Rock Bottom

Rock Bottom

by Robert Wyatt
Rock Bottom

Rock Bottom

by Robert Wyatt

Vinyl LP(Long Playing Record - Special Edition / Bonus CD / Reissue)

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Overview

Rock Bottom, recorded with a star-studded cast of Canterbury musicians, has been deservedly acclaimed as one of the finest art rock albums. Several forces surrounding Wyatt's life helped shape its outcome. First, it was recorded after the former Soft Machine drummer and singer fell out of a five-story window and broke his spine. Legend had it that the album was a chronicle of his stay in the hospital. Wyatt dispels this notion in the liner notes of the 1997 Thirsty Ear reissue of the album, as well as the book Wrong Movements: A Robert Wyatt History. Much of the material was composed prior to his accident in anticipation of rehearsals of a new lineup of Matching Mole. The writing was completed in the hospital, where Wyatt realized that he would now need to sing more, since he could no longer be solely the drummer. Many of Rock Bottom's songs are very personal and introspective love songs, since he would soon marry Alfreda Benge. Benge suggested to Wyatt that his music was too cluttered and needed more open spaces. Therefore, Robert Wyatt not only ploughed new ground in songwriting territory, but he presented the songs differently, taking time to allow songs like "Sea Song" and "Alifib" to develop slowly. Previous attempts at love songs, like "O Caroline," while earnest and wistful, were very literal and lyrically clumsy. Rock Bottom was Robert Wyatt's most focused and relaxed album up to its time of release. In 1974, it won the French Grand Prix Charles Cros Record of the Year Award. It is also considered an essential record in any comprehensive collection of psychedelic or progressive rock. Concurrently released was the first of his two singles to reach the British Top 40, "I'm a Believer." ~ Jim Powers

Product Details

Release Date: 11/09/2010
Label: Domino
UPC: 0801390020018

Tracks

Disc 1

  1. Sea Song
  2. A Last Straw
  3. Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road
  4. Alifib
  5. Alife
  6. Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road

Disc 2

  1. Sea Song
  2. A Last Straw
  3. Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road
  4. Alifib
  5. Alife
  6. Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Robert Wyatt   Primary Artist,Drums,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Multi Instruments
Hugh Hopper   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Mike Oldfield   Guest Artist,Guitar
Fred Frith   Guest Artist,Piano,Viola
Alfreda Benge   Vocals
Ivor Cutler   Vocals,Harmonium,Keyboards,Baritone Concertina
Laurie Allan   Drums
Gary Windo   Wind,Clarinet,Sax (Tenor),Tenor (Vocal),Clarinet (Bass)
Richard Sinclair   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Mongezi Feza   Trumpet

Technical Credits

Alfreda Benge   Artwork,Illustrations
Steve Cox   Engineer
Robert Wyatt   Composer
Nick Mason   Producer
Richard Palmer   Engineer
Phil Smee   Artwork,Typography,Layout Design
Pennie Smith   Photography
Toby Bird   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Dick Palmer   Engineer
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