''Matching Mole's Little Red Record'' (1972) is the second album of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Canterbury Scene The Canterbury scene (or Canterbury sound) was a musical scene centred on the town of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Associated with progressive rock, the term describes a loosely-defined, improvisational styl ...

band

Matching Mole Matching Mole were an English progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury scene. Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album, '' The End of an Ear'' (4 December 1970). He c ...

. The band was formed in 1971 by

Robert Wyatt Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945) is a retired English musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole, he was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming para ...

after he left

Soft Machine Soft Machine are a British rock band from Canterbury formed in mid-1966 by Mike Ratledge (keyboards, 1966–1976), Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals, 1966–1971), Kevin Ayers (bass, guitar, vocals, 1966–1968) and Daevid Allen (guitar, 1966–196 ...

. Compared to their first album which featured Wyatt's musical compositions, keyboard playing, drumming and vocals, ''Little Red Record'' was more of a team effort, with Wyatt only drumming, and singing his lyrics. It was produced by

Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

, and features

Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...

as a guest musician. The album title refers to

Chairman Mao Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...

's ''

Little Red Book ''Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung'' () is a book of statements from speeches and writings by Mao Zedong (formerly romanized as Mao Tse-tung), the former Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, published from 1964 to about 1976 and widel ...

'' (1964). This reference is also carried over to the

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-Chinese style of the album cover, which is reminiscent of posters created during the

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Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...

Track listing

#"Starting in the Middle of the Day We Can Drink Our Politics Away" (MacRae, Wyatt) – 2:31 #"Marchides" (MacRae) – 8:25 #"Nan True's Hole" (Miller, Wyatt) – 3:37 #"Righteous Rhumba" (aka "Lything and Gracing") (Miller, Wyatt) – 2:50 #"Brandy as in Benj" (MacRae) – 4:24 #"Gloria Gloom" (MacCormick, Wyatt) – 8:05 #"God Song" (Miller, Wyatt) – 2:59 #"Flora Fidgit" (MacCormick) – 3:27 #"Smoke Signal" (MacRae) – 6:38 For the BGO (Beat Goes On Records) CD edition Robert Wyatt asked that the album be rearranged so that Side 2 (of the vinyl album) came first as he thought in retrospect that this created a better flow to the album so it became: #"Gloria Gloom" (MacCormick, Wyatt) – 8:05 #"God Song" (Miller, Wyatt) – 2:59 #"Flora Fidgit" (MacCormick) – 3:27 #"Smoke Signal" (MacRae) – 6:38 #"Starting in the Middle of the Day We Can Drink Our Politics away" (MacRae, Wyatt) – 2:31 #"Marchides" (MacRae) – 8:25 #"Nan True's Hole" (Miller, Wyatt) – 3:37 #"Righteous Rhumba" (aka "Lything and Gracing") (Miller, Wyatt) – 2:50 #"Brandy as in Benj" (MacRae) - 4:24 The 2013 Sony Music (Japan) Blu-spec CD reissue follows the original LP's running order, and includes the following bonus tracks:
10. "Starting in the Middle of the Day We Can Drink Our Politics Away" (take 1)
11. "Flora Fidgit" (take 8)
12. "Smoke Signal" (take 4)
13. "Mutter" (MacRae)

Esoteric Issue 2012 ECLEC 22312

Disc 1

#"Starting in the Middle of the Day We Can Drink Our Politics away" (MacRae, Wyatt) – 2:31 #"Marchides" (MacRae) – 8:25 #"Nan True's Hole" (Miller, Wyatt) – 3:37 #"Righteous Rhumba" (aka "Lything and Gracing") (Miller, Wyatt) – 2:50 #"Brandy as in Benj" (MacRae) – 4:24 #"Gloria Gloom" (MacCormick, Wyatt) – 8:05 #"God Song" (Miller, Wyatt) – 2:59 #"Flora Fidgit" (MacCormick) – 3:27 #"Smoke Signal" (MacRae) – 6:38

Disc 2

#"Instant Pussy/Lything and Gracing" (Wyatt, Miller) – 7:56 ''BBC Radio One In Concert'' #"Marchides" (MacRae) – 10:30 ''BBC Radio One 'In Concert'' #"Part of the Dance/Brandy as in Benj" (Miller, MacRae) – 4:24 ''BBC Radio One In Concert'' #"Starting in the Middle of the Day We Can Drink Our Politics away (take 1)" (MacRae, Wyatt) – 2:35 #"Smoke Signal (take 4)" (MacRae) – 6:44 #"Flora Fidgit (take 8)" (MacCormick) – 6:38 #"Mutter" (MacRae) – 3:23 *Tracks 1–1 to 1–9, 2–4 to 2-7 recorded at CBS Studios, London in the Summer of 1972 *Tracks 2–1 to 2-3 recorded at the Paris Theatre, London on 27 July 1972 (''BBC Radio One In Concert'')

Personnel

Phil Miller Philip Paul Miller (22 January 1949 – 18 October 2017) was an English progressive rock/jazz guitarist and a central part of the Canterbury scene. He was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire. Self-taught on guitar, Miller formed his first band, Del ...

– guitars *

Dave MacRae David Scott MacRae (born 2 April 1940, Auckland, New Zealand) is a New Zealand keyboardist, noted for his contributions in jazz and jazz rock, and his collaborations with musicians from the Canterbury scene. Life and career MacRae studied at th ...

–

Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...

electric piano, piano, organ, synthesizer *

Bill MacCormick William MacCormick (born 15 April 1951) is an English bassist and vocalist. He is also a politician and author. Early life He is the second son of Ewen and Olwen MacCormick who married in 1946 after serving together in the RAF. His older broth ...

– bass *

– drums, vocals ''Guests:'' *

– synthesizer (on "Gloria Gloom") * Ruby Crystal (pseudonym for

Julie Christie Julie Frances Christie (born 14 April 1940) is a British actress. An icon of the Swinging Sixties, Christie is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. S ...

) – additional vocals (on "Nan True's Hole")

References

{{Authority control Matching Mole albums Robert Wyatt albums 1972 albums Albums produced by Robert Fripp CBS Records albums