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Formed in 1972, their name was inspired by a road sign on the M1 going north from London (frequently seen by gigging bands). Dave Stewart (keyboards), Phil Miller (guitar), Richard Sinclair (bass, vocals), Pip Pyle (drums). Plus guests.

(The sub-theme for today's show: find Robert Wyatt!)

Here's a song to begin the beginning
, a few notes which are arbitrary
. But we try our best to make it sound nice, and hope that the music turns you on to our latest L.P.
 So do have a laugh certainly.

The Wilde Flowers was formed in Canterbury, England, in 1964. Active until 1969, but never released any record during its existence. Their influence exceeds that of many groups with lengthy discographies. The band served as the wellspring of the so-called Canterbury sound: particularly Soft Machine and Caravan. A compilation of The Wilde Flowers demos and unreleased recordings was finally released in 1994.

Members included : Brian Hopper, David Sinclair, Graham Flight, Hugh Hopper, Kevin Ayers, Pye Hastings, Richard Sinclair, Richard Coughlin, and Robert Wyatt.

Formed in 1966, named after the book "The Soft Machine" written by William Burroughs. They were probably the most important and influential band to grow out the Canterbury Scene. Many careers began with The Soft Machine: Robert Wyatt (Matching Mole), Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen (Gong).

Soft Machine underwent many lineup changes. This incarnation featured Robert Wyatt (vocals, percussion), Mike Ratledge (keyboards, flute), Hugh Hopper (bass, sax, acoustic guitar), plus Brian Hopper (saxes). By ~ 1972 Soft Machine played more jazz fusion and no longer had the "Canterbury sound".

Matching Mole was a short-lived UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene. Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine. The name is a pun on 'Machine Molle', the French translation of "Soft Machine". Robert Wyatt (vocals and drums), Dave McRae (electric piano), Phil Miller (guitar) formerly of Delivery, and Bill MacCormick (bass) formerly of Quiet Sun.

Robert Wyatt was born on 28 January 1945. He co-founded Wilde Flowers in 1964, then co-founded Soft Machine in 1966. Wyatt's second solo effort, Rock Bottom, was recorded three months after he was released from the hospital in 1974.

Formed in 1968, disbanded in 1978. Founded by ex-members of Wilde Flowers: Pye Hastings (vocals, guitar), David Sinclair (keyboards), Richard Sinclair (bass, vocals), and Richard Coughlin (drums). Caravan was a leading exponent of what became known as "the Canterbury sound". "In the Land of Grey and Pink" is a perfect blend between simple English pop and complex progressive rock.

"For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night" marked another change in Caravan's sound, and their classic Canterbury sound stopped here.

This band began as "Uriel" in 1967 as a four-piece psychedelic group. They renamed themselves "Egg" after the departure of Steve Hillage for college in the summer of 1968 and slowly changed their musical direction. "Arzachel" was the reformation of Uriel. Since the members of "Egg" had just signed an exclusive deal with Decca when they were offered to record a psychedelic album by another label, they reunited with Steve Hillage under the name "Arzachel" in June 1969 and released this one LP.

(Coming up, listen during Egg's "A Visit to Newport Hospital", to hear Mont Cambell reminisce about Uriel.)

Egg toured the UK and recorded two highly acclaimed albums (Egg, The Polite Force). After struggling for over a year with hardly enough gigs to survive, Egg eventually broke up in July 1972, leaving almost an album's worth of unrecorded compositions. So when the opportunity came, in the summer of 1974, to record a third album for the Virgin sub-label Caroline Records, the trio was re-united for "The Civil Surface", but the band was not in existence anymore.

There used to be a time when we lived in the van
We used to loon about with Janice, Liz and Ann
Now looking back it seemed to be a happy time
And so we kid ourselves we didn't really mind
The hang-ups and the lack of bread

There were four of us then, the group was Uriel
We played five nights a week at Ryde Castle Hotel
We spent our time avoiding skinheads and the law
It was a freedom that we'd never felt before
And now we're doing this instead

It was a way of life that was completely new
And so we found that we had quite a lot to do
The time passed slowly and each day was much the same
We ate and loved and slept and no-one was to blame

For saying things better left unsaid .

Dave Stewart (keyboards), Steve Hillage (guitar/vocal), Nick Greenwood (Bass/vocal), Eric Peachey (drums).

Psychedelic rock band formed by Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth in France in 1967. Gong became pioneers of a new brand of psychedelia/space-rock/trip-rock - with a conceptual ethos involving aliens and alternative realities. An international outfit, increasingly linked to other bands of the Canterbury scene.

Angels Egg is the second in Gong's Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy of albums. The trilogy forms a central part of the Gong mythology. The original vinyl edition came with a booklet containing an extensive explanation of the mythology, including lyrics, a glossary of terms, and profiles of characters in the story and band members.

"You" is the third of the "Radio Gnome Invisible" trilogy of albums and the last album by Daevid Allen's iteration of the group - until 1992's Shapeshifter. Soon Gong would be led by Pierre Moerlen and started playing jazz fusion.

Formed in October 1972, disbanded June 1975. Canterbury at its best. This version was performed for the John Peel Show in 1974.

Poetry in motion is what you've become
From the front and from behind you're a star
Sideways, on the top and underneath
Close inspection reveals that you're in perfect nick
You'll perform like a dream.

