I've posted Henry Cow's better-known cover of this song on here before, and you're about to find out why I didn't put up the original.
July 18, 2014

Their name is a play on Machine Molle, the French translation of Soft Machine, and was one of the many strange and innovative bands to come out of the early-'70s Canterbury scene. Their second album was even produced by Robert Fripp and featured a collaboration with Brian Eno, but just when everything was going so well, this happened. They finally get a TV spot and are ready to go on and perform one of their strongest songs: a dynamic-heavy composition with a complex structure and lyrics about their strong, but informed political beliefs. But they figured that it'd be better to use the opportunity to go into a huge kazoo solo while donning a ski mask. If you can get past that, the post-kazoo solo jam is actually pretty awesome. Heck, the French TV presenter even has to end the show at a certain point because they're just so caught up in the music. I'm not saying this is what did them in, nor should you refrain from experimentation just to please an audience, but if your band gets on TV, leave your kazoo at home.

Hear any strange or discomforting music lately?

Can you help us out?

For nearly 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon