1969: All This Crazy Gift of Time

From the past!

Pink Floyd a few years back, performing as Sigma 6, 1963.

"Out of all years, one of the most strangest ones was 1969. I mean, I accidentally met Clive [Metcalfe] and Keith [Noble] during a walk in the park. And then, a few weeks later, there was me, David, Rick and Nick producing their album, their try to reach the stardom. Oh, and Rado [Klose] was there too, doing his guitar work as usual."

-Roger Waters, 1976

The meeting between Roger and his two former bandmates led to the entry of both to the Blackhill Records. At the time, Clive and Keith Noble were reforming their duo into a band, searching for a drummer and another guitarist. Roger suggested Rado Klose, who just returned from the military service and Willie Wilson, who recently left Tyrannosaurus Rex. The group was formed under the name of Tailboard. Andrew King was appointed as the manager of the band, leaving Steve O'Rourke to Pink Floyd and Peter Jenner to Syd Barrett.

Tailboard:

Keith Noble - lead vocals, acoustic guitar

Rado Klose - lead guitar

Clive Metcalfe - bass guitar, violin

Willie Wilson - drums, percussion

Tailboard started to perform as the backing band to Syd Barrett (joined by Egg's keyboardist Dave Stewart), sometimes performing their own acts with Keith Noble. "Tailboard was like the second half of Pink Floyd, an amalgam of previous incarnations of former members into one, solid ball.", Roger Waters. Through the second half of 1969, Syd Barrett and Tailboard (billed as Syd Barrett & Tailboard) joined Pink Floyd on a tour through the United Kingdom and Europe, rising their popularity on the Old World.

Dutch poster promoting a concert of Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett/Tailboard tour, 1969.

Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett & Tailboard
Setlist (excerpt from Antwerp, Belgium; September 30th, 1969):
Syd Barrett & Tailboard
1. "Clowns and Jugglers" (Syd Barrett)
2. "Here I Go" (Barrett)
3. "Mr. Compromise" (Keith Noble)
4. "Apples and Oranges" (Barrett)
5. "Up and Down Way" (Noble)
6. "Golden Hair/Terrapin" (Barrett, James Joyce/Barrett)
7. "Weather" (Noble)
8. "Arnold Layne" (Barrett, David Bowie)
9. "Only When I Laugh" (Noble)
10. "See Emily Play" (Barrett, Bowie)
11. "Late Night" (Barrett)

First Encore [Syd Barrett & Tailboard/Pink Floyd]
1. "Astronomy Domine" (Barrett)
2. "The Massed Gadgets of Hercules" (Roger Waters, Richard Wright, David Gilmour, Nick Mason)
3. "Interstellar Overdrive" (Barrett, Vincent Crane, Rick Wills, Willie Wilson)
4. "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" (Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason)

Pink Floyd
1. "Grantchester Meadows" (Waters)
2. "Biding My Time" (Waters)
3. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" (Waters)
4. "The Nile" (Waters, Gilmour)
5. "Ibiza Bar" (Waters, Gilmour)
6. "See-Saw" (Wright)
7. "Embryo" (Waters, Wright, Gilmour, Mason)
8. "Cymbaline" (Waters, Gilmour)

Second Encore [Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett & Tailboard]
1. "A Summer Song" (Noble, David Stuart)
2. "Point Me at the Sky" (Waters, Gilmour)
3. "The Bike Song (Singalong)" (Barrett)

Although the tour seemed enjoyable by the bands and artists involved, the expenses of the tour caused problems to everyone, especially to Blackhill Enterprises. The costs of the tour was one of the main reasons that forced their label, Blackhill Records, to become extinct a few years later. For those who were involved, the main exit was to record a new album to pay the charges.

"At least we had fun! *laughs*; But sure it was fantastic to tour with Pink Floyd [Sound] and Syd, the problems started to appear a few days after the last concert when the bill came to almost everyone in Blackhill. We almost had no chance to tour again, but Andrew [King] was very kind to talk with us about that. I even own a bootleg which I bought a few months after the tour. They didn't want to release a live record, so I bought one by myself."

-Keith Noble, 2009

"Recording 'Basking in the Sunshine...' was... quite spontaneous. Since Peter Jenner yelled at us due to the high cost of the tour, we were quite obliged to make a new record. Anyway, we met in the front of the studios and Roger said something like 'Well, let's make another record, aight?', and we just started jamming for a while until new ideas came during the jam. We also had a few bits from 'Are Going Insane!' which we started to work on it later. [...]"

-Richard Wright, 2001 (Wearing the Inside Out: Stories Inside the Pink Floyd)

As long as they lie perfectly still

Robert Wyatt performing with Soft Machine at Ronnie Scott's, 1969. During that time, Soft Machine was temporarily reformed with Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, and Hugh Hopper.

