Ptolemaic Terrascope Vol 3 No 1 (issue nummer nine)

The ”Canterbury Scene” are three words which have become common coinage in these pages in recent times; not because of some strange fannish addiction to anything emanating to that region of England, but simply due to the sheer quality of the music which has umbrella’d out over the years since those humble ’Wilde Flowers’ beginnings of 1964. Whilst musically unimportant in itself, the Wilde Flowers contained in its original line-up three people who, within a decade, were to be considered in many circles, the definitive English rock vocalists: Richard Sinclair, Kevin Ayers, and of course Robert Wyatt.

Whilst always highly rated as a drummer, it is for his wonderful singing and songwriting that Wyatt is today universally admired and respected. The lack of his vocals in the Soft Machine after the glorious ’Moon In June’ on their album ’Third’ (unbelievably, he only drums on the following album, ’Four’, as the rest of the band believed his voice to be dispensible!) marked the departure of any real interest in the band; however in the subsequent Matching Mole, not only is there the treat of hearing Robert’s voice combined with the equally unique sound of Dave Sinclair’s keyboards, but there’s also what many people consider to be one of Wyatt’s finest moments – the near perfect love song ’O Caroline’, a desert-island-disc if ever there was one.

As is Wyatt’s second solo album, ’Rock Bottom’ – a masterpiece of languid depths and charged emotion. The previous LP, ’End Of An Ear’ is for avant-gardeners only, while the third LP, ’Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard’ is more free blowing but none the less essential. Together, this pair of platters confirm for all time the talents of Robert Wyatt and his place in the hearts and minds of his listeners. Since then he has sporadically put out a handful of excellent singles and the occasional LP on Rough Trade as well as making several guest appearances, most notably on Nick Mason’s LP ’The Fictitious Sports’ alongside jazz keyboardist Carla Bley.

Now that the Canterbury scene is again up and running with Caravan, Going Going (featuring Hugh Hopper) and Richard Sinclair’s Caravan of Dreams, as well as rumours of an upcoming and long overdue return to form for Kevin Ayers and a strong new album from Robert Wyatt entitled ’Dondestan’ on Rough Trade, it seems only right and proper that the Terrascope should be in the thick of it. Hence the following interview.

Whilst Robert, as you will see, was until recently unaware that he was considered an integral part of the ’Canterbury Scene’, there is no denying that he has always been considered as such and his response is in terms of a mistaken geographical and biographical reference rather than in the general use of the term ’Canterbury’ as a broad but distinct musical genre – one which rightly labels the likes of Dave Stewart and Jimmy Hastings as ’Canterbury’, even thought neither of them has ever lived there. That small point cleared up, it’s on to the results of a delightfully jovial afternoon spent in the relaxed and friendly company of Mr. Wyatt, an afternoon in which, fuelled by impromptu notes, failing memories, quite a lot of tea and the occasional (and vaguely apt) banana, we touched on as many aspects as possible of his long and never less than interesting career…