[Named "K Licks" on this compilation, since Virgin Records owns the original "Calyx" song title.]

Originally released as the single "Let's Eat, Real Soon".

I'm vitamin-enriched. What's more, I'm absolutely wholesome!
No artificial processing or anything so loathsome!
You'll fancy me at lunch, not to mention tea. I'm easily digested naturally!

You'll want to slip me in your kitchen. How'd you like to mother me?
And I'll be tasty, Mr. Pastry, wouldn't that be lovely?
My mother once told me, "eat what you are given"
Don't worry mum, I've realised what fun that could be
It makes a real man of me now, I think you'll agree
I've got more calories than brown bread in me now
No-one can tell !!!

So don't be scared by the thought
of putting on three extra stone
Disregard all dieting information
It's best to leave well alone
You're better off fully grown!

Formed in 1975, the group was mostly the same as Hatfield and The North, but with a different bass player: Dave Stewart (keyboards), Phil Miller (guitar), John Greaves (bass) from Henry Cow, Pip Pyle (drums). Plus guests. Occasional members/collaborators have included Alan Gowen, Bill Bruford, and Steve Hillage. Disbanded in 1981.

The band got its name from the 'National Health' issued eyeglasses worn by Dave Stewart. 🤓

"Clocks And Clouds" was released on National Health's "Missing Pieces", a collection of miscellaneous songs that never made it to any of their records. (The vocalist is Amanda Parsons, not Barbara Gaskin.)

In this photo, they are joined by Alan Gowen, Bill Bruford, and Amanda Parsons.

Why were these pieces missing for so long? Dave Stewart writes "The reason for the chronic unavailability was the reluctance of some of the musicians to release these less than perfect versions... it is purely a case of conscientious musicians wanting to be heard at their best, which is how anything ever gets to sound half decent in the first place."

Founded in 1968 in Cambridge, UK - Disbanded in 1978. Henry Cow is one of the founders of Rock-In-Opposition (RIO), but has roots in the Canterbury scene, and all of its members have collaborated with Canterbury scene groups and artists at some point.

🧦 The Henry Cow emoji.

This is a live version of Robert Wyatt's song.

L-R: Chris Cutler, Robert Wyatt, Dagmar Krause, Lindsay Cooper

Formed in 1972, disbanded in 1975, reformed between 1977-1978. Gilgamesh was one of the premier bands in the Canterbury scene. Led by the keyboardist Alan Gowen (1947-1981), the group was a contemporary and collaborator with National Health. The music is very intricate, and of course keyboard oriented. They're more of jazz fusion group, but with strong Canterbury flavors.

Originally issued in 1982, recorded shortly before Gowen's death due to leukemia.

A Canterbury supergroup: half Gilgamesh (Gowen, Tomkins) and half Hatfield and The North (Miller, Sinclair).

Phil Miller (1949-2017), was a self-taught musician. Guitarist for Delivery, Matching Mole, Hatfield and The North, and National Health. Later, he was a member of Short Wave, and In Cahoots.

Besides Phil Miller, this track has Dave Stewart (keyboards, drum programming), Richard Sinclair (bass, vocals), along with Barbara Gaskin (vocals).

Pip Pyle was a renowned drummer from The Canterbury Scene. Highly prolific, involved with dozens of bands from the late '60s until 2006 when he died, during tour, from heart-attack. Among other groups, he was with Delivery, Gong, Hatfield and The North, National Health, and Soft Heap.

The tracks on this solo release feature many combinations of all his old friends.

Camel is usually classified as a Symphonic Prog band, but during 1977-78 they were joined by Richard Sinclair (bass/vocals) who added his distinctive Canterbury style on two LPs.

Time on your hands, You do it all the day

Shuffle your feet, and turn on the news

To hear what they might say.

They made a machine, a new fangled device.

They're lighting the fuse, There's no need to worry,

Your world will be alright.

Time for a smoke, a pint and a joke. You muddle on through,

Silently screaming "What can I do?"

Till time trips you out, slogging about

Blows you away, High as a kite on a windy day.

Jakko Jakszyk was born in London, and since 2013 has been the lead singer for King Crimson. However, through his collaborations with Dave Stewart, Peter Blegvad, John Greaves and Pip Pyle, he has become an honorary member of the Canterbury 'family'.

"Catley" was his wife's cat.

A side project for Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Canterbury connected members included Bill McCormick (Matching Mole), and Charles Hayward (future Gong member). Quiet Sun existed in two phases:the original band formed in 1969, disbanded after Phil Manzanera joined Roxy Music, and then again in 1975 they reformed specially to record the music they had originally composed 5 years earlier.

Hailing from Canterbury, Kent, The Boot Lagoon proudly carries on the tradition of Canterbury acts such as Caravan and Hatfield and The North with their eclectic, jazzy, whimsical sound. Their debut EP, simply called The Boot Lagoon, was released in February 2012.

Zopp was created by composer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Stevenson, with collaborations from Andy Tillson of The Tangent and drummer Andrea Moneta of Leviathan. The sound of the debut record (from 2020!) is based upon vintage fuzz organ (so typical of the Canterbury sound) that weave with complex time signature changes, and catchy melodies with ambient keyboard interludes.

(It wouldn't be Canterbury without that teapot...)