Wilde Flowers (1965-69)

An influential band from Canterbury/Kent that underwent a fluctuate line-up and served as a stepping stone for most of the members to the better known Soft Machine and Caravan. The Wilde Flowers never made an official release up to 1994 as Voiceprint put out a collection of demos from 1965-69 (Voiceprint VP 123 CD). The majority of the tracks were recorded 65/66 and although the instrumentation is in the typical Beatsound, Robert Wyatt's and Kevin Ayers' vocal treatments had already that special Canterbury-style (it's up to you if you like it or not). I must admit that this release is more an artefact and rather of historical interest. There are a few notable songs, though: "Those Words They Say" and "Time After Time" get the full Beat treatment, "Impotence" has all the indications for the later Soft Machine adventures while the best and one of their earliest songs "He's Bad For You" is a haunting R&B ballad that would had fitted perfectly on a Captain Beefheart setlist.

Tracklist:
- Impotence (1969)
- Those Words They Say (1966)
- Memories (1966)
- Don't Try To Change Me (1965)
- Parchman Farm (1965)
- Almost Grown (1965)
- She's Gone (1965)
- Slow Walkin' Talk (1965)
- He's Bad For You (1965)
- It's What I Feel [A Certain Kind] (1965)
- Memories [Instrumental] (1965)
- Never Leave Me (1966)
- Time After Time (1966)
- Just Where I Want (1966)
- No Game When You Lose (1966)
- Impotence (1966)
- Why Do You Care (1968)
- The Pieman Cometh (1968)
- Summer Spirit (1968)
- She Love To Hurt (1969)
- The Big Show (1969)
- Memories (1969)

Personnel:
Graham Flight (vcls) [A]
Brian Hopper (gtr, sax) [ABCDE]
Hugh Hopper (bs) [ABCD]
Richard Sinclair (gtr) [AB]
Robert Wyatt (drms) [ABC]
Kevin Ayers (vcls) [B]
Richard Coughlan (drms) [CDE]
Pye Hastings (gtr, sax) [CDE]
Dave Lawrence (bs, vcls) [CDE]
Dave Sinclair (keyb'ds) [E]

Band origin:
Canterbury (Kent/UK)

Discographie:
Albums:
1. The Wilde Flowers (Voiceprint VP 123 CD) 1994

[1. recorded 1965-69]

Get it here (Artwork included)

Listen to He's Bad For You