Rockenstock était présenté par Pierre Lattès, un grand monsieur de la télé, de la radio et de la culture en général

I've collected music videos for years before KZfaq. Soft Machine and Matching Mole clips were considered the rarest items to me because the majority came off European Broadcasts. I considered such clips to be "HOLY GRAIL". This is simply divine. The quality and setting of this Rokenstock session to me are simply extraordinary. Matching Mole are like the Hermit Crabs of the jazz rock world. Soft Machine carried on with their loyal fan base established way back when they piggybacked Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix on that initial wave of psychedelica. Robert Wyatt's decision to leave the group signaled a financial sacrifice and limited exposure to the group. To compensate, he played his guts out night after night, and perhaps found himself drinking too much in between. Keeping his group of excellent musicians solvent on the road remained a challenge. But you can hear that switch from the harsh meticulous arrangements of '71 Soft Machine to the melodic melancholy of Mole that influenced Hatfield and the North and other existing bands to move with Wyatt. But here's whats amazing about this Rokenstock clip: Although this is an in-studio performance, there are individuals watching from behind and to the sides, looking casual, but chic. Some of the ladies look like sedated models. One gentleman actually gets involved by picking up Wyatt;s mic stand as it falls over. It's a curious environment. Wyatt, throughout Matching Mole looks increasingly disheveled with stringy matted hair. His ski mask is simultaneously functional and mysterious. Perhaps he had legal reasons to hide his identity for this TV appearance, but his voice is a dead giveaway. Dave McRae on keyboards is very tall. It's amazing he can play keyboards at that angle, and also manages to coax tremelo and low-high filters out of his console portable organ. Bill Macormick is playing a Gibson EB-0 bass, very popular that year, but uses as amp that is somehow mismatched with the large humbucking pickup, resulting in a clunky, trebly sound. His playing is terrific, as is his unique strap. I've always been curious about his rig, wish there were more shots of him. Phil Miller is great fun to watch. His sing-song arpeggios flow right out of him as we see his unusual "guitar faces" full on. This is a performace in a setting unlike any you've ever seen. These guys played their guts out for the short time they were around. Who knows what more they would have done had Wyatt not injured himself. Thankfully he carried straight on and has kept on making great music to this day.

Merci!

assis en spectateurs, Marc Moulin (musicien et animateur radio) et Rya Marten (furture animatrice de Génération 80).

Am an avid fan of early Soft Machine, Hatfield and the North, Gong (pre- trilogy), early Caravan, Quiet Sun, etc. This is a true super group. . but why the ski mask?

et Pierre Lattès aux commandes de Rockenstock