1969. I was
thirteen years old and, like most teenagers, seeking my true self and
trying to figure out what my role was in this world. At that time, my
world was in a gain momentum and nothing seemed like it was before.
Music was what mattered most in my life. In general, music defined
one’s culture, art, literature, philosophy, the opinions you should
have, the clothes you should wear, your hairstyle and the friends you
had. Many of my fellow youngsters settled for the pop music they
heard on the radio, but pretty soon I looked and listened beyond those
limited borders.
So I was quite young when I first heard Frank
Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, and I became a fan for life, Pink
Floyd and lots of other breaking new bands followed. Through that kind
of music, I ended up with jazz, modern classic, ethnical and
electronic music. “The stranger, the better”, was my device. It was
also in that period that I witnessed a concert of Soft Machine on
television. It left me breathless and amazed and at the end of that
program, I was completely “into” Soft Machine. Their music opened lots
of doors. You can read the complete story about that experience
elsewhere on this website. Soft Machine was an English band that, like
many other bands midway the sixties, experimented with sound and
lights. But the Soft Machine had, at least in my ears, something more
too it: humanity. The group is often threatened to be forgotten, but
they deserve to have a revaluation. Every time I listen to their music
now, despite the fact that some of the music sounds a bit outdated, it
gets me by the throat and fascinates me again. Nostalgia? Could be.
But I hardly ever listen to most of the other music from my teenage
years. I still think, it’s that human aspect in their music. Listen to
it yourself sometime, maybe this machine finds a soft way to make you
vibrate as well… Dedicated to you, maybe you are listening. |
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NOISETTE:
The history of Soft Machine, information, albums and cd’s
and lots of pictures*
NOISETTE:
a tribute to all the
musicians that once where part of this extraordinary band.
NOISETTE:
was approved and, where necessary, corrected by Hugh
Hopper (story and some musical facts)
This website is made and
kept up-to-date by
Paul Lemmens for Lemon Tree Productions
© 2004-2021
Thanks to Marius Siroen for lots & lots of help.
Also a
big thank you for Marit Barentsen for English translations (story and
my story).
Texts, or parts of it, may be copied for your own and/or musical
use.
This site has no commercial interests whatsoever.
It is
meant to be homage to the band and its music.
Just listen to their
music! |
About the pictures: most pictures are scanned
(sometimes edited) from the albums (covers as well as inside books)
If anyone has any objection against the images on this site, please
let me know.
Many pictures are originated with: © Mark
Ellidge © Barry Plummer
Pictures and images coming from Hux
Records: © all pictures used by permission of Hux Records
Pictures and images coming from Cuneiform Records: © all pictures
used by permission of Cuneiform Records
Pictures and images
coming from Voiceprint Records: © all pictures used by permission
of Voiceprint Records
Pictures and images coming from MoonJune
Records: © all pictures used by permission of MoonJune Records
All of you: Thanks!
 
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