Recommended records – Chris Cutler, is he the most musically talented drummer ever?

Posted by: jcs_smith on 14 November 2006

I’ve been digging through the more obscure parts of my record collection recently and found myself listening to a lot of stuff on Recommended records – Chris Cutler’s label. Personal favourites are Cassiber (with Heiner Goebbels, Alfred Harth and Christoph Anders,) The Art Bears (absolutely superb – Dagmar Krause’s voice is unbelievable,) Pere Ubu (David Thomas – need I say more,) News From Babel (Lindsay Cooper and Robert Wyatt,) Le Quatre Guitarriste De La Apocalypse, Henry Cow (OK some of their stuff gets a bit pretentious,) and David Thomas and the Pedestrians.
Warning though – most of the RecRec albums are 45’s, so if you haven’t got a Lingo you’re going to need to use the 45 adapter.
Off hand I can’t think of any other drummers that are capable of writing so much good music and the lyrics too. Kip Hanrahan is a possibility, but he’s a percussionist who mainly seems to work as a musical director
Posted on: 14 November 2006 by cider glider
Charles Hayward, formerly of This Heat is a contender.

Mark S
Posted on: 14 November 2006 by jcs_smith
Good point. I'd forgotten about This Heat. I'll have to dig their albums out again. Apparently the first one is worth a lot of money now
Posted on: 14 November 2006 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by jcs_smith:
Henry Cow (OK some of their stuff gets a bit pretentious)


I really like pretentious - what about Jon Hiseman. Must admit I've never heard most of the artists you mention - perhaps I'll explore.
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by jcs_smith
Yes but does Jon Hiseman write huge amounts of music and lyrics? I can't remember - I've onl;y heard him on Colloseum, Colloseum II and Barbara Thompson's Paraphanelia I think
Posted on: 15 November 2006 by northpole
I like drummers who drum (so to speak!) - hence John Bonham tops my list - though I can't quite envisage old Bonzo coming up with any sophisticated music or lyrics outside Led Zep!!

Peter
Posted on: 17 November 2006 by Analogue
Listened to the "Swingin' New Big Band" - Buddy Rich. A 1966 live recording, transfered to cd - pretty impressive.
Chris N