end.

No special guest players of great renown on this DVD, but we do add 2 highly-motivated and skilled young horn players to give the band some extra muscle in flagship numbers such as "Zëss" and "Otis."

These 4 weeks of sold-out concerts end with a stupendous finale which finds 16 musicians on stage at the Triton giving a mega performance of "Kobaïa," one which will live in our memories forever!

Yet again, the evidence speaks for itself:
"Yesterday, MAGMA’s music was already that of the future, today it remains the music of tomorrow. Yet even tomorrow it will still be unsurpassed."
Sylvain Siclier, Le Monde - november 2006


ZESS (32:37) > IN A DREAM (2:14) > THE NIGHT WE DIED (3:46) > OTIS (9:00) > K.A (50:00)
KOBAÏA (9:53) with Klaus Blasquiz, Jannick Top, Rémi Dumoulin, Fabrice Theuillon, Yannick Soccal

DVD all regions – 120 mn - PAL or NTSC - PCM stereo - 16/9 compatible 4/3
Mythes & Légendes – Vol. 4 – ref. VD7N (NTSC) / VD7P (PAL)



Further Magma news...3 dates scheduled for the 40th anniversary Magma concerts:

12 févr. 2009 20:00
CASINO DE PARIS pour son 40ème Anniversaire PARIS
13 févr. 2009 20:00
CASINO DE PARIS pour son 40ème Anniversaire PARIS
14 févr. 2009 20:00
CASINO DE PARIS pour son 40ème Anniversaire PARIS