Matching Mole

English progressive rock band

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Matching Mole

Origin| Canterbury, England
Genres| Progressive rock, Canterbury scene
Years active| 1971–1972
1973
Labels| CBS
Spinoffs|

* 801
* Hatfield and the North

Spinoff of|

* Soft Machine
* Caravan
* Quiet Sun

Past members| Bill MacCormick
Robert Wyatt
Phil Miller
Dave Sinclair
Dave MacRae
Francis Monkman
Gary Windo

Matching Mole were an English progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury scene.[1] Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album, The End of an Ear (4 December 1970). He continued his role on vocals and drums and was joined by David Sinclair of Caravan on organ and piano, Dave MacRae on electric piano, Phil Miller of Delivery on guitar and Bill MacCormick of Quiet Sun on bass.[1] The name is a pun on Machine Molle, the French translation of the name of Wyatt's previous group Soft Machine.[1]

## Career

[edit]

Their first eponymous album was released in April 1972, the bulk of which was composed by Wyatt himself, with the exception of "O Caroline" (a Dave Sinclair composition with lyrics by Wyatt about his recent breakup with girlfriend Caroline Coon) and Phil Miller's "Part of the Dance".[1] Sinclair soon dropped out of the group and was replaced by New Zealand-born keyboard player and composer Dave MacRae, who had already played a guest role on the first album.[1] Their second album, Matching Mole's Little Red Record, produced by Robert Fripp of King Crimson, was released in November 1972.[1] This album was more of a team effort, with Wyatt concentrating on lyrics and vocal melodies and leaving the composing to his bandmates.[citation needed]

Matching Mole disbanded in late September 1972 immediately upon completion of a European tour supporting Soft Machine, with Sinclair and Miller going on to form the more successful Hatfield and the North.[1] A new lineup – consisting of Wyatt, MacCormick, ex-Curved Air keyboardist Francis Monkman and jazz saxophonist Gary Windo – was due to record a third album in 1973. This was cancelled when Wyatt fell from a window in June 1973, and was paralysed from the waist down, and therefore unable to continue drumming.[2]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Bill MacCormick – bass (1971–1972, 1973)
* Robert Wyatt – drums, vocals, Mellotron (1971–1972, 1973)
* Phil Miller – guitar (1971–1972; died 2017)
* Dave Sinclair – piano, organ (1971–1972)
* Dave MacRae – piano, organ, electric piano, synthesiser (1972)
* Francis Monkman – keyboards (1973; died 2023)
* Gary Windo – saxophone (1973; died 1992)

## Discography

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

Date  | Title  | Notes

|
|

April 1972  | Matching Mole | –
November 1972  | Matching Mole's Little Red Record | Dave Sinclair was replaced on keyboard by Dave MacRae

### Live albums and compilations

[edit]

Date  | Title  | Notes

|
|

1994  | BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert | Mini live album
2001  | Smoke Signals | Live album
2002  | March | Live album
2006  | On the Radio |
2013  | Live at the BBC 1972 | Japan-only vinyl LP

### Singles

[edit]

Year  | Title

|

1972  | "O Caroline"

## Filmography

[edit]

* 2015: Romantic Warriors III: Canterbury Tales (DVD)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 808\. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
2. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 251\. CN 5585.

## External links

[edit]

* Matching Mole – A complete discography
* Matching Mole at AllMusic
* Matching Mole discography at Discogs
* Canterbury Music Family Tree
* A 1995 interview with bassist Bill MacCormick for Facelift Magazine

* v
* t
* e

Robert Wyatt

Studio albums|

* The End of an Ear
* Rock Bottom
* Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard
* Old Rottenhat
* Dondestan
* Shleep
* Cuckooland
* Comicopera

Live albums|

* Theatre Royal Drury Lane 8th September 1974

EPs|

* Work in Progress

Soundtracks|

* The Animals Film

Compilation albums|

* Nothing Can Stop Us
* Mid-Eighties
* Eps
* '68

Singles|

* "I'm a Believer"/"Memories"
* "Yesterday Man"/"I'm a Believer"
* "Stalin Wasn't Stallin'"/"Stalingrad"
* "Shipbuilding"/"Memories of You"/"'Round Midnight"

Related articles|

* Soft Machine
* Matching Mole
* Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* 2
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

Other|

* IdRef

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