In late 1968, the Soft Machine briefly disbanded. Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen (along with his partner, Gilli Smyth) were found at their retreat in Deià, Robert Wyatt stayed with the Jimi Hendrix Experience in Laurel Canyon, and Mike Ratledge went back to England. After a month, Wyatt reformed the band with Mike Ratledge (keyboards), Hugh Hopper (bass) and Andy Summers (guitar), who left the band at the end of a series of gigs in the UK. Wyatt couldn't reach Kevin and Daevid Allen at the time.

"I never liked to have any kind of commitment or obligation, I always had a free spirit, actually the entire band had a free spirit, to be honest. That's why I never liked to tour and why I was afraid from the success in the United States. I was fearing that my lifetyle could be dragged from me, replacing it with a robotic lifestyle of touring and recording, and that almost happened. That's why I wrote 'Am I Really Marcel?', for an example.

But Jimi was the one who wanted me to continue with music. This was evident when he gave me my acoustic guitar. I was quite happy, and that gave me confidence enough to continue in the music business instead of simply retiring."

-Kevin Ayers, 2008 

In February, Soft Machine started to record their second album with Hibou, Anemone and Bear, and As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still. During the recording sessions, the band developed Esther's Nose Job (which was shelved to Magick Brother) while Hugh Hopper wrote Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening. "Yeah, part of the songs composed before the arrival of Kevin and Daevid were dropping a hint on 'em. And somehow they liked these songs.", Robert Wyatt.

During the recording sessions, Syd Barrett, who was recording his second studio album Clowns and Jugglers, invited Soft Machine to play along, recording four out of six songs of the first side of Syd's album. "I knew that Robert, Mike, and Hugh played along with Syd when I arrived in London and I was glad for them. Hopefully, I could bring him for our session right before he could embark on his tour with Pink Floyd.", Kevin Ayers.

Kevin, along with Daevid and Gilli arrived in London in late May 1969. Surprised with the sudden news that Robert reformed Soft Machine without both, Kevin and Daevid argued with Robert and Mike about the issue. "Well, that was the start of my departure from Soft Machine. I couldn't believe that they did that to us.", Daevid Allen. "The main problem there was Mike. He didn't want me to be on Soft Machine again.". The personal conflicts between Daevid and Mike would result in Daevid's departure from Soft Machine during the Magick Brother tour.

Throughout June and July, Soft Machine focused on the songs from Kevin and Daevid. Syd Barrett would be invited by Kevin to play the lead guitar on the track Singing a Song in the Morning. The album was named Exiled from Canterbury from the incident which Daevid wasn't allowed to enter the United Kingdom, with the entire band staying out of Britain for almost one year. After the sessions of Exiled from Canterbury were finished, the band immediately started to record their next album, Magick Brother.

Exiled from Canterbury was announced as the second album by Soft Machine, while the release was scheduled to October 1969. Singing a Song in the Morning b/w Gong Song was released as promotional single and earned a new hit from the band by topping in Britain Singles Charts and peaking in number 12 in Billboard Hot 100. The band did a promotional concert in London but opted to focus on the follow-up of the album.

Soft Machine – Exiled from Canterbury

(L-R): UK version; US version

Soft Machine - Exiled from Canterbury (1969)

Genre: Canterbury scene, psychedelic rock, jazz-rock

Total: 43:44

Side A - 21:11

1. "A Concise British Alphabet" (Robert Wyatt, Hugh Hopper) - 1:23

2. "5 and 20 Schoolgirls" (Daevid Allen) - 4:30

3. "Hibou, Anemone and Bear" (Mike Ratledge, Wyatt, H. Hopper) - 5:58

4. "Song for Insane Times" (Ayers) - 4:00

5. "As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still" (Ratledge, Wyatt) - 2:30

6. "Singing a Song in the Morning" (Ayers) - 2:50

Side B - 22:33

7. "Dedicated to You But You Weren't Listening" (H. Hopper) - 2:30

8. "Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)" (Ayers) - 2:53

9. "Gong Song" (Allen) - 4:11

10. "Glad to Sad to Say" (Allen) - 3:43

11. "The Lady Rachel" (Ayers) - 5:17

12. "All This Crazy Gift of Time" (Ayers) - 3:57

Exiled from Canterbury is the second studio album by Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, produced by Nick Mason and Soft Machine. It is the first album with Hugh Hopper being credited as an official member. The album was recorded between February and July 1969 at the Abbey Road Studios and released on 10 October 1969 by Blackhill Records in the United States and 24 October 1969 by CBS Records in the United States. It was first recorded under the trio, Robert Wyatt–Mike Ratledge–Hugh Hopper, but then Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen arrived to complete the band. The album's cover didn't have the participation of Daevid Allen, who appeared in the portrait on the wall.

The album differs from Hope for Happiness by having minimal or no extended jams (differently from the predecessor, which was mostly composed of suites and jams). Most of the album walks into a folk, psychedelic, rock-oriented direction, but still, jazz is the main element of the record. According to Robert Wyatt, the album has dadaist influences and was inspired by the Mothers of Invention's Absolutely Free. It is considered to have unusual lyrics for the time, and the central key to be considered an influent psychedelic record at the time.

