This Day in Music

January 28th

Another day committed to one subject, plus a milestone for Elvis, on this day in music.

People

1945: Drummer-extraordinaire, singer, and composer, Robert Wyatt-Ellidge is born in Bristol, England. Known simply as Robert Wyatt, he was a founding member of the influential “Canterbury Scene” bands, Soft Machine and Matching Mole.

The Canterbury Scene referred to the progressive rock movement in Canterbury (Kent), England, that featured an improvisational blend of psychedelic jazz and rock. Soft Machine’s first two albums are near-perfect representations of the scene, but by the fourth album, which would be Wyatt’s last, the band was an all-instrumental jazz ensemble (and a very good one!)

Having already completed his first solo album, “The End of an Ear,” in December of 1970, Wyatt went on to form Matching Mole in October of 1971, a Canterbury-style prog band whose name was a play on the term “Machine Molle,” the name given to Soft Machine by its legions of fans in France. Matching Mole would tour Europe as the opening act for Soft Machine in 1972 in support of their second album, “Matching Mole’s Little Red Record,” produced by none other than prog-master Robert Fripp.

Wyatt’s flawless independence (i.e. playing different rhythms simultaneously between the hands and feet) and ability to sing while playing complex polyrhythms on drumset quickly vaulted him into the elite of Canterbury artists and established his reputation as a virtuoso.

Wyatt would influence dozens of musicians and composers who followed him, most famously Roland Orzabal of English band Tears for Fears, whose 1985 song, “I Believe,” from the seminal album, “Songs From the Big Chair,” was written for and dedicated to Wyatt.

On June 1, 1973, tragedy struck when an inebriated Wyatt fell from a fourth-storey window and broke his spine at a birthday party for Gilli Smyth from the band Gong, held at the home of English painter Lady June in the affluent west-London enclave of Maida Vale (which was also the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder.) The injury would render him a paraplegic and confine him to a wheelchair. Wyatt would later remark that the accident ironically saved his life. He was a self-described alcoholic by the early-70’s, and if not for the accident, he is sure the drink would have killed him.

Undaunted by his injury, Wyatt continued composing and playing instruments with his hands, learning piano, guitar, and trumpet to complement his drumming, and continued to make music. Over his career, he has made four Soft Machine albums, two Matching Mole albums, and eight solo albums, along with several live and compilation packages, and collaborations with dozens of other artists.

Robert retired officially from his music career in 2014. He lives in England with his wife of 50 years, lyricist and illustrator, Alfreda Benge.

Happy 81st Birthday to Robert Wyatt!

The Daily Elvis

1956: Elvis makes his debut appearance on American network TV, performing “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Flip Flop and Fly,” and “I Got a Woman” on the CBS variety program, Stage Show, hosted by legendary big band leaders, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey.

Pictured: Robert Wyatt at the time of his retirement.