Playlist of radioshow "Psyche van het Folk", Radio Centraal, Antwerpen : THE COMPLETE SPIROGYRA / MARTHY COCKERHAM ARCHIVES, part 1 In cooperation with Marthy Cockerham from Spirogyra ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spirogyra recorded 3 official records. The first and third one are amongst my Favourite top 5 records of English folkrock, and I consider them as one the most perfectly arranged/composed folkrock albums. The first one I consider as as my favourite UK folkrock album. My favourite folk related album however is Comus' First Utterange (in acid psych folk style). * Private Spirogyra Arkives demo (1969-1973)***** Tr.17, "Mary don't be scared" (1969) 519 (Tr.18, "Waves/ Sea Song" 950 ) I hope Spirogyra will rerecord this very beautiful track one day, with the same acoustic set. The recording quality is a bit too bad but the song is too beautiful to miss. The second very quite tempo song possibly from a slightly better recording quality. Another pearl. With some sax, keyboards as extra instruments. Incredible acid folkrock with long improvisations (fitting with some Canadian folk recordings like from Ptarmigan,..). It's been left out because of time limitations. There is a better quality recording which I will play in stead : * Private Spirogyra demo "Canterbury Tale -the best of (Martin Doctored)- (1969-1973)****° CDR 2 Tr.13, "Waves" 946 10 15 This is a good recorded version of it. I'm still not sure if it's better than the other version,-I have to hear once more- but the recording quality surely is. It is truly beautiful. - * Private Spirogyra Arkives demo (1969-1973)***** Tr.1, "Island -version 1" 405 Beautiful, more fragile version. Very pure in its expression. It is very interesting to hear the evolution in recording / production. * B&C Rec. Spirogyra : St.Radiguns (UK,1972)***** Tr.2, "Island" final album version 339 8 23 Here with some extra echo effect on voice, and slightly more quickly. Guitar has been produced beautifully contrasting, and there has been put more dynamism towards the instrumental outro. - * Private Spirogyra Arkives demo (1969-1973)***** Tr.3, "Captain's Log" demo version 207 3 25 With more driving electric bass. After having heard it a few times I think I prefer this version. * B&C Rec. Spirogyra : St.Radiguns (UK,1972)***** Tr.4, "Captain's Log" album's version 200 5 30 With some sea / storm effects and more dynamism in sound production. - * Private Spirogyra Arkives demo (1969-1973)***** Tr.5, "The future won't be long" demo version 411 5 35 With more driving electric bass as well, not very different from the final album version, except for a bit more violin outbursts here, and the final mix. I think I slightly prefer the demo version. * Private Spirogyra Arkives demo (1969-1973)***** Tr.8, "Old Boot Wine" demo version 252 3 38 Both versions, the demo and album version are from an equal beauty. The guitar is slightly different at some moments. The voice of Barbara sounds somewhat equally in both versions. * Private Spirogyra demo "Canterbury Tale -the best of (Martin Doctored)- (1969-1973)****° CDR 1 tr.3, "Turn again Lane" 514 6 min 44 Very beautiful track with lots of changes. Fits perfectly in quality with first album's recording. With one small mixing mistake (?), but musically it's perfect. With nice piano too. Tr.4, "She's the one" 4 min Both songs are in slightly different versions to be found at "Burn the Bridges" too. Tr.6, "Here's Today Crew" 735 12 56 Interesting edited composite by Martin of 'The Duke of Beaufort' and 'Magical Mary' * Repertoire Rec. Spirogyra : Burn the bridges -the demo tapes Tr.7, "Counting the cars" 5 min 5 61 * B&C Rec. Spirogyra : St.Radiguns (UK,1972)***** Tr.6, "Cogwheels Crutches and Cyanide" 7 min Tr.7, "Time Will Tell" 6 min Tr.10, "The Duke of Beaufoot" 8 min 21 92 * Private Spirogyra demo "Canterbury Tale -the best of (Martin Doctored)- (1969-1973)****° CDR 1 Tr.15, "A Canterbury Tale" 351 4 96 With a small edited difference (to the Old Boot Wine version) done by Martin. * Private Spirogyra Arkives demo (1969-1973)***** Tr.9, "the furthest point" 803 9 105 A very beautiful version of purity in inspiration with most essential arrangements. At some point it can use a bit more, but it's already perfect as it is. With an original piano lead a certain point. Both versions are great. * Repertoire Rec.Spirogyra : Bells,Boots & Shambels (UK,1973)***** Tr.1, "the furthest point" 810 9 114 This version is more dynamic, with some extra cello, flute, trumpet arrangements. Tr.5, "An everyday Consumption song" 5 min 119 Tr.7, "In the Western World" 13 min 132 This album is even more interesting(ly arranged) as the first one. Not all tracks are over the top highlights like on the first album. Still indefinitely this is another true classic. I left out "Boot of Wine" because of time limitations. The other three tracks could impossibly be left out. Here the band is again at their greatest. (-David Mattacks, from Fairport Convention on drums,..