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 Every time I listen to their music now, despite the fact that some of the music sounds a bit outdated, it gets me by the throat and fascinates me again.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.
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!