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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZHENRY COWAvant-garde rock band formed '68; founder members Tim Hodgkinson (organs and reeds), Fred Frith (guitar; also violin and viola, piano, xylophone). The name had some connection with American composer Henry Cowell (1897--1965), but everyone soon forgot exactly what. Chris Cutler joined on drums '72; they played at the Edinburgh Festival and used the name Cabaret Voltaire in London (another group of that name formed a year later in Manchester). Appeared at Bath International Music Festival '73, helped play Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' in London, ran the Explorer's Club with Derek Bailey, Lol Coxhill, Cornelius Cardew's Scratch Orchestra and others; recorded Leg End (aka Legend) for Virgin with John Greaves on bass, also one side of Live At Dingwall's Dance Hall as the Greasy Truckers. Lindsay Cooper joined '74 on reeds, piano etc; they recorded Unrest for Virgin; toured Europe with Captain Beefheart, UK with German band Faust; Frith made Guitar Solos I on Caroline; the band made Desperate Straights '74 on Virgin with Slapp Happy: Peter Blegvad, Anthony Moore, vocalist Dagmar Krause had made LP Sort Of on Polydor 72; Slapp Happy '73 unreleased, re-recorded for Virgin '74 (original version and reissued Sort Of on Recommended '81). Henry Cow/Slapp Happy merged, made In Praise Of Learning '75 on Virgin, then demerged. Cow toured Europe incl. gigs with Robert Wyatt; two- disc Concerts '76 on Caroline; Frith's Guitar Solos II '76 with Bailey, Hans Reichel and G. F. Fitzgerald. They played at the Roundhouse in London '77 with Mike Westbrook Brass Band and Frankie Armstrong as the Occasional Orchestra. Next LP was Western Culture '79 on Broadcast (own label); they have all kept busy: Frith, Cutler, Krause formed Art Bears, made Hopes And Fears '78, Winter Songs '79, The World As It Is Today '81 ('frankly political and bitter'); Cooper made Rags '81 (a song cycle based on Victorian sweat shops) with Frith, Cutler, Georgie Born on cello and bass, others; Frith's Guitar Solos III on Rift (own label) with several other guitarists; also five LPs on US Ralph label, solo Live In Japan on Recommended Japan, Voice Of America on Rift, French Gigs with Coxhill, Live In Prague And Washington with Cutler, all since '80; Hodgkinson has done many things on his own Woof label and all have sessioned widely. Some Henry Cow CD reissues are now on T.E.C. Tones label in USA, as well as later Frith albums incl. soundtrack Step Across The Border; Frith's The Technology Of Tears is on SST, as is With Enemies Like These, Who Needs Friends? with Henry Kaiser. Frith's The Previous Evening '98 on RER explored ambient. |