With the release, the record received initially mixed reviews but as time passed, Exiled from Canterbury was considered Soft Machine's biggest effort in the 60's. The album peaked in number 2 in UK Album Charts and number 59 in US Billboard Top LPs. Most of the success of the album was due to the hit of the promotional single, Singing a Song in the Morning. After the release, Blackhill released The Lady Rachel as the second single, becoming one personal favorite of the fans being performed in later tours.

Back to the greasy asylum

Joe Cocker, 1969.

The Greasy Asylum has experienced a regular status as celebrities after the release of their debut album and the lead single With a Little Help From my Friends. In the United States, the group toured and performed at several large festivals, such as the Newport Music Festival and the Denver Pop Festival. And though the band was formed by six members, Joe Cocker and Leon Russell were mostly regarded as the frontmen and the minds behind the band's creative outputs.

After the end of the US tour, Greasy Asylum gathered at the ARS Studios and started to record the second album. The recording sessions of the group dragged the attention of the public after the contribution of Beatles' George Harrison and Ringo Starr in two songs (Dixie Lullaby and Hurtsome Body) and vocals from Jackie Lomax and Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, working as an influence for the hype of the follow-up to Looking at the Greasy Asylum.

"Everything happened when the bosses [George Harrison and Ringo Starr] entered in the studio to see what we were doing there. At the time they were recording with Jackie Lomax, I think, because he contributed with some vocals later, and suddenly I see George and Ringo picking the instruments and playing along with the band. That was quite surprising, we jammed the two songs and edited to fit them in the record."

-Leon Russell, 1978

In July, producer Denny Cordell convinced the organizer of Woodstock Festival, Artie Kornfeld of booking the Greasy Asylum for the Festival. At the time, the group had finished the sessions and embarked on a short UK tour followed by another leg in the United States, both supported by Jackie Lomax and Rita Coolidge. "Looking back then, the early Greasy Asylum years were pretty intense for everyone on that recording-touring routine. We liked that, but at the same time it just looks that we sort of abused our bodies during the tours.", Joe Cocker.

Greasy Asylum released Delta Lady, the title track, backed with another, longer, version sung by Leon Russell. The song managed to be a hit in Britain, but a minor hit in the United States. The album was scheduled to be released on 12 August 1969, three days before the Woodstock Festival.

Greasy Asylum – Delta Lady

Greasy Asylum - Delta Lady (1969)

Genre: Rock, pop-rock, blues rock

Total: 40:10

Side A - 19:46

1. "That's Your Business Now" (Joe Cocker, Chris Stainton) - 2:56

2. "Dixie Lullaby" (Leon Russell, Stainton) - 2:35

3. "She's So Good to Me" (Cocker, Stainton) - 2:56

4. "Hurtsome Body" (Russell) - 3:39

5. "Something" (George Harrison) - 3:32

6. "A Song for You" (Russell) - 4:08

Side B - 20:24

7. "Hummingbird" (Russell) - 4:02

8. "Delta Lady" (Russell) - 2:51

9. "I Put a Spell on You" (Russell) - 4:12

10. "Bird on the Wire" (Leonard Cohen) - 4:30

11. "Darling Be Home Soon" (John Sebastian) - 4:49

Delta Lady is the second studio album by the British-American rock band Greasy Asylum. The album was produced by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell and released on 12 August 1969 in the United States by Shelter Records and on 18 August 1969 in the United Kingdom by Apple Records. Delta Lady was Greasy Asylum's last album under the Apple Records label after the disagreement of the band with Allen Klein, who became Apple Records' manager until early 1971.

The album is comprised of Leon Russell's songs, some of them performed by Joe Cocker, and cover versions by Cocker himself. Delta Lady is also remembered by the contributions of Beatles George Harrison and Ringo Starr in two songs and backing vocals of Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. Something, written by George, would be later performed by himself on The Beatles' Abbey Road.

In the United States, the record reached number 43 in Billboard Top LPs while reached number 3 in UK Album Charts. Greasy Asylum released the title track as single, becoming a hit in Britain and a minor hit in the US. That's Your Business Now was released as single in 1970 backed by Death of the Flowers, failing to chart. Something and A Song for You were released simultaneously, both of them being reasonably successful.

Author's notes:
Hello everyone!
Finally back with a new band, and the return from another band. Anyway, in the next post, Woodstock! There'll not be a lot of changes, but I'll mostly focus on Woodstock.
And regarding Tailboard, recently I've discovered that Keith Noble, a member of previous incarnations of Pink Floyd released an album in 1970 (with contributions of Rado Klose!). The initial idea was to sign Keith as a solo artist, but I found that Clive Metcalfe, another member, had a duo with Keith called "The Tailboard Duo", so the idea evolved to a band.

Hope you like it! :)

Source:
Soft Machine - Exiled from Canterbury

• Soft Machine - Volume Two
• Kevin Ayers - Joy of a Toy (plus Bonus Tracks)
• Gong - Magick Brother

Greasy Asylum - Delta Lady

• Joe Cocker - Joe Cocker!
• Leon Russell - Leon Russell (1970)