Posts Tagged ‘Richard Sinclair’

CARAVAN – ” Who Do We Think We Are? ” 27 Disc Box Set

Posted: May 28, 2021 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , , , ,
0

Legendary Canterbury UK prog rockers Caravan have announce they will release a massive 37-disc deluxe box set in August. You can watch a video trailer for the new release below.

Who Do We Think We Are?, which has been put together with the band’s full co-operation, is the ultimate celebration of the Canterbury band and will be released through Madfish Records on August 20th.

The set runs to a staggering 37 discs, including all the official Caravan albums – studio and live recordings among them – are joined by eleven discs of previously unreleased live performances. A Blu-ray includes Steven Wilson’s 5.1 surround sound mix of the classic In the Land of Grey and Pink album. In addition, a DVD includes vintage European TV performances from 1971 – 1981 (London Marquee, German TV’s Swing In, Bataclan, Paris & French TV show ‘Pop 2’).

The Canterbury scene combined elements of jazz, folk, rock and melodic pop into a sound that bridged the gulf between psychedelia and progressive rock, and ultimately shattered all genre barriers. At the heart of the Canterbury scene was a group of musicians whose career has now spanned more than half a century: the legend that is Caravan. Who Do You Think We Are? is the ultimate tribute to the ultimate Canterbury band. This deluxe box set runs to a staggering 37 discs. All the official Caravan albums – studio and live recordings among them – are joined by eleven discs of previously unreleased live performances. A Blu-ray includes remixer extraordinaire Steven Wilson’s 5.1 surround sound mix of the classic In the Land of Grey and Pink album. In addition, a DVD includes vintage European TV performances from 1971 – 1981 (London Marquee, German TV’s Swing In, Bataclan, Paris & French TV show ‘Pop 2’).

https://youtu.be/n1mLxt1iSNs

Caravan’s long time leader is a modest guitarist, to the point of eventually bringing other players to do the heavy work. But the band made its best-loved albums as a one-guitar quartet, and Caravan’s beloved early epics benefit from Pye Hastings’ ability to swing and his knack for a heavy riff – “Nine Feet Underground” shows glory in both cases.

The lavish packaging of the set reflects the band’s stature. A hardback coffee table book features rare Caravan photos and memorabilia, and a full discography. A second Fan Club book assembles historic press articles from across the band’s career, alongside a new interview with founder member Pye Hastings. Every copy of the box includes photos signed by the three surviving members of the original Caravan line-up: Pye Hastings Richard Sinclair and David Sinclair. The celebration continues with a selection of memorabilia: a Caravan-centric map of Canterbury; a specially commissioned Caravan family tree poster, charting their long and circuitous progress; and two replica 1970s gig posters.

The full contents is as follows:

* 16 NEWLY REMASTERED STUDIO ALBUMS & 4 OFFICIAL LIVE ALBUMS
* 11 DISCS OF PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED CONCERT RECORDINGS ON BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME 48/24 STEREO & 5.1 MIX BY STEVEN WILSON OF IN THE LAND OF GREY & PINK
* DVD INCLUDING RARE FOOTAGE FROM THE MARQUEE 1971, ROCK EN STOCK 1972, BATACLAN 1973 & FRENCH TV PERFORMANCE 1981
* INDIVIDUALLY SIGNED PHOTO BY THE THREE SURVIVING MEMBERS PYE HASTINGS, DAVE SINCLAIR, & RICHARD SINCLAIR
* 144 PAGE HARDBACK COFFEE TABLE BOOK FEATURING RARE PHOTOGRAPHS & MEMORABILIA
* A4 FAN CLUB MINI BOOK FEATURING ARCHIVE ARTICLES & AN UP TO DATE INTERVIEW WITH PYE HASTINGS
* A4 REPLICA TOUR PROGRAMME FOR BLIND DOG AT ST DUNSTANS
* ‘FOR GIRLS THAT GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHT’ REPLICA PRESS PACK
* CARAVAN’S TRIP DOWN MEMORY LAIN MAP OF CANTERBURY 
*ILLUSTRATED FAMILY TREE
*2 REPLICA POSTERS 

May be an image of text that says 'CARAVAN pUbCOUS S SROYEN Who Do You Think We Are? 37 Disc Deluxe Box Set 20th August 2021 madfishmusic.com'

CARAVAN – ” Waterloo Lily “

Posted: February 13, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling

So in 1972….you may have the album,but what a treasure of delights was released that year. Take 40 mins over the weekend to enjoy this wonderful record.

Waterloo Lily is a 1972 released album by Caravan on the Deram label. The track “The Love in Your Eye” has been featured as a Caravan live track for many years. Waterloo Lily is the only album by Caravan with Steve Miller as the keyboard player. Before the recording of Waterloo Lily, David Sinclair had departed Caravan to join forces with Soft Machine skinsman Robert Wyatt forming Matching Mole. With the subsequent arrival of the former Delivery member Miller had an overwhelming jazz influence, the edgier progressive rock and folk elements that were so prevalent on their previous albums are somewhat repressed.

The band’s performance level did not suffer in the transition. In fact, the addition of Miller only punctuates Caravan’s previously honed improvisational skills. Beginning with Waterloo Lily’s lead off title track, there is a sound more akin to the jazzier efforts of Traffic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl70UahZ3a4

Steve Miller’s “Nothing at All” incorporates the jazz fusion even further as the long instrumental introduction more than hints at Steely Dan circa Katy Lied. The up-tempo staccato bop featuring Miller’s electric piano accents, when juxtaposed with Pye Hastings‘ liquid-toned electric guitar could easily be mistaken for that of Walter Becker and Donald Fagan. The remainder of the album centers on a couple of pieces that evoke the sound and spirit of the previous Caravan outings. Most reminiscent of the classic sound is Hastings‘ epic “The Love in Your Eye” suite. The track recalls the laid-back intensity and phenomenal improvisational synergy of earlier tracks such as “For Richard” and “Where, but for Caravan Would I,” while wisely incorporating Miller’s formidable jazz chops to give the instrumental sections sustained substance throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osLImIcwSps

The remastered CD offers three additional compositions circa the Waterloo Lily sessions. “Pye’s June Thing” and “Ferdinand” are two of Hastings‘ acoustic demos. A considerably more complete “Looking Left, Looking Right” is a treasured recovery from the vaults. Originally vaulted due to the time limitations of vinyl, this track, along with “Pye’s Loop” — which acts as a coda to “Looking Left…”

Miller brought a jazzier feel to the sound of Caravan than had been heard on the previous album through his stylings on the Wurlitzer piano rather than the Hammond organ favored by previous keyboardist Dave Sinclair. Guests Phil Miller and Lol Coxhill from Steve Miller’s previous band Delivery play on “Nothing at all”, an instrumental modeled after Miles Davis’s “Right Off”. Soon after Waterloo Lily, Richard Sinclair and Steve Miller left Caravan to play with Phil Miller and Coxhill in a re-formed Delivery, which led to the formation of the band Hatfield and the North.

Caravan
  • Pye Hastings – guitars & vocals
  • Steve Miller – Wurlitzer electric piano, grand piano, Hammond organ, electric harpsichord
  • Richard Sinclair – bass & vocals
  • Richard Coughlan – drums

The album cover is detail from “The Tavern Scene” from A Rake’s Progress by William Hogarth.