-). Barbara also was guest from various other Canterbury groups during the same period. I like her contribution with the first great Steve Hillage (ex-Gong) album. Spirogyra disbanded in 1974. Martin and Barbara both left England shortly after that. Barbare went to India/Japan/Bali. * Repertoire Rec.Spirogyra : Burn the bridges -the demo tapes 1970-1971 (UK) Tr.17, "Burn the bridges" 5 min 137/127 with vocal and keyboard overdub in 1999. * Private Marthyhari : Seer's songs ('78-'86)***° Tr.1, "The hidden treasure" 410 The singing with piano and guitars(,flute) reminds me at early Genesis here. Tr.6, "Guruvayor" 242 Tr.10, "Holy Name" 352 Tr.11, "When the morning comes" 236 Tr.14, "Break the barrier of love" 048 16 143 Acoustic album of a fragile beauty and with a hippie freedom warmth. First songs were made after his travel in India, inspired by Krishna, and a gypsy life. A few others in the same style (and similar inspirations) were written mid '80's. The last tracks were written in California while living in a Volkswagen van. Martyn's voice is beautiful, with a seer's follow-up purity of inspiration. Written with the same craftsmanship spirit as with the original Spirogyra group. Recording tapes are slightly damaged, but the quality is fine. With moments Martin will sound slightly like Robert Wyatt. Like Robert Wyatt after an accident lost his feet to drum, Marthy couldn't use his hands to play the guitar. He started to play keyboards. Only some recordings have a great subtilitly. At first the style was a bit more 80's like. * private Marthyhari : demo preview CDR Tr.3, "the love" (from "Glastonbury") 4 min 147 starts in a Robert Wyatt like mood (this is without percussion, guitars, with soft male/female voices). A beautiful song, also in arrangements. Private Marthyhari : The Ship (1978-1984)* Tr.16, "holy earth ? 106 Tr.17, "Build a world made of love" ? 238 4 150 Most songs are more modern 70's/80's pop in style, others vary from folk to more modern pop. I like the song "I believe", but I think the version can be performed better, with Spirogyra for instance. The first chosen track is very different, a very spiritual fragment, lost in between these recordings a bit. The second track could be a very nice Spirogyra track. The mix is a bit rough, but I like the song ! * Private Marthy Cockerham : Valley of the Kings (UK,1992/'93)* After an injury on his hands Martin couldn't play the guitar any more. Living in the jungle in Hawai after a while he succeeded selling some paintings. He bought a keyboard for it. The recordings were done by Martin alone - on Solar Power in Hawai. This album was the result. The three dimensional sound mix is not perfect for the primitivism of the keyboard with drum machine. But he used material that usually creates an 80's synthetic pop synthetic sound there's an attempt to be more moody than it really is possible with this equipment. It was recorded on an 8 track portastudio. With modern trickery and well produced remixing this can still become something interesting to listen to. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note : The played unpublished releases hopefully will be released by the Kissing Spell label ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A bit more information will be published at http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/acidfolkreviews.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More information about the CDR reissues : http://psychedelicfolk.homestead.com/files/spirogyrareissues.txt Contact Martin Cockerham : martyhari@yahoo.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other playlists : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/2003.html General index page : www.radiocentraal.be/psychevanhetfolk More detailed index page : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/index.html Receive weekly this playlist before the radioshow with new reviews and additional comments : ontvang wekelijks playlist vòòr de radio-uitzending : Subscribe / schrijf u in : psychevanhetfolk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com