Stop being a dick, Chula.

Either grow some thicker skin or lighten the **** up.

Give me a few secs.

http://donniebshawn.com/tune1.mp3

Pretty sure Frowny's going to retort with an MP3 of him banging on an empty Quacker State Oatmeal container. Thumbs up dude! Real talent is so underatted.

Quit being a dick, Chula.

Snazzy playing though, drum loops aside. I have no need to try to one up you, I'm sure it's already apparent.

That's a nice letter from Dweezil Zappa, Chula.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that." :laughing:

Yes, rostasi, you're right about the constant line-up changes in Soft Machine, and their sound shifted gears again and again: but I'm sure Bundles was the first time they had any extended electric guitar soloing. It was certainly quite a surprise to me; first time I heard the album I thought, "Well, now they just sound like everybody else!" But then, my musical appreciation is not what you'd call perceptive. I couldn't tell you, for instance, what this bit from Dweezil's letter means:
^ And I play it often in my car! :) , with Percolations being my favourite track. The acoustic guitar parts work very well on that album because they provide a welcome change, from intensity to intimacy, or that's how it seems to me.
And thanks for the upload and the stats on AH's acoustic performances btw.

( Anyone who posts "Stop being a d*ck" should stop being a d*ck. oops)

Yes, I do that sometimes as well. :D Back in those days, I used to get promos from Virgin Records for my radio show.
I clearly remember getting that album (in the US it was released as "Expresso" - followed by the great "Expresso II")
and as a percussionist (and Gong lover), it was often spinning on my turntable. Very sad when Pierre Moerlen died.

I'll have to check out that Gong album too. I'm in the same boat with them and Soft Machine—I like both but only own a couple albums by each.

Both bands had a trajectory that, in the end, landed in very different places than where they started out - with Gong exhibiting the most change. Soft Machine's first two albums were influenced by symbolism (with particular emphasis on the Pataphysics of Alfred Jarry) mixed with Dada elements. As members dropped out and the mood changed, there was more reliance on jazz elements and so at just about any stage of their career, there was undoubtedly someone who would suddenly scream that they were no longer "the same" - which, of course, is relative. So, you can listen in order, or jump around, with the knowledge of where the particular style that you're listening to may have come from.

^ You used to have a radio show !! You are full of surprises, rostasi - but that helps explain why you have been on visiting terms with so many well-known musicians. So for you, Plug must be a "busman's holiday", as they used to say.

Yes, I have Expresso Two too! I just love the unusual sound of the percussive stuff, though for me this Moondog album wins the prize in that department:-




@ Janszoon: "Grides" is a good live album from the early line-up at it's peak. From the same year, 1970, the version of Facelift on "Third" is a standout track.
From later, more mellow years, "Six" and "Seven" are both good too.
(I´m avoiding, you'll notice, all those Holdsworth-type pyrotechnics :laughing:)

Better than I expected. Compared the musicians we were talking about though it's like you run down a good line or arpeggio or whatever and pause. Those guys regularly take something similar to your best run then it's like three of you at once with far more interesting musical direction to boot. With those guys if you blink you miss more than what you offered in that entire song. It's a big difference. I think